Earth Kingdom collaborators

Earth Kingdom collaborators were soldiers and other militants who voluntarily or involuntarily supported the Fire Nation during the Hundred Year War.
The Fire Nation military occasionally bolstered their forces by enlisting Earth Kingdom natives as auxiliary troops. These troops could be former regular soldiers. For instance, some Earth Kingdom military units defected and subsequently remained under arms while being provided with documents to showcase their loyalty to the Fire Nation. These troops were known to help the Fire Nation military in securing occupied areas. There were also instances during which Earth Kingdom prisoners of war were forced to wear Fire Nation uniforms and act as unarmed diversion in combat. The Fire Nation also made use of less professional auxiliaries, recruited from Earth Kingdom mercenaries and criminals.
== History ==
In late 99 AG, Captain Masaru of the Fire Army enlisted criminals and mercenaries from Omashu and other parts of the Earth Kingdom, including Jiang the pirate, to help him break into the tomb at Hegemon's Folly. As the group was sent to the burial site, however, disputes quickly erupted among the collaborators. Tensions escalated when some Fire Army soldiers and collaborators threatened two civilians, suspecting them of also trying to access the tomb. Outraged at this behavior, Jiang subsequently revolted alongside some mercenaries. The rebels procceeded to fight and defeat the Fire Army troops and loyal collaborators. Upon being informed of the mutiny, Masaru rallied his forces and followed the rebels. However, the Fire Army troops and loyal collaborators were again defeated at the tomb entrance by Jiang's group, and bested a final time when the rebel mercenaries stormed Masaru's camp.
In spring 100 AG, one of Gow's subordinates told the family of a captured Earth Kingdom soldier, Sensu, how the Fire Nation had used some prisoners of war as cannon fodder in a recent battle.
Around this time, Jiang and her pirates used stolen Earth Kingdom uniforms and papers to pose as Earth Kingdom collaborators in an attempt to slip past Fire Nation forces that blockaded a river in the southern Earth Kingdom. They were exposed when a Fire Nation officer recognized the supposed collaborators' ship as a pirate vessel.
== Uniforms ==
No universal uniform existed for Earth Kingdom collaborators. In general, they seemed to wear whatever clothing they owned before entering Fire Nation service. Accordingly, the criminals and mercenaries under Masaru's service were dressed in civilian clothing and ad hoc armor. In contrast, voluntary collaborators who had defected from the Earth Kingdom military continued to wear their old Earth Kingdom Army uniforms. They only modified these to the extent of removing Earth Kingdom insignia and replacing it with Fire Nation seals.
== References ==
== See also ==
* Military of the Fire Nation
* Military of the Earth Kingdom
Category:A to Z
Category:Earth Kingdom
Category:Groups
Category:Hundred Year War
Category:Military
Category:Fire Nation