The Blatian Imperial army
The Imperial army is the driving force behind the survival and expansion of the Blatian Empire. An Emperor cannot be legitimized or remain in power without its support.
The Blatian army is the direct continuation of the old Ikarian army and so, it has preserved many of its traditions, including its organization into legions. During its first two centuries, the Imperial army's main task was to defend the Empire ( or what was left of the Ikarian Empire as the Blatians believe) from the Barbarians who had occupied most of it. But after the first, but specially the second siege of Blati, known as the Battle of the Walls of Fire
Organization
At the top of the structure is the Emperor, the commander in chief of all Blatian armies. He holds the nominal power over all units, and his word is law. In case of dissagreements between the order of a general and that of the empire, the latter always prevails (this was done after some attemps by some generals to usurp the imperial throne). The second in command is the Master of Soldiers. This is a very powerful position inside the Blatian Empire, and many Master of Soldiers have risen to be Consuls and also Imperial Chancellors (or Master of Offices as it is known in the Empire) and some have even tried to usurp the imperial throne. And because of that now the office is only awarded to very loyal and capable generals. Then , in a second level of the chain of command you have the Eparchs, or provincial governors, who hold both military and civil power. Below them you have the Counts who command the field armies and the Dukes who command the border armies. In the most dangerous or strategically important border provinces the office of Eparch and duke is merged in order to have better organization of the defenses. There are 9 provinces that have field armies stationed ( without including the Crown lands) and 9 provinces with frontier armies. So there are 9 counts and 9 dukes, that are listed as follows:- Counts: Count of Sirsia, Count of Iuturum, Count of Onaquorum , Count of Sinoria, Count of Corum, Count of Drusentia, Count of Dubria, Count of Sagus , Count of Lontium
- Dukes: Duke of Brategorum, Duke of Upper Bovoria, Duke of Lower Bovoria, Duke of Vicagusia, Duke of Simiebia, Duke of Dexumia, Duke of Drucaria, Duke of Relius, Duke of Vegus Island.
Command structure of the Blatian army by Callyxtus
Types of armies
There are two type of Blatian armies, the frontier armies and the field armies. The frontier armies, as the name implies, are stationed near the frontiers. In the first two centuries of the Empire the frontiers of the empire were those territories on the border with the barbarian realms (either nords or crorai) that existed in former imperial lands. After the mid 600s AP when most of this kingdoms were conquered by the Blatians, the armies were stationed again near the Albine mountains, as they had been in the past. This frontier armies are commanded by a Dux or "Duke". The soldiers of this type of army are known as "Kastresianoi" litterally meaning "The encamped ones" because of their permanent stationing at fortresses and camps alongside the frontier. On the other hand, the field armies have the task of intercepting the invading armies if they cross the frontier, or, in case the Blatians are on the offensive, destroy the enemy army and besiege their cities. They are stationed in fortresses, castles and cities across the country. Each field army unit is commanded by a Comes or "Count" and also by their regional Eparch. There is an special type of field armies that are called the Armies "in the Presence of the Emperor" commanded by the Emperor himself or by his deputy, the Master of Soldiers. This army is stationed at the capital, Blati and, since the early 8th century, there is also one army of this type stationed at the old imperial capital of Ikaria. Both armies gather together when a big campaign against a barbarian kingdom or other enemy is going to take place. Because they're the personal army of the Emperor they are the elite of the Blatian forces.Recruiting
In the old days of the Ikarian Empire (at least from the 2nd century BP onwards) the army was made up of voluntaries, who join the army for better pay, the bouty, social mobility and a plot of land after retirement. Nowadays, due to the turmoil of the decades after the collapse of the Ikarian Empire , the imperial army used both professional and conscripted soldiers, usually from the lower classes and the peasantry. At a certain point the service in the army was made hereditary (something that still survives today). The new legionaries are recruited from age 15-16 to 35. Only in case of severe emergency the Empire will recruit soldiers older than that. Once their health is checked by the medics and two months of training, in an special ceremony, the new legionaries swear an oath of alligeance to the Emperor (called Sakramenton in Ikarian and Blatian) in front of their officers and the standarts or the legion. One soldier recites the oath:I solemnly swear, by the Prophet, by all the Gods, and by the Emperor, that I shall faithfully execute all that he commands, that I shall never desert the service, and that I shall not seek to avoid death for the Empire of the Ikarians!Then, the rest of the soldiers shout: I swear!. After the oath, the soldiers are integrated into their respective cohorts inside the legion and some of them are given specific tasks inside their units or the entire legion such as scribe or librarian (if the soldier can read and write), noumerarios (in charge of keeping the legion's finances), engineeer, architect, etc... . The expected time of service (if they survive) is 20 years. And after retirement not only they become landowners but they can also become important and influential members of their respective communities (often rising as far as town mayor or assitant of the local eparch (the governor of a province).
Blatian soldiers by Callyxtus
Assets
The Imperial army needs to be provided constantly with weapons and equipment (because weapons, helmets and armours might need to be repaired). Because of that the Empire has built a network of Army workshop and armories(called Phabrikai) in Ikarian) in the interior provinces of the Empire that continously produce clothing, helmets, armours, swords, spears, arrowheads, armour for the cataphracts, artillery pieces, bows etc... , depending on the specialty in which each of them works. For example a workshop in Dubris might produce arrowheads or shields, while another in Signoria produces swords or spears. Each Phabrikae is located near a road which facilitated the transport of the equipment.
Shield of civilization, sword of vengeance.
Founding Date
460 AP
Type
Military, Armed Forces
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Leader
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Location
Related Ethnicities
Such a detailed article - you've really put so much thought into the army and how they are organised. It sounds ominous that only some counts make it to a full term. XD
Yes. That is done for avoiding them to became very powerful and their troops to much loyal to the Counts instead of the Emperor. Its not the first time a Count dares to proclaim himself Emperor leaving the frontiers undefended!