The Thardic Republican Army
Cohorts at Peace

Jonathan M Davidson

Introduction

This section deals with the operation of the peacetime. When the republic is not under military alert each Cohort is largely self sufficient, though obviously those Cohorts that share a base with other cohorts within keeps and castles will obviously interact more. Most of this section is written from the viewpoint of a solitary rural Cohort that is based in a small fort within a Legion held estate. However, most of it will apply equally to Cohorts based in larger or urban fortifications.

1.0 Forts, Castles and Keeps

The vast majority of the fortifications within the Thardic Republic date from before the formation of the republic. Nearly all the major fortifications are in the form of Castles, Keeps, and fortified houses. These structures are not ideally suited to the Thardic Republican Army since often are the product of foreign builders with radically different ideas of defence. However, pragmatism, leads to these strong points being maintained and extended; though some attempts are being made to modify their interiors to the Thardic unit organisation. There are many treaties on standard feudal Hârnic keeps and castles so little more needs to be said.

Areas of Thardic military expansion and rebuilding show more signs of the new architecture that is heavily based on that of the Corani Empire. The Legati along with the Architect to the Senate have drawn up plans for simple to build single-story forts built around a central parade ground, where the layout of the rooms reflect the organisational structure of the Cohort. The provinces of Eidel and Ramala have many examples of the "standard" Cohort fort.

The main building in the fort is the accommodation for the troops, which has separate chambers for each Tenaci, Tala, Compari, and each equestrian officer. The fort has sufficient space to house the whole of the Cohort simultaneously, something that the older keeps and castles can not manage. The building also houses an assembly hall, with its strong room and shrine, workshops, mess hall and kitchen. The main ancillary building is the stable block which houses the twenty-four horses and mules owned by the Cohort. Other ancillary rooms are a bake and mash house, baths, lavatory block, cells, and stores. The whole of the fort is enclosed in a nine foot high, three foot wide, wall that is partially supported by a bank on the inside, and defended by a deep ditch on the outside. This wall is strengthened by 'D' shaped bastions along the walls and square bastions on the corners: The walkway is not continuous round the wall, but is broken at each bastion, a wood plank allows access between wall sections. The wall is patrolled but there is only a shallow parapet. The fort is not designed to withstand a determined siege, it being envisaged that the defenders will sally-forth and meet their enemies in a decisive engagement before investiture can begin.

Small Helar Gif

To illustrate the above design, a plan of Fort Helar is given, though furniture and detailing are only sketched in. This is the latest fort (719 TR) to be constructed in Eidel, replacing a Rethem fortified manor house. The structures are all in stone to a height of three foot above ground level, and brick filled half-frame above, with the exception of the Assembly Hall section that is totally built of masonry. Red clay tiles cover the roof. The central compound's only entry point is through the double doors that face directly toward the gatehouse.

The main points are (directions are given in respect to the orientation of the illustration):

  1. Parade Ground: The parade ground is the assembly point for the Cohort and the place where they conduct their marching drill and weapons practice. In common will all other Cohorts they have a levelled field outside their fort that is used for manoeuvres that require more room as well as archery practice.
  2. Assembly Hall: The assembly hall is used by the Tribertes to brief his men, and by the Manus Primus to distribute wages once per tenday. More regularly, the hall is used by the men of the Cohort as a recreation space, for the playing of games, and dances [cf Recreation]. In the bottom left of the hall is the strong room, which has reinforced walls, this is used to store valuables such as the local copy of the Estate Roll, the Muster roll, the Cohort's official seal, the armoured chest containing the men's savings, death fund and mess fund. In a small vault under the floor, the Cohort's treasury consisting of the taxes collected from the locality, and monies derived from central sources, is kept. In the bottom right of the hall is the Cohort's shrine, it is officially dedicated to all the gods of Tharda, but the niches to Agrik, Halea, Larani and Peoni prove the most popular. The centrepiece to the shrine is the Cohort's battle flag and honours.
  3. Tribertes' Wing: The Tribertes has a suite of rooms that befit his status as a senior equestrian. His public office is mainly used when disciplining his troops; the dining room and kitchen are used to entertain guests and sometime his junior officers. The pillared reception area that links the various public parts of the suite is done in the latest republican style. His bedroom and private office are at the far end of the suite. Tribertes are rarely married, but most have a servant or slave to cook and act as a valet for them. The servant will sleep on the kitchen floor.
  4. Manus Primus's quarters: The second in command of the Cohort has the next largest suite after the Tribertes. From his office, the Manus Primus controls the payroll and other accounts, such as the death fund and mess club, of the Cohort. [cf Pay | Mess club]
  5. Sexton's quarters: The Sexton, the last equestrian continuously serving with the legion, has a quarters just larger than the Mani do. From his office, he controls the collection of tithes and taxes from the surrounding lands that are due directly to the legion. [cf Taxation]
  6. The Mani's quarters: Both Mani only serve for nine tendays each year, and the size of their quarters reflect their temporary use. Each Mani has an office area that they can use when they see fit, however not all Mani have good clerical skills.
  7. The Tala's suite of chambers: The Tala share a chamber, but befitting their status as equestrians each soldier has a large space to themselves which is separated from their peers by curtained screens. A large storeroom leads from their chamber that is used to store all their military equipment, arms and armour, horse tack, tent and their bulky personal possessions.
  8. A Tenacus' suite of chambers. The two nearest the Mani are for regular Maniple, the others are for the reserve Maniples. All the men in the Tenacus share the chamber. Within the chamber there are two partitioned off spaces, the smaller of which is used as a armoury where the Tenacus' arms and weapons are stored (all year round) and a larger store for the unit's military equipment, tent etc.
  9. A Comparus' chamber: The two Auxiliari Compari have a chamber apiece. All nine men share the chamber. Their military equipment is stored separately.
  10. The Fabrica, or workshop: This workshop is given over to practising small crafts, especially the ornamentation and repair of equipment. Many soldiers practice some form of craft, the carving of small religious statues and icons, which can be sold to raise an extra income.
  11. Compari Store rooms: These storerooms are used by the Compari to store their military equipment, arms and armour, tents, practice butts etc.
  12. Kitchen: This kitchen is used to prepare all the food consumed by the Cohort (with the exception of the Tribertes). Most cohorts have a mess club administered by the Manus Primus. This mess club is used to provide higher quality food than that which the army provides - at Fort Helar this food is keep in a cellar under the kitchen. The mess club also pays for a cook and to prepare the food - when the reserves are serving some of the men will assist the cook.[cf Mess club]
  13. Mess Hall: will seat thirty. Unlike a feudal hall, the mess hall is only used to eat meals. The assembly hall and Fabrica are used for recreational purposes.
  14. Combined bake and mash house: This building is where the Cohort's bread and ale are made on a daily basis. This structure is removed from main part of the compound since the risk of fire has proved only to real. The top section of the building is lined with bread ovens, whilst the bottom section is devoted to the making of ale (over 300 pints a day are consumed when the fort is fully manned). The mess clubs stock of wines and fine ciders are also stored here.
  15. Granary: This barn is raised up on three-foot pillars to allow for the circulation of air and to reduce the problems with rodents. In autumn, the barn is filled to the rafters with grain collected in the Legion's Tithe from surrounding estates (as well of its own). During the rest of the year, the corn is slowly emptied from the barn. That destined for bread is taken to the two-mule powered mill just above the barn to be ground to flour. That destined to make ale is take directly to the bake and mash house and soaked in the mash tub until it spouts.
  16. Baths: the upper section contains bath tubs the water for which is boiled in the furnaces in the middle section, the pool to the bottom is a cold water plunge pool about three feet deep. The water is piped and then pumped from the well to the baths. The cold water is circulated continuous into the plunge pool and the excess flows through the lavatory block to flush it, before being piped out under the walls into the ditch. Hot water is only heated when required.
  17. Cells: where prisoners are held, normally villains picked up by patrols, but also used to discipline troops. [cf Law & Order]
  18. Stable Block: Each stall houses a single animal. The Cohort has twelve mules and a draft horse as part of its baggage train. The cohort also owns one cavalry horse that is provided for use by official messengers. The Cohort's three senior officers stall their horses here, and the reserve Mani and Tala have another seven between them. Each man is responsible for looking after their own animals, but in practice most equestrians pay a small sum to have the Milites Fabrica who looks after the Cohort's animals to look after their own too. [cf Supply of]
  19. Tack room: The fort has two rooms given over to tack. That in the stable block is mostly grooming equipment and pack saddles, whilst that in the main compound stored the equestrian's saddles, saddle blankets, bridles, etc.
  20. Barn: This barn is used to store the hay and other fodder that the Cohort's acquires in autumn as its share of the autumn Tithe. [cf Tithe]
  21. Carts: The Cohort has two carts, one of which is used to collect small Tithes from surrounding estates and it is outfitted as a haywain, the other is a covered wagon used to transport the Cohort's gear on campaign or during manoeuvres.
  22. 'D' shaped bastion
  23. Square corner bastion
  24. Gatehouse: This is solid filled and does not incorporate a guard chamber. Two of the fort's guard are assigned to the gate night and day, one in front of the gate, the other on the solid bastion, where he gets a good view of the surrounding lands and he may alert the fort by use of a gong. Being found asleep whilst on guard is a serious offence.

2.0 Supply and Manufacture

Contents of Section: Building | Equipment and Services | Food and Agricultural produce | Horses and Mules

2.1 Buildings

The Legions of the Thardic Republic are famed for their construction skills. All recruits spend nearly as much time learning general building skills as they do combat ones. This has turned the Thardic Republic into a nation of builders.

All Tribertes and Mani Primi will be expected to attend the Republic's military academy. Here the ancient text "Ars Aedificare" will be studied. This is a treatise on combat and siege mechanics and more general civil engineering. This theoretical instruction is swiftly reinforced by practical experience. These officers over see construction of all kinds. The legions build their own forts, buildings, roads, bridges, water engineering (dams, ponds, diverting rivers etc) as well as undertaking land clearance. Though the main purpose of their activities is to build strategic military installations, and to gain experience in doing so, the Republic is using the energy of the army to renew its civil infrastructure.

Though major projects are undertaken under the supervision of Master Masons, either independent or from the small pool of masters bonded to the Senate, the Milites undertake the actual construction. Milites quickly become adept at a range of skills from tree felling and ditch digging, through earth packing, road construction, dry stone walling, and timber cutting and into more advance crafts such as brick laying, tiling, joinery and basic masonry. Their officers are skilled at organising such work, surveying the ground, laying out and the ordering of materials (the Manus Primus' duty). The construction of temporary and marching camps is a basic part of training, as is the careful dismantling, levelling, and making good when the camp is abandoned.

As examples of their skill and rate of work, it should be noted that a Maniple could build a stone and half-frame hut large enough for them to live in, from initial ground clearance through to installation of the final fitments within a tenday. Whilst on a march each Cohort is expected to build a four foot deep trench with an earth bank topped of with a basic palisade, each night before retiring. A full cohort can build one hundred and twenty paces of good quality packed earth road, fifteen feet wide each day: it takes only forty-five days for a Cohort to make a mile of road.

2.2 Equipment and services

The legions used standardised equipment with a pattern book, drawn up by master craftsmen, which is circulated amongst its suppliers. Most of the equipment brought by the legions is from this standard pattern book. Even those who supply their own equipment, such as the reservists, are encouraged to purchase equipment to that standard.

Independent artisans manufacture the majority of equipment used by the legions. The army impacts on the manufacturing economy in most trades but is especially important to the woodworkers, clothiers, leatherworkers, metalworkers of all kinds, tool and weapon makers.

Many master craftsmen's only business is to supply the army and they rely on contracts to supply hundreds of items. Often this large workshops are based away from the major towns are sited near the legions' provincial or district headquarters. The army and its troops are the only significant purchaser of weapons, armour and shields, so the ties between the army's bases and the location of these craftsmen's workshop is especially close. The bigger suppliers often have journeymen factors who travel round all the keeps, castles, and forts distributing products and taking new orders. Some of the keeps and castles have small workshops operated by journeymen bonded to these suppliers.

As well as the main suppliers of new standardised equipment, the army employs bonded craftsmen. These craftsmen have their workshops within the main castles and keeps. Their main function is to maintain the army's possessions. The main craftsmen so employed are ostlers, blacksmiths, weaponcrafters and armourers.

As well as non-combatant craftsmen, some of the army's troops form a corp of skilled manpower. Each cohort will have two or three Milites Fabrica within the first Maniple, and many of the reservists will have useful skills. These soldiers are principally used to maintain small items of equipment. The exception is that one of the Milites Fabrica in each cohort will be trained as an ostler. Some of the Milites Fabrica have become quite adept with their skills especially in its application to the decorative arts. Many of them are paid up or honorary members of their respective guilds.

2.3 Food and agricultural produce.

The army is responsible for supplying the minimum level of food to its troops, and for the feeding of any mounts they are required to have, whilst they serve. The majority of the army's supply of food and other agricultural produce, such as fodder, come directly form its own estates and, more importantly, through the Estate Tithe. [cf Tithe] The majority of the Tithe is delivered up in autumn to the nearest cohort base. Here the produce is preserved by drying, smoking or salting. The Cohorts then redistribute this produce until everyone has a fair share. This stock of produce supplied the Cohort throughout the year. Some of the Tithe is also paid at other times in seasonal crops, so the Cohorts do have some fresh produce and meat in the spring and summer too. Excess produce is sold on the open market to bring in coin to the Cohort. Some of the produce, especially skins to be turned into leather, is sent to craftsmen contracted to the army.

The actual production of food for the troopers is conducted in-house. Most Cohorts choice to have a mess club that buys "luxury" foods to supplement the army's nutritious but gastronomically meagre rations. These mess clubs often also provide for a full time cook, or for a local innkeeper journeyman to work part-time, in providing the meals. A full strength Cohort consumes a lot of food: for example a menu for a day may consume thirty two-pound loaves of bread, eleven pounds of cheese, a joint of bacon, and three hundred pints of ale, before supplementary items are accounted in. This is all cooked in the Cohort's kitchen, bake house, and mash house (brewery).

All ranks are served up the same food, cooked in communal caldrons (this egalitarianism is fostered by the fact that everyone contributes equally to the mess club). The equestrians often procure extras for themselves that the cook will serve to them alone. The Tribertes has a separate kitchen and dining area and they often have a indentured servant or slave to cook for the: occasionally the other equestrians in the fort may be invited.

As well as the food consumed by the humans in the army, consideration should also be given to the animals within the army. Each cohort has a normal maximum of twenty-four equines, each of which consume five pounds of grain, twenty-five pounds of green fodder (or thirteen of dried) or a total of over four hundred pounds (dry) per day.

Much of the time a Cohort is not at full strength. A garrison level cohort will consume about a quarter of the above mentioned food and two thirds of the fodder and animal feed.

In a year a Cohort will consume a minimum of: 8730 pounds of grain, peas and beans, 1637 pounds of cheese, 546 pounds of salted or smoked meats and fish, 136 pounds of honey, 818 pounds of salt, 5457 gallons of ale and cider, 15 tons of feed grain, 19 tons of fresh fodder and 30 tons of dry fodder.

The figures for the entire army for a year are: 460 tons of grain, peas and beans, 86 tons of cheese, 29 tons of salted or smoked meat and fish, 7 tons of honey, 43 tons of salt, 2500 tuns of ale and cider, 1740 tons of feed grain, 2200 tons of fresh fodder and 3500 tons of dry fodder.

2.4 Horses and Mules

One area where the army does try to be self-sufficient is in the breeding and training of horses and mules. The legions have large numbers of such animals. The cohorts have nearly 1,400 mules and 230 draft and riding horses between them as part of their baggage trains. As well as the animals that the army owns directly, a further 1,200 equestrians, who between them own about 1,500 horses, serve in the army. The army has thus a total of about 3,100 equines in service.

The army attempts to supply the majority of animals that it requires, though there is obviously a deficit that is met by independent ostlers, particularly in the case of reserve equestrians, who may purchase mounts wherever they choose. However the army does encourage its officers to purchase horses from them since their horses are being breed to be larger and stronger than those typically ridden in Tharda, and they are also battle trained.

To supply the army with its needs of about 300 horses and mules every year, each legion has one of its estates dedicated to the breeding and training of mules and horses. These estates are relatively new, none is older that four decades old, but they are rapidly becoming established: the estate in Kom is both the oldest and largest. Each Estate is under the dual control of a part-time legionary Bailiff (normally a Sexton or Mani Legati) and a bonded Master ostler. The Master Ostler has day to day control of the estate and is responsible for ensuring that between thirty and sixty horses and mules are breed and trained each year. The Master Ostler will have several journeymen and apprentices to assist with work on the estate, and also to tour the Legion's bases to oversee the work conducted locally in their stables. As well as the Ostler's manpower, the estate workers will be obliged to provide manual labour in the stables as well as growing fodder and feed for the stables.

3.0 Troop Rotation

The Cohort is the basic building block of the republican army. It consists of thirteen permanent members and forty-five reservists. These reservists only serve for the part of each year and they are split up amongst two Maniples, two Compari, and a Tala. It is common to group one Maniple and one Comparus together and for all the troops in this company to serve at the same time. The reservists must attend three musters per year and one longer period of service.

The most important muster takes place at mid summer, where every reservist in the whole republic is called up simultaneously, it last for a tenday. During the first day of the muster, the Tribertes will assess the equipment of all his troops, replacing equipment as necessary and working out the charges to be applied to the troops for deficient equipment. He will also at the same time inform every reservist of the times that they are due to serve in the coming year. The next eight days are spent on large-scale manoeuvres including the whole of the legion; these normally consist of camp building, formation drills, and combat practice. Often the last day of the muster is the day chosen to perform promotions.

The other two musters are also of a tenday duration, but the date of the muster varies from cohort to cohort, but it is normal to have one at the end of the autumn, and the other in early spring. The Tribertes will again inspect his men's equipment and replace as required. The Tribertes will also undertake a survey of the Cohort's base noting defects. The rest of the muster will be utilised in putting faults noted in the inspection to rights, as well as practising temporary camp building and cohort-level manoeuvres.

Each company must also serve for a block of six tendays. The date when this period starts is variable, with it being rare for both companies to serve simultaneously. The Legati will arrange with his Tribertes for the cohort's service times to be staggered as far as possible, to make the total troops available on a province or district basis as even as practicable. However, the majority of the companies serve during the summer with only a few serving in winter. This is because the cohort's have various traditional dates of service that may only be varied by a finite amount, and most draftees are tied up during the agriculturally busy spring and autumn. The army also prefers to maximise its resources by having men serve the long and dry days of summer, rather than the short and wet days of winter.

See the Part 4 for details of the wartime call out. [cf Army muster]

4.0 Garrison troops and Patrols

The republic's strategy is to have small garrisoned forts distributed evenly throughout the republic and its borders, with each province having a central castle and each district having a central keep. The keeps and castles tend to have between two and four cohorts allocated to them, whilst the majority of the small forts have only a single cohort.

The size of a cohort is extremely variable, the maximum of fifty-eight troops is only maintained for three tendays in the year, or whilst the cohorts are on war alert. For just over half of the year the cohort is at what is known as garrisons strength, which is just the first maniple and the three permanent equestrians, Mani Primus, Sexton and Tribertes.

When the Cohort is so reduced the will perform the minimum of duties, these normally consist of a patrols by each of the Tenaci, basic guard duty (a cohort will maintain a minimum of two guards, twenty-four hours per day, even in peacetime) and repair and maintenance of their gear and their base. Occasionally the Manus Primus may lead the whole Maniple out on a patrol but this normally only in response to a specific problem. The Tribertes, Manus Primus, and Sexton also engage in their administrative duties.

When the permanent forces are joined by an Company this is take as an opportunity to increase the level of patrols, to undertake construction projects and to practice manoeuvring and increase on combat training. During the period when the Tala serves the Sexton takes the opportunity to train the men by undertaking long distance patrols which may last several days as well as more basic combat training.

5.0 Law and Order

As well as their obvious duties in defence of the nation, the Republic's army is also the main force for maintaining law and order. Since the nation, unlike its neighbours, does not have a system of feudal lords and shire-reeves with their local and shire courts, the republic has developed a two-tier system. The magistrates, who are primarily located in the towns, and the large settlements around castles and keep have primary jurisdiction over all civil cases and all case of felony brought to their attention. The two largest cities, Coranan and Shiran, have bodies of guards who protect the city from both fire and villains.

The majority of the Republic consists of small estates away from centres of population beyond the reach of the magistrate (though some magistrates do go on a tour of their district or province, this generally happens but once a year). The plaintiffs bring civil cases and all non-urgent cases to the attention of nearest magistrate. In the case of felonies and civil unrest, immediate action is required.

Each Tribertes of a Cohort is charged with maintaining the peace in their area, capturing felons, and other villains, and on occasion enforcing the ruling of the magistrates. As part of their duty, the Tribertes arranges for his men to regularly patrol the local area. Very occasionally the Tribertes may have to deploy all his manpower to capture a raiding party from beyond the borders, or to use force to stop civil unrest, riot or more commonly to stop the escalation of a civil conflict between local land holders turning violent. (In these situations the Tribertes has full authority to undertake any measures he sees fit, but when peace is restored the normal course of civil proceedings take effect and the Tribertes may even be impeached if he has acted excessively). Where a felony has been committed the Tribertes will increase the patrols with the specific intention of tracking down the villain responsible.

Once the suspect has been caught, either through determined effort or by random patrol, they will be taken back to the Cohort's base and held in cells until the Tribertes has time to consider the case. What will then happen is largely dependent on the social class of the suspect and the crime that has happened.

Tribertes have no power to act as a judge over other equestrians who are not members of the Cohort. All of these equestrians accused of committing crime must be turned over to the nearest magistrate. The equestrian may be held in a cell until it is convenient to transport them to the districts keep. Normally the equestrian will have a sponsor who will agree to be bound over to ensure the accused appears before the magistrate and stands as a bond against their disappearance. In which case the accused will be released and the Tribertes will send a messenger (when convent) to the magistrate with the outlines of the case. The only exception is where an equestrian is accused of rebellion or otherwise attempting to harm the Republic. Here the Tribertes, Manus Primus and Sexton, plus any other local equestrians, who choose to attend, may judge the accused by majority verdict.

Where the accused is a member of the Cohort where on duty, off-duty, or a reservist who is not serving at the time, the Tribertes may deal with the case as they see fit. Where the accused is a Manus or Sexton, they have a right of appeal to the Legatus. Most often, the Tribertes will, if he thinks there is a case to be answered, refer the matter straight to the Legatus. A Tribertes may judge the case against a Milites Tala, but they can appeal against any corporal or capital punishment to the Legatus or Manus Legatus. Non equestrian soldiers have no appeal against the judgement of their commanding Tribertes. Where the accused is a member of another Cohort, the matter must be referred to the Tribertes of that Cohort.

Where the accused is not an equestrian, but is a free man, and where the matter must be settle quickly in order to up hold the law, for instance the case of certain felonies, they Tribertes may decide to judge the case himself. Most often the accused is held in a cell until it is convenient to transport them to the nearest keep. In the case of slaves and other unfree men, the owner will be summoned and held responsible for the crimes of their slave. Normally the Tribertes and the owner will agree judgement. The slave will be punished and the owner may have to make restitution to the person harmed.

In the case where a Tribertes or Legati is accused of committing a crime, the case can only be judged by the Senate. It is very rare for such a case to be brought, and it requires three accusers of equestrian status, normally from patriarchal families or senior members of the army. However, if the Tribertes or Legati is willing to make restitution of their own free will the case will not need to be tried.

NB: Legati have the same powers as a Tribertes but they rarely choose, nor need, to exercise them. Also the Senate may in times of military crisis declare a Legatus, or other suitable equestrian, as "Imperitor". [cf Army muster] This rank is a combination between general and dictator, where the holder has unlimited powers to call up men, to make war, to administer justice or to make peace treaties. This power is for a limited period, for example three months. Kronas Elernin, Legatus of Ramala, was the last such Imperitor in 712TR; though he over stepped his intended authority he did not act in any way which could lead to his impeachment.

6.0 Recreation

Recreation time within the army is limited. The soldiers are expected to work every day of each tenday. Holy days are virtually unknown, though some Tribertes are tolerant of their men attending high masses of the Larani or Agrikian churches. Regular soldiers are entitled to one half day off per tenday, or they may take a whole day off every second tenday. Most choose to visit their family or travel to the nearest market to buy some personal luxuries or gear. Other than this allowance, the army endeavours to ensure that the soldiers have as little free time as possible and that free time is mainly restricted to within the confines of the soldier's base.

The overall result of their confinement to barracks is that games of all kinds and small-scale crafts are much more frequently practised than outside the legions.

Team pursuits and physical activities are common. Gymnastics and weight training are frequently performed in the assembly hall, where wrestling is actively encouraged. Another aspect of athleticism that is actively encouraged by the army is races, both sprints and cross-country runs. Frequently local cohorts compete against each other in a range of pursuits, such as javelin throwing, archery, races (both on foot and mounted), wrestling and boxing. Another team game that is not so actively encouraged is played within the parade ground by a Maniple. Each Tenacus forms one team, and the teams compete with each other to carry a solid leather ball to the main gate (or some other marker). The ball may be moved by any means, kicked, thrown, or simply carried, and the opponents may use any method to try to stop the other side from getting the ball to the gate. Each time a ball carrier touches the gate he score one point for his team: The ball is then surrendered to the opposing team who start play again on the far side of the ground. Generally speaking, the Mani will break up the game when it has deteriorated to the point where serious injury is likely. Often the losers forfeit their days ration of strong ale or cider to the winners.

As well as physical activities, board games and dice are played, normally in the assembly hall after dark. Board games tend to be tactical. One favourite, "Milites and the Village women", is played on a board of eight by eight squares, by two players. One player has a single piece, the "Milites", that starts on his base line, the other has eight pieces, the "Village women" which start on his opposing base line. The players take it in turn to move. The Milites may move one square in any direction, whilst two village women can move in any given turn, again for one square in any direction. The objective of the Milites is to cross the board to the opponents base line, when he is considered free; whilst the objective of the Village women is to hem the Milites in so that he has no legal move on his turn. Dice playing is also common. One of the most common, "knuckles" (so named because the dice are made from the knuckle bones of sheep) has each player throw the dice in turn, the resultant pattern such as a number of a kind, or a numerical run, score differently. The person who has the highest score wins that round. Some variants allow the players to re-thrown undesired dice.

Bets on the results of "knuckles" and other games are frequent, and are tolerated by the officers as long as the amounts in jeopardy are low. However, serious gambling is an offence and it is not unknown for corporal punishment to be administered to those who are considered to be taking advantage of the credulity or lack of skill of their peers.

However, the ideal recreational pursuits of the legionaries are very similar to armies all over Lythia, wine, women (or men) and song. The Cohorts based in the castles (and to a lesser extent) keep within in large towns are famed for their capacity for all three. Often inns and brothels are opened purely to service their needs. However, night passes may be very hard for a common Milites to obtain.

The majority of Cohorts are based in secluded rural forts, where access to wine and women can be limited. The army does provide its men with cider and ale, but mostly small ale, that has a very low alcohol content. Sociable drinking does take place within the confines of the fort, most often in the assembly hall, especially on 'pay-day'. Most mess clubs also purchase fine beers, ciders, and wines.

The chances of sexual liaisons within the confines of the fort are even rarer. Partners of the serving troops are not allowed in camp, nor in theory are common regular troops allowed to marry whilst in service. The senior equestrians, the Sexton, Manus Primus, and Tribertes may marry, but few in fact do do so. Though some Cohorts have both men and women serving in them, they are regimented into single set units (i.e. all male Tenaci or all female Compari). Common soldiers who are found to be engaged in a sexual act face a severe punishment. In fact, there is little opportunity to the privacy that might engender such an activity. Few forts are large enough to support a tavern or inn, let alone a house of easy virtue, but often the troopers have liaisons with companions from the nearest village or hamlet in their free half-day.

Alternative Army: [Overview-Structure][Equipment][Cohorts in Peace][Legions at War][Accounts][Cohort Composition][Draft][Troop Table][Glossary]

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