Aserai Warhosts

The warhosts of The Aserai Confederacy are not to be underestimated. Although they are smaller in number than most any other armed force of the nations of Calradia, they have mastered fighting among the sands of the Southern deserts.    the bulk of their armies is made of foot soldiers raised from the major cities, armed with shields, javelins, and spears. They are nothing special by many standards, but they are frequently accompanied by sand druids, who have learned to use holy magics to harness the winds of magic that flow across the deserts. Their soldiers use these magics to conjure snadstorms to hide their approach, seemingly teleport across the sands, draw water and food from places where there seemingly was none, and conjure forth the beasts of the desert to aid them, such as giant scorpions. These abilities combined make them masters of ambushes, and maneuver warfare, striking at where the enemy is least prepared.    In addition, these forces are supplemented by heavy cavalry, volunteers from the wealthier merchant class who can afford to equip themselves. They are known as cataphracts, or as the imperials call them "cataphractari". The Imperials have actually since copied much of the cataphract style of combat, as these ultra-heavily armoured knights can strike hard and fast BUT also have staying power. Their armoured horses and short range weapons like sabres and maces mean they can fight on longer than most other cavalry.    the downside of their army is morale. The individual foot soldier often bears no true allegiance to the army, only to the house or family that they were recruited from. Thus, their armies can lose cohesion in the face of defeat or overwhelming odds. In addition, the heavy cavalry will not enter the fray if they think they will die or lose, as they would also be costing their family all of the money that was spent to equip them. If the tides of battle even slightly turn against them, they will often flee as quickly as they arrived.