NationStates Jolt Archive


The Han Empire (Factbook | Resurgence)

Oda noh Nobunaga
03-06-2008, 07:29
The Han Empire stretches from the north reaches of Chosen to the southern tip of the land of Inda. It is one of the greatest and oldest nations in the world. The Emperor Shui Han Di, the twelfth of his line, the Son of Heaven, sits upon his Dragon Throne in the mighty and powerful Forbidden City from where he rules all.

The Han Empire is ruled ultimately by the Emperor. However because direct control over its great lands is so hard he has his land divided into provinces. There are currently 11 provinces which are set and made. Each is ruled by a governor who is chosen by the Emperor from the Imperial Court. (Map (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Han%20Empire/PoliticalMap-1.jpg))


Each province is required by Imperial Law to provide each year an Imperial tithe or tax and the governors have several other Imperial responsibilities as well. Every three years a province must provide 600,000 grams of gold or the equivalent of that in either food stuffs or other valuable materials such as jade, ores, silver, or silks. A province is required to provide a workforce of between 30,000-100,000 workmen for Imperial projects such as the Great Wall which was finished three decades ago by the Emperor’s grandfather; this workforce is only required when the Emperor’s Notice goes out through the Empire for announcing such public works.

A governor is required to equip, train, and maintain at all times a provincial army of 100,000 soldiers drawn from the population. These soldiers serve as policemen, militia, and when in times of war as full time soldiers. Imperial Army officers from the Forbidden City are given posts to command these armies under the direction of the governor. A governor is also required to keep law and order within his province. If he is found lacking in his duties then he is replaced and his family is shamed for generations, not to mention the governor in question being beheaded.

Within the stretches of the Empire are many resources. The most important to the Imperial Throne would be the massive gold and silver mines from which massive amounts are drawn and provide the majority of the Imperial treasury. Wood also is a major resource within the Empire, it is the largest export and used material in the Empire. Ore and coal mines which are used in the production of weapons and other important metals are also important. Each mine is under the control of an Imperial Court official who is responsible for making sure that quotas are met each year. An official is also responsible for the exploration of new gold veins and possible places for digging new mines.



Port cities are under the directive of their own Imperial Court official. While these cities reside within different provinces, they are not under the jurisdiction of the provincial governors. Rather they are responsible for themselves, seeing that trade within their cities are well looked after and seeing to it that the world market prices are appropriate for Han goods and materials when sold to foreigners. Port cities are also the largest centers of diplomatic activity, and Han Imperial Court ambassadors reside in them in large offices, for the off chance that foreign ships come into their harbors.

The Imperial Commissariat is the organization that is responsible for reviewing and checking every Imperial governor, province, city, general, army, town, village, and person and seeing to it that their faith in the Emperor does not waver and that Imperial Law is executed properly and that the Imperial Tithe and taxes are met. The Commissariat is under the personal control of the Emperor and answers only to him. They are charged with the internal security of the realm at large. The commissariat operates at sub-levels, a department in each province under the directive of the central office in the Forbidden City. The Commissariat explores possible problems within the Empire and helps newly inducted provinces to become more melded to Imperial views and Law.

In newly organized provinces, along with the governor that is sent, a large force of the Commissariat also follows; often times in the wake of the conquering armies of the Empire. Besides bringing the new citizens of the Empire into line, they also help to rebuild and see to it that the people always are aware that the Emperor looks down at them with pride and love, ever the benevolent ruler who looks after them.


The Imperial Army is made up of some 1,000,000 professional and fully equipped soldiers. These men are drawn from the most fit and hardy of the provincial armies and from the Central Province. They begin their training at the age of 20 and are put through six years of harsh physical and mental training. Those who are capable or merit the rank of an officer are sent to the Imperial School, where even the generals of the Imperial Army are trained and come from.

The Imperial School is one of the ways in which the Emperor controls the Empire even more securely than with the Commissariat. All Imperial Governors, court officials, army officers, provincial magistrates, commissars, ambassadors, and other men of high office are first trained and selected from the body of the Imperial School.

The Imperial School itself resides within the Forbidden City. At any one time there are at least 10,000 pupils. Each is indoctrinated from a young age into unfailing belief and loyalty to the Emperor. They are taught higher mathematics, sciences, astronomy, politics, economics, and other trades or ways of thinking that they excel at. A boy who is better at military operations than others will be given advanced training in that area. The same goes for every pupil, to be trained in a field of expertise.

The Imperial Navy is comprised, at the last count, of some 230 Emperor-class Treasure Ships, the large behemoth ships that spread the Emperor’s foreign policy and trade. The members of the Navy are the elite graduates of the Imperial School. Not a single captain is allowed to command a ship unless he has first gone through the Imperial School. This is not only a measure of control, but also of caution.

This thus far in my report to his majesty, the Son of Heaven Emperor Shui Han Di, may he live forever and guide us, of the current status of the Empire of Han.

Imperial Scribe
Year 39, 19th Dynasty
Pek Hui Li

OOC: Nation re-introduction and factbook. Please refrain from posting things like “omgz you PT rp? Cool! I don’t but yea.” It just takes up space and litters my thread. So kindly take that into consideration. Other than that I look forward to perhaps rping with a few of you in the future.
Oda noh Nobunaga
03-06-2008, 20:43
Military Forces of the Han Imperial Army

Because it would be incredibly hard to equip every soldier of the Han Army uniformly, it is a requirement for each provincial governor to arm and equip his provincial army as he sees fit. However the Imperial Army is regarded as more elite and is therefore more uniformly armed and dressed. The color of a soldiers armour and dress denotes both rank and type.

Rank System
General: Gold-Black
Captain: Gold
Lieutenant: Silver
Junior Officer: Black-Red
Sergeant of Arms: Red
Soldier: Green
Conscript: Yellow

The Han Imperial Army is a very well disciplined fighting force. Punishment for infractions or failure to complete one's duty is severe and can often lead to not only a soldier's shame but also his family's. Imperial soldiers are highly trained as well, their basic training lasting for two years.

Types of Soldiers

Horse Archer
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Han%20Empire/turcopole2jp.jpg)
One of the most numerous of the Imperial Army's mounted units is the horse archers. Armed with light but powerful recurved bows made of reinforced trips of bamboo these men are highly trained and can shoot from horseback with surprising accuracy. They are able to guide their horse without hands, using only their thighs and feet when in combat.

Spearman
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Han%20Empire/resurrection-of-the-dragon-070512-6.jpg)
The most basic of troops in both the Imperial and Provincial Armies is the spearman, armed with a bamboo spear tipped with a long iron blade that is good for both stabbing or slashing.

Archer Footman
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Samurai/bushi-06.jpg)
Even more numerous than spearmen and swordsmen is the footman archer. Armed with an enlarged version of the horse archer's recurve bow, fully five feet long from tip-to-tip, they have great range and penetrating power.

Crossbowman
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Han%20Empire/mercenario.jpg)
A newer invention in the last century has been the crossbow, a weapon with even more penetrating power, if lesser range, than the recurve bow. At first used only by castle garrisons for defense, the Emperor and his generals have experimented with great success their use on the open battlefield.

Heavy Cavalryman
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Han%20Empire/Its_going_to_Rain_by_sephodwyrm.jpg)
Heavily armored and armed, more so than any other unit in the Imperial Army, is the Heavy Cavalryman. He is armed with a long lance/halberd with which he can spear or hack at enemies, a sword, and in times of need a bow and quiver of arrows.

Imperial Cavalry
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Han%20Empire/thumbs_05a.jpg)
The most powerful force within the Imperial Army is the elite Cavalry Corp. They were the best armored and armed soldiers in the entire empire. Shunning the use of bows or lances, the Imperial Cavalry utilizes the naginata and no-dachi as weapons of choice. It is said that a charge by the Imperial Cavalry has never been stopped.
Telros
03-06-2008, 22:43
TAG for interest, I have a PT like nation that is like the Roman Empire. Look forward to rping with you possibly.
Oda noh Nobunaga
04-06-2008, 04:06
OOC: That would be awesome. Funny thing, did you know that in 97 A.D. the Chinese Emperor at that time tried to send an expedition to the Roman Empire but it was halted by the Parthians. I mean think of the historical possibilities if that had actually happened!? [/major history buff-nerd mode]*cough* But yea, I'm about to start an rp with Ixania (aka Neo-Ixania) where I plan to send an expedition west of my nation across the desert and into what would RL World Map location-wise be the Caspian Sea area. Soon as that finishes up, or even during, it would be cool to get you involved as well.
Telros
04-06-2008, 04:11
Well, I could be in the europe Mediterranean area, being the Roman Empire. Also, to note, I do have magic and gods in my world, (Fantasy bit), but I can gloss over that if that upsets things. And sure, it'd be fun. I mean, we don't have to fight. We could just be opening negotiations for trade or other things. Etc etc.
Oda noh Nobunaga
08-06-2008, 06:08
Updated.

@Telros: btw, when do you think you'd be free for such an rp?
Telros
08-06-2008, 22:11
Anytime, the Kallis Empire is not doing anything at the moment aside from crushing a nation under its heel. ^^