Imperial garrisons

From: Svechin_at_...
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 00:47:35 EST


Alex:
> So you think that the Empire does not permanently deploys troops in the
> country to make all of Sartar feel its presence? These forts wouldn't be
> there only to oversee tribal policies, btw, but also to serve as collection
> outposts (especially in Lismelder lands... Somebody will have to pay for
all
> those duck heads!), missions and legal (lunar) courts.

Yes and no. Firstly most of the tribes already belong to a higher political grouping - the confederation - the Empire maintains large forces in all the central cities of those confederations. Jonstown, Wilmskirk and Swenstown are heavily garrisoned, as is Boldhome, Whitewall, Duck Point etc. The point you must remember about the Imperials is that they are a city culture that derides the countryside as the domain of the peasant. Its bad enough for the Imperial command that they have to quarter in some barbiarn hick turd pile, but to actually have to do their duty in the hills??? No chance.

> After all there would be more or less twenty such forts (one for each
> tribe). So perhaps they can afford a stronger garrison.

I believe that they would occupy or at least send patrols to the larger villages, towns and hill forts yes. I don't think they would have their strength spread very far though, because in truth, they are not that strong. The Imperial strength comes from the ability to mass in any one place in Sartar far more strength than any single tribe can muster. However, as this means that the Empire only needs 3000 men or so to win, they can pull this amount in with vexillations from all the garrisons in the region. I estimate that it took around 2500 soldiers to destroy the Dundealos tribe. 1000 heavy infantry, 1000 light or medium inf and 500 medium or light cav with a group of magicians as support.

Faced with a _general_ rising, the Imperial occupation has real problems. They simply don't have the manpower to effectively give a presence in all areas.

Thus they:

(1). Defend all the walled towns and cities, especially those commanding the road net.
(2). Where the placement of those cities and towns leaves reponse gaps for reaction forces, they either build up a hill fort or village or make a completely new fort.
(3). For policing the tribal lands they use local forces, the existing power system and punitive responses as a big stick, with the carrot being the benefits of being on the side that collects the tribute. (4). They do make exceptions for extremely important mythic or religious sites that they know give they Orlanthi huge magical amplification - the Hill of Orlanth Victorious for example, is garrisoned by Yelmalians in a unhappy fort. There is a section of the College of Magic whose Anthropology skills are directed at determining the mythic powers of the Empires enemies and neutralising them through mundane or magical means.

>Changing slightly
> topic: how many people can be supported with levies? How much is invested
> locally and how much is sent somewhere else (to the Governor, to the
> Provincial Overseer, to the Emperor)?

The tribute you mean? IMO 90% of the tribute from Sartar goes to support the army, the remaining 10% is in movable wealth items and might well see the Empire. Most of the tribute is in food items.   

> Also, are all the taxes paid in goods (or heads)? No imposed work?

Work is a form of tribute, but mostly it is in either food (cattle mostly) or slaves.   

> > At best, there might be a small Wyter there, the main defence will be the
> > troops and the magics of the troops. If there is a sorcerer there, then
> > there might be a little more long term stuff, but HW is ill suited for
the
> > layered minefield RQ defences we've seen in the past IMO.
>
> No "Protect the perimeter of the fort" ritual/feats?

If the regimental deity had such feats - yes of course. But we were talking in general, not of specific units.

>No engineering magic?

If there was an engineering unit there, then yes.

> A pity! IMO he lunar army would have developed such magic, maybe as a
> part of the unit magic, with every unit having its ways of camping and
> building defenses

Every unit would have this to some degree or another, but in many cases the defences will be mundane or based on the soliders themselves. Defences are force multipliers but ask any military man how long a stretch of minefield, barbed wire and dragons teeth will slow down an enemy without troops behind them to make them useful.

>but all of them harmonized by Lunar inclusive magic.

Only in lunar regiments or in vexillations coomanded by Tarnils officers.

Martin Laurie

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