The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 182: Military and Political Adjustments
After sorting out the appointments for the various legions, Henwell convenes a high-level military meeting. In addition to the legion commanders, a few others are present.
Henwell has formed a guard unit composed entirely of knights and knight-candidates. This unit, just over a hundred strong, is named the Lord Iron Guards. Their role is to ensure Henwell's personal safety and handle high-level security matters within the territory.
The commander of the Lord Iron Guards is Simon, a member of Pi, not one of Henwell's original gladiators, but a later addition with remarkable talent. Simon is seen as the most promising candidate under Henwell, likely to advance quickly to the rank of Battle Knight. His loyalty also has been proven. Henwell plans to focus on nurturing this young man, who has just turned nineteen.
The Wind Raider Legion has been disbanded, and its elite members have been selected to form a 3,000-strong battalion. The Wind Raider Battalion serves as the main combat force of the intelligence department. During large-scale external operations, this battalion will coordinate with the Intelligence Bureau.
Elia is appointed as the commander of the Wind Raider Battalion, with Senra as the deputy commander. The head of the Intelligence Bureau is Jar Chick, responsible for gathering external intelligence for all of Peace Haven. There's also a deputy position in the Intelligence Bureau reserved for Meredith. This woman has proven her capability over the years, assisting Henwell in managing numerous troublesome affairs.
In addition, Henwell needs to assign security chiefs for several key areas. Kivel is appointed as the commander of the Second Garrison Regiment stationed in the Workshop District. Jax becomes the chief guard of the Hidden Research Area. Duncan is named the chief guard of the Armory, Foundry, and Cement Plant. Valentin takes charge as the chief guard of the Commercial District. Agnico leads the First Garrison Battalion stationed in the New City. Leighton is appointed as the head of the guards for all smuggling caravans, while Sera oversees the guards for official trade caravans. Horace is designated as the chief officer of the newly established Constabulary.
All these individuals were once part of the young gladiators, and Henwell strategically places them in various defense departments. Their role is to protect these areas while also supervising the different departments of Peace Haven. Once these Pi members become familiar with the operations of each department, Henwell plans to adjust their positions accordingly. If they excel in their roles, they will be integrated into the departments. If they prefer leading regular troops, they will be reassigned once they've trained suitable successors.
In the coming period, Peace Haven is expected to face scrutiny and probing from various quarters. Henwell needs reliable and capable individuals to oversee these critical industries. The guard commanders of each department operate separately from the military hierarchy and do not to the military chiefs. Their primary contact is Chick of the Intelligence Bureau, who assesses the severity of situations before ing to Henwell.
Beyond these military arrangements, Henwell also appoints leaders for the new recruits' camp and the military academy. Henwell personally oversees these two departments, as they are crucial for basic military recruitment and training, as well as the development of military leaders. These are the lifeblood and soul of the army, and Henwell intends to keep them under his direct control to prevent any future complications.
After finalizing the arrangements for the armed forces, Henwell remains busy for several more days.
Now, it's time to arrange the administrative affairs. Chloe, once the affairs officer of the small town of Peace Haven, is now appointed as the governor of the New City. Chapman takes on the role of affairs officer for the new territory. Eulen is named the head of affairs for the Workshop District, while Matthew oversees commercial trade as the head of commerce.
Covdale is appointed as the chief of the Peace Haven trade caravans, while Mortis takes charge as the overall head of the smuggling operations. Joey, a sharp talent emerging from the smuggling caravans, is assigned as the river commissioner, responsible for commercial transport and river management along the Ouse River.
Marnes, who has risen through the ranks from a construction craftsman over ten years, becomes the chief overseer of all construction projects in Peace Haven. His department handles everything from new city development to road repairs and fortress construction.
Bowman, with his expertise in agriculture, is appointed as the head of agriculture. He is credited with selecting the two main crops for Peace Haven.
Currently, Peace Haven's military and paramilitary forces exceed seventy thousand, while the population is just over a million. This nearly ten-to-one ratio indicates a significant military focus.
To sustain this, Peace Haven will need a larger population and, consequently, more food production. Henwell's emphasis on agriculture and healthcare is well-founded, as both are crucial for supporting the growing army and its needs.
In the chat group, there was a lively discussion about the ratio of military forces to civilians during the feudal era. The conversation eventually led to a quantified concept. When the soldier-to-civilian ratio reaches 1:15, it's already the nation's limit. At this point, the country is essentially putting all its resources into warfare, leading to a situation where it's either victory or destruction. Even if victory is achieved, it leaves the nation severely wounded, requiring at least a decade or two to recover.
With a ratio of 1:30, a nation can maintain itself, typically during periods of rapid expansion. However, there's little room for error, and any strategic failure could shake the country's foundation and leave significant hidden dangers.
A ratio of 1:70 indicates a phase of stable upward expansion for the country. This allows for strategic actions in two directions without hindering domestic development. The margin for error is significantly increased, enabling the country to endure one or two strategic failures without affecting its core stability.
The ratio of 1:100 is considered the normal developmental state for a country. It provides a certain level of self-protection without impacting internal affairs. This is generally seen during periods of peace, when the nation is experiencing rapid growth.
Of course, these numbers are primarily applicable to the feudal era. As productivity increases and civilization advances, these ratios are bound to change. However, for now, these figures still hold considerable reference value for everyone involved in the discussion.
The soldiers being discussed here aren't your typical conscripted peasants or drafted men. These are carefully selected, rigorously trained professional soldiers, equipped with advanced weaponry and possessing a high level of military discipline. Known as full-time soldiers, their sole purpose is combat and warfare. Henwell's current force of over seventy thousand regular and paramilitary troops consists entirely of these full-time professionals.
Even during a period of rapid expansion, where a reasonable ratio might be 1:30, Henwell would still need a population exceeding two million. As it stands, Henwell's approach is quite extreme, focusing heavily on military buildup. To address the nearly fifty percent civilian shortfall, Henwell plans to intensify the acquisition of serfs and implement policies to attract populations from surrounding territories.
Externally, these are the solutions. Internally, Henwell aims to boost agricultural development and improve birth and survival rates. While purchasing a single serf is straightforward, acquiring ten thousand is a significant challenge. The current purchase price for a serf in Peace Haven is 10 gold coins, more than double what it was a few years ago.
To support local population growth, Henwell offers medical and food subsidies, with additional support for pregnant women and children, each costing no more than one gold coin. This increase in the native population can effectively stimulate a healthy economic cycle within Peace Haven.
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Chapter 182: Military and Political Adjustments
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