Orders Militant

===== Orders Militant =====
In the days of the early Empire, the Throne expanded and sustained its power with the world's first professional standing army. It grew into a behemoth war machine that proved far more effective at quelling dissent than any imperial sorcerer. But those days have passed, and the ranks of the Imperial army have dwindled to several thousand. In its place stand the Orders Militant, organizations of professional knights and soldiers who answer to no Count but have pledged their allegiance to the Throne itself. Many are religious in nature, established from the former crusading armies of the Salubrine or the Triarchy (or even a rare few pagan Orders, dedicated to one of their many gods of war). The secular Orders are more likened to institutionalized mercenaries, protecting the realm for regular payment from the imperial coffers. While each Order maintains its own structure and traditions, most follow a familiar pattern of rank as outlined here.

--- High Commandant/Lord-General ---
Among the official Imperial military, the High Commandants form the upper leadership. Each one commands a particular aspect of the military - the cavalry, the navy, the infantry, etc. They answer to the Emperor, the Supreme Commandant. Most are Grand Dukes who have served faithfully in battle, but a lesser lord who proves particularly adept may be uplifted to their rank. Rivaling them in power are the Lord-Generals, each one the master of one of the larger Orders. Five Orders are recognized as great enough to possess this rank: the Red Hand, Baumann's Reavers, the 15,000 Swords, Hostan's Company and the Northern Brotherhood.

--- Commandant/Master/Oberst ---
Commanding forces of 1,000 to 5,000 men, the Commandants bridge the standard regiments and the High Command. Most are lesser Counts or Dukes, but some are lay men who have attained special rank through their military skill. They appoint lesser lieutenants and are responsible for overseeing battlefield operations. Equal to them are the leaders of most Orders, known as "Masters" among religious Orders and "Oberst" or "Hauptmann" among secular ones. The Masters are appointed by either the Archbishop or the High Chancellor and answer directly to them. For pagan Orders, the Master is often a Thegn or Druid in their own right. Masters and Obersts typically hold their own territories and forts for their Order, granted to them by the regional Duke, which are not subject to local laws. In exchange, they will muster for the Duke's armies.

--- Colonel/Knight-Captain ---
Leading forces between 100 and 1,000 men, these commanders are the backbone of any army or Order. In battle they operate semi-autonomously, and at peace they might be entrusted with the command of a single fort or patrol route. Many men among the Orders are more loyal to their Knight-Captain than they are to their Master or Oberst, and so the latter typically takes precautions to keep them in line, jockeying different Knight-Captains against each other in bids for influence or superior posts. Below these are the Lieutenants, who command only 10-100 men and have minimal authority.