Praetorian

## Praetorians

### Description

Praetorians form the 4th and highest ranking branch in the Imperial Legion. Elite soldiers through and through. There are few opponents that have faced the Imperium Astorum's elite shock troops, and lived to tell the tale.

Handpicked from Stellar Legions or otherwise inducted directly from specialized military academy's, Praetorians are exceptionally well trained and equipped, boasting some of the most advanced equipment and vehicles the Imperium Astorum military can field. Including the highly advanced P.R.D-005 Elite Infantry Power Armor, and "crusader" Anvil II variant of assualt power armor.

While not exclusively limited to it, the vast majority of Praetorian forces follow the structure of the Praetorian P.O.D (Praetorian Orbital Drop) Millennium. A 1000 man strong unit of elite airborne troops specialized in dropping from stealth strike cruisers and destroyers through a planet's atmosphere. Though at times, they can be attached to other imperial force's if its deemed their skill set is required. Once on the ground their assigned mission becomes their upmost priority. With anything standing between them and its completion, facing a hopeless battle against zealously dedicated men and women, willing to go to any lengths necessary to be victorious. Its commonly known that a single Praetorian can and will effectively take on an entire platoon of enemy soldiers alone, and likely come out on top. Or otherwise will perish taking as many with them as possible.

Praetorians are known to show almost know quarter in battle and are ruthlessly efficient. Rarely stopping for anything and bringing much of their equipment and supplies with them on their planetary descent. Their rapid assault nature and doctrine frequently leads to them never taking prisoners in battle unless specifically ordered to, and in general their tactics leave very few if any survivors. Along with their infantry they also field several light vehicles, suited to their mobile operations tempo and modified to survive the harsh conditions of a drop through a planet's atmosphere.

### Life

The life of an Imperial Praetorian is often hard but relatively glamorous, and rarely boring. Assigned only the most difficult missions or otherwise deployed to the most dangerous operations. Praetorians face a life of deadly battles, That would leave lesser men and women broken from the sheer danger and stacked odds that they face. As such its virtually common knowledge that praetorians have a certain general attitude. Known as "Hades's Madness" which makes many praetorians come across as nihilisticlly humorous. Often able to crack jokes and make idle banter in even the most desperate and losing battles.

Though despite being frequently confronted with death, their contribution's are often hailed as the pride of the entire empire. The result being that Praetorians are often given incredible honor and renown for their achievement's. With Praetorians being one of the most common origin points for new noble families arising within the empire.

When not in combat. Praetorians often spend their time training with each other, and for future operations, always honing their skills to ensure they never embarrass the branch they belong to. This would lead to the creation of the: "Martis Tribuisti" (Festival of Mars) a traditional event where Praetorian millennium's from across the empire meet once per SOL year on the planet Mars to test each other in a massive dueling and martial skill tournament. The tournament is broadcast across the empire free for anyone to watch, and it often draws millions of observers every time it occurs. Due to the stakes and potential renown involved in these duels, they can become fiercely competitive, and sometimes even borderline fatal for the participating Praetorians. However winning even a single duel can bring great honor to a Praetorian warrior and reaching the finals can become grounds for entrance into officer candidacy even should the combatant ultimately lose.

Otherwise praetorians are permitted to enjoy whatever amenities they may find wherever they are. Some of which may offer their services or goods for free, as a symbol of gratitude to praetorian service.

### Organization

Praetotian units are organized into 20,000 strong cohorts comprised of 20, 1000 strong milleniums. Who are further divided into 10, 100 man strong company's within known as "lances". In line with the size of a millenium they are commanded by a Praetorian Legate along with three supporting Praetorian centurions. Each centurion retains command of 2 of the 10 lances with the remaining 4 being under the supervision of the millenium's legate. Each millennium holds possession of a stealth modified strike cruiser,

While the number of companies within the millenium is equal, their constituent lances forces are not. Each lance within the millenium involves specific types of praetorian with different tasks in mind, and different equipment or experience pertinent to their placement.

#### Evocatus

The first lance is known as the millenium's "Evocatus". Housing the most experienced and well equipped troops across the entire millenium. This company will be seen under the dierect command of the millenium's legate, and is comprised of men and women who have seen dozens of campaigns or operations. As such they are often assigned the most sensitive operations within the millenium. And are the first to trial or receive new technology within the imperial military.

They also act as advisors of sort to the millenium's legate. And are

#### Vanguards

2 more company's are known as "vanguards" which make up the assault infantry of the millenium. They are equipped with personal vambrace energy shields in line with the veterans, but with more Anvil assault armor units mixed within. These lances make up the tip of the spear in praetorian operations, crushing enemies in relentless lightning fast assaults.

#### Pathfinders

Beyond vanguards 2 more companies are relegated to "pathfinders". Slightly lighter in armor than the other praetorians. Pathfinders are usually the first lances to drop to a planet and are tasked with finding and clearing landing zones, and setting up drop beacons, or other infrastructure to guide more praetorian forces safely down to the planet. While pathfinder beacons and infrastructure are **technically** unnecessary to praetorian landings. They assist massively in post drop reorganization. Allowing praetorians to quickly organize and find each other once planetside. They also mark area's determined to be suitable locations for field HQ's, combat hospitals, landing sites for vehicles LST's or dropships, and ammo dumps.

staffed mostly by those veteran soldiers only recently inducted into the ranks of praetorians. Pathfinders are led by more experienced praetorians, usually vanguards, who oversee their full induction into the millenium. This trial ending in "cold drops" where pathfinders are expected to pave the way for additional forces to land. Should a pathfinder surrvive the intial stages of a cold drop. They are usually promoted to the status of a true praetorian having proved they can meet the expectations of the millenium.

While one may assume a praetorian pathfinder to be a relatively inexperienced soldier, this assumption is false. Pathfinders are often made up of only the most experienced soldiers from other branches of the imperial military (often from stellar legions). As such they are execptional warriors already only needing to prove themselves fully capable of being considered praetorian.

> "To be Praetorian. Is not to carry their guns... Or to don their armor... To be Praetorian... one must face the same fires of war we have all faced..."
>
>

#### Generalus

3 additional companies are designated as the "Generalus" and make up the general infantry of the millenium. They are all supervised by the millenium's legate along with the veterans. They drop after both pathfinders and vanguards, and make up the largest and most versatile fighting force within the millenium.

#### Dominus Terra and Caleum

Finally 2 companies are designated Dominus caelum and Dominus Terra. With the former overseeing the millenium's corvus drop/boarding ships, and strike fighters. While the latter is responsible for the millenium's vehicles and light armor.

Though both lances possess vehicles capable of surviving the tumultuous drop through atmosphere their infantry engage in. Both lances usually await proper landing zones with ample security. Before descending their mechanized and aerial forces to the ground.

### Doctrine

praetorian operations tend to follow one of two general styles. The first is: rapid battlefield support, and the other being: facilitation et dominus (conquest facilitation). Affectionately referred to as: "hot drops" for the former style and "cold drops" for the latter.

Rapid battlefield support or "hot drops" involves most if not the entire millenium dropping immediately onto the flanks or rear of an enemy unit. Creating widespread chaos and damage across an entire enemy force. Hot drops are quite dangerous and out of the two operations footprints easily result in the largest casualties. As praetorians may end up landing as short as 500 meters from enemy squads. Or find themselves crashing into buildings or other enviormental obstacles. These operations are often only engaged in when supporting forces such as stellar legions are present. As without rapid relief, a praetorian force can be quickly surrounded and placed into siege.

Facilitation et Dominus or "cold drops" are far more tame in comparison to hot drops. While still executed with supporting imperial forces, these operations are far more organized, involving specific drop orders for each lance in the unit. These operations often being where pathfinders can prove themselves worthy of being admitted into the millenium proper. Facilitation et dominus make up the tip of the spear in imperial invasions, specifically crafted to create planetary beachheads for larger imperial forces such as stellar legions. Who take advantage of landing zones cleared by praetorians to land LST's. Once sufficent imperial forces have landed to formulate the invasion's primary fighting force. Praetorians will be removed from the front line and tasked towards different operations. Engaging in flanking operations, or moved back into orbit to engage in hot drops into enemy territory.