Imperial Akinian Units

The diversity of the Akenian units is considered to be larger than most of its neighbours. Local clans as cultures bolster the Imperial force with their own (regional) specialism, offering auxiliary forces while the regular Akenian troops are reputed to be one of the most disciplined fighting force in the known world.

Though the regular troops come from all sources, auxiliary forces are usually provided by the provinces as clans. Special units or specialised troops can differ when it comes to training and origin.

## Regular Akenian Units

Battalions are usually the size with which Akenians recruit with. These units are at the size of 1250 troops. These troops are further divided into companies and other various ranks.

* **Two infantry companies.**

Akinian regular infantry sport a chainmail hauberk and steel helmet of good quality. Their main weapons of choice are a steel sword, usually one of Tokugawa or Hon design, and large oval shield.The Akinian heavy infantry that isn't equipped with a long spear has five darts that they utilise as ranged weaponry. The darts are clipped into the hollow side of the oval shield, easier for transport for use during battle and sieges.

Some companies are equipped with pikes as main weapons while others sport swords, axes and maces. Their armour consists out of padding material, chainmail hauberks and steel lamellar vests over the hauberks. Some of the elite as heavier troops within the present Akenian forces wear a steel segmented cuirass, consisting of metal strips ("girth hoops" fashioned into circular bands) or even solid cuirass, fastened to internal leather straps.

* **One light infantry company.**

 Akinian light infantry is lighter equipped, as their name suggests. They are equipped with padding material with as well a hardened leather armour and a steel helmet. Their weaponry range over a broader selection. Most of them carry a small supply of around four to five light javelins while having swords, axes or maces as a sidearm. Some special units such as the Guardians are considered light-medium infantry.

* **One skirmisher company.**

 Most Akinian skirmishers are trained longbow archers. With a strong longbow, they are garbed in a similar style as the Akinian light infantry - with the only exception that they wear chainmail vests over their gambesons. Their sidearm varies from swords, gladii (plural form of gladius), axes and maces.

* **One cavalry company.**

Akinian cavalry are soldiers on horseback, garbed in a similar style as the Akinian infantry. Some of the cavalry companies sport some heavier armoured riders, equipped with lances as primary weapons. Other weapons that are popular are axes and maces within the Akinian cavalry. Some cavalry are being deployed as supportive units. Horse archers, for example, to harras as screen enemy troops to soften their ranks for the Akenian foot soldiers.

## First Battalions

The First Battalions are different than a regular Battalion. Each Brigade owns a First Battalion that is composed out of veterans and grizzled soldiers. These are the pride of the brigade and thus armed to the best what the state can afford. The importance of the First Battalion is further pressed by the fact that their leading officer is the Brigade General. It is one of the duties of the Brigade General to lead the First Battalion in battles and sieges.

Apart from their equipment, skill and experience is the size of the First Battalion. Where a regular Akenian battalion is composed out of 5 companies, is the First Battalion made from 10 companies. This means that unlike a regular battalion, they have 2500 combatants. The only difference in unit composition is that the First Battalions don't have light infantry companies.

## Auxilary Forces

The provinces as clans of the Empire are required to supply the Imperial military with a part of their own military. This is usually around forty percent of their total force. Leaving the provinces as clans with a large part of their own military intact. These forces are supposed to support the Imperial Akenian forces during campaigns and times of conflict. But due to the clan's own expertise in various fields allow the Imperial military to set up recruitment centres that focus on a particular field - that of the respective clan's expertise.

   Great Clans:

* Cho Clan of the Fire province.
	+ Vanguri cavalry, specialised horse archers as medium support cavalry.
	+ Cho Lancers, heavy shock cavalry.
	+ Aegir Marines, decent armoured and armed marines.
* Hon Clan of the Fire province.
	+ Hon *Hjaldrers* (specialised heavy infantry of the line).
	+ Bear Axes, specialised heavy shocktroopers.
	+ Serpent's Spears, decent armoured and armed marines.
* Sarutobi Clan of the Fire province.
	+ Wood Arrows, specialised longbow archers.
	+ Sarutobi Rangers, specialised skirmishers that excell in screening and subterfuge operations.
* Tokugawa Clan of the Fire province.
	+ Noble Pikes, specialised pike formations that excell in holding as advancing the battleline.
	+ Noble Lances, specialised shock cavalry.
	+ Tokugawa Builders, specialised military engineers.
* Uchiha Clan of the Fire province.
	+ Red Lances, specialised heavy shock cavalry.
	+ Crimson Arrows, specialised heavily armoured yumi archers.
	+ Horse Guards, specialised mounted infantry (Dragoon-style).

Regular Clans:

* Hanta Clan of the Fire province.
* Hyuuga Clan of the Fire province.
* Hyuzu Clan of the Fire province.
* Nara Clan of the Fire province.
* Yamanaka Clan of the Fire province.

## Special Units

### **Special Unit**

Various Special units that aren't adhering to the regular Imperial Akinian military hierarchy, or have some sort of special status:

* The Guardians
* The Sworn Swords
* The Tiger Claws

### **Getting a Special Unit**

To have your own specialised unit you need to approach the writer of the First Major General, a position that is also being held with the Jounin Commander in the Imperial Capital - Konohagakure. The character (and the person who writes for that character) will decide if the specialised unit will be accepted or not. At this moment that character is Zakito Hon. To have different gear, you will need to request that to the person who controls the Brigade. This is thus the Brigade General. In case that there isn't a brigade general available, that means you have to ask the First Major General again.

***"Wait, why do I have to ask the First Major General again? Wouldn't it make sense to ask the Major General of the division my character is in?"​***

Yes and no. The reason why I advise that is because the First Major General is the person who has the most influence and power within the Akinian military. If by some mistake or accident a major general approves of person A using a type of weapon or gear in his unit, that wasn't allowed in another division and brigade, we will be dealing with a situation nobody finds fun. I would even stress it is better to approach to ask whoever writes for the brigade general, of the brigade your character is in, to approach the First Major General together. Seems like it is more complicated this way, but it is just to prevent any silly hassling or people getting grumpy.

***"Is every specialised unit within the Akinian military a battalion or is there an option for a bigger or smaller unit of specialised troops?"***

Yes, that option most certainly exists. While the battalion is made up from Tiger Claws, it was revealed before that the Tiger Claws numbers are larger than that. In the same case, the Guardian unit is not bigger than 144. So technically a specialised unit can be smaller or bigger than 1.250 troops. Best is to think of why that would be the case, but if you are interested in forming a specialised unit then you have to approach Gerontis for that. He can help you further with that.