Dwilight University/Military Studies/New Student Tutorials

These tutorials are given to new students in the realm of Morek by Rohk Darksun, Marquess of Cold Spring. The University is the best place to be their repository.

Lesson 1: Recruitment and Maintenance of Units

Unit Types

There are several types of units available to nobles of Morek:

Infantry - Hardened foot soldiers, strong defenders, the soul of the armies. Archers - Ranged damage dealers, typically unable to take much damage. Calvary - Fast troops able to charge into enemy ranks and deal enormous damage. Mixed Infantry - Troops who are able to use both ranged and melee attacks. In large numbers they are more effective than a pure infantry or archer force. Special Forces - Expensive units that have a variety of special abilities.

The choice of unit is your right as a noble. Let none tell you what kind of unit to head.

Recruitment

Due to the bureaucracy [OOC: Game Mechanics], you may only recruit a unit in the capital (Donghaiwei). Keep this in mind when you are instructed to refit.

The cost to recruit a unit is given to you as the cost for 10 men. This cost is calculated based on the quality of the weapons and armour, the amount of training that a unit has initially, the unit's cohesion (how well they get along) and their morale. The first two areas, the quality of weapons and armour, are static values. You cannot make the unit any stronger in this regard. However, the remaining three areas can be influenced by training that you give to your unit in the field. Training is typically partially reimbursed by your army.

RECOMMENDATION: Recruit a unit of your liking with high weapon and armour values. Over time, train them so that they will achieve high training, cohesion and morale.

Maintenance

Unit maintenance refers to the basic upkeep and repair of your unit. It is important to keep this in mind when recruiting a unit. If you take on a unit larger than you income can afford you, your men will desert you and you can lose honour in the eyes of your peers or you may become unable to repair their weapons and armor, leading to major injury and even death. The "Damage" statistic will tell you your need for repairs.

Repairs can be conducted in any region with a blacksmith. Townslands, Cities, Fortresses and Strongholds typically have these facilities.

RECOMMENDATION: As a rule of thumb, I use the value of 1/5 a gold piece [OOC: 0.2 gold] per man per day for maintenance. This value will vary based on your unit settings (another lesson later), and need for heavy repair, but typically holds true.

For instance, if you have set your unit of 30 men to be paid every 6 days you would need an income of at least 36 gold (1/5 x 30 x 6) to support them in the field. Keep this in mind when recruiting units and negotiating oaths.