The Royal Tierran Army is the land based half of the Tierran Military. Eclipsed by their naval counterparts in prestige and funding, and, prior to the Dozen Years War, suffering from a reputation as a "social club" for young aristocrats, the Royal Army has historically been forced to forgo a large peacetime force and instead rely on the private contributions of members of the nobility. In exchange for the right to maintain private House Guards and use them as a private military force in peacetime, these nobles agree to contribute a portion of their men to the Tierran Army in the event of hostilities.
Organisation[]
The basic administrative unit in the Tierran Army is the Regiment. Although horse (cavalry) and foot (infantry) regiments are organised differently, both types are large, usually independent formations of around 1,200 men.
Cavalry[]
The regiments of horse are typically divided into 40 men troops, five or six troops make up a squadron of 200-240 troopers, and 4-6 squadrons then make up a Regiment.
Infantry[]
Regiments of foot are divided into companies of 80, grouped together by nines to create battalions of 720, and 2-4 battalions form a regiment.
Regiments are then grouped into ad-hoc brigades of around eight battalions pre-Blogia, before being cut down to a more manageable 4-5 battalions by the time of the Battle of Second Kharangia.
The Permanent Forces[]
The permanent forces of the Royal Army are the core of the whole army that had ever existed in the military history as the regular army of Tierra, some of these regiments are fully funded and maintained by the Dukes of Tierra as well as acting as their houseguards. The permanent forces included: the Aetorian Grenadier Guards, the Kentauri Highlanders, the Regiment of Royal Dragoons, the Wolf's Head Cuirassiers, the White Rose Lancers as well as the 3 regiment of Royal Marines.
During peacetime, the cavalry regiments (Dragoons, Cuirassiers and Lancers) are maintained in peacetime strengths (3 squadrons at peace, 6 squadrons at war), the Grenadiers on the other hand, being the King's own personal guard regiment are fully maintained in their usual 3 battalion strength, the Highlanders on the other hand, due to Kentaur being a wildland where Kentauri clans are plotting and fighting against each other are needed to maintained at wartime strength in order to enforce peace and order by the direct orders of Clan Havenport. The Royal Marines, due to being also part of the Royal Navy are also maintained in their wartime numbers and splitted up into their perspective companies and platoons to be assigned to warships. In which the total number of the permanent force composed around 8,000 men during the peace, while at war, since the 3 regiment of cavalry forces are to be brought up to full strength, the numbers would then rise to almost 10,000 in total, with around 6,000 of these men are to be serving in the army, as the Marines had their duties on board the ships instead of fighting alongside with their land based companions.
Houseguard Commission Regiments[]
These are the ones that made up the main forces of the whole army, due to the Oath at Montjoy that Edwin the Strong made on that day during the Unification, he declared that the Rights of Baneblood to preserve and raise their own private armies are to be preserved by the law. In which he created the Houseguard Commission system, one which allowed the baneblood lords to maintain their own militias and to be called to arms when war comes. The Houseguard Commission system was based on the number of men that the perspective lords had given to Grenadier Square's disposal. For example, the late Earl of Welles had been the colonel of the 5th of Foot when the war broke out, he himself, like others had maintained his own private forces. And ever since he contributed the largest percentage of the men to the 5th of Foot, he was therefore given the colonel commission by Grenadier Square, with that goes on as: the lord who contributed the second most numerous men will be given the Lieutenant-colonel commission, the third will be given Major commissions. The Crown in turn for receiving the service of these men from the Houseguard commission system, would grant a subsidy to the baneblood lords who will be maintaining these regiments with their own finances.
However, due to the fact that it is extremely expensive to both raise and maintain houseguards. The quality of the men and equipment of the regiment which are formed when Grenadier Square makes their inspections can be in different states and conditions: the 5th of Foot was reported as "up to the regulations of the Ordnance Board", some like the 8th of Foot was described as "rotten to the core" or even like the 2nd Line Cavalry regiment was reported as "nothing more than a bunch with well dress dandies with no soldierings in it".
The Houseguard regiments will only be called to arms by the Crown in times of war and conflict; while in times of peace, these regiments are officially non-existent, instead of being seen as part of the army, they will be considered men who served as local malitias and private security forces.
Regiment of Royal Engineers & Royal Artillery[]
These two regiments of Engineers and artillerymen are the ones in charge of the King's Grand Battery and sappers, each battery has 6 field guns. The Royal Artillerymen and Engineers wore the distinctive iron grey facings on their burnt-orange jackets. Both regiment had high qualifications for anyone who wanted to join up: For enlisted men, they have to be well-educated and highly skilled in mathematics in order to be able to operate a cannon or to constructing fortifications, their officers corps however, are just merely couriers bringing messages to the men in command of the cannon itself, also due to the little available opportunities for advancement and promotion within the regiment, many of them were not suitable for the job of operating or even understanding the basic concepts of operating a gun or even having the slightest idea of constructing fortifications. Within the army, the Royal Artillery consisted of heavy artillery pieces, while the siege artillery are commandeered by the Royal Engineers and Sappers, with a total number of 150 artillery pieces in service altogether.
Special Task Forces[]
These forces are not being completely put to full uses and practices in the battle, as the more orthodox military sense of honour and old bravado sentiments within the army had blinded many of the officers who only seek a glorious battle instead of more logical sense on conducting a long term war. The Tierran Army also had 3 regiments of light infantry being used in practice, but was never brought into battle. After the disaster at Blogia however, with the King's permission a Major of the 8th of Foot was given orders to put together 2 companies of green jacketed skirmishers armed with hunting rifled muskets and using light infantry tactics for the purpose of skirmishing and deep reconnaissance duties, which is now known as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen". These soldiers however, are not highly respected in the army, as their methods the rest of the army would declared, are dishonourable, undisciplined, and to sum up the whole thing as a "new-fangled nonsense" . No matter how dishonourable or "new-fangled nonsense" they are, they composed some of the best shots within the entire army and played an extremely critical role in scouting and slowing down Prince Khorobirit's army during the campaign in 608-610 OIE.
Conscription[]
As the war continued in Antar during the Dozen Years' War, with most men who were recruited through the Houseguard commission system were either already serving in the military or died in combat, the army began to rely on conscription: drafting unwilling men, convicts and unemployed people into the army for the promise of pay, food and drinks which they will be receiving as part of their service in the army, by the time 606 OIE almost the whole of the enlisted men that were serving within the RTA in Antar were recruited through conscription, which had gradually replaced the recruitment system via the Houseguard commission. By the end of the War in 611 OIE, around 60,000 men were drafted into the army via conscription, with some 28,000 men serving in Antar.
Officer's Commission[]
To ensure that the Royal Army's officer corps is populated by men of wealth and appropriate class, the Royal Army usually requires an officer to purchase a promotion once they have the appropriate seniority. Of course, any officer could refuse to sell their commission to a would-be successor considered too disreputable to advance in the ranks. In addition, promotions are extremely expensive, especially in more prestigious regiments. Even a Major's commission in a Regiment of Foot (infantry) costs some 800 Crowns, equivalent to ten year's wages for a working member of the middle class. This means that the peacetime army is populated by men of wealth, honour and privilege. Only during times of war are officers from humble backgrounds capable of earning the great sums of money needed to reach the higher ranks.
However, it is not uncommon within the Tierran Peerage that the elites of the nobles would use their political influence and ties within Grenadier Square and the Cortes to get a free promotion or for the members of their family who signed up in the army, where some did absolutely nothing to earn their promotions, while some were completely inadequate to their roles.
While some cases, though not a common sight where officers would be given a free promotion for their excellent performance and exploits in battle, some would even rise earlier due to their exceptional valour.
Known regiments in the Royal Tierran Army During the Dozen Year War[]
Cavalry[]
White Rose Lancers, 6 squadrons in total (3 during peacetime)
Regiment of Royal Dragoons, 6 squadrons in total (3 during peacetime)
Wolf's Head Cuirassiers, 6 squadrons in total, currently with only 200 men in 2 squadrons in servable condition
1st regiment of Line Cavalry, disbanded
2nd regiment of Line Cavalry, disbanded
3rd regiment of Line Cavalry, disbanded
4th regiment of Line Cavalry, disbanded
Infantry[]
Aetorian Grenadier Guards, 3 battalions
Kentauri Highlanders, 2 battalions (3 battalions during wartime)
1st Royal Marines, 3 battalions
2nd Royal Marines, 3 battalions
3rd Royal Marines, 3 battalions
1st regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
2nd regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
3rd regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
4th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
5th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
6th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
7th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
8th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
9th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
10th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
11th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
12th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
13th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
14th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
15th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
16th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
17th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
18th regiment of Foot, 2 battalions during war, disbanded
Experimental Corps of Rifles, 2 companies, disbanded
1st Provisional Naval regiment, assorted companies in 1 battalion, disbanded after the Second Battle of Kharangia
2nd Provisional Naval regiment, assorted companies in 1 battalion, disbanded after the Second Battle of Kharangia
Artillery & Engineers[]
Regiment of Royal Artillery
Regiment of Royal Engineers & Sappers
Ranks and Insignia (cavalry equivalents for infantry-only ranks in parentheses)[]
Non-Commissioned:[]
Armsman (Trooper/Dragoon) - One bar
Lance Corporal - One chevron
Corporal - Two chevrons
Sergeant - Three chevrons ^
Sergeant-Major (Staff-Sergeant) - Three chevrons and crown
Colour Sergeant - Three chevrons over an reversed chevron enclosing a crown ^^
Commissioned:[]
Ensign (Cornet) - One gold pip
Lieutenant - Two gold pips
Captain - Three gold pips
Major - Pair of crossed swords
Lieutenant-Colonel - Two pairs of crossed swords
Colonel - Two pairs of crossed swords topped with a small crown ^^^
General of Brigade - Two small crowns
Lieutenant-General - Three small crowns
General-Royal - One large crown ^^^^
^ Sergeants usually lead cavalry patrols or infantry sections, the smallest individual units.
^^ The Colour Sergeant is the most senior NCO in a Regiment. He is tasked with guarding the officer carrying the Regimental flag, or "Colours".
^^^ Colonel is the highest rank obtainable by purchased commission. General ranks must be earned by seniority and excellent service.
^^^^ This rank is reserved for the King, as commander-in-chief