Worldbuilding Military Q&A

[Miles Lacey]

Question 5: What is the most common ranged weapon in your world?

The Most common ranged weapon is the howitzer followed by the fighter-bomber.

 

[Aldarion]

Question 6: What are "special" weapons in your world? Greek fire etc.

 

[Orc Knight]

Question 6: What are "special" weapons in your world? Greek fire etc.

Beings that can warp reality around them. They are rare, they are obviously very powerful and if the whole two of them had any idea of how their powers worked they'd be even more incredibly dangerous then they already are. They achieve things in ignorance that others would love to learn.

 

[Aldarion]

Question 7: Any mythological / mythical weapons?

 

[CupofJoe]

Question 6: What are "special" weapons in your world? Greek fire etc.

Question 7: Any mythological / mythical weapons?

These are sort of the same thing...
The lesser of the two main factions has a small force of mounted flying "Monsters".There are few dozen each of Griffins and Hippogriffs, about a score of Giant Eagles and a very few dragons [sometimes only one]. Their role is usually seen as mainly symbolic [acting as honour guards or diplomatic communications] but generations old stories are still told about a massed attack on the Empire army that lead to an enlarged stronger Empire. Thousands of empire troops died under fire, tooth, claw and beak but at great cost to the creatures. This was just before the faction sued for peace and joined the empire.

 

[Pemry Janes]

Question 6: What are "special" weapons in your world? Greek fire etc.

Living swords are a fairly recent invention. They combine sentience with magical powers, but unlike simple enchanted items they don't run out. However, making them is very difficult and only a few have the skill so they're very high status objects.

 

[Aldarion]

Question 8: Which forms of armour are typically used in your world? Mail, scale, plate, brigandine...

 

[Miles Lacey]

Question 6: What are "special" weapons in your world? Greek fire etc.

Dragon mounted maxim machine guns.

 

[Hexasi]

Question 1: To be honest, it depends on where you go in my world. In some regions, like Basqaria, you'll find soldiers that are recruited using government conscription and Census data, in other kingdoms, it'll just be a mob of peasants riled as much as possible by some local lord armed with sticks and flint arrowheads. There's a very wide difference of government control between borders and seas: you might find cities who use children stolen from the crib at birth, or selected from promising nobles at the age of 20 or so.

Question 2: Again, the units you'll find depend on where you go. In the most politically relevant armies, you'll find cavalry (supported by outriders) pike and spear units, swordsmen backed by archers, archers backed by seige engines. The more unique units are akin to the Greek phalanx or Roman testudo.

For a detailed study, we'll go with the 11th Basqarian army currently serving in the Bight of Mysaal. In a single formation, known as a Segmens, of the army (about 1/20 of the whole army) the trumpeters are at the back of the formation, then the archers on raised siege platforms (about 1 metre off the ground) pulled by Bull Oxen. Standard bearers are also situated on this platform. In front of the siege platform, there are cavalry and mounted spear men. Next, outriders, mercenaries, and the Frontal Army, consisting of 10 officers, a captain and around 30 legionaries. This grouping is considered the most important collection of units as it does most of the fighting. There is also a cohort of about 50 dragon hounds to run down stragglers. Following this whole collection, there is the rest of the war camp. This includes, amongst other units, drummers and auxiliary units such as surplus archers and small artillery.

Question 3: This question can be answered more directly. The chain of command goes directly from the general of the army to the Frontal Army (captains and commanders) , then to the auxiliaries and followers of the war camp. As for who has command in government, under the Umial Laws passed after the formation of the republic of Mestodar & Yatheron, there are five war consuls at the seat of government and monarchy. Before this time in around 304 YO (Years Orthanium) Basqarian military leadership was done under a king and his single consul known as a Verant Daroan. Current War Consuls are Iacos Matar, Enyas Latothaerion Marun, Caitas Ocythyan, Ponchas Yymon Kifyrthon and Grand Consul Talaris Deniphion Ularta, under the 3rd consulate of Mallachon.

Question 4: Answered above - organised mainly by Lesser War Archons, elected by aforementioned war consuls.

Question 5: Bow and arrow. Yes, artillery exists and cannons are coming into use across the world but given as guns and gunpowder have not been realised as a practical ranged weapon at this time in most regions, Bow and arrow in various shapes and sizes are still the most common ranged weapons.

Question 6 and 7: No. Most mythic weapons were lost to the world in the midst of the Orthanium, where magic and the gods ceased in most part to be. There are, however, rumours of armies in the east with weapons blessed and cursed with enormous power, wielded by men with five arms riding on serpents of nine tongues...

As for special weaponry... cannons and siege engines would have to be considered so, I suppose. The former would be harder to obtain for any army.

Question 8:
Anything you can get your hands on. There are some government issue weapons and armour, but mostly, soldiers have to get what they can find on the market.

 

[Miles Lacey]

Question 7: Any mythological / mythical weapons?

I'm not sure if this would count as a mythical weapon but...

When a mage reaches the rank of Adept they are allowed to practice magic in their own right. Mages at this level tend to work alone, with a partner or as part of a trio or quartet depending upon circumstances. For self defence they carry a staff that allows them to "remove the ability of their attackers to do harm to them". It's designed to deliver a shock equivalent to that of a very powerful taser.

Though mages can use combat magic this is best avoided as any time a mage uses magic it leaves that mage's unique mark on the person's body that can be seen with the use of an ultra-violet light. A staff does not leave a mage's mark on their body.

 

[Miles Lacey]

Question 8: Which forms of armour are typically used in your world? Mail, scale, plate, brigandine...

The level of military technology in my work in progress is akin to that of the late 1930s in our world. Armour, as most people who read fantasy would understand it, has gone the way of the proverbial dodo. However, most soldiers do carry backpacks that have armour in the back made either from hardened leather or a metal like steel, iron or bronze that can be used as a makeshift shield to protect themselves from small projectiles and pieces of shrapnel if they're caught in the open.

 

[Aldarion]

Question 9: Typical form of fortification / fortress.

 

[Hexasi]

Question 9: This is a bit of a vague question, but I'll do my best to answer. Armies usually use occupied buildings that were previously constructed as a base of operations. Constructing a whole new defensive complex for a border skirmish that typically takes a few months to resolve... not practical.

 

[Miles Lacey]

Question 9: Typical form of fortification / fortress.

After the Tarakan Empire was defeated in the Great War the armed forces were banned from having military conscription. The resulting plummet in the number of military personnel and the lessons learned from their defeat led to the abandonment of traditional fortifications.

Fortifications are now built into hills and other natural features to provide maximum cover, make them very hard to detect by aircraft or ship and provide those people manning the fortifications with excellent fields of vision both inland and out to sea. (As a maritime nation defensive strategy was based on protecting ports etc from attacks by sea and air. During the Great War Occidental military forces usually landed on beaches out of range of the guns of fortifications then advanced inland before attacking the forts from inland.)

Guns and loading mechanisms are often automated so it reduces the number of crews needed to operate them.

 

[Aldarion]

Question 9: This is a bit of a vague question, but I'll do my best to answer. Armies usually use occupied buildings that were previously constructed as a base of operations. Constructing a whole new defensive complex for a border skirmish that typically takes a few months to resolve... not practical.

I meant it in construction terms: whether it is square fort / pseudo-castra, motte and bailey, concentric castle, star fort and so on. Although if you do not have enough technical / terminological knowledge, a descriptive answer like Miles Lacey did. So you may expand on what you already described: how are buildings turned into fortresses? What are modifications? How are walls constructed: wooden pallisade, earthworks (ditch and rampart?), stone walls...?

 

[Miles Lacey]

If people are having problems with terminology then I would recommend posting an image of what they have in mind. The above image of the Maginot Line is pretty much what I was thinking of when I described the fortifications in my reply. My story is set in a tropical environment so it would be surrounded by tropical foliage.

 

[Orc Knight]

Question 7: Any mythological / mythical weapons?

All of them? There's relic weapons and the sort. And the sword Lightbringer, which get's the title Lich Killer, because it got really good at killing Liches. Literally any weapon held by the legends of the days can count as mythical weapons. Along with weapons held by Liches. Even in the current day, airships count as nigh mythical relics. That are also mobile weapons platforms. And land ships. Really, after an apocalypse happens, everything kind of get's that mythical feel. Even guns.

Question 8: Which forms of armour are typically used in your world? Mail, scale, plate, brigandine

The typical is whatever counts towards standards of whatever military you're outfitted with at the time and how much money they have. Most knights will have half and full plate and others with mail. Leather and piecemeal armor is quite common. Power armor is something that still pops up, but mostly in the hands of goblins, dwarves and humans.

Question 9: Typical form of fortification / fortress.

With as much magic, stone and steel and concrete and other such. Mostly rounded and stocky sorts that can use magic to fold in on itself to turtle. They have to be prepared to take on land, ground, air and underground units. And a lot are built to withstand meteors, astroids, tidal waves and earthquakes. Many are built into mountains or world trees. Anything to withstand the forces of nature as wielded by powerful people and other beings. From orc mountain holds, dwarven fortress monasteries and human floating fortresses, there's a lot of forts around. Though again, as it is after the apocalypse, most of them are in ruins. Because an elf queen punched them down, most likely.

 

[Hexasi]

I meant it in construction terms: whether it is square fort / pseudo-castra, motte and bailey, concentric castle, star fort and so on. Although if you do not have enough technical / terminological knowledge, a descriptive answer like Miles Lacey did. So you may expand on what you already described: how are buildings turned into fortresses? What are modifications? How are walls constructed: wooden pallisade, earthworks (ditch and rampart?), stone walls...?

Thanks for the clarification. I don't have the technical knowledge, but most of these old forts take on a form similar to that of a stone castle, with high walls and a couple of gates. These places are turned into fortresses in the absence of occupants: they are not very practical places to live. Food is brought in through gates and additional walls are sometimes raised in the surrounding area to prevent raids, as well as guard posts. Banners raised, etc. Stables are usually mocked up into living quarters if there are none in the fortress, and additional stables are constructed using local resources for the horses. Occupation usually lasts only a few weeks or months, then armies might begin to construct camps around the walls, which are moveable.

 

[The StoryWeaver]

OK, since I am mostly interested in military fantasy, I will be posting prompts here about military worldbuilding. You can answer them in any order, or add your own - provided you leave some time (a couple of days) for a previous prompt to "cool off".

First prompt: How is your military recruited?

I'm not up to this stage yet but I'll be making note of these questions when I am. Thank you

 

[Aldarion]

Question 10: What type(s) of ships is (are) used for naval warfare in your world?