Imperial Army

One of the three military branches of the Coralian Empire, the Imperial Army is a professional volunteer army that directly serves the Emperor. The others being the Lords' Army, and the Crimson Crusade.

## Context

The Imperial Army consists of one hundred thousand men and is split into four groups. Serving directly under the Emperor, Grand Marshall Ivan Tvtostovich commands the force. Along with his four Lord Marshalls, Ivan coordinates the army, gives orders and is responsible for results.

The Imperial Army was created in 128 K.E in response to a horde of Wildlanders that swept through Khaz Aktur, Maithor and lastly the Empire, sacking many cities in their wake. Since then, they have served in every Imperial conflict. Soldiers of the Imperial Army are well paid, are excellently trained, and are outfitted with fine equipment; and they are granted some legal leeway. Additionally, they, although unofficially, are of greater rank than an equivalent in the other branches.

The official category system for military experience is from best to worst;

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6

## Imperial Legions

The legions make up the backbone of the Imperial Army, they are the first responders to enemy threats and make up the battlelines in combat. Every legion numbers 1000 men, but the composition of each legion varies. Across the Empire, there are countless forts and castles built at strategic locations; left vacant for when a legion may need to occupy them. When they are not garrisoned in a fortified location, or facing the foes of the Empire, the legions are used to build infrastructure like highways, fortifications, and wells.

While each legion has an individual commander, a High Lord Marshall will command each ‘Army Group’, or group of legions. Each army group is stationed in a general geographic area. There are currently 89 infantry legions, 1 magus legion, and 3 mounted legions.

### Army Group Sea [8 legions]

Army Group Sea is stationed across the western coastal cities and is made up of legions in training that will be transferred to other groups once their training is complete. It is commanded by High Lord Marshall Sarov Tvtostovich, and is comprised of;

### Army Group Taiga [8 legions]

Army Group Tundra is stationed across the coasts of Flustnorde and the small mountain pass to Rakgär. They are subject to constant raiding and are tasked with protecting vast stretches of land-trade routes in the north.

### Army Group Stone [5 legions]

Army Group Stone is stationed to the north-east of the Empire. Despite the large mountain range preventing conventional threats, this army group is made up of acclimatised smallfolk. They are tasked with patrolling the mountain ranges, clearing tunnels and caves of goblins and other dark creatures, and subterranean warfare.

### Army Group South [8 legions]

Army Group South is stationed across the border of the Naga to ward off an invasion. They regularly repel slave raids across land and are used to hunt down the infamous Nagas Hand slave trade within the country.

### Army Group Order [58 legions]

Army Group Order is currently the largest in the Empire, drawing legions from all over the Empire to deal with the emergency of the Blood Wars. Many of these legions have been decimated several times over and are quickly thrown together militias to provide some form of protection. Conversely, other legions have survived their baptism of fire and have learned many lessons from war. The situation they are faced with is extremely dangerous, chaotic, constantly changing…and they can barely keep up. It is under the command of Grand Marshall Ivan Tvtostovich, leader of the Imperial Army.

#### Hammersons

The 19th Hammersons are the legion deployed in New Haven City, under the command of General Vailor. The only legion in the area which hasn't been decimated, the Hammersons have grown complacent and corrupt following an extended tour garrisoning the city.

#### 38th Drakeblades

Once a prestigious legion, whose command was reserved excuslively for those who have slain dragons. However, as the last dragons in the Esterlands hide away, it has been many years since a "Dūzmarda". The legion has long become irrelevant, and lacks new equipment or funding. The new general, Alamandus claims to have slain a dragon, but there is no evidence. Regardless, the Drakeblades are now deployed at the Twinpeak Gates which guard the realms of men from the hordes beyond the mountainous walls of the Empire. A small force once garrisoned Underwood valley, but since 349 K.E they have left the region to the protection of Eli MacTraynor.

### Army Group Reserve [10 legions]

Army group reserve is stationed across the central areas of the Empire, not under the direct threat of foreign armies. They are relatively inexperienced and underequipped. Despite this, they must clear goblin-caves, bandit camps, and slay monsters of the night. Legions with special or miscellaneous objectives are also apart of Army Group Reserve. They are commanded by High Lord Marshall Vickers Petain, and are comprised of;

#### First Response

When disaster strikes, the First Response is sent to provide aid to those in need. Founded on humanitarian goals, the Responders are troops sent into places struck by disaster (whether natural or man-made) to provide aid. In the past, they were led by an iron-fisted commander, Julius Daggertooth, who would send them into these areas as a clean-up crew, taking the opportunity to slaughtering political dissidents while they were vulnerable. They are since under new management, but many still hold these resentments.

#### Trekker's Liege

Crelen is filled with exotic, undiscovered and dangerous environments, of which Maithorians are the best equipped to traverse. Made up of old Maithorian residents, and newly enlisted refugees from the Freedom Trail, the Trekker's Liege is responsible for scouting hazardous environments to perform reconnaissance.

## Imperial Magus Brigade

The Imperial Magus Brigade is the successor of the Imperial Spellcaster Regiment founded by Professor Wizbreaker. Spellcasters who wish to gain free attendance to the Academy, and students requiring practical training may be recruited by the Imperial Magus Brigade. It's consists of a roughly 50/50 ratio of expert mages to Academy trainees.

Although extremely capable of decimating legions of soldiers, the IMB takes on more of a utility role. When present it battles their main objective is to protect Imperial soldiers, and to enable/disable strategic points on the battlefield. When engaging in combat, they prefer hit and run tactics, ambushing enemy troops, burning or capturing supplies, and then vanishing. The Summoner's Regiment is deployed in circumstances where casualties are likely to be extremely high, or other special circumstances such as fighting necromancers.

Under the command of Grand Magus Vicarus, the IMB consists of;

* 20 elite battlemages
* Board of Magical Transportation (10)
* 100 healers
* 100 abjurers
* 150 evokers
* Summoner's Regiment (3445)

#### Board of Magical Transportation

The Board of Magical Transporation, or the BMT is a military committee consisting of the 10 foremost expert telemancers in the Empire. Besides transporting Imperial soldiers and resources, they are responsible for legislating laws on portals and all forms of magical transportation, whereas enforcement is up to the Academy of Arcane Arts.

#### Summoner's Regiment

The Summoner's Regiment, or SR is a subforce of the IMB. It is comprised of 45 expert conjurerers of various types, who have gathered together approximately 400 magical creatures and 3000 magical constructs for military purposes. Their use varies wildly.

## Imperial Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are not the first responders. They are not a support force. They are the ones you want to fight the most dire of threats. The Cavaliers are comprised of skirmishers, or light cavalry, and the Lancers -- knights in the truest sense of the word.

Skirmishers are trained for the purposes of reconaissance, skirmishing, and raiding. Like the rest of the army, they can be recruited. Lancers, however, are fully fledged knights; meaning they have the lowest rank of nobility. One must serve as a squire for their formative years, show great skill, strength of personality, and pass multiple trials in order to become a knight. As heavy cavalry, Lancers are used to demolish enemy infantry formations, and are equipped with the best equipment available.

### 1st Mounted Legion; "Arathor"

The Knights of Arathor are the most prestigious unit in the Imperial Army. They are comprised of the most elite soldiers and the finest equipment in the Esterlands. Named after Arathor, a regent of the Empire long ago when a boy-Emperor was thrust onto the throne. The vicious naga to the south had begun to annex land around them, subjugating the Tauren, parts of Bergstrad, the Deadlands and Maithor. They turned their reptilian eyes onto the Empire, a string of setbacks led to the sacking of Torgoth, the Imperial capitol. Returning from Flustnorde after a series of Ragäran raids, Arathor ambushed the naga as they were leaving the capitol-city with loot.

Since then, the Knights of Arathor have performed a ceremonious and military role, they are the posterboys of the Empire, and receive preferential treatment. Previously human-only, the knights have incorporated a smallfolk battalion due to manpower shortages.

The regiment is split into three battalions, the 1st *Arathor*, 2nd *Tyr* and 3rd *Freeriders*.

*Arathor* is comprised of;

* 300 gryphon knights

* 500 heavy cavalry

*Tyr* is comprised of;

* 800 heavy cavalry

*Freeriders* is a battalion comprised of smallfolk – a place for dwarves, gnomes and halfling riders. Each of them has very specialised roles and are not used in general combat.

* 200 dwarven ram riders for mountainous environments

* 200 halfling bear-riders for tundra and forest environments
* 120 gnome bloodhounds, for tracking enemies and underground pursuits

### 2nd Mounted Legion; "Riders of Rirrick"

The riders of Rirrick are named after Rirrick Stonefield, a peasant-boy of great moral character and skill who was prevented from becoming a knight because of corruption. He eventually proved his case, became a knight and won many victories for the Empire. The *Riders* are under the command of Lord Francois de Vicarde. It consists of;

* 100 heavy cavalry
* 300 medium cavalry
* 600 light cavalry
* 500 mounted archers

### 3rd Mounted Legion; "Plainsguard"

The Plainsguard is a special legion in the sense that it does not operate within the confines of the Empire; rather it is a nomadic force tasked with wandering the Wildlands, and the borders of the Empire, eliminating rising threats to the Empire before they can muster significant opposition. Due to the nature of their work, they are entirely comprised of light cavalry, and have little communication with command. The Plainsguard are under the command of Lord Rory MacLoed.

The *Plainsguard* consists of;

* 2000 light cavalry

## Imperial Naval League

Commanded by Lord-Admiral Bjorn Latchi, this segment of the Imperial Army is the only new one that has been commissioned since its inception, and arose to the threat of rising naval enemies across the seas. Other than protecting merchant fleets and trade routes from piracy, the Imperial Naval League is usually combatting the naga slavers to the South. Lastly, it also includes a small experimental airforce.

### 1st Fleet; "Flustnorge"

The fleet, *Flustnorge* boasts the largest and most powerful fleet of the Empire. It is comprised of the sea-hardened and expert sailors from Flustnorge, as well as some recruits from Uitgest and the Hien Confederation. It is renown for not having lost a battle in over a hundred years. This fleet is personally commanded by the Lord-Admiral through his barque-type flagship, *Justice*. The fleet altogether consists of;

* *Justice*
* 4 carracks
* 12 galleys
* 20 caravels
* 57 longboats
* 20 gryphon riders
* 500 marines

*Flustnorge* is entasked with protecting trade routes from piracy, preventing Rakgäran raids and preforming counter-raids on Rakgär.

### 2nd Fleet; "Shields of Serassa"

The fleet, *Shields of Serassa* is a smaller Aressan and Kingslander fleet, commanded by Admiral Franco Zasson on his barque-type command ship. The *Shields of Serassa* are assigned with the monumentous task of preventing naga slave raids, recovering raids, and patrolling for constant attacks in the south. They fight hard, and most ships do not last very long, meaning veteran sailors are somewhat a rarity. Their numbers are bolstered by enlisted pirates that had been captured, and a leased CocoCorp flotilla. The *Shields of Serassa* consists of;

* *The Shield*
* 2 carracks
* 5 galleys
* 26 cogs
* 18 pirate vessels
* 20-ship-strong CocoCorp flotilla
* 18 gryphon riders
* 300 marines

### 3rd Fleet; "Duke of Norham"

The fleet, *Duke of Norham* is named after Duke Zeplinstein of Norham, who recently invented the zepplin -- a flying ship suspended by a large magical air bag. It is commanded by Admiral Brian Montgomery on his zepplin-type command ship, the *Flying Lady.* The current whereabouts of the fleet are unknown, and they are too new to have a permanent role, but the few conflicts they have been involved in have been very decisive victories.It consi

   sts of:

* the *Flying Lady*
* 10 zepplins
* 120 gryphon riders
* 20 dwarven thunderflyers

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