HKE Military

Military Might and Force Projection

The Holy Karmithian Army is a true, full-time, standing army. It is exceptionally well-drilled and professional.

Martial Tradition

They posses a military training regime based on that of classical Aarchonia and Karmithia, as well as Pan-machon martial arts, and Pankration too.

Battle Shout

The HKE army has a powerful, reverberating battle shout to unnerve enemies and frighten enemy horses. They use it before joining in battle, and it is very loud and jarring.

Hierarchy and Troop Divisions

• Strategos–Commands a Thema of 9,600 troops made up of 4 Tourmai • Tourmarches–Commands a Tourma of 2,400 troops made up of 6 Droungoi • Droungarios–Commands a Droungos of 400 troops made up of 2 Banda • Komes–Commands a Bandon of 200 troops made up of 2 Kentarchiai • Kentarches–Commands a Kentarchia of 100 troops made up of 10 Kontoubernia • Pentekontarches–Commands a Kontoubernion of 50 troops made up of 5 Kontoubernia • Dekarchos–Commands a Vanguard of 10 troops made up of 1 Vanguard + 1 Rear Guard • Pentarches–Commands a Rear Guard of 5 troops

Weapons

The xiphon sword is associated with the HKE, and this straight, spatha-styled weapon comes in double-edge or backsword varieties, as well as one- or two-handed versions. Her troops also wield falchions, sabres (parameron), spears, slings, maces, plumbata, and recurved bows. In personal combat, one of these fighters’ favorite tactics is using their swords reinforced scabbard as a secondary weapon, parrying and tripping enemies.

Armor

Light troops wear padded or no armor, medium soldiers use padded or leather armor, and heavy troops wear lamellar or maille. Padded armor was made from felt or linen. Horses were as well armored as their riders in lamellar or scale barding. HKE troops are best known for their kite shields, but they also bore round, oval, and triangular shields. These shields were all made of wood and reinforced with iron and leather. They wore conical, spiked helmet with scale or maille aventails and nose or cheek guard, and they often wore plate or maille face masks. Poor soldiers resorted to thick, felt caps.

Army

The HKE can field an army of 100,000 to 300,000, and its infantry is 30% heavy spear (henaulatoi, trained for anti-cataphract fighting its cavalry is 15% heavy lancers (cataphracts, also carried composite bows and maces), 15% medium horse archers (koursorses, scale or maille), 15% light horse archers, and 15% skirmishers; and 10% are light foot archers who also used javelins, slings, and sometimes sword-staffs (akritoi). In addition, the HKE brings along +15% pioneers, +15% siege engineers, and +10% scouts, and their siege capabilities are fully developed and funded.

Navy

The country’s navy is 200 to 400 triremes, with a 30 crew compliment and 1,000 marines per ship, including ballista and Aarchonian fire siphons. Thendaros is their home port.

by Scott A. Story

Aarchonian Fire

Used at sea, in siege, and on land, Aarchonian fire is a highly combustible fluid that cannot be extinguished and will burn underwater. At sea, large siphons are employed to project the fluid 40’ average range, and on land it is most often employed by hand siphons with a 20’ average. It can also make fire ships, which are propelled into enemy fleets and then exploded to devastating effect.

Specialists

The empire is also home to +30% mercenaries (companionships) from abroad. They can be from almost anywhere in the Known World, and many are from Khemd, Circularium, and Aarchonia.

Imperial Guard

Among the world’s elite soldiers, the Imperial Gaurd are legendary. The Emperor’s private bodyguard is primarily (but not only) made up of Jotun warriors from the far north. Serving in the guard is a rite of passage for the northerners, and an effective military school too. Usually numbering 10,000, they have their own strategos (the “acolyte of the emperor”) and a small navy of around 10 to 20 ships. They are known by their long hair, red tabards emblazoned with a bronze dragon, and their single red ruby earring. They wear heavy maille, often with lamellar reinforcement, kite shields, and two-handed great axes besides their swords, daggers, hand axes, and maces. The guard’s helmets are conical, pointed, with lamellar aventails, retractable nasals, cheek plates, and full, metal face masks. The guard is famous for its profound loyalty to the emperor, and they answer to him alone, not leaders of the standing military. They are also used as treasury guards and torturers.

Euryon Horses

HKE Euryon horses are a prized, ancient breed that is not descended from Malikian horses. They are 14 to 16 hands high, fine boned and dainty, with robust heads that have bony knobs on their temples referred to as “horns.” These proud, willful beasts are swift, with a smooth gait that is much prized. They can be of almost any color, but the most famous are golden or gray horses, a rich, molten, metallic sheen to them. They can also be blue roan, spotted like a leopard, chestnut, seal-brown, black, roan, and palomino. It is illegal to sell them to foreigners.