Military District 47 from White, Adrian on 1995-03-03 (Glorantha Digest Vol 01)

From: White, Adrian <awhite_at_intera.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 95 12:32:16 GMT

I know the lunar army thread is probably getting a bit old now, but for various reasons i've been unable to email outside the U.K for the last couple of weeks. But for what its worth, here is a not so hot off the press (keyboard ??) post concerning the lunar military in Pavis county (in my current campaign)

GAWINTER says (sorry can't remember whic issue of the digest):

>Lets talk about the lunar army!

well here's a fragment of a letter recently intercepted by a loyal supporter of the Free Pavis faction (although it's authenticity has not been verified) :

To: Appius Luxius, Provincial Overseer, Mirin's Cross

From : Julan, Count of the Imperial Bath

water/death/earth 7/46

All praise the conquering moon,

My review of garrison arrangements in military district 47 (county Pavis and Prax) is now complete and my report enclosed.

I find that there is no significant external military threat to the region. At this moment of time the only hostile forces in the region are not currently sufficiently organised or equipped to pose a threat to fortified settlements in the area. They are therefore limited to nuisance value raids and ambushes. To counter this Governor Sor-Eel has instigated a policy designed to drive the more hostile nomad tribes east into the Wastes and keep them disorganised and off-balance by continual pressure from Imperial and allied forces. The Governor has made intelligent use of client forces (allied nomads and mercenaries) in an effort to divert the nomad counterattacks and reprisals away from the Imperial garrison, this has successfully reduced the level of attrition experienced by these units.

However my investigations indicate that the usefulness of these client forces is currently reduced. The mercenary unit in question (Margan Greys regiment) is mounted on horses which due to their high water requirements cannot penetrate far into the Wastes and our nomad allies are proving reluctant to pursue long range patrols. It would appear that having gained control of the good pasture lands east of Pavis County they see little logic in travelling west to chase a distant foe (although they are quite content to draw pay and supplies under the guise of doing so). I recommend that either the Governor be instructed to raise a regular regiment from our allies or that the district be re-enforced with another antelope mounted cavalry regiment.

The distribution of the garrison forces is, in my opinion, adequately planned both to reduce the effects of nomad raids and to provided good patrol coverage of the district. In addition as every population centre within the district has either a garrison within its walls or is dominated by a nearby fortified base the Imperial forces are well positioned to conduct any necessary internal security duties.

The current dispositions of the Imperial forces in Military District 47 are as follows:

Marble Phalanx Regiment

Lochos 1 (Elusates)             Pavis City Lochos 2 (Sempronius)           Pavis
City Lochos 3 (Flaccus)              Pavis City Lochos 4 (Acilius)              
Fenwash Fort  Lochos 5 (Quinctius)            Pavis City Lochos 6 (Laelius)     
        Blyford Lochos 7 (Decius)               Pavis City Lochos 8 (Avitus)    
          Pavis City

Silver Shields Chiliarchia

Tetrarchia 1 (Damasippus)       Fenwash Fort Tetrarchia 2 (Aristobulus)      
Whitefly Tetrarchia 3 (Gnaeus)           Pavis City Tetrarchia 4 (Hymilacos)    
   Ryan Tetrarchia 5 (Diok-dorus)       Amble Tetrarchia 6 (Ariaeus)          
Major Tetrarchia 7 (Proxen-dione)     Waterby Tetrarchia 8 (Epialtes)         
Pavis City Tetrarchia 9 (Demosthenes)      Pavis City Tetrarchia 10 (Machanidas)
     Last Step Tetrarchia 11 (Satyros)         Blyford Tetrarchia 12 (Antigonos)
      Bullford Tetrarchia 13 (Demetrios)       Pavis City Tetrarchia 14 
(Peridicacles)    Oldfield Tetrarchia 15 (Kraterdikkas)    Bullford Tetrarchia 
16 (Timoleros)       East Station

Antelope Lancers Regiment

Turma 1(Surenas)                Pavis City Turma 2 (Licinus)               Pavis
City Turma 3 (Camillus)              Maughry Turma 4 (Nicanor)               
Garhound Turma 5 (Lucullus)              Farend Turma 6 (Silpius)               
Indagos Turma 7 (Piraeus)               Moonbroth Turma 8 (Agedincus)           
 Garhound Turma 9 (Clodius)               Indagos Turma 10 (Camul)

Moonbroth

Each unit although numbered is more commonly refered to by the name of it's commanding officer, hence the name in brackets.

In my campaign the Marble Phalanx is organised as per the Granite Phalanx (TotRM 12) with the extra battlefield subdivision into two Mora (4 Lochoi to a Mora).

The Pelasts Chiliarchia is subdivided into 4 Speirai, each Speira having 4 Terarchiai of 56 men (4 files of 14). Incidentally, in battle formation each Speira should have a simmilar frontage to a hoplite regiment (but is only 4 ranks deep as opposed to 7 or 8). Thus neatly explaining why pelasts rarely make up more than 25% of an army (?)

The Cavalry regiment is organised into 10 Turmae commanded by a Praefectus, each of five, 10 men decuriones comanded by a Decurio.

Now a question, i have been using 7 as the basic squad or half file size for the Pelasts and the Marble Phalanx, but using 8 for the Yelamlion units to create a point of difference between the two troop types and cultures. But beyond a vague feeling that 7 maybe a more "Lunar" number (phases of the moon ??) i do not have much justification for this in Gloranthan terms. I'd appreciate any thoughts on Lunar and Solar number mythology.

Adrian