Noelred Military

Military Might and Force Projection

Noelredi troops often are identifiable by her blue dragon motif or badge. They possess a standard military training regime, as well as the Noelredi Shadow Blade martial art. These fighters prefer the bastard sword, but they are also known to wield longswords, arming swords, lances, lucerne hammers, flanged maces, and daggers. As one of Aorlis’ chivalry-based countries, they are known for their massed cavalry charge with lances.

Armor

In terms of armor, Noelred’s common troops wear padded gambesons, and perhaps light maille; heater shields, and iron spangenhelms. Higher status soldiers wear gambesons, maille, plus lamellar with dragon-scale patterns, plus fully plated arms, hands, legs, and feet. They employ heater shields and assorted helmets. Sometimes these helmets are dragon-shaped and crested.

Optimistic Tradition

Noelredi military tradition celebrates courage and turning losses into victories. (Soldiers from other countries often view this institutionalized optimism as foolhardy and unrealistic.) Noelredi have the standard military hierarchy with an earl marshal for the country; a marshal for each army; a captain for each unit; and assorted lieutenants for internal divisions. As befits their reputation for heroism and glory, the Noelredi possess high morale and noteworthy military discipline even in the face of grave danger.

Army

Noelred can field an army of 23,000 to 25,000 troops, and its infantry is 15% light bill, 15% heavy bardiche, and 20% heavy lucern hammer or flanged mace; its cavalry is 10% heavy lancers, and 10% light skirmishers; and its archers are 10% light crossbowmen. Noelredi archers ride ponies to the battlefield, but fight on foot.

Specialists

Noelred has full siege capacities, with +5% pioneers, +10 siege engineers, and +5% scouts. They do not have a history of hiring mercenaries to bolster their armed forces. As elite military orders go, Noelred boasts 600 Knights of Kelthan, 56 Silver Hawk Knights, 150 Badger Knights, and 120 Red Lion Knights. This country is land-bound and thereby has no navy or maritime tradition.

Commanders

Noelredi commanders are self-superior, and perhaps they are focused on glory and heroics and less on reality. This doesn’t mean they are stupid or without talent, but it does constitute a potential weakness in their character. Recent generations of military commanders make a point of studying the victories or King Eldred Kolthan and hold him as an exemplar.

Horses

Noelredi Colossi

This imposing beast stands 15-19 hands tall, with a heavy frame, muscular build, and arched neck. It has a broad, flat forehead, rectangular eyes, and small, vertical ears. Their great strength makes them ideal for heavy cavalry. Colossi are not fast, as horses go, but their momentum is impressive. They tend to be black, gray, chestnut, bay, roan, or sorrel. These animals are born black and turn gray as they mature. They have lush manes, tails, and leg featherings. This beast is no monster, however, for it is intelligent, willing to work and learn, and quite adaptable.