The Imperial Navy

Charged with patrolling the Empire's coastline, they transport soldiers back and forth around the Empire as required.

Personnel Descriptions

Sailors are generally experts or commoners with sailing skills. In combat they defend their own vessel using boarding pikes and clear the rigging of enemy vessels with light crossbow fire.
Marines are warriors, trained as maritime light infantry, who operate the siege engines and are the first line of attack. They wear studded leather armour and fight with cutlass and buckler in melee, but have access to light crossbows for ranged combat..
Rowers provide power for the various galleys and warships of the imperial Navy. Although they are mainly commoners, they are the second line of attack, clambering over the side of enemy ships, en masse, armed with boarding pikes. Who would be a rower? (Lets face it, Naval Rower is a crappy job, but it is a regular job, and many commoners don't have regular jobs, and survive hand to mouth. It is hard labour, but many commoners are labourers, and their work hard as well. The perks are regular food, and decent accommodation when you are ashore. Also, wages are split, a regular wage when you are ashore, and sea pay can be saved and taken as a lump at the end of your service - which gives you a stake to start building a life after you leave the navy. On top of that, Naval 'Bounty' regulations mean they get a bonus every time an enemy ship is captured.)