Opening post by Lady Wynafryd Hornwood · #1
Study the counter chart before you spend a single recruit. Spearmen are the answer to cavalry, cavalry close with archers, and archers punish foot soldiers. Write those three pairings on a scrap beside your levy list, then check the enemy composition before choosing a march.
Do not fill every barracks with one troop kind. Recruit a small answering force first, then add the troops that support it; a line of spearmen is poor comfort when bowmen are left exposed. You should inspect the battle report after each fight and note which counter dealt the killing blows.
Dragons and siege engines deserve separate study, since ordinary counters will not settle every battle. Read the records for range, protection, and formation before committing them. I would rather see a newcomer delay recruitment for one evening than lose a week of gathered strength through guessing.