So I've been thinking (again), and this time my wandering mind has alighted on the Kroot. Well known hunters of the living and eaters of the dead and so-forth. Particularly, I've been thinking of the small bands of such xenos that operate in the Expanse as mercenaries. One thing that my brain is stuck on, though, is how they get places. Assuming that a Warsphere is not involved, because at that point the "small bands" point is out the airlock, how do they get places? Traders may be willing to charter passage for them, but it starts straining credibility when they want to bring along a herd of great knarlocks and a dozen packs of kroot hounds that anyone would allow this. Do they maintain their own small (ish) transports? Is there mention anywhere of shuttles and boarding craft, or even of fighters and other such attack craft?

Well that sounds like a good price for a merc crew anyway, insuring transport of their "familly" also.

Kroot seem to have not set sizes for what constitues a shipless mercenary group with some apparently operating as individuals, others with less than a dozen, and seemingly several that travel in the hundreds or thousands. Of those, only the latter two sizes are likely to have a large baggage train. In fact since all kroot appear to be trained hunters and carnivores it's entirely likely that the 'administrative body' most other combat units require simply does not exist or is at least of minimal size.

Any major logistical needs seem to either be taken care of by whomever is paying them, or is handled by the various warspheres. Most kroot also seem content to work for a chance to eat whatever they can kill and for whatever equipment might make them more efficient predators. Since the culture emphasizes self reliance and improvement they usually only get payed in what they can carry or immediately use. It's a rare kroot that'll accept a contract that pays in 'mere' money or expensive baubles. They also don't seem to have much trouble with discarding posessions that break or stop being useful when hunting.

So with that being said it's entirely possible for the smaller groups to operate with only the gear they can carry, and thus the cost of their transportation is likely covered by a simple promise to help defend the ship and NOT eat the crew. As a group gets steadily larger this simply means they'd require a larger transport which is likely to come to the same arrangement requiring aid in defense , but is also likely to require that the kroot band is segregated to a dark recess of the ship so that their 'barbaric' nature doesn't upset the normal folk on board.

So long story short, you can hire a kroot band and not have to worry about finding places for camp followers because the race doesn't have the same 'logitistical footprint' that humans do. Also, promising them ammo and all the orks they can eat is a good way of keeping them happy.

George Labour said:

All you can eat orks! I'm in!!!!!!