1st Halberd Legion Regiment

1st Halberd Legion Regiment
1er Regimiento de Alabarderos de la Legión
Active	1720 - present
Country	Pelaxia
Type	Regiment, Elite Infantry
Role	Land warfare
Size	2,000 Halberds
Part of	Pelaxian Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Albalitor
Motto(s)	¡Alabarderos a formar! ¡Legionarios a morir! ("Halberds, form up! Legionnaires, to die!")
Commanders
Federal Chancellor	Gerardo Valladolid
Prime Minister	Pedro Meireles

Pelaxia had already for centuries recruited foreign soldiers to its army, creating the Foreign Regiments (Infantería de línea extranjera). However, the specific unit of the Pelaxian Army and Pelaxia's Special Forces Command, now known as the Pelaxian Halberd Legion Regiment (Regimiento de Alabarderos Pelaxiano, La Legión), and informally known as the Tercio or the Tercios, is a 18th century creation. It was raised in the 1720s to serve as part of Pelaxia's Army of the West. The unit, which was established in January 1720 as the was initially known as the Tercio de Extranjeros ("Tercio of foreigners"). Although the majority of recruits are Pelaxians. Over the years, the force's name has changed from Tercio de Extranjeros to Tercio de Alabarderos, and by early 20th century it became the "Pelaxian Halberds", with four existing batallions composing the regiment. Today they carry out honorary guard duties of all national government buildings and provide security on embassies abroad.

Present Role

In the 1990s, after the abandonment of conscription, the Pelaxian Halberds once again accepted foreigners into service.

Today, acceptance to the Pelaxian Halberds is based on the following criteria:

• Be a Pelaxian citizen (foreign recruits are required to have a valid Pelaxian residence permit).
• Be a citizen in good legal standing.
• Not be deprived of civil rights.
• Be at least 18 years of age and not be 29 on the day of joining boot camp.
• Be able to pass psychological, physical and medical evaluations.

In recent years, the Halbers are being involved in Operación Cimitarra.