First Corps of the Elven Guard

The First Corps of the Elven Guard is the most well known and feared section of the Corps D'armée of the Elven Military. They make up the bulk of the Elven Army's forces, and the frontline of most battles consist of the soldiers of the first Corps.

Formation

This is a Corps with many subdivisions within it, squads and battalions. These battalions each have specializations, such as infantry, heavily armored units, ranged units, and cavalry.

Command

The Captain of the First Corps, also called First Captain, is given command over the entire army after proving themselves in the Second Corps by leading the strongest and most experienced forces in the army. Now, they must use what they learned there to lead the bulk of the forces.

Captain Spectre by Jarhed

It is said that the First Captain takes the brunt of all attacks in a battle, and:

"The First Captain bears the scars of his men. Those that live are the wounds you can see... but our greatest scars are those we suffer from the men we lose. Injuries one can never witness."

— Marnis Goriish

The leadership of the First Captain is an inspiration the entire army, as they not only command their soldiers, but lead them from the frontlines of battle.
Due to how large the First Corps is, they have to generally divert some command to others. They always have a Sous-Captain and at least one Aspirant Captain to aid them.
In some cases, like the Raid of Ilder, they will even borrow Sous-Captains and Aspirant Captains from other Corps to get the job done.

Guldin Nerifir by Jarhed

Manpower

The First Corps is the largest corps, being made up of nearly half of the entire Elven army. It generally consists of about 9,000 men.
They are not the strongest of soldiers, generally the First Corps as individuals are the weakest and least experienced in the entire army. However, as a unit, and with capable command, they can be the greatest force in the Elven Guard.

Equipment

Most soldiers of the First Corps do not have special equipment. As new soldiers, their armor is standard issue, and most weapons are also standard issue. Golden armor and silver weapons, sometimes with faux gold coating.
Noble soldiers, as well as those of Aspirant Captain rank and above can have some small adornments on their armor, such as capes or unique helmets. Anyone below those ranks or titles who have unique adnornments have proven themselves in battle and were deemed worthy of them by the First Captain.

Captain Marnis by Jarhed

Captains

The title of Captain of the First Corps is one that few ever achieve. It is reserved for the greatest Captains in the Elven army.
Captains must first lead the Second Corps, the stronger soldiers who are more likely to win a battle.
Once a Captain has proven themself capable of this, they are given command over the First Corps, the bulk of the frontlines, so that they may win not with the strongest, but with all of the soldiers.
Some well known First Corps Captains include:

• Palaster Meyldre following the Holy Rebellion.
• Spectre Mestirre before the War of the Beards.
• Arandon Vonar during the War of Beards and Draco-Elvish War.
• The Hero King Guldin Nerifir before the Age of Heroes.
• Narkard Leran during the start of the Age of Heroes.
• Maitre Garcon during the start of the Age of Plague.
• Marnis Goriish during the Ilder Massacre and Elven Civil War.
• Hadon Leran during the start of the Age of Chaos.
• Naegolor Nerifir during the Draqiroth War.

All Captain Commanders were once Captain of the First Corps, but very few Captains of the First Corps were ever Captain Commander.

Duty

The First Corps share the duty of all other Elven Guard Corps: to guard. They must guard the city of Camor, where most High Elves live, and keep its citizens safe. Their duty is officially to guard Camor, its citizens, its nobility, and the monarchy.
After the Elven Civil War, Hadon Leran convinced his father, Captain Commander Narkard Leran, that the Wood Elves needed protecting as well. Thusly, it became the job of the First Corps to patrol the Elven Forest, particularly the perimeter around the lands of the Dwarves, Humans, Secci Gnomes, and Draconians.
Aside from that, they generally guard Camor Keep and the city of Camor around it. If one were to walk the streets of Camor, they would see the gold-armored soldiers of the First Corps keeping it safe, and also keeping out those that are not welcome in the city.