Gwilthor Marines
Composition
Manpower
The total number and identity of Gwilthor are a close-held secret. Given the high level of skill in teleportation needed to be a member of the unit, it is unlikely that there are more than 1,000 across the entire sky fleet of House Zeiros, including those on permanent detachment to the Imperial Guard.
Equipment
All Gwilthor use heavy armor with fully enclosed helmets and heavy shields in combat.
Weaponry
Relies heavily on one handed short weapons, large shields, and heavy armor.
Vehicles
Gwilthor are the elite armed forces of House Zeiros and form the tip of the spear aboard the House's pride and joy, the great Ilkani skyships.
Structure
Gwilthor marines are organized around the skyships that they fight from. Every skyship has at least a trio of these marines onboard. When not engaging in active combat operations, they often are the ship's quartermaster and logistics personnel, moving goods and personnel to and from the ships.
Tactics
The Gwilthor marines specialize in sabotage and insertions using short-range teleportation magic. They are regularly the first units to engage a hardened position, teleporting in and disrupting enemy formations or establishing a vulnerability that other Ilkani units can then capitalize on. They engage in quick insertion/extraction tactics, where they jump in, do some damage, and then get out before the enemy can respond.
They are also experts at teleport blocking and tracing, to prevent their foes from using the same capabilities against them.
Training
Gwilthor are highly trained in observation, sabotage, and close quarters combat. They regularly conduct insertion raids far behind any front line, and away from support. Therefore they have to be able to operate independently and with limited to no outside logistical support. The training for doing such operations takes years, on top of which all Gwilthor must be experts in teleportation magic. As such, training for Gwilthor is an undertaking of ten to twenty years.
Logistics
Recruitment
House Zeiros identifies individuals within its navy for potential assignment as a Gwilthor. This often happens onboard ship as the assigned Gwilthor monitor the crew for potential candidates and assist with normal readiness and preparedness training with the crew as a whole. Those who demonstrate the requisite physical and mental skills and hardiness are then evaluated for arcane competency. The washout rate is quite high, but being a failed recruit is no mark of dishonor, and the skills that they develop in their evaluation make them even more capable in their other duties.
