THE REGIMENT HANDBOOK

[Jokinghills 825]

 

THE REGIMENT HANDBOOK

Second Edition by Viktor Gotwa

The larger force shall prevail against a more skilled one with time, for relentless force shatters even the strongest walls - General Velhrun Darkwood

 

Saint Lothar’s Regiment is the successor of many previous military institutions within the Kingdom of Balian. Whilst before it came the Royal Armada and the Company before that, the Regiment sources a number of its martial traditions from the Imperial State Army of the dissolved Holy Orenian Empire, promoting military cohesion through a structured hierarchy and strict discipline. 

 

The Regiment in its current state has undergone many changes during its time and as such this handbook aims to establish a clear outline for its structure and functions. It contains the basic information concerning the Regiment that every soldier or aspiring recruit should know.

 

By design, the Regiment was founded and expanded upon with the following Seven Principles currently serving as its foundation: 

 

I. Duty above all 

From the moment one joins the Regiment they have decided to dedicate their lives towards its ultimate duty, to serve and protect the Kingdom of Balian and its ruling line, the House of Novellen, no matter what sacrifices it may take. This duty towards the realm is placed above everything else, serving as the compass by which many decisions are to be made. This can be seen in practice with the loyalty of soldiers and the hateful stance towards any traitors. 

 

II. The Book and the Sword

The Regiment places high importance upon the task of educating its soldiers and raising their skills in all matters. With the use of the Combat Academy and its courses even the lowest of peasants can be turned into capable leaders. This supports the thinking that proper education, preparation and systems shall guarantee victory even before entering any battlefield.

 

III. The Adjutant System

The Regiment utilizes Adjutants as assistants for Lieutenants and Captains. These positions are filled as the final part of training during senior and junior officer courses, where the officers in training, called cadets, are tasked to learn how their superiors operate on a day to day basis.

 

IV. Formation Warfare

The Regiment follows an organized system of battle where soldiers are split by their weapon type during combat, establishing small unit formations led by Excubitors and Dekaros. These units in turn are commanded on a larger scale by Officers. This not only allows for a diverse battle doctrine but also eases leadership on the officer side as this allows the effective delegation of command.

 

V. Supportive Staff

No large military can fully function without paperwork, logistics and support. For the Regiment, this support comes from the General Staff of Balian. The General staff provide the Regiment with detailed planning, report writing and at rare times battlefield command.

 

VI. The Billet System

The Regiment utilizes a Billet system in order to manage its officers. These billets start out from the simple quartermaster to the prestigious billet of Regiment Commander. If any officer wishes to rise to the rank of Lieutenant and above they are required to hold a billet. This is done to ensure that all officers of higher ranks have set duties and responsibilities. 

 

VII. Legacy

The Regiment takes inspiration from the original Balianese Royal Armada and the old Bathalite traditions. It has also drawn inspiration from the dissolved Imperial State Army, a model still utilized by numerous nations and former provinces of the Empire.

 

Structure

 

Officer Ranks

 

Strategos

This rank is granted to senior officers who have proven themselves capable and, after taking the Commanding Officer of the Regiment billet, prove themselves further with peerless work in said capacity. Only the highest standard of leadership is expected from this rank. In addition, a Strategos may gain a personalized moniker to be added to the records of the Regiment.

 

 

Athanator

To obtain this rank an officer is required to take up a billet and show themselves capable of leading it. These soldiers have completed senior officer courses and already have experience in the officer role.

 

Hypatos

An Hypatos is a junior officer, one who has just completed Junior Officer courses and is starting to fulfill officer duties in the regiment. While most of these soldiers have knowledge for their duties and experience as corporals or sergeants, many still need time to adjust to the expectations placed upon them.

 

 

Enlisted Ranks

 

Non-Commissioned officers

 

Dekaros

The sergeants of the regiment are battle hardened veterans that hold the right to command their comrades in battle within their own formation. These soldiers are expected to hold skills and experience that match the junior officers. Their duties involve maintaining the discipline and traditions of the Regiment, ensuring that their fellow soldiers are performing up to standard. They have finished the senior non-commissioned officer courses.

 

 

Excubitor

The Excubitors are the junior non-commissioned officers that have just finished their first set of additional courses in the Combat Academy. These soldiers know the structure of the Regiment and hold the capabilities needed to mentor those below them in how this structure functions. These soldiers hold command of small unit formations.

 

Noumera

Noumera is the first full fledged rank of the Regiment. These troops have completed their basic training and earned their right to serve as a true member of the Regiment. Although green, many of these soldiers hold immense potential.

 

 

Aspirant

Those who first join the Regiment receive this rank, which they hold until they finish their Basic Training within the Combat Academy. Most of the time these Aspirants know nothing of military life and hold little skill, yet tarnished steel can be polished and as such these new members of the Regiment earn their place by completing Basic Training.

 

 

 

Billets

 

Regiment Commanding Officer

The Highest ranking billet in terms of authority is the Regiment Commanding Officer, only one Individual may fill this billet at a time. This billet allows one to reach the rank of Strategos and gives them the chance to earn the honorary title of Grand Strategos. The Regiment Commanding officer is responsible for all actions taken by members of the regiment and the general staff, any failure of success is the commanding officer's failure or success. The regiment commanding officer also commands the general staff. Day to day duties include planning, officer management, regiment activity organization, general staff management and regiment address organization.

 

Commander of The Combat Academy

The position of the Commander of the combat academy is a prestigious one, as it holds great importance within the regiment, for the progression and skills gained of every soldier rely on the quality of combat academy courses. The commander of the Combat Academy has direct command of all Aspirants and Instructors, in addition to the right to suggest instructors for approval to the commander of the Regiment. Their day to day duties include Instructor management, training scheduling, aspirant management, course planning and course improvement.

 

Quartermaster

The Quartermaster is the leading position for the management of provision. The Quartermaster is in charge of organizing storage and to organize resource gathering together with the taskmaster. The Quartermaster also works together with the Logistics and Procurement division of the General staff for additional supply support. Their day to day duties include storage organization, requisition request approval and denial, storage organization and material recordkeeping.

 

Taskmaster

The Taskmaster is in charge of specific duty, task and mission objective issuing. Their duties mainly concern themselves with rank and file soldiers and non-commissioned officers, to issue tasks, missions, resource acquisition orders and many other things. The Taskmaster is also in charge of battle formation organization and implementation. When a soldier has nothing to do, it's the duty of the Taskmaster to put them to work. The day to day duties include task and order management to issue them and record the time the order or task is given and when it is completed, in addition their duties also include planning, to make sure that no single soldier is overworked.

 

Sections of the Regiment

 

While the Regiment is a single functioning unit there are specific sections, which have duties outside the norm or direct engagement and mainly support the Regiment in its goals. These sections differ in culture, day to day work, and even have specific conditions for joining.

 

Combat Academy

The Combat academy is the foundation for the skill and conduct of non-commissioned officers and officers(NCO, and OF). The Academy itself consists of the Commander of the Combat academy and its instructors, this teaching staff manages the various courses that exist to raise the skills and qualifications of the soldiers of the Regiment.

 

General Staff

General Staff is the center of planning and paperwork in the regimental level of the military. The general staff consists of both soldiers and civilian employees who toil away at mountains of paperwork to ensure the highest level of planning, reports and orders are produced.

 

Traditions

 

The Hunt

No soldier of the Regiment finishes their basic training without completing the final tests of the course - the hunt. During this challenging test aspirants are sent out into the wilds to eliminate a beast in an area, during this test no assistance is given from instructors unless the aspirants life is in critical danger. This is also the closing test for basic training, a trial to assess the practical skills gained. 

 

Honor of the Fallen.

The fallen of the Regiment are buried in specific regiment burials, catacombs where they hold the privilege to rest alongside their fellow soldiers. These burials are also made ceremonial, as a way to honor every soldier who has given their life for the Kingdom.

 

Regimental Addresses

Every year there must be a regimental address, no matter what has occurred, no matter how many have fallen, the address shall be held. During this soldiers are informed of any news concerning the nation, capital or the regiment, promotions are given and pay is issued.

 

Legends of the Regiment

Exceptional individuals in the regiment are recorded in the records and granted a specific place in future lessons, their deeds and achievements noted and kept recorded till the end of times, in addition a moniker is given in accordance with their achievements.

 

Oath of Service

Upon joining the Regiment each soldier gives the oath of service, solidifying their choice and loyalty to the Kingdom of Balian and the Regiment. The oath sworn unifies soldiers and grants them a set purpose for what they fight and what values to hold dear.

 

Current Chain of Command

 

 

Signed

His Excellency, Viktor Gotwa

Strategos of The Regiment