Army of Nicaea
The army of the Nicaean Empire consists mainly of infantry and archers, with a very limited amount of cavalry. Many officers are drawn from the Nicaean nobility, but meritocratic promotions mean some officers hail from other classes or races.
Composition
Manpower
Primarily located in Edralas, there are also smaller detachments assigned to Zenris and Arzel.
Edralas houses approximately 6000 heavy infantry, 3000 light infantry (which double as archers), and 1000 support troops.
Zenris and Arzel each approximately house 500 heavy infantry and 500 light infantry, respectively.
When forces from the capital are dispatched, they are often formed with a 2:1 ratio of heavy to light infantry, with the required support troops as well.
Weaponry
Heavy infantry in the army of Nicaea generally wear breastplates or half-plate, and wield some sort of polearm (often a halberd or lucerne hammer). They tend to operate in formation where their polearms create a mass of spikes to keep enemies at bay. They also carry short swords for close combat.
Light infantry generally wear studded leather armor, and most often use a longbow. For melee combat, they also carry short swords and light shields. They are primarily used in their ranged capacity, though also as a fast moving force to cover the flanks of the heavy infantry.
Tactics
Used as a main line force, the heavy infantry will line up in the middle, with light infantry on the flanks and in the rear. When enemy cavalry is expected, a contingent of heavy infantry are held is reserve, and short spears are given to the light infantry in the front line.
In smaller army detachments, the heavy infantry will often approach in smaller formations from multiple angles to try and pin enemy formations for the light infantry to fire upon.
In general, the Nicaean army tactics are defensive and patient.
Training
Heavy infantry are soldiers trained from a young age, and receive most (if not all) of their training from the Empire. They are drilled to act in small and large formations, without much focus on individual combat.
Light infantry are often pulled from hunters and rangers, who often are proficient in their bows before arrival in the army. They are trained to work with a chain of command, but are expected to fight in melee at an individual level.
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