The Invictus Legion
Bravery Breeds Bravery
The Invictus Legion is the oldest military formation in all of Albion to still exist. Its founding hails back to the Golden Age of the Empire, when the ten thousand men of the Victrix Legion trained another ten, who branded themselves Invictus after the Battle for Milesia. Since the fall of the Empire, the Invictus Legion had sworn allegiance to Aumont, and subsequently East Aumont when the two kingdoms split. They are now the most elite force that the kingdom has in its arsenal, and its commanders are hand-picked from the top of their class at the Grand Imperial College.
Composition
Manpower
The Invictus Legion strives to upkeep 10,000 battle ready soldiers at any given moment. This does not include their reserves, numbering twice that, and their supply, support and cavalry cohorts which together form a regiment numbering 32,000 men.
Equipment
Each Legionary is equipped with a shortsword, a spear, two javelins and a round shield, replacing older, more cumbersome broad shield designs that only worked well in formation but not in urban warfare.
Their armour is of imperial design, maintained since its collapse: Heavy splint is favoured by the front-line infantry, though cavalry prefers newer breastplates and scouts lighter, studded leather.
Training
The Legion's training is harsh, and one in ten men usually dies before reaching their base rank of Legionary as they march and fend for themselves in the Black Forest. Despite this, fresh recruits are always to be found, as the pay is better than most peoples' or soldiers' in the realm, and a plot of farmland is promised to all those that make it to their two decade anniversary within the legion, or receive an automatic promotion, whichever is preferred.
History
Above is depicted the founding members of the Invictus Legion holding the line against their turned brethren in Milesia. These former men of the empire were slain and made undead by the Lich Ruhn who was eventually pushed back and slain by Arran himself at the battle of Kae Andros.
The history of the Invictus Legion is unlike that of the other legions, who either fell in glorious battle or decayed due to corrupt politics and cowardly deserters at the end of the Empire. The Legion became an organisation onto its own, vowing to upkeep Arran's dream as best they could despite the squabbling nobles of Albion. Its first commander since the fall of the Empire, Lucius, pledged his and his men's allegiance to Aumont when Ormund I promised to reform the Empire with the help of Judgement, Arran's sword.
Most commoners and even scholars do not remember much about the Legion's hey-day before then. History has forgotten the sacrifice that the forebears of the Legion undertook to guard against undeath, against the barbarians to the North and the terrors of the night within the Empire. It is known that the Legion is old and has a famous reputation among military scholars, but beyond that myth has turned to legend. Today, it is simply known as an elite force of Aumont that have Imperial roots going back centuries.
Type
Infantry
Founding
222GA
Overall training Level
Elite
Assumed Veterancy
Decorated/Honored
Used by
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