Structure of the Arcer Army
The structure of the Arcer Army is based around the brigade, or the basic self-sustaining combined arms formation in use since the First Great War. The Army as a whole has several components, from active or regular forces to its reserve or territorial forces, and in addition to this numerous Corps, Regiments, and Branches that exist to govern to overarching culture, heritage and tradition of the Carnish Regimental System.
The largest changes to the Arcer Army come in the form of Arcerion Headquarters Staff Orders, General (AHQSO), which can direct units to stand up, dissolve, create new formations or bases, and also serves as listings of Honours & Awards. This page aims to provide a rough overview of the Arcer Army in its current stance, although it is subject to constant change.
The Arcer Army still technically recognizes the Carnish Crown as its commander-in-chief, but due to the Carnish Civil War, of which the Arcer Army was involved, they have had a commander-in-absentia for decades, with the Governor-General of Arcerion serving as the acting commander. The only issue with this is technically no new Arcer unit can be bestowed the moniker of 'Royal,' meaning that newer Regiments of 2nd Great War creation or sooner (ie. Arcerion Commano Regiment) are not able to be considered to be created or generated by Royal decree.
History
Generic
Post Second Great War
Active and Reserve Components
The Arcer Army is made up of three components to form the 'total force.' The Regular Army, also known as the regular forces or standing army, form the full-time, professional soldiers serving contract periods from four to twenty-five years. This is augmented by a pair of reserve components, often referred to as the 'territorial force' or 'militia,' references to Arcerion's colonial roots and Carnish heritage. Reserve forces train several times a month and have a scaled readiness system wherein one reserve brigade per governorate is assigned a 'parent' Regular Army brigade to assist with its training and administration, and during this time Regular Army personnel receive Reservists for short contracts of a few months in length to increase training opportunities or provide experience. At the end of this cycle, the Reserve Brigades augment their Regular Army counterparts with several 'stand-by' companies, which are on a short call-up notice of anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Administrative
Army Headquarters
Operational Unit Structure
Major Operational Units
1st Division (Northlea)
The 1st Division is the oldest in Arcerion, and was founded in 1852 as an administrative headquarters to manage the numerous Arcerion militia and regular units in the Carnish colony of the time. Since then, it has participated in every major campaign from the South Songun Conflict to the Final War of the Deluge. Headquartered at Dalfearn Garrison, on the Marloch River, it has the majority of Arcerion's regular brigades, including the bulk of its mechanized and armoured forces.
1 Rifle Brigade
1 Rifle Brigade, more commonly referred to as "1 Brigade" is headquartered at Dalfearn Garrison, out of the Lightfoot Barracks, which houses the majority of the units and their associated headquarters and support staffs. 1 Brigade has recently completed two operational deployments, one to the Northwestern Border Security Zone (NWBSZ) to combat insurgent forces as a result of militant refugees fleeing Varshan, and a peacekeeping deployment to Eastern Kelekona as part of the Arco-Capetian Peacekeeping Agreement. It also serves a dual purpose as supporting the procurement and development programs run by Army Headquarters, such as trialing the Pelaxian Armoured Fighting vehicle proposal as part of Pelaxia's tender for Arcerion's next generation Armoured fighting vehicle.
1 Rifle Brigade was formed provisionally during the South Songun Conflict, and participated in several campaigns in both Great Wars and was prominent during the Final War of the Deluge's Operation Pullman. 1 Rifle Brigade is centered around a pair of infantry regiments, The Royal Arcerion Regiment (RAR) and Kinnaird Grenadier Guards (KGG). These infantry regiments are augmented in turn by armoured reconnaissance and armoured cavalry from the Royal Arcerion Dragoons (RAD) and tank squadrons of the Arcerion Tank Regiment (ATR). It also encompasses its own service battalion (1 Service Battalion) and has added supporting elements from both the Royal Regiment of Arcerion Engineers (RRAE) and Royal Regiment of Arcerion Horse Artillery (RRAHA). It has a rough strength of 5,000 personnel when fully manned, but during peacetime garrison status the unit is usually closer to 85% manned due to postings, retention, and leave.
2 Rifle Brigade
2 Brigade, garrisoned at the Songun Barracks in Kinnaird, Arcerion is an infantry brigade of the Arcer Army. It lacks the heavier armour and mechanized forces of some of the other brigades due to its urban garrison, however it is permanently augmented by reserve armoured cavalry units from the Arcerion Loyal Horse (ALH), providing it with a light cavalry component in the case of a large-scale conflict. It is centered around two main units, the Kinnaird Grenadiers (KG) and the Western Arcerion Rifle Regiment (WARR). 2 Brigade also serves as one of the main proponents of the Army's new ISTAR initiatives as part of the 2022 Confederate Memo on Defence. 2 Briagade is the key partner for many unmanned aerial vehicle programs in the Army. 2 Brigade also shares the Kinnaird Garrison with the Arcerion Doctrine and Training Centre, and the Royal Arcerion Institute for War Studies, of which 2 Brigade supports both during their regular academic and military programs.
2 Brigade was created at the start of the Southern Songun Conflict, and saw action in not only the Overland Campaign, but also the short-lived landing in Easter Songun. During the Overland Campaign, its gunners became majorly involved in the Siege of XYZ, which links to its historical heritage with modern representation through a cannon as the brigade emblem. In this, it was the first regular army brigade to be commanded by an artillery officer, which occurred with Colonel Eric Fulsom shortly after the Second Great War. 2 Brigade fought as part of Operation Pullman during the Second Great War, and also distinguished itself as part of the defense of XYZ, during the Carnish Civil War, where the Brigade and specifically the Kurst Foot Grenadiers were part of the fighting withdrawal of the Carnish Army, with 2 Brigade preventing the Marxist forces from outflanking the Corp's supply lines. This action itself resulted in one of the final Royal battle honours being bestowed, with the Kinnaird Grenadiers being bestowed the "Defense of Carna" battle honour, which is still on the Regimental Colours.
4 Mechanized Brigade
4 Brigade is one of Arcerions 'heavy' or more mechanized brigades, mainly focused on peer-on-peer conflicts and mechanized warfare. It is one of the newer brigades in the Arcerion Army, despite previous incarnations of the Brigade existing in both the First and Second Great Wars as infantry brigades. 4 Brigade is centered around the Arcerion Tank Regiment and the Arcerion Light Cavalry Regiment, which are in turn supported by mechanized infantry from the Royal Arcerion Regiment and Northlea Rifle Regiment (NRR). 4 Mechanized, as one of the main units at Presdale Garrison, is chiefly responsible for the manning and support to the Arceiron Maneuver Trainign Centre, which is one of the largest military training areas in Crona, and one of the most advanced and modern live-fire brigade training areas in Ixnay.
4 Brigade was created in its modern context as part of Arcerion's military expansion post-2nd Great War, where the Brigade, despite a brief period of dissolution, was stood up again to take over Camp Presdale, turning it into the large, modern garrison and training area it is today. Since then, 4 Brigade went on to fight with distinction during the Final War of the Deluge, being part of the main Arcer thrust into Varshan and spearheading I Arco Corps up to Anzo for the eventual siege and follow-on actions. 4 Brigade also recently completed a peacekeeping deployment to Kelekona and Varshan, during both of which the Brigade saw limited combat. It is currently preparing for a deployment to the Northwestern Border Security Zone, and after that will assume a high-readiness role as part of the Cronan Security and Trade Union's high readiness forces. 4 Brigade also helps to force generate combat teams for the Arcerion Maneuver and Training Centre's Combat Team Leadership Course. During this, members of the brigade help to train and educate officers and non-commissioned officers on mechanized warfare and modern maneuver tactics using advanced laser systems and the remote command and control functions that are enabled by AMTC's modern suite. 4 Brigade also is the leading Brigade in the Army for obstacle breaching and combat engineer tasks, as the Royal Regiment of Arcerion Engineers is also headquartered at Presdale Garrison along with the Arcerion Engineer School.
5 Mechanized Brigade
5 Mechanized brigade is a primarily armoured force located at the Dalfearn garrison. It is primarily focused around the Arcerion Tank Regiment (ATR) and Dalfearn Fusiliers (DF) who make up the majority of the maneuver and line units within the brigade. Aditionally, the Dalfearn Garrison is home to the Royal Arcerion School of Gunnery, which trains all artillerymen, officers, and NCOs, meaning that the Royal Regiment of Arcerion Horse Artillery has a vested interest in 5 Mechanized Brigade, meaning it on average has some of the best howitzer and mortar gunnery in the Army. 5 Mechanized participated recently in the Varshan conflict, seeing heavy fighting on the Southern flank of I Arcer Corps, and was instrumental in destroying the Varshani 22nd and 23rd Mechanized Corps, rendering the Varshani 4th Army combat ineffective for a period of two weeks until it had withdrawn South closer to Anzo.
5 Mechanized Brigade was stood up in the early 2000s to provide additional capabilities for the Arcer Army, and under the 2022 Confederate Memo on Defence was identified as one of the three Mechanized Brigades that may be refit into a Rifle Brigade, divesting its tanks and heavier fire support enabling assets for light assets such as more wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, reconnaissance vehicles, medium UCAV and ISTAR assets, and additional deep fires assets. In addition to this, it will take on an additional reserve infantry battalion, and provide them with light infantry training to assist with the Arcer government's strategic shift towards expeditionary operations since the end of the Varshan War. 5 Mechanized Brigade has also participated in training partner countries such as Stenza on tank and mechanized operations, assisting allied nations with their experienced gained conducting this kind of warfare in Varshan.
5 Mechanized was also part of the seed units for the Arco-Paul Brigade, providing the initial cadre of staff, instructors, and equipment to stand up Crona's first joint-force brigade. 5 Brigade currently is undergoing a refit cycle where it will assume higher readiness duties, including an expected deployment to Kelekona for peacekeeping duties as soon as autumn of 2028.
2nd Division (Moorden)
The 2nd Division is one of Arcerion's older infantry divisions, originally created during the First Great War with the mass volunteerism that occured during the period giving rise to the need for an additional infantry division to support the mass amount of Arcer men wishing to fight. The 2nd Infantry Division fought in both Great Wars, but is most notable for its significant role in the Carnish Civil War, during which time it had some of the few operational successes on the battlefield experienced by the Royalist forces. In modern times, the 2nd Division is headquartered at the Red Lion Barracks in Kurst, Arcerion, with its units being spread out between Easthampton and Chester-on-Moore.
7 Rifle Brigade
7 Rifle Brigade is Arcerion's premier light infantry formation. It consists of mostly light and motorised infantry formations, although the Arcer Army makes few distinctions between motorised and mechanized troops, as they both doctrinally use LAVs, only in their employment are they different. Based centrally around the Royal Easthampton Borderers (REB), Arcerion Fusilier Regiment (AFR), and the Royal Moorden Regiment (RMR). Mechanized forces in the brigade are supplemented with lighter reconnaissance and anti-tank missile formations from the Kurst Lancer Regiment (KLR).
3 Rifle Brigade
6 Mechanized Brigade
Arco-Paul Brigade
- 1st Division (Northlea)
- 1 Brigade
- 2 Brigade
- 4 Brigade
- 5 Brigade
- 11 Parachute Brigade
- 2nd Division (Moorden)
- 7 Brigade (Easthampton)
- 3 Brigade
- 6 Brigade
- Arco-Paul Brigade
- 4th Division (Norham)
- 8 Brigade
- 9 Brigade
- 5th Division (Reserve, Dalfearn)
- 6th Division (Reserve, KCR)