The League military concerns
The League provides only a single army to fight in the Imperial wars. It is a constant frustration for the Merchant Princes that they cannot match the military strength of nations like the Marches or the Dawn, but the structure of Imperial forces does not appeal to many here and attempts to find additional volunteers have come to nought.
Most citizens of the League who seek a military life look instead to the Free Companies and it is here that the nation excels. The Free Companies are the mercenary units for which the Bay of Catazar is famous. Threats are considered downright rude, but most Camorra still employ mercenaries; only a fool relies on the rules to protect their interests. To join a Free Company is a serious undertaking, members are expected to show the same loyalty they would to any normal Camorra, but here it is with the understanding that your loyalty might be tested on the field of battle. The League emphasis on loyalty has given the Free Companies a reputation that few foreign mercenaries can match so they are eagerly sought out by Imperial Generals looking to bolster their forces. Although Free Companies are renowned for their loyalty and discipline on the battlefield, they are equally notorious for their riotous behaviour on the streets. Not for nothing are their members called Bravos, fighting by day and drinking through the night. When two Free Companies are housed in the same city then rivalry soon spills over into violence. Brawls and duels abound and running battles in the streets are not unknown. The leaders of the Free Companies turn a blind eye as long as the bills for the damage do not mount too high. The Imperial authorities turn a blind eye provided no Bravo is reported killed.
If the League lack military numbers, they strive to make up for it with the cunning of their generals. League tacticians are a byword for brutal brilliance – men and women prepared to contemplate the unthinkable to achieve victory. The Temeswar general Anke Carsten famously stated “I am an artist, the battlefield is my canvas” when dragged before the Synod to justify the tactics she employed on the fields of Alazar. Crossbows are very much in favour with the League – everyone from wealthy merchants to street Bravos totes one of these exquisitely made devices and the Free Companies have taken them up with great enthusiasm.