Baelric Military

The Baelric people posses a standard military training regime as well as Baelric archery, which is a discipline based on extended ranges and trick shots. The longbow is deeply embedded in their culture and folklore.

Hierarchy

Military units are broken up by county of origin, and each has a war chief and the chief’s bodyguards. The war chiefs may be appointed by the earl, or maybe the earls themselves.

Reputation

The Baelric army has a fierce reputation, but they exhibit limited resolve, poor cohesion, and finite attention spans for war. They burn hot for action, but such ardor is short-lived. Their soldiers are legendary for their longbows and archery skill, and no one doubts their individual ferocity in battle.

Strategy

Baelric fighters come into their own when engaged in asymmetric, guerrilla style combat. They are outstanding marsh and moor fighters, and their knowledge of all their country’s local caves makes them exceptional at evasion. They are masters of melting away when needed, and knowledgeable of secret paths through their homeland that outsiders will not know.

Arms & Armor

Baelric is associated with the longbow, and their reputation states that can fire at extended ranges. Her troops also wield spears, guisarmes, maces, axes, short swords, and daggers. Most Baelric men fight without armor or wearing a quilted gambeson. Some might have bucklers, and a few also have leather caps as head protection.

Army

Baelric can field an army of 17,000 to 22,000 soldiers, and its infantry is 20% light spear, 20% light guisarme; its cavalry is 20% light mace, axe, and spear; and 50% are longbow archers. In addition, Baelric doesn’t have pioneers or siege engineers, but it does include +5% scouts. Baelric siege capabilities are casual at best, and they have no war wagons, and no navy.

Specialists

Baelric is also home to Marchdogs (+10%), and knife men (+10%). The marchdogs is a regionally alternative name for the Caindosian Gallowglass, and the knife men are close-combat fighters skilled with knifes and as anti-cavalry fighters who disembowel horses from beneath and finish off wounded men in the field.

Horses

Baelric Hill Pony

These common beasts are about 12 hands high and not taller, and they have large eyes and nostrils, and a large ribcage for outstanding stamina. These are easygoing, willing workers, being sturdy, and they require minimal rations and climb the hills with goat-like agility. They tend to be greys, bay chestnuts, or palominos.

Baelric Palfrey

These well-proportioned horses are favored for their smooth gate, and they are 15 to 17 hands high. They are white, and sometimes gray, and they are curious, intelligent, and well adapted to hill country. They have thick manes and tails, endearing whiskers, and soulful eyes. They are prized throughout Aorlis for their gaits and temperaments.

by Scott A. Story