The High Officers of Nekuram
Nekuram has a strong military but as noted in history they have had a tendency for problematic officers and the order of rank amongst themselves. The sum of these problems might be one of the biggest reasons why Nekuram has failed to create a good foothold ruing the war for Marlun. But I digress, there must be other problems few know about beyond the errors of the officers.— Everam, Teller of Nimenra
Nekuram's military is organised into many smaller parts not unlike the countries in Telamirein. Like many of these countries, Nekuram has relied on the nobility to lead their forces for the longest of times with a few exceptions when ability amongst the soldiers themselves has been found. The leaders during a conflict usually are a part of The High Officers of Nekuram, the military leadership during every conflict. Organized into various roles and ranks, they should be able to handle warfare as best they can through a determined leadership chain. But since they became a permanent organisation in the 2060s, the High Officers have had a tendency to choose people through connections and family rather than as intended, through skills and ability.
Military Leadership - Past and Present
Nekuram have had a standing army as long as many can remember but only one that the King of Nekuram is leading himself with his own levy. This standing army, however, was not what the High Officers were leading in the past. Instead, it was a gathered levy army with province militias, knights and noble's own household guards and men-at-arms. Many of the armies that went out with were compromised of this variety with many different officers and leaders. The High Officers were the nobles that organised and lead the armies in battles and skirmishes both in the past during the formation of Nekuram and at the present during The War for Marlun. In the past, the choice of highest officer usually fell to the Regent of Nekuram or the king chose one of the noble generals. With this choice done many saw this leader as the one who calls to assemble the army and be in charge of the larger strategy in conjunction with a gathering of officers and tacticians or the king.
Many followed the command of the highest officer as they should. Miscommunication and misinterpretations of orders were not uncommon over the ranks from the High Officers to the soldiers. There were also generals and nobles in the High Officers that went against orders of their own accord. This was many times due to political and relationship issues between the leader of the army in question and the actor. This phenomenon has led to several defeats in the past and currently during the War for Marlun. One recent was during the Second Battle of Valdenwhik when charioteer general Angst charged into the right flank of The Council of Four Kings' army, losing the skirmish with full loses opened the right flank for Nekuram's enemy to attack. Angst, who was able to make it back to his own lines, is believed to have taken action into his own hands "for the better". Arthon executed Angst on the spot after having told him so.
Change
When Arthon was appointed Regent of Nekuram, he started his change of Nekuram to its fullest with little opposition. One of the notable changes was to the High Officers, many of the currents which were removed or given new ranks. Arthon prefered "talent and experience over title and nobility" as he called it and also reestablished the military academy with the biggest change of allowing commoners as well. This change was not welcomed, many tried to debate against it but the change was implemented on king Ricus' decree and Arthon's skilful handling of his opponents through diplomacy, or killing them, was more than the old nobility could handle.
Against the "old guard" in the High Officers was also the fact that the infighting amongst them at the time did not contribute to their image. Several defeats in the past against banditry and revolt and during the War for Marlun were attributed to this infighting with each other and the highest leaders. The decades of political favours and nepotism did not aid in the image. The High Officers had become more or less a "nobility club" for the ones who were interested in warfare rather than a military officers' organisation. They were also recently rumoured to pressure council members for starting another conflict for Marlun, which started without their pressure anyway.
It was their own undoing. No one should lead if they don't have the ability to see the battlefield they are etering beforehand. If I had not done it, then Nekuram would have eventualy falltered to the extent that they might even lose Unsirgea and Fenhergea to the United Army. How ever you see it, their loving for power and rank had to end, by change or my hands.
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