Imperial Sevician Army

The official sigil of the Sevician army

The **Imperial Sevician Army,** officially the **Imperial Army of the Empire of Sevicia** or more commonly just the **Army of Sevicia,** is the terrestrial armed forces of the Empire of Sevicia, which has served and protected Sevicia since its founding in the year 0. The army has been altered and reformed a number of times across the centuries, though its key tenets remain. At its peak, it boasted a standing army of more than two million men (including reserves and auxiliaries), and at present stands at just over a million strong. The current Supreme Commander of the Imperial forces is Alexander Mayam.

## History

### Founding

Sevicia's army has a long history, dating all the way back to the founding of the Empire in the year 0, immediately following the death of the Sun King Tigrus and the collapse of the Tamerian Empire. Initially a powerful force under Anaeus of Cayna - Sevicia's founding father - it soon transformed in times of peaces to something entirely different.

For two centuries after the founding of Sevicia, its army was powered by the noble classes. Armour, weapons, and equipment were not standardised nor provided, meaning the army was populated by those who were wealthy enough to feed, clothe, and armour themselves during life on the march. The early Sevician army was ill-organised, usually comprised of soldiers whose arms and armaments were a mismatched mixture of swords, shields, and various other weapons.

Though usually ill-equipped and disorganised, Sevicia's army nevertheless proved a valuable military force, owing in part to its sheer size and scale. In the late first century, Sevicia could field more than 100,000 men in times of crisis, with more being drawn up from surrounding areas and from its constituent territories. Sevicia's army was entirely a voluntary service, even in times of extreme trouble, which made it a somewhat illustrious and ill-advised career, even for those who had the means to enter into it.

### Ascillion's reforms

This all changed under the reign of Ascillion the Great. Known as one of Sevicia's four great ruling figures, the military reforms he introduced from 218 to 220 A.S revolutionised the Sevician standing army into something very similar to what it still is in the present day. His changes were wide-reaching and incredibly influential, opening the usually elite and class-discriminatory service up to a wider-reaching population and heavily emphasising the importance of discipline and a central governing system for its military coordination.

Ascillion's reforms aimed to change this by introducing several key designs. The first was that the old system would be scrapped entirely. From 218 onwards, the state would pay and provide for each soldier, including a lengthy period of training that lasted a minimum of nine months in peacetime and two weeks in times of war. This included, but was not limited to: armour, boots, shield and weapons, shovels, canteens and flasks, mule equipment, spare clothes, and food rations. Soldiers were paid a monthly wage, provided by the state, for their service. Initially, this was three silver *raex**;* in 221, this was changed to eight silver *raex* per soldier (roughly twice the average monthly wage of a skilled labourer or farm worker).

The military system was also entirely reworked to promote ease of command and integration, as well as aid in logistical matters. Each soldier was drafted into an *ilos* (pl. *ilex*), a regiment of 20 men who live, train, and march together on the move. Of the 20 men, one was appointed as the *numinos* (pl. *numinex*). A numinos could take an assistance, and was in charge of looking after the ilos' supplies and rations. Ilex were organised into multiples of 25, for a total of 500 enlisted personnel, to form a *rotos* (pl. *rotex*), known also as a battalion. Each battalion wa headed by a *siacos* (pl. *siacex*), or a battalion commander, to whom the 25 numinex must report daily. Battalions were then grouped into multiples of ten (or occasionally eleven during wartime) to form a legion, comprised of 5000 enlisted soldiers. The legion would then be commander by a senior officer - a general, senator, or in some cases even a major.

The reforms had a drastic impact on the future of Sevicia's military. The new, paid-for standing army provided a singular, disciplined system whereby units could be organised and rearranged with much greater ease than before. It also allowed for a far larger pool of manpower to draw from. The monthly wage, which was paid for with the help of a new land tax and import tax, provided an enticing incentive to young men and women, as it was twice, or even in rare cases three or four times, what a labourer would be paid. Under Ascillion, Sevicia's available military force swelled from approximately 20,000 to more than 150,000, including reserves and auxiliary contingents. The system has been altered over the years to accommodate certain groups, but has **mainly remained the staple** of the Sevician army for almost 500 years.

### The modern army

As of the year 713 the Sevician army operates in much the way it did during the reign of Ascillion the Great, with a few key, notable differences:

* In times of crisis, mandatory conscription may be legally introduced as a system of drafting larger numbers of young men and women into the standing army. During the Anaean Wars of the 660s, conscription accounted for more than 150,000 of Sevicia's military force, though this was decreased soon after the war ended.
* A higher focus is placed on naval warfare, with many recruits drafted into brigades that undergo weeks of rigorous training on ships to better understand how combat at sea functions. With the rise of Duscador's naval power in the seventh century, more emphasis was placed on this by Sevicia's Senate and rulers.
* Under Ascillion, auxiliary units were usually drafted from local battalions of recruits whose training had not proven adequate to be assigned to battalions in regular legions, or occasionally were trained in a way designated specifically as auxiliary units. In the present day, these auxiliary untis are often drawn up from foreign volunteer recruits, are paid a monthly wage similar to the rest of the army, and play a vital role in military assistance alongside Sevicia's usual standing army.
* With the Age of Siege and the advent of the smoothbore cannon, significantly more emphasis is placed on the role of siege warfare and the siege unit in the Sevician military, with entire battalions sometimes dedicated to siege during large-scale conflicts, or even during pitched battles.

## Organisation

The organisation and structure of Sevicia's terrestrial army is heavily influenced by the reforms of Ascillion the Great, who ushered in a very similar system that has only been altered in minor ways throughout the centuries. It includes:

### Legions

The largest contingent of soldiers in Sevicia's army, a legion is often made up of between 5000 and 6000 combat-ready soldiers, who march together and camp together. Legions are divided down into smaller groups (listed below) and in times of great conflict are often grouped into "legion groups" that include multiples of four, six, or even eight (or more) legions led by one general, usually the most senior officer or Supreme Commander of the army. The legion has been the staple of Sevicia's standing force since the time of Ascillion, and has served in that role ever since.

### Rotex

Also known as a battalion, a rotos (pl. rotex) is the second-largest regiment of soldiers in the terrestrial Sevician army. A rotos comprises 500 fighting men and a number of other non-fighting personnel. Rotex are organised into legions, with ten or eleven rotex forming a single legion. Battalions were originally formed under Ascillion the Great, who laid the basis for the modern Sevician military.

### Ilex

An ilos (pl. ilex) is a regiment of 20 fighting men who march, eat, live, fight, and sleep together in the army. An ilos is the standard drafted unit in the Sevician military, with 25 ilex forming a battalion, which then trains together before joining a legion. The ilos was introduced by Ascillion the Great, who believed a smaller, more close-knit group of soldiers would foster interpersonal relations that would in turn help strengthen the bond of brotherhood on the battlefield. A single man from each ilos is appointed to oversee the regiment (see: *Ranks and Roles* below), and the men of the ilos are responsible for taking care of their needs on the march.

### Cavalry

The Sevician army includes a significant cavalry regiment and has done for hundreds of years. Horses are specially bred, mostly from either the northern regions of Sevicia or from around the Cape, where the flatlands make excellent training for raising horses. A soldier may either opt for or be chosen for cavalry training, which includes a number of similar disciplines and drills to foot soldiers, but a number of extras as well. Cavalry regiments are also drafted into ilex, with cavalry battalions making up 500 horses and soldiers, and anywhere from zero to three cavalry battalions in each legion.

### Auxiliary units

The majority of auxiliary units in the modern Sevician army are comprised almost entirely of foreign volunteers and local recruits. Auxiliaries are trained similarly to the average Sevician soldier, are given a similar wage, but usually are designed for a different combat role in the field. Many auxiliary units fill a specific niche, acting as either light skirmishing infantry or reserve contingents for the main bulk of a Sevician army. Auxiliary units are usually drafted into battalions of 400 to 500, which are then combined into units of anywhere between 2000 and 5000.

### Naval units

Sevicia's present-day navy represents a significant force of more than 500 ships, twodeckers and threedeckers, that rule primarily in the Shimmering and Lothor seas. While the navy stands as a wholly separate entity from the Sevician army, enlisted army personnel can nevertheless be drafted into naval units, especially during wartime crises (such as the Second Duscadorian-Sevician War), to serve as the crews of ships in need of manpower.

### Non-combat personnel

Alongside the standing army of soldiers, the army contains a large number of non-combat personnel, including cooks, camp attendants and builders, physicians, and other medical personnel that travel with the army. These additional numbers of non-fighting personnel can number in the thousands per legion, though usually are much less - only a couple hundred at maximum.

### Siege warfare

Sevicia has been at the forefront of siege warfare for more than four centuries, since the reign of Ascillion the Great. Siege weapons like catapults, ballistae, assault towers, ladders, and more are usually constructed on the move from wood and other resources from the surrounding environments. Occasionally, for prolonged siege warfare, groups of specialised sappers will be drafted into certain legions for frontline action, though this is somewhat of a rarity. During the Sevician-Magar War of third century, Ascillion had more than a million square acres of woodland cut down to fuel his siege onslaught of the near-impenetrable Magar castles and fortresses.

In recent times, siege warfare on the continent has move more towards a pitched environment, with the invention and introduction of the cannon. Though wildly unreliable and often incredibly dangerous, the smoothbore cannon is nonetheless a power and effective anti-infantry and anti-emplacement weapon in wartime. During the third war against Duscador, the Sevician army brought more than a thousand guns to bear, often attended to by teams of five or six, who would deal with priming, loading, and maintaining the cannon at all times.

## Equipment

### Weapons

Each soldier in the Sevician army carries as standard three weapons: a short sword, a spear, and a small dagger. The short sword is a blade usually forged of steel or iron alloy, approximately 60 to 70 centimetres in length, and with a pommel and hilt fashioned out of wood, or on rare occasions (and usually as ceremonial gifts) out of ivory. The short sword is the most standard hand-to-hand weapon in the Sevician army, designed for thrusting or stabbing at close range, rather than slashing or hacking, and is almost always used in conjunction with a large oval-shaped shield. The sword is usually worn in a scabbard of leather or wood fastened to either a belt or to a buckle on the back of the shield, and is drawn from the opposite hip.

The spear is the other staple of the Sevician foot soldier, which every soldier carries with them as standard. A longer weapon, of roughly two metres in length, the spear is comprised of a long pointed piece of iron connected to a wooden shaft, often with a head to protect the shaft. The spear, while large, is generally quite lightweight and flexible, and has been used by Sevician armies in the past as both a missile (as a javelin) and as a ranged melee weapon (as a thrusting spear, to combat cavalry charges and other infantry assaults), though for the latter it occasionally proves ineffective.

Each soldier also carries with them a short dagger, sheathed in a small scabbard, usually attached to either the belt - on the opposite side of the sword - or on a buckle to the shoulders or the back of the shield. The dagger, while rarely used in combat, provides a useful third tool for any soldier who may need it.

### Armour

The standard Sevician soldier of the eighth century is reasonably heavily armoured, though not to the extent that it sacrifices mobility in the field. In addition to the weapons mentioned above, the armour consists of a chainmail piece of body armour, usually with chained links printed out of a single piece of iron (or, rarely, bronze or brass), which extends from the neck and shoulders down to the hips and covers the entire torso. Each soldier is also protected by two iron or brass greaves that protect the wearer's shins and lower legs, and two iron or brass shoulder pauldrons for added protection.

Underneath the armour, which can weigh upwards of 30 or even 40 pounds, each soldier wears a lightweight fabric tunic, usually cut ouf of a single bolt of cloth, and a lightweight skirt of either leather (with printed brass buttons and tassles) or, again, fabric. During colder periods and in harsher climates, the lightweight fabric is often replaced by a long-sleeved tunic and even trousers or breeches, and occasionally soldiers will also wear a scarf or neck protector against the elements. As standard, each soldier is provided a pair of leather boots, which in warm climates may often be replaced with sandals or lighter open-toed footwear.

### Helmets

The Sevician helmet is a rounded helm that offers adequate protection to the face and head, including a sloping design at the rear to protect against missile attacks and the elements. The helmets are usually fashioned out of iron, or occasionally also out of polished brass, and weigh between two and four pounds. It is not uncommon for battalion commanders and higher-ranked officers to wear helmets with plumes of feathers or other decorations, and indeed Ascillion the Great was famous for heading into battle with a plumed helmet atop his head.

### Shields

Each soldier is outfitted as standard with a large, oval-shaped shield. The shield is approximately a metre and 25 centimetres in length, or occasionally slightly smaller, and is designed to protect the wearer from most incoming attacks from the neck down to the lower leg while also retaining mobility and flexibility. They are usually fashioned out of hard wood and bolted together with threads of iron (and an iron bolt in the middle), and are finished with a leather or rawhide rim and decorative emblems and sigils painted onto the front side.

### Tools and supplies

The average soldier must carry a number of tools with him on the march. As standard, each soldier is provided a leather pack or satchel to carry his or her belongings. This pack must include: a trowel (for digging), a tin or brass cup (for carrying liquids), a stone pestle and mortar grinder, a small canteen, a cooking pot, food rations, spare clothes, and occasionally bolts or strips of wood, or nails, for construction purposes. This puts the total weight of the soldier on the march, including weapons and armour, at well north of 60 or 70 pounds, though often pack mules or other animals are used for these transport purposes.

## Cost and size

The size of the Sevician army has changed drastically over the years. In wartime, the number of standing legions often doubles or even triples, with expenses skyrocketing and numbers of standing soldiers following close behind. During the rule of Ascillion, Sevicia's army numbered approximately 175,000 fighting men, many of whom were occupied in the war against the Shimmering Isles for almost a decade. By the fifth century that number had grown to more than 300,000. As of 713, Sevicia's army stands at more than 550,000 combat-ready soldiers. During the Anaean Wars and the civil crisis of the 660s, that number swelled to well north of a million, though only a small proportion saw combat at any one time.

A Sevician footsoldier with no rank to his name is paid, as standard, twelve silver raex per month. As eight silver raex are equal to one gold raex, this equates to a salary of **eighteen** gold raex per year, per soldier. Higher ranks, beginning with captains, are paid even higher. For comparison, a year's supply of bread costs roughly three to four gold raex, and the average Sevician labourer earns roughly six to eight gold raex in a year. However, a significant proportion of a soldier's pay is subtracted to partially cover for food, rationing, and supply costs, meaning that on average a soldier without a rank might take home a yearly pay of between eight and ten gold raex.

In his book on the Sevician army on the march, the writer Odorus Pion gives a rough estimation of the yearly pay of a Sevician soldier after deductables:

**Remunerations of a Sevician foot soldier, c. 700 A.S.**
**(silver raex)**
 Equipment deductions

Sevicia's army is extremely costly to maintain. In his book on the Sevician military, *Army on the March,* the Odorus Pion estimates that a Sevician soldier costs the state "more than ten gold raex per period of twelve months." The historian Cyppian gives a similar number, claiming the cost per year for a soldier's upkeep - including arms and armament, food and provisions, and shelter - is between ten and 20 gold raex. These numbers also do not include salaries and wages. The cost of a legion therefore is very high to maintain year-round. The business magnate and politician Eris Farlan, known to many as the richest man in the Empire, wagered that to raise a legion of his own, from his own pocket and without the help of the state, it would cost upwards of half a million gold raex for a year, including supply and housing costs.

## Command structure

### Supreme Commander

Sevicia's command structure is devolved into three general tiers. The highest active military command over the terrestrial forces is the Supreme Commander, a general who is elected by vote of the Senate of Sevicia to the position for a period of no less than six years, with no set upper term limit. The supreme commander holds power over the entirety of Sevicia's military strategy and tactics during times of war and a great deal during times of peace, although much is often deferred to the acting Imperator, or even the Senate, at the time. On occasion, such as during the reign of Ascillion the Great, the supreme commander has also been the active ruling Imperator of Sevicia, though this is a rare occurrence. Notable supreme commanders include Petr Engarden, the only man in more than 150 years to be awarded the Grand Eagle with Wreath Cross and Crest, Sevicia's highest military honour.

### Generals

Each legion of 5000-6000 men is commander by a General, who oversees the legion's logistical and military operations, including marches, camp building, and supply chains. In times of war, the legion general also assumes the role of strategic and tactical commander in battle, unless such a role is deferred to the Supreme Commander. General is the highest available "standard" military rank in Sevicia, with most generals assigned control of a legion, or partial control, during the course of their career.

### The Senate and the Imperator

Though the Supreme Commander holds power during wartime, in peace total control resides at the feet of the Senate of Sevicia, who in turn defer to the reigning Imperator. In present-day Sevicia, it is rare for the Imperator to involve themselves with military matters outside of official tribunals and military celebrations (including prize and award-giving ceremonies and festival days for the army), though the Senate plays a much more active role, including electing generals and commanders by way of vote. Any military requests made by the supreme commander or generals must first be passed to the Senate to decide upon.

## Ranks and roles

### Major

The Major is the highest rank in the Sevician army below that of General. Majors are usually given command of multiple battalions within a legion, or more commonly, when that role is taken by the captains, serves as an assistant, advisor, and second-in-command for the general of a legion. In times of crisis, majors may rarely be appointed command of an entire legion by themselves, though this has seldom happened in Sevician military history.

### Captain

Also known as a *siacos* (pl. *siacex*), a captain is the lowest possible rank recognised in the army as an officer, as opposed to a commissioned non-officer, or enlisted ranksman, entitling them to a state stipend and eligibility for the Orders the High Command, Sevicia's highest military honours. A captain has command over either a single battalion of 500 men or multiple battalions and must report to the major, who in turn reports to the general. In battle, captains are responsible for the organisation of their battalions, such that they do not become panicked or flee during a combat situation.

### Numinos

A *numinos* (pl. *numinex*) is the head of each *ilos,* comprised of 20 men who eat, sleep, and march together. The numinos is appointed by the rest of the men in each ilos to serve as that unit's commander, and is in charge of looking after provisions and rations, tools and equipment, and procuring anything any man or woman in the ilos might need. The numinos is the highest rank not to be considered an officer in the Sevician army. Each battalion is split into 25 *ilex* of 20 men (for 500 total), meaning 25 numinex per battalion, who then in turn report to the battalion captain.

### Medios

The *medios* (pl. *mediex*), or physician, is a non-combat enlisted role for soldiers who tend to and treat the wounded or sick during times of war. In peacetime, only a small number of soldiers from a legion are selected as *mediex;* during wartime this number grows to a minimum of one soldier per 20-man ilos. The medios is in charge of all medical matters during both peace and wartime, and must request supplies from their designated numinos if necessary.

### Insignos

A rarity in the present-day army, the *insignos* (pl. *insignex*) is reserved for soldiers who, during combat, carry the standard or flag of their unit into battle. The insignos has a long history in the Sevician army, dating back to the time of Ascillion the Great, where a certain number of men per battalion were appointed to carry their legion's standard into battle, using either a flag or, in some instances, a solid gold bust or emblem of the legion's sigil on a long staff or pole.

### Cook

The cooks prepare the food for each unit and are often seen only during times of war, where the larger numbers of non-combat personnel allow for a smoother chain of operations all the way down to the individual soldier. During peacetime, cooking duties are often assigned by the numinos to certain soldiers within each ilos unit, or are split between the unit as a whole.

## Names and titles

A number of legions and battalions are given monikers and titles within the Sevician army, usually named after important figures, symbolic animals or objects, or a host of other events that are designed to give each unit a unique meaning. Examples include:

* **II legion - The Bloodhounds.** Named after the search and attack dog, the Bloodhounds have a long and storied career as one of the earliest named legions in the Sevician army.
* **IV Legion - The Wayfarers.** Named for their history of naval warfare and support during both times of war and peace.
* **VI Legion - Of Cloe.** Named in tribute to Cloe of Ida, one of Sevicia's "four great" rulers, who reigned Imperator of Sevicia from 634 to 640. The legion was renamed in her honour after her passing and its sigil and moniker were changed alongside.
* **IX legion - The Ironsides.** The moniker of "Ironsides" was given to the IX Legion under the command of Renan Demarian, who transformed them into one of the army's most disciplined and well-oiled units.
* **XVII Legion - Osman's Raiders.** Named after Trys Osman, the commander of the XVII Legion, for their prowess in battle. Known for their shock tactics and swift action, from where they earned the name "Raiders."

## Strategy and tactics

The Sevician army since the reforms of Ascillion in the third century has earned a reputation as one of the most disciplined and highly organised fighting forces anywhere on the continent. Unlike other armies, such as those of the duchies and realms in the Middle Kingdoms, where armies are organised usually by local lords and thus military strategy is often a combination of whatever lords and leaders deem relevant at the time, Sevicia's central codex and system has made its army a polished fighting machine.

The pitched battle is one of the army's strongest assets, with Sevician armies throughout history having often defeated larger forces in pitched battle scenarios, such as as the Battle of Mun Nava under Ascillion, or the Battle of the River Laerid during the Middlelands War of the fifth century. A reliance on hand-to-hand combat and foot infantry over cavalry, as well as the frequent use of skirmisher and archer units, has made the Sevician army unique in this regard. Battlefield tactics often include the use of skirmishers to force enemy units into unfavourable positions, or often the use of the standard soldier's spear, which can also be used as a javelin or ranged weapon, to pepper enemy lines before hand-to-hand combat is even initiated.

The Sevician army uses rotational line tactics in pitched battes, whereby battalion captains are nominally in charge of rotating out the very front lines of soldiers for the lines further back. This ensures that the fighting contingent at the front during a pitched battle never tires to the point of exhaustion over the course of a battle which can last up to multiple days at a time, with little respite or pause. A number of other tactics have been used over the centuries, such as shield walls, trench warfare, and specialised anti-cavalry spearman units deployed on occasions.

## Logistics and supply

Supplying such a large force of soldiers, even in times of peace, is a task of incredible difficulty. In his book on the life of the Sevician army, Odorus Pion estimates that a fully-reinforced Sevician legion would require more than 500 bushels (approx. 14 tonnes) of wheat every single day, including provisions for pack animals and non-combat personnel. During Ascillion's conquest of the Shimmering Isles, the Sevician forces (number eleven legions, 55,000 men) required more than 150 tonnes of wheat every day. Including other provisions, such as tools and equipment, the total cargo of a legion on the march could easily be in excess of 20 or 30 tonnes at any one time.

The enormous cargo sizes of a Sevician legion mean that the majority of supply is carried aboard ships, on seas and then inland over rivers, as far as possible. Ascillion's campaign in the third century ran into initial problems when resupplying cross-continent from mainland Sevicia proved more difficult than initially believed. A significant portion of Sevicia's crops are grown in the northern regions - the Northlands and the Heartlands - where the fertile soil provides ample growth all year round. A Sevician legion on the move, including inland supplies that cannot be delivered via boats or ships, can bring with it in excess of two or three thousand pack and cargo animals, which require feeding and keeping of their own.

For these reasons, the majority of food and provisions save for wheat and other grains is foraged on the move, or in peacetimes often provided by local settlements or towns for a price. Meat and protein is usually sourced from either the deer or the karak - Sevicia's two most common wild animals. Other sources of food include fish, potatoes, carrots, leaks, and other ground-grown vegetables that may be harvested from across Sevicia.

Sevicia has a vast network of roads, which was established in the late first century, improved by Ascillion, and expanded to near its current size of system under Maria Mios in the fifth century. Its network allows for fast and easy transportation of supplies and goods across most terrain, even in the coldest months of Saturna. Continental Sevicia is also blessed with a number of large inland rivers and inlets that allow for ease of transporation of enormous quantities of food and supplies with a fraction of the effort or manpower required. The Ryst and Ostar rivers in the southwest and the River Jast provide fertile land and ample quantities of fresh water, and the River Mir - which runs across the centre of Sevicia and is the continent's largest inland river - is vital to the continued Sevician war effort.

## Daily life

### Training

Ascillion the Great's reforms also brought with them the discipline and training he believed was required of a proper standing army. In times of peace, soldiers are trained for a period of no less than nine months. Training includes rigorous programmes of physical exercise, training with a variety of weapons including the short sword and the spear, basic survival skills such as foraging for food and hunting, basic knitting, sowing, and craftwork, and extended programmes of teamwork activities and exercises designed to strengthen the bond between comrades. Soldiers who are drafted to or are chosen for naval duties must undergo a training period of no less than a year.

After training is completed, drills and exercises continue sporadically among legions, usually at the behest of a battalion commander or individual unit's numinos. These exercises are designed to maintain discipline and order and keep Sevicia's fighting force as prepared for any sort of combat as possible.

In times of crisis, or during war, the training period is drastically shortened to anywhere from two to four weeks. Physical exercise is kept to a minimum, with focus instead turning to weapon drills, strategic and tactical training, and general discipline exercises. Training is led by a host of majors and captains, many of whom have retired or chosen to take a leave from frontline duty, who are paid an instructors' stipend every month.

### Police duties

As the majority of Sevicia's legion camps reside just outside many of its larger cities - like Meirum and Otesia - a number of units in the army take on police-like roles during times of peace. These generally include protection and vigilance for local neighbourhoods or districts, assistance with matters of civilian importance, or on rarer occasions, even serving in a judicial role, as a military court. The units chosen for police duties must follow a strict code, and any violations of this code, to the detriment of Sevicia's citizen population, are dealt with swiftly and severely.

### Construction duties

An army the size of Sevicia's provides a huge pool of manpower to draw on whenever needed. For this reason, it is not uncommon for entire battalions or even legions to be assigned construction duties that often entail the building or maintenance of public buildings, houses, or even entire hamlets. In times of war, and on the frontlines during peacetime as well, legions are tasked with the construction and upkeep of their own camps and forts, including any such additions that need to be built, such as regiment camps for nearby auxiliary forces, stables for cavalry and horses, watch-towers and smaller border patrol forts, bridges, depots, signal-towers and stations, and ditches or ramparts during prolonged sieges. Sevicia's army is generally incredibly efficient, and Odorus Pion claims that a legion can construct a camp able to house 5000 men, including horses and pack animals, within two days.

### Social life

Like the majority of Sevicia's citizens, many soldiers - especially those of lower ranks - are illiterate, though a basic comprehension of reading and writing Sevician is required for any officer ranks or above. Many legions, or their attachment civilian strongholds and settlements, offer education and learning classes, including numbers and the Sevician language, for soldiers who wish to use them. Most Sevician soldiers are Sevician born and speak Sevician, though a number also speak Jastian, Itrusic, Laeanese, and several other languages native to parts of the Empire. A small, but not insignificant, portion of the army is comprised of ethnic Duscadorians or Erenneese from beyond the reaches of Sevicia.

Leisure activities for soldiers include hunting and a number of dice and card games, and occasionally the luxury of proper bathing or equestrian events. Odorus Pion writes that during peacetime it is not uncommon for a legion to host larger social events, such as plays and theatre performances, or even small jousting or swordplay tournaments.

## Notable units

A brief list of some of the more notable units in the Sevician army:

I LegionII LegionIII LegionIV LegionV LegionVI LegionIX LegionXII LegionXV LegionXVI LegionXVII LegionXX Legion

## See also

The Empire of Sevicia

Imperator: Sevicia's ruling monarch

Ascillion the Great

*Army on the March*