Military of Hadash

Organisation
Hadash, for much of its history, has faced more internal threats than external. There is no historical record of any attempted invasion over the Sea Between or Sea of Pearls, the Labyrinth threatens only those who venture into it, and whatever happened to destroy the civilisation of the Great Desert was long ago indeed. That leaves just the Plains Kingdoms, never unified enough to pose a great threat.

Hadashi armies are therefore mostly used for - or more to the point to prevent - the internecine conflicts that sometimes threaten the realm. Hadashi houses maintain substantial standing forces suited to garrisoning towns and fortresses.

Hadash has by far the fewest nobles in the empire and nobility do not form a core part of any army. If a noble wishes a military role, they can have it, but nor is there any obligation. Hadashi armies are comprised almost entirely of commoners.

Horses are uncommon in Hadash. While the land by the Emerald River is excellent for growing crops, there is little country in Hadash suited to raising large numbers of horses. Herders do raise some in the arid plains beyond the river, but nothing like the numbers or quality that can be found elsewhere in the empire. A horse is a sign of prestige, but rarely used for military purposes.

Hadash also suffers from a dire lack of mines. Much of its metal must be imported. Full suits of armour are a luxury accorded to only elite soldiers.

These factors combine to mean that Hadashi armies are large in size and comprised primarily of substantial numbers of light infantry and archers. These soldiers are nonetheless all professionals and are well drilled. They are more likely than anywhere else in the empire to be led by commoners.

The Emerald River is about two miles wide through much of Hadash and sees much river traffic. Warships are rare though, because a single river fortress can prove a daunting obstacle indeed. House Anadun, with a major holding on the coast of the Sea Between, is the only house to maintain oceangoing warships.

Doctrine
Hadashi armies are comprised of well drilled professionals, dedicated to the specific task of securing their homes. If a Hadashi army is to be employed offensively, most officers would expect it to be focused on besieging another fortress within Hadash itself. The logistics of supplying the large numbers of soldiers are dealt with by ship. If an army must move far from the Emerald River, then its campaign must be swift and decisive indeed.

Hadashi officers can only theorise about what might happen if their armies were to be deployed abroad, or if indeed they encountered an army very distinctly different to their own lightly equipped foot soldiers. One observer of the Greenwood War came back and said that, faced with Adanan heavy cavalry in an open plain, the very best approach would be to go home and not have a battle.