years).
Well there was no Avilry for a long time. The Rinliddi are bringing it
back
through hero rituals and voyages to the other side where they are
relearning
their old skills to counteract certain threats.
Lunar units have rituals too. Every long lasting units does.
> Also I differentiate the Dara Happan provincial army (where most=
>hard line conservatives belong) and the progressive Lunar Army. =
There is no such differential. There is no DH provincial army, nor is
there
a difference between the Lunars and the DHs as the latter are actually
Lunars
too. IYG Glorantha if DH is no longer a recognised land, how can it be a=
=
Province? =
>As you yourself point out, the Red Army is just a small fraction of the
total
>military capability of the Empire. =
There is no "Red Army" persae though the slang term is often used for the=
main
Lunar forces, often by their enemies or by those outside the military. T=
he
Heartland Corps, the Cav Corps and the Imperial Bodyguard are the main mobile =
forces, though each Satrapy also has similar armies and many of the above=
groups =
have their barracks there. Frex the Marble Phalanx is based in Oronin, t=
he
Beryl =
Phalanx in Kostaddi and the Starkin cavalry archers in Doblian. =
Each count as part of the Satraps forces but each is also applicable for
service
amid the mobile armies. =
>They are just those trustworthy units, politically correct (in the twist=
ed
Lunar =
>way) who can be used all around the empire.
Some units are mobile, some are garrison. This has a lot more to do with=
their
quality, use and composition than any Lunar "PC" because all units in the=
Lunar
army are Lunars. Everyone in the Empire is as the Goddess is all
embracing.
>IMG Carmania and Dara Happa have militias and Provincial Armies bigger =
>than the Red Army. =
IYG you can do whatever you want.
>However they are tied up in local politics, and although some units will=
be =
>included temporarily (as proof of Lunar rightness, or as payment for
services =
>rendered) in the Heortland corps for a campaign, most will remain as paw=
ns
>in the local power games, and as a showoff of the autonomy under the =
>Emperor. One example of this is the Queen's regiment, a privately funded=
=
>carmanian regiment, which is just a toy for Yolanela's son, but that
interests =
>all sides to keep them wherever there is an armed conflict.
Thats certainly one way of looking at it. Not without truth _IMO_ either= =2E
> So I differentiate Lunar and Dara Happan. =
Okay. Do as you will. Greg told me catagorically the other day that the=
DHs
are Lunars too and that they support the Empire, the Emperor and the
Goddess.
>The Lunars have a balanced army, experienced and in fighting trim,
although =
>still recovering from the Dragon. The Dara Happans have their traditiona=
l
forces, =
>filling traditional posts, and in most cases unfit for active service,
just as the =
>Lunars want them. =
The DHs _are_ Lunars - why would the Empire wish its own soliders to be
useless?
The units in the Satrapies are part of the garrison army and are consider=
ed
poor =
quality because its hard to raise as many good quality units for such
onerous and
dull duties. Even elite units lose their edge in Garrison. This is a
natural and sensible
arrangement that the Lunars inherited and kept going.
>Only in Alkoth, and in a few regiments scattered elsewhere, is
preparedness taken =
>seriously.
Alkoth is full of religious maniacs who exist to follow their god of war =
so
its a certainty
that they are geared for battle. As for the other places, their readines=
s
is based on =
threat. The garrisons of Oraya are far tougher than the garrisons of the=
Silver Shadow
Satrapy frex because of their constant interaction and threat from Pent,
trolls etc.
> The Lunar army is the place for the youth who is not made for th=
e
>bureaucracy but wants to break the constraining walls of her society. Th=
at
>means there are a high (relatively) number of all female or mixed units,=
as
>the two main Lunar societies are repressive of their women. =
Some units are made up entirely of women but this isn't just a Lunar thin= g,
Remember that Pelanda and other areas have a strong female tradition of
participation in all aspects of life, military included. DH is more
restrictive
but things have loosened up a tad since the Goddess arrived. However, no=
te
units like the Girl Skimishers who are made up of camp followers looking
for
a chance to advance. Their life expectancy is _low_ and their training a=
joke.
Other units, like the Hell Sisters, are elite.
Most Lunar regiments are from old traditions and even the newer ones are =
based on older traditions.
>I wonder if the orlanthi are taken aback by this or consider it normal.
"We have =
>our Red women, they have theirs. But they must treat their wives badly, =
if
there =
>are so many of them."
Probably!
Martin Laurie
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #267
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