I always want KAP to be educational
I want it to be just at the edge of common knowledge, plus a little more to make the readers/players mentally reach out a little bit with a bit of new knowledge
I am wondering if I ought to use cavalryman as a general, multiply applied vocabulary word.

In what context?

In what context?


IN background books

I like miles, myself. It add an historical flavor.

Why would we be choosing between miles and sergeant, though? In what context could either of those two terms apply to the same group? Miles originally meant a soldier of any sort, which I suppose fits well enough, and from the late 10th century it refers to a mounted, non-infantry soldier (miles et pedites), and is used interchangeably with eques: again, fits well enough, and if anything it's sergeant that is too narrow in definition, as it refers to someone holding land for any number of services, non-military or otherwise. But by the 12th century, miles was pretty much synonymous with a noble cavalryman.

I voted for a cavalryman. Why? Well, in the title of the poll it said: '...for a game for newbies'. This to me says that accessibility is the key. Neither miles or sarjeant says anything at all to a new kid on the block, coming straight from D20 or something like that. Cavalryman is clear. Knight might be even better, if applicable. Sure, put in a sidebar or a footnote if you want about miles, equites and sarjeants/sergeants, but for the general text, cavalryman / knight is the way to go in my opinion.

how did I miss the second half of that title

Yeah, "cavalryman."

I hovered over Cavalryman because of the greater accessibility for the newcomer, but voted miles. For me, use of the term cavalry always conjures up images of American horsebacked troops turning up in the nick of time in a Western - not really the image I want in Pendragon!

I hovered over Cavalryman because of the greater accessibility for the newcomer, but voted miles. For me, use of the term cavalry always conjures up images of American horsebacked troops turning up in the nick of time in a Western - not really the image I want in Pendragon!


I have exactly the same opinion !

Miles doesn't give the 'feel' of horses to me, it only gives the feeling of 'soldier'.

I use Equetes or "riders" depending on age and who is talking.
Then adding the diff vs Equites for knights.

Miles = 1.6 * kilometers. :)

Like I said earlier in my reply, 'knight' would be my general favorite, if applicable. That instantly snaps into focus a heavily armored cavalryman. As a general term, it is hard to find anything better than a cavalryman, or maybe a mounted warrior. 'Rider' doesn't quite have the same military ring to it for me.

Miles doesn't give the 'feel' of horses to me, it only gives the feeling of 'soldier'.

I use Equetes or "riders" depending on age and who is talking.
Then adding the diff vs Equites for knights.

I rather like this one the most as well, although since 1/2 my group are SCA people I can use historically correct terms like "miles" w/out as much worry that folks don't get it.

One thing I would suggest is that if this is for "newbies" then the first thing should be a "history of the terms". NOT a glossary, but rather something that says "why" we are calling mounted knights "miles" in the first place.

Cavalryman

I also agree with Morien, upthread, who would like to see a sidebar that explains Miles, Knight, Sergeant, etc

SDLeary

Miles = 1.6 * kilometers. :)

Like I said earlier in my reply, 'knight' would be my general favorite, if applicable. That instantly snaps into focus a heavily armored cavalryman. As a general term, it is hard to find anything better than a cavalryman, or maybe a mounted warrior. 'Rider' doesn't quite have the same military ring to it for me.
Say it again if you wish, but it doesn't change the question.
If "knight" was an appropriate term, I'd have put it as a choice.

Why would we be choosing between miles and sergeant, though? In what context could either of those two terms apply to the same group?
In the context of KAP


Miles originally meant a soldier of any sort, which I suppose fits well enough, and from the late 10th century it refers to a mounted, non-infantry soldier (miles et pedites), and is used interchangeably with eques: again, fits well enough, and if anything it's sergeant that is too narrow in definition, as it refers to someone holding land for any number of services, non-military or otherwise. But by the 12th century, miles was pretty much synonymous with a noble cavalryman.

Both of these terms went through mutation in meaning during the Middle Ages. KAP defines these both in the cotext here. Maybe someonbe can find me the page numbers?

I'm dismayed to see Miles winning. I am not a newbie, and have done my share of medieval history reading, and I just don't like that word. It's too alien to me (aside from the alternate word for units of distance).

I voted cavalryman, because I don't have the american association with civil war or cowboys. Cavalry to me means mounted warriors - whether knights, or the charge of the light brigade. It perfectly describes what it covers.
When the term cavalryman is included, you could easily have sidebar text explaining medieval terms that would be suitable for people wnating to use them, but point out the game will be using the term more familiar to modern readers.

FWIW, I agree wholeheartedly with Darren.


T.

I voted cavalryman, because I don't have the american association with civil war or cowbows.


Cowbows?! :o

:D

SDLeary

I think you must have misread, SDLeary. There's no such word in my original post.

*hurries off to edit it*

I'd go for cavalryman.

If you are going to educate people you want to draw them in first and get them interested. Instant confusion can make this tough so I would recommend a gentle learning curve.