Editing ReignWulin:Mongolia (section)

= Military =

Genghis Khan organized the Mongol soldiers into groups based on the decimal system. Units are recursively built from groups of 10 (Arban), 100 (Yaghun), 1,000 (Minghan), and 10,000 (Tumen), each with a leader reporting to the next higher level. Tumens, and sometimes Minghans, are commanded by a Noyan, who was often given the task to administrate specific conquered territories. From two to five Tumens would then form a hordu meaning army corps or field army, from which the word "Horde" is derived, under the command of the Khans or their generals (boyan). The leaders on each level have significant license to execute their orders in the way they consider best. This command structure is highly flexible and allows the Mongol army to attack en masse, divide into somewhat smaller groups to encircle and lead enemies into an ambush, or divide into small groups of 10 to mop up a fleeing and broken army.

Six of every ten Mongol troopers are light horse archers, the remaining four are more heavily armored and armed lancers. All soldiers usually carry scimitars or axes as well. The Mongolian horses are relatively small, so they lose short distance races under equal conditions. But since most other armies carry much heavier armor, Mongols can still outrun most enemy horsemen in battle. In addition, the Mongolian horses are extremely endurable and sturdy, which allows the Mongols to move over large distances quickly, often surprising enemies that had expected them to arrive days, if not weeks, later.

Mongols are experts in laying sieges, often diverting rivers and food from cities. They also send off refugees to other unconquered cities, in order to strain enemy resources. Siege machines are an important part of Subutai's warfare, especially in attacking fortified cities. The siege engines are disassembled and carried on horses to be rebuilt at the site of the battle. The engineers building the machines are recruited among captives, mostly from China and Persia. When they slaughter whole populations, they almost always spare the engineers and technicians, swiftly assimilating them into the Mongol armies.

* Ever since the times of Ji Si Khan, whenever the Mongolian army attacked a city, they would first send the citizens of the surrounding country towards the city they were attacking. If the soldiers who were guarding the city weakened their resolve at this sight, the Mongols would immediately come forward and attack. By using this method, the Mongolian army was able to slaughter the citizens of the nation they were attacking and defeat their opposition in the city, killing two birds with one stone. It was extremely brutal and cruel but effective.