Feudal Troop Types

Hârnic & CGI References

Crossby, N. Robin. HârnPlayer A Player's Guide to HârnWorld. Blaine: CGI, 1994

Knights:

• "Knighthood is not a feudal title. All Barons and earls, and even the king, are knights. Anyone may theoretically be knighted, most often for exemplary military service to the crown, but most knights are born to the station."
• "Knighthood is an honor conferred on a person for his life only, and is not heritable."
• "The number of knights on Hârn far exceeds the number that can be granted fiefs. While some will inherit or marry into land, most are landless Knights Bachelor. Some will realize their burning ambition of obtaining a fief, but most spend their lives as the retainers of great nobles, or within the ranks of fighting-orders, or (gods forbid) by adventuring."
• "Fiefs are usually granted in return for providing military service to the liege."
• "Service will be in the army/household of the liege for 30-60 days each year, although scutage (shield-money) may be substituted in years of peace."

Squires/Servants:

• "The training for knighthood (apprentice knights are called squires) is undertaken when the young son of a knight is invited to foster at the household of another knight. Boys begin training at twelve, learning the "knightly virtues", skills at arms, heraldry, and horsemanship. If all goes well, the squire can expect to be knighted around the age of twenty-one."

Mounted Men-at-Arms/Sergeants:

• "The son of a knight is gentle, but the status will lapse in the next generation, unless another knighthood is conferred."

Crossby, N. Robin, Dalgliesh, Tom and Holtz, Eric. BattleLust Mediæval Battle System. Blaine: CGI, 1993

Knights:

• "The heavy cavalryman has well-padded mail from head to foot and may have strategically located plate. He carries lance, sword and shield, and usually other weapons as well. Heavy horsemen are almost always noble and are primarily used as shock cavalry on the battlefield. The mere sight of a heavy cavalry charge may be enough to break any infantry unit."
• The distinction between Medium and Heavy horse is ambiguous and varies from one army to another. Since barding is rare (too expensive for its effectiveness) throughout Hârn, it depends mainly on the size of the horse and the rider's arms and armor. Riders are well-armored in scale/mail with a good assortment of weapons. In feudal societies, medium horsemen are invariably knights or squires."

Squires/Servants:

• "A light cavalryman is usually equipped with a lance or spear, shield, shortsword and mostly leather armor."

Mounted Men-at-Arms/Sergeants:

• "Used primarily as cavalry scouts. With no armor and (typically) only a spear (sometimes a lance) and shield for weapons, such troops are designed primarily for intelligence gathering, courier service, and light skirmishing."
• "The commonalities are men-at-arms, usually full-time soldiers of simple birth. They are supported from the Order's treasury, but may not get wages. Most are footmen, but some orders can muster a company or two of mounted foot or a squadron of light horse. Non-commissioned officers are of this rank."

Crossby, N. Robin, King, Ed and Sgammato, John. Kingdom of Kanday. Blaine: CGI, 2004

Knights:

• "Knight-Equivalents (Medium Horse) owed to the crown is derived from total acres ÷ 1200. This figure can easily be adjusted to Heavy Horse (1500 acres) and Men-at-Arms (300 acres)."

Crossby, N. Robin, King, Ed and Sgammato, John. Kingdom of Kaldor. Blaine: CGI, 2004

Knights:

• "The feudal levy consists of knights and yeomen who hold lands in exchange for military service of 30-90 days per year. Typically, each manor provides one knight (heavy or medium horse), one squire (medium or light horse), and a number of yeoman that varies by troop class and Gross Acres."
• "The High Guard, two companies (four squadrons) of knights-bachelor, are among the finest knights in the kingdom."
• "The Army of the Chelmarch is a permanent force of four companies: one medium foot, one light foot, one shortbow, and one light horse."
• "The Army of the Oselmarch is a permanent force of one company of light foot, one company of medium foot, and two companies of elite light horse."

King, Edwin. Lionheart. Blaine: CGI, 198

Knights:

• "The retainer of a feudal lord who owes military service for his fief, usually the service of one fully equipped, mounted warrior."

Mounted Men-at-Arms/Sergeants:

• "A servant who accompanies his lord to battle, or a horseman of lower status used as light cavalry."