General
A "general" is the appointed leader of one of the Imperial Legions.
Qualifications
Generals are commonly, though not unanimously, members of noble families within the Empire. As most legions are raised from an Archon's lands and people, it is most common for an Archon to appoint themselves or one of the family members to lead them on their behalf. In the case of a city raising multiple legions, it is not uncommon for numerous members of an Archons family to be leading their House's forces into battle.
The only steadfast requirement is that the appointee must have AT LEAST 8 years of military service to the Empire, usually more. This has caused a number of occasions, particularly in longer and bloodier conflicts, where an experienced Legate has been appointed as a General when the General perishes in combat or is otherwise relieved of their duties.
Appointment
An official letter of appointment, signed and stamped with the Emperor's seal is provided to the appointee, and is valid immediately upon receipt. It is common for the sending and receiving of such letters to be intentionally witnessed by a number of high-ranking people, to ensure that there is no question about the validity of the appointment.
Duties
Generals are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of their legion, and are entrusted to carry out the wartime directions of the Emperor. Imperial generals will normally convene a war council (headed by a single general appointed by the Emperor who gets final say on decision-making) to discuss and decide on strategy, which individual generals are then required to carry out to the best of their ability.
Generals are more often involved with overall strategy and "big-picture" decisions of the Legion they command, and will leave tactical level decisions to their subordinate Legates
Benefits
Generals are compensated for their services directly by the Emperor themselves, and so compensation can vary widely. What can generally (hahah) be assumed though is that a successful General can quickly become very wealthy. In addition, a General with multiple successful campaigns under their belt will often also gain a significant amount of political gravitas, possibly giving them an edge in the politics of the nation in the future.
It must not be forgotten as well that the General normally receives the "lions share" of The Bounty, and is responsible for ensuring that it is sufficiently also provided to their subordinates.
Accoutrements & Equipment
Generals are often adorned in the best armour that money can by, both in terms of protection and aesthetics, and will carry the finest weapons. Generals will often look to use their weaponry also as a sign of status, and in the Empire this is done with two-handed greatswords reminiscent of Brannon Vuin "The Beloved Lord", and Generals traditionally look to carry a similar weapon into battle.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
Generals are often dismissed after repeated failures, and this is the most common form of dismissal, as a more effective general is sought by the Emperor. However, many Generals also resign, either because of advanced age or simple because they would like to move on to other things, such as starting a career in politics. A resignation, though must be accepted by the Emperor first, before it becomes official, otherwise a General walking off the job is considered desertion and treason.
Type
Civic, Military, Commissioned
Form of Address
General
Source of Authority
The source of a General's authority comes directly from the Emperor, who can than decide to revoke their authority at any time.
Length of Term
Generals can serve for varying lengths of time, and there are no legal rules within the Empire stating minimum or maximum service lengths. However, Generals will often be "retired" if they suffer numerous major defeats.
Reports directly to
Related Organizations
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