Hounds as an umbrella term.
Yes, most things under your care do yearn for the simplicity of the hound. Able to switch between cute and controlled and unhinged violence at the drop of a command.
All assets are hounds, of course. They stay in the kennels, they eat the same foods, take the same medicines. They socialise with each other. But not all hounds are alike, and it would be folly to think otherwise.
Here I'm going to detail my thoughts, and experiences with the different types of hounds I've encountered. Hopefully it will help you care for, and condition your assets, so they can live a very fulfilling existence of usefulness to the cause.
Dog:
Yes, this is the one we all know. Loyal, to be sure. Smart, when the leash is on. Ferocious when it's not. I do not know what drives most assets to become the dog - perhaps it's herd thinking. Often the easiest to train.
Sub-type - Puppy:
Very much the same as a dog with some key differences. It's not loyal, but it loves you. It's not smart, but it can learn. It has all the ferociousness of a dog when called on, yet the sweet innocence of the puppy can be used to distract your opposition as needed.
Cat/Kitten:
No real distinction between these two. Cats take additional time and effort to gain loyalty, but it can be done. What you get out the other end is a natural born killer. An asset with such natural tendency to violence that at times you may be taken aback at how effortlessly it teases with the prey it is in the middle of disemboweling. Laser pointers are both a blessing and a curse with a cat.
Fox/Vixen/Kit:
What would happen if you took a cat's mind and put it in the body of a dog? This is a fox. All the ferocity, all the loyalty. Easy to train but it often gets into an uncontrollable state. Vixen form foxes are incredibly useful for espionage operations.
Drone:
Something drives these assets to fully shed their former self. A Drone is exceptionally easy to control if you give it what it needs - the calm comfort of knowing that it does not belong to itself. Modifications encouraged. Often you are able to leave a drone in its' combat ready state for extended periods, without maintenance. They make excellent sentries.
Doll:
Most dolls I know started their life as a Drone. They too yearn to fully shed their former self, but instead of strong, often they wish to be seen as more fragile. For the most part, you can treat a Doll and a Drone the same, with some key differences. The Doll needs downtime, it cannot exist in a ready state for too long else it will break down. However it makes up for this with the social benefits. A doll is an excellent morale tool to keep in your kennels.
Are there other archetypes of hound that I have missed? Or observations you would like to add to the archetypes I have already listed?
I do not fool myself into believing I have full experience with any of these - assets are so varied in themselves, that there is always something more to learn. Something more to use against them when the job needs doing.
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