In the Khazad Republic, military status is very important. Citizens with right to vote in the assemblies are those dwarves, male or female, who served in the army for at least four years. This means many dwarves spend some time in the army, particularly in the higher classes which can afford it. During wars, lower class dwarves are more likely to join, as they expect to earn some money from plunder to make for a lak of work for several years. The poorest dwarves sometimes serve in short one-year spans until they total four years, but this is rare and such dwarves are often mocked by their fellows.
Inside the army, each dwarf is supposed to equip himself. A minimal equipment of a leather helmet, leather shield and a stone-tipped spear can be given to those who can't afford anything better. Recently, the stone tip has started being replaced by copper or tin points. The richest dwarves often have excellent equipment dating back to times when the Khazad were richer and hadn't lost the knowledge of smelting iron or steel.
A typical dwarven militia regiment is divided in several maniples, which correspond to the century/social class of the warriors: The poorest are the light troopers or bheriki, equipped with the aforementioned equipment. Next are the khaztati, who usually have wooden shields and clubs, sometimes stone or metal axes and leather armors. The richest dwarves are the prinkipzi, who often have metal weapons and sometimes metal armor.
The dwarven army is given orders by the First Consul or the Senate.
Each army corps is led by a professional general and, since the battle of Grindstone, a Senate-appointed Consul who oversees the general's actions.
Helping the general and the Consul are various officers: A quaestor oversees all logisitcs, food, pay of the professionals, and other quartermaster tasks. Several Tribunes, depending on the size of the army, also act as high ranking officers.
Below the Tribunes are the centurions, who are the lowest ranked officers, usually one for 80 to 120 soldiers, depending on the army type.
Centurions are helped by an adjudant, and several decurions (one per 8 dwarves).
Although in theory the bheriki, khaztati and prinkipzi are different kinds of soldiers rather than different ranks, it's not uncommon for prinkipzi to consider themselves above bheriki decurions. Most centurions are prinkipzi, although some are khaztati.
This describes fairly well the infantry system, but adepts and other auxiliary troops have somewhat different systems: Adepts are led by a Tribune, who's then called the Legate, the title Tribune being reserved for his second in command. Should adepts be led alone into a campaign, they would still have to be under the orders of a general and a Consul.
Inside the army, each dwarf is supposed to equip himself. A minimal equipment of a leather helmet, leather shield and a stone-tipped spear can be given to those who can't afford anything better. Recently, the stone tip has started being replaced by copper or tin points. The richest dwarves often have excellent equipment dating back to times when the Khazad were richer and hadn't lost the knowledge of smelting iron or steel.
A typical dwarven militia regiment is divided in several maniples, which correspond to the century/social class of the warriors: The poorest are the light troopers or bheriki, equipped with the aforementioned equipment. Next are the khaztati, who usually have wooden shields and clubs, sometimes stone or metal axes and leather armors. The richest dwarves are the prinkipzi, who often have metal weapons and sometimes metal armor.
The dwarven army is given orders by the First Consul or the Senate.
Each army corps is led by a professional general and, since the battle of Grindstone, a Senate-appointed Consul who oversees the general's actions.
Helping the general and the Consul are various officers: A quaestor oversees all logisitcs, food, pay of the professionals, and other quartermaster tasks. Several Tribunes, depending on the size of the army, also act as high ranking officers.
Below the Tribunes are the centurions, who are the lowest ranked officers, usually one for 80 to 120 soldiers, depending on the army type.
Centurions are helped by an adjudant, and several decurions (one per 8 dwarves).
Although in theory the bheriki, khaztati and prinkipzi are different kinds of soldiers rather than different ranks, it's not uncommon for prinkipzi to consider themselves above bheriki decurions. Most centurions are prinkipzi, although some are khaztati.
This describes fairly well the infantry system, but adepts and other auxiliary troops have somewhat different systems: Adepts are led by a Tribune, who's then called the Legate, the title Tribune being reserved for his second in command. Should adepts be led alone into a campaign, they would still have to be under the orders of a general and a Consul.
