There is no such thing as a peaceful imaginary world. If there is, comment below though you’ll have to make an account with us to do so! Danger lurks on every corner, just waiting to catch the unsuspecting person by surprise. In order to protect their people from the threats, whether that be bandits or enemy armies, the country has a fantasy military.
The military is one of the most powerful instruments the realm has in its arsenal. Whether it has a volunteer-based army or it’s comprised of conscripted people, the military always uses strategies to accomplish its missions, all in the name of the realm. Soldiers will not hesitate to use force if they believe it will help them attain their objectives.
There are numerous reasons why a nation needs a military. One such is to keep it safe from hostile neighbors who might attempt to seize it by force. Having a military is an effective deterrent, meaning the neighbor might have to think twice before attempting an invasion that might ultimately prove more costly than anticipated.
Though people — or whatever humanoid-like race you have in your own world — might be the heart of the military, they simply do not go out into battle haphazardly. Rather, they carry weapons with them and their offensive power just might spell the difference between falling or living to fight another day.
At first glance, it’s obvious that the role of the fantasy military is to protect the nation from aggressors. However, if you look deeper, you see that it has more of a multifaceted role. For instance, it is an organization that extensively researches new technologies like weapons or armors that eventually wind up gaining widespread use in the civilian life.
This is the first article in our series looking at the military. If you want to see what else we have to offer, our other articles are located on our blog page!
People in fantasy worlds live their lives, aware that there’s all kinds of dangers milling about. Yet despite these dangers, they courageously go on with their lives though they keep a watchful eye out for the first sign of trouble. Why do they not let the dangers of the world strike them with fear? It’s because they know that the military will take care of them.
Whether it’s a republic or oligarchy, a nation needs to have a fantasy military regardless of what form of government is in power. Having a defenseless country in the middle of the dangerous world is folly and only invites nothing but trouble. Thus, it needs a military to safeguard it from external dangers.
External dangers include hostile neighbors or extraterritorial organizations. The latter consists of groups of people who operate within multiple countries where they essentially act as paramilitary organizations where they commit a litany of crimes in these places. The former is more obvious, referring to another country who may want to conquer it for its treasures or resources. It is the job of the military to protect the realm’s people from these threats.
A fantasy military doesn’t just deal with external threats, it also handles internal ones. It is the favorite choice of weapon for authoritarian regimes to squelch dissension and arrest political opponents. It can also put down coup attempts or take measures to protect the citizens even if they disagree with said measures.
Another reason why a country needs a military is that it also acts as its main law enforcement agency. It has the power, especially in the medieval era, to apprehend and detain criminals, conduct investigations into crimes, and maintain the peace of the realm’s towns and cities, enabling law-abiding citizens to go about their day with peace of mind.
Though the military may be made of people, it doesn’t dispatch its personnel on missions without adequate protection. Rather, it uses the weapons at its disposal and there are a lot of them they can use. The only caveat is that what weapons it uses is entirely dictated by the period of the world is in. For instance, in an ancient-era one, you wouldn’t see guns and drones so use those that make sense for the world in the era it is in!
For the purpose of this article, we’ll use the ones you’re most likely see since many people associate the genre with medieval times. Swords are a mainstay of the genre for a reason and practically all members of the fantasy military carry one with them. Whenever trouble arises which could be any given moment, they’ll be protected. These razor-sharp weapons are superb in grand battles or one-on-one combat. The different types of swords like steel and silver each come with their own pros and cons so use the one that works the best for your characters!
The military also relies on bow-and-arrows. Perfect for attacking from a safe distance, the arrows that fly out of the bows make short work of the number of enemies heading towards them which can make the difference between a smashing victory or a shattering rout. There are many different types of bows like wooden or steel and they each have their own uses so it’s worth looking into to see which is better for your characters.
There may be times where a sword might not be effective, especially against a strong foe. To combat that type of foe, the fantasy military might elicit to deploy the mace which can deal hefty damage though it requires someone with strength to wield effectively. There are some versions that have spikes on them to inflict even more damage!
For worlds brimming in magic, the military will use wands and staffs, depending on where their members are in the hierarchy. More powerful ones use the latter as opposed to their weaker counterparts who might go for the former though of course there are always exceptions. The magic the military uses can be just about anything from a spell that incinerates everything in its vicinity to one that generates a gale that lifts its victim into the air.
Regarding the grand scheme of things, the military is one of the most essential components of worldbuilding. It is how a nation is able to protect itself from both outside and inside threats. Additionally, it also operates as its law enforcement, having powers such as pursuing and arresting criminals.
However, that isn’t the only purpose a fantasy military serves. Yes, defending the country from all her enemies is its preeminent mission but it has other purposes as well, purposes that don’t necessarily come to mind right away. These other functions it plays adds more dimensions to it, further fleshing it out.
One such purpose the military serves is in research and development. Senior leaders are continuously looking into new ideas and technologies that will make them a powerful force to be reckoned with. They have all kinds of projects such as weaponry development, new types of armor that can better withstand impact, or new tech that will revolutionize fighting as they know it.
The large funds of money the fantasy military spends in R&D don’t solely focus on weapons and armor. A generous chunk of it goes into communications. It is searching for better and more instantaneous methods of communicating so that the leaders can get realtime data on how a battle is unfolding and so on. When developing these projects, it also builds the infrastructure that it will be used which will eventually be replicated for the civilians to use on their own network. In many cases, the majority of technologies people use everyday first originated in the military before being successfully adapted for civilian use.
The fantasy military is a large organization, full of many moving parts. While it generally tries to keep everything in-house, more often that not it contracts jobs out to outsiders. These jobs range from cooking for the soldiers to buying weapons from weapons manufacturers. The jobs have a great impact on the community, bringing revenue to those living within as well as jumpstarting new industries and businesses catered to just serving it.
The military is a core part of worldbuilding, one that shouldn’t be overlooked. It is the means by which a nation protects its people from vicious monsters like dragons or goblin armies. It operates on a strict hierarchy in which orders from the top are duly expected to be followed immediately.
Life in an imaginary world is fraught with peril. From demons to great serpents, there’s no shortage of dangers people face as they go about their lives. Fortunately for them, the fantasy military keeps them at bay and eliminates them so that they no longer post a threat for their citizens so they can enjoy their lives to the fullest!
The military assigns weapons to all rank-and-file so that they can use them should the need arise. Popular ones consist of swords and bow-and-arrows though it has also been known to use magic wands and staffs. The key here is to give it the weapons that make sense given the time period of the world.
One function of the military is to develop technologies that it uses first before it eventually becomes adopted by the mass populace. Technologies encompass new ways of transportation, communications, and so on. This can usher in the rapid establishment and rise of whole new industries that generate gobs of revenue and jobs for the communities they’re in.
Haven’t given much thought about having a fantasy military in the world you’re creating from scratch? You can start that today!
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