I just realized something about Demacia and Noxus

For Carthage·5/24/2015, 3:57:17 AM·74 votes·6,906 views

In every single lore account, Demacia has outnumbered Noxus. Last update on this with Sion's update was that a single battle saw Demacia outnumber Noxus ten to one.

The only possible way this could be the case with how big both countries are - that one would outnumber the other so substantially - would be that Demacia runs a military draft. Noxus' army consists of trained, elite warriors because theirs is a volunteer army and is filled with people who actually want to fight for their country.

Even facing destruction from an enemy as massive as Demacia, Noxus continues to hold out and maintain a volunteer army versus forcing people to fight.

I don't know if this was intentional, but I enjoy this kind of moral ambiguity. Having any one side be a saint and the other the goddamn devil is what children's tales are made of, not good storytelling.

80 Comments

Narasimha5/24/2015, 4:01:54 AM47 votes

No one has EVER complained that either side is pure, good or evil.

Demacia is a paragon of justice, but it's also blind justice. No excuses, no reasons, all are judged equally under the law. Its a double edged sword, so to speak.

Noxus is the embodiment of "Might makes right.", but it also doesn't care who you are so long as you have that strength. A kid from the slums has just as much chance of becoming a great general as a nobleman does.

kitcat3005/24/2015, 6:22:56 PM14 votes

Both countries do have a draft

Demacia - Source Every Demacian citizen is required to serve in its military for no less than three years. Even after this time, most Demacians remain on active status in the nations military reserve.

Noxus - Source Military service in Noxus is compulsory for a period of six years, with all of its citizens retained as active reservists until their golden years. The Noxian High Command reserves the right to draft any of its citizens, regardless of age, into military service in times of dire need. Active Noxian military personnel are afforded a higher level of citizenship in Noxian society, and it is not uncommon for most citizens to remain active in the military for ten or more years.

Xulsigae5/24/2015, 4:37:40 AM7 votes

I'd argue that even if Noxus is a volunteer force, that doesn't make it a 'good' army. Considering the poverty and harsh conditions of life in Noxus, and the focus on violence for rising in society, joining the military might be the only way out for many rather than a sense of patriotism. They also don't suffer cowards which tends to reduce numbers.

Chromatic Eagle5/24/2015, 3:12:14 PM7 votes

There's no reason to patronize good vs. evil, or children's tales, and grey vs. grey just to be edgy results in poor story telling as well.

lightdragoon885/24/2015, 4:03:32 AM4 votes

[{quoted}](name=For Carthage,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=qKcfnEzo,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-05-24T03:57:17.187+0000)

In every single lore account, Demacia has outnumbered Noxus. Last update on this with Sion's update was that a single battle saw Demacia outnumber Noxus ten to one.

The only possible way this could be the case with how big both countries are - that one would outnumber the other so substantially - would be that Demacia runs a military draft.

Ummm...yeah....they mention that in Lux's lore.

But Noxus isn't outnumber cause their army is volunteer, but because they kill anyone who is not useful.

In other words: Demacia is Quantity, while Noxus is Quality

GreenLore5/24/2015, 1:34:36 PM3 votes

I think this is more because Noxian soldiers die more often. Noxus has no problem with killing their own soldiers if they are in the way,heck darius got his rank by killing his commander.

Not to mention that it is still canon that Noxus invaded Ionia.Sure they had support from Zaun,but they still suffered a lot of losses in there(especially when they dropped chemical weapons on their own soldiers just to kill the enemies)

Ironclad Dragon5/24/2015, 3:59:59 AM2 votes

Noxus is a Social Darwinist state, so the people who do live there HAVE to be sharp. Except for the nobility... I don't know. Just throwing things out there.