"It was during the 3rd night after exiting the Orc
side of Dead Orc Pass that we began hearing the Orcish
kettle-drums. During the night we were ordered into battle
formation, ready to fight at first light.
During the battle in question this officer had the honor to
command A Company, 1st Battalion of the Emperor's Musketeers.
My company was at its full strength of 96 Musketeers and 3
officers (besides myself). Company A was formed 6 lines deep
and 16 ranks across. Each of my three lieutantents commanded
a section of two lines and 32 men each.
This officer recieved orders from Brigade Head Quarters to
move into position and provide fire support to the 1st
Battalion, Grand Duke Maximillon's Heavy Dragoon Guards,
which was the next unit to the right of my own battalion's
position. This officer double-time marched his command into
the middle of the Dragoon's area and took station in the
middle of their formation as per Brigade's orders.
This being my first contact with this particular regiment I
will give my impressions of them. These Dragoons are big
men, armored in scalemail and mounted on big warhorses. They
are each armed with a heavy saber, a musket, and 3
wheel-lock pistols (having a wheel-lock pistol stuck in
their right boot top, with another pistol hostled on either
side of their saddle, their muskets are normally hostled on
their saddles, unless they are fighting as infantry. In
addition, two companies (C and D Companies) are also armed
with lances which are used as pikes when they fight
dismounted. Dragoons being trained to fight equally well
as infranty or cavalry as needed.
The Dragoons formed in 3 lines on either side of my
position, each Dragoon mounted and nearly touching the boot
of his neighbor. Like regular cavalry, the dragoon battalions
have six companies (instead of the five companies in an
infantry battalion). Each of the Dragoon's ranks was a full
company of 100 men across (giving the Dragoons a frontage
facing the foe of 200 ranks, 3 ranks deep, with this
officer's company of 100 Musketeers in the center of the
dragoon's formation, (and once again as this officer has
already stated, his command had a frontage of 16 ranks,
6 ranks deep). The first rank of the Dragoons (2 full
companies) were armed with lances.
Today the Dragoons would would be acting as our cavalry
since we had no other cavalry assigned to our expedition.
In between this officers musketeer company and the two
dragoon formations on each flank of said company, the
Dragoon's two 3-pounder cannon took position, one regimental
gun and half of the Dragoon Battalion's battle mages on each
of this officers flanks. There
were about 25 mages present with each 3-pounder. The mages
dismounted and milled around behind the cannon, neither in
uniform nor in any kind of formation (which is pretty much
standard in any military unit), generally the mages were
facing the enemy, but banding together in small groups, some
groups behind the others, the rear most no further back than
this officer's last rank of musketeers.
Of course, my telling this took much longer than did the
actual forming up and getting the units into position, which
took us perhaps five full minutes, which is not too bad in
the dark. Anyway, before this officer recieved
any additional orders from Brigade, the Orcs attacked in
the first of dawn's light, charging madly out of the morning
mist, kettle-drums beating with a new fury, their echoes
weirdly bouncing back from mist and mountain-side.
Colonel Grand Duke Maximillion rode up to my position and
ordered this officer to hold fire. On either side of the
Dragoon's formation the units there opened fire when the
Orcs were still at about 50 yards out.
We held our fire, and the Orcs kept comming. The units on
both sides of our position, including my own battalion
continued to fire, but as per Maximillion's orders our
muskets remained silent until the last possible minute, when
the Orcs were 10 yards out (and you could smell the nasty
buggers), the Grand Duke gave me permission to open fire,
which this officer proceeded to do, ordering salvo fire,
having my first three ranks fire into the Orcs directly in
front of our position. Then, this officer ordered forward
his company's three rear ranks and they in turn fired a
salvo...the two cannons and the mages all had started firing
and casting offensive spells with this officer's first salvo,
all firing and casting their spells towards
the Orcish line directly in front of my command's postion.
Where our
combined fire struck them there must
have been 30 or more Orcs deep and densily
packed besides, no doubt because we had not fired upon them
before....our firepowder was truely amazing. The double
loads of grape-shot from the cannon and the arcane wizardry
of lightning, fireballs and other spells that I am unsure of,
in addition to 96 musket rounds and five pistol shots (I
fired once with each Salvo, rank doth have privilege). Our
fire had opened a gap in the Orcish line 20 yards or so
wide, littered with dead and dying Orcs, perhaps 500 hundred
or so in number.
After my second Salvo, Grand Duke Maximillion ordered a
charge, leading the four companies of his
second and third ranks who moved smartly across behind their
frist rank companions and charged into the gap behind the
Grand Duke. The first
rank of Dragoons charged forward into the mass of Orcs
with their lances lowered, and they were quickly fully
engaged in a melee, a thin line of horsemen holding their
line, side-by-side, most having quickly abandoned their
lances (after spearing an Orc or three), for wheel-lock
pistol and saber.
Maximillion and his 4 companies of dragoons rode at a gallop
behind the Orc's lines riding down, pistoling and sabering
any orc that was unlucky enough to get too near to them. The
Dragoons always charging towards the largest Orcish formations,
firing their pistol or swinging their sabers, then wheeling away
to keep from becoming engaged in a melee with the Orcs,
reforming and then charging again, and again, attacking
especially the Orc Chieftains and their Shamen, greatly
aiding our cause.
After all the dragoon had charged past the gap, the Orcs
tried to redress their line and the orcs began flowing
around the dragoons on the edges of the gap. Seeing that
there was little else that could be done, this officer
ordered his company to fix bayonet and charged to plug
the hole in our lines...before it broke and the Orcs could
flank the units on either side of our position, in addition
the remaining first rank of Dragoons who were still engaged
in melee were being slowly pushed back by sheer weight of
numbers...
This officer is proud to report that A Company, 2nd
Battalion, Emperor's Musketeers did its duty and filled the
twenty yard gap between the two companies of Dragoons
and we held our own against the Orcs. Once in the melee, it was pretty
bloody, a lot of close blade-work there. Once a minute I
ordered the front rank to retire and become the rear rank,
thus, my ranks were able to rest five minutes after fighting
for only a minute at a time. The Orcs, being pressed by those behind them could
not retire, and many an Orc died because he was too
exhausted to lift his shield or parry a bayonet thrust...
After perhaps half an hour, the Orcs had had enough and
fled. It was not a fighting withdraw, or even an orderly
retreat, it was an out-and-out rout. The Orcs just suddenly panicked and
throwing down their weapons and arms ran for all they were
worth. Maximillion and his Dragoons riding hard after them
in hot pursuit, cutting Orcs down by the hundred, most of
the fleeing Orcs dying unarmed and from a saber cut from
behind.
A Company had lost 17 officers and men killed,
48 wounded and unfit for duty, including myself, with most
of the rest walking wounded. My leg was broken by an Ogre's
Iron Bar. (This officer took great delight pistoling the big
bastard in the groin and then running him threw, as he
looked at his groin wound, stunned). Also this officer was shot in
the side by an Orc with a bunderbuss at point-blank
range...thank the gods for enchanted elven chainmail...while
the shot was deflected, the force of the blow broke or
cracked a number of my ribs.
We counted over 1,500 dead Orcs in front of the Dragoon's
area of operations, most in and around the gap in which A
Company fought. We also counted 127 dead Dragoons, mostly
those who had riden behind the Orc's lines...
After becoming certain the battle was over, this officer
ordered his command to advance and give the mercy cut to
those badly wounded Orcs who had been too badly wounded to
flee. This was the hardest order this officer had to give
that day, this being this Captain's first combat command,
and it still leaves a bitter taste in one's mouth, but
war and battle is not all glory and honor, and unlike our
foes, we delivered a quick and clean death to their wounded.
After this unpleasent bussiness was over, this officer
turned over his command to Lieutanent Baron von Vanderghoul,
who assumed command as acting captain, while this officer
reported along with all of A Company's seriouly wounded to
the aid station, making certain that my men were treated
and myself awaiting the healing touch of
healer who had recovered his strength from treating our
badly wounded."
Taken from an After Action Report by (then)
Captain Charzes Leon-La-Beck-Du-Pool
Emperor's Musketeer Regiment
1st Adarian Legion
Post Script
After this battle, the expedition was withdrawn from the
Orclands, having completed it's main objective of breaking up the formation of an
Orcish confederation of several large tribles united
under the banner of the Orcish Shaman Grunch Wild-eye.
For his conduct in this action, this officer was knighted
How Magic Effects Military Matters
As you may be able to tell from the above account,
on the World of Adare, the effects of black powder weapons have been partially
countered by magic, and thus heavily enchanted platemail IS a much more effective
defence against black powder weapons than mundane platemail ever was in our own
world. Please note that black powder weapons are important in the world
of Adare, and they are widely used by many races, but the fact that they are far less effective has not
only allowed the heavy armored warrior to survive on the Adarian battle-field, but
in most cases, such warriors are still considered to be very important as battle winners.
The most favored and most common enchantments (which are usually the first to be placed
on a suit of armor) is either Missile Shield or Reverse Missile. The Deflect and Fortify enchantments are also
very popular and they also help make black-powder weapons far less effective than they were in the real world. These enchantments are very
common and are often found upon armor. The fact that basically Adarian warfare has not changed much in the last 1,000 years has also helped
to ensure that many suits of enchanted armor have survived to be handed down, from father to son.
Also the fact that many foes may be uneffected by musket fire has ensured that every musketeer (or mundane archer for that matter) also carries
a sword or some other hand weapon so that if worse comes to worse and the shot isn't working, they can wade into battle doing a little honest blade work...some
warriors feel than since the most dangerous of foes are likely well defended against missile fire, why bother? They train with their chosen hand weapon
and do not even bother with missile weapons.....in fact, some orders of Knighthood have banned the use of firearms completely by their
members....The World of Adare is indeed a strange and colorful land....
Another thing to consider while pondering the state of military affairs on the World of Adare is that magery has also made cannon less effective,
a mage with an Exploding Fireball spell is easier to keep supplied in the field than is a cannon, and often an Exploding Fireball is at least as effective as
a small cannon, plus it is (at least generally) much easier to move a mage around....
That said, lets look at some of the meat of the military background of the World of Adare. In the
Adarian Empire, Musketeers and Heavily Armored Knights often fight side-by-side, with and against,
Armored Pikemen and each other.....very often at blade's point.....Each is certain his way of fighting is the best....and
depending upon the surrounding factors and the particular battle-field conditions, both may be right....each has his strengths and
his weaknesses, and what has generally has been found and accepted is that combined arms works the
best, letting each do the job that they are best suited towards....
The Adarian Empire's Military System
The Adarian Empire's Regular Army, "The Adarian Legions" are
well equiped, very organized, and normally are at full strength
(at least generally they are at the beginning of a given military
campaign). The Adarian Legion is usually boldly and well led by
career military officers. The Adarian Legion provides for constance
training from the moment a recruit enters the ranks. There are
frequent maneuvers for small and large units. Discipline is fairly strict;
every Battalion (and Squadron) Commander reads the Articles of War
to his troops once a month. Punishment for infractions is often heavy,
and Adarian Legionaires have earned a reputation for good behavior
unusual for military troops of this time.
Regimental Organization
At least in the Adarian Empire, Regiments are organized identically. Each Infantry Regiment
has two Battalions, numbered 1 and 2. Each Battalion has five
companies, 2 pike companies and 3 musketeer companies. Companies
are lettered A through E. (Company A is the Light or Scout Company;
B and C Companies are the Wing Musketeers; D and F Companies are the
Pikemen.
It should be noted that normally a regiment's battalions do not
serve together, often one is in a field campaign while the
other may be training or be stationed as garrison troops. The
thinking behind this policy is that a regiment will never be totally
destroyed in one battle, and if one battalion is destroyed, then the
regiment's other battalion allows replacement with veterans that already
have a sense of loyality to the regiment.
There are a total of 25 officers in an infrantry Battalion, 51
officers in an Infantry Regiment (25 in each Battalion, plus the Colonel
who is the regimental commander). The officers in a regiment,
their ranks and commands are as follows...
Colonel - Regimental Commander
Lieutenant Colonel - 1st Battalion Commander
Major of Musketeers - 1st Battalion
Major of Pike - 1st Battalion
Captain - A Company Commander (the Light Company)
Captain - B Company Commander (Musketeer)
Captain - C Company Commander (Musketeer)
Captain - D Company Commander (Pike)
Captain - E Company Commander (Pike)
Arterillery Lieutenant - Commander Regimental Gun number 1
Arterillery Lieutenant - Commander Regimental Gun number 2
Lieutenant - 3 are assigned to each Company
Lieutenant Colonel - 2nd Battalion Commander
Major of Musketeers - 2nd Battalion
Major of Pike - 2nd Battalion
Captain - A Company Commander (the Light Commany)
Captain - B Company Commander (Musketeer)
Captain - C Company Commander (Musketeer)
Captain - D Company Commander (Pike)
Captain - F Company Commander (Pike)
Arterillery Lieutenant - Commander Regimental Gun number 3
Arterillery Lieutenant - Commander Regimental Gun nember 4
In addition, a regiment often has a number of officers in training,
some as young as 13 who hold the rank of Ensign. The rank of Ensign
is between the commissioned officers and the enlisted men. Ensigns
are usually assigned to assist lieutenants, and are normally never
left in charge of the enlisted men (i.e., unless the lieutenant is
killed in action, and there is no other officer present to take the
command, in which case the Ensign is to take command as the acting
commanding officer until duly and lawfully relieved from his post
by a superior officer in his regiment).
Officers of the same rank in a battalion are arranged on the basis
of seniority. Therefore, the Captain of A Comany is the senior most
captain in the Battalion. As officers above him are killed, promoted,
or serving on detached duty, he will advance in command, but may not
necessarily be promoted.
The following is the 2nd Battion of an Infrantry Regiment during the
middle of a military campaign, after several battles have already been
fought and before any replacements have been assigned to the battalion.
Lieutenant Colonel - Detached Duty, Inspector General of Cavalry
Major of Musketeers - vacant (Missing in Action {MIA})
Major of Pike - Detached Duty, Brigade Major
Captain A Company - Acting Battalion Commander
Captain B Company - vacant (Wounded in Action{WIA})
Captain C Company - vacant (Killed in Action{KIA})
Captain D Company - Acting Major of Musketeers
Captain E Company - Acting Major of Pike
Artillery Lieutenant - Acting A Company Commander
Artillery Lieutenant - Acting B Company Commander
Lieutenant - Acting C Company Commander
Lieutenant - Acting D Company Commander
Lieutenant - vacant (all either KIA, WIA, or MIA)
Ensign - Acting E Company Commander
Ensign - Acting Artillery Lieutenant
Ensign - Acting Artillery Lieutenant
Ensign - Acting Lieutenant, E Company
Once the campaign is completed, the Colonel has the final say in his
regiment in regards to filling empty officer slots. He may promote,
demote or cashier whomever he pleases. Most often, officers
in the regiment's other battalion (or even from another regiment) will
be offered a higher rank a battalion that has taken very heavy losses,
rather than promote everyone in a battalion several steps in rank, so
it is very unlikely that the last Ensign will be promoted to Captain,
but if he did a good job as acting E Company Commander, he could expect
to be promoted to Lieutenant once the campaign is over, and the regiment
is reorginized and brought up to its full strength.
Light Cavalry
Cavalry Regiments are basically organized like infantry regiments with
a few minor differences. First off, in cavalry regiments
battalions are called Squadrons and Companies are called troops. The are
numbered and lettered the same way (i.e., 1st and 2nd Squadron and Troops
A through F), and they also have two Artillery Lieutenants and 2 3-pounder
regimental guns. The main difference is that the Cavalry have an "F" Troop
and an sixth Captain. Each troop is 96 Enlist men, 2 Lieutenants and a Captain,
normally they deploy in three lines. There are usually 609 officers and men in
a Cavalry Squadron.
The officers of a Cavalry Regiment and their commands are as follows...
Colonel - Regimental Commander
Lieutenant Colonel - 1st Squadron Commander
Major of Lance - 1st Battalion
Major of Saber - 1st Battalion
Captain - A Troop Commander
Captain - B Troop Commander
Captain - C Troop Commander
Captain - D Troop Commander
Captain - E Troop Commander
Captain - F Troop Commander
Artillery Lieutenant - Commander Regimental Gun number 1
Artillery Lieutenant - Commander Regimental Gun number 2
Lieutenant - 2 are assigned to each troop
The 2nd Squadron is orginazed the same as the 1st Squadron.
Infantry
The Adarian regular infantry's basic tactical unit is the
battalion, consisting of 216 pikemen, 288 musketeers,
10 artillerymen, a number of magic-users (which varies widely
by battalion, but usually around 20.), and normally 25 Officers.
Thus at full combat strength a battalion has around 550 officers
and men.
1 Lieutenant Colonel,
2 Majors (i.e., Major of Pike and Major of Musketeers),
5 captains (Company Commanders, 2 pike companies, 3 musketeer,
17 Lieutenants (3 are assigned to each captain, the two senior most
Lieutenants (called Artillery Lieutenant) are each in charge one of
the battalion's cannon and half of the battalion's mages).
The pikemen form a central block, 6 men deep and 32 men across,
and the musketeers form wings of 96 men, also 6 men deep but
only 16 men across. One muskeer wing forms on each side of
the pikemen's formation. Attached to each battalion is an additional company
of 96 muskeers (called the light or scout company). Three (and sometimes
four) battalions are grouped together to form a brigade. Three (or four)
brigades form an Adarian Legion.
Since the attached musketeers (i.e., the light or scout company) are frequently
employed for outpost, guard, reconnaiassance, supply escort,
patrol, etc., most often they are not available to their parent battalion while
on campaign. Also it should be noted, sometimes mages are assigned to the light
or scout company depending upon their mission.
Located between the pikemen and the musketeers on each side of the pike formation is
a 3-pounder "regimental gun" and half of the magic-users assigned to the
battlion.
As the battalion goes into combat, and once the muskeers are in
effective range, the first line of musketeers take a kneeling
position and the first two ranks of musketeers fire, they then
stand and reload while the other ranks of muskeers pass them, then
when the third and four lines become the first and second lines,
the process is repeated, again and again as the battalion marches
forward towards the enemy line, in effect, a small-arms rolling barrage.
Once the ballalion is close to the enemy line, a salvo is fired
point-blank into the enemy. In the salvo the first three lines
of musketeers fire, while the mages cast offensive spells
and the two cannon fire. The salvo is very effective at breaking
up enemy formations.
During the salvo, the first line of musketeers lay down, the second
line kneels, while the third line remains standing. The salvo is the
prelude for the pike assault, (and/or a cavalry charge), which is to
deliever the decisive blow. If the enemy holds firm, the musketeers
will provide covering fire for the pikemen's withdraw, and if the
whole battlion needs to fall back by making a fightig withdraw, the
first two lines of musketeers fire, then march back past the other
lines of musketeers and reload, while the other musketeers fire and
then withdraw in the same manner, until out of effective range.
It should also be noted that the musketeers have bayonets that can
be firmly attached to their musket barrel and so they can either be
called upon to make a bayonet charge in support of the pikemen, or
use the bayonet defensively if their formation is attacked. Generally
a bayonet charge is not normally used if it can be avoided as most
Adarian officers fear that the battlion cannot regroup itself quickly
enough after a bayonet charge to deal with a sudden battlefield change,
such as an enemy cavalry unit appearing in the rear or in a flanking
position for instance.
Cavalry
The Adarian Cavalry is armed with pistol and saber. It forms in 3 ranks (some
times 6 lines in tight places). The pistol is really just a gesture; the real effect comes
from the charge. The first rank or line charges with lance (or if their
lances have already been expended, the first line fires their pistol when close to the
enemy), the other two ranks hold their fire, retaining their pistol for
emergency use.
The detached musketeers are stationed between cavalry squadrons and they
provide the fire power to shake the enemy's line. While the cavalry
charges, the musketeers reload and are ready to fire another volley
for a second charge or to cover a retreat. To this musket fire was added the fire from
the cavalry battalion's 2 cannons.
Summation
There are obvious disadvantages to this system; by tying the cavalry to the
infantry and artillery, the speed and momentum of the horse is sacrified
except for the final distance of the charge. But the Adarian system is still
much better than anything else yet devised, and it is sucessful
because it is based on sound military principles.
Naval Warfare
In the world of Adare, naval tactics have changed very little over the centuries,
the objective of naval combat is to either ram or board an opponent's ship. The most
common warship afoat is the Sea Dragon war galley, which is used by nearly
every sea-faring people. These galleys are long, narrow, single and low-decked ironclad vessels,
with a complete overhead covering of iron plates,
ringed with spikes to help prevent boarding. The oars (and oarsmen) are well protected by the iron plates.
Sea Dragon galleys usually are about 150
feet long and twenty feet in beam, propelled by 54 oars, 27 to a side. In addition,
they have two or three lateen-rigged masts, useful to rest the oarsmen and to give
added speed when the wind is favorable. There are 4 to 6 oarsmen (usually slaves
or prisoners of some type) on each oar. The total
crew of an average galley consists of some 400 men, including oarsmen, sailors, and a
contingent of soldiers.
Projecting forward from the bow, just above
the water line, is a heavy iron ram, some 10 to 20 feet long.
Sea Dragons are armed with two heavy forward-firing cannon (one on either side of the ram) which
are mounted behind gun ports in the armor plate. Other openings in the plate armor
are used by archers and mages to fire incendiary arrows and spells at the sails, rigging
and wooden hulls of enemy ships.
There are two important variants on the Sea Dragon gallery. The first is the Aerabian War Dolphin galley which is
a smaller, faster vessel with 18 to 24 oars and a crew of about 100. The other common variant, in the
other direction is the War Shark, first introduced by the Orkish Corsairs. This is basically just a
double-sized galley, slower, but a little more sea worthy and able to carry more warriors and larger cannon
than a Sea Dragon.
In the World of Adare, the tall ship era of our mundane world has been skipped, and the age of the
heavly armored ironclad is and has for sometime, been strongly entrenched. There are several reasons for this, the biggest being
that while Adare is earth-like in size, it is a much dryer world, with smaller and calmer seas, and only a
little more than 1/3 of the planet's surface is covered by water. Large ocean going tall ships were never
really needed, and so were never developed.