Re: Gloranthan Army Competence from Sandy Petersen on 1996-05-09 (Glorantha Digest Vol 02)

From: Sandy Petersen <sandyp_at_idgecko.idsoftware.com>
Date: Thu, 9 May 96 13:13:22 -0500

There are constant questions on the Digest as to whether Loskalm has a tough military or a feeble one, or how mean the Kralori really are, etc. Here, in a nutshell are Sandy Petersen's views on the matter, at least as of 1621. I don't claim they're correct for anyone's campaign but mine, nor do I claim that I can't be argued out of my positions. NOR do I think it matters in many campaigns. As David Hall and Nick eloquently pointed out for Esrolia and the KoW, the deadliness of a nation's army has little do with its survival over time. Germany is today the most dominant nation in Europe despite losing badly in two major wars. (Not that the wars weren't important in their own way, for determining the _type_ of dominance Germany would exercise.)

I have rated the armies on a 4-point scale. (Spare me my self-indulgence for including U.S. civil war troops in the list.)

1 = crappy. Visigoths at the time of the Moorish conquest. Italians in WWII. Howard's 11th corps through 1863.

2 = Average -- nothing spectacular. Most armies, from Carthaginians to modern Europeans, fall into this category.

3 = quite good. Landsknecht. French Army under Napoleon. U.S. Marines in WWII. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

4 = top-notch; notably superior to almost everyone else. Romans at their peak. Mongols. The Iron Brigade.

Scores above 4 are superhuman. Note that the size of the army, the quality of its commander, and other special features are totally disregarded here.

NATION		Army Quality
Loskalm			2
Esrolia			1
Lunar Empire		4
Kralorela		2
Teshnos			1
Wenelian Orlanthi	3
East Isles		1 army / 3-4  navy
Vormain			4
Fonrit			3
Umathelan Orlanthi	2
Praxians		3 most / 4 independents
Pent Nomads		3
Horali			5
Iron Dwarfs		5
Kingdom of War		6

Sandy P.

End of Glorantha Digest V2 #550

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