We walk in the light of the Emperor and we shall not let a single foe stay us from our duty.
The Valorian army is the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the Valorians throughout the duration of the Valorian Republic through the Valorian Empire to the present day. Its roots can be traced to the revolutionaries who fought against the Kingdom of Vandar during the Valorian Revolution in 455, meaning that in some form the Valorian army has been in service for almost 800 years.
History
The early Valorian army was the armed force of the Valorian Republic. During this period, when warfare chiefly consisted of small-scale operations against Vandaren raiding parties, renegade elves, and roving pirates. The early Valorian army was based on an annual levy.
The infantry ranks were filled with the lower classes while the cavalry were left to the upper classes, because the wealthier could afford horses. The commanding authority during the republican period was a general nominated by the senate.
Property qualifications were removed, and all citizens were made eligible for service in the Valorian army with equipment and rewards for fulfilling years of service provided by the state.
Overview of army organization and strength
Following the Lucanus reforms (750 2E), legions became a permanent units instead of being created, used, and disbanded. Currently there are 29 standing legions. Three of those (XVII, XVIII, and the XIX) are maintained in name only as they were completely destroyed in the Battle of the Bone Forest and their Golden Griffins were lost.
Legions follow an organizational structure revolving around the number of men that could be contained in a Valorian military tent: 10 men per tent. A legion is made up of five cohorts. A cohort is made up of 10 companies. A company is made up of 10 tents. A tent is made up of 10 men. Therefore, a fully mustered legion has 5,000 infantry men. Each legion was supposed to have a contingency of 250 cavalry as well, bringing the fighting strength up to 5,250.
Ranks
Senior Officers
- General: The commander of two or more legions.
- Legatus legionis: The Legion Legatus. They are the overall legion commander.
- Legatus castrorum: The Camp Legatus. They are the second in command of the legion.
- Tribune: Each legion normally has five tribunes who serve as staff officers and are usually being groomed for higher command within the army. Tribunes are often made up of members of the Valorian Nobility.
Lower Ranks
- Primus pilus: First Spear. This was the senior captain who is in command of the First Cohort of the legion.
- Captain: The commanders of the other cohorts and companies were also led by captains, but they were less senior than the primus pilus.
- Sergeant: In command of a tent
Legions
- I Legion - Emperor's First
- II Legion - The Spearhead
- III Legion - Thunderbolt Third
- IV Legion - Sky Fourth
- V Legion - Griffin Fifth
- VI Legion - Ironclad Sixth
- VII Legion - Lucky Seventh
- VIII Legion - Enduring Eighth
- IX Legion - Triumphant Ninth
- X Legion - Dauntless Tenth
- XI Legion - Messina's Liberators
- XII Legion - Victorious Twelfth
- XIII Legion - Mother's Thirteenth
- XIV Legion - St. Ambrien's 14th
- XV Legion - The Predator 15th
- XVI Legion - Father's Steadfast 16th
- XVII Legion
○ Lost in the Battle of the Bone Forest
○ Golden Griffin has not been recovered - XVIII Legion
○ Lost in the Battle of the Bone Forest
○ Golden Griffin has been recovered - XIX Legion
○ Lost in the Battle of the Bone Forest
○ Golden Griffin has been recovered - XX Legion - Protector
- XXI Legion - Pious Twenty First
- XXII Legion - Scorpion
○ Stationed at Castra Adurni - XXIII Legion - Decius' Mighty 23rd
- XXIV Legion - Empyrean 24th
- XXV Legion - Marik's Valiant 25th
- XXVI Legion - Calvus' Glory
- XXVII
- XXVIII
- XXIX