[Chapter 1] Warfare: History & Application in the Eastern Kingdoms
The traditional and popular understanding of warfare in the Eastern Kingdoms holds that mounted knights dominate human battlefields. Knights are traditionally outfitted with the very best of armour, often clad in plate, and charging in with heavy lances to penetrate the enemy's defenses, scattering, and riding down any foot troops in the way as they closed with each other to decide the battle. This glorious view on the role of heavy cavalry has often been well nurtured by commissioned artwork and accounts by the mounted nobility, while almost blatantly ignoring the commoners and peasants who fight on foot. The importance of the knight has nevertheless been called into question given the rise of specialised infantry, as well as technological advances such as firearms. As such, the perception that heavy cavalry solely dominate the battlefield is false.
Foot troops have always been an important component of all armies in the Eastern Kingdoms. They engage in melee combat with maces, swords, axes and so on. The other aspect takes its form in units equipped with long-range missile weapons. The latter make good use of weapons of varying expense, power and utility (bows and crossbows of varying size, and later handguns). It is also noteworthy that it is usually the clever use of foot soldiers that is critical in the capture, as well as defense of keeps and towns.
Warfare in the Eastern Kingdoms has historically been dominated by siege of one sort or another. Battles on open ground between armies, while frequent, have rarely been the deciding factor in conflicts. The importance of towns and keeps often dictate the movement and maneuvering of armies, which were traditionally planned to avoid engagements where a large and expensive force might be lost.
It would however be erroneous to state that pitched battles never occcur. In these instances, cavalry can be devastating. A well-placed charge by skilled knights is still a powerful force, and can greatly contribute to the outcome of a battle. Theoretically, the likelihood of military success is greatly determined by the composition of the army, and the wise leader makes effective use of the three major army components - infantry equipped for melee combat, missile troops, and cavalry. Also important are the factors that have always influenced battle, such as intelligent use of terrain, troop morale, leadership, discipline, and tactics.
