House of the Rising Sun?

[TwistedSun]

Meh. That's what mercs are for.

@Darkspleen

Mercenaries cost more :)

@Xilaw

Lansquenets!

6000 is regular troops without the levies. We'll probably have them pay small tax to avoid fighting but if times are hard perhaps raising a peasant army to complement the professionals won't be off limits.

@Xilaw

That, obviously, if the peasants aren't revolting... *stares at Enalais*

[Darkspleen]

That's when the mercs are really helpful. *Throws money at mercs*

[gowia]

Meh. That's what mercs are for.

@Darkspleen

Mercenaries cost more :)

@Xilaw

Lansquenets!

6000 is regular troops without the levies. We'll probably have them pay small tax to avoid fighting but if times are hard perhaps raising a peasant army to complement the professionals won't be off limits.

@Xilaw

That, obviously, if the peasants aren't revolting... *stares at Enalais*

@TwistedSun

WE, THE LANDED GENTRY, SHALL CRUSH THE REVOLT! *Stares dramatically off into distance*

[Darkspleen]

Hear hear! By the way, who's the count in the North? I'd like to know who I'll be a henchmen of. =P

[TwistedSun]

That's when the mercs are really helpful. *Throws money at mercs*

@Darkspleen

That's when a nobleman realizes his head is more precious than five more coins in his pockets*

[Durandal]

Hear hear! By the way, who's the count in the North? I'd like to know who I'll be a henchmen of. =P

@Darkspleen

Which North? There are two counties up there.

[Darkspleen]

Ah. I don't know. I was just told that I'd probably be up in the North.

[Durandal]

Then it could be me or LordZell

[Xilaw]

Your family might end up being on the border, meaning your family members would fight under different counts, possibly against each others. *evil grin*

[Darkspleen]

Good to know. I'll have to go over your guys' stuff again.

[Durandal]

I still have to get a history up :|

[Darkspleen]

You're killing me man! =P Also, I figured the von Eisenburg holdings would be split up amongst counties. Considering that a different branch of the family is off in Saxony that really isn't *that* bad.

[Xilaw]

By the way guys, I plan to have several different mercenary types to hire, so other than Welsh longbowmen, Castillan heavy cavalry, Genoese crossbowmen, Swiss pikemen, what other flashy mercenaries do you guys know of? I know that Serbian light cavalry (hussars) was also beginning to be used by foreign countries after their fall to the Ottomans. I know of Stratioti cavalry recruited from Balkan Adriatic coast but don't know when they were first used.

[Durandal]

There were the condotierri of Italy. Most often, however, mercenaries were simply roaming bands of semi-professional soldiers called Free Companies.

[Xilaw]

You're killing me man! =P

@Darkspleen

No worries, I'm not that mean, although chances are, you will have one or two estates outside of county where the majority of your holdings are. But like I said earlier, those lords can choose to be loyal either to their count or their family if they are put in that position.

Also, I figured the von Eisenburg holdings would be split up amongst counties. Considering that a different branch of the family is off in Saxony that really isn't *that* bad.

You won't roleplay as that other branch, though, just the ones within the duchy. Same goes for every other member of the family that leaves the duchy and this goes for all players, me included. You can marginally mention them doing something but not actively control them.

[Xilaw]

There were the condotierri of Italy. Most often, however, mercenaries were simply roaming bands of semi-professional soldiers called Free Companies.

@Durandal

Yeah, I know. Those mixed groups will be a separate type, of course. I was particularly interested in bands that were specialized in certain type of warfare :)

[Darkspleen]

I assumed as much.

[Durandal]

The Gaelic Gallowglass. Bigger swords :) There were also the Varangians, though they were more limited to the Byzantine Empire

[Xilaw]

I assumed as much.

@Darkspleen

There's always that chance of inheritance. Now that I mention it, if your family from the duchy inherits some land from outside you can choose between having one member leaving the duchy and being a noble somewhere else or you can incorporate your gains into the duchy. But if the land inherited is significant there's a good chance some of it will be taken away and given to other nobles (sharing is caring), as opposed to having some financial and military support at times of war in case you choose the former. You should carefully wager, though.

[Xilaw]

The Gaelic Gallowglass. Bigger swords :) There were also the Varangians, though they were more limited to the Byzantine Empire

@Durandal

Yeah, Varangians, also Empire of Serbia had Allemanic guard. Never heard of the Gaelic Gallowglass though :D Gotta look into that one. EDIT: Christ, they look epic. Those broadswords remind me of Highlander.