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Travis Chapman lives a full life as a submariner, an author, an engineer, an off-shore sailor, a hiker, a husband, and a follower of Jesus. He has a passion for men's hearts, initiation, and identity. You can find more writing at his website and Facebook page.
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Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, part 19: War Costs: Soldiers’ Pay

Pay has always been important to warriors. Whether via looting or standardized pay systems, soldiers have usually expected payment in exchange for risking their lives. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writers Guide to War, part 18: War Costs Exercise 1–Food for the Army

Ready to calculate some war costs? This exercise breaks down how much it would take to feed fantasy troops based on a late medieval army–and how much it would cost in relevant currency. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writers Guide to War, part 16: The Costs of War

No war can every be fought without considering its costs. These may include various types of capital costs but also always include the cost to human lives and welfare. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writers Guide to War, part 14: Combat Arms Training

Militaries by their nature develop specialized branches of combat arms and train their warriors to master particular war-fighting specialties. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writers Guide to War, part 12: Military Training Types

The military training of hereditary warrior castes, barbarians, paid professional soldiers, draftees, militias, and levies have varied. Use these types of training in your stories–or use knowledge of them to stand tropes on their head. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, part 10: The Aftermath of Combat

In the aftermath of combat, post-traumatic stress creates changes in a warrior. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, Part 7: The Fearless Elite

How likely is it to find the farm kid who is fearless in the face of danger and ready to kill the enemy? Rarer than you think. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, Part 6: Psychology of Warfare: The Act of Killing

The human response to killing in a combat environment is influenced by distance and method. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, part 5: Psychology of War: Essential Fears

Essential fears shape much of what humans do on a battlefield, driving them to fight, flight, or surrender responses. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writers’ Guide to War, Part 3: Levels and Types of War

As Star Wars: Rogue 1 showed, warfare normally happens at three levels: tactical, operational, and strategic. And has many different types. · Travis Chapman