Military of the Rahi Vasa Company

The Rahi Vasa Company was originally a purely mercantile organisation, with little in the way of a standing armed force. However, with The Reaver War, a professional armed force was created. It is historically heavily biased towards Naval forces with Marine Infantry, although heavy infantry and engineering forces do exist, more often found on Othus.

The Rahi Vasa Company Navy is considered to be the largest, and most powerful naval force throughout history, with their ships being faster and often, comparatively more heavily armed compared to those of other countries. After the development of flight, their naval air wing is also considered top tier.

The Rahi Vasa Company has strong Marine Infantry, but lacks the numbers and heavy troops for extended land campaigns, preferring to limit territory claims to areas that can easily be supplied by ship. If the Rahi Vasa Company's armed forces could be said to have a weakness, it is the lack of Calvary, and even in later technological times, a smaller amount of Armoured forces than other nations.

Navy
During the Age of Meeting, a typical Ravaco warship was a plank built catamaran with a length of 70 meters, and a beam of 20-25 meters across both hulls. The two main hulls would have a hold, one inner gun deck and one outer gun deck, with a raised prow and stern. The superstructure would have two internal decks, and mount the two mainsails and spinnaker. Like all Ravaco ships, it could be sailed either prow or stern first.

The warship would have 150 dedicated sailors, 90 cannons, and 150 marines. Approximately 135 of the sailors would man the 45 guns along one side, while marines would crew pintle guns, grapnel cannon and use small arms.

Ravaco cannons are smaller bore than other canons of the time, firing mere 5.4kg shells compared to more common 8, 10.8 or 14.5 kg shots. However, lighter weapon weight allowed them to more easily be fitted in higher numbers on lighter ships. The small bore also allows for longer barrels, giving them a greater accuracy and range compared to ships with heavier individual guns. Early development of explosive shot compared to solid shot allowed for these lightweight shells to maintain destructive parity, often being filled with a combination of explosive and incendiary filler.

Military Personnel
The main military personnel of the Rahi Vasa Company were naval sailors and marines. Professional troops, these well paid, disciplined and skilled Bawa were considered to be easily more dangerous than levied armies other countries fielded.

Sailors and marines were proficient with firearms, but would not taken them in a boarding action, as Bawa often swum across to the target if it cannot be grapneled. Instead, they carried cutlasses, Rahj’agaga and a short throwing spear on a short length of line which was used on deck or under water. The standard leather swimming garb of the Ravaco had thin metal plates riveted into the leather, forming a brigandine.

Personal gear of a marine:

Worn:


 * 1 Armoured vest. 1 Armoured shorts. Tunic, tunic belt. Military sandals.
 * 1 Musket, shot, powder, rammer and cleaning kit. 1 Pistol, of the same caliber. Firearm, shot and power sac for easy abandonment of water sensitive weapons.
 * Standard issue cutlass. Standard issue short spear and line. Sword belt.

Knapsack:


 * 2 Lightweight tunic, 1 heavy tunic, 2 pair heavy socks.
 * Oilskin poncho / sleeping sack.
 * Mess tin, firestarters, flint, tinder. Canteen.
 * 3 days trail rations, dried meat (usually fish), fruit and saltrice cakes.

Extra supplies would be carried by ship or wagon where needed. Examples are palisades, spare uniforms, sandals and extra food, shot and powder.

The sailors were commanded by mates, with approximately 15 sailors to a mate. Marines were commanded by mako, with approximately 15 marines to a mako. Both mates and mako reported to the Captain of the ship. When multiple ships worth of troops were fielded as a single force or fleet the most senior Captain would assume command.

Land Forces
Land battles would be conducted by disembarked marines, and would often consist of the construction of palisades from which to give musket fire, while field cannon was used to support with explosive shot and canister shot. Ravaco Marines were well drilled for three rank firing, where one third of the Ravaco would fire as a group, then reload, while the other two thirds cycled.

Often no order to advance was ever given, and melee was only engaged in once the enemy had closed through superior Ravaco firepower. Only in rare cases close to major settlements would heavy infantry be deployed, full plate soldiers armed with halberds, fighting in dense formations compared to the spread out, skirmishing nature of the rest of Ravaco land forces.

Sieges would often be supported by specialist mortar ships, either directly or by hauling the mortar to the seige camp. Ravaco mortars fired enormous explosive shells, often weighing 100kg or more a tremendous distance on a high arc. While unsuited for open naval combat, assault on a fortified position or harbour was easily supported with such artillery.