Rahhailian Musketeer Corps

Observing a regiment of Rahhailian Musketeers firing a volley, even in the relatively calm confines of the training field is quite startling, terrifying almost. The noise they create is so loud one would think that the very earth itself is about to split open; the tongues of orange fire that leap from Muskets’ muzzles and the thick billowing smoke after it brings to mind the vengeful wrath of a Dragon; and the less said about the red-hot lead ball sent whizzing hungrily and destructively towards the target the better…. All in all, I wouldn’t wish to charge a readied unit of Musketeers head on, and you’d be a fool to think such a move would go terribly well!

Extract from Maximilian Hoherberg von Zottehal’s History of the Known World
Founded by Guido Durandson during the dark days of the Kingdom of Dazscor and Aramore and the Kingdom of Sharisar's invasion of Rahhail from 520-522S.E., the Rahhailian Musketeer Corps utilises the potentially devastating, though temperamental firearms developed to use Blackpowder to create havoc on the battlefields and defend Rahhail from invasion by the larger powers that surround it.

Composition

Manpower

Regiments of Rahhailian Musketeers are comprised of 300 Musketeers, when at full strength, and will be commanded by a Captain with a supporting command structure of 3 Lieutenants and 6 Sergeants. In addition the regiment will be accompanied when out in the field of battle, or when garrisoned by a 40 strong support corps, who are responsible for resupplying the troopers with ammunition, setting up camp and providing for the Musketeers, bringing a whole regiment of Musketeers up to a full strength of 350 troopers and officers.
When outside of a garrison and especially when on an open battlefield, a regiment of Musketeers will be accompanied by an Auxiliary unit of 300 Pikemen, who will act as a mêlée barrier to defend the more vulnerable Musketeers from hand-to-hand fighting.
At present, the Merchant Council of Rahhail maintains 10 regiments of Musketeers, bringing the full battlefield strength of the Musketeer Corps to 3,500 troopers, who are based throughout the tiny nation, with four regiments posted permanently in the capital Rousier.

Equipment

In addition to their weapons, Musketeers carry a monopod stand that they use to prop up and support their Muskets when they are intending to fire their weapons. These monopods have been designed so that they are extendable, allowing them to be used both by Troopers who are standing and those that are kneeling. They also carry enough ammunition, lead Musket balls, and enough Blackpowder to enable a Musketeer to theoretically fire 30 rounds before they have to go back and resupply.
Musketeers, both Officers and Troopers are not intended to be deployed as frontline mêlée troops and therefore only wear leather armour, that is intended to allow them to move relatively freely and does not weigh them down, as their Muskets and related paraphernalia weighs a substantial amount as it is.
Finally, Musketeers, when deployed in the field away from a garrison, will carry enough rations to see them through several days.

Weaponry

The Musketeer Corps are unique on the continent of Turoza and in Ulskandar in general for the matter, as being the only professional military body that uses Blackpowder weapons, not only regularly, but as their main weapon of choice.
All rank and file Musketeers carry a Musket, a large, heavy Blackpowder fire arm from which they take their name. These Muskets are produced at a standard length of 5ft/c.1.5m, weigh approximately 14lbs/6kg. In order to fire one of these Muskets with any semblance of accuracy, the wielder must fire them lying down, prop the barrel of the Musket on top of a convenient object, or use a specially designed stand, that is given to all Musketeers as part of their basic equipment.
To load the Musket, the Musketeer will ram a charge of Blackpowder and a lead ball, made to tightly fit the barrel, into the Musket’s barrel, using the ram rod that is provided with every weapon. They then empty Blackpowder into the pan at the side of the Musket’s breech and cover with a metal cover to protect it. They then press a lighted piece of flax into a metal arm called the serpent, which is then pulled back away from the pan. When the trigger is pulled, the gun is fired and the lighted flax in the serpent would come down into the pan, pushes aside the metal cover and lights the gunpowder. The flame from this then enters the barrel of the Musket and ignites the gunpowder within, firing the lead ball out of the barrel.
In addition, Musketeers will carry a mêlée weapon, normally a shortsword that they can use to defend themselves in the event that the enemy closes with them.
Musketeer Officers will carry a sabre and at least one, normally two pistols, which function along the same lines as a Musket, though they are much smaller, enabling them to be fired with a single hand, without additional support.

Structure

Each regiment of Rahhailian Musketeers has a Captain that acts as the commander, who is supported by 3 Lieutenants, each one of whom is responsible for a different line in Musketeer’s standard formation. Quite often the most inexperienced Lieutenant is given command of the rear line, the most experienced the middle and the second most experienced the frontline. These Lieutenants are supported in turn by two Sergeants, who are stationed at different point in the line and help to relay orders to the Musketeers. The Auxiliary troops that accompany a regiment of Musketeers have their own command structure to ease their deployment in battle, but fall under the command of the regimental Captain.

Tactics

The primary tactic of a regiment of Musketeers is to get themselves into a position where they can fire synchronised volleys of lead towards their opponents, hopefully with enough effect to drive their adversaries into retreat, or wipe them out entirely. As the Muskets the Rahhailian Musketeer Corps employ are not particularly accurate, concentrating their fire into volleys, especially when aimed at large formations of enemy troops makes them potentially devastating in combat.
A regiment of Musketeers will ideally always form themselves into a formation that is 3 men deep and 100 men wide, with an average humanoid’s distance between each man. The front rank of Musketeers will kneel, whilst the second rank will stand, allowing two ranks of the formation to fire at the same time. Because Musketeers can only fire 2 rounds a minute, the front and middle ranks will often fire at different times, with one firing whilst the other is loading, giving the effect of a round being fired every 15 seconds. If needs be, both ranks can fire at once, which is especially useful if extra stopping power is needed to counter something such as a cavalry charge. The third rank of Musketeers operates as both a reinforcement pool, with Troopers moving up from the rear rank to replenish those in the front two ranks that have been killed or wounded, and as a rear guard for the regiment’s slow and potentially easily out manoeuvred formation.
The gaps in between the Musketeers not only act as channels so that reinforcements can move between the lines, but every other one of these channels will have a group of Auxiliary Pikemen stationed within, who can quickly be deployed to the front of the formation to protect the Musketeers from incoming charges. Occasionally on battlefields where a lot of cavalry have been fielded, or where the lines between the opposing sides are very close, Auxiliary Pikemen will be stationed in front of the formation as soon as battle is met, and will lie on the ground before the front rank to avoid being hit by the Musketeers behind them, and will stand to face off a charge as soon as it becomes necessary.

Training

Those wishing to become Musketeers will undergo a rigorous programme of training in order to get them to a good level of competence with their unique weapons, enabling them to fire two rounds a minute from their Muskets, in battlefield formation. In addition, because of the Muskets unique nature, Musketeers must be well versed in the care and maintenance of their weapons, and capable of carrying out both basic and more complex repairs on their weapons. This is a vitally important skill for all Musketeers, as even within Rahhail, they are not likely to be near a blacksmiths shop that is able to repair a firearm.

Logistics

Logistical Support

Rahhailian Musketeers will always leave a garrison with a small baggage train that contains not only supplies for the Troopers, but will also contain hundreds of extra rounds of ammunition and powder to ensure that a regiment of Musketeers can keep firing. These extra supplies of powder and ammunition are stored in small canvass bags that hold enough lead balls and powder for 10 shots. This not only helps to keep the ammunition dry, but also aids in the handing out of ammunition to the Musketeers in the midst of battle.

Auxilia

As Musketeers are quite vulnerable when deployed on open battlefields, they will always be accompanied by a detachment of infantry armed with pikes, who can quickly make their way through the Musketeers’ formation and deploy themselves as a new frontline, to protect them from enemy charges. On battlefields where there is not much distance between the forces of Rahhail and the enemy, the Musketeers’ auxiliary troops will often start deployed in front of the Musketeers, either crouching or even lying down so that they are not hit by the wall of lead fired by the Musketeers behind them.

Recruitment

Admittance to the Rahhailian Musketeers is open to all who would wish to apply, but does require the successful completion of the rather rigorous and technical training programme to ensure that all Musketeers are able to not only fire their weapons, but also to maintain and repair them. On average about 6/10 applicants fail to pass the required training to be admitted as Musketeers.

Type

Infantry

Founding

521S.E.

Overall training Level

Professional

Assumed Veterancy

Veteran

Used by

• Rahhail