The Cohort

A cohort is the largest organizational unit within the Thardic Republican army. It is about 60 men, including officers and soldiers. There are 116 cohors (plural of cohort) in the Republic, from the six provincial legions and the Red Guard. The meaning of the name, cohort, has been lost to time.

The cohort divides into 3 maniples (3x(10 Milities Linari+1 Manus)) 2 auxillari units (2x(8 Milities Auxillari +1 Compartes)), a calvary unit (5 Milities Tala + 1 Sexton ) and is led by the Triberties. The Milities Tala and the Milities Auxillari are reservists, as are two-thirds of the Milities Linari. The Manus, Auxillari, Tala and each of the above mentioned officers are explained in their own articles in this series.

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History

The Cohort comes directly from the Corani Empire as a functional unit. While the history of the word is not known, the Cohort features regularly in reports from the Empire. It was the largest unit sent into battle under one officer, and the largest unit to which goods were sent. Confusingly, in these same documents, the word "cohort" refers both to the grouping of men and the place where the men are stationed.

The Cohort, as it now exists, was formed by Karnis of ____, the third Autarch; in an attempt to reduce the number of Triberties with which he had to deal with as he campaigned against the Komii Tribesmen. The concept of seniority among Triberties is, however, a much older idea.

The rank of Triberties Primus is one of situation more than anything else. A regular Triberties can become the Triberties Primus by being the Triberties with the most years experience on the field at any one time. It is, however, a more permanent rank when the cohorts are in residence.

Usually when people speak of Legionnaires and troop movements - they are speaking of Cohorts, not Legions. Seeing an entire province's armed forces in motion is a very rare thing. Even Cohorts are rarely mobilized. During the war with Kaldor it was only parts of Cohorts from different regions moblize and form new Cohorts on the battlefield, leaving their compatriots to guard forts and keep the peace at home. Recently, when Kronas invaded Kanday he only took parts of Cohorts, reforming them under himself as Triberties Primus. In places where multiple cohorts serve, however, whole cohorts are expected to be able to move out on command as a single unit.

Naming the Cohort

The legion names each cohort according to the district in which it serves. Cohorts may serve alone or in groups. In a few rare places, up to six cohorts serve in the same fortification.

A cohort is listed as [Legion Name #] For example:

• Fobin I - This is the first Cohort serving in Fobin. It contains the most experienced men and women.
• Fobin IV - This is the fourth Cohort serving in Fobin. It contains the least experienced men and women.

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Organization

The cohort is the largest functional unit within a legion. Cohors are arranged by the senority of their commanding officer, the Triberties. The first cohort of a district or location will have the most senior officer in that location. When more than one cohort gathers together, the most senior Triberties is called the Triberties Primus and thus takes command of the combined forces. The Triberties Primus is expected to personally lead their own corhort as well as oversee the leadership of the other cohors.

For convenience, multiple cohors are not called a legion unless the cohors represent the entire combined military might of a province.

The Triberties is expected to meet with and delegate to his officers (3 Mani, 1 Sexton, 2 Compari), who in turn delegate to their underlings. When stationed in a fortification, the officers share a common mess where it considered proper to discuss daily duties and events as friends rather than ranking officers. Ars Res Militaris et Imperatoria recommends the Triberties should meet with his officers "at first and last light each day in war". It also recommends that "The Triberties should not be a stranger even to the lowest of rank or the commonest of birth among his soldiers."

How much the Triberties listens to his officers and soldiers is a personal decision, although the Ars Res Militaris et Imperatoria has advice on this too: "A Triberties has two ears and only one mouth. Therefore he should listen at least twice as much as he speaks."

Crime and Punishment

Once each month there is a punishment parade. In larger fortifications this day coincides with the manorial moot. The soldiers must pay off their fines before the punishment parade. Those with more than 10 demerits are given onerous duties during the parade. If there are hangings, floggings or other punishments planned, they occur during the punishment parade. Ideally the parade lasts only an hour or two, but its length primarily depends on the number of people to be punished and the method in which the commanding officer wishes to proceed.

Legion lore says its good for soldiers to see their fellow republicans punished according to the law; but not all officers agree. Some carry out the punishment parade in private - taking care to dismiss the soldiers before carrying out the punishment; while others insist all soldiers attend the punishment as witnesses.

The attitude within the legion is that each unit must take care of their own troublemakers. Indeed no cohort will allow another cohort dominion over its own soldiers. If the Triberties cannot keep their own soldiers in order they are most likely to loose their rank before giving up their soldiers to another Triberties in another cohort.

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Payday

Payday comes once each ten-day. The first maniple of every cohort receives payment on the fifth, and the second and the third maniples receive payment on the tenth, when they are serving their tour of duty.

 

 

 

Common Fees

The Legion takes the following fees off each pay:

• 1d Church Services. The legion does not provide services, although the money does go to paying for the visitation of priests in the outpost, fort or town. The priests offer letter-writing-services, sermons, burial services and massager services. The priest is also responsible for seeing that the Milities personal items are given back to his family.
• Armor & Weapon Payment : The weapons and the armour worn by a legionnaire may be purchased from the legion over a four year period. This debt is a constant worry among legionnaires and often the driving reason for a legionnaire's quest for money. A fortunate few enter the legion owning their own weapons and armour - in such cases the payment is 1d for weapons repair and upkeep services.
• Mess Fees: The Milities Fabrica uses this fee to purchase salt from the legion at 1d each ten-day. The remainder of the mess fee can be used by the Milities Fabrica to supplement the standard fair. Average Mess Fees range from 2 to 4d per legionnaire.
• 1d Doctor Fees : This goes towards paying a doctor's salary.

Fines

The most common method of punishment in the legion is to fine a Milities for his bad behavior. Demerits must be paid off every ten-day. The price of one demerit is 1d unless otherwise specified by the commanding officer.

Each fine has one of the following modifiers attached:

Modifier	Cost	Description
Flagrant	x5	Mutinous. Completely ignoring the chain of command and (more specifically) the man giving the orders.
Major	x4	Breach in discipline - bordering on mutinous
Insolent	x3	Usually caused by a disregard of the man giving the order more than the order itself.
Minor	x2	A minor offense - barely worth mentioning but for the lack of discipline it shows.
Slight	x1	Situational occurrence, could be excused but really should not have happened

Take the base crime fine and multiply it by the modifier for the total amount.

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Tactics

Cohort level tactics are few and rely heavily upon the tactical capabilities of the Triberties. While he is suppose to know and understand the tactical lessons of the Ars Res Militaris et Imperatoria, it becomes the Triberties responsibility to orchestrate the use of the Maniple, the Auxillari and Calvary. Each unit has its uses. They are detailed in the tactics section of each of the subsequent articles.

There are two forms in which the Cohort is expected to draw up, one for battle and one for skirmishing.

Battle Order

Battle Order is used when the Cohort is to fight a large battle with other Cohors arranged on the same field. It is a compact order used as much for defense against a horse charge.

The Cohors spend about two hours a day in parade ground drill. Drills cover all the various formations and tactics that the Cohort is expected to perform according to the Rulebook, and the manoeuvres to change from on formation to another. Drill is continued until the troops can manoeuvre with their eyes closed (literally).

Skirmish Order

Skirmish formation is the one normally adopted where the Cohort is fighting on its own, or as a defensive formation against light troops or a enemy which forms up as a long thin line.

In this formation, each Tenaci is formed as a cluster of five. The four Milites Linari/Fabrica form a square with the Milites Primus behind them. The order of the Tenaci and officers remains unchanged with each pair of Tenaci forming the 3rd, 1st and 2nd Maniples from left to right. This preservation of order allows the Cohort to move between this formation and the Battle formation with the minimum of disruption. The right-hand couplet of each Tenaci and the Manus Primus fall back behind their fellows and the columns close up. This manoeuvre normally takes about two minutes. This ability to change the size and density of their formation has been used to stunning effect against enemies unused to the manoeuvre.

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Duties and Obligations

The Cohort is stationed within a particular district. Its duty is to patrol that district, keep the peace and protect its borders from incursions. Officially a cohort from one district is not suppose to travel into another province or district without permission from the neighboring area's Triberties. Unofficially, it happens all the time. Soldiers are transferred as units or individuals as the demand arises.

A Cohort is suppose to patrol its own members and punish its own offenders.

They must also see to the maintenance of all fortifications, outposts and roads within their region. The soldiers and officers are expected to provide the bulk of the labour force for this maintenance.

At a Fortification

A cohort in a fortification is responsible for the security of the legar of the fortification and their family. They are equally responsible for the care and maintenance of the prisoners. It is up to the local legar if the cohort is responsible for meriting out punishment to non-legionaries, or if a headman or hangman should be hired.

At an Outpost

Full cohorts do not serve at outposts.

One the Move

A cohort on the move is a sure sign of impending war .

- Common Saying

The cohort is large enough to maintain a marching camp.

When on the move, the cohort strives to maintain the following schedule:

The cohort moves according to a regimented order. The Auxillari are the vanguard. The Tala follow close behind the vanguard, ranging further afield as needed, since they are mounted. The Triberties is expected to ride ahead of the three columns of Milities Linari. The Mani ride behind, followed closely by the baggage train and camp followers. Each officer is suppose to remain in the approximate middle of his soldiers - with the exception of the Mani who ride behind.

The Baggage Train has its own guards, and includes the mules and other pack animals assigned to each part of the cohort; as well as all the food the cook requires for the trip. The cook's supplies may be supplemented by hunting - but a good Cohort does not rely on having the time or the energies for such extra labours.

Milities Fabrica receive special training in the building of Temporary Forts. At the end of each day all Milities and Officers are expected to gather together and build the fort under the guidance of the Milities Fabrica. They dig a ditch, piling the earth inside the circle. The dirt is tamped down and each Milities Linari's stake is positioned along the inside edge of the ditch. Tents and campfires are placed within the wall, and the animals are kept close throughout the night. Latrines are emptied into the ditch, preferably downwind of the camp. In the morning the camp is struck, the ditch destroyed, and the stakes gathered up so that the enemy cannot use a temporary encampment against its builders.

In Foreign Lands

A cohort may only enter foreign lands with a declaration of war from the Senate and permission from the Imperiator. Should a cohort enter a foreign land without this permission, the Triberties of that Cohort may be charged with Treason upon his return.

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Adventure Ideas

Any adventure involving a cohort is war or war-exercises. There are several possible situations in HarnWorld that could result in either. This section provides several possibilities.

War With Rethem

In 708TR the Order of the Red Shadows of Herpa crossed the Gomisen River and seized Themeson Keep. In 714TR the situation was further complicated when the Orders of the Eight Demons and the Cohorts of Gashang split from the Order of Herpa the Mace and the Red Shadows of Herpa.

Chafin III (Ruler of the Kingdom of Rethem) has been loath to interfere with such a religious matter, as has the senate. In their last session, the senate also left the matter unresolved. The Order of Herpa, the Red Mace, has ordered and demanded the return of Themeson keep - but to no avail. The Order of the Eight Demons, who also holds lands near Themeson keep, have yet to publicly voice an opinion. Instead they have kept even their slaves and freedmen close to home. No one, friend or family, has seen any who reside on Eight Demon lands since the start of this year.

Themeson keep is a thorn in the Rethemi Crown's side - and the senate hopes it gives him ulcers. Emissaries have been sent to Themeson, and neighboring keeps along the borderlands to evaluate their intentions, and current situation. Reports on this will be delivered at the next session of the Senate.

The people of western Tharda have been waiting 6 years for revenge. As the first act of the new year, the senate calls for the right to reclaim Themeson. In a surprisingly fast session, the senate votes and agrees - giving the position of Triberties Primus to the Triberties at Geishtei and giving him permission to mobilize all the forces in the Gerium Province. Surprisingly the mobilization takes only 2 days. The legion forces have spent all winter practicing and are now ready.

Eight cohorts are sent to Sitarny to "reinforce the border against raiders". They effectively cut the manors held by the Eight Demons off from Themeson keep. Officially their officers are visiting the manors just to make sure everything is ok after so long a winter, unofficially their simultaneous visits effectively put the knights under house arrest until they, and their soldiers, leave.

In the cover of the night before the aformentioned visit, one cohort sneaks across to Themeson. They seal up the village and, using the exact same trick the Agrikans used against them - they take the fort without siege.

By the time they are finished the orders to proceed should arrive from the Senate. Naturally the Agrikans will not give up easily, and there is always the danger of failure (either of the Senate to approve the order, or of the visits or of the attack itself). The days that follow will involve taking land up to the Gomisen river by sending patrols out to deal with any who remain loyal to the Agrikans. Reparations to the church will be made later by the Senate.

War with Kaldor

The last war with Kaldor brought down the government and changed Tharda for ever. For war to openly occur, The Ramala Province would have to first be pacified (see below).

With Ramala pacified, and a string of new forts and outposts added to the border, Tharda will then look to taking back Trobridge and the surrounding lands. Ideally it will be a straight march on Trobridge, taking the land by strength of numbers rather than numerous messy battles, as it was in the past.

Of course, with so many fortifications in the region - it could be possible that one or two cohorts accidently took their training too far afield and claimed Kaldorian land without realizing it. Naturally it would take months to find out what happened, and have the senate reverse the action - or more likely snub their collective noses at Kaldor.

War would actually be unlikely unless the Thardic legions pressed further north than Trobridge. If the pacification is successful, the local merchants might demand the legion continue to protect them along the Salt Route from Trobridge to ... . It is at this point that the Senate would politely deny the legion permission to do just that; unless of course Kaldor was willing to either give up its trade tarrifs or help pay for the protection.

Either way part of Kaldor would then become a Thardic protectorate, into which legionnaires could retire. The retiring legionnaires would recieve land grants within the Thardic protectorate thus unofficially expanding Tharda's borders. Problems would arrise when Kaldoran tax collectors are found either beaten or dead for trying to enforce their taxes on Thardic citizens who refuse to swear allegance to any king, never mind pay a second set of taxes. Naturally it would then be the legion's duty to step in to protect its citizens.

Kaldoran forces are highly motivated, if not well trained. Tharda's worst enemy would be the Kaldorian calvary. Another problem to overcome is that Kaldor has allies in Melderyn and Kanday and could thus try to pressure Tharda into giving up this war effort. Because of these political motivations for a war to start it must deal directly with the safety of its citizens.

If the senate were less effective this could easily devovle into the retired legionnaires and other settlers taking the matter into their own hands and either becoming motivation for the troops (as massacre victims) or as heros. Such a senario leaves a lot of room for rebel incursions (rebel Thardic forces invading Kaldor) and border skirmishes for years as the citizens of the two kingdoms feud while their leaders bicker.

If, however, Kronas was successful in his pacification of Ramala, the war with Kanday would be years away and fought by men and women raised on the stories of the galling defeat Tharda suffered at Kaldoric hands. Poised to refight in those very same places, the strings of fortifications in Ramala would serve as important lines for rearmorment and resupply of battle weary troops. In addition, any tribal allies would be sent deep into Kaldoran territories to harry the enemy on their home grounds.

This may cause problems with the Laranian church, but Tharda has never been too keen on giving the churches political power and lands. This is a large blind spot in the Thardic political mentality, and should be best used by the Laranians refusing to deal with the legion - effectively removing the religion from the country, with the exception of a tiny presence within the cities to protect the Peonians.

The Laranian forces, coming from both Kanday and Kaldor could do great damage to the Thardic legions, but it is unlikely they could successfully lay siege and take the fortifications in either Gerium or Ramala.

War with Kanday

Kandays losses in the most recent war with Tharda have cured them of any expansionist designs. The ruler (Andasin II) has continuously assured the Senate of his desire for peace. The Senate deems the raids by members of the Order of the Copper Hook (another Agrikan order) across into Kanday is proof of their weakness. Expansionist fractions within the senate have suggested starting a new war with Kanday to reclaim Southern Tharda.

Pacification of Ramala Province

Triberties Linari Primus Kronas is given Ramala Province to pacify. He begins by enacting the draft and doubling the number of cohorts already in the field from 8 to 16. He then removes the existing corruption and the habit of ransoming officers back from the savages.

Gathering the best negotiators from the Halean temples in Coranan and Shiran, he sends them into the wild with their Solori. For every tribe they can sway to helping him in his cause he will grant the Halean temple a place of honor within one of his fortifications in the Ramala region. In addition he will offer the tribe land, rights within the Republic, a yearly income for the chief and his family (equal to the taxation value of the land) and places within the legion for their sons, and all that entails. In return they must fight for him against neighboring tribes. They must protect the roads and act as scouts and messengers for the legionnaires.

After he has two or three tribes on his side, he will begin building a string of forts along the Ramala road and put the soldiers to work. As each fort is finished, he will move on to the next - intending to build 6 forts in 4 years. These six forts will hold the 8 new cohorts, and provide safe passage from Coranan to Trobridge Inn.

Once the region is so pacified he will approach the Senate for another 4 years in Ramala. With those four years he will allow settlers into the fort-protected regions and settle retired legionnaires in the area. With those as a basis he will build a 12 outposts along the outer-edges of the roadway and in between the larger forts. From the tribes he will recruit at least 4 cohorts and scatter them among the outposts.

At the end of 8 years Ramala province will no longer be the danger it once was. The tribes will move north to easier pickings and Kronas will support their harrowing of Kaldorian forces in the hopes of provoking a war with Kaldor.

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1.The Alternate Army is a series of articles by Jonathan M. Davidson. The articles are available on PAX Tharda.

2. Legions at War is a specific chapter of the Alternate Army.

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Joining the Red Guard

New Recruits from Coranan city (who are mostly volunteers) are actually sent out to whatever region requires them for at least 4 years. Only after their first term are they eligible to join the Red Guard. The exceptions to this rule tend to be the very rich, and the well connected. The Red Guard is an elitist unit filled with politics and corruption. It is not as dangerous as border outposts, but nor is it as safe as many Equestrians hope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Postings

Being sent to different places on the map mean different things. Each fort and outpost has a reputation based on the amount of action they've seen in the past year as well as the dignitas of their current officer in charge. The worst posting is Taztos. While a few unlucky Milities Linari either volunteer or go there for no other reason than the outpost needs soldiers, the majority are sent there either due to politics or because they are otherwise unmanageable. The life-expectancy at Taztos is so short that anyone surviving long enough to be transferred is automatically given the title of "veteran" regardless of his or her seniority.

 

 

Abuse of the System

Fines are suppose to be paid to the quartermaster, and go in the general legion fund. This fund provides for additional expenses of the legion as a whole. Unfortunately there are those who simply pocket the money, or use the fund to better a cohort, or perhaps just its officers. Such abuses are difficult to catch. While some abuse is permitted, those who are flagrant about it tend to suffer in other ways - such as the legion buracracy deciding they do not require additional funding, regardless of the reports to the contrary.

 

 

Why the Different Pay Days?

The legion can ill afford to have all its legionnaires paid on the same day. Not only does it mean having a large volume of coinage on hand (and thus steal-able), it would also mean that everyone would be thinking about their pay and what to do with it instead of their daily duties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crime Fines

Crime	Demerits
Disobedience	1
Out of Uniform	1
Unable to Perform	10
Failing Inspection	5
Missing a Class	10
Missing Assembly	5

These are all legion crimes. Treason, being missing without leave, murder and theft are all crimes that do not have a demerit cost. Instead they are directly punishable by anything from a flogging, or days in the stocks to hanging, crucifixion or being drawn and quartered.

 

 

The Skill

Tactics are offically taught to officers in the legion, although it is a skill most full timers can pick up just by serving and paying attention.

Often the older soldiers have a better understanding of how things both should work and actually do work than their commanding officers. Only the very foolish and the very short lived disregard the advice from these men.

 

Battle Order

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skirmish Order

 

Marching Order

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rethem Side Notes

The church of Agrik officially support Chafin III's rule, and not just as the Crown of Rethem - but the person. Not all of Rethem's nobles accept, or appreciate this.

The Agrikan church tries to present a unified front to the rest of the world, and the Cohorts of Gashang are spoiling that appearance. Negotiations within the church have been ongoing since 714TR, but there is the very real possibility that the Order will be declared Heretical and then destroyed by the combined might of the other orders.

The Cohorts of Gashan are also negotiating with the Senate. The Cohorts realize their holdings could quickly become a dangerous buffer zone. If Tharda attacks Rethem it will have to be through Themeson, as it is the only shared border with good roads. And if Tharda attacks the Cohorts are uncertain of the amount and type of support they will recieve from the other Agrikan orders, the Crown and surrounding nobles.

It is a very muddy and dangerous situation, with the Cohorts smack-dab in the middle of it.

 

 

Why Would Tharda Do It?

Themeson is the key to 6 mines (including iron, salt and silver) and is 5 leagues of very fertile land. There is also the fact that an Agrikan order took it by stealth and skull-duggery. The Thardic peoples want another victory and this - of all possible targets, is the easiest one to be had.

 

 

The Aftermath

While it could start a war with Rethem, it is far more likely to be seen as a "religious matter" and thus Rethem will accept its losses and prey Tharda look elsewhere for victory.

 

Trobridge

The Sindarin's country (Evael) is closet to the Trobridge settlement. While humans are not permitted in that country, the Sindarin are very aware of what happens in Trobridge. In order to not incur their rath, Trobridge would have to be taken over peacefully. Most believe that if the Thardians could show that they have pacified the surrounding countryside, the Sindarin would not openly object to their controlling this key point in the Salt Route.

 

 

When Miginath Dies

Tharda will gladly take the opening a succession crisis will cause and attack Kaldor if it is able. The Succession Crisis, a popular plot, would only further be complicated by being forced to field an army of bickering lords and nobles against the might of the Thardic Legions.