I want to rule this world, how to build my army? [closed]

Question

I want to rule this world. How do I motivate others to join my army? What are the things I should provide for army people so that they fight for me to conquer this whole world?

Answer 1

This is a very broad question with no one, single, perfect, right answer.

Begin by learning strategy and tactics.

Sun Tzu's Art of War is generally considered a good place to begin. (Bonus: it's out of copyright so you can read it online for free.) Some argue that being a master of the game of Chess or Go is helpful here, too.

Then get deep financial pockets.

Building and fielding an army is not cheap. You need enough money to recruit experienced soldiers to serve as officers and and non-commissioned officers. These will then train your less experienced recruits. You'll need to pay all of them enough to overcome their patriotism. This means hiring recruiters and other support staff (purchasing officers, medical officers, etc.)

Simultaneously, you need to start buying weapons. Even better, buying weapons manufacturers and ramping up their research and development divisions to build better weapons. You need to have weapons that can outclass your enemies' weapons.

And start stockpiling medicine, food, and other back-end support material. You'll need it. Make sure you have supply routes and supply delivery vehicles. Make sure you have sufficient staff to guard those supplies and to deliver them safely to your front lines. An army moves on its stomach; a hungry army is easily defeated. Make sure you have the ability to make/acquire new medicine and food quickly and constantly. Dysentery is not a good thing.

Know thy enemy.

You need to recruit spies. They need to infiltrate your enemies' forces and learn their tactics. Discover their weaknesses and strengths. Use this to develop cunning tactics they won't be able to defeat. But they must be loyal spies. Your enemy must not know you're coming. Once war begins, these spies become your secret weapon: subtle forms of sabotage can wreak havoc on their ability to respond to your attacks efficiently.

Overwhelming force

Don't let your enemy gain the initiative. You set the time, the place, and the manner of your attacks. Never expose your flanks, never let them gather their forces for a counter strike.

Then comes the after-math.

Television, film, and written fiction are overloaded with so many tropes of bad dictators. Evil Overlords must take care, else some would-be hero will depose them. Learn from the creativity of those fiction authors. Study the Evil Overlord list. It has good advice.

Pay your soldiers what you promised them. For those who die, pay their families. You need their loyalty to guard your strongholds. If they decide you're not loyal, then they'll turn on you. Take care of them, or they will take care of you.

Accept that from the moment your first attack begins, you can never again rest easy. No vacations, no time off, no downtime, nothing. If you ever turn your back on the conquered peons, they will try to break free. If you don't keep them constantly under control, rebellion will foster. It will start in some quiet corner where you least expect it, but it will come. If they ever sense even a hint of weakness, any crack in your control, they will press for freedom.

Answer 2

How to take over the world in a few 'easy' steps.

The concept of taking over a world isn't really that hard in theory. In practice however it's a lot tougher.

1: Sway public opinion on a global level to agree with your ideology.

2: Enable contact between the different "cells" forming all over the globe.

3: Polarize the members of the cells all over against any or all opposing ideology.

4: Ensure a strong political position in your country of origin, preferably one where you can control the army to some degree.

5: Make sure that over time the command the army is in favor of your ideology/goal

6: Invade surrounding countries with help of the earlier created cells that can be used as sabotage units to cripple your opponents.

Materials.

Standard military equipment on par with what technology you have available in your setting will do. The method above relies on swaying public opinion heavily in favor of your goal/ideology while polarizing those who follow you against anything that opposes you. As long as you instill the people with confidence your ideology and goals are the right ones, and everything else is bluntly put the spawn of satan, the numbers and the fervor of your warriors will compensate any technological disadvantage you have.

Staying in power.

This is where it becomes a bit trickier. Hitler has tried and succeeded in the steps mentioned above, but ultimately, he reached too far by conquering Northern Africa while simultaneously invading Russia and having to defend against the allied forces landing in Normandy.

Ruling a world doesn't necessarily have to mean you control all people and territories. As long as you have enough leverage to keep other governments at bay or even do your bidding you control them. (Looking at you USA.)

To deter attacks on your empire (depending on your setting) you could employ a massive armed force or make sure the people know that if they dare attack you, you'll nuke them to kingdom come. Even if this means mutually ensured destruction for both parties.

Fully controlling the world is nigh impossible. Resistance will always be there, be it on small scale (a rebellion/riots in cities), or entire governments opposing you (embargoes, economical sanctions or even attempts to get rid of you, be it by war or by black ops trying to assassinate you.)

Answer 3

Generally: start off with money/gold/precious stuff

Though it really depends on what your society/world looks like.

I'll give a few examples on how you can start to assemble an army:

Medieval times: Religion Are there different Religions in your world? Find the biggest, look for extremists who are willing to fight for their religion to rule out other religious organizations. Once that army grows big enough, start slowly shifting the goal of your war to domination. Imprint the thought of the chosen religion being the only true way of living life deeper into the minds of your followers and convince them, everyone needs to be either converted or killed. You are now the leader of the worlds only religion.

Scenarios where religion is no key-element of society: Money.

Pay mercenaries. Raid villages. Pay more mercenaries. And enslave the villages' people to work for you and your mercenaries. Have the mercenaries enjoy their stay in your army and if you're lucky enough, they'll stop asking for more money and become your minions of doom.

Most importantly: Don't try to conquer the world.

It will most likely fail anyways. No matter how big your army is, it only takes one single of your soldiers getting tired of your plans, your way of handling them, to get rid of you. Your soldiers know your routine, know where your barracks are.

And mercenaries generally like gold. If only one of your mercenaries decides to go for that huge bounty on your head (remember, you're an evil guy who wants to conquer the world, soon enough there WILL be a bounty) you're basically done for and all of that effort was basically wasted time.

Try conquering a small, easily to manage country instead, or a couple villages. Those require less soldiers == less money and you can more easily establish a society that sustains itself and accepts you as their lord.

(Or just create a super-unstoppable-weapon-of-doom that guarantees your victory, a mind-control device, become immortal. Basically Hand-waving and magic)