[Under construction]
Most of the civilized powers use a standard unit of ten or twenty soldiers as the building block for their larger formations, and the influence of either the Tiberian Empire or the Kingdom of Khartras was felt in all lands near the Southern Sea. The ten-person unit was the equivalent of a tent group.
The official units often but not always reflected the realities on the ground, and many commanders disagreed about the optimal sizes of platoons or companies.
But over time, significant differences appeared in the tables of organization as each wave of modernization responded to local needs or sovereign goals.
Naming conventions varied widely, and often foot units and cavalry units used different names for the same number of soldiers. Add in the irregularity of mercenary company practices (the blended “lance” of six-to-eight men as smallest unit, for example), and you can quickly see the problems commanders faced when they tried to standardize organization or conduct operations with coalition allies.
Soldiers typically had a pack of normal gear, including spades and a three-day ration of food. Each tent group usually would have several saws and several axes, too. Packs typically would not weigh more than fifty or sixty pounds and often would travel in the wagons. But trained soldiers were expected to be able to march for up to three miles per hour and up to fifteen miles per day sustained over two or three weeks carrying their gear, if necessary.
The Southern Republic/Duchy of Ravenwood
Army Conscription and Recruiting
Standard Armaments
Knights, Men-at-Arms, Heavy Cavalry (mounted)=lance, mace or hammer, sword and axe; mail and chest plate or plate armor, helmet, shield
Men-at-Arms, Heavy Foot, Knights (dismounted)=short lance, infantry bill, or spear, sword
Archers (mounted)=longbow or bow; two quivers, 48 arrows; sword, buckler; helmet; mail, brigandine, or jack-of-plate leather and leather cuisse (leg) armor; two six-foot sharpened stakes [maximum of twelve shots per minute]
Archers (foot)=longbow or bow; one quiver, 24 arrows; sword, buckler; helmet or cap, jack-of-plate leather and leather cuisse (leg) armor; two six-foot stakes usually in wagons.
Crossbowmen (foot)=crossbow; one quiver, 24 bolts; long dagger or sword, buckler, leather armor [maximum of three bolts shot per minute].
Sword (normal combat)=double-edged, with point; single-handed; about thirty-four inches of blade; about 2.5 pounds in weight.
Lance=the long lance was usually ash, about ten to twelve feet in length
Shield=wooden construction, reinforced with metal sheets or leather; often triangular.
