War Hounds

War Hounds are without a doubt the most savage legion in either Empire, and are applied with precision against targets that need to be utterly destroyed. Surrender is never an option against this legion; they are willing to take heavy casualties to accomplish their objective, which has prompted numerous forces to flee after holding out against other legions. The True Empire employs them as mobile troubleshooters, often deploying them one maniple or cohort at a time. They can serve either as elite shock troops or terrifying reinforcements to a besieged Imperial forces; though they rarely tangle with elements of the Holy Empire, War Hounds have long maintained a bitter rivalry with the Black Wolves, and the two have engaged in open combat now that the empire has divided.

Composition

Manpower

4,800 infantry 1,000 auxiliary (mages, cavalry, archers, engineers, and pilots) 2,000 support

Equipment

Standard infantry carry a shield, scale mail, spear, short sword, and half a dozen javelins. The War Hounds employ an uncommon number of barbarians and favor frenzied berserkers; these eschew armor and often forego a shield to instead carry a greataxe and a quiver of javelins. Other auxiliaries carry weapons appropriate for their position.
Magic-users have ready access to inexpensive spell components, but anything costing 1 gp or greater is not typically supplied by the legion unless required for a specific mission. Spells that can protect a whole formation or shape the battlefield are preferred; Evard's Black Tentacles carries a lot more mileage than increasing the strength of one berserker.
Engineers are trained in both modified skyship weaponry positions and non-magical siege weaponry. One can jury-rig a cannon to the ship's power just as easily as they can construct a ballista (a legion specialty), and are always issued the requisite tools to do so.

Weaponry

Typical legion soldiers don't carry magical weaponry, and are issued the weapons mentioned above. Those coming from noble pedigree are permitted to carry family heirlooms into battle (provided they don't disrupt the formation), meaning that several officers may have individualized equipment.
Optional rule: the Legions use pilum, specialized javelins. They cost the same as javelins in the PHB, but have a soft metal head; if someone rolls to attack and misses the target but would have hit the target if they weren't carrying a shield, the pilum becomes lodged in the shield and is rendered useless. As long as that shield is carried, the wielder treats all terrain as difficult.

Vehicles

Eight Eagles have been assigned to the Legion, and four can move two cohorts and critical supply personnel. Standard legion deployment has Eagles occupy corners of a camp being built, using their weaponry to provide overlapping fields of fire.
Each Eagle has an escort wing of six Sparrows assigned to it.
When it comes to war machines, War Hounds maintain the standard four Trebuchet-class machines in their legion, and maintain eight Firestarters as well. These typically operate in pairs and are effective at undermining enemy fortifications or driving enemies into waiting legionnaires.

Structure

Corporal - in charge of a team of four, the smallest tactical unit employed. (Corporal is also the minimum rank for a vehicle operator.) Sergeant - In charge of ten soldiers, with two corporals underneath. First Sergeant - In charge of 60-80 soldiers (a 'century'), sometimes called a Centurion. Captain - In charge of a maniple (120-180 soldiers), or occasionally a cohort (240 soldiers) Colonel - In charge of a pair of cohorts (480 soldiers) General - In charge of the legion; though generals often have a Senate seat, they are expected to lead their troops in the field.

Tactics

Despite its reputation, the legion maintains its discipline and makes frequent use of the shield wall. Typically, magical support will begin shaping the field, trying to funnel their opponents into a killzone while setting up windwalls and other defenses against projectiles. Once the legion is in range, the berserkers are unleashed, rushing through the ranks which close behind them. Cavalry and vehicles harry any who try to escape while the legion inexorably advances to take advantage of the chaos caused by barbarians.

Training

Most infantry receives several weeks of training before joining the ranks, and learns how to move in a formation and specific weapon strikes. Officers (and those earmarked to become officers) gain access to superior training.
Barbarians are typically recruited as-is from bloodthirsty tribes within the empire's purview. Most have no desire to further imperial goals, but relish violence for its own sake, and don't mind getting paid to perform it.

Type

Infantry

Overall training Level

Semi-professional