>>5387874>>5387885>>5387873>>5387857You may not be able to remain in Devon forever, or you may, but if you are to be of use anywhere you'd be wise to gather all of your resources to you before letting them fall into the hands of others. The gentlemen of neighbouring hundreds that know you at all know you as a royalist - you are only little known in Barnstaple and the other local towns. It is likely that word of your side will break out before long, but without confidence it is unlikely that Parliamentary forces will come for you too soon - at least you hope so. Autumn and winter are coming on, too - you have time.
And so you ride around your tenants, cousins, clients - you send letters as fast as your hand allows, you begin to put together a force of men. There are no veterans to be had - mercenaries are off in Bavaria or Holland, and few Englishmen know how to fight. The country has seen no warfare in decades - since the Northern rebellion eighty years past - castles are in ruins, walls are broken down - no-one knows what to expect, and few are ready for what comes. You are a boisterous and encouraging presence - a dedicated and heartfelt man, with a booming voice and a ready sword-hand - you drum up support with some ease, though any local parliamentarians are immediately aware of your position.
In October you hear of the battle at Edgehill, where the King and Parliament's commander, damn his name, the Earl of Essex, brought each other to a draw, and the king was repulsed from London by upstart apprentices at Turnham Green. Over the winter you put together a small force of 150 horse plus your lifeguard - paid with good money, indeed, paid with all the money you have left. This is no army - more than twenty thousand men fought at Edgehill - but it is a start.
Your men are poorly armed and armoured, excepting your lifeguard, the body of men that will be with you personally, comprised primarily of kinsmen and family tenants, who you have just enough funds to properly equip;
>How will your lifeguard be equipped?>Light Cavalry - almost all cavalry in this war are of this kind, equipped with pistols, sabres and arquebuses, they fire a volley and charge into the fray, sabres raised. Fragile, but quick, and cheaper. (Numbering 50)>Heavy Cavalry - almost none of the calvry in this war are of this kind, equipped with cuirass and armour, as well as sabres, pistols, lances. These are heavy, expensive and slow, but can be devastating in the hands of the right commander. (Numbering 20) 