>>> The remaining adults can fight in an emergency (though a >>> percentage are unfit for military service - about 5%)
>> Are we *really* saying that 95% of Heortling men and women >> aged 15+ are "fit for military service"?
> It might depend on your definition of an emergency.
It would also depend on your definition of "military service".
I have no problem accepting that any non-incapacitated person will try to fight off trolls who have come to devour them, using any weapon that comes to hand. I do not accept as a corrolary that "95% of Heortling adults are fit for military service".
> I wouldn't call anything much short of absolute survival to be that
> sort of an emergency. I'm sure you can't get 95% of the adults for
> any sort of "military service, no matter how dire the situation
Me too. I think we are in complete agreement, even vociferous agreement! The terminology of "fit for military service" is misleading -- we're saying that 95% of Heortling adults are strong enough to poke a spear, fling a clod or swing a rolling-pin (or rug!) in anger, even though you're unlikely ever to get more than 40% of Heortling adults to come any significant distance from their homes to do so. That works for me. Focus on the 20% (of total population) in the fyrd, not the 95% (of adults) not actually crippled/bedridden/sworn to pacifism.
Cheers, Nick
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