An army country

[Umbran]

Hence helots.

Yeah, well, the OP spoke of "every able-bodied citizen". Sure, you can say that helots are not fully citizens, but there are two upshots of this:

1)The size of the resulting army is probably much smaller that some might be imagining, as a large portion of the population isn't elegible.

2)The empowered ruling class of citizens is constantly losing people in wars, while the helots are not.

Somehow, I figure (2) is not what you'd call a politically stable upshot, especially in a world when some of those helots will probably turn out to be sorcerers and clerics...

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

You'll need to explain who is doing all the farming to feed a nation which has such a high proportion of people on active duty.

Spring planting and fall harvest were two of the biggest factors commanders in medieval times had to deal with, as their armies would often disperse during those times (at least, until professional armies arose; along with sufficient resources to make them possible).

 

[Huw]

Beware civil wars. There was a country with that policy only a few years back, called Yugoslavia....

Anyway, loads of posters have mentioned Sparta. I also suggest your read up on the Assyrians, who had a similarly military society.

 

[jollyninja]

suddenly, the peasant revolt is a terrifying concept.

 

[Stormborn]

The fantasy novel "Poison Study" has a militaristic nation as its setting. Not to give to much away but essentially the millitary rose up and overthrew the corrupt, and magic supported, nobility. In the new society everyone wears a uniform, everyone is assigned a designated area, and everyone is fed and housed and given a job. Magic, however, is outlawed. Its interesting (my wife loved the book, I thought it was OK).

In a DnD world I do think you would have to have some restrictions on classes. Barbarians aren't citizens. Sorcerers are killed at birth (or upon detection) as a threat, or possibly taken away and indoctrinated and kept on a short leash. Arcane studies are only allowed in very controlled conditions and are essentially the super weapons of the setting. Divine magic is only allowed by the state approved gods and they fill more of the roll of the warrior-priest (which fits the Cleric class) than clergy.

 

[the shmoopie]

First of all I love the idea of your army-state, secondly I think I am going to "borrow" the idea for my campaign...

In a DnD world I do think you would have to have some restrictions on classes. Barbarians aren't citizens. Sorcerers are killed at birth (or upon detection) as a threat, or possibly taken away and indoctrinated and kept on a short leash. Arcane studies are only allowed in very controlled conditions and are essentially the super weapons of the setting. Divine magic is only allowed by the state approved gods and they fill more of the roll of the warrior-priest (which fits the Cleric class) than clergy.

..and I am using this idea to do it. Along with probably 85% of the army being made up of non-PC classes. The other p 15% can be nobility and/or commanders.

 

[Cergorach]

Having a standing army costs a lot of money, to compensate, make it do something usefull. Go the Roman way and let them make roads, fortifications, etc. Or go with a strong seafaring people that sail the dangerous seas. Both would benefit from trading and controlling the only way of moving fast across the continent.

Make them neccessary, if they are not there, then life is impossible. Every few years a wave of humanoids escape their cramped caves and try to rampage through the country side.

Add some politics and ambition into the mix and you'll have a credible way of maintaining a huge army. Just don't forget that those guys need to get paid, can be in gold, citizenship, land, etc.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

The ancient Ethiopians had a unified military, seafaring soldiers who fought on land and crewed ships as well, basically marines. These sarwet(sp?) maintained the military be taking a toll on the commerce and industry they protected, right off the top of all trade transactions.

So your military could do some variation of this theme. Or something like the Chinese still do where the military owns entire industries and means of production and uses their profit itself. Say the army has a near monopoly on metalworking and charges a bit higher than standard with the money funding the army. Or at the guard posts at town and city entrances they impose their own entry or road tax or whatever to help funding. Maybe as part of unit training they hunt down monsters and brigands. Turning it into a regimented industry that sells useful parts and such.

 

[kanithardm]

Really? I am running Red Hand of Doom right now, and trying to decide what to do next. What were you planning on doing with this country, if you don't mind my asking?

Well i was thinking of having a regiment of soldiers come in after the PCs have left for Part 5 of the adventure. They might even have an outpost the PCs can stop at while fleeing from the big thing (anti-spoiler). Its a great way to introduce them, but i might have to push it on my PCs who will complain unless i take the hook, put it in their hands and beat them over the heads with it.

 

[kanithardm]

Maybe a native outsider twist on the country might be a good idea to help explain the standing army. With a lack of need to eat, drink, breathe (depending on type of native outsider) it could greatly reduce cost.