Draft

Though extremly rare, the Gudersnipe Foundation has occasionally drafted civilians into the Crimson Blade. This happened numerous times during the Kamian Succession Wars when large numbers of foot soldiers were sometimes needed.

Legality

According to an obscure Foundation law, any citizen or member of the Gudersnipe Foundation may be conscripted for millitary service "in times of war"(since the Foundation is always at war with somebody, this technically means anytime). This law covers both GS Towns and GS Protectorates. A very obscure treaty dating back to the last year of the Mage Wars even allows the Foundation to draft Alliance citizens if they reside in a country where Gudersnipe has a strong millitary presence(this includes all of joint space).

Choice of Drafties

Despite it's strict policy of equal-opportunity, the draft laws actually specify that only men can be drafted, a rule which has been followed to the letter throughout the entire history of the Foundation.

History

Durring the early centuries of the Golden Age, the Foundation regularly drafted civilians into the then newly-formed Crimson Blade. These soldiers were used throughout the series of minor skirmishes that plagued the early part of that era, as the Alliance and Gudersnipe Foundation were still solidifying.

However, these early drafties were little more than "encouraged recruits" as it was very easy to be dismissed for medical reasons or by failing basic training. The Foundation was very picky about who it actually sent into combat, and for the most part it was not difficult for unwilling "recruits" to either escape the Crimson Blade all together, or find themselves safe in a non-combat position.

The drafting contributed greatly to the early success of the Foundation, as many out-of-work drafties discovered life in the Crimson Blade was not so bad. By A.Y. 1200, the Crimson Blade was recieving enough willing recruits to stop the practice of drafting all together.

Following the early centuries, throughout most of recorded history, no large-scale drafts ever took place. Only in very small, isolated, emergency situations were drafties ever required, and then never for more than a few months at most. Usually, drafties were only used a stop-gap while more experience regular-corp troops were moved into position.

It also saw use in a number of non-combat situations to assemble large, short-term work forces. This is usually done in emergency situations such as large-scale evacuations or disaster-relief. Whenever possible, volunteers are used, but the draft laws were sometimes employed.

This remained the norm up until the early Sixth Age when the Kamian Succession Wars began. For the first time in history, the Foundation fell on it's ancient laws and treaties to flesh out it's ranks.

Drafts during the Succession Wars

The actual number of drafties was considerablly smaller than history would like to remember. The Crimson Blade had always maintained a very large fighting force, so combat was not the main focus of drafts.

The Crimson Blade sees soldiering as a buisness, and therefore only trained and certified professionals should take part. As such, placing drafties on the battlefield was considered "unprofessional" and only in very rare situations did conscripted soldiers do actual fighting.

Mostly, drafties took on the role of support troops, working at military isntalations behind the lines. These soldiers still had to be trained for combat and issued weapons, and were expected to fight if the need arose. However, this was far from preferable, and volunteer soldiers always took preference over conscripts.

Drafties actually often feel into two distinct yet similarly-named groups, soldiers, and "soldiers":

Soldiers:

These were drafties serving as support-troops in non-combat but near-combat roles. This happened most typically when job specializations (mechanics, doctors, etc) were needed that could not be filled from the reserves. Civilians with the neccessary skill-set would be drafted and put to work, usually recieving commissions as officers.

Cilians without skills who were drafted for non-combat duty typically receved very short terms, usually one or two years. Skilled drafties usually got longer terms, but also better treatment.

"Soldiers"

The distinction of the big, sarcastic quotation marks was used to seperate those drafted under existing laws to do war-work.

When it became clear that the Kamian Succession Wars werre not going to be over with quickly, the Foundation employed the ancient draft laws well behind enemy lines to mobilize a work-force. Previously unskilled laborers would be "drafted" to work in munitions factories and shipyards. These drafties would be conscripted for eight to twleve year terms, during which they would be taught a trade and put to work.

The "Soldier" distinction was used because these men were soldiers in name-only. Though they recieved ranks and reported to commanding officers along a millitary chain-of-command, they were never issued uniforms nor recieved any sort of combat training. They were paid well for their work(comperable to civilians doing the same job) and recieved training as a result.

Though issued ranks, the "soldiers" were not made to comply with any form of millitary disipline. They were seldom held to their lengthy conscriptions periods, being allowed to "quite" and go to work as civilians as long as they continued to do work supporting the war effort.

Opinion and Treatment of Deserters

According to Foundation Law, deserters in wartime are to be put to death. Again, since the Foundation is always at war with somebody, this means anytime. In the Crimson Blade regulars, this law is typically enforced only in actual combat situations(when the division in question is actually invovled in a war). When no combat is eminent, deserters usually recieve jail sentences to be served in special Crimson Blade prisons.

However, while the letter of the law applies this equally to drafties, it is very seldom enforced. Deserters in active combat will usually be executed, but this is only under the direst of circumstances and only to maintain disicipline. Even in "times of war" when no active combat is nearbye, drafties attempting to desert will recieve very mild punishments.

Drafties who successfully escape require little work to hide. Though officially they are officially wanted criminals, the GSMPs rarely actively pursue deserters who are wanted for no other crime, even going so far as to turn a blind eye when suspects are found. Those deserters that willfully turn themselves in can look forward to extremly mild punishment. Assuming they are wanted for no other crime, they may be forced to serve out the rest of their term in a non-combat position or simply discharged without penalty. Any benifits deserters might have been entitled to are automatically forfeited, but jail sentences are extremly rare.