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Tales of Cross
War

War

Eight million under arms, and half of them guard empty rail.

2.7% of the continent has been under arms, permanently, since 1860. That is total-war mobilisation sustained for decades — and it is the material cause of the Stagnation. When someone asks why nothing advances, the honest answer is not theological: it is budgetary.

A competent officer in 1890 plans to postpone, not to win. Anyone talking about strategic victory is young, is lying, or is from Königsmark.

600.000 men guard empty rail
260 thousand dead per year in the Stagnation
9 thousand demons truly killed in 110 years

Continental order of battle

BlocStrength% of populationComposition
Bloc Heptarquia + Limbo Strength 2.300.000 % of population 5,8% Composition levies, armed serfs, hosts
Bloc Clerical Order Strength 1.780.000 % of population 1,5% Composition line 1,2 mi · Orders 180 thousand · militia 400 thousand
Bloc Vykhradia Strength 1.200.000 % of population 4,0% Composition light cavalry and serf-levied infantry
Bloc Königsmark Strength 720.000 % of population 3,3% Composition heavy cavalry and rangers
Bloc Brytonia Strength 620.000 % of population 1,6% Composition predominantly naval
Bloc Meridia Strength 480.000 % of population 1,7% Composition fleet, coastal infantry, Lava Guard
Bloc Velinia Strength 210.000 % of population 2,1% Composition almost entirely naval
Bloc Kantonal Confederation Strength 130.000 % of population 2,2% Composition militia 90 thousand · mercenaries 40 thousand

Inside the army of the Order

Half the army exists so the other half can eat.

AssignmentStrength
Assignment Rail garrison Strength 600.000
Assignment Limes Orientalis — the main front Strength 260.000
Assignment Maritima Coronata — fleet and coast Strength 130.000
Assignment Seal II under quarantine Strength 90.000
Assignment Selos I, III e V Strength 80.000
Assignment Reserve and schools Strength 40.000

The seven Houses of the Knights of the Seal

The House says where you serve; the Office says what you do.

NumeralHouseSealStrengthLining
Numeral I House Solar — the senior one Seal Solar Range Strength 21.000 Lining granito
Numeral II House Crepúsculo Seal Crepúsculo Strength 24.000 Lining cinza-úmido
Numeral III House Lava Seal Southern Range Strength 12.000 Lining cinábrio
Numeral IV House Cova Seal Open Sea Strength 6.000 Lining azul-profundo
Numeral V House Cold Seal Northern Massif Strength 1,400 — a political fiction Lining branco-azulado
Numeral VI House Insular Seal Archipelago Strength 600 — a political fiction Lining verde-musgo
Numeral VII House Limes — the one that fights Seal Leste Profundo Strength 45.000 Lining black, no lining
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The full texts

The almanac gives you the figure. Here is the reason behind it — contradictions included, and everything the Curia would rather not explain.