The Rohirrim Military

[Éomer]

The Army - the forces of Rohan are primarily a cavalry unit, although if the situation calls for it they can become infantry men.
Agile and skilled whilst galloping on a horse, makes a Rohirrim soldier the perfect agile and sometimes shock unit. They are described as armed with long spears, longswords, light helms, round shield, and mail armour.

~ The Royal Guard:
These men, numbering thirty and fifty, were the elite warriors in Rohan, handpicked for their skill and particular loyalty. They were well-trained with a full range of weapons. The Royal Guard possessed the only unified armour among the Rohan warriors, consisting of a sleeveless, full-length scale hauberk that was effective on foot and on horse, and a helmet featuring a visor with cutouts for their eyes, cheek-plates and a tall metal crest of a horse head from which flowed a mane of horsehair; a mail aventail was riveted inside the back of the helmet's skull. The guards additionally wore steel vambraces and pauldrons overworked with leather, which were strapped to the arms, and a steel collar; both the helmet and collar were extensively worked in bronze. A fine wool cloak dyed green and edged with a red and gold pattern was attached to the leather helms of the hauberk with circular bronze brooches featuring the sun device. The leather of the scabbard and the handgrip was dyed the same green as the cloak.

~ Dryhtguma – (Warrior, retainer)
Weapons:
Ashen spear 8-10 feet (2.4-3 m) long with leaf-shaped steel head and bronze butt spike,
plus long sword with scabbard.
Armour:
Steel mail hauberk, coming down to the knees, optional sleeves down to the elbows;
padded leather jerkin worn underneath hauberk;
helm of leather and bone reinforced by steel frame, optional eye guards, and with leather cap underneath;
round shield 24-30 inches (60-75 cm) in diameter with iron or bronze boss, clad in rawhide, of either linden or oak (linden is much lighter, but oak is much stronger);
hardened leather greaves and vambraces;
hardened leather chamfron and peytral (guarding the face and chest respectively) for the horse.




~ Pæthfindian – (Path-finder, scout)
Weapons:
Yew bow with leather case attaching to front of saddle and quiver carrying 20 arrows
plus short sword and/or dagger.
Armour:
Studded leather cuirass covering the torso;
studded leather cap;
round shield 16-20 inches (40-50 cm) clad in rawhide, of linden wood.





~ Æthelwigend (Company Commander)
Weapons:
Ashen spear 8-10 feet (2.4-3 m) long with leaf-shaped head and bronze butt spike,
plus long sword with scabbard;
OR yew horseman's bow with leather case and quiver carrying 20 arrows plus long sword with scabbard.
Armour"
Steel mail hauberk, coming down to the knees, optional sleeves down to the elbows; padded leather jerkin worn underneath hauberk;
full steel helm with optional eye guards and leather cap underneath;
round shield 26-30 inches (65-75 cm) in diameter with bronze boss, clad in bronze, of oak;
hardened leather greaves and vambraces;
hardened leather chamfron and peytral (guarding the face and chest respectively) for the horse.





~ Feldmarshal and Marshal - (Fieldmarshal and Marshal)
Weapons:
Ashen spear 8-10 (2.4-3 m) long, with leaf-shaped steel head and bronze butt spike,
plus long sword and short sword (as a backup) with scabbard;
OR yew horseman's bow with leather case and quiver carrying 20 arrows plus long sword and short sword with scabbard.
Armour:
Steel mail hauberk coming down to the knees, sleeves down to the elbows;
padded leather jerkin underneath hauberk;
full steel helm with optional eye pieces and/or mail curtain protecting the back of the neck and leather cap underneath;
round shield 24-30 inches (60-75 cm) in diameter with bronze boss, clad in bronze, of oak;
steel vambrances OR hardened leather vambrances;
steel greaves;
hardened leather or scale mail chamfron and peytral (guarding the face and chest respectively) for the horse.