Who Would Make a Good Warlord?

[RN7]

Originally Posted by Targan

Me.

Always thought there was something megalomaniac about you Targan

[pmulcahy11b]

Here's possibly stupid idea, but still possible in my mind: Major TV personalities (especially from news organizations) who had a large following before TV went byebye.

[Askold]

People seem to assume that military officers make perfect warlord material but there is an obvious problem there. They hold authority due to their rank in the military. Any authority they have is basically because of that rank, if the military collapses how many soldiers will continue blindly following them if they decide to become warlords? Certainly some might want to stick together simply because it offers better chances of survival but they might just as well decide to leave and try to get back to their families or perhaps find other units are not being led by a "warlord."

Gangs, biker gangs and organised criminal organisations on the other hand I see as a perfect breeding ground for warlords and their armies.

[Webstral]

My wife.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Askold

People seem to assume that military officers make perfect warlord material but there is an obvious problem there. They hold authority due to their rank in the military. Any authority they have is basically because of that rank, if the military collapses how many soldiers will continue blindly following them if they decide to become warlords? Certainly some might want to stick together simply because it offers better chances of survival but they might just as well decide to leave and try to get back to their families or perhaps find other units are not being led by a "warlord."

Not just any officer is going to become a warlord by virtue of their rank. The crap ones would be more likely to be fragged in a SHTF scenario. But, as the Romans have taught us, loyalty to a successful and/or charismatic officer can often trump loyalty to a more abstract concept such as "the state" or "the people". In Rome's case, this phenomenon led to the end of the Republic and largely contributed to the end of the Empire.

[kato13]

This list

http://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-f...ference?page=1

seems to show that being a military person, or a religious or political leader is the most common pre-warlord occupation.

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Here's possibly stupid idea, but still possible in my mind: Major TV personalities (especially from news organizations) who had a large following before TV went byebye.

a la The Omega Man with Charlton Heston

Course could also just be someone famous

i.e. The Postman movie

[Wolf sword]

What about History or a Political Science Professor.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by RN7

Always thought there was something megalomaniac about you Targan

My online gaming name for the last decade has been Monomaniacal. I think that says it all

[SionEwig]

Pretty much anyone who has been in any type of leadership position could be a possible good warlord. It's more the person rather than what they have been. A possible off the wall one could be an experienced youth group leader. Or a park ranger, forrest ranger type.

[Apache6]

I've GM'd a local Sheriff in a southern county who 'grew' almost unwillingly into a warlord as other elements including the state and local elected officials proved incapable of providing order and/or security. His intention was to protect his county and ensure justice. This certainly has historic precedence.

As does the wealthy cattle baron, minor or farmer hiring protection that eventually grows into a 'militia' of its own. This scenario has occurred in Columbia where "FARC" guerrilla (originally a Marxist group) have basically become the security force for drug growers, who have then grown to control significant portions of real estate, has occurred in recent history.

In many cases the difference between a militia band, a contract security force and a warlords army might be almost semantic. In all cases, the truth will be colored by the intent, beliefs, perceptions and propaganda of the various speakers.

If he is my enemy, I might call a a charismatic and effective leader of a county militia, a warlord, gang leader, or warcriminal... Of course if he's in my pay or doing my bidding he's a brave defender of the helpless. If I'm a single mother who is being protected, I might call him a hero or even willingly 'my lord' and be proud of his successes.

[pmulcahy11b]

[QUOTE=SionEwig;60784]Pretty much anyone who has been in any type of leadership position could be a possible good warlord. It's more the person rather than what they have been. A possible off the wall one could be an experienced youth group leader. Or a park ranger, forr

I've been a forest ranger in Virginia. Some will never listen to you, especially kids on a field trip. A forest ranger would better be a specialist asset to a warlord.

[Raellus]

There's a somewhat interesting German film called The Wave (that, at least, is the American English title) about a high school teacher who conducts a simulation/social experiment with his students on the topic of totalitarianism. I don't want to give too much away but things spiral out of control pretty quickly.

[Bullet Magnet]

While people in certain occupations may be more likely, I think anyone with a sharp mind, tenacity, and the ability to persuade, could potentially become a warlord in a T2K situation.

Think of Tina Turner's character in 'Thunderdome'. It's been a while since I've seen that movie, but I seem to recall, in one scene, she's talking to Max & asks him what he did before their world went charcoal. Then she talks about her life back then, and as I recall, she was nothing special then (I don't recall exactly what). She was a "nobody", worked a crap job. Then, the "boom", and after that, she clawed her way to "the top", running Barter Town.

It's all about getting an opportunity, and being able to see the opportunity, and knowing how to seize the opportunity.

[James Langham2]

Originally Posted by Raellus

There's a somewhat interesting German film called The Wave (that, at least, is the American English title) about a high school teacher who conducts a simulation/social experiment with his students on the topic of totalitarianism. I don't want to give too much away but things spiral out of control pretty quickly.

Possibly more accessible is the English novel of the experiment by Michael Rhue.

[Raellus]

Thanks, James, I'll check that out.

Quite a few of the replies to my original query re-listed the usual suspects. I guess I was hoping for some subtlety and/or a little authentic humanity- in other words, something not already portrayed in popular media ad nauseum. We all know the archtypes- they're easy to identify, familiar, comforting even, but to seasoned post-apoc warriors such as ourselves, they're also becoming rather trite, colorless, and cliché.

For a case study in subtle, nuanced humanity and the creation of a real-life warlord, let's look at history's most notorious example. Physically, he was unattractive and less than average by most metrics. His one defining physical feature became iconic only after his ascension to power. Prior to that, it was fairly commonplace and wholly unremarkable (unless you were familiar with early American cinema). This man's early career goal was not something associated with martial/political leaders of men. He suffered failure, professionally and personally, on several occasions. He did serve in the military during wartime, in combat, with distinction, but his unit-mates didn't think much of him. He certainly wasn't warlord material at that point in his life. He spent time in prison. He wrote a book that not many people at the time bothered to read. He had at least one serious romantic relationship, although many suspect it was never properly consummated. There are second hand reports of some kinky pseudo-sexual behavior. He was fond of little children (although, apparently not inappropriately) and doted on his dog. He surrounded himself with other unattractive people who could well have been described by their contemporaries as losers. All in all, this is not a description of your typical warlord as portrayed in popular media.

If he hadn't been a master manipulator, with a gift for public speaking, myth-making, inspiring intense personal loyalty to himself in others, and unleashing these followers' potential for committing great evils, none of us would ever have heard of Adolf Hitler.

[SionEwig]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I've been a forest ranger in Virginia. Some will never listen to you, especially kids on a field trip. A forest ranger would better be a specialist asset to a warlord.

Well, some people are not going to listen to someone in any of the professions mentioned in this thread. And kids on a field trip, especially to the wide open spaces, do tend to be had to get the attention of. Nonetheless, a park ranger or forest ranger could still become an effective warlord, at least in the right circumstances (just like any profession could).