The Black Army of Orozred

The elite standing army of the expanding Kralusa of Orozred. The Black Army is dreaded and feared by the kingdom's enemies, and inspiring and fervently loved by the populace.

Composition

Manpower

The Black Army maintains around 6,000-8,000 standing soldiers and is one of the largest permanent military forces in the world.

Equipment

Cavalry typically rode highly prized Mishikalku war horses, prized for their rugged durability and surprising speed when encumbered with heavy armored knights and armor of their own. The heavy Druza mounted knights or "Konni Schlachty" typically were equipped in high-quality plate armor as is becoming more common in cavalrymen to the West. However, the lighter cavalrymen, who are expected to be much more nimble and maneuverable have not adopted this yet, instead opting for more or less a simple cuirass and mail armor on their horses.

Weaponry

Typical weaponry carried by the infantryman in the army includes overall, a small slashing sword, typically an eastern scimitar or saber with a small sawtooth knife near the waist. However, the main weapon of much of the infantry is either a pike or a spear, as is still common with many infantrymen across the continent. The Sciana infantry in particular are heavy infantry equipped as pikemen and whose task is to hold the enemy in place where they stand. On the periphery, lighter infantry use firearms of two types, the Stojaki and the Mały Barbirovac or "Little Bombardier" which is a larger caliber of the "handgun" often used in combination with encircled wagon-forts. The heavy use of firearms in the Black Army is very unique as the weapon has only recently gained enough reliability to be feasibly deployed in large numbers. 

Heavy cavalrymen are equipped with couched lances of varying length and used as the key weapon in a charge. When fighting comes to a melee, these cavalrymen can use either their slashing sabers, a mace, or a war hammer to deal heavy blunt damage to other armored opponents. Lighter cavalrymen opt for sabers, bows, throwing axes and as is becoming more common, small pistols often used in a caracole maneuver.

Vehicles

The breeds of horses used by the Black Army range from quick and nimble Davniak and Ciezkin breeds to the strong and able Vajarin and Mishikalku warhorses which are prized for their strength and calmness in the chaos and confusion of battle.

Structure

The Black Army is paid for, assembled by, and directly answerable to only the Kraul himself and has proven to be a devastating force on the field as well as a headache for the members of the Sjem to supply and pay for. Many subunits or corps, make up membership in the Black Army, each is commanded by a marshal with an emphasis on remaining logistically self-sustainable. These corps have several notable histories one example is the treasured Kharlyk Hussars, commonly called the Kharlyk Raiders or riders, often commanded directly by Grand Marshal Piotyr Jarząbek himself.

Tactics

Key to the effectiveness of the Black Army is the well defined order of many of the ranks within and the roles they occupy as a part of the larger whole. HEavy infantry works with its lighter counterpart to act as a shield for these forces to inflict damage upon the enemy with the assurance of falling back behind a wall of spears and armor in case the fighting becomes too thick. Cavalry works well to harass and skirmish with the enemy and to act as a shock force to fall upon the enemy at the right moment to inflict terrifying casualties and begin a rout. In the words of Grand Marshal Piotyr Jarząbek, 

"We regard the armored heavy infantry as a wall, who never give up their place, even if they are slaughtered to the last man. Light forces perform breakouts depending on the occasion, and when they are already tired or sense severe danger, they return behind the armored soldiers, organizing their lines and collecting power, and stay there until, on occasion, they may break forth again. In the end, this concept is given to both wings of the army to maintain an effective fighting unit on whenever occasion the foe is driven to exhaust themselves against us. Their exhaustion will make them careless and vulnerable, and our forces are prepared to drive them from the site of battle and win the day."

Training

Training is the key to the Black Army's success, dedicated drilling and unit tactics are undertaken to give each soldier in the Black Army a great understanding of their role in the strategy and tactics of a battle or campaign. Rugged training is required to harden a potential soldier for battle and ensure they do well even outside combat during marching or when set up in an encampment.

Logistics

Logistical Support

Logistics are an emphasized aspect of the Black Army's conduct, supply trains are needed to keep the unit supplied but the individual corps are encouraged to forge for supplies or buy supplies from friendly local vendors meant to establish positive ties to a region.

Upkeep

The Black Army is so far a successful experiment of both strategic and tactical maneuvers, and in professionalizing a force through constant upkeep and funding. The Black Army requires an extraordinarily efficient tax collecting system to properly function much like the one that is currently in place under Kraul Maremir. Pay is needed on time and in current quantity to keep the army together, cavalrymen are paid double, Sciana are paid 1.5x the standard rate, and the Cyzna are paid the standard payment for the Orozred army while enjoying the prestige that comes with being members of the Black Army.

Recruitment

The origins of the Black Army go back to its former mercenary roots, as such the initial draw was payment for service. These mercenary veterans were later recruited into the proper Orozerd armed forces where they served as captains, commanders, and drill instructors. The Black Army is aided by a foundation of effective and well-taught lessons on war from veterans of countless campaigns and conflicts from across the wider world.

History

Before the founding of an independent Orozred, the bulk of fighting forces with any degree of success or professionalism were the Staludzie mercenary companies. The Staludzie offered their services in armies as far west as Tiranar and were a common sight in the armies of Salian and Komneian armies in particular. Not only a military commodity, the Staludzie became a cultural magnet as during service many practices and customs of foreign lands were brought back to the Sokoly heartland when their terms of service were up.
However, as mercenary work in the homeland was very limited, these former Staludzie often times became well-organized bandits and frequently plundered and ravaged the countryside, extracting high payments on the local populace. When the Sokoly began their rebellion against the Ciezkins, Staludzie fought on both sides, but in the war's aftermath, the newly free Orozred issued the mercenary ordinance that gave many companies the choice of either joining fully the new royal army or being hunted down and destroyed by the growing army. Many Staludzie companies dissolved into the royal army and their talents and traditions became a part of what would soon become the Orozred Black Army. 
After the Battle of Vyutas, the Black Army gained further renown and boosted funding during the aftermath wars and the 2nd Ciezkin-Sokoly War which saw total victory for Orozred and the conquest of the leftover statelets of the Ciezkins and the Kovna. Further integrations with many of the units who proclaimed loyalty to their new conquerors led to an increase in the number of soldiers within the Black Army, doubling from nearly 10,000 to over 20,000 by 700 A.E. 
The origin of Czarna Armia or "Black Army" is thought to have originated in this mercenary heritage, as many peasants and free folk in the countryside remembered well the terror and dread Staludzie companies inflicted on them. However, the term was also adopted by the Salians after the Battle of Vyutas and soon it spread further and came to be the moniker the Orozred royal army became known by. Aided in this was the blackened armor of many soldiers, particularly the Cyzna cavalrymen who wore it as a status symbol and as a figure of pride.

Historical loyalties

With its origins as a series of mercenary companies, the early Black Army had a history of being more loyal to shimmering gold than dedication to Orozred. As times have changed and the army has become not only larger but also further professionalized, the Army's loyalty has grown more and more into that of a proper national army with personal ties to the kingdom they fight for and enmity for the enemies they defeat.

(Sciana captains before a Druza mounted knight)

Type

Shock

Founding

689 A.E

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Veteran

Used by

• Kralusa of Orozred