[OOC] Rambling/Infodump: Imperial Military Forces
I just reread Dragon for the hell of it, and it contains a hell of a lot of information re: Imperial military tactics and organization. Since Morrolan is pretty invested in that and will probably end up talking shop at some point, this is a reminder/organization post.
--Draegerans have heavy infantry, light infantry, mounted infantry, spear phalanxes and cavalry. Light infantry are mobile and armed with sword and javelin. Heavy infantry are armed with sword and wooden shield; not as mobile, more resilient, sometimes conscripts. Mounted infantry are light infantry with horses instead of javelins. Spear phalanxes are exactly what they sound like. How do Draegerans have cavalry when they're all seven feet tall? NOBODY KNOWS. No armor as it's a death sentence on a battlefield with sorcerers. There are also Teckla conscript units (heavy infantry?), probably making up the bulk of everyone's forces (except that Fornia hires Easterner mercs).
--Forces are divided into divisions, divided into brigades, divided into companies. Companies are the smallest independent unit; usually named after their captain, about 3-500 strong. Companies are divided into squads of about ten led by corporals. Assumedly there are subsidiary ranks (Lieutenant, Ensign) and subsidiary divisions, but we don't seem to see much of them; in Morrolan's army it seems to go directly from corporal to Captain.
--Dragaerans pay serious attention to logistics and engineering; Morrolan takes personal command of the logistics of the war while Sethra takes overall command of it. Earthworks and prepared defenses are A++, possibly on Roman level of importance.
--Sorcery is used for recon, deception, weather manipulation and artillery. Sorcerers are attached at the brigade level, usually at the brigade command post. In Dragaeran vs. Dragaeran battles, sorcerers spend most of their time shutting each other down; if this is not the case, mass devastation ensues. Teleport blocks are always active when an army is on the march.
--Assuming Vlad was hallucinating and overestimating like crazy, the following is a guess as to the size of Morrolan's personal forces: "scores of companies in each of dozens of brigades" -> 10 companies per brigade and 6 brigades (2 per division), assuming that Vlad is seeing approximately quadruple at this point -> 300 x 10 x 6 = 18,000 men. This estimate is a very low minimum, and the actual figure is likely more like 64,000 or even higher. (For reference, Kana committed about 110,000 men to take Dzur Mountain in Lord of Castle Black, and assumedly had other forces available for peacekeeping and reserves, but Kana was a would-be Emperor and had been mobilizing and recruiting like crazy; still, it's not unlikely that if Morrolan committed, he could raise something similar.)
--The food is terrible.
--Draegerans have heavy infantry, light infantry, mounted infantry, spear phalanxes and cavalry. Light infantry are mobile and armed with sword and javelin. Heavy infantry are armed with sword and wooden shield; not as mobile, more resilient, sometimes conscripts. Mounted infantry are light infantry with horses instead of javelins. Spear phalanxes are exactly what they sound like. How do Draegerans have cavalry when they're all seven feet tall? NOBODY KNOWS. No armor as it's a death sentence on a battlefield with sorcerers. There are also Teckla conscript units (heavy infantry?), probably making up the bulk of everyone's forces (except that Fornia hires Easterner mercs).
--Forces are divided into divisions, divided into brigades, divided into companies. Companies are the smallest independent unit; usually named after their captain, about 3-500 strong. Companies are divided into squads of about ten led by corporals. Assumedly there are subsidiary ranks (Lieutenant, Ensign) and subsidiary divisions, but we don't seem to see much of them; in Morrolan's army it seems to go directly from corporal to Captain.
--Dragaerans pay serious attention to logistics and engineering; Morrolan takes personal command of the logistics of the war while Sethra takes overall command of it. Earthworks and prepared defenses are A++, possibly on Roman level of importance.
--Sorcery is used for recon, deception, weather manipulation and artillery. Sorcerers are attached at the brigade level, usually at the brigade command post. In Dragaeran vs. Dragaeran battles, sorcerers spend most of their time shutting each other down; if this is not the case, mass devastation ensues. Teleport blocks are always active when an army is on the march.
--Assuming Vlad was hallucinating and overestimating like crazy, the following is a guess as to the size of Morrolan's personal forces: "scores of companies in each of dozens of brigades" -> 10 companies per brigade and 6 brigades (2 per division), assuming that Vlad is seeing approximately quadruple at this point -> 300 x 10 x 6 = 18,000 men. This estimate is a very low minimum, and the actual figure is likely more like 64,000 or even higher. (For reference, Kana committed about 110,000 men to take Dzur Mountain in Lord of Castle Black, and assumedly had other forces available for peacekeeping and reserves, but Kana was a would-be Emperor and had been mobilizing and recruiting like crazy; still, it's not unlikely that if Morrolan committed, he could raise something similar.)
--The food is terrible.