Sapphire Grande Armée

The **Sapphire Grande Armée** is the Military Army of the Sapphire Imperial Japan, which it belongs to and operates under, and by extension Judge Sapphire's command who can summons or call them to where she is in order to assist or just accompany her. Blue, white, red, black and some of their shades constitute the main color of this Army.

## **Organization**

The Grande Armée is divided in 2 Armies, the Auxiliary Army and the Imperial Guard. Since Sapphire is female, all the members are women, without it impeding on their abilities, strength nor power.

In general, their esthetics are similar to the Napoleonic period that, except for the Skirmishers and Snipers, are colorful and little discreet. This is not minded as it is generally not their intention nor something that change much for them. All their uniforms can be hardly pierced by conventional means and protect them greatly, and the armors make them nearly invincible. They are equipped with their own special firearms loaded with special ammunition, even if they mostly remain single shot and magazine-less. They also use adapted weapons from the Early Modern and contemporary periods other than the Napoleonic Age. All the weapons are common, whether their calibers, only depending of the unit who has to use them. Soldiers train daily for every situations they can meet on the battlefield, and to common tactics that they will apply in battles, and they also patrol in their controlled territories to enforce and maintain calm and peace as the Survey Corps Divisions.
As well, Marshals are able to form a martial court to judge a soldier or officer for war crimes and other grave acts the army is forbidden to commit. The army wants to remain a force that fights in favor of peace and freedom, and thus terror and the like are among what is disallowed. and punished by the martial court, like treason.
With the duty to protect and serve Sapphire, considered as their "mother" or "big sister", their love for her is what unite them. However, the love is not always sexual, but can be simply admiration for her, a great friendship without any sexual side, or a religious-like love that sees her like a godly being, through this is minor and disapproved by Marshals and Sapphire herself.

### **Marshals, Generals and Admirals**

Marshals are the highest officers that each rule an aspect of the Grande Armée, and have the most proximity with Sapphire and the fanciest clothing, Goshin Sabers and Hiroshima pistols. Their importance gives them particularities among the Guard other than being a sidekick for Sapphire. They come in the number of 26 each responsible of a part of the Grande Armée.

They direct Army Corps which Regiments are directed by Generals, among which Battalions are directed by Captains. Marshals and Generals take the Captain's place when the regiment or ship crew in question serves as their bodyguard. Generals, Admirals, and Captains have outfits similar to the Marshals', but less fancy, through they use the same swords and pistols.

### **Armies**

*See Sapphire Grande Armée/Units and Materials for units and equipment.*

The Grande Armée is divided into two Armies divided in Corps composed of several Regiments, themselves made of 5 Battalions of variable numbers of soldiers each..

#### Auxiliary Army

Existing since the battle of Yamanashi, they are the secondary and ordinary wing of the Grande Armée. They are made of regular female humans and Yōma made subjects to Arts to make them more resistant and stronger, becoming able to carry their equipment yet they can't even equal the Young Guard. They can have their own Elites units and generals to direct them, but still are under the authority of the Marshals, a function they can't access.

#### Legacy Guard

The Legacy Guard is a secondary Imperial Guard with low numbers, constituted from the Regular Corps's Elites. In fact, it is a Corps which makes an unique exception in term of equipment and style as it is simply a revival of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy from their beginnings to the World Wars versions with the corresponding attire and equipment, adapted to be used with grey powder and the Empire's metals. It was established as a tribute to the previous Empire of Japan out of some patriotism, though due to the tribute's nature they serve solely as a land defense force.

#### Stranger Battalions

The Stranger Battalions are different Battalions composed of stranger patriots and other volunteers reunited in their own battalions and featuring their own emblems and uniforms while still having the Grande Armée's standard equipment. Put under Grouchy's authority, they tend to be employed as reinforcements though they can still can be elite units.

#### Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard is the elite wing of the Grande Armée composed of Half-Deities made from the soldiers of Ginyotei's previous owners, reviving once defeated like the Marshals. Their power and resistance is such that a light soldier of the Young Guard, the weakest Army Corps among them, can stand alone with its rifle against the totality of the modern US Army with their best weapons on their best day. They reach the number of 1 198 regiments, 856 080 soldiers with 5 991 units.

##### Young Guard (542 Regiments, 2 710 Units, 613 400 Soldiers)

The Young Guard is the lowest ground, they remain very powerful but do not compare to the others. They have the less decorations thus.

60 Regiments with 300 Squadrons of Dragoons (24 000)

50 Regiments with 250 Squadrons of Lancers (30 000)

30 Regiments with 150 Squadrons of Mounted Hunters (12 000)

48 Regiments with 240 Battalions of Sappers (38 400)

80 Regiments with 400 Battalions of Grenadiers (160 000)

214 Regiments with 1070 Battalions of Elite Fusiliers (321 000)

12 Regiments with 60 Battalions of Skirmishers (12 000)

8 Regiments with 40 Battalions of Hunters (8 000)

40 Companies with 200 Artillery Batteries (8 000)

##### Middle Guard (322 Regiments, 1 610 Units, 359 200 Soldiers)

The Middle Guard is the medium ground between the Old and the Young Guard. Quite moderate compared to the two, they are only an intermediate Guard between them.

26 Regiments with 130 Squadrons of Cuirassiers (10 400)

32 Regiments with 160 Squadrons of Dragoons (12 800)

14 Regiments with 70 Squadrons of Mounted Hunters (5 600)

24 Regiments with 120 Battalions of Sappers (19 200)

60 Regiments with 300 Battalions of Grenadiers (90 000)

140 Regiments with 700 Battalions of Elite Fusiliers (210 000)

12 Regiments with 60 Battalions of Voltigeurs (8 400)

14 Companies with 70 Artillery Batteries (2 800)

##### Old Guard (268 Regiments, 1 341 Units, 172 480 Soldiers)

The Old Guard is the cream of the crop of them, those who reload the fastest, shoot the most accurately, and are the oldest, strongest, and fastest.  Recognized by their bearskins and to have the most decorations, they are the highest soldiers in importance but the fewest, being only 160 000.

1 Battalion of the St-Helena Guard (80)

12 Regiments with 60 Squadrons of Carabiniers (4 800)

16 Regiments with 80 Squadrons of Cuirassiers (6 400)

20 Regiments with 100 Squadrons of Mounted Grenadiers (8 000)

24 Regiments with 120 Squadrons of Mounted Musketeers (9 600)

32 Regiments with 160 Squadrons of Dragoons (12 800)

12 Regiments with 60 Battalions of Musketeers (7 200)

12 Regiments with 60 Battalions of Sappers (9 600)

32 Regiments with 160 Battalions of Grenadiers (48 000)

60 Regiments with 300 Battalions of Line Infantry (90 000)

4 Regiments with 20 Battalions of Snipers (1 600)

8 Regiments with 40 Battalions of Voltigeurs (5 600)

16 Companies with 80 Artillery Batteries (3 200)

###### Bodyguards of the Old Guard

The Bodyguards of the Guard are a special Corp made of 26 Squadrons of Carabiniers plus the Guard of Saint-Helena. They form the Elite of the Old Guard, and each regiment serves as the personal bodyguard of a Marshal or of Sapphire. They are the most powerful of the Imperial Guard and are charged of the protection of the persona they are assigned to.

## **Anthem and Themes**

The Sapphire Guard has two Themes, the Marshals' Theme called *The Old Guard's Prayer*, and the the imperial them called *Chimera from the Heavens*. The first is played with a pipe organ when the battle engages without Sapphire being part of the commanding officers, and the second when she rules the Guard.

There is other officious musics, lyric-less tunes of various kinds that are played with bugles, or with fifes and drums to motivate soldiers. The Anthem is *The Song of Travel*, sang at occasions to celebrate a victory after a fanfare played with trumpets by Musicians.

## **Trivia**

* Even if according to Ginyotei, Sapphire is their Empress, the Imperial Guard prefer to call her their Mistress. Actually this name is used to call Sapphire as a close and motherly, familiar persona and not like a powerful but distant one, thus relating to the Guard's proximity with her.