The Heralds cry, "Lay on!" and the units close on one another, circling, vying for position. The Elven archers find the range and begin to drop shafts on the Germanic mercenaries whose mighty zwiehander swords offer no protection from the rain of arrows. The Goblin Horde, seeing their chance, charge the distracted archers and are among the Elves, dealing death, before the archers have a chance to react.
Warriors in the Dagorhir are divided into sub-groups called "units" primarily to allow friends to fight together and to make choosing teams easier.
The war band has always been part of the literature and history of warfare. Whether it was the Fellowship of the Ring, the Celtic clans who rallied to Boudicca's call, ancient Ireland’s Fenians and Fomorians, The Knights of the Round Table, Jason’s Argonauts, or the Free Companions of Robert Howard's Conan, the small Unit of warriors multiplies the power of the individual fighter.
So it is in Dagorhir, where warriors form units to ensure that close friends fight together and can support each other on the battlefield - even to making a last stand over the body of a fallen friend.[1] But a unit doesn't end there, unit's are not just for battlefield but act as your Dagorhir immediate family. Forming bonds in battle, arts, crafts, parties, and adventures.
Forming Units[]
Forming a unit is very easy can can be done with very little headache. Units can have any name you wish and use any symbol that's appropriate to the fantasy/medieval genre of Dagorhir. Your Unit's Reason for Existence can be anything you and your friends wish, such as re-creating the Army of the Roman Empire, being a band of Dispossessed Elven Royalty, or "Just `Cause We Like to Fight Together." There was once a Unit that boasted more than 20 Fighters where each claimed to be a bastard son of King Charlemagne! Units instill a sense of fellowship and responsibility among members, increase organization at battles, and give every member a way to have their views felt.
Unit Heraldry[]
The heraldry of the Wargar unit. Their sigil of a stallion on a field of red and grey symbolizing their word of iron and their trust of blood.
As with Chapters, all units must have a standard; a flag, totem, or banner that tells something about them. It's important that the heraldry (symbols and colors) a unit uses is unique and important to the members of the unit as it is the visual representation of the unit as a whole. Unit standards should be brought to every battle and you'll find them beautifully displayed around campsites and tournaments.
Elves might fly a flag showing a Silver Tree; a Mongol standard might be a Totem Staff topped with a painted horse skull; Pirates could fight beneath a stylized Jolly Roger; Warriors from the time of King Arthur might fight under the Welsh Chimera; and an Uruk-Hai banner would show the White Hand.
A unit's heraldry is not solely left to the banner and flag but can also be found of a unit's shields, dress, and favors. Many units don their shared heraldry on their shields on the field to help identify each other amidst the chaos and roar of battle. Other units present their members with shared tokens and belt favor to identify each other in a feast or party. These favors and symbols promote unity and help establish a shared sense of fellowship.
Many Units wear matching costumes or uniforms. Others often wear similar clothing (such as Celtic War-Bands, who dress mostly in plaid wool) that shows them to be a united people. This clothing can match the unit's heraldry or standard in color as to make it easier to spot in a crowd or field of battle. Some units have no standard garb, encouraging each member to show their individuality and character (like the Fellowship of the Ring).
Unit Administration[]
All units must have a "commander" however there care many synonymous words for this leader's title. This person doesn't actually have to be the sole leader of the Unit (although in many cases they will be), but it is important that they must be a responsible person that Dagorhir and that unit's home Chapter can contact to give information to the entire unit. The unit commander will be the unit's way of giving feedback to Dagorhir and their local Chapter concerning rules, battle locations, battle types, and event scheduling.
All units must have at least five active members and a list must be kept by the unit of its members. This important to keep your unit alive and well-functioning. All five members do not have to show up at a given battle or all at the same time, but each must show up at least once every four battles to be considered active.
Units must keep a roster of members and make it available to event staff if requested. Your unit may be organized any way you wish it to be. Your unit may be run as a democracy, where all members are equal and get a vote on group decisions, such as what your unit's heraldry will look like or whether you want to volunteer to run the next feast or event. Or your members might decide it would be fun to declare your Unit to be a "country" with a queen or king supported by thanes or baronesses. Other units style themselves after military organizations, with generals, captains, and soldiers.
Finally, all Units should turn in a written outline describing the Unit to their local Chapter, explaining why its members fight together, what their standard means, whether they are accepting new members, etc. This does not need to be typed electronically (although it is requested) but it must be legible. If you wish to submit a duplicate copy in your Unit's native language, that is all right. These outlines should be posted on your website, so that everyone can learn about the other units. Unit outlines can be submitted at check-in or sent via e-mail.
Recruiting[]
Recruiting is important to keep your Unit alive and vital. Over time, members drift in and out of Dagorhir depending on school and work schedules, moving, health, family, and other interests. Unless your unit continues to bring in new members from outside of Dagorhir, it may eventually stagnate and cease to be.
Having a website or Facebook group can be an important component of attracting new members to your unit in the Information Age. A unit site gives you a way of recruiting new members throughout the day, provides you a place to publish the history of your unit and pictures of members and your banner, give directions to practices, and provide contact information so interested people can apply for membership. You can even get your web page started for free, using any of the no-cost web hosting services.
Many units, and even Chapters, wear matching costumes or uniforms. Others often wear similar clothing (such as Celtic War-Bands, who dress mostly in plaid wool) that shows them to be a united people. Some units have no standard garb, encouraging each member to show their individuality and character (like the Fellowship of the Ring). However a strong since of branding and unity can be important to marketing new members and eager recruits.
To find Units, go the the Unit List.