Freeborn vardanari

Vardanari are the elite infantry of the Freeborn houses, differing from the domari in that they are professional soldiers used as guards, bodyguards, field troops or anything else a professional soldier might be called upon to do. Like the domari, they are core troops but need not be selected if other core troops are taken. They are armed with plasma carbines, have an HL booster buddy to enhance their superb weapons training (Acc 6) and normal reflex armour and impact cloaks. Some squads ar even given spotters and batter buddies.

An important fact is that, given the Freeborn’s propensity to mix and match buddies, players can use whatever spare buddies they have (shield buddies, perhaps) as HL booster or batter buddies.

Though lighter than equivalent troops in the Algoryn Prosperate and IMTel nations,  the vardanari still pack almost as much firepower as, say, a Concord Strike Squad. The leader has an X-sling and boarder minutions (an SV2 killing pulse or an extra pin) and the booster drone pulls the squad’s Res up to something approaching a Concord or Isorian squad. Indeed, in hand-to-hand combat, the vardanarii are likely to come off better than their counterparts as the Impact Cloaks they wear extend the reflex core’s field across its surface, allowing  the sink mass a better chance of absorbing the effects of close-in hits.

Some squads are even upgraded to resharded armour whilst others are given the expensive compression carbines.

Vardanari Command

Vardanari command squads have the same equipment as other vardanari but have medi-, batter and booster buddies as well as vardanari who are trained as Loyal Bodyguards (they can take a hit for their commander). Their commanders are extremely well trained, sometimes even serving stints in Concord armies.