Cantonments in T2k

[headquarters]

I like to call it neo feudalism too !

Originally Posted by Raellus

I forgot to make mention of the civilians. The local civies would play an important role in the cantonment system. They would help in the planting and harvesting of crops, brewing of fuel, washing and mending of uniforms, reloading of spent brass (where the appropriate machinary and military grade are available), building of defensive works, etc.

In exchange, the occupying military would provide protection and law enforcement, medical care, training for the local militia, technical and engineering support, etc.

This exchange of labor/service for military protection is very much like the feudal system of the early Middle Ages. I like to call it neo-feudalism.

This is all in theory. Civil affairs and psyops would become crucial to winning the locals' "hearts and minds". If occupying troops behave badly or fail to reciprocate the effort and service of the local civilians, things could get ugly.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by headquarters

I like to call it neo feudalism too !

I think a lot of people would describe it as neo feudalism because that is what it is.

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by headquarters

I like to call it neo feudalism too !

I think this is what the creators of Twilight:2000 were leaning to in many aspects of the game. In their European setting you seen in a few places, in the Howling Wilderness you seen too, I wish they had done some modules for Korea, Japan and China. You would see feudalism big time in China to fill the void.

Just some thought

[Trooper]

Brigade cantonment should be quite large. In my games cantonment is basicly an area where larger military unit would provide security for food and other products. Platoon for village or company for county. About 3/4 of troops should be in security or reconstruction duty. Rest of the unit (with IFV and APC) should act as an "firebrigade" and also provide security for unit warehouses and other facilities.

In preindustrial Russia (1700-1800) military units usually didn't had any barracks. For infantry regiment they needed cantonment with 22 000 inhabitans. Cavalry regiment required 60 000 "souls" to support it!

[Abbott Shaull]

How big were these Regiments?

[Trooper]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

How big were these Regiments?

1200 men or 1200 dragoons in cavalry.

[Abbott Shaull]

Seems like a lot of people to support a Regiment.

[Slappy]

This is about 20:1 for the infantry regement. That means that 5% of a household's output was going to the unit. Probably fair to call it 5-10% as the soldiers were living better than the average russian. This sounds pretty reasonable for peacetime. I would be offended if this were a special assessment or a cossack showed up to use my spare bedroom, but it's in the ballpark of what I pay as a US citizen to support the military today. In the T2K world where there is a much higher premium on security I could see people willing to pay a much higher percentage. 1:10 might be a better ratio there, but beyond that you just can't support it. There is only so much surplus food production possible without modern fertilizer and petrol.