Military of the Great Empire
Basic Organization
The organization of the modern Imperial military has not changed much since Tiberius Terentina of House Valerius set the standard for the Zetian military in his definitive military treatise, the Ganeic Wars (written around 450 B.E.). The underlying philosophy behind Imperial military might is the concept of strict discipline, both in one’s personal life and on the battlefield. This philosophy has lead to the concept of a standing military, something unheard of before the Gnaneic Wars, which has resulted in the unusual social status that military personnel enjoy. Anyone, except a slave, may choose to enter the military. If they were a serf, they receive immediate manumission and their former master is paid a small sum of money by the local military commander. Thereafter, the serf is now a free man basically equivalent to a plebeian; though he is technically still a serf, according to civilian Imperial Law, he can only be tried for a crime by a military court, which accords him the right to a fair trial. Thus, the military treats him as if he were plebeian, and the civilian courts (if they were permitted to try him at all) would consider him still a serf. Furthermore, rank and privileges are often granted according to an individual’s merit and courage on the battlefield. Only the rank of Legate is based partially on civilian social rank, as only a member of a Patrician family can attain that rank; even so, he still has to work his way through promotions to get there. This policy has resulted in many unusual situations, such as in the Mabean Marches, where one of the Tribunes is a native Gael whose assistance was critical to the Imperial military in its conquest of the Marches.
The military hierarchy and organization is pyramidal in nature. The ultimate commander of the military is, of course, the Emperor, in his capacity as Custodis Imperium. His immediate inferiors are the Legates, who command a Legion, the Tribune, who commands a Cohort, and so forth (see below for more information about the ranking system). The duties of each echelon are more specific the lower in rank they are, moving from the strategic to the tactical. In other words, the Emperor gives his Legate a vague, purely strategic command: defeat this enemy, defend this nation, etc. The Legate then gives orders to his Tribunes which provide tactical guidelines which will achieve this strategic goal: take this town, set up bases along this mountain range, etc. The Tribune then gives tactical orders to his Castle Prefects which detail how the tactical guidelines are to be achieved. The Castle Prefects and their direct inferiors, the Centurions, determine precisely how to go about achieving the orders given to them by the Tribune: round that hill to flank the enemy, perform a house-to-house search starting at the north side of town, etc. It is then up to the individual Legionnaire as to how to complete the tactical task given to him: sidestep this enemy, swing under his blade, etc. This efficiency provides the Empire with the power it needs to continue its conquest of the world as they understand it, but it does sometimes become mired by its own weight. Messengers are thus extremely important to the operation of the military, and Practitioners who are capable of long-range communication are a well-received commodity.
Decuria
The decuria is the smallest unit used by the Imperial military, composed of nine legionnaires and their serjeant. An archaic title for this unit is the contubernium, or tentmates. Each decuria is permitted one mule to carry equipment and one servant to care for the mule.
Centuries
The century is composed of ten to twelve decuriae, commanded by a centurion, who generally fights either on the front line or the third. Each century also has an Optio (also called a Junior Centurion or Lieutenant), who is second-in-command and fights from the rear rank, a Pilus Primus, who carries the standard identifying the unit in the third rank, and a herald, who carries a signalling trumpet (the latter two officers are the only of these that are part of a decuria). Each centurion is permitted one mule, one servant to care for the mule, one servant to care for his personal affects, and an engineer. The Optio is permitted one mule and one servant to care for the mule. Thus, the century is composed of 116 to 138 men (90 to 108 legionaires, 10 to 12 serjeants, 1 centurion, 1 optio, 1 engineer and 13 to 15 servants).
Maniple
The maniple is composed of two centuries, commanded by a Centurion Maximus. The Centurion Maximus is allotted one personal servant, one mule, one servant to care for the mule, and one servant to guide his extra horse. The Maniple is therefore composed of 236 to 280 men (2 centuries of 116 to 138 men each, 1 Centurion Maximus, and his 3 servants).
Cohort
A typical Cohort is composed of four Maniples, and is commanded by a Centurion Maior (or Major). This is also referred to as the Milliaria. Some Cohorts are composed only of two maniples, and these are referred to as Quingenaria. The Centurion Maior is permitted one mule and two horses, one servant for the mule, one servant for the extra horse, one personal servant, two engineers, and five bodyguards. Thus, a Cohort can range between 955 to 1131 for a Milliaria, and 483 to 571 for a Quingenaria.
Ala
The Ala, or Wing, is equivalent to a Cohort in importance, but it is an auxiliary composed entirely of cavalry or hobliar soldiers, or scouts. The Wing is typically composed of around 300 to 400 such horsemen except in the case of a Scout Wing, which is typically composed of only 30 men. The Wing is lead by a Centurion Commander, who is permitted one mule and two horses, one servant for the mule, one servant for the extra horse and one personal servant. The Scout Commander is the exception to this rule, as he is not permitted any servants or extra mules. The Scout Wing is permitted two servants to care for all of their horses, and typically travel with twice as many horses as scouts. In a Cavalry Wing, each horseman is permitted one servant to care for the horse, while Hobilars and Scouts are expected to care for their own steeds. Thus, a typical Cavalary Wing is composed of 604 to 804 men, a Hobliar Wing is composed of 304 to 404 men, and a Scout Wing is typically composed of 33 men.
Auxiliary Units
Auxiliary Units are those forces which are composed of unusual or atypical soldiers. Archers, Crossbowmen, and Engineers typically compose these sorts of "irregular" soldiers. The origins of this designation lie in the days when archers and engineers were an unusual, temporary part of the Legion. In the modern Imperial army, these units have become a staple of the Legion, but the name remains. Auxiliary Archer and Crossbow units usually consist of 100 to 200 soldiers, lead by a Leftenant and 10 to 20 serjeants (the latter of which are considered in the population numbers given above). The Leftenant is permitted a mule and a servant to care for it. Engineering Units are composed of up to 100 laborers, lead by a Master Serjeant and ten Journeymen Officers. The Master Serjeant is permitted one mule and a servant to care for the mule, in addition to a varying number of pack animals to carry lumber and supplies.
Legion
The Legion is the largest level of organization in the Imperial military. There are a total of twenty-six legions, stationed in various strategic locations around the Empire. A Legion is typically composed of five regular Cohorts, two cavalry Wings, one Hobliar Wing, one Scout Wing, one Engineering Auxiliary Unit, and ten Bowman Auxiliary Units. It is commanded by the Legate and his staff, composed of three Tribunes and a number of Castle Prefects that varies with the purpose of the Legion (though there is an average of eight Castle Prefects in each Legion). The Tribunes are ranked in order of precedence, with First Tribune being the highest rank of the three. The number of Castle Prefects vary, but are typically placed in command of Legionary fortresses. The Legate is permitted two horses and two mules, with four servants to care for his steeds, two personal servants, three engineers and five bodyguards. Each of his Tribunes is permitted one horse and two mules, with three servants to care for the steeds, two personal servants, three engineers and five bodyguards. Each Castle Prefect is permitted one horse, a servant to care for it, two personal servants, two engineers and five bodyguards. Thus, a typical Legion is composed of an average of 8642 soldiers and their servants (five Cohorts of 5215 men, two Cavalry Wings of 1408 men, one Hobilar Wing of 354 men, one Scout Wing of 33 men, one Engineering Auxiliary Unit composed of 112 men, and ten Bowman Auxiliary Units composed of 1520 men). Most armies also travel with twenty to fifty washer-women, to care for the cleaning of the clothes and armor. These washer-women are extremely important to the operation of the army, and military commanders are often willing to sacrifice regular civilians and even troops before sacrificing their washer-women.
The Imperial Navy is not nearly as significant a part of the Imperial military as the regular army, as the Empire no longer has extensive interests in overseas conquests. During the conquest of the Koramian peninsula, the Imperial Navy was extremely significant, but since the Empire decided to turn away from their northern conquests, the significance of the Navy has declined sharply. Still, they are in charge of protecting Imperial interests on the shipping lanes which supply necessary supplies and income to the Empire. Most Fleet Admirals object to the usage of the Navy for nothing more than piracy suppression, and are constantly suggesting an offensive to retake Koramia or bring Tamerynd Island under Imperial control once and for all.
There are three Fleets that currently operate on Imperial shores. The most significant is the First Fleet, which is in charge of protecting shipping lanes in the Aurean Sea and the Great Ocean primarily, with secondary interests in the Maroshan Sea, often skirmishing with the Koramian Navy (which they consider pirates) and the vessels of Tamerynd Island (which truly are pirates). The First Fleet has a very large area to control, and the Admiral of the Fleet is in a dangerous position because of this. Of all the military commanders in the Imperial military, the Admiral of the First Fleet is the most volatile.
The Third Fleet commands the western shores of the Empire, including Sonat Bay and into the Valtaani Sea. They are most concerned with the Valtang raiders, though they have yet to achieve enough control over the Valtaani Sea to truly mount an offensive against Valtang shipping. The Admiral of the Second Fleet is, of course, petitioning the Emperor for an offensive against Valtaan itself, but he has been rebuffed thus far.
The Fourth Fleet commands the southern shores of the Empire, and is a relatively new and ill-supplied member of the Imperial Navy. They do not have the supplies or shipyards that the other two Fleets do, but neither do they have significant difficulty controlling the southern seas, as there is a remarkable lack of piracy and formidable naval power there.
The Second Fleet, it should be noted, was created to operate around Koramian peninsula during the Zetian conquest of those peoples. When Zeth decided to move out of Koramia to combat southern powers in the Empire (notably the Narbars), the Second Fleet was disbanded, its ships sold or moved into the First Fleet.
Ranking System
Imperial Rank Table
| Command Level | Regular Army | Wing | Auxiliary | Engineering Units | Navy |
| Emperor | Custodis Imperium | ||||
| Legion | Legate | Admiral of the Fleet | |||
| First Tribune | |||||
| Second Tribune | |||||
| Third Tribune | |||||
| Castle Prefect | |||||
| Cohort | Centurion Major | Centurion Commander | Admiral | ||
| Maniple | Centurion Maximus | Leftenant | First Navarchus | ||
| Century | Centurion | Master Serjeant | Navarchus | ||
| Decuria | Serjeant | Serjeant | Journeyman Officer | First Mate | |
| Legionnaire | Laborer | Master Shipman | |||
| Midshipman | |||||
| Sailor |
Regular Army Ranks
Custodis Imperium
Custodis Imperium is the Emperor’s title in his capacity as supreme commander of the Imperial military. In this capacity, it is his duty to see to it that the Empire is secure from outside invasion or attack. Each Emperor has performed this duty differently: some choose to control the army through their Legates through messengers while others prefer to take command of the Legions on the battlefield for particularly important battles.
Legate
The Legate is the supreme commander of the Legion, and it is his responsibility to achieve the ends that the Emperor has set forth for him, as well as maintain the army during peacetime as a patrol force to supplement any local guard.
First Tribune
It is the responsibility of the First Tribune to act as the Legate’s second, often leading those battles or operations that do not require the direct supervision of the Legate. In peaceful regions, the First Tribune works closely with the Legate and is able to effortlessly take over the Legion should the Legate die. During wartime, he is typically given command of a couple of cohorts to act in concert with the men under the command of the Legate.
Second Tribune
The Second Tribune, traditionally, is in charge of the logistics of running the Legion. It is his job to oversee recruitment of civilians, collecting and preserving rations, securing water for those regions where drinking water might be scarce, and the allocation of animals and servants throughout the Legion. In some regions where war is constant, the Second Tribune is typically left in charge of a Cohort and many of the Wings and Auxiliary Units, and the Centurion Maior of each cohort is left to see to his own logistics support.
Third Tribune
The Third Tribune is usually in charge of irregular units which are attached to the military. It is his duty to command any mercenary or non-Imperial military units which are attached to the Legion. In those Legions that do not have mercenary and auxiliary units, he is typically left in charge of the Engineering Auxiliary Unit and any civilians attached to the Legion.
Castle Prefect
The duties of the Castle Prefect vary from Legion to Legion and situation and situation. Most are left in command of garrisons that are not directly controlled by the local nobility. Some, however, perform administrative functions for their superiors, or operate in unusual specialist capacities.
Wing Ranks
Centurion Commander
The Centurion Commander is in charge of the Wing. In a situation where a non-regular Order of Knights is attached to a Legion, their leader is often given the rank of Knight-Commander. Some Wings have offices of varying import, though these are too numerous to list here.
Auxiliary Ranks
Leftenant
The Leftenant is in charge of a specific Auxiliary Unit, and is usually an experienced soldier of the type of unit he is commanding.
Serjeant
The Serjeant in an Auxiliary Unit has the same duties and privileges as the same rank in the regular military.
Engineering Ranks
Master Serjeant
The Master Serjeant is a Master Engineer, typically accredited by the local Carpenter’s and Engineer’s Guild. It is his duty to insure not only that those vehicles, weapons and buildings that the military constructs are sturdy and can operate efficiently, but that the Legion has enough material on hand to construct what is necessary.
Journeyman Officer
These people do not necessarily have extensive military experience, but they must be accomplished artisans, granted the rank of Journeyman in the local civilian Carpenter’s and Engineer’s Guild.
Admiral of the Fleet
The Admiral of the Fleet is in command of one of the three Fleets of the Empire. As they are rarely used for extended military campaigns, these individuals are given fairly free reign to intercept pirates and protect shipping lanes. An Admiral of the Fleet is typically afforded his own vessel, though most perform their duties from a significant port.
Admiral
There are usually two or three Admirals assigned to each fleet, who usually handle operations on the sea, carrying commands of the Admiral of the Fleet to individual ships and commanding vessels in large naval actions.
The First Navarchus is responsible for the logistic support of the Fleet, including rations, recruitment, and the construction of vessels. He is typically an experienced naval engineer, and operates from a significant shipyard or port on the waters that the Fleet operates
A Navarchus is the title of the commander of an individual vessel, who must oversee the proper operation and success of his men and ship.
First Mate
The First Mate is second-in-command aboard an individual vessel, and typically is in charge of the punishment and discipline of the crew, as well as the proper navigation of the ship.
Master Shipman
The Master Shipman is third-in-command of the crew, and is in charge of any slave labor which is employed in the hold of the vessel.
Midshipman
The rank of midshipman is something of an honorary rank, given to sailors who have served well for several years or have performed some remarkable act of valor or courage.
Sailor
The sailor is, of course, the rank and file of the navy, with varying specialties and duties to perform. All are trained in the use of swords and ropes, as well as various other skills required aboard a vessel.
