Possible Moves for Operational Commanders

What medieval armies can do best.

March (field army)

• Progress ~10 miles in a day.
• Pillage a burn all non-fortified settlement.
• Scout 1 day ahead in all possible directions.
• Unlikely  to cause fatigue.
• Uses victual stores.
• Prevents desertion and infiltration.
• Options/Emphasis:
• Speed first :
• Likelier to get tired, Select the shortest anticipated route, less likely to be found by scouts, bypass castles, walled towns.
• Profit first :
• Select the most profitable route, Automatically attempt to impress fortified obstacles (if not, bypass), Good for morale (in general).
• Tactical : 
• Tight column movement, less likely to be ambushed, slow, likelier to get tired.
• End triggers:
• Specified destination reached.
• Specified time span reached (1 day by default).
• Opportunity OR challenge encountered.

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Rest (field army)

Resting with your 10,000 best friends
and no running water.

• No progress toward objective.
• Higher rate of victuals consumption.
• Resting.
• Likelier to be found by scouts.
• Options/Emphasis:
• Reorganization
• Address discipline, cohesion, training.
• End trigger:
• Specified time (default= until rested).
• Specified length
• Opportunity OR challenge encountered.

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Sieges, the worst way to spend
time in the field.

Besiege (field army)

• No movement, scouts used as defensive screen.
• Higher victuals consumption.
• Lower fodder consumption.
• Daily attempt to negociate surrender.
• Engineering operations : make siege engines, sapping, etc.
• No looting of wealth.
• Morale depend on belief in a successful outcome.

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Sign your name here and I'll give you a shiny helmet.

Indenture (Friendly territory only)

• 1/8 of total population is likely be raised as troops in 1 Month (or 1/16 in two weeks, or 1/32 in one week, etc.). Every increase in proportion, or cut in time by a factor 2 makes it less likely. 
• Troop type and quality depends on:
• Local specialty.
• Warfaring tradition.
• Loyalty.
• Funds.
• Non-immediate threat to home base.
• Can be applied on foreign specialists (Genoese crossbowmen, Swiss Pikemen, German Mercenaries, etc). Ask GM for parameters.

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Alright, the metal bit at the end goes
into Englishmen's vital organs.

Activate Militia (Owned territory only)

• Like Indenture, but up to 1/4 population in 2 weeks.
• Troops quality almost always untrained for maneuvers.
• Bound to defense of their own community (use Indenture otherwise).
• Do not depend on funds, but depend on weapon and armor stores.
• Likely to affect the local economy. 
• Less likely to be successful in non-fortified area.
• Likelier in localities with Castles and Fortresses.

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Evacuate Civilians (Owned territory only)

• Deny opponent some/all of the loot.
• Faster economic recovery (but enhanced chance of famine later).
• Liege Lord responsible for victuals and accommodation.