How many soldiers should protect a capital city?

[psychic mind flayer]

My character is a Psion (telepath) 18/slayer 2. Recently, he became the ruler of a small country (about the size of France or Spain). The country is bordered on two sides by three evil races (illithids, drow, and fire-related creatures), and I want to fortify my capital city with some soldiers. I'm thinking of 5,000, but is that too much? or too little? The capital has a total of about one million inhabitants, and the country about 10 mil. Plus, there is a group of 12 20th level people (including me) protecting the city. How many soldiers and what kinds should I add in? Is there anything else I can do?

Thanks. I appreciate all help.

 

[Votan]

My character is a Psion (telepath) 18/slayer 2. Recently, he became the ruler of a small country (about the size of France or Spain). The country is bordered on two sides by three evil races (illithids, drow, and fire-related creatures), and I want to fortify my capital city with some soldiers. I'm thinking of 5,000, but is that too much? or too little? The capital has a total of about one million inhabitants, and the country about 10 mil. Plus, there is a group of 12 20th level people (including me) protecting the city. How many soldiers and what kinds should I add in? Is there anything else I can do?

Thanks. I appreciate all help.

One million inhaqbitants will be able to overrun 5,000 soldier in a large riot.

It shouldn't be aggressive to have 1% of the population under arms when threatened by external forces. If you want a reactive defence cluster a lot at the capital and counter-attack invaders. Otherwise, consider border forts.

Personally, I'd look into recruiting Dragons. Dragons are a great foil for things like Drow and Illithids (long distance breaht weapon attacks if these creatures venture into the open). Fire creatures suggest Silver Dragons (which I find pretty cool anyway). DOn't know if it is feasible but worth looking into . . .

 

[Rkhet]

Station your outposts with Runehounds (MMIII). They have 500ft blindsight, which is the closest you'll get to a radar. Also removes the need to build towers, since the outposts don't need to be tall, and you can camoflage them.

1% is still too low. With 1 million population: 50% are women. 50% of the rest are not fit for service (elderly, children, disabled, etc.) That gives you 250,000 able-bodied men. I think you can recruit 1/10th of that (25,000) to 1/5th (50,000) without ruining the economy.

Only if seriously threatened, of course. But this is d&d. It likely will be seriously threatened.

 

[green slime]

1/10th of the male population is a huge amount.... especially if it is a standing army! It would be more practical surely to have a smaller standing army, utilizing a system of compulsory military service, and call people up in a time of crisis. And do not forget to employ mercenaries when the war actually occurs! Your coffers of gold coin will do you no good if the enemy are already inside your palace walls

 

[Rkhet]

Actually, since this is d&d, it might be better to hire adventurers/high-level monsters instead, and just keep enough soldiers around to police the city. Common soldiers are going to be little more than cannon fodder.

 

[green slime]

Actually, since this is d&d, it might be better to hire adventurers/high-level monsters instead, and just keep enough soldiers around to police the city. Common soldiers are going to be little more than cannon fodder.

That would depend on how fantastical the opposing army was. Which will vary widely from campaign to campaign.

 

[Rkhet]

Well... either the enemy is a large, low-level army - in which case a group of high-level adventurers/monsters will hit-and-run them to death, or the enemy is high-level, in which case it comes down to an even chance. Either way it's better to hire high-level things.

 

[Arkhandus]

By the DMG's charts and demographics.......

Your capitol city has 1 million inhabitants, four times what the DMG notes as the minimum for a Metropolis. As a Metropolis, your capitol likely has (ignore any of these that aren't at least moderately close to appropriate for the city's alignment and culture): 4 NPC Warriors of 14th-20th level, 4 NPC Fighters of 13th-20th level, 4 NPC Barbarians of 13th-16th level, 4 NPC Monks of 13th-16th level, 4 NPC Paladins of 13th-15th level, and 4 NPC Rangers of 13th-15th level. These are all the NPC combat-centric folks that could likely be in the city's military or who might be conscripted/asked to serve in the city's defense. In addition, your capitol city probably has 4 NPC Aristocrats of 13th-16th level, 4 NPC Experts of 15th-20th level, 4 NPC Bards of 13th-18th level, and 4 NPC Rogues of 13th-20th level, a few of each might be part of the military or within the ruler's capacity to recruit for the city's defense.

Some of those high-level Aristocrats, Experts, Bards, and Rogues though are almost certainly going to be freelancers, travelers, criminals, vagrants, or retired elderly citizens, with no inclination to fight for the city or just no real strength/health to be of any help. Keep in mind that several of the highest-level NPCs in the community are going to be elderly and in poor shape for fighting, though many will have been very active combatants way back in the day. Also keep in mind that your city may or may not have enough weapons, suits of armor, shields, ammunition, and such to equip all the potential defenders. Most of the commoners and experts probably wouldn't own any real arms and armor.

Your capitol city likely also has, according to the DMG's suggestions, 4 NPC Adepts of 13th-18th level, 4 NPC Commoners of 16th-20th level, 4 NPC Clerics of 13th-18th level, 4 NPC Druids of 13th-18th level, 4 NPC Sorcerers of 13th-16th level, and 4 NPC Wizards of 13th-16th level. Some of these likely wouldn't fight for the city, especially since at least a few of them are going to be criminals, rebels, anarchists, or travelers with no allegiance to the city's ruler, and are likely to just book it once they find out an enemy army is approaching (and being high-level, they're not likely to be stopped from fleeing while you deal with the impending siege). You could probably count on half or more of these, I suppose, to help defend the city at least briefly.

As for lesser NPCs, lessee.......likely your capitol city would have (many of these, aside from the combative types, are unlikely to be very combat-willing nor possess arms/armor):
(class)_______________(level)_____(number of them)
Adept_______________L8_____#8
Adept_______________L4_____#16
Adept_______________L2_____#32
Aristocrat_______________L7_____#8
Aristocrat_______________L3_____#16
Barbarian_______________L7_____#8
Barbarian_______________L3_____#16
Barbarian_______________L1_____#32
Bard_______________L8_____#8
Bard_______________L4_____#16
Bard_______________L2_____#32
Bard_______________L1_____#64
Cleric_______________L8_____#8
Cleric_______________L4_____#16
Cleric_______________L2_____#32
Cleric_______________L1_____#64
Commoner_______________L9_____#8
Commoner_______________L4_____#16
Commoner_______________L2_____#32
Druid_______________L8_____#8
Druid_______________L4_____#16
Druid_______________L2_____#32
Druid_______________L1_____#64
Expert_______________L9_____#8
Expert_______________L4_____#16
Expert_______________L2_____#32
Fighter_______________L9_____#8
Fighter_______________L4_____#16
Fighter_______________L2_____#32
Fighter_______________L1_____#64
Monk_______________L7_____#8
Monk_______________L3_____#16
Monk_______________L17_____#32
Paladin_______________L7_____#8
Paladin_______________L3_____#16
Paladin_______________L1_____#32
Ranger_______________L7_____#8
Ranger_______________L3_____#16
Ranger_______________L1_____#32
Rogue_______________L9_____#8
Rogue_______________L4_____#16
Rogue_______________L2_____#32
Rogue_______________L1_____#64
Sorcerer_______________L7_____#8
Sorcerer_______________L3_____#16
Sorcerer_______________L1_____#32
Warrior_______________L8_____#8
Warrior_______________L4_____#16
Warrior_______________L2_____#32
Wizard_______________L7_____#8
Wizard_______________L3_____#16
Wizard_______________L1_____#32

The DMG doesn't have numbers for psionic classes or whatnot, so just choose the most similar core class to model them on numbers-wise.

Altogether, this accounts for less than 2 thousand inhabitants. Since your city is 4 times the size of what the DMG lists as the minimum population of a Metropolis, I'll quadruple this number. After any psionic residents are accounted for, that makes for about 8 thousand inhabitants. 1,000,000 - 8,000 = 992,000 others. Roughly two-thirds of the population, give or take a bit, will be children and such, so..... 992,000 - 660,000 = 332,000 adults left to account for. By the DMG's numbers, that'd be.... 302,120 commoners of 1st-level, 16,600 warriors of 1st-level, 9,960 experts of 1st-level, 1,660 aristocrats of 1st-level, and 1,660 adepts of 1st-level. Thus, your capitol city might have, at best I'd assume, 24,740 potential combatants, plus 151,060 first-level commoners that may be just brave enough, stupid enough, or patriotic enough to throw their fragile little lives away in your city's defense. I wouldn't hedge my bets on those young'un commoners having any real use in the combat, though. They might make a semi-effective delaying effect, for a little bit.

 

[Endovior]

Excellent number-crunching, Arkhandus!

On a more general note, it is worth mentioning that the DMG states that 1% of a city's occupants are full-time Guards or Soldiers, and 5% are members of the Militia (both of the above generally [but not always] being members of the more combat-oriented classes). If the city is REALLY threatened (death-causing army inbound), you MIGHT be able to double the militia... IF you have a charismatic Bard or some such rally the people.

 

[psychic mind flayer]

Thanks... My city is extremely well protected by other means than soldiers also: It was built over three thousand years ago by a group of 12 great warriors that called themselves the Council of the City (we also have a Council of the City nowadays). The mages in the group placed powerful spells on the city and its surrounding outposts. As a result, the stoe they are made of is indestructible and the city functions as if it had a teleport cage spell. Also, the city is set into a large mountain that protects it from attacks from behind (caverns in the mountain also serve as escape routes in case the city is conquered). To one side there is a large forest filled with elves, druids, and rangers. To the other, there is a lake in which reside many sea creatures (most friendly). The only way to approach the city is from the front, where there is a large area encircled by a stone wall, and then the wall that grants access to the city, where enemies would have arrows rained down on them. We also have pacts with dwarves and elves, giving us dwarven defenders and arcane archers (very few, but every little bit counts). There are several levels to the city, and if one is conquered, we recede into the next. The last level is the palace, which is protected by the Council (the new one, not the old one) and the Royal Guard (a group of 20 fighters from 16th - 20th level).