A new Army recruitment campaign that emphasises it is okay for soldiers to cry and pray has been accused of neglecting those most likely to join up.

A series of short films due to launch at the weekend stress inclusivity, support and a sense of belonging in pieces which ask "Can I be gay in the Army?" and "What if I get emotional in the Army?".

Gen Sir Nick Carter, the Chief of the General Staff, defended the new approach, saying society was changing and the Army’s traditional pool of white young men was shrinking, forcing it to reach out to a much broader base.

Poor recruitment means the regular Army is several thousand under strength and getting smaller as it tries to compete with a healthy civilian job market and a perception troops are currently doing little.

But the films sparked debate over the merits of the new softer messages, which contrast with previous campaigns emphasising action, adventure and military hardware.