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Message: <blockquote data-quote="adwyn" data-source="post: 1522773" data-attributes="member: 14083">The type of army is dictated more by politics and economics than time period/technology. Just look at modern Somalia's feudalism and contrast it to the armies of Rome or Sparta.The more powerful a leader is the more the army will represent a modern army in terms of consistent chains of command. A powerful ruler can have consistent regiments/cohorts/whatevers and assign them around the country as necessary. The important thing is they are his troops. If the troops belong to lesser leaders the organization will break down along the lines of politics. For weaker rulers, and especially in feudalism troops will be controlled by local lords. Units are most often small, though in battle they may be combined in an "Archers over there, nobles here, and you guys with the pointy sticks behind them" sort of way.As to housing, economics is the most important thing. Troops in barracks are great but expensive. Some rulers can afford to do so always, other rulers will do so only when expecting war or perhaps only for a core of units.  If the troops are safe from attack and don't need to be instantly ready they will more closely resemble what we would think of as the modern national guard. Troops that are allowed to marry and have kids will want their own homes whenever possible. Roman soldiers were often allowed gardens to supplement their garrioson incomes. Just prior to the american revolution many british soldiers were expected to have a second job - especially in times of inflation wages barely covered expenses. And it often wasn't pay+ board. From the sixteenth century on costs of room, board, uniforms, and even weapons would be deducted from the soldiers pay. Add in graft and it could be unpleasant indeed for the common soldier. During peacetime most rulers would attempt to reduce the number of troops to the minimum. Extra troops might be chased out, allowed to take on extra jobs, simply leave or hired out en masse to friendly foreign powers. All of this is rambling. First decide what kind of country you want. Now just be consistent with that. If you have a strong emperor with a centralized govt. go with a standing army. If you later decide it was to small, new troops can be recruited or return from foreign campaigns. If you want a dying king barely holding on to a realm on the verge of collapse go with a feudal kingdom with each village fortifed and every noble hording as many troops as he can.Use the politics to explain what you want. Nations and their armies have changed rapidly over history, and there is no one model to use.</blockquote>

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