Yadrani Banner

*"I pledge my service and my loyalty, body and soul, to my Lord.*

*When the clarion call is sounded, I will leave my tools of peace to take those of war.*

*Under our blessed banner, I will fight for lord and King.*

*While I still draw breath, the Kingdom of Yadra will remain untainted by evil and death.*

*Honor is all, Duty is all! This I swear on my blood and that of my ancestors!"*

 -Usual vow made by Yadran levies before going to war-

Unlike the Commonwealth and its professional armies, or the Biluan hordes, the Kingdom of Yadra's armed forces work in a similar way to that of the ancient, medieval armies of Old Earth.

## Numbers and Equipment

Since it is the Duke or Count who prepares and organizes his or her forces, the numbers, clothing, armor and heavy equipment of one banner is often quite different to the banner of another lord. Laws and reforms made by past rulers require each high Lord to craft and maintain a minimum of equipment for the troops under his or her command. This number may increase or decrease depending on the size, riches and population of that Duke or Count's lands.

To make sure the lands will still be worked while the army goes to war, emissaries, knights, doctors and other servants will be sent to all population centers to choose those able-bodied Karthemas who will be sent to war. Once the lame, weak, wounded, frail, to old and to young have been discarded by doctors, the chosen will make a line before the knight, or knights, sent to pick them. One of every five will be told to step up (in times of need, the ratio may change) and stand before the banner brought by their lord or lady knight. Under its gaze, they will make their vows, take their equipment and march to join the other levies.

## Knightly Orders

The first one to rally to their lord's call, Knights of a Brotherhood or Order are the best troops in a Banner and will often work as a High Lord's bodyguard and elite reserve force. Depending on who they made their vows to and who maintains their expensive weaponry and armor.

The knights will either join the banner of their sworn lord or the king's own royal flag. Usually signified by a powerful bloodline weapon, or even a indomitable host of squire's under their command.

Fast and clad in the best equipment in the realm, the knights of Yadra often work as officers and leaders of the levies, inspiring them to fight on while they cleave and cut their way through ranks of foes with their gleaming, power weapons. Knightly Orders, on the other hand, prefer to fight alone or apart from the slower, less agile peasant forces. This makes their attacks far more unexpected for their foes, but also makes knight squads very fragile as they often find themselves without support and surrounded by foes.

## The Banner

While there are other flags and emblems belonging to minor lords and knights, it is the Count or Duke's own, family banner which all forces must kneel before right before battle. The Karthemas of the Kingdom of Yadra are a proud people who love the tales and stories of great deeds and legendary figures. Thus, the banner of each High Lord will display on its cloth the victories of his or her ancestors. Only the High Lord's family is allowed to carry this banner to war, a high honor for young knights who still want to make a name in the realm.

The Kingdom's Royal Banner, which details centuries of warfare and struggle, is so large, three adult Karthemas are needed to carry it to battle. The act of carrying this, was and still is an honor.

Changing times

In recent years however, such royalties where shattered as the commonwealth’s tactics of combined arms and terror tactics have resounded in the complete destruction of the traditional values of chivalry and honorable war . Additionally, due to Biluan invasion and subsequent loss of thousands of entire bloodlines. The people of, the Yadran Successor Kingdoms, have become mixed in military ideals; choosing to hybridize the tactical ideals of educated squadrons, with support from the remaining forces of knighthoods who rode out the storms of violence during the Second Great Southeastern War.