Does the TV show's portrayal of Brotherhood of Steel squires as combatants fighting alongside knights have precedent in past Fallout media?

Question

In the 2024 Fallout TV series, we see that the Brotherhood of Steel’s squires are portrayed as young adults (or older teenagers). For instance, Aaron Moten, who is 35, plays the squire Maximus, and his character is actively serving alongside a Brotherhood knight in a combat situation.

This portrayal contrasts with Fallout 4, where Brotherhood squires are depicted as children in their pre-teen to early teen years and are not permitted to participate in combat. 

Brotherhood squires are children serving in the Brotherhood of Steel. Technically the lowest rank one can hold in the Brotherhood, squires are not allowed to participate in combat operations. Instead, they perform errands and menial labor, occasionally participating in field training exercises.

^{- Brotherhood squire. Nukapedia}

By 2277, the East Coast chapter of the Brotherhood has adopted the rank of squire as a title for children who have been born into, or been recruited by the Brotherhood, making it the lowest rank in the chapter. These children are not permitted to take part in combat. Instead, they perform errands and menial labor for the Brotherhood's military and are provided with training and education in return. They also appear to be heavily conditioned by propaganda, with those aboard the Prydwen claiming not to fear death and possessing an almost religious devotion to the Brotherhood. Upon reaching adulthood, squires become initiates and begin active duty.

Squires are occasionally taken out as observers on a sweep and clean mission led by high-ranking members of the Brotherhood. Lancer Captain Kells bestows such a responsibility upon the Sole Survivor in the radiant quest Leading by Example. The squire that accompanies the player character does not take part in the fighting and is merely there to observe and study combat techniques.

^{-Brotherhood of Steel ranks. Nukapedia}

Was the concept of squires as young adults engaging in combat introduced in the TV adaptation, or is this a detail with precedent in earlier Fallout games or other media? If the latter, in which Fallout title were squires first presented in this way within the Brotherhood of Steel's organizational structure?

Answer 1

In Fallout 76, it's implied that 'Squire' was originally a term for adults who were low-ranking but had enough training and experience to go on missions alone and even lead small teams. However, this seems to have only been used in the early days of the Brotherhood of Steel, and it's not clear if they were expected to engage in combat alongside Knights or if they exclusively had a role as scouts.

From a terminal entry called "Squires and Ranks" in Camp Venture, written by a member of the Appalachian Brotherhood of Steel:

I had a long talk with Paladin Taggerdy about the ranks of the Brotherhood. Unlike most of the rest, I am fine with them in general. Scribe, Knight, Elder - all respectable names.

But Squires? Belmonte told me what a squire actually was. They were young noble kids being trained to be knights one day. Calling a grown man or woman a Squire is just insulting.

Apparently, the argument was good. The Paladin said Elder Maxson has some other ideas about renaming the ranks, but for now he's letting people digest the changes that have already been made.

The 'Elder Maxson' here refers to Roger Maxson who founded the Brotherhood of Steel on the west coast, so adult Squires likely existed throughout the Brotherhood at this time.

Additionally, the Squires in this chapter of the Brotherhood went on missions where combat was at least a possibility. Squire Schultz was sent on solo scouting missions, and in at least one scouting report considered attacking robots if there was a good opportunity to so:

Scouting report. Brotherhood Squire Schultz. Everything in this entire shopping plaza is a load of junk. I thought this place was meant for rich people. Why were they buying all this crap? At least the storefronts give you plenty of places to hide. The bots are everywhere. Might be the only things worth salvaging if I could get the drop on one.

And from some terminal entries written by Squire Montgomery, a Squire could be sent into a dangerous area on a critical mission with only one other Brotherhood member (whose rank is never stated):

So the egghead said it'd be easy. The ARP holotape crap will just do it's thing and everything will be online.

Yeah, right. So Danny knows a thing or two about terminals and he's jerking around trying to get it so the VTU software is compatible with whatever they're using on the West Coast.

Oh, and there's ghouls everywhere and we're all by ourselves.

Thanks, Grant. Thanks. Class act all around.

The mission that Squire Montgomery was sent on was considered important enough that another team was sent in after the first didn't return, and in the orders for the follow-up mission it's implied that the Squire was the leader of the small team:

Strike Team is to infiltrate VTU and get to the Automated Research Lab (ARL). Team is to get ARL functioning by any means necessary.

...

Infiltration and secrecy is paramount. Taggerdy orders no hostile contact with Responders. If fired upon, orders are to regroup at Thunder Mountain and await further orders.

Personal Note: Squire Montgomery's team never made it back. Be careful. Who knows what's waiting for you at VTU.