Asketillian Firearm Factionalism

Because Asketill is a trade nation, it is exposed to new and grand ideas such as the firearm. However, not everyone is quick to adopt these new ideas or out-right reject them. There exist three factions in the Republic of Asketill that pertain to firearms. The Vooruits, the Matiges, and the Tradities.

The Vooruits (Forward in Astrican) are the faction that is pushing for the complete intergration of firearms into the Asketillian military. The most important Vooruit in Asketillian history was Porter Wagoner, who is responsible for introducing firearms to the military by decree. The Vooruit favor little to no melee support and skirmish tactics. The Vooruits believe that cumbersome melee weapons such as the pike restrict mobility and therefore military capability. The Vooruits' strategy has been used in militias to fend off Orc incursions and bandits but has yet to be proven on a grand scale.

Asketillian Militia storms a bandit stronghold

The Matiges (Moderate in Astrican) are the current mainstay of the Asketillian military. They do not reject the firearm but believe it to be too unreliable and limited to be practical. The Matiges favor a mix of progressive and traditional with pike and shot. The most important Matige is Porter Wagoner, who introduced firearms to the military and kept traditional weapons as well. Porter Wagoner introduced firearms because of an ongoing war with the Wannageeska, who wanted to sieze the river mouth for themselves. The Asketillians were pushed all the way back to the city of Pommer but were able to push back the bug people because of recently supplied muskets and repeaters.

Asketillians on the offensive once again


Porter Wagoner showing off the Asketillian Repeater

The Tradities (Traditional in Astrican) oppose the further intergration of the firearm and would much prefer it not be intergrated at all. They believe the use of firearms to repel the bug people was a mere fluke and that it was really the Asketillian soldiers' blood, sweat, and tears that repelled the bug people. The most important Traditie is Porter Wagoner, who did not replace the traditional weapons of Asketill but had to make do with what he had at the time. The Tradities' strategy consists of lines of pikemen, swordsmen, and archers to fight the enemy. The Tradities currently hold no power in the government but have support in the far north of Asketill

A lone Traditie practices with the bow

The one thing that these groups have in common is their reverence of Porter Wagoner. They all believe that he would be dedicated to their cause because of what he did when he was alive. Porter Wagoner would soon die of natural causes after the conclusion of the Wannageeska War but his decision to introduce firearms to the Asketillian military would shape Asketillian society decades after his death.