Army of Burgundie
Main article: Burgundian Security Forces
Army of Burgundie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Because of its non-permanent status, the majority of Burgundie's Army is best suited to fourth generation warfare, which is the basic doctrine of force. It relies entirely on small unit tactics and small, fast armored vehicles. This doctrine is born from the bloody origins of the nation, that presupposes that all citizens are soldiers and that massive standing armies are too expensive for the threat levels that Burgundie has historically encountered.
The arms and insignia of the Army is an escutcheon with an upper party per fess Gules and a lower Argent with a river in nombril point, with a badge of crossed lance and bill hook or. The Red signifies the high opinion of the blood spilled, the logistical ability of the army to get over any obstacle, and the lance represents the officers and the bill hook the soldiers. The lance recalls the Eques of the lans proviso, the bill hook the various other foot soldiers each man-at-arms would bring to accompany them.
Contents
- 1 Mission
- 2 History
- 2.1 Standing Army
- 2.2 Great War
- 3 Organization
- 3.1 Metropole Forces
- 3.1.1 Standardized Militia Program
- 3.1.2 I Infantry Tacticale
- 3.1.2.1 Uniform Gallery
- 3.1.2.2 I Infantry Tacticale History
- 3.1.2.3 Contemporary I Infantry Tacticale History
- 3.1.3 I Armored Tacticale
- 3.1.3.1 Uniform Gallery
- 3.1.3.2 I Armored Tacticale History
- 3.1.3.3 Contemporary I Armored Tacticale History
- 3.1.4 Household Guard
- 3.1.4.1 Great Prince's Own Royal Zwallerkaddian Foot Guard
- 3.1.4.2 Duke of Burgundie's Guide Sipahis
- 3.1.4.3 Great Prince's Own Horse Artillery
- 3.1.4.4 Fire Seneschalcy
- 3.2 Foreign Legion
- 3.3 Cooperative Units
- 3.4 Other Commands
- 3.4.1 Army Special Services Command
- 3.4.1.1 Army Interdiction Forces
- 3.4.1.2 CBRNE Response Directorate
- 3.4.1.3 Electronic and Signals Warefare Operations
- 3.4.1.4 Cyberwarfare Directorate
- 3.4.2 Training Command
- 3.4.3 Industrial Maintenance Service
- 3.4.1 Army Special Services Command
- 3.1 Metropole Forces
- 4 Personnel
- 5 Bases
- 6 Equipment
- 7 Army Flag
- 8 Notable Soldiers
- 9 See also
Mission
History
Standing Army
In the 14th and early 15th century bands of mercenaries, whose contracts with their masters had expired, were the scourge of medieval Kingdom of Dericania. In the late 1430s, unemployed Derian mercenaries pillaged across southern Dericania. Eventually some were recruited by southern mercenary captains who hired them out to the royal companies raised by order of the local princes, who it seems regarded them as a major impediment to peaceful rule. They extorted protection money from local peasants as well as exacting tolls from passing merchants and holding local important people for ransom.
In 1461 the Bishop of Bonavix passed laws that restricted military recruitment and training to himself. There was a new tax to be raised known as the taille that was to provide funding for a new provincial army. The mercenary companies were given a choice of either joining the provincial army as the maintained one hundred (Burg: les centes manutenures on a permanent basis, or being hunted down and destroyed if they refused. The bishop was able to cobble together one such unit in 1463, which was sent out to gradually eliminate the remaining mercenaries who insisted on operating on their own. The new standing army had a more disciplined and professional approach to warfare than its predecessors. In addition to this unit, the bishops still called upon men-at-arms and footmen by calling a general levy where all able-bodied males age 15 to 60 living in the bishopric were summoned to go to war.
This was the first standing army raised in the principalities that were later unified into Burgundie. Called the maintained one hundred (Burg: les centes manutenures), the unit was at, approximately, a modern company strength, being built around 100 knights (Burg: Eques) and their attendants.
Each lance (Burg: lans proviso for 'contractually obligated lance') contained, six men. The senior member was a man-at-arms (Burg: gens des armes), initially a mercenary captain but eventually a knight owing a knight's fee (Burg: Eques). This man was supported by a squire (Burg: coutillier), usually a younger man still undergoing his apprenticeship to arms, or not yet fully proved in battle. The man-at-arms and squire were further assisted by a page, or (Burg: valiet de guerre), usually a teenage male, who was responsible for caring for their armour, equipment, and horses. The squire was generally fully armoured, and usually charged alongside (or close by) the man-at-arms, and helped him handle the sixteen- to nineteen-foot lance when they fought dismounted (which initially happened fairly often). The lance further contained two archers, who were at first considered mounted infantrymen, provided with horses for mobility alone, but not for battlefield operations. Some were apparently equipped with bows and arrows, others with crossbows, and all also carried swords or axes and some armour, if usually less than the man-at-arms and the squire. As time went on, their role became increasingly difficult to distinguish from that of the other two combat soldiers. By the time of the Great Confessional War, the 'archers' had apparently evolved into armored lancers.
The Bishopric of Bonavix raised and maintained this unit until the end of the Great Confessional War in 1575. The unit was lead by a Sergeant-Captain, usually the bishop, but not exclusively. The success of the unit inspired others to create similar units and by the start of the Great Confessional War, other a third of the combatants maintained standing armies of various sizes.
Great War
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Organization
Metropole Forces
Standardized Militia Program
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Young Burgundians receive their federal conscription orders for training at the age of 18, or after they have completed their high school studies. About two-thirds of the young Burgundians are found suited for military service; for those found unsuited, various forms of alternative federal service exist. Annually, approximately 42,000 persons participate in the militia program which consists of a 3 month basic training period, three 30 day special skills training (sabotage/explosives, amphibious operations, long-range shooting), a two-month tactical decision-making class, a two month review training period, culmination in a month-long exercise. Four week-long leaves are provided as part of the program. Once the "year of service" is completed and voting citizenship is attained, citizens can volunteer to continue their participation in the Standardized Militia Program. Continuing participates receive the following benefits: 100% of the first higher education degree paid for, non-competitive status for federal jobs, a $500 tax break/annum, $10,000 stipend/annum and access to housing programs/preferential lending rates.
I Infantry Tacticale
Known as the Yeoman's Legion (Burg: Tacticale Tenientieres) the I Infantry Tacticale is a more commonly associated with the higher class of the Burgoignesc military society. Its organization is unique in that it seconds all of its members to the Burgoignesc Civil Engineer Troops in times of peace, meaning that its 21,590 soldiers are full-time military professionals while respecting the constitutional and societal concept that Burgundie does not have a standing home army.
Uniform Gallery
I Infantry Tacticale History
Contemporary I Infantry Tacticale History
I Armored Tacticale
Modern combat uniform of the Ist Armored Legion, #dealwithit
Lanciers rouges de la Garde impériale Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale Cent-gardes_Squadron
Uniform Gallery
Uniform of the XXIV Cuirassier Squadron
Officers uniform of the XXXIV Hussar Squadron
Uniform of the IV Artillery Squadron
Uniform of the III Dragoon Squadron
Uniform of the XIV Dragoon Squadron
I Armored Tacticale History
Contemporary I Armored Tacticale History
Household Guard
Great Prince's Own Royal Zwallerkaddian Foot Guard
Main article: Great Prince's Own Royal Zwallerkaddian Foot Guard
The Great Prince's Own Royal Zwallerkaddian Foot Guard is an ethnic Zwallerkaddian Guard demi-regiment in the direct service of the Great Prince of Burgundie. The Guard is a non-mechanized infantry demi-regiment tasked with the protection of the Great Prince, his family and possessions.
Duke of Burgundie's Guide Sipahis
Great Prince's Own Horse Artillery
Fire Seneschalcy
Main article: Fire Seneschalcy of Burgundie
Foreign Legion
Main article: Burgundian Foreign Legion
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Following the expulsion of the Protestants from Levantia during the Great Confessional War, Burgundie was flooded with Protestants and a Duke that was hostile to their presence in Burgundie. As an attempt to deal with their persistent presence and under pressure from the Holy Levantine Empire and the Papacy, Jarl Heneriks, Duke of Burgundie, created the Burgunder Utenlandsk Legion (Burgundian Foreign Legion) as a way to displace them, but bolster his military power. At is conception in 1577, the unit consisted of 1,000 Protestant men with 5 Catholic officers. They were trained as marines and were assigned to merchant ships conducting business outside of Levantia. This role persisted until the late 1800s when the needs of the thalosocrassy shifted and molded the legion to fit.
During the Occupation of Wintergen and Kiravian Pseudo-War and the subsequent occupations of AyerSee, Sodermark and Sturmhavn that permanent garrisons would need to be established to defend the islands. The Legion was re-purposed as amphibious infantry units. Their training consisted primarily of marine skills, but added amphibious assault and coastal defense to the repertoire.
Today the Legion consists of 35,048 members, is still primarily Protestant, is excluded from operating in Levantia, is made up of 85% Burgundians and 15% foreigners and is the only permanent "army" unit in Burgundie.
It is headquartered at Fort LaRemie, Nova Levantia.
Cooperative Units
Other Commands
Army Special Services Command
Army Interdiction Forces
CBRNE Response Directorate
Electronic and Signals Warefare Operations
Cyberwarfare Directorate
Training Command
Industrial Maintenance Service
Personnel
Bases
Equipment
- Pace stick
- Swagger stick
- Riding crop
Army Flag
Notable Soldiers
Name | Country of Origin | Country(ies) of Service | Lifespan | Contribution | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caphiria | Caphiria | Duchy of Marialanus | 1452–1519 | |||
Free City of Granblaix | Bishopric of Bonavix | 1743-1831 | ||||
Oilliem-Alliander Fremand Ouitan | Burgundie | Burgundie | 1914-1967 | In 1932, he began publishing paperback books for soldiers in his unit small enough to fit in uniform pockets. By 1935, this lead to the Army sponsoring a massive paperback publishing effort which continued the world over after the war. |