The Military of the Pale
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The Forces of the Theocracy of the Pale
The Prelatal Army
The Prelatal Army is one of the most highly trained armies of the Flanaess. The army consists of regulars made up of marchmen, bracemen, lancemen, and engineers, as well as irregulars known as magic corpsmen, scouts, and the Faithful Flan.
Marchmen are the infantry men of the Pale, called such because they march to battle. Their units are referred to as Marches and are organized in groups of ten. For the most part, the Marches are heavy infantry units. They are armed with halberds, light crossbows, and longswords. They typically wear half-plate armor into combat and carry a heavy shield. The Marches of some commands differ from this norm due to the terrain they expect to fight in. The Marchmen of the Second, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Dawn Commands also receive training as light infantry units with those of the Sixth Dawn Command receiving the most intensive training as light infantry. Those troops trained as light infantry do not use halberds and are armored in chainmail with light shields. The Marchmen of the "Tenh Dawn Command" are currently being retrained as light infantry troops, due to the condition of Tenh in the aftermath of the Ether Threat.
Bracemen are the archers of the Pale, called such because of the braces of arrows they carry with them. Their units are referred to as Braces and are organized in groups of ten. For the most part, the Braces are longbowmen. They are armed with longbows and longswords and carry large quivers filled with sixty arrows. They typically wear scale mail armor and have bucklers for use if they are engaged in melee combat. The Braces of some commands differ from this norm due to the terrain they expect to fight in. The Bracemen of the Sixth and Seventh Dawn Command use shortbows when patrolling the forests of their respective areas and wear chainmail armor. They have found the shortbow to be a better weapon for the heavy forests.
Lancemen are the cavalry of the Pale, called such because of their most commonly used weapon, the lance. Their units are referred to as Lances and are organized in groups of four. Five Lances make up a Post, while five Posts make up a Banner. For the most part, the Lances are heavy cavalry units. They are armed with lances and bastard swords. They typically wear half-plate armor and carry heavy steel shields into battle. The Lances of some commands differ from this norm due to the terrain they expect to fight in. The Lancemen of the Sixth and Seventh Dawn Commands are also trained as light cavalry and those of the Sixth Command have perfected hit-and-run tactics which they regularly use along the borders of the Phostwood and even inside this deadly forest. The Lancemen of these two commands use light war horses instead of the more common heavy war horses used by the rest of the Prelatal Army's Lances. In the Sixth Command, the lancemen have long since abandoned their lances, finding a sword is better in the heavy forest of the Phostwood; they are armored in chainmail and do not use shields. The lances of the Seventh Command use scale mail armor and use light shields.
The Prelatal Corps of Engineers are the troops trained in the use of siege warfare. The Engineers are highly trained in their siege weapons' uses and in the use of the short sword and light shield for personal defense. They wear chain shirts for combat and are always heavily defended by at least one March. Engineers are also the construction force of the Prelatal Army, building and repairing the structures of the Prelatal Army. Engineers in each command come to another 10% of the number of troops assigned to the command.
The Magic Corps are irregular troops of arcanists and clerics used by the Prelatal Army. They are trained in the use of their magic for war and are on assignment with the Prelatal Army from either the Arcanist Guild or the Church of the One True Path. The clerics normally wear full plate armor into combat with a light steel shield. Arcanists normally do not wear any armor. Both types of spellcasters use their own preferred weapons (not standardized weaponry) and are always protected by a March. The Magic Corpsmen in each command come to another 5% of the number of troops assigned to the command. In times of war the entire Arcanist Guild and Church of the One True Path are pressed into service with the Prelatal Army.
Scouts are irregular troops used by the Prelatal Army for scouting ahead of troop movements or determining threats to which the Prelatal Army may be blind. They are trained in mounted and unmounted combat and are always armored. The exact armor varies from scout to scout, but it is rarely more than chainmail. Their weapons vary. Some scouts are mounted and others are on foot; it depends on their current assignment and mission. Most own their own horses, in any case.
The Faithful Flan is a group of irregulars composed of the Flan and Tenha who have converted to the worship of Pholtus. They number a full force of 5000 troops scattered around the Theocracy of the Pale, but the bulk of that is in Atherstone, mobilized to retake their homeland under the control of the Theocracy of the Pale. The Prelatal Army provides with them training and armament. They are all trained and outfitted as light infantry. Although they do have their own officers, they are almost always referred to as the Faithful Flan by other members of the Prelatal Army when not spoken to directly. The army provides them with halberds, long swords, light shields and chainmail armor for use in combat.
Pale Patrol
The Pale Patrol is actually a sub-division of the Prelatal Army. These troops are responsible for patrolling the internal territory of the Pale. They are generally trained as light infantry and light cavalry. Many are also skilled in the use of the bow. They are outfitted with chainmail armor and a light shield. Their weapons are generally lances, long swords, and longbows. They are trained by the Prelatal Army at their training facility near Holdworthy. When they use horses, they are light war horses. During times of war, the Pale Patrol is pressed into service with the regular Prelatal Army as necessity dictates.
Pholtan Knights Valorous
The Pholtan Knights Valorous falls under the auspices of the Prelatal Army as well. They are allowed free rein, however, within the Theocracy of the Pale, except when operating with the Prelatal Army directly. The Knights patrol the Pale, wherever their goals take them (either as individuals or as an organization). They are well trained and experienced warriors who augment the Prelatal Army during times of war and during times of peace if they see the necessity. Knights bring their own weapons and armor with them, as well as their own mounts and supplies. The Prelatal Army will make repairs and/or replace this equipment as necessary when the Knights are pressed into service with the army.
Pale Militia
The Prelatal Army may also call up the Pale Militia in times of war. The Pale Militia is made up of the city guards of all the cities of the Pale, as well as all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 35. All of these men receive training from the Pale Patrol once a quarter to ensure they are prepared for battle at all times. It is also rumored the Pale Riders are also a part of the Pale Militia as a unit and not just as the able-bodied men who make up the group. When pressed into service, the militia acts as light infantry or missilers (bowmen, slingers, or crossbowmen) depending on their skills. All weapons and armor are provided to them by the Prelatal Army when the Pale Militia is called into service. The exact numbers of the Pale Militia varies.
Church Militant
The Church Militant is also a shared division between the Church of the One True Path and the Prelatal Army. They are primarily used by the Church for their military operations and to uphold Ecclesiastical Law, but they have been used by the Prelatal Army irregularly; during a time of war, they make up elite units to protect the clerics of the Church of the One True Path who are working with the army. Members of the Church Militant are assigned weapons and armors by their organization as necessary depending on their current assignments. During a time of war they will all be armored in full plate armor. The exact numbers of the Church Militant are unknown to the majority of citizens in the Pale.
Rank Structures
The rank structures of the Prelatal Army and the various organizations that interact with them are laid out in a very organized manner. The ranks of each organization all cross back to the ranks of the Prelatal Army and are detailed in the table below.
The rank insignia are the same as the Prelatal Army insignia when worn going across the chart. For example, a Prelatal Army sergeant's insignia is a double gold crescent moon and so is a Pale Patrol sergeant's, a Lawgiver's, and a Town Constable's. The insignia are as follows by Prelatal Army rank: March/Brace/Lanceman — single silver crescent moon, Master March/Brace/Lanceman — double silver crescent moon, Corporal — single gold crescent moon, Lieutenant — double gold crescent moon, Captain — silver full moon (plain disc), Major — gold full moon (plain disc), Colonel — silver six-pointed star, General — gold six-pointed star, Celestial General of the Prelatal Army — gold six-pointed star behind the holy symbol of Pholtus.
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