Stacking of morale bonuses

Most fighter-types have some way to provide a +1 morale bonus to shock and morale checks. These roughly fall into three categories:
A) Bonuses for troops commanded by a leader who hired them (e.g., fighter)
B) Bonuses for troops commanded by a leader who shares their fair (e.g., paladin)
C) Bonuses for troops inspired by a bardic recitation (e.g., elven courtier)

Some questions:

  1. Which of these effects can stack with one another? Can a unit get one effect from a lieutenant, one from a division commander, and one from a general?

  2. How many troops can the bard song ability affect (i.e., can I cram this entire brigade into a 50’ radius)? Would it be kosher to use some kind of sound amplification magic to expand this radius? (Here I stop to visualize a massive outdoor performance with a speaker system based on magic mouths, ventriloquism, and a back-up angelic choir!)

  3. What does it mean to “hire” troops? Can a non-fighter character send off a fighter henchmen to recruit at a market – so the henchmen provides the bonus, even if he isn’t actually bankrolling the troops?

  1. In D@W the morale bonus applies to the character’s Morale Modifier. The troops will then benefit from the Morale Modifier of the officer attached to their unit for shock and morale rolls; and from half the Morale Modifier of their army general for morale rolls.

  2. Each use of a bard song ability can affect 1 unit. If you want to allow concert-style theatrics, go for it!

  3. Yes and no. Troops are hired by whoever pays their wages. It would certainly be possible to structure a relationship like you describe. However, the troops would then be loyal to the fighter (henchman) and not the PC. If the henchman were to fail a loyalty roll, the troops would go with him.

Provided that you follow the rules for henchmen loyalty (rolling for loyalty anytime there is a calamity, when the henchman perceives himself to be more powerful, etc) then all sorts of emergent gameplay will happen…

PS In the latest draft, if you look at the Watchful Legion, you’ll see a situation where the second-in-command has substantially better Morale Modifier than the general. Presumably Artashamura wishes to retain his troops’ loyalty directly rather than work through his minion.