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The Defense Ministry of Solurius (DMoS) is the elite command of the army of Solurius. Each member of the order is charged with the defense of the Royal Family, and of the realm itself. Comprising Warriors and Mages alike, it uses every talent and resource available to it to achieve it's main goal: The safety and security of Solurius.
A knight of the Lancer Cavalry returning to The Reinhardt Barracks from patrol The Reinhardt Barracks, headquarters of the Defense Ministry, stands in a growing city known as "Knight's Rest". The locals maintain it was named that for a Knight who took rest there to heal from wounds gained defeating a rogue mage centuries ago. Duke Eoin , the Defense Minister, chose Knight's Rest when it was still a village, both for it's quiet surrounds and general prosperity. The locals were mostly shepherds and farmers, and the city is still a thriving source of wool, mutton and sheepskin, as well as barley and other grains. It is now becoming a far larger city, both of craftsmen working with the Army, and of Justice, being home to the Royal Courts. All that, combined with it's location on the intersection of two major roads and nearness to a river and a Gateway stone made it a prime building location. In all, Knight's Rest could survive half a year of siege with no troubles, and could make a full year if rationed. Masons and carpenters from all
over
Solurius came to work on
the great castle that
would
house
the
Ministry
and
be
the
headquarters for the
standing army that was
being
assembled.
The
project
had
taken two years to
complete,
but now the
Reinhardt
Barracks
stands high and
tall
overlooking the common
green where the sheep
graze
idly as
hawkers sell
their
wares. The
castle is
well
designed, a
surrounding
greensward
allows
none
to
approach
unseen, a
broad
moat
(fed
by
the
nearby
river)
holds
siege
crafters
at
bay,
and
from the
walls could
be
showered a hail
of
arrows
and
other
missiles
enough
to
scatter
an
army.
The Reinhardt Barracks is more
than a
simple fortress,
meeting hall and command
center
though.
Every day the
troops
of
the new
Solurian
army march
and
practice
on
the
tourney
grounds,
under the
watchful
eyes
of the
Knights
& Mages
of the
Ministry.
Others, meanwhile,
are
dispatched
to guard duties
around the
kingdom,
while cavalry
soldiers
ride
circuit patrols
of the
roads
to harass
highwaymen
and
bandits.
Now,
more than
fifty-thousand
troops
guard the
kingdom's
towns,
cities, roads and
borders.
Also,
as
with all
kingdoms
in
this
age,
Solurius
drafts a
large part
of it's army
as
light infantry
made
up of
conscripted peasants.
To
them
the
Reinhardt Barracks
offers
training, to
better
prepare them for their
duty,
and the best of
the
best
are chosen to serve
as
Shire
Reeves
for
their
small
villages.
On top of all this, the Reinhardt Barracks operates the
largest
smithy in the kingdom.
Two
hundred
iron
smiths
alone
work
full
time
to
make
horseshoes,
nails,
weapons,
armour
and such
works
as
portcullises
and
the
iron
strapping and
chains
for
gates.
Other
smiths
in
Army
employ
pursue more
artistic
and
lucrative
works.
Tinsmiths,
Silversmiths
and
Goldsmiths
work
hammering out
and
casting
jewelry,
fine
utensils for the
feast,
goblets
and
ornaments
for the
wealthy to
buy. The
profits paying
them
well, and
swelling the
Ministry's
coffers, in
addition to
it's
Royal
stipend. A
large
number of
carpenters
are
also
employed,
who
not
only
build
siege
weapons for
the
Army, but also
turn
out
furnishings
and other
woodworks
which
add
to
the wares the
Army can
sell
to
help
support
itself.
Given all that, the Reinhardt Barracks is a fitting home for the Defense Ministry of Solurius, as well as being an excellent military command center. In all the castle can house two thousand troops, and a formal suite is provided for every DMoS knight & mage, though most live on their own estates. From it's walls are controlled all the forts and jails of the realm, and it serves as a potent symbol of the enforcement of King Meldrum's justice. The Solurian Army is the
standing
military which
polices and defends the
realm.
As
mentioned
above,
the
Knights
&
Mages
of the
Ministry
serve as
it's high
officers.
The Army
is
broken
into five main
branches:
Lancer Cavalry,
Dragoon
Cavalry,
Pikemen,
Arbalesters
&
Specialists.
Ten
thousand
men are in
each
standard
division,
making
for
a
formidable army,
even without
enlisting
able
bodied
men from
the citizenry
in time
of
war (the
so-called
Draftees).
Any
division
without
listed
Ministry
officers
is
under the
personal
command
of High
Admiral
Alysia
MacDraven.
* * * * * *
Standard Troops
Lancer Calvary(Heavy Calvary) Clad in plate armour, riding armored war-horses, these are the non-Ministry Knights and Men-at-arms of the realm. Each man is armed with a small arsenal of weapons. They must carry lance, sword, dagger, shield and heavy crossbow. Most augment this allotment with war hammers, battle axes, maces and other weapons. Devastating both in formation and alone, these heavy troops are used to combat other heavy cavalry, and to shatter formations of foot troops. Their livery badge is a horse head over crossed swords.
* * * * * * Unlike their Lancer Cavalry comrades, the Dragoon Cavalry is clad in a lighter armor, consisting of a mail shirt covered over with a brigandine, an open-faced helm and greaves on the legs. They ride swifter, but lighter horses bred for speed and agility. Each man is equipped with a light lance, horse bow, falchion (slashing sword) and buckler. The Dragoon Cavalry serves two main functions: lightning fast attacks of mounted archery and reconnaissance. In pitched battle, they will fire their bows till either out of arrows, or the enemy is too close, then join the fray with lance and sword. Their livery badge is a horse head over crossed arrows.
* * * * * * Pikemen (Heavy Infantry):
The backbone, as it were, of the Solurian army. Clad in a broad brimmed war helm, brigandine, mail shirt and chause (mail chaps), the troops march into battle carrying long collapsible (for transport or use as a spear) pikes or halberds to fend off cavalry, and large scutum style shields to protect themselves from missile weapons. For the melee, each man carries their choice of issue sword, war hammer or battle axe. These troops are trained based on ancient Roman discipline: interlocked shields, steady tread, and attacking in a manner that never allows an enemy a shot past their shields. In battle, the Pikemen break up attacking cavalry with it's polearms, allowing their easier destruction. Once the enemy cavalry is split into easily crushed segments, the Pikemen move in to decimate enemy archers and infantry. Their livery badge is an armored gauntlet clutching a pike.
* * * * * * Arbalesters(Light Infantry) Crossbow wielding warriors. Yeomen wear brigandines over mail shirts,
with war helms on the head and large pavaise shields
for
defense.
In
addition
to
their bows, Yeomen bear
hand weapons for the
melee.
Yeomen
rain
down
missile
fire
on enemy
formations to
break
them up,
or take aim
on
individual opponents
to
cut
them down at a
distance.
Yeomen serve to
"tenderize"
the enemy
for
the
other
divisions,
and attack
along
side the
Heavy
Infantry
in the general
melee.
Their
livery
badge
is a
stylized
crossbow.
* * * * * * Specialists The Royal Solurian Army has several
types of Special troops assigned to duties that
require more detailed
training
than
Standard
troops.
They
are
as
follows:
The Royal Guard: Troops assigned to the protection of the Royal Family and the Royal Castle. Each member is a veritable one man army, trained to fight with any weapon one would find on the field of battle, as well as to fight unarmed in several disciplines both Occidental and Oriental. Preference for the 1,000 available slots are given to warriors with some skill at magic, added to their other qualifying attributes. As well, each member is trained in tactics, strategy, siege craft and basic engineering. Their livery badge is a royal blue shield ornamented with three antique crowns, which according to legend was the coat of arms of King Arthur.
* * * * * * Elite Swords: 1,000 heavily trained shock troops. In open field battle, their primary duty is to move cohesively, hacking off the heads of enemy pikes, not to mention those of their wielders and of archers. More importantly though, these men are trained to assault breaches in castle defenses, and to secure them for incoming troops. Each man is armed with a two-handed sword, and hand weapons of their choosing. They also drill for proficiency with projectile weapons. Their livery badge is crossed swords over a white tower.
* * * * * * Elite Archers: 1,000 strong, gleaned from the best archers in the realm, assembled into their own corps. Most used special double recurved horn bows that can easily out-distance longbows. Their jobs consist of scouting and the destruction of archer formations from outside their opponent's range. Most effectively used in conjunction with the Elite Swords for breaching castles. The Elite Archers will kill any enemy archers guarding a tower or wall segment, allowing the Elite Swords to enter, secure the area and bring the Elite Archers in. This allows the lightning of defenses for a strike by the Regular Army. A small group of Elite Archers, all large men, bear massive crossbows capable of extreme long range targeting. Their duty is to pick off enemy officers in battle. Their livery badge is crossed arrows over a white tower.
* * * * * * Mage Corps: A group of men and women, 200 strong, specialized in elemental combat. While they refrain from much weapon use, they are capable of dealing both long and short range damage efficiently through use of magic. The mages are responsible for any enchantments to aid the division, including weapons and use of various magical items. They maintain the wards and protections as well as regulate the use of magic within the royal castle grounds. Each mage is trained individually and then in groups to maximize effectiveness in large battle situations.
Messenger Corps: The 1,500 Messengers are soldiers who show a talent
for
reading and
writing, and
in
some
cases for
stealth
and evasion.
They
have
also
undergone
rigorous scrutiny to
ensure their
loyalty.
Messengers
are
divided into
three groups,
identified by
colored
quills
embroidered on
their
livery. These are the Army's basic scribes and sketch
makers. They write out official proclamations,
create wanted posters,
deliver
basic
messages,
copy
books,
administer
Army
finances
and tend the
DMoS
and Army
libraries, which are
the
greatest repositories of
military
knowledge
in the
Kingdom.
A far smaller group, assigned to supervising the
White Quills and handling more sensitive issues.
Only Blue Quills and
Engineers
are
allowed to
handle
certain
protected
books
and
parchments,
such
as
plans for
special siege
engines and the
formula for
Greek
Fire.
Red Quills (200): The elite Messengers. Proof tested magically, and
bound by magical compulsions to loyalty. These are
the men and women
entrusted
with messages of
national
importance. Secret
communiqués, Royal
Orders,
battlefield
commands and
the
like are
transferred
by
them.
Most
Red Quills never
carry
parchment, instead
memorizing
messages they
can
only
repeat on
utterance
of a
password by the
receiver.
The
Red Quill
retains no
memory of the
message thus
delivered.
Their
conditioning
goes
as far
as
ensuring they will
kill or
die to protect a
message.
Red
Quills
are
some of the
finest
swordsmen in the
Kingdom,
owing to their
intense
training,
which
ensures
they get their
messages
through.
1,500 combatants, all siege specialists whose duty it is to defend the fortresses protecting the so-called Gateway Stones. Gateway Stones are ancient dolmen structures, wide enough for two wagons to pass abreast. They dot the Solurian countryside, some hidden, some fortified and one even inside a castle. These Gates, when activated with a proper "key", open doorways to each other, allowing a traveler to cross hundreds of leagues in a few steps. The Army maintains these Gates both for trade (on which they collect tariffs), and the more important job of moving troops rapidly around the country. Their livery badge is a white arch. Ministry Officers: . Medical Corps: A corps of 1,000 non-combatants who have enlisted to care for the Army's medical needs. Troops are trained in various magical and mundane healing techniques. As well, Duke Eoin has trained 100 of them in the ways of his own healing magic, which includes spells and potions. It is rumored that a few can even resurrect the recently dead. Medical Corps livery is unlike Army livery, which bears the white stag head symbol and a livery badge. Medics instead wear a green surcoat emblazoned with a gold caduceus on both front and back. Commanded jointly
by High Admiral Alysia MacDraven
of the DMoS and Duchess Meren Anwa of the
Order of Healers. Royal Engineers: 1,000 men assigned to the defenses of the land. Engineers are responsible for the design of castles, construction and operation of siege equipment, creation of border defenses, production of pitch for boiling oil and production of Greek Fire. Normally, one engineer leads a squad of regular soldiers working under his direction, freeing the small force to do far more than they normally could. The only exception being the production of Greek Fire, which is produced with the aid of the Blue Quill Messengers. Their livery badge is a carpenter's square over a mason's hammer. Ministry Officers: Royal Navy: These 12,000 men are assigned to the growing Royal Solurian Navy. They are headquartered up the inlet from Knight's Rest, at the Royal Navy Yards. All ranks from officers to oarsmen to marines are accounted for in their numbers. Their livery badge is a black lymphad, sails furled. Ministry Officers: High Admiral Alysia MacDraven. Draftees: Are civilians of the realm that can be called up to service by their lords in time of need. These are primarily peasant Archers, but some Noblemen are also called up. Archers: In time of war, the Solurian Army can easily draft 160,000 civilians into it's ranks. It has been observed that these men best serve in the function of longbow wielding archers. Archers are expected to fire on the enemy until their arrows are spent, or the field becomes too dangerous. It is then perfectly normally for them to flee outside the attack area under the command of their Field Marshal, who can bring them back when the situation allows for it. Archers are not issued weapons or armour, but those who volunteer as Reservists are paid a special stipend to buy their own equipment. The Reserve is a body of 2,000 archers kept on hand by the army in case of need. Most men involved serve one week in a quarter year. Nobles/Knights: Many Nobles and some few Knights do not have a station in the regular Army, and are drafted in time of war. Most of these men become auxiliary Lancers, and are expected to provide their own equipment. Some bring troops in their service to the battlefield, and are allowed to command them, under the guidance of an Army Field Marshal.
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