Royaume Battalions

> *"It is the duty of the Noble Man to host an army on behalf of the king, for times of struggle."* - The Charter of Nobility
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Instead of a standing army, as the Commonwealth and many other societies have moved towards, the Royaume still relies on individual battalions led by each of the noble families.

A Noble family must maintain a standing army to serve as both a police and watch force, as well as to serve the crown in times of war. This army must be at least the equivalent to one tenth of the total gross income of the region that the noble family owns, with failure leading to possible confiscation of lands.

These armies will frequently engage in mock-battles with each other, however there have been times in the past where there have been genuine squabble that turned into all outcivil wars between one or more noble families, occasionally requiring the intervention and interdiction of the King of the time.

## Ground Forces

The ground forces are made up of three main types of unit, although some armies will bolster with their own unique or well-trained force. A group of Footsoldiers and Riflemen are led by a mounted Knight, whose orders they must obey.

### Footsoldier

The standard footsoldier is given training, pay, sword, shield and armor that they must maintain. Typically found on the frontlines, these soldiers are usually from peasant or farmer families and are treated as pawns in the battle.

Paid an average of five silver a month for their service, they are not entirely loyal and prone to abandoning their duties should their morale fall too low.

While bannermen will carry the flag of their noble and serve as a rallying point for the other soldiers, most are armed simply.

Some footsoldiers, known as Pikemen, serve as anti-cavalry, armed with large heavy wood-and-steel pikes.

### Rifleman

Given training to operate simple rifles, although due to the fear of peasant uprising not enough for the more complex weapons of the more modern Commonwealth army or the artisinal bows of the Elven Domain's Rangers, Riflemen serve as distance fighters, taking out priority targets from afar.

Although at first hesitant due to the strain it added to their relations with the Elves, eventually the wave of modern society caused the adoption of rifles among all of the Nobles, replacing the once-common longbows.

Riflemen are paid seven silver due to the additional skill of their posts, but over-dependence is looked upon with scorn by noble families, as a coward's way of fighting a threat.

### Battlemage

Paid 10 Silver, Battlemages are Guild-registered mages who specialize in either combat or healing.

Battlemages wear the standard Footsoldier armour with fingerless lighter gloves and a hood instead of a helmet to enable free casting for verbal and somatic components. They tend to use a spelled blade that is capable of acting as a spell focus, known as a Mageblade.

### Knight

A knight is an important person in the Noble's personal court. Knights could be considered the officers of the battlefield- usually mounted on warhorses and clad in resplendant armor, they issue forth commands for their Noble leaders. Knights are often bastard children of the Noble family themselves.

Knights start their training as Squires, serving another knight and maintaining their gear as well as aiding them in getting dressed for battle in the cumbersome armor. Knights proudly serve the family in war and in peace, looking after smaller areas of the land at the behest of their Lord or their Lord's House.

Prestigious knights tend to be something of a bragging right for their noble family, and occasionally may even be asked to marry a lesser-sibiling of the inheritor of the family as a sign of great respect and trust. It is not uncommon for jealous families to attempt to lure knights to defect to them, with varying degrees of success.