Military Logistics of the Hesan Empire

(Notable characters who serve or have served in the Hesan War Covenant are @Sir Otto Rochefort, @Sir Alaric Rochefort, @Sir Lorenz Rochefort, @Marshal Erwin Stahlbrand)

The Hesan Army, known as the Hesan War Covenant, is the iron fist of the empire—an institution so vast, disciplined, and ideologically entrenched that it has come to define continental warfare. The landed warrior class and its armies are a public spectacle of power, pageantry, and divine purpose. War is not merely a political tool in Hesan doctrine; it is a sacred continuation of the war of creation, a cosmic struggle against chaos. Every campaign is framed as a holy endeavor, and every soldier—noble or common—is a participant in the empire’s divine mission.

Maximum Troop Mustering Capacity of Hesa

  • Average campaign army size (TYPICAL): Approximately 10,000 to 25,000 troops.

  • Estimated maximum army size (theoretical): Approximately 45,000 to 60,000 troops.

  • The Hesan Empire covers roughly three times the landmass of Thelidor, for example, so its total military potential is significantly large.

  • Historically, campaigns of conquest involve regional armies from one or two provinces rather than the entire empire. The Hesan War Covenant and the divinity of warfare compels cooperation, so the average muster number could theoretically increase. But terrain, psychological and political divisions (especially between north and south Hesa) have historically limited rallying the entire forces of Hesa at once.

Average Size of a Mercenary Band in Hesa

  • Typical mercenary band size: Very small and rare, usually under 50 soldiers, often covert.

  • Mercenary use is considered shameful and un-Hesan, especially among noble houses. When mercenaries are employed, it is usually in secret, often foreign troops or outlaw bands. Noble houses prefer to rely on their own levies and sworn retainers to maintain honor and legitimacy.

Average Troop Numbers Led by a Noble House in Hesa

  • Average noble house levy size: Between 800 and 1,500 troops.

  • Noble houses in Hesa are generally larger and more militarized than those in Thelidor.

  • Martial prowess and discipline are highly valued, and noble levies are well-trained and equipped.

  • Houses maintain standing retinues and can mobilize quickly due to strong local loyalty and military service is considered divine duty.

  • Larger houses or provincial leaders may muster several thousand troops, but these are often subdivided by local lords.

Cultural Foundations and Recruitment

Hesan does not employ mercenaries. Instead, every landed noble is required to raise and lead their own men in times of war. These levies form the backbone of the imperial army, with each battalion commanded by a knight of the noble house that summoned them. This system reinforces feudal loyalty and ensures that military service is both a duty and a privilege of the aristocracy.

Knights in Hesan society are more than battlefield champions—they are high-ranking officers, judges, and spiritual exemplars. Their armor is ceremonial as well as functional, often inscribed with ancestral motifs. Commoners, too, are conscripted en masse, trained in rigid formations and drilled in the empire’s martial catechisms. Service is mandatory, and refusal is considered heresy.

Officer Hierarchy and Structure of the Hesan War Covenant (Hesanisches Kriegsbund)

The Hesan War Covenant (Hesanisches Kriegsbund) is the Empire's sacred military order—an institution of oath, steel, and ancestral law. Its officer hierarchy blends battlefield command with ritual authority, shaped by noble lineage and the ancient codes of the Kriegsorden (War Order).

Colors and Livery

Hesan soldiers wear deep-red livery over their armor. Higher ranking officers and noble knights wear full plate distinguished by its striking and menacing deep-red hue.

Scouts wear gray.

🛡️ Hierarchy of Command

  • High Marshal of the Imperial War Covenant - Supreme commander of all Hesan forces, appointed by @Emperor Isen IV. Bears the Seal of the Onyx Dragon and presides over war councils and sacred rites.

  • Noble Houses or Bannergrafen (Banner Counts) - Regional warlords commanding entire provinces or marches. Each maintains a war retinue and rides beneath their house banner.

  • Knight or Red Captain - Commanders leading 300–500 soldiers. Distinguished by full plate armor in deep red with trims of dusk and onyx. @Sir Alaric Rochefort and @Sir Lorenz Rochefort were Red Captains of @Haus Rochefort during the taking of @Alendria.

  • March Lieutenants - Officers commanding 50–100 troops. Must be a Hesan Knight, and entrusted with the March Codex, a personal record of doctrine and visions.

  • Masters of the Line - Senior non-noble officers elevated through valor. They maintain discipline in the battle line and wear the Eisenzeichen (iron badge) of their banner.

  • Swordbearers and Heralds of the Call - Ceremonial attendants. Swordbearers carry their commander’s ancestral blade; Heralds recite orders and oaths.

⚔️ Organizational Structure

  • Divided into five principal legions, each tied to a cardinal direction and a founding noble house. Each legion has its own colors, heraldry.

  • Advancement is earned through battle loyalty, house patronage, and ritual trials. March Lieutenants and above are required to be Hesan Knights.

  • Officers maintain a codex book—a leather-bound record of doctrine, lineage, and battlefield visions. Upon death or disgrace, it is consigned to the banner fire.

🔥 Rituals and Doctrine

Martial doctrine passed down from the first gods, who are said to be soldiers, and sealed in the March Codex.

🕯️ Sacred Rites

  • Oath of Ash - Performed at dawn before the banner fire. Ash is drawn across the brow, and an oath spoke, usually related to the Hesan Creation story. Breaking this oath results in soul-break, a spiritual death.

  • Rite of the Broken Blade - When an officer falls, their blade is shattered and buried beneath the war banner, severing their soul from the field and granting passage to the dying stars.

  • March of Names - A ritual recitation of the fallen before battle. Each name is spoken by the Knight or Red Captain, followed by a single bell toll. It is said the dead march beside the living.

📜 Martial Doctrine

  • The Sword is the Seal - Authority flows from the blade. Command must be earned through steel and sacrifice.

  • Silence is Sovereignty - Officers speak little and observe much. Tactical silence is revered; battlefield orders are conveyed through signs and gestures.

  • No Banner Stands Alone - Though banners may hail from rival houses, doctrine demands mutual defense. Betrayal between banners is punished by exile and name-erasure.