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! The following text is a collection of the information about the Alethi military !
over thirty [[Shardbearer]]s.{{book ref|sa2|5}}
=== Wages ===
Each of the Alethi armies has it’s own strength, with the [[Kholin princedom|Kholin]] army having the best heavy infantry, the [[Roion princedom|Roion]] army the best archers and the [[Sadeas princedom|Sadeas]] army the fastest bridges, at least during the [[War of Reckoning]].{{book ref|sa1|24}}
The Alethi make use of a wide variety of formations. They generally fight in a shield wall.{{book ref|sa1|65}} However, they also have many other formations. One such formation is called ‘pincer pattern’. This formation looks, as the name suggests, like a pincer, the formation is meant to distract and then destroy an enemy target. The troops at the side generally distract the target while the troops in the middle go for the kill. Pincer pattern is meant to be used by a large number of men, like a full squad or company.{{book ref|sa1|47}} Soldiers are also trained to assemble and function in pike blocks to counter heavy cavalry.{{book ref|sa3|73}} ▼
Another formation is called the trident formation, this is a small-squad battlefield formation used by spearmen. The men, or man, in the middle hold(s) the target’s attention while those on the outside attack from the flanks.{{book ref|sa2|32}} There are also a number of formations which aren’t used on the battlefield. One such formation is used during an inspection, the men will stand in lines while the officer(s) check(s) their gear.{{book ref|sa3|78}} ▼
==== Battlefield tactics ====
==== Shardbearer tactics ====
With over thirty [[Shardbearer]]s,{{book ref|sa2|5}} the Alethi have become incredibly skilled at employing and fighting alongside their Shardbearers.
Nets, ropes. Destroy the plate and then kill them with arrows. Shardbearers generally duel with eachother, without interference, or at least, until your lighteyes is losing.{{book ref|sa3|11}}
Alethi Shardbearers often lead formations themselves, cutting a hole inthrough enemy ranks with their overwhelming force.{{book ref|sa1|68}} This creates a gap that the well-trained menAlethi soldiers can exploit, which can even allow for an army to overcome superior numbers. The usefulness of this tactic is twofold. Few regular men can put up an effective resistance against a Shardbearer, allowing them to lead a spectacularly effective charge, and also this tactic puts the Shardbearers at the front of the regular soldiers, often giving them a boost in morale as well.{{book ref|sa1|56}} Shardbearers will also sometimes be used in defensive fights to bolsterclose the gaps in their own lines, moving quickly between weak places to give soldiers a chance to recover and return to their formation.{{book ref|sa1|67}} WhenAlethi aShardbearers Shardbeareralmost hasalways Platehave andan Blade,honorguard theywith canthem, alsowhich easilyfollows cut their waythem behindinto enemy lines, where they can wreak havoc with impunity and cause confusion that their own soldiers can then exploit.{{book ref|sa1|6556}} UnlikeThis fightinghonor inguard adoes duel,not thespend mosttime effective way to combat large groups of soldiers is to maintain momentum and keepdefending the ShardbladeShardbearer in constant motiondirectly, alwaysbut cutting.{{bookrather ref|sa1|56}} Practiced Shardbearers will use their control over their bond with theirstays Shardbladenearby to make use of it unexpectedly. They may throw their Shardblades in a more ranged attack than an enemy is used to and then dismiss it oncesupport the damage is doneShardbearer, so thatif theyhis canPlate summonis itseverely backdamaged to their hands.{{book ref|sa2|35}} Another uncommonor tactiche is unexpectedlyseriously dismissinginjured, the Blade, whichShardbearer can surpriseretreat anto enemysafety whoand isnot preparingrisk totheir dodge the Bladelife or parrytheir itShards.{{book ref|sa1|i|928}} This works particularly well when the Shardbearer is wearing Plate.
The Alethi have also become adept at countering Shards. They have learned that the best way is to send another Shardbearer against them.{{book ref|sa1|24}} By leveling the playing field in this way, the overwhelming power of a Shardbearer is negated and victory is left to the most skilled of the fighters.{{book ref|sa2|54}} Aside from that, they use heavy weapons such as war hammers and axes in an attempt to shatter the plate.{{book ref|sa1|56}} The most common tactic employed by the Alethi is to simply drown a Shardbearer in enemies.{{book ref|sa2|85}} There are also soldiers trained specifically to deal with Shardbearers. They utilize ropes and hooks to try to unbalance or trip the shardbearer, though this isn't always successful as shardplates are extremely heavy.{{book ref|sa2|81}} Some Alethi Fortifications are built to withstand Shardbearers. These fortifications are built with narrow corridors to prevent a bulky Shardbearer from maneuvering.{{book ref|sa3|66}}
Due to their awesome power, Shardbearers fighting together often have to be careful that they do not inadvertently hurt one another or their own men.{{book ref|sa1|56}} Fighting in tandem with Shards is a skill all its own, keeping close enough to support one another but just far enough away to avoid interfering in the other's fight.{{book ref|sa1|67}} While the skill is uncommonly practiced, two Shardbearers supporting one another in combat can achieve incredible success.{{book ref|sa2|26}} Many times a Shardbearer will wade into enemy lines, bolstered by an honor guard fighting a few steps behind them.{{book ref|sa1|56}} The honor guard does not spend time defending the Shardbearer directly, but rather stays nearby to support the Shardbearer, so if his Plate is severely damaged or he is seriously injured, the Shardbearer can retreat to safety and not risk their life or their Shards.{{book ref|sa1|28}} Bolder Shardbearers will leave this honor guard behind and will attack enemies alone, either on foot or horseback.{{book ref|sa1|26}} Such a move is a tactical risk, as an isolated Shardbearer is at his most vulnerable and the loss of a Shardbearer in combat may prove disastrous for their own forces.{{book ref|sa1|56}} Shardbearers may also fight alone when capturing a wall or taking down some other fortification. Narrow wall tops are ideal for Shardbearers, as they are able to easily kill the clustered soldiers.{{book ref|sa3|11}} They must take care when scaling walls however, as some handholds are designed to be retracted by the defenders.{{book ref|sa3|66}} Unexpectedly pulling in a ledge that a Shardbearer is hanging from can be enough to send them spilling to the ground, cracking their Plate or killing them.
The most effective way of countering a Shardblade is to send another Shardbearer against them.{{book ref|sa1|24}} By leveling the playing field in this way, the overwhelming power of a Shardblade is negated and victory is left to the most skilled of the fighters.{{book ref|sa2|54}} However, when going up against a full Shardbearer, a person with both Blade and Plate, a Blade is often not enough to ensure victory.{{book ref|sa1|24}} In fact, in a duel between someone with only Plate and someone with only a Blade, the person with Plate will more often be successful, as they only need to get in one good strike on their opponent.{{book ref|sa3|11}} This is why most Shards are won by people who are already full Shardbearers.
As swords and arrows are practically useless against a Shardbearer, heavy weapons such as war hammers and axes are often used in an attempt to shatter the plate.{{book ref|sa1|56}} The most common tactic is to simply drown a Shardbearer in enemies.{{book ref|sa2|85}} Enemy forces attempt to attack from all directions, hoping that the Shardbearer may grow distracted or disoriented.{{book ref|sa1|56}} Despite the fact that most regular soldiers are afraid to face a Shardbearer, when they attack in large groups the weight of the army can force even the reluctant forward,{{book ref|sa1|56}} and there is always the chance that someone will get in a lucky blow.{{book ref|sa2|85}} Shardbearers are vulnerable if they can be separated from the soldiers supporting them, so if an army can separate a Shardbearer from their honor guard and limit their mobility, they have a decent chance of killing him.{{book ref|sa1|28}} One tactic to reduce a Shardblade's effectiveness is to get in close to the Shardbearer, staying within the Shardbearer's reach{{book ref|sa3|11}} and taking advantage of the Blade's long, non-lethal hilt.{{book ref|sa1|56}}{{book ref|sa2|89}} Fortifications may be constructed with this principle in mind, keeps built with narrow corridors to prevent a bulky Shardbearer from maneuvering.{{book ref|sa3|66}} There are also soldiers trained specifically to deal with Shardbearers. They utilize ropes and hooks to try to unbalance or trip the shardbearer, though this isn't always successful as shardplates are heavy. As the Shardblades cut through corpses instead of knocking them away like a normal weapon would, Shardbearers often become surrounded in corpses, which can lead to unstable footing and decreased mobility.{{book ref|sa1|56}} In extended battle, Shardbearers are rarely the last fighting, their enemy focuses on bringing them down first so that their Blades can be turned on their own men once they have fallen.{{book ref|sa1|67}} This means when a Shardbearer is killed, recovering their Blade and Plate are a higher priority than even retrieving the highlord's body.{{book ref|sa2|82}}
==== Planning and army movement ====
==== Warcamps ====
How a warcamp is organised and run depends greatly on the highprince. Some camps are organised and patrolled while others are chaotic and almost lawless.{{book ref|sa2|5}} Alethi warcamps are generally circular, with the camp followers in a ring on the outside, the mercenaries, if there are any, in a ring next to them, the citizen soldiers in the middle and the lighteyes in the very center.{{book ref|sa1|4}} Inside these rings the barracks, which are placed in rows, are arranged into circular patterns, with a meeting ground and a mess hall at the center of each battalion.{{book ref|sa1|26}} Some warcamps Jane wooden scouting towers, these towers are designed to be portable and mobile.{{book ref|sa3|26}} Many warcamps have a market, which is located in the camp followers' part of the camp. Most warcamps also have a number of barracks that allow for families, or married soldiers can rent a place in the market.{{book ref|sa2|46}}
▲The Alethi make use of a wide variety of formations. They generally fight in a shield wall.{{book ref|sa1|65}} However, they also have many other formations. One such formation is called ‘pincer pattern’. This formation looks, as the name suggests, like a pincer, the formation is meant to distract and then destroy an enemy target. The troops at the side generally distract the target while the troops in the middle go for the kill. Pincer pattern is meant to be used by a large number of men, like a full squad or company.{{book ref|sa1|47}} Soldiers are also trained to assemble and function in pike blocks to counter heavy cavalry.{{book ref|sa3|73}}
▲Another formation is called the trident formation, this is a small-squad battlefield formation used by spearmen. The men, or man, in the middle hold(s) the target’s attention while those on the outside attack from the flanks.{{book ref|sa2|32}} There are also a number of formations which aren’t used on the battlefield. One such formation is used during an inspection, the men will stand in lines while the officer(s) check(s) their gear.{{book ref|sa3|78}}
=== Training ===
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