Stannis' recruitment plans

[bel]

Ofcourse we don't know all the free companies, but we do know that the GC is the largest. GC, Windblown, Company of the Cat, Long Lances, Second Brothers, Stromcrows all of them are under contracts.

Also in Westeros every petty lord can hire armed men so there are many individuals working for themselves. But in Essos where wars are conducted by cities I don't think there are many freeriders. I believe that the vast majority of mercenaries are employed by companies and because so many companies are preoccupied (and we don't know which of them will survive) probably there are not enough men available for Justin Massey.

So, if GRRM suddenly creates them, wouldn't that be too easy and unrealistic even for fiction?

[Gronzag]

Yes it would suck if mercenary armies just start popping up out of nowhere. Keep in mind, however, that Stannis doesn't know that all these companies are already engaged in various wars. Far example, he wants Massey to hire GC and they are already in Westeros, fighting for Aegon

[DExit]

There are probably many mercenaries doing easy duts like protecting traders, children, women and so on. I don't think any of the free cities would keep a free companie in peace-time, but how peacefully does it ever gets in the western parts of Essos?

Also a mercenarie can be a man who only fought for his lord before. The stepstones and disputed lands are allways dangerous, thus men are willing to leave those parts of the world for a bit of gold. If GRRM can make up unsullied for insany-dany he can make up a few mercenaries for the rightfull king- even if it isn't necessary.

But I would cast a fair dice that half of them are already on Westerosi shore.

[ab aeterno]

I think that while Stannis doesn't know that most of the high profile companies are engaged at the moment, finding mercenaries shouldn't be too difficult. War in the Free Cities is conducted with mercenaries rather than levies or standing armies, so finding 20,000 mercenaries or a comparable number might not be too difficult, though finding those of a suitable caliber may be.

[Faint]

This thread is entirely composed of spoilers from The Winds of Winters, which makes its placement here, in the general thread, dubious, to say the least.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

I think that while Stannis doesn't know that most of the high profile companies are engaged at the moment, finding mercenaries shouldn't be too difficult. War in the Free Cities is conducted with mercenaries rather than levies or standing armies, so finding 20,000 mercenaries or a comparable number might not be too difficult, though finding those of a suitable caliber may be.

I thought that the Free Cities do have standing armies and just augment them with mercenary companies. What you say about there being an abundance of them is true though.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

This thread is entirely composed of spoilers from The Winds of Winters, which makes its placement here, in the general thread, dubious, to say the least.

Good point.

[bel]

so finding 20,000 mercenaries or a comparable number might not be too difficult, though finding those of a suitable caliber may be.

Do we know the population of Essos in order to try to calculate the size of the needed armies?

[bel]

This thread is entirely composed of spoilers from The Winds of Winters, which makes its placement here, in the general thread, dubious, to say the least.

It was in my DwD edition. Also it has been mentioned many times before.

If you could take back the "dubious". It's not very polite to accuse someone without first checking his posts and comments.

[ab aeterno]

I thought that the Free Cities do have standing armies and just augment them with mercenary companies. What you say about there being an abundance of them is true though.

I think they're more city guards than standing armies? I'm not entirely sure though. IRL most city-states didn't/wouldn't have much in the way of standing armies.

Do we know the population of Essos in order to try to calculate the size of the needed armies?

I don't think so, but I know Ran and some others have speculated as to Westerosi populations. I would consider it like this though: each Free City seems likely (speculatively) to have at least the population of an Oldtown or King's Landing, and they seem to be larger, so those populations must be pretty sizable.

[Faint]

It was in my DwD edition. Also it has been mentioned many times before.

If you could take back the "dubious". It's not very polite to accuse someone without first checking his posts and comments.

I've read the chapter myself but what of everybody who has not? They would be spoiled by the very title of this thread. They would not even have to click on it. And whether the chapter was in your edition or not, I think it fair to trust that someone would have the sense to put this thread here.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

I think they're more city guards than standing armies? I'm not entirely sure though. IRL most city-states didn't/wouldn't have much in the way of standing armies.

Cat mentions something about the Free Cities having standing armies when thinking about Robb's army.

[ab aeterno]

Cat mentions something about the Free Cities having standing armies when thinking about Robb's army.

No-one in Essos seems to mention it though, do they? I'm not sure either way, time to dig up some passages perhaps.

[Lady Nastja]

This thread is entirely composed of spoilers from The Winds of Winters, which makes its placement here, in the general thread, dubious, to say the least.

:agree:

[Djinn]

Well, if we associate the free companies with city-states on Essos, we get: Qohor-Brave companions, Stormcrows-Tyrosh, Pentos-Windblown, Lys-Company of the cat, Myr-Second sons and Volanthis-Long Lances. The Golden Company is deeply associated with Westeros, but Braavos, Norvos, Lorath, Ibben haven't shown to have any great association with any sellsword companies. Considering the italian tradition of the condottieri and Braavos having a strong Venice vibe, it stands to reason that some sellsword companies are based in the these northern Essoi cities. I'm actually curious to see some Braavos military in action(with a hope for some Tercio displays).

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

No-one in Essos seems to mention it though, do they? I'm not sure either way, time to dig up some passages perhaps.

True, the Volantenes have their slave fleet but if they had their own army, why did the Golden Company's presence make them so nervous.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

Cat mentions something about the Free Cities having standing armies when thinking about Robb's army.

That statement is somewhat confusing. Most likely she meant the mercenary forces, because it was in relation to Robb's soldiers' dayjobs as farmers. Which the mercenaries don't have.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

True, the Volantenes have their slave fleet but if they had their own army, why did the Golden Company's presence make them so nervous.

The Volantenes have their tigers. But that's an unexperienced army of unknown size. Probably not much more than the GC in numbers. And the Golden Company has a well-deserved reputation of being the finest by a large margin.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

The Volantenes have their tigers. But that's an unexperienced army of unknown size. Probably not much more than the GC in numbers. And the Golden Company has a well-deserved reputation of being the finest by a large margin.

I need to do a reread, I thought the Tigers were a political party.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

I need to do a reread, I thought the Tigers were a political party.

They're both. The political party who favors military action as well as their slave soldiers.