Tartarughe

"Cosa siamo noi? Tartarughe a scatto! Cosa facciamo? Impregnare i cani!" (This shouldn't be translated)

Tartarughe a scatto(Snapping Turtles), sometimes referring to themselves as "Tartarughe!","Scatto!" or even "Scatto-Dore" (Broken vulgar Scaept, "Snapper"), are the second or third most common type of fighting man or killer fielded by the one who is also known as "Lib-Rah-Tor" (Garbled Gibberish), but known to his enemies as Cruciarius or Flagéllum Inferos (Scaept, Scourge of Hell). Tartarughe have more fighting experience, training, or both then common Sikos, and accordingly are more of a problem in combat. While they also are known to use a salvaged shield, they always use a good quality shield from professionals or well equipped militia, or they use shields that were professionally made. Sometimes the shields are a circle, sometimes a bigger circle, sometimes an oval, and sometimes a flexible and bending rectangle. It is common to put what looks like a metal bowl in the middle front of a shield, or a layer of glued linen cloth or leather skin over the front. Regardless, any formation of multiple bands of Tartarughe, will use the same type of shield. Their helmet, covers parts of the cheeks, skull, and nose; with little slots so they can hear. The armor is either salvaged and restored mail with padded wool cloth underneith, or Armatura in lino laminato (vulgar Scaept, Laminated Linen Armor). Finally, they also make use of a sharp carving knife or blade, along with tunics of yellow, with some blue and red trim.

Tartarughe are drilled for weeks or months by their prophet, a mercenary drill-master, a deserted military drill-master, or a veteran who was trained by their prophet. Each of them has fought at least one battle or minor skirmish, possibly as a Siko. Due to training, experience, and the quality of their equipment; Tartarughe show less fear in battle then Sikos. They are recruited from the Sikos, deserters of enemies, captured enemies, mercenary bands, and converted Gente della collina (vulgar Scaept, literally "Hill People", a term they use for savages and uncivilized peoples.) Some trade cities, towns of freemen, and freemen farmers are also recruited as well, as these areas sometimes have their own well equipped Phalanx militia, which can be hired, persuaded to serve a new "Lord", or provided by communities or provinces that are sympathetic to one or more of the ideals of the "Profeta" (vulgar Scaept, Prophet or Seer). The former groups are fanatical and full-time fighters, the latter group are part time and provide supplement forces close to their homes, but are motivated to help allies defeat the enemies of their homelands.

Leaders are chosen by commanders and communities, mostly based on fighting ability, wisdom, or at least a voice loud enough that soldiers can hear orders.

Tartarughe follow the exact same traditions of Sikos before battle, but it is common and expected that they know more "Man-Ta-Ras" and have a few of their own, despite having less Argilla e Fuoco in leadership positions. Orders given in battle are typically followed with a loud "Aye" or "Ooh-Rah-Rah!", but they can be quieter or skipped depending on how tired or in the thick of combat the men are.

A few common orders during battle are:

Parete dello scudo! (Shield wall)
Separare, eseguire e tornare! (Separate, Run, and Return; a specific order for a formation to spread out and leave the shield wall, run towards a specific direction, and then before getting there slow down to return to the shield wall. Typically, the leader of the formation runs first, so the others know when to stop.)
Il parto! or Barth-Barth! (A term for a troubling birth, which is both a reference to other crude terms the Tartarughe use and a command to do as a woman does during childbirth, which is to "Push". Typically this happens when the Tartarughe are facing a similar formation of fighting men, and must use their bodies, numbers, and shields to push down, back, or aside the enemy.)

Tartarughe tend to see themselves as professional soldiers and as such their mannerisms mirror those of the professional fighting men of the Scaeptrum; some of them even talk about their "Lib-Rah-Tor" becoming a new Re Dei Re or Imperatore (King of Kings, Imperator). As such, they drink beverages made of mostly water and some vinegar.

Tartarughe tend to be a little older and less wild then Sikos, and are very likely to be considering taking up a wife, but many do still make use of Comfort delle donne. Tartarughe carry a lot of their own equipment for making camp, like the Sikos, but they also carry cooking equipment and more advanced supplies as well. Many Tartarughe have been promised their own farm, or if they already own one, a second farm, once they have served twenty years of service, three campaigns, or a serious but brave injury in battle.