RuneScape Forum Archive | Asgarnian Military Strategy

I Castigo I

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Structurally, the military was divided into active duty and reserve divisions, with the White Knights or the Asgarnian Army serving as the active divisions and TSG or local auxillary defense forces serving as auxillary units to supplement military needs during wartime. The active duty armed forces were usually small in number, well equipped, and trained frequently. They had a high level of discipline instilled into their ranks and were the main fighting component of the Kingdom of Asgarnia. Reserve units or auxillary troops on the other hand were often poorly trained conscripts or supplemental units of soldiers that were called upon during wartime to aid Asgarnia's active duty forces. Examples include the Saradominist faction led by Dion Magnan and later the Sarimian and Rimmington local Defense Forces.

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11-Sep-2017 05:43:24 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 06:00:25 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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Numbers for the Asgarnian Military also vary greatly. It is estimated that at their peak the White Knights were capable of fielding approximately 20,000 to 50,000 men in a combat role, while TSG and other allies could field another 20,000 to 40,000 men in various auxillary roles. This meant that the total number of combat and non-combat troops for the Asgarnian Military at its peak ranged from approximately 40,000 to 90,000 troops, depending on the situation and the political climate. However by the start of the Sixth Age Asgarnia was only able to field approximately 10,000 active duty soldiers supplemented by approximately 30,000 to 40,000 auxillary troops. This decrease in manpower also meant that the ratio of combat-ready troops versus auxillary troops changed from approximately 1:1 in the mid to late Fifth Age to 1:3 by the end of the Fifth and start of the Sixth Age.

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11-Sep-2017 05:43:28 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 06:00:48 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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Logistics and Economy

Every military force in history has relied heavily on the logistical capabilities and economic power of its Kingdom in order to generate enough material and manpower to succeed in the field of battle. In the Kingdom of Asgarnia, logistics were often controlled directly by either the White Knights, or later the Asgarnian Feldmarschall or General. The coordinator of logistical issues would usually have a general staff available to them in order to assist them with the issues of troop movement and supply. Troop movement during battle was directed by the upper echelon of the armed forces and coordinated via forward observers, usually enlisted non-commissioned officers or lieutenants. In Asgarnia, troop movements during battle were loosely controlled at the upper levels, and the junior officer staff on the ground was allowed to take initiative based upon their perception and assessment of the current situation. This allowed units on the ground to be proactive at the squad and platoon level, theoretically increasing speed and increasing the effectiveness of maneuver warfare strategy.

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11-Sep-2017 05:43:54 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 06:01:12 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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Supply movement on the other hand was rigidly controlled at the upper level, and this often led to numerous supply issues among the enlisted soldiers of Asgarnia. For example, at the end of the Fifth Age, the Asgarnian land forces were approximately 10,000 in number with an additional 20,000 to 30,000 auxillary troops and local defense force troops available. However the number of tempered steel plates and mail that could be manufactured into armor never exceeded the number of active duty soldiers by more than 1,500. This meant that the majority of the 20,000 or so auxillary troops available to Asgarnia had to be supplied with either inferior equipment or had to rely upon their own equipment for battle. The situation was even worse when it came to consumables. It is estimated that for the 5,000 soldiers stationed in Falador at any given time, there only existed enough stored provisions to last them one to three weeks of siege conditions. These supply issues, coupled with the Asgarnian Military's emphasis on shock tactics and maneuver warfare, resulted in Asgarnia being quite suceptible to prolonged, coordinated, multi-front wars of attrition, as there were not enough reserve supplies for the armed forces for a long conflict, and the military neglected training in defensive siege operations for its soldiers.

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11-Sep-2017 05:44:58 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 06:01:36 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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The economy of the Asgarnian Kingdom was similarly plauged with problems during wartime. In times of severe conflict key industries would be nationalized to coordinate a greater mobilization effort. While effective at increasing production in the short term, the rapid mobilization of facilities and industries that were usually optimized for peacetime conditions resulted in economic and trade deficiencies for the Kingdom of Asgarnia. For example in the last year of the Fifth Age, 15,000 bushels of wheat, 2,000 cattle, 1,000 tons of iron ore, and 2,000 tons of coal were siezed over a period of six months to feed and supply the Asgarnian Military in the field. While most of the affected citizens were eventually compensated for the siezure, the rapid acquizition of wheat and other goods that were originally designated for export created a trade deficit for the Kingdom and economic impoverishment for the affected Asgarnian citizens in the long run.

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11-Sep-2017 05:45:04 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 06:02:41 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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Effectiveness and Shortcomings

The effectiveness of the Asgarnian forces at conducting military campaigns varied greatly depending on the situations presented to them and the capability of the Asgarnian leadership. Centralized command meant that successful operations relied on the strong and effective leadership of both the upper and junior officer staff. Emphasis on maneuver warfare coupled with issues of supply meant that wars had to be short and decisive in order to be successful, whereas a war of attrition would carry a higher chance of defeat for the Kingdom of Asgarnia. Economic mobilization policies meant that an initial surge of material could be expected for the military, followed by an economic depression for the Kingdom later on. Success on a theatre level had no firm definition and was thus it was very hard for the White Knights or the Asgarnian general staff to obtain a clear idea of whether or not an operation would be successful in the long run. And as discussed earlier, alliance along religious lines and the issue of the Kinshra were two key concepts that could determine whether or not a campaign was a success or a total failure.

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11-Sep-2017 05:45:21 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 08:55:42 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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In conclusion the military forces of the Kingdom of Asgarnia were one of the four most powerful military forces of Gielinor at the end of the Fifth Age and the beginning of the Sixth Age. The Asgarnian armed forces were at their best when competently led and engaged in short, brutal, and offensive campaigns against enemies on foreign terrain. Conversely the armed forces were at their worst when they were poorly led, or engaged in long, drawn out, restrained or defensive campaigns against enemies on Asgarnian soil. The Asgarnian military also tended to be smaller, better trained as a unit, and more cohesive than other contemporary armies. Towards the end of the Fifth Age however, they tended to have an increased proportion of auxiliary units and a decrease in proportion of combat ready troops. This lowered the effectiveness of the military as a whole as the remaining combat ready battalions had to perform more duties per campaign to meet the same number of operational goals, thus putting additional strain on an already below-strength force.

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11-Sep-2017 05:46:29 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 08:59:52 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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OOC Conclusion

Asgarnia was one of the four powerful Kingdoms during the so-called "Golden Age" of Player Owned Kingdoms. To maintain that power it often relied upon its military for security and advancing its own interests. Feel free to comment and leave your thoughts on military roleplay, strategy, or whatever really.

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11-Sep-2017 05:47:44 - Last edited on 11-Sep-2017 06:04:25 by I Castigo I

I Castigo I

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~Three pages of reserves I guess, idfk~

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11-Sep-2017 05:47:50

I Castigo I

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~Three pages of reserves I guess, idfk~

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11-Sep-2017 05:47:59

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Asgarnian Military Strategy