Life Guard (Urcea)
The Household Life Guard is the senior regiment of the Royal and Imperial Army charged with the responsibility of protecting the Apostolic King of Urcea and the senior officials of the Government of Urcea, such as the Procurator and Chancellor and Temporary President. Prior to the 20th century, the Life Guard held the unique distinction of only admitting men of optimate among its ranks, making the Guard extremely exclusive and prestigious. The Guard is also typically made up of individuals of Ionian background. Foreign leaders - especially from the Levantine Union and other notable individuals are often given honorary commissions within the Guard, as are lower ranking members of the Royal and Imperial Army who serve with distinction.
| Life Guard | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Life Guard | |
| Founded | 1746 |
| Country |  Urcea |
| Type | Foot Guards |
| Size | 4,301 |
| Part of | Royal and Imperial Army |
| Patron | Riordan VIII |
| Motto(s) | "Deo regi vicino." (For God, King, and neighbor) |
| Commanders | |
| Prafáti | Anton Bláine |
Among its many historical distinctions, the Life Guard was the only permanent unit of the Royal Army to follow Patrick, Prince of Halfway into exile in Lariana after the Coup of All Saints. This display of loyalty to House de Weluta earned the Life Guard the popular nickname The Reliables. Despite their position large as a household guard, the Life Guard saw notable service during both the Rising and the Second Caroline War.
History
Prior to the First Caroline War, various units had been used in an ad hoc basis to provide protection to the Apostolic King of Urcea in battle and protect the Julian Palace, almost all of them being units of cavalry. The idea of a dedicated regiment of foot filling such a role was devised in 1746 during the campaign of King Leo IV in western Dericania. Overlooking siege works of the Derian city of Montalcinum on 18 September of that year, the King and his party of generals were suddenly attacked by a small group of Derian skirmishers that had snuck through the lines. Though the King was unharmed, two senior generals were killed and many of the King's retainers were seriously injured. King Leo IV subsequently formally organized a Life Guard on 1 October 1746 primarily comprised of two cohorts of Ionians which were readily available to him. The necessity of a mostly infantry-based guard force was the result of the changes in warfare in the preceding century, as the King and his generals no longer lead on horseback but instead observed battles and campaigns from stationary positions behind the front, and accordingly required elite stationary guard units to protect the King and headquarters. The unit served with distinction for the rest of the conflict, not only protecting the King but following him into battle on several occasions. At the Battle of St. John's, the decisive battle of the war, the Life Guard formed a rear detachment protecting the King and baggage when it was attacked by the Imperial Army in a flanking move. The approximately one thousand Life Guards held off a flanking force of five thousand Derians, mixed infantry and cavalry, for over two hours until regular forces from the rest of the Army relieved them. Following the battle, a grateful King Leo IV elevated them to the position of senior regiment of the Royal Army.
During the period between the First and Second Caroline War, the newly formed unit gained significant prestige due to its proximity to the Apostolic King of Urcea. Throughout the 1750s and 1760s, new rules were applied to the unit. Ionian origin was made mandatory due to the longstanding association of House de Weluta with the region. In 1784, it was required that only optimates could be members of the Life Guard. Due to their high social rank, this meant the unit became predominantly made up of officers, with the 1795 list of personnel indicating a 3-to-1 ratio of officers to enlisted. Accordingly, within the Life Guard, it was proclaimed that anyone under the rank of Eptí - the equivalent of a Captain - would functionally serve in the same capacities and jobs as enlisted, a rule that exists through today. Most of the rules that govern membership and order of the Life Guard are still in effect today, although due to Urcea's engagements abroad, Crona tours of duty are now essentially a prerequisite to join the Life Guard and distinctions of social class have been abolished.
Since their formation and reform into the current version of the unit, the Life Guard has served with distinction. It fought several successful rear guard actions during the Second Caroline War on behalf of King Brian III, preventing him from being captured on two occasions. It fought in the victorious Third Caroline War as well. When the Crown Regency began in 1889, the Life Guard mutinied from the Regal Army and followed Patrick de Weluta, the legal heir, into exile, living at his court in exile until the beginning of the '97 Rising. Due to the uprising and insurgent nature of the war, the Life Guard - as the best organized and equipped unit in the Legitimist Army - saw the most fighting in its history, forming the core of Legitimist forces in many key battles. Many defecting professional soldiers from the Regal Army, especially Royal Fusiliers, were temporarily added to the Life Guard, which by 1899 was recognized as the elite infantry unit on the Legitimist side. Accordingly, by the end of the war and restoration, the Life Guard "regiment" consisted of four cohorts of "true" Life Guards as well as an additional ten cohorts of additional professional soldiers, making the Life Guard effectively a small division. After the restoration, the "large" Life Guard persisted until 1910, when it was reformed back to a small, elite unit. During the period of 1902-10, the Life Guard not only served as guards of the Apostolic King and Government of Urcea, but also served effectively as gendarme of Urceopolis as order was gradually restored. The post-1910 Guard resumed its traditional duties, with one cohort fighting in the Second Great War in Urlazio with distinction. Since then, one cohort of the Guard is traditionally allowed to fight abroad as part of Royal and Imperial Army operations, with recent examples including engagements fought in the War of the Northern Confederation and Final War of the Deluge.
Current role
The Life Guard is regarded as the most prestigious in the Royal and Imperial Army, due to their role as the monarch's official bodyguard. Historically, this meant regularly being in close proximity to the reigning sovereign. As such, the soldiers, and especially officers, of the Life Guard were once drawn exclusively from families of optimate rank. Today, the Guard's membership is taken from the ranks of the most decorated and loyal enlisted men; in the 21st century this often has meant that a tour in the Nysdra is a functional prerequisite to joining the Guard.
The Life Guard's primarily responsibility is to serve as the security force of the leadership of the Government of Urcea, especially the Apostolic King of Urcea, his family, and the Procurator and Chancellor and Temporary President. Though the Life Guard does not serve as the primary security arm of the Conshilía Daoni or Conshilía Purpháidhe, it nonetheless has soldiers standing ceremonial guard during the meetings of those bodies. Despite this focus on security, individual cohorts of the Life Guard - at the request of their commanders - can be deployed for military service. Most recently, the 3rd Cohort of the Life Guard served with distinction in the War of the Northern Confederation, fighting at the tip of the spear during the attack on Tonawandis.
The Life Guard also features as a source of honorary titles issued to foreign nationals by the Apostolic King of Urcea. During the Occidental Cold War, high ranking military officials in the Levantia and Odoneru Treaty Association were given honorary officer ranks within the Life Guard. Since the end of the Cold War, honorary titles have been issued to Levantine Union military officials.
Uniform
The Life Guard uses the standard uniform of the Royal and Imperial Army, but its members are entitled to wear additional decorative elements specific to the Life Guard for their standard garrison uniform. The Life Guard rarely employs its combat uniforms, which are indistinguishable from the rest of the Army, except in overseas deployments; when standing guard, the standard garrison uniform is used. Members of the Life Guard are entitled to wear epaulettes, with all officers within the Life Guard entitled to wear a porphyr-colored sash. Additionally, the uniforms of the Life Guard all have gold buttons and fastening devices.
Battle honors
The Life Guard accrued battle honors in the following conflicts:
March
The "Life Guard March" was composed by John Oranco in 1855 in recognition of their service and victorious efforts during the Third Caroline War. The March, which instantly became popular, was soon associated with the entire Royal Army, though no unit may play the march without the presence of at least one cohort of the Life Guard. It was used prominently during the '97 Rising as the Life Guard made up a central part of the Legitimist Army. The March is also closely associated with the Apostolic King of Urcea, as the Life Guard's proximity to the King means it is often played in his presence.