The Munchkins are a diminutive people, one of several types of Neo-Men who populate Ozz. They have long hidden from men. The great Baum is the only historian who mentions them in the ancient days and even then, he only provided a brief but insightful description of their lands. It is only after the Last Great War that Munchkins appeared openly and in great numbers throughout the land.

When they first emerged after the Great War, the Munchkins settled western reaches of present-day Ozz. There they cleared the rolling hills and built a network of towns surrounded by farms. At that time the little folk had a king who ruled them. They were content but besieged by enemies on all sides.  When the Wizard arrived, he could see their king, though pleasant and loved, was not up to the task that was needed. Thus, he convinced the Munchkin mayors to forsake their king and swear loyalty to him. In typical Munchkin fashion, these mayors went before the king and, it is believed, politely and gently convinced him he would be so much happier if he renounced his throne and moved to the Garden House. Remarkably the king agreed and so passed on his duties to the mayors and went into quiet retirement. His current whereabouts are unknown.  The mayors, in turn, declared the all-wise Wizard their new leader. And so, Zoraster, Wizard Supreme, took up the seal and sat upon the throne of Ozz.

The Munchkins are noted for being clever and industrious, masters of a wide range of trades – farmers, tinkers, cobblers, brewers, and more. Work is their joy and they go about their tasks with good cheer. Even their soldiers go cheerfully into battle, happy to fulfill the task for which they have trained. As for magic, Munchkin wizards are extremely rare as they are not a magically adept people. This has made them suspicious of magical folk, especially since it is the weapon of their enemies; although, the Great Wizard and Glenda have proven themselves trustworthy leaders and allies.

The Wizard created the Munchkin Army. The little farmers are not a warlike people. Before the Wizard arrived, each village and town relied on its local militia to defend itself from attack. Uniforms were nonexistent, and the militias armed themselves with weapons at hand – pitchforks, scythes, fowling guns, and the occasional hunting piece.  Ill-equipped and untrained, the Munchkins were slowly but steadily losing their place in the West.

Equipped with ancient manuals and depictions of the colorful uniforms worn in the days before the Last Great War, the Wizard began by establishing the regiment system. The ad hoc militias were reorganized into named regiments, squadrons, and batteries with standard uniforms and arms. Each regiment learned basic drill for fighting in line and column. Colonels were commissioned to lead each unit. Using the Wizard’s examples, each town designed flags and uniforms for their regiments, if only so their boys could outshine the soldiers of rival townships

The skilled Munchkin tinkers produced high-quality muskets and cannon. Armories were established in each township to stockpile weapons and powder. Although riding was not a natural Munchkin pastime, an effort was made to train some squadrons of cavalry. Meanwhile, Professor Wogglebug of the College of Art and Athletic Perfection invented the Aerostat Envelope (the hot-air balloon) and quickly demonstrated that is could carry pilots above a battlefield

The bulk of the Munchkin army is infantry, divided between the National Guard (often referred to as Landwehr, and the two names are used interchangeably) and the Regulars. The Landwehrwere formed from the reorganized local militias.  Their arms and uniforms are paid out of the township treasury. The standard joke is that more money is spent on showy paraphernalia and banners than training and arms. Most wear a fashionable bicorne or tricorne hat to distinguish them from the rest of the army. Like the old militias, the regiments are only mustered during times of war

The Regulars are the standing infantry regiment each township maintains, as mandated by Zoraster, and are named for the colonel. The soldiers are mostly veterans and the officers receive their commissions directly from the Emerald City. Most officers are trained at the College of Art and Athletic Perfection although some are soldiers who have risen through the ranks. Arms and uniforms are provided from the royal armories and are generally of high quality.

The artillery is one of Zoraster’s proudest innovations in the Munchkin army. He organized foundries and guided the Munchkin ironworkers to cast improved barrels considered the finest in Ozz. The guns are  organized into batteries and under the control of the Inspector General of the Artillery. Batteries are deployed to the townships as needed with a reserve maintained in the Emerald City. The guns, manufactured in the royal armories, have standardized sizes and carriages. All the battery commanders train under Professor Wogglebug, and the Munchkins have become expert artillerymen as a result. Uniforms are standardized with different color facings and pants to identify each battery.

Only a few units are outfitted as cavalryin the Munchkin army. Although part of the regular army, the cavalry squadrons are raised and paid for by individual townships to show off the town’s wealth. The troopers ride ponies suited to their small size.  Because of the size and stamina of the small ponies available to Munchkin cavalry, cavalrymen are selected from Munchkins of small stature, even for a Munchkin.  There are squadrons of hussars and heavy cavalry.  The uniforms, banners, and colors vary by type and township, creating a colorful display. Squadron pennants use the flag of the township with an Ozz seal on it or as a finial on the pole.

The Aerostat branch is the most unique element of the Munchkin army – hot air balloons used for bombing, sniping, and observation. All are under the command of the Emerald City and maintain their barracks and armory there. Individual Aerostat crews and balloons are assigned to field commanders as needed. As the smallest of all services in the army, the Aerostat troopers are chosen for bravery (some might say foolhardiness) and are highly independent-minded. Their uniforms are colorful and their balloons even more so. Each is uniquely decorated according to the tastes of the pilot who flies it, although all of them prominently display the seal of Ozz

Munchkin uniforms are modelled on drawings found in Baum’s histories along with ancient paintings of pre-war soldiers. They show colorful uniforms the Munchkins find quite fashionable. The uniforms have a blue coat with unique facings, crossbelts, pantaloons, and gaiters to identify each regiment, although elite units sometimes break with this scheme. For regulars, the headgear is usually a shako, busby, or helmet, while the National Guard (Landwehr) wear a bicorne or tricorne. The colors of facings and often the pants are typically chosen by the colonel of the regiment, leading to some very colorful choices

Useful Links:

The Kingdom of the Munchkin webstore page at Sally 4th

Something Wicked…. Gaming in the Land of Oz – Main Oz Gaming article containing introduction and extensive links.