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The tooth to tail ratio is the ratio between the fighting force (tooth) and the non-fighting force in an army. In other words, how many non-combatants directly supported and supplied an army.

I'm wondering specifically about the late Middle Ages in western Europe, such as the Hundred Years' War. But other periods and regions are welcome if data is/isn't available.

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    Armies in the Middle Ages, and later, would often augment their supplies by foraging the countryside (ie. stealing from the locals), remember to take that into account when considering the size of their logistics train. They'd also have a large train of "camp followers" looking to profit which could be anything from legitimate merchants to family to whores to looters.
    – Schwern
    Feb 19, 2017 at 0:52
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    I think you'll need to enumerate which armies you're interested in to avoid making counting them part of the problem.
    – Aaron Brick
    Feb 19, 2017 at 1:03
  • Does it really make sense to count a squire and a knight each as one fighting man? A knight and a foot-soldier? Are we talking about an army on the march far from home? An armed force defending a castle?
    – user2848
    Mar 4, 2018 at 3:05

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