User:Unwin/sandbox

Introduction to Military Leadership

Knowing an Army

It is essential that a Marshal know their army. Generals and good Marshals must to know all the army’s of their realm. At a minimum one must monitor the following factors of an army.

Things to know about an Army

• Location

Where is your army? Are they in one spot, split into groups, dispersed?

• Strength

How strong is your army?

• Composition

How much of your armies strength is derived from ranged, melee, mixed and calvary troops?

• Range

What is the maximum, minimum and median range of you ranged troops?

• Speed

How quickly do your troop leaders react?

• Coordination

Do your troop leaders consistently deploy their units as directed?

• Maneuverability

How quickly can your army, as a whole, get from one place to another?

• Mission

What is your army’s mission as determined by the General?

• Funds

How much money is in the war chest? Do your troop leaders have the gold needed to support the unit needed for the army to perform it’s mission?

Sources of Information

• Army Information Report
• Past Battles
• Region Information Reports
• The Counsel of Compatriots (Diplomats, Military Experts, Past Military Leaders, Rulers, Spies)

Knowing the Enemy

It is essential that a Marshal consider the enemy. Ideally, a Marshal would know their enemy’s Strength, Composition, Speed, Coordination, Maneuverability and Mission - just as they know their own army. Additionally a Marshal must try and predict the Formation the enemy is most likely to use. This can be based on past observations, educated guesses and even gut feeling. Of course, access to this information is limited and some factors might be unknown or even mere suppositions.

Things to Know about the Enemy

• Location
• Strength
• Composition
• Speed
• Coordination
• Range
• Maneuverability
• Mission
• Formation

Sources of Information

• Scout Reports
• Past Battles
• Region Information Reports
• The Counsel of Compatriots (Diplomats, Military Experts, Past Military Leaders, Rulers, Spies)

Moving an Army

Before a battle can commence you must first move your army into position. Generally, this is fairly straight forward but there are many factors to keep in mind.

Things to Know Before Moving

• Your Army (As described above)
• Your Enemy (As described above)
• The Theater
  • Regions Information
  • Political Border Locations
  • Current Political Relations
  • Location of Smiths, Banks and Fortifications
  • Roads, Ferry Routs, Sea Zones and Travel Times
  • Natural Features (Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, Coasts)

Sources of Information

• Scout Reports
• Past Battles
• Maps
• Diplomatic Relations Report
• Region Information Reports
• Realm Leadership
• The Counsel of Compatriots (Diplomats, Military Experts, Past Military Leaders, Rulers, Spies)

Deploying An Army

When deploying your army it is important to know if you will be on the defensive or the offensive.

Deploying Dug-In or with Fortifications

This is the ideal defensive state if it can be managed. Only defend on an open field if there are no reasonable alternatives.

• Consider what you know of the enemy and your army(s)
• All troops aside from those who are meant to sally (typically Calvary) should be in a defensive posture
• All melee troops should be placed on the walls (to the front)
• Archers can be on the walls or be deployed behind them - mind the archers range (Being behind he walls reduce their exposure to melee but make it easier for the enemy to take the walls)
• Sallying troops (like calvary) are placed behind the walls and given enough room to charge (rear-guard position and aggressive posture will usually work)
• If there are no fortifications, all units should dig in
• Sallying troops should be in a normal or aggressive posture or they will not advance beyond the walls
• If you expect your ranged troops to face more melee combat, use the box formation. If you expect your archers face more ranged fire, use the skirmish formation. If you are unsure or expect an equal amount of ranged and melee attacks, use the line formation
• Melee troops can be safely deployed in a line in most cases
• If bolstering melee troops, Calvary and mixed infantry should typically use the same position, formation and posture (aggressive, normal, defensive) as the other melee troops
• If sallying, the calvary should be deployed in a wedge
• If bolstering ranged troops, mixed infantry should typically use the same position, formation and posture (aggressive, normal, defensive) as the other ranged troops
• If deployed independently, place them in a position to launch a volley or two before joining in the melee or place them as a protective screen before your archers

Deploying on an Open Field

Deploying on an open field should only be done while on the offensive or if there is no better position for defense. Without the framework of fortifications, open field battles are generally more complex and more diverse.

• Consider what you know of the enemy and your army(s) - in the open field this is the only thing that matters
• Troop posture (agressive, normal, defensive) should be set to ensure a battle occurs as planed
• Troop posture (agressive, normal, defensive) should be set enable proper movement
  • aggressive advances quickly
  • normal advances
  • defensive advanced slowly or not at all
• Position your ranged and melee troops so that the ranged troops must never face enemy melee troops alone or (preferably) at all
• Melee troops can be safely deployed in a line in most cases - when facing monsters or undead box works well
• If bolstering melee troops, calvary and mixed infantry should typically use the same position, formation and posture (aggressive, normal, defensive) as the other melee troops
• If charging (preferred), the calvary should be deployed in a wedge and be in an aggressive posture
• If bolstering ranged troops, mixed infantry should typically use the same position, formation and posture (aggressive, normal, defensive) as the other ranged troops If deployed independently, place them in a position to launch a volley or two before joining in the melee or place them as a protective screen before your archers
• If you expect your ranged troops to face more melee combat, use the box formation. If you expect your archers face more ranged fire, use the skirmish formation. If you are unsure or expect an equal amount of ranged and melee attacks, use the line formation

Unit Formation Use by Unit Type

• Ranged

If you expect your archers to face more melee combat, use the box formation. If you expect your archers face more ranged fire, use the skirmish formation. If you are unsure or expect an equal amount of ranged and melee attacks, use the line formation.

• Melee

Just use the Line formation unless fighting rouges then use box.

• Cavalry

Just use the Wedge formation.

• Mixed Infantry

Position them either with the melee troops or the ranged troops, whichever is weaker and use that formation. If deploying them independently place them so they may fire off a volley or two before joining the melee or in a position to screen the archers from melee attacks.

Army Coordination

If your army is known to be well coordinated, custom army formations are preferred as they are more flexible, less predictable and do not require academy study. If your army is not well coordinated, it is best to have your command staff enforce the use of standard formations.

Advanced Cases

There are a variety of situations in which advanced unit deployments are used. These can not be elaborated in writing so well and one must learn from experience and respect the counsel of other, more experienced, military leaders. Actively seek the advice of your forerunners.

Marshals

As a marshal or vice marshal you should review the following information twice a day. If you find any of this information lacking, it if for you to ensure that it is acquired.

• All messages - especially those from the General, Ruler, Military Council, other Marshals, Diplomats and Spies
• Army Information Report (make sure you still Know Your Army)
• All scout reports (aids you in Knowing the Enemy)
• Past Battles (aids you in Knowing the Enemy and Knowing Your Army)
• Maps (aids you in Knowing your Theater and Moving and Army)
• Diplomatic Relations Report (Aids you in Knowing Your Theater, Moving an Army and Deploying an Army)
• Region Information Reports (Aids you in Knowing Your Theater and Moving an Army)

Additionally, Marshals should perform theses tasks, twice daily, if needed based on the information collected above.

• Issue new orders
  • Includes requesting additional information (scout reports, advice, travel times, army statuses)
• Update Standing Orders
• Ensure troops and war chest are requesting/getting needed funding
• Move to best support your army

Generals

As a general you must be capable of performing all the duties of a Marshal then do none of them. A General should review the following twice a day.

• All messages - especially those from the Marshals, Ruler, Military Council, other Generals, Diplomats and Spies
• Army Information Reports
• All Scout Reports
• Past Battles
• Maps
• Diplomatic Relations Report
• Region Information Reports

Additionally, Generals should perform theses tasks, twice daily, if needed based on the information collected above.

• Create or update current strategy
• Present new strategy or strategy updates to Marshals, war council
• Issue new orders to the Marshals or other nobles based on the current strategy
  • Includes requesting additional information (scout reports, advice, travel times, army statuses)
• Move to best support your strategy

Generals are also encouraged to empower their Marshal’s as much as possible. This means ensuring they can accomplish the directives you give them autonomously (training or replacing them if needed) and leaving them to do so. It is generally bad form for a general to be constantly giving orders to members of an army directly, though there are exceptions. It is best to enjoy the flexibility that multiple armies brings but each army needs to have the strength necessary to be truly useful.