(For DRM Version 5.0.2)
Updated: 11/12/2023

The Calradian people are distinct from the Empire in that the Empire can collapse without the Calradians vanishing. Should the Empire fall, the Calradians will persist and live on. To that end, they will have a select number of troops that are used by various factions as they capture Imperial territory.

These troops should not be looked at so much as a specific faction as much as being a replacement for the Empire as it falls.


Standard Calradian Units
These troops are used even while the Empire still persists and can be seen as being agnostic to the existence of the Empire. They are used for the purposes of Empire faction units for quests such as “Lord Needs Troops”, filling in militias, and a few other miscellaneous uses such as upgrading from common bandits.


Calradian Armed Citizen
Only Available to Non-Imperial Factions
Tier I Spear Infantry
** Shielded

Back in the days of the Calradian Republic, it was a levy of citizen-soldiers that served as the bulk of the army. With the decline of the Imperial Legions, the Calradian cities find that they must call these troops up once more.

These troops act as the “basic” unit for the Empire culture, even though it does not spawn for the Empire factions. It only upgrades into the Calradian Light Auxiliary, keeping these shared units as the ones to be selected in quests such as ‘Lord Needs Garrison Troops’. Should they be freed from the barbarians by the Empire, they can still train into the troops you would get as an option normally, though they will not have the additional Imperial Auxiliary options.



Calradian Light Auxiliary
Tier II Spear Infantry
** Shielded

Light Auxiliaries are the junior of the proper citizen-auxiliary troops. Lightly armored and equipped with spear and shield, they are enough to hold off opposing levies and most bandit rabble, but little more. These troops usually reflect field or additional garrison troops rather than defensive militias trained for garrison duties by towns.

Those who survive long enough can at least get a more thorough set of kit issued to them and become proper Auxiliaries, whether for the Empire or for its successor states.


Calradian Auxiliary
Tier III Spear Infantry
** Shielded

These moderately equipped part-time soldiers are not that different from the spear levies of their neighbors, though they are perhaps the best equipped thanks to inertia. Nonetheless, they are a far cry from professional soldiers and should not be relied on against such. Use them to pad your ranks with defensive spearmen and as shields to hold back the enemy, allowing other troops to get to work.


Calradian Town Militia
Used by Militias and Non-Imperial Factions
Basic Militia Melee Unit
Tier II Spear Infantry
** Shielded

These spear militia are specifically those used by the garrisons of Calradian cities, equipped with both a spear and a sword to use in defense of their homes. These troops should be effective on the walls and flexible in that regard, but are not really troops suited for the field.

They will be available to non-Imperial factions as a semi-regular recruit to lead to the Urban Armsman, though primarily they will be seen used by militias.


Calradian Urban Armsman
Usable by Militias and Non-Imperial Factions
Elite Militia Melee Unit
Tier IV Heavy Infantry
** Shielded
** Projectile Armed (Javelins)
** Good against Shields (Javelins)

Urban Armsmen are a non-professional cohort of troops retained by the cities primarily for their own defense. They are styled after the classic Calradian legionary or the modern skoutatos, but they lack professional training or weapons outside their swords and javelins. Still, they make an excellent addition to a garrison and for those who would conquer the Empire, this may be the closest they get to being able to make their own imitation legion.

As one might expect, the Calradian Empire does not need these troops as they have the Imperial Army, though they might draw on them from various circumstances such as elevating bandits out of their loathsome career.


Calradian Militia Crossbowman
Used by Militias and Non-Imperial Factions
Basic Militia Ranged Unit
Tier II Missile Infantry
** Standard Ammo:

Militia crossbows have replaced slings and self-bows as the standard ranged option of the Calradian cities, issued out to citizens willing to help defend the city when it is besieged by the enemy. Though their crossbows are light, they are fairly friendly for use by inexperienced hands.

Those who survive their service may professionalize, becoming Urban Crossbowmen.


Calradian Urban Crossbowman
Used by Militias and Non-Imperial Factions
Elite Militia Ranged Unit
Tier IV Missile Infantry
** Standard Ammo:
** Double Satchels

These “shooter” crossbowmen do not make use of a shield and sidearm like Vlandian Pavise Crossbowmen, but rather have the ammunition for the long haul and good quality crossbows to pair it with. During a siege, they excel as they can shoot from behind cover and use it to reload behind, with the steadiness of their crossbows allowing them to better track enemies trying to scale the walls.


Calradian Cavalry Militia
Available to Imperial Caravans and non-Imperial Factions
Tier IV Light Cavalry
** Shielded

These cavalrymen are not unlike the Koursores of the Imperial Army and tend to be of similar quality, but they lack the professional training. Some may be drawn from caravaneers who have lasted long enough to buy the equipment, but for those who conquer Calradia the majority of them will have to be directly recruited to pad the horsemen of a post-Imperial army.



Post-Imperial Troops
These troops should only appear when the Empire begins to fall and the cities of the Empire must fend for themselves as part of the other factions.They may show up elsewhere such as in minor factions (most notably the Embers of the Flame), but primarily they will be available when one of the outer kingdoms invades the Empire and successfully conquers Imperial territory.

These troops are specifically meant to be used by other factions, and their recruitment availability will be noted with each unit. You will generally find that the Calradian units here drawn on by a faction either enhances their factional identity or plugs a gaping hole in their roster.

A list of what units are available to what faction is included at the end, as well as their recruitment in formerly Imperial territory.


Calradian Militia Pikeman
Tier III Pike Infantry
** Spear Brace

Militia pikemen are light troops drawn from post-Imperial cities as the towns try to compensate for the loss of the Imperial Army. These troops are primarily various townsmen drafted into military service and drilled by the city as a way to fill obligations to their new overlords or for their own ambitions.

The Battanians in particular draw on these troops to augment their own pike line and let the Calradians do the dying as expendable auxiliaries for once. The Khuzaits tend to draft pikemen as Kharash troops, though they can still make use of them.

These troops may upgrade into Burgher Pikemen, allowing them to represent more organized troops. It does take some time to turn them into proper elite troops, though.


Calradian Burgher Pikeman
Tier V Pike Infantry
** Spear Brace
** Professional

Burgher Pikemen represents either the wealthier burghers of the Calradian cities who have had to serve in the military, or more often than not professional pikemen retained by the Calradian cities post-Imperial collapse. Usually at the expense of the burghers, especially those seeking to avoid military service by paying higher taxes.

They are well armored, well trained, and present a forest of pikes towards any enemy dumb enough to charge them head-on. However, armor only goes so far in protecting them from missiles…


Calradian Vavasour
Tier IV Light Cavalry
Minimum Ride: 40
** Noble
** Shielded

These men are Imperial aristocrats who survived the fall of the Empire to remain as Calradian aristocrats, having at least several underlings beneath them. Though unable to escape military service, they have adapted well and now fight as a form of light cavalry with spear and shield, providing military service to the outsiders or perhaps fighting for their own goals.

Though they draw their name from the Vlandian magnates, this system is also viable under Battanian and Sturgian domain as this is a niche that the aristocracy of the Empire can lean into as a way to remain viable. That said, most of them realize they need that little extra spark… knighthood is one way to do it.


Calradian Knight
Tier V Shock Cavalry
Requires a War Horse
Minimum Ride: 70
** Couched Lance
** Shielded
** Noble

Though the Vlandians are the ones that have embraced knighthood the hardest, the Battanians and Sturgians both have customs close enough that Calradian nobles can use it as a way to remain viable. While the nobles of the aforementioned three outer kingdoms will still turn their noses down at them, these Calradian Knights are still capable warriors.

Compared to their Vlandian counterparts, they have stronger frontal horse armor and use steeds that would be familiar to Cataphracts, which results in them trending slower than other shock cavalry. On the flipside, these horses are also much tougher to stop.



Calradian Forester
Tier III Missile Infantry
** Standard Ammo: 60g Needle

Though the Battanians are the true masters of the woods, the Calradians too must guard against poaching and ensure that the forests do not succumb to the tragedy of the commons. To that end, the Empire would often select those with the right talents to be trained as Foresters - skilled bowmen and hunters alike who could serve as game wardens and put game on the table of the aristocrats as needed. Of course, it is quite common that the line between warden and poacher is… blurry.

Before the collapse of the Empire, these men would have been exempt from military service or would enlist properly as Toxotes. With its collapse, those who have a desire for such bowmen will draw on them for military service. Most likely, this will mean training them further into Rangers.


Calradian Rangers
Tier V Missile Infantry
** Professional
** Standard Ammo: 90g Needle
** Double Satchels
** Decent Melee Combatant
** Weapon Specialization: One-Handed (+20)

Rangers are the natural evolution of the Calradian Forester, and have occasionally cropped up amongst the Imperial ranks. Those archons or emperors who realized their value often drew on them from the ranks of those captured by the Foresters, and leaders of the right persuasion could turn them to their cause. With the Empire collapsing, however, post-Imperial factions may find that bands of rangers might be necessary to defend what remains of the Empire.

Rangers excel at range, and are not shabby in melee even though they still only use one-handed weapons, often maces to deal with armor. In theory, this makes them good ambushers. In practice, when was the last time you saw an ambush against or by a Bannerlord?


Factional Conquests

In general, each faction will settle and colonize the Empire to some degree, resulting in a mixture of the conqueror’s troops and Calradians. This will mean that as factions expand into Imperial territory armies will become more mixed.

Battania:
Battania’s goal is the reconquest of their lands, and so resettle the Calradian territories the hardest. They will accept some Calradian aristocrats as vavasours and knights, but otherwise they are essentially retaking previously lost territories. However, this resettlement means fewer kerns and wildlings.

Basic pool:
40% C. Armed Citizens
25% B. Clan Militia
25% B. Hunters
10% C. Town Militia

Elite Pool:
45% C. Pike Militia
20% C. Cavalry Militia
30% B. Noble Youths
5% C. Vavasours


Vlandia:
Vlandia is more or less pressing their feudal system on the Calradians, so while they will draw on mostly native Calradian subjects, with a number of their (new) nobles having settled into their fiefdoms and brought with them common vassals in particularly developed regions.

Basic Pool:
65% C. Armed Citizens
10% C. Town Militia
20% C. Crossbow Militia
5% V. Squires

Elite Pool:
40% V. Footmen
20% C. Cavalry Militia
10% V. Squires
20% C. Vavasours
10% V. Vavasours


Khuzaits:
The Khuzaits will mostly just put the Calradian cities under their thumb, leaving them with most of their independence and minus their previous aristocrats. However, Khuzait nomads will take advantage of this to graze their herds in far greener pastures, allowing them to call on their Nomads as well as Calradian troops. Well developed regions will be able to reliably train the elite of the post-Imperial troops, giving the Khanate staying power they otherwise lack.

Basic Pool:
50% C. Armed Citizens
15% C. Militia Crossbowman
10% C. Town Militia
15% Khuzait Tribal Archers
10% Khuzait Nomads

Elite Pool:
20% C. Cavalry Militia
50% C. Militia Pikemen
30% C. Foresters


Sturgia:
The Sturgians will establish mercantile dominance over the Calradians, colonizing regions with sufficient wealth and notable power and from this drawing on more of their guard infantry. They will also use this to draw on and recruit Foresters and Vavasours, with the former available in some numbers from sufficiently developed regions.

Basic Pool:
60% C. Armed Citizens
25% C. Militia Crossbowman
10% C. Town Militia
5% C. Cavalry Militia

Elite Pool:
50% S. Warrior
40% C. Foresters
10% C. Vavasours


Aserai:
The Aserai will primarily be looking to establish control over trade, and therefore will primarily just draw on local Calradian troops to pad the ranks. However, sufficiently developed regions will allow them to recruit Calradian Mamelukes from those captives taken in the conquests or other incidents. A few of their own will also settle in the former Empire, often hangers-on to the aforementioned merchants or tribal nobles seeking their fortunes.

Basic Pool:
60% C. Armed Citizen
25% C. Militia Crossbowman
5% C. Town Militia
10% Aserai Skirmishers

Elite Pool:
40% C. Urban Armsman
20% Aserai Archers
30% Calradian Mamelukes
10% Aserai Tribal Noble