[hider=Military Details] Standing army: Total of 47,347 Land Soldiers: 30,000 Marines: 4760 Rowers: 11502 Sailors: 985 Military Info: The largest army Eskanadra can muster at the moment is 147,347 strong, a dramatic fall from their potential before the plague. As it is a time of peace, the army is at the 47,347 mark. Eskanadra has a wide array of soldiers, special units, siege weapons and an impressive navy, they are bordered with the great ocean after all, having a competent navy is vital. Relatively normal soldiers which Eskanadra can raise are things such as Knight Infantry, heavily armed men in armour. These can wield anything from a mace to a great sword to a poleaxe. The preferred combination of most of these men tends to be poleaxe and either a [url=http://1-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1336/73/1336736588528.jpg]mace[/url] or a [url=http://www.trueswords.com/images/prod/c/evil_spiked_mace_540.jpg]morning star[/url]. These are the back-bone of any Eskanadran army. Another relatively common soldier raised in Eskanadra is the medium infantry, while light infantry tend to be longbow men. Medium infantry, unlike the well-armoured heavy infantry, usually wear padded leather armour supported by a layer or two of metal for protection. It is very light and allows them to move relatively fast, not that the heavy infantry have too much difficulty moving. These are usually armed with pikes and then swords for combat. Heavy Knights, light cavalry as well as scouts and horseback archers are also units available to Eskanadra. The heavy knights are usually armed with great lances to charge enemies with, before getting out swords, maces, axes, flails, horseman's picks and other such weapons for close combat. Light cavalry, like the medium infantry, are armoured with heavily padded leather jackets with a few layers of metal, though better reinforced than that of the medium infantry. They wield lances for charging and the vast majority of them use swords for the melee. Horseback archers are extremely skilled riders who can use a bow while on horseback. A good general can use these riders to devastating effect. They are generally armoured with a leather jacket, and while they can hold their own in a melee, fighting with their swords, they are best kept out of heavy fighting for extended periods of time. Scouts usually wear nothing but their gambeson and and are designed for speed. Not suitable for fighting. Note that all the aforementioned soldiers have gambesons and chainmail under their respective pieces of armour, and they all have helmets and shields where applicable. Warhounds and wolves are a special unit of Eskanadra, though other forest-based or icy nations are likely to have these two. These dogs are reared by hunters from an early age, brought up to attack those they are commanded to. They are walls of muscle who can bring down horses and men, and even if armoured, the force of impact alone can bring heavy infantry crashing to the ground. The bite power of both warhounds and wolves is terrifying, though wolf bites are by far the more powerful and dangerous, easily able to crunch through bones and even lighter armour. Over the years, monarchs have introduced the bull as a steed for war due to the great number of the lumbering, muscled behemoths all over the Eskanadra. Many bulls can be as big if not bigger than stallions, and with their horns and power, they are more adapted for combat. Armoured Bull Cataphracts have become the elite cavalry unit of Eskanadra, bulls in scale mail armour ridden by heavily armoured knights. These are tremendously powerful things, able to charge in and do great damage. They should rightfully be feared. The weapons these men wield tend to be things like axes, maces, morning stars, flails, war-hammers, horseman's picks and other such heavy weapons. They, unlike heavy and light cavalry, do not charge in with lances, instead, the bulls horns do the damage while the rider cleaves right in. Eskanadra does have particularly good understanding of siege weaponry, able to make use of good old fashioned battering rams and catapults, as well as things like trebuchets, heavy onagers and siege towers, however, it's not like Eskanadra will be marching on other nations anytime soon, so such things are not necessary and their construction has been discontinued until such a time when they are needed. That is not to say, of course, that there is not a substantial number of siege weapons at the ready. While education is extremely advanced, Eskanadra has yet to begin making use of gun powder, and things such as canons, howitzers, arquebus's, muskets and hand guns are foreign to the Eskanadran military. The Eskanadran navy is rather large, and the quality and size of the ships is excellent, composed of many types of ships like Bireme's, Hemiola's, Trireme's, Quinqueremes, Hexeres, Hepteres, Octeres and Deceres. While these range from fantastic scouting ships to formidable dreadnoughts of the sea, Eskanadra is very lacking in oar-less ships as well as ones which uses canons and gunpowder such as caravels, carracks, galleons, frigates and ships of the line/man-o-wars. Marines are trained in the barracks alongside normal soldiers while sailors and rowers are trained separately on real ships in the rivers and later in the sea. Eskanadran Navy: 58 Ships in total [url=http://www.brlsi.org/sites/all/files/site/Coates%20diag.gif]Ship size reference[/url] -15 Hemiola's: [img]http://ferrebeekeeper.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/trireme_143.jpg[/img] 24 metre length x 2.7 metre beam. Incorporated into Eskanadran navy both as scout and for light hit-and-run tactics. 108 rowers, 11 sailors, 30 marines. Speed of 20 kph (knots per hour) with oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 4 tons. -15 Biremes (aka Liburnian): [img]http://home.versatel.nl/richardevers2000/Pic/bireme1.jpg[/img] 33 metre length x 3.6 metre beam. Has a broad bottom with a shallow draft. Biremes are propelled by two banks of oars and virtually skim over the seas. The bow has a portion that protrudes out at water level. This configuration is intended for ramming and piercing the enemy ships hull. A bireme is outclassed in combat by a trireme's speed and weight but its combat power should not be underestimated. 144 rowers, 15 sailors, 40 marines. Speed of 16 kph oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 5 tons. -10 Triremes: [img]http://someinterestingfacts.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Greek-Triremes.jpg[/img] 38 metres length x 3 metre beam. A powerful warship propelled by three banks of oars and a sail. It can ram opposing ships and launch boarding actions. Skilled oarsmen are needed but then this gives the ship tremendous power in a 'sprint' at ramming speed. The trireme is its own main weapon, as it carries an iron-tipped ram on the bow at the waterline. Once an enemy ship has been rammed or has its oars smashed, the crew withdraws to seek another target. The Trireme is the work horse of the Eskanadran navy. 150 rowers, 16 sailors and 60 marines. Speed of 18 kph with either oars or sail. Max cargo of 6 tons. -5 Quinqueremes: [img]http://monsieur.luet.free.fr/cours%20de%20latin/civilisation/les%20navires%20de%20guerre/quinquereme%20romaine.jpg[/img] 37 metre length x 5 metre beam. A powerful but lumbering warship intended for fleet actions. Its mass makes it hard to sink. Quinqueremes also carry a detachment of marines and some shipboard artillery as means of attack. Some Quinqueremes have corvus's on them as a means of turning sea battles into land battles, and allowing the infantry to become decisive in sea battles. A corvus is an iron 'beak' on a hinged walkway which is designed to smash down into enemy decking, thus doing two jobs in one: making a bridge for the marines to cross, and locking the two ships together so that the battle has to be fought on the Quinquereme captain's terms. 280 rowers, 30 sailors, 160 marines. Speed of 22 kph oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 7 tons. -5 Hexeres: [img]http://periklisdeligiannis.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/polyeres.jpg?w=500[/img] 41 metre length x 8.5 metre beam. Hexere are large enough to carry towers with artillary. Huge, heavy warships which also have rams. 300 rowers, 20 sailors, 120 marines. Speed of 24 kph oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 7 tons. -4 Hepteres: [img]http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/319/heptere.png[/img] 42 metre length x 8.5 metre beam. Huge warships which carry ballistae and can also ram. 350 rowers, 20 sailors, 200 marines. Speed of 25 kph oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 8 tons. -3 Octeres: [img]http://th07.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2013/166/d/0/alexandria_by_radojavor-d696uhu.jpg[/img] 43 metre length x 8.5 metre beam. Huge warships which carry more towers with artillery and can also ram. 450 rowers, 25 sailors, 220 marines. Speed of 25 kph oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 8 tons. -1 Decere: [img]http://th06.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2012/184/4/3/roman_warship_by_radojavor-d55uf49.jpg[/img] 46 metre length x 8.5 metre beam. A terrifying dreadnought of a ship. In size, number of men and fighting potential this monster dwarfs all other Eskanadran vessels. Deceres are among the largest ships afloat with their combat power being formidable. Apart from a couple of fighting towers with artillery, a Decere also carries onagers and ballistae to bombard enemies, plus a large contingent of marines for boarding and defence. At least one ballista is also set up to fire a harpoon-like grappling hook - called a harpago - at enemy vessels so that they can be dragged alongside and destroyed. As a tactic the harpago has much to recommend it over the grappling 'corvus' of smaller ships because it allows enemies to be snagged at greater range. Eskanadra has only one of these mighty ships, and it is the flag ship, commandeered by none other than the Grand Admiral - or Strategos - of Eskanadra. 572 rowers, 30 sailors, 250 marines. Speed of 25 kph oars or 18 kph sail. Max cargo of 8 tons. - Transport Ships: [img]http://web.archive.org/web/20140110185259im_/http://sfr.ee.teiath.gr/historia/historia/graphics/30/30-56c.jpg[/img] 50 metre length x 12 metre beam. Deep draft. Gigantic ships, even bigger than deceres which are largely used as transports and merchant vessels. They are generally not used by the military and are hired out instead. 1000 rowers, 400 soldiers, 60 sailors. Speed 18 kph oars or sail. Max cargo of 70 tons. Marine: [img]http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/241/a/8/armored_by_el_grimlock-d488t4p.jpg[/img] Marines are trained on land along with other elite Eskanadran soldiers for the first half of their time in training, the other half is spent adapting the land combat tactics to combat on ships. Drills are done on ships as well as sparring amongst other things. Swimming is also something they focus on a great deal and marines would usually be found to be outstanding swimmers, though the weight of their armour does mean that if they do fall overboard, the chances of them surviving are very slim, especially in a battle. They have shorter swords than those of their Knight Infantry counterparts for the crowded combat conditions on ships. They, like the Knights, are armoured from head to foot, though the helmets can vary from those with a visor to those without. Those without tend to be the more popular. Under their plate armour they wear chainmail, under that comes a gambeson and there is a tunic below that. They also wield shields and have an array of throwing knives at their belts. Sailor: [img]http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/212/a/b/townsman_01_by_windmaker-d5991z1.jpg[/img] Sailors tend to spend their training aboard a ship, from the moment they board a ship, they don't get off until their training is complete, spending years. This means that walking around and going about their duties on a ship become second nature to them. They are also trained in the use of bows and the artillery on ships. during battle most sailors would be firing off flaming arrows, others would be manning the artillery while the rest would be looking out for the sails and putting out any fires. Rower: Rowers are the most numerous members of the crew, outnumbering both the sailors and marines. Like the sailors, they spend the entirety of their training aboard a ship. They are trained on how to row, how to respond to commands to turn, to stop, to pull the oars in, how to prepare for ramming amongst other things. Most of the training comprises them improving their rowing ability, and by the end of it most rowers have upper bodies which would shame the greatest of marines. Anyone hoping to take an Eskanadran vessel would have these hulking muscle clad men to deal with. A punch from a rower in the right place can cause immediate death. Pirates who have succeeded in capturing an Eskanadran ship in the fast have either sunk it with the rowers or have been completely overwhelmed by the angry men who stormed out from below deck. Eskanadran Land Army: Total Land Army: 30,000 -500 Scouts: [img]http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130202050117/tribalwars/images/6/69/Scout.png[/img] Usually wear nothing but their gambeson and and are designed for speed. Not suitable for battlefield fighting but are armed with throwing knives and axes as well as a cavalry sword to cut down any enemies who happen to block the road. -3000 Light Infantry/Longbowmen: [img]http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs49/f/2009/173/f/b/longbowman_by_LeValeur.jpg[/img] Generally armoured with a leather jacket-like gambeson and have short swords for melee, though they cannot hold against more well armoured infantry or cavalry charges. -3000 Horseback Archers: [img]http://wordwarriorsandiego.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/seljuk-ha.jpg[/img] Extremely skilled riders who can use a bow while on horseback. A good general can use these riders to devastating effect. Are generally armoured with a leather jacket-like gambeson reinforced with a thin layer of metal, and while they can hold their own in a melee, fighting with their swords; they are best kept out of heavy fighting for extended periods of time. They also wear simple cone helmets. -6000 Medium Infantry: [img]http://web.archive.org/web/20140110185304im_/http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/553/walking1.jpg[/img] Usually wear spectacle or nasal helmets and padded leather armour supported by a layer or two of metal for protection with chainmail and a gambeson beneath. It is very light and allows them to move relatively fast. Usually armed with pikes and swords for close combat as well as large shields. -3000 Light Cavalry: [img]http://help.tribalwars.nl/images/0/01/Lc.png[/img] Like the medium infantry, are armoured with heavily padded leather jackets with a few layers of metal, though better reinforced than that of the medium infantry as well as their chainmail and gambesons. They wield lances for charging and the vast majority of them use swords for the melee and have spectacle or nasal helmets as well as round shields. -4000 Warhounds and Wolves: [img]http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk40/AndalusMan/MODPICS/Dogs/ArmouredWardogs.jpg[/img] Are reared by hunters from an early age, brought up to attack those they are commanded to. They are terrifying walls of muscle, able to bring down horses and men, and even if armoured, the force of impact alone can bring heavy infantry crashing to the ground. The bite power of both warhounds and wolves is terrifying, though wolf bites are by far the more powerful and dangerous, easily able to crunch through bones and even lighter armour. Men and horses usually flee in the face of these beasts rather than face them, which is another of their strengths. To ensure that they are more of a threat and survive battles many are now armoured with light scale-mail and helmets. -5000 Knight Infantry: [img]http://web.archive.org/web/20140110185306im_/http://www.free-hdwallpapers.com/wallpapers/abstract/7724.jpg[/img] Heavily armed men in plate armour. Can wield anything from a mace to a great sword to a poleaxe. Preferred combination tends to be poleaxe and either a mace or a morning star. The back-bone of any Eskanadran army. -2500 Heavy Knights: [img]http://web.archive.org/web/20130907060936im_/http://wallpapers77.com/wallpapers/fantasy_art_knights_warriors_horses_hd_wallpaper-1280x800.jpg[/img] Usually armed with great lances to charge into enemies, before getting out swords, maces, axes and other such weapons for close combat. -3000 Armoured Bull Cataphracts: [img]http://fc03.deviantart.net/images3/i/2004/09/b/2/WarBull.jpg[/img] Elite cavalry unit of Eskanadra, bulls in scale mail armour ridden by heavily armoured knights. Tremendously powerful, able to charge in and do great damage. Weapons the bull riders wield tend to be things like axes, maces, morning stars, flails, war-hammers, horseman's picks and other such heavy weapons. Unlike heavy and light cavalry, do not charge in with lances, instead, the bulls horns do the damage while the rider cleaves right in. [/hider] Rank System in Eskanadran Military [hider=The System] [img]http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs12/f/2006/337/2/1/ancient_tome_by_theincredibleandy.jpg[/img] The army of Eskanadra is split into 5 Legions, each Legion is made up of four Companies, and each Company can be made up of anything from 1,500 soldiers and up. At the moment, as there is a standing army of 30,000, each Company is made of up of 1,500 soldiers, divided as follows: -25 Scouts (100 in a Legion) -150 Light Infantry (600 in a Legion) -150 Horse Archers (600 in a Legion) -300 Medium Infantry (1200 in a Legion) -150 Light Cavalry (600 in a Legion) -200 Warhounds/wolves (800 in a Legion) -250 Knight Infantry (1000 in a Legion) -125 Heavy Knights (500 in a Legion) -150 Armoured Bull Cataphracts (600 in a Legion) Each Legion is under the command of an Imbratorus of the Legion and each Imbratorus is under direct command of the Imperator, who can assign an Imbratorus to a Legion and dismiss them. He can also nullify any orders given by an Imbratorus, promote whoever he wants to whatever position he sees fit and so on. He has complete control over the land army. Along with being split into four Companies, each Legion is split in to two groups, and each of these groups is made up of two Companies. Every group is assigned to one of the ten Barrack-Forts of Eskanadra, which are the ten largest and most well-fortified Barracks in the land, the largest one being the Barrack of the Great and Mighty of Eskanadra. Each Barrack-Fort is governed by a Polemarchos Maxima, who has power over the two Companies in his Fort and relays commands to them as well as personally giving them commands when needed. Each Company is under the command of a Polemarchos, who has to report to the Polemarchos Maxima of his Barrack-Fort. Each Company can also be split into Squads of varying numbers, with a Tagmatarches leading them, the Tagmatarches reports to the Centurio, who reports to the Polemarchos. Tagmatarches are not always in a Company, as it all depends on whether the Polemarchos of the Company has assigned any or not.[/hider] [hider=Army Ranks] [img]http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/137/4/3/wagon_trouble_by_thegryph-d505zac.jpg[/img] Imperator - Has control over all the Five Legions of Eskanadra, and all Imbratorus’ must report to him and obey his commands. Taxiarchos - This is the Imperators advisor and vice, who can help relieve him of the pressure, and take his place should he be injured or die (until the Basileus assigns a new Imperator.) The Taxiarchos is assigned by the Imperator, with no interference from the Basileus. Imbratorus of the Legion - A man who has made it up through the ranks and now commands his own Legion. He has the power to promote anyone in his Legion, dismiss anyone, punish them and so on. He is the supreme commander of his Legion and obeys only the Imperator and any other more senior officials. The only power in the military above the Imbratorus is the Imperator, while the Taxiarchos is only above the Imbratorus when he is acting as Imperator. Centurio of the Legion - This Is the Imbratorus’ vice, and can take the place of the Imbratorus should he die or become injured. He also acts as advisor to the Imbratorus, helping relieve him of the pressure of leadership. Polemarchos Maxima – A man assigned to govern one of the ten Barrack-Forts of Eskanadra, which is seen as a great honour and a heavy burden. The Polemarchos Maxima has power over everyone in his Barrack-Fort, such as the Fort Guard – the people from the local area who work at the Barrack-Fort and protect it if it should ever come under attack when a Company is not present - and the two Companies assigned to the Barrack-Fort. He can send relay commands to both Companies and even personally given them commands when necessary. Centurio Maxima- The equivalent of the Centurio but for the Polemarchos Maxima, he does most of the paperwork such as reports for the small assignments or minor incidents in the fort etc. Polemarchos - An individual who has control over one Company in a Legion, usually promoted to the rank of Polemarchos for showing acts of valour in the field, and good leadership when given the opportunity. The Polemarchos must report to the Polemarchos Maxima of his Barrack-Fort or face dismissal from his position, imprisonment or death. Centurio - Has the power to take the Polemarchos’ place should he die or get injured, he is a second Polemarchos in a way, answering only to the Polemarchos of his Company. Tagmatarches - Commands over a Squad in a Company.[/hider] [hider=Legions of Eskanadra] [img]http://th01.deviantart.net/fs38/PRE/i/2008/332/6/e/the_power_by_rudyao.jpg[/img] First Legion of Eskanadra - Led by Imbratorus Gratius Eskandar Companies Stationed at Barrack of the Great and Mighty of Eskandar: First Company of the First Legion - Led by Polemarchos Gridel Altimus Second Company of the First Legion - Led by Polemarchos Jesder Cleolii Companies Stationed at the August Barrack-Fort of Irenor: Third Company of the First Legion - Led by Polemarchos Deruz Braxus Fourth Company of the First Legion – Led by Polemarchos Sazuk Phosuz Second Legion of Eskanadra - Led by Imbratorus Hermanus Eskandar Companies Stationed at Exalted Barrack-Fort of Tarsusin: First Company of the Second Legion - Led by Polemarchos Octavius Eskandar Second Company of the Second Legion - Led by Polemarchos Dahud Decius Companies Stationed at The Iron Fort (Located at the Eskanadro-Caliphate border): Third Company of the Second Legion - Led by Polemarchos Annius Eskandar Fourth Company of the Second Legion – Led by Polemarchos Gerul Defines Third Legion of Eskanadra - Led by Imbratorus Sentius Eskandar Companies Stationed at Long Leaf Fort (Located at the South Western coast of Eskanadra): First Company of the Third Legion - Led by Polemarchos Zeusra Neorades Second Company of the Third Legion - Led by Polemarchos Rinnius Felovus Companies Stationed at The Montasaar Barrack-Fort (Located at the Eskanadra-Imryk Border): Third Company of the Third Legion - Led by Polemarchos Bezarus Eskaster Fourth Company of the Third Legion – Led by Polemarchos Regus Qayzar Fourth Legion of Eskanadra - Led by Imbratorus Galerius Eskandar Companies Stationed at One Rock Fort (Located on a cliff on the South Eastern Coast of Eskanadra): First Company of the Fourth Legion - Led by Polemarchos Arrius Eskandar Second Company of the Fourth Legion - Led by Polemarchos Tubullus Veranday Companies Stationed at Deepwood Fort (Located in the Eastern Forest in the North East of Eskanadra): Third Company of the Fourth Legion - Led by Polemarchos Salvius Eskandar Fourth Company of the Fourth Legion – Led by Polemarchos Vibius Eskandar Fifth Legion of Eskanadra - Led by Imbratorus Herodotus Eskandar Companies Stationed at Mount-Gate Fort (Located at the river on the Northern Eskanadro-Confederacy Border): First Company of the Fifth Legion - Led by Polemarchos Hortensius Eskandar Second Company of the Fifth Legion - Led by Polemarchos Theodosius Lasillus Companies Stationed at River Fort (Located North East of the centre of Eskanadra): Third Company of the Fifth Legion - Led by Polemarchos Leonidas Spartacus Fourth Company of the Fifth Legion – Led by Polemarchos Constantis Emperero[/hider] Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: -Agriculturally self sufficient and is able to export great amounts of surplus food -Uses a system of enclosure and estate farming, meaning that agricultural production is dramatically increased -Able to export pretty much any crop, plant or fruit due to climate and rich soil -Large, professional military and navy -Good ability and skill at using pre-gun powder artillery, especially in the navy -Integrated culture and religion leading to less religious or cultural strife and segregation -Efficient policing and legal system resulting in a relatively low crime rate -Heavily loyal population due to the feeling that the monarch cares and attempts to improve life -Has many thriving crafts -Advanced education system resulting in a generally enlightened population and an intense academic scene -Efficient sewage disposal system -Good, high quality livestock production and rearing of war animals Weaknesses: -Small but growing pirate presence - kept at bay by the navy -Does not use gun powder and thus is extremely vulnerable against more advanced nations -Does not use magic and this is extremely vulnerable against magical nations and beings -Is not technologically advanced -Has no reliable supply of good quality metal within Eskanadra -Very expensive army and navy upkeep -Suffers from the presence of a malicious and cunning criminal underground, mainly in the business of prostitute trafficking -Navy is rather backward despite its strength -Army and navy are led by Royals, making it very difficult for talented non-Royals to rise in the military -Population is nearly 100% human, meaning that contact with other intelligent species is limited -Being a monarchy, the nation is not run as efficiently as it could be and corruption in the royal house is more apparent, though not enough for the Basileus to notice -Relatively small expansionist ambitions, meaning that Eskanadra will continue to suffer from weaknesses such as the metal, technology, magic and other problems