Exploring the Great Power of the Fantasy Military Command Center

This dome-shaped building is the heart of a fantasy democracy or fantasy republic. It can also serve as a fantasy military command center. The dome is in the middle with two towers at each side and a large one above it. The towers end with a red peak. In front of the building is a series of golden paths with hedges on each side. Behind the building is a series of green hills and above them is the blue sky with white clouds.
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Sunfire

CONTENTS

Overview

The military is one of the most important institutions in the real world so it comes as no surprise that its fantasy equivalent is the same. Its foremost priority is to keep the citizens of the realm safe from both external and domestic enemies. In order to do so, it follows a centralized structure all of which originate from the top, the fantasy military command center.

Just like its real world counterpart, the command center is where the kingdom’s preeminent military leaders and the king meet to discuss all military-related matters. Protecting the realm is a task that never ceases and the command center is a constant stream of activity as its workers constantly work to safeguard the kingdom.

With how important it is to the country, the location of the command center matters. It needs to be in a secure place, free from prying eyes. At a minimum, a kingdom may only have just one but some have more than one that covers specific regions with a building that oversees all military-related issues.

The indomitable fantasy military command center is not a typical building that anyone can just waltz right in from the street. It serves a strategic value to the realm by keeping its people safe. As such, it is a tempting target for its enemies who know that by isolating it from the rest of the country, they can severely cripple it.

In the context of the world, the command center is one of the kingdom’s most important symbols, next to the royal castle. It represents the power of the realm and is the lifeblood of its military. Every major decision the military leaders and the king make here impacts all soldiers across the kingdom.

This is the twenty-first article in the series looking at the different kinds of fantasy buildings. For more articles, check out our blog page where you’ll surely find one that catches your eye!

Where One Can Find a Fantasy Military Command Center

The command center is one of the kingdom’s most vital buildings. It isn’t one you can just plop down wherever you want and be done with it. Rather, where you place it needs to be well thought out since it’ll affect not just everyone who works there but the communities around it.

The fantasy military command center needs to be close but not too close to the royal castle. It has to be easy for the king to get to quickly but there should also be a degree of separation between the two in the event of an attack since the invading army will have to split up its forces to take the two buildings.

A tyrannical government in fantasy rules its lands from dark towers or castles. This dark gray tower has a diamond-shaped hole at the top where parts of it jut out in different directions. On the tower's front is a series of steps going diagonally. A path runs from the door to the bottom of the image. On each side is a rock plateau. Behind the tower is a gray mountain range with a volcano on the right side. The volcano has a ring of clouds swirling above it. Above the mountains is the black sky with gray clouds.

As the heart of the military, the command center is near the capital city, essentially acting as the base that protects it. Many times, it’s found outside, just beyond the city’s boundaries. The reason for this is because it takes up quite a bit of real estate which is difficult to do in the city without tearing up a lot of houses and other buildings.

For nations that have multiple command centers, there’s different considerations as to where to place them. However, one common thread is that they’re usually next to areas of strategic interest to the king and the realm. Areas like the largest port in the realm or major ore deposits are prime candidates for command centers to be built.

Having command centers be located in these strategic areas enables the king and the senior military leadership to keep an eye on them — and local matters that might affect them — so they can respond quickly should the need arise. Moreover, they also act as a deterrent and a target for a would-be army contemplating attacking them since they have a generous number of soldiers stationed there.

The Strategic Value of a Fantasy Military Command Center

The command center is an integral part of the military infrastructure. It is where the leaders of the military congregate to discuss matters that affect the stability of the realm. Together with the king, they make decisions that affect a great number of people across the country, for better or worse.

Its fundamental purpose is to keep the kingdom safe. The leadership is briefed on matters from commanders across the realm or receive messages about potential hot spots. That way they keep tabs on all areas of the country and they always keep a watchful eye for those that could soon be embroiled in chaos.

The military leadership holds meetings periodically and discuss the latest developments, whether it be a new technological innovation that will affect the military, a change in the kingdom’s attitude towards another one, and so on. The meetings are held in a conference room where the leadership can talk without being interrupted.

This brown room is where a fantasy royal council meets. The wall is a light brown and the floor a darker brown. A large white table with gray striations is in the center, going all the way down to the bottom. On each side are gray chairs. Above the chair at the end is a blue window with light shining through. Gray columns support the ceiling.

Whenever an area is engulfed in trouble, the leadership works to deal with it without having to bring the king in. Most of the time, they’re able to do so and they inform him after the fact but there are times where royal action is warranted and necessary. When that arises, they brief him and give him their recommendations on what to do. Of course, the king can either accept or reject them or come up with his own plan to deal with it.

In times of war, the fantasy military command center is a top-target for the attacking army. The invading force knows that capturing the command center will severely cripple the kingdom’s operations, making it easier to completely take over. It also knows that it is one of the most fortified buildings in the country, meaning taking it will be considerably costly.

In wartime, the command center is a hive of activity as everyone inside works overtime, tracking the movement of both the realm’s armies and those of the enemy. Battle strategies and tactics are developed over time and have to be approved by both the head of the military and the king. Whenever a major battle ensues, the senior military leadership patiently waits for word of its outcome so that they can start making their next moves.

The Fantasy Military Command Center and the World

Each kingdom has a military command center, all of which oversees its entire armed forces. Depending on the world itself, the forces can be land-based, aerial, naval, or a combination of the three. The leadership issues all local commanders assignments that they in turn give to their subordinates.

The fantasy military command center is the site where the leadership makes decisions that shapes all those serving under its wing. Besides doling out assignments, the leadership also generously funds the research and development of new technologies and equipment that will make the kingdom a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Fantasy cities are important in the genre. This image depicts a city with a castle on a hilltop above it. The city has both rectangular- and square-shaped buildings with a wavy roof on each one. The buildings come in four colors: light yellow, brown, light blue, and white. The roofs come in the following colors: dark blue, red, light black, and dark brown. Many of these buildings have windows and some have a visible door. The road itself runs down the middle of the image, swaying to the right and then the left, ending at the doorstep of the castle. The road also meets two others, one that runs to the left, and the other to the right. Behind the city is a grassy field with blades of grass scattered throughout. A river cuts through the field, meandering from the left edge to the right edge of the image. The castle itself is white with gray shadows. It has four red turrets and diamond-shaped windows. The sky above is a bright blue with two white clouds. Some birds are flying on the left side, above the castle, and the right side.

In some cases, the command center is used as a meeting place where foreign military dignitaries come to do business. The business can range from proposing an alliance or forming a joint venture to research something that will benefit both sides. While the leadership will cheerfully listen, the business they do with their foreign counterparts require royal approval before they can make it official.

Only the royal castle is more important than the fantasy military command center as a symbol of the kingdom. As the head of state, the monarch can sit in however many meetings he wishes; for the ones he doesn’t attend, he simply sends an emissary to take his place instead. It is also here where he issues edicts and makes decisions — some are unilateral — that affect every single soldier and the leadership has no choice but to comply.

In wartime, the command center’s sole focus is to achieve the king’s aims and objectives, whether it be trying to conquer a specific area or utterly annihilate the enemy’s fighting forces. This drives every single decision the leadership makes during the war and it will work assiduously to achieve it, no matter the cost.

Tying it all Together

The fantasy military command center is an integral part of the kingdom’s government. It oversees all military-related matters, from moving soldiers from one location to another to formulating strategies and tactics that are designed to bring the realm victory in war.

Since it’s not a common building, the command center is found in certain spots. The vast majority of the time, it’s in close proximity to the castle, meaning that it’s outside the capital or on the outskirts of the city. If a kingdom has more than one, the others are in areas that are deemed vital to the realm like its largest harbor.

Its importance to the nation makes it a top target for those contemplating attacking the kingdom. They know that taking it or at least cutting off its communications will ease the way for a successful takeover though they expect fierce opposition. The battle to capture it will prove costly and may severely hamper their attempt at victory.

The command center is a major seat of power in the kingdom as it manages all military-related issues. Only the king is briefed on those deemed consequential like an ongoing significant battle or a breakthrough in military technology, not those considered mundane.

If you haven’t given much thought to including a fantasy military command center in your world, there’s no better time to start than now!

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Sunfire

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