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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Loonook" data-source="post: 5886025" data-attributes="member: 1861">Men at Arms: 1:3 of all men, preferably with a few spellcasters for any needs that may come up RE: major events.  We'll count them as an additional 60ish men at least, who are going to have a LOT of downtime.  They can serve as unskilled (your warriors) or semiskilled (Experts, PC class, Aristocrat) in handling various skills.  I would say that out of them you probably have at least 1-3 fair hands at a forge, some who have skill with architecture (building a palisade that will stand during a conflict is a valid skill... and knowing the weak points of a defense), and a chaplain for morale.  Most units will have at least one medic per 20 men, who could be a Cleric or really any class with the Heal skill.I would have the following based on 200 non-combatants:120 Unskilled.  Your tired, poor, huddled masses needing protection... If they will work for it.30 semi-skilled laborers:  These guys can mend a fence, lay a true path, mix mortar, hew logs, tend stills and cauldrons for leatherworking, spirits making, etc.  Around 10-20% of these laborers will be going about with specific work crews.2 Masons, 3 Apprentices.  The walls will need checking, repair, stabilization, etc.  Apprentices can do most work but if there need to be new stones cut from a quarry or specific architectural locations worked on your actual masons should be on that.1 Healer, 1 Apprentice. Not necessarily a Cleric but people who can mend bones, pull fevers, and generally just use that sweet Heal check to save you money on CLW when possible <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />.1 Cook, 4 Apprentices.  Someone needs to chop, slice, bake, poach, butcher and prepare these dishes.  Unskilled laborers could be of great use here, as can a mercenary who has been sent to Kitchen Patrol for some transgression.  On a big rush you're probably looking at 1:10 unskilled laborers/men at camp.  A cookhouse can boil large amounts of water for laundry days also.A smith and apprentice: Two smiths should be able to perform most of the necessary repairs.  If need be some of your Guards are going to have skills in repairing armor, and any mercenaries worth their salt will have a farrier/smithy who can perform duties (and gets paid a Sergeant's salary just to make sure those animals are kept going).1 Tanner: Leather is very useful if there are animals in the fields for it.  If you have any leather suitable animals being kept in a herd out in the acreage around your keep you're going to want a tanner.  Any of your men who have served as shepherds or trappers/rangers will have the ability to help out a Tanner, though it is nasty business due to the nature of the work.X Tailors: Most of your mercenaries are going to be able to do passable work or have brought along followers who can do most of the work.  While a Tailor is a nice addition to a keep, it isn't strictly necessary.1 Roper: A semiskilled roper can easily produce rope with unskilled labor that will suit your purposes.  A ropewalk is probably placed outside in a three-walled structure allowing for the use of either a simple mechanical braider or hand-braiding.  Remember that the size of your walk will determine your maximum yield, so I would suggest around a 200*10' outbuilding with good access to a wagon.Stablehands: Unskilled; having done the work you could cover 20-30 stalls in an 8 hour work-day with adequate time to maneuver bedding, grain, hay, and other materials.  The horses, when able, should be set out with adequate time to ride to keep them fresh... Horses laid into a stall for too long will develop stall vices and generally become difficult to deal with, and weaker than their free-ranging counterparts without lunging or hotwalking while barded.Then your other 30 odd individuals can be spread out.  You'll need mill hands for handling the grist mill somewhere near the property, shepherds for your flocks, a castellan and staff for the maintenance of the interior rooms, at least two people to keep track of your coin, and preferably bowyer/fletchers and woodsmen to maintain your quality stock of arrows, bows, and stout wood for staffs.  I would send a contingent with at least 10-15 trained huntsmen into the forest, along with the same number of woodsmen to fell trees, clear brush, etc.If you want to be completely self-reliant you cannot go wrong with beekeepers, candlemakers, a brewer and assistant, a distiller to produce stronger spirits, an alchemist for production of needed chemical materials around the place, and of course those who make life a little better for your mercenaries... Entertainers, if you will <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />.  Happy sellswords are non-stabby sellswords.You're going to be paying minimum 100 GP/day for overall upkeep, pay, and repairs to begin, with an initial outlay dependent on what was left when the bandits flitted out.  Once you establish a strong enough hold and gain the loyalty of the people taxes on produce will help to support your garrison, and you may want to look into hiring a barrister or local Wise Men to preside over your group.  The place will be able to reap dividends when you can get those mercs out, probably by training and outfitting the populace.  Outfitting your irregulars would cost around 18 gp/person if you use simple weapons (2 daggers and a quarterstaff) and leather armor... Which wouldn't be horribly odd for irregulars of the type.  With training you could in theory turn half of your Unskilled Commoners into Warriors, then get them some better armament <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />.Slainte,-Loonook.</blockquote>

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