Regimental System of Arcerion
The Regimental System provides the basic building block of the entire Arcer Army. It provides for how new regiments are formed, the maintenance of the history and heritage of existing regiments, and makes provisions for traditions and requirements for day-to-day operations within each regiment. While Arcerion still has General Army Orders (GAOs), day to day life varies widely across Regiments, from culture to routine. The Regimental system is a historical carry over from the Kingdom of Carna, which includes the system of using Regimental Colours, Mess Culture, and basic provisions for professional development of officers and NCOs.
The Regimental System Overview
Under the regimental system, each individual regiment, regardless of type or designation, is responsible for conducting its own recruiting, training, and administration. Each regiment also permanently maintains s distinct set of core values and cultural traditions that over time and many centuries develop a unique esprit de corps, because of the unique history and heritage. A soldier is assigned to a regiment after their initial Army intake, under two paths. The first is soldiers who were recruited by a specific regiment and role, and after their initial training period they are assigned to that regiment and wear its tactical recognition flashes, insignia, and most importantly, the Regimental headdress and cap badge. The second method is for soldiers who enter via a general Army intake or recruiting center, and are assigned to a regiment based on the Army's needs and their posting preferences. As most Regiments are geographically segregated (ie. Royal Moorden Regiment is only based in Southeast Arcerion in Moorden Governorate), this helps keep soldiers close to families and their support network.
In Arcerion, Regiments are generally for combat or combat support formations. Although some support functions have regiments such as military police or ordnance and quartermaster stores, these are generally exceptions to the rule.
Due to this unique structure. Arcer soldiers are more likely to identify as members of their regiments vice their Brigade or Division due to the unique sense of identity they learn and are indoctrinated into upon joining a regiment. Under the Regimental System, Arcer soldiers may spend the entirety of their careers within the same Regiment, switching between different subordinate units and postings within the Regiment's geographic area.
The historical association with the Carnish Crown has meant that some older regiments still bear the designation 'Royal,' despite there being no established Carnish Monarchy. Newer regiments are unable to receive the honorific, for example the Presdale Rifle Regiment was an amalgamation of the Presdale Regiment and the Heartland Rifle Regiment, and upon merging in 1966 became a non-Royal Regiment. Concurrent to this, battle honours that used to be issued by recommendation of the Confederate Parliament to the Carnish Crown and then given by Royal Decree are no longer possible. As such, the Confederate Parliament sits a special Honours and Heritage committee bi-annually to bestow new titles to esteemed or especially distinguished conduct from Arcer Army formations.
This sense of identity and esprit de corps partially is a colonial heritage function, as Regiments were often dislocated or spread out and these functions served as means for morale and welfare for the men and a means to maintain discipline and good order while on the Arcer Frontier.
The Regimental system also means that there is an extended Regimental family and associations linked with every formation. Specific regimental training centres, educational and professional development schools, regimental associations for retired soldiers, and associated youth groups all play a significant role in the Regiment. As an example, the Kurst Foot Grenadiers continue to have a strong regimental association, advocating for veterans and having some political sway within the Confederate Parliament, and regularly hosting family events and rugby matches with members of the municipal governments within the Kurst Capital Region's many boroughs.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The Arcer Regimental System has a mixture of advantages and disadvantages, both structurally from a military and organizational perspective, as well as disadvantages. In general, the system is favoured for its strong emphasis on esprit de corps and generating morale and commitment to Regimental ethos from its members. However, the administrative burden of postings and managing member's careers by keeping them within their Regiment or limiting out-of-Regiment postings can create issues such as filling headquarters roles at the brigade or Army level. As well the regimental associations and regimental caretakers make it difficult to relocate, downsize, or fundamentally change the organization of regiments, creating problems for Army planners as they have to deal with civilian oversight departments affecting their ability to move units or stand down legacy formations.
Within the Army, it also can create animosity or unhealthy regimental rivalries or negative associations. As an example, there has existed a long rivalry between the Royal Moorden Regiment and Royal Arcerion Regiment, as both claim to be the oldest infantry Regiment in Arcerion, with their respective regimental associations even going as far as attempting to influence the National Archives of Arcerion to issue a ruling on the subject. With regards to strong regimental identity, senior Army officials and planners have long worried that some soldiers identify more with their regiment and its values than the Army writ large, fearing that the creation of divergent military sub cultures is detrimental to the good order and discpline of the Arcer military.
The decentralization of the Army as previously discussed worked particularly well during the expansion of Arcerion into Crona, as disparate regiments had ethos, culture, and tradition to serve as a backbone in the stead of a stable garrison life with a family. As well, the centralization of the Army's regiments provides a strong buffer for the civilian government and stability, preventing a coup d'état due to the disparate planning and independence of each formation. Since Arcerion's formation, the Army has never been involved in any attempts to unseat or overturn their civilian government.
During the First Great War, the grouping and localized recruiting meant that when Regiments took significant casualties, it was felt more deeply in specific communities as the fighting men that died were all concentrated in this area. This is notable from the Easthampton Regiment, where an entire battalion was lost, and the community was devastated due to the loss of several hundred fathers, sons and family members. The opposite argument to this is the involvement Regiments have in their communities, with parades, local engagements, youth programs, and regimental fundraisers and charity events making them keystone parts of the communities they are garrisoned in.
Arcer Army
The Arcer Army is entirely based around regiments and Corps. However this can be confusing as the term regiment can refer to multiple different sizes or types of organizations. It can mean an administrative grouping of disparate subunits with a shared identity (ie. Royal Regiment of Arcerion Horse Artillery), or a tactical unit. In general, Arcer regiments are administrative groupings of tactical formations (usually battalion-strength), and the Regimental headquarters serves in a staff, professional development training, and support role whereas the Brigades maintain operational and tactical control of their military training.