Legion-Specific Lore Help

[jamochawoke]

I've been writing a book (ok I've been writing about 10) to be placed in-game as part of my Vanilla Drops mod.

 

However, I need  a little help with the lore surrounding one of the biggest parts of my mod - the Imperial Legion. To help the player as they join the faction they are given access to a book which breaks down what the Legion is, how they operate, et cetera. There is, however, shockingly little in the games regarding this.

 

From what I've found out from the Imperial Library, Michael Kirkbride's stuff, and the In-Game interactions with the Legion:

* The Imperial Legion is roughly based off of the Roman Legions when it comes to organization, with some major differences.

* The Legion acts as the main military force of the Empire, and often uses auxiliaries as troops (such as battlemages conscripted from the Arcane University or local mercenaries or even local lords' armies) if they aren't present in the Legion proper already.

* The Legion also has a policing branch, known as the Imperial Watch, that acts in Cyrodiil. The other legions (the majority) make up the conquering/invasion/peacekeeping forces of the provinces.

* The Imperial Legion runs the Imperial prison networks as well... usually only concerned about political prisoners in the provinces though, as the local lords and governments have their own systems of policing.

* Apparently the different generals of the legions are only answerable to the Elder Council or the Emperor himself.

* Morrowind gave all the ranks present in the Legion, they are somewhat mirrored in the faction Bethesda used for Oblivion, although Skyrim kind of has a different order of ranks. I feel that Bethesda was trying to change the feel of the legion by removing the chivalric ranks. However...

* The Roman Legion in history only had nobles who were the upper crust of the officers and often had almost a precursor of knight orders reflected in them... these nobles were entitled to land and bounty in respect to their rank and status they had in the legion when they retired.

 

What I've done:

* I've decided to break down the Legion into a sort of chivalric non-commissioned and commissioned officer type set up. It reflects the way modern militaries are run, how the Roman Legion was run, and how the Imperial Legions in the game are sort of run (again, it is very difficult to tell, especially since the timescale between some games is so large).

* So when you join you are just a legionnaire. When you get inducted into the knight orders of the upper crust of the legion you become a centurion. I've kind of separated the Knight Order from the main officership. So while you are a Centurion, and remain at that command level, you can gain more fame and reward by being higher in the Order. The other two ranks above the Centurion were Legate and General... which I felt didn't really add anything to the game for the player to reach those levels (as a Centurion you are already capable of commanding troops in my mod).

* I've looked up every instance of every legion mentioned in the in-game histories and other materials presented by Bethesda. I used these to start the base organization. Any holes left (and there were MANY!) I filled in with my kind of made up organization.

 

I really hope it works.

 

Here is the book if you want to read it. It's about 99% done and only needs some last minute editing to be placed in-game or if I need to change something (I'm thinking the only thing I really need to work on is the standards used by the different legions as there's even less evidence of them in-game except for a few exceptions).

 

 

 

The Imperial Legion - A Disambiguation

 

by Tiranius Etticus

 

The purpose of this treatise is to educate the new recruit of the Legion on the organization of the Empire's forces and thereby stifle ignorance before it arises.

 

 

On the Heirarchical Units:

The basic and most fundamental unit in the entire legion is the individual soldier, the legionnaire.

Efficiently trained, heavily armed, and mentally strong for war; the legionnaire embodies the might of the Empire in a single personage.

Legionnaires are organized into Squads of eight standard legion troopers and two auxiliaries. Auxiliaries can come from the ranks of the Battlemage, Scout, or skilled Tradesmen such as blacksmiths, fletchers, and carpenters depending on the role of the squad.

There are ten squads in each Century, totalling eighty standard troopers and twenty auxiliaries.

Centuries are organized by six into Cohorts totalling four hundred and eighty standard troopers and one hundred and twenty auxiliaries.

One legion consists of ten cohorts totalling four thousand and eight hundred troopers and one thousand and two hundred auxiliaries.

Each legion also consists of legionnaires in command positions and sometimes accompanying cavalry or siege units depending on how they are deployed.

 

On the Rank and File:

To organize these units the Legion depends on strict adherence to the chain of command.

All Legionnaires begin their career as a recruit learning the usage of heavy as well as light armors, archery, blades, hammers, and polearms. Recruits are the lowest on the pole and are often given many tasks until they prove themselves through training or valor during wartime to become a trooper, which is the backbone of the Imperial Legion.

A squad is led by a trooper who has shown exemplary service, known as a troop champion. They are responsible for all of their squad members and lead each squad when they are on the march. If one or more squads are charged with garrison duty of a small fort or in charge of protecting a supply chain the most experienced troop champion is sometimes referred to as a Captain and is the highest rank over the squads while performing this duty.

All troopers and recruits may muster out after a period of service or after one full campaign. Those that choose to re-enlist in the Legion receive much higher pay than their first term peers.

A century is led by one of the knighted class. Many knight orders exist throughout the empire but are not affiliated with the Imperial Legion and are under the control of the many lords, earlships, and duchies of the land who raise and maintain their own armies by feudal right.

However, a knight in the legion's service is anointed by the authority of the Emperor himself. The order is officially known as the Order of the Legion and each knight is known as a Centurion, in reference to the century that he or she commands. There are four ranks of Knight that are organized by the rank and importance of each century. These are all known as and addressed by the rest of the Legion as Centurion. The ranks of knight are Knight Errant, Knight Protector, Knight of the Garland, and full Knight of the Imperial Dragon.

Knight officers may muster out and gain a small estate that is in ownership by the empire (much in the same fashion as Knights are landed gentry in service to their lords) or receive an equivalent sum in payment of gold.

Those Knights that choose to remain may be promoted to a Legate, which are in charge of the cohorts of an individual legion.

Those Legates that prove remarkable valor, exerperience, and knowledge of battle may be promoted to the rank of General.

A General is the commanding field officer of an individual legion and usually the highest authority present on a battlefield.

Generals take their orders of where and when to deploy military force from council with the appointed governors of the various provinces, the Imperial Battlemage, or the Emperor himself. If the emperor is indisposed, they receive orders from the Elder Council.

 

On Auxiliary Forces:

The auxiliaries are the forces that accompany the main forces. They consist of the Scouts, Battlemages, and skilled tradesmen (such as Blacksmiths, Fletchers, Carpenters, Alchemists and Healers) and usually have specialized skillsets.

Auxiliaries, being attached to a squad, are subject to the regular chain of command during battle but also have their own chain of command with the Scouts and Battlemages reporting to the Master of Scouts and the Battle Magister in each Legion, respectively.

The purpose of this altered chain of command is auxiliaries are often given special assignments once a fortification is garrisoned or a battle camp is established and are given these tasks from skilled and experienced soldiers in the field.

Also of note is that during peace time, Battle Mages who are enlisted in the Legion are currently trained at the War College at the Arcane University in the Imperial City due to the loss of the Battlespire. This puts them directly under the command of the Arch Mage of the Mage's Guild until they are assigned duties after their training and basic education.

All troopers are trained to at least a basic combat level in archery. Those who show especial skill in it are placed in Cohorts tactically positioned for ranged engagement and are often assigned to Forester duty (along with Scouts) to provide meat for the troops and patrol the area around encampments and fortifications.

Although it is rare that a soldier incredibly gifted in archery gets placed with the standard Troops instead of the Scouts.

 

On Additional Cohorts:

Additional cohorts may be mustered in time of need to perform special functions. There are currently two used in Imperial warfare: the cavalry and siege cohorts.

Most Imperial troopers are trained how to ride mounts and engage in battle with them and many Legions have a specialty in Heavy Cavalry such as the Eighth and Twelfth Legions. Although, due to the limits of animal husbandry and the sizes of armies fielded it is often useful to separate the truly gifted in mounted warfare into their own cohorts attached to the main legions that choose to use them.

Siege cohorts, the troopers known as Sappers, are usually composed of specially (and often newly) conscripted tradesmen and troopers skilled with ranged weaponry and alchemical explosives who can quickly and efficiently craft and use siege weapons when a fortification must be taken by force.

 

On the Imperial Navy:

The Imperial Navy is composed of vessels especially built or conscripted by the Empire for nautical warfare. The Captain of a ship and his First Mate are equivalent to those officers of the Knight class in the regular Legion but not called Centurions due to not being in command of as many men,  while most sailors are considered specialized troopers. Captains receive their orders from Commodores (also of the Knight ranks) who are under an Admiral stationed in the Imperial City. Mostly they fulfill transport and supply missions but are usually armed in such a way as to engage pirate and opposing enemy vessels directly. It is rare for a recruit to be placed in the Imperial Legion Navy unless they are already a skilled sailor as drafts for the Navy are usually filled ad hoc during campaigns.

On the Imperial Watch:

The Imperial Watch is composed of the legion currently serving in the Imperial City. Of special note is that they provide policing services for the city proper, man the entrances to the city with large garrisons, and a special Century is chosen from the legion with the duty of protecting the Imperial Palace, the White Gold Tower of legend, and thus wear special white armor to denote their status.

 

On the Separate Legions of the Whole:

The Imperial Legion army is currently broken down into 18 legions, each with their own fighting style for the purpose of being better suited to their missions. Legions of particular valor and fighting prowess often have their own standard they wear on their armor and deploy on flags next to the Imperial standard as well.

First Legion: Also known as the Emperor's Legion, stationed in Cyrodiil, they are tasked with all recruitment and initial training of all other legions and the main protection of the province of Cyrodiil. The General of this legion is traditionally called "Lord Commander" from a more ancient time. They do not use a drawn standard but their officers often incorporate dragon wings into their helms, shields, or pauldrons, reiterating their primary importance to the Empire.

Second Legion: One of the original legions, now stationed in Valenwood. They have adopted tall rectangular shields in response to Bosmeri archery attacks. Their standard is a single eagle's wing spread for flight.

Third Legion: One of the original legions, now stationed in Morrowind proper. Their standard is two raised wings often on top of a pole or drawn with abstracted claws extended on banners and flags.

Fourth Legion: The legion stationed in Skyrim after Tiber Septim's consolidation of power. They are outfitted for cold-weather warfare, often incorporating furs into their armor, and are usually lightly armored to quikly respond to bandit threats and native uprisings in the rocky crags, although they maintain heavy infantry as well. Their standard is the wolf's head of the city of Solitude.

Fifth Legion: Disbanded and reformed during the disastrous invasion of Akavir, they now serve to keep the peace between the many factions in High Rock and were present during the great Simulacrum. Their standard is a vigilant trooper standing guard.

Sixth Legion: Stationed outside of Alinor in the Summerset Isles after the great Tiber Wars, finally bringing the High Elf province into the empire. They use a great deal of their funding to enchant their armor to protect against magical threats. Their standard is two falling leaves.

Seventh Legion: Known for their famous dual silver and gold horse standard, this is the legion stationed on the island of Vvardenfell in Morrowind.

Eighth Legion: The legion currently acting as Imperial Watch for the Capital of the Empire consisting of heavily armed and armored shock troops, foresters, and many mounted legionnaires forming patrols.

Ninth Legion: Tasked with keeping an Imperial presence in the archipelagos between Tamriel and Akavir leftover from the disastrous invasion of Akavir. They also act as the main force used by the Imperial Navy to bolster their numbers. Their standard is two abstracted nautilus shells facing each other.

Tenth Legion: The legion stationed in Hammerfell; trained in both desert and coastal warfare. Their standard is a shield with a crossed Hammer and Scimitar.

Eleventh Legion: A vastly downsized legion currently stationed on the island of Solstheim to the North and between the provinces of Morrowind and Skyrim. They deploy the heaviest armors lined with fur and have no cavalry. Their main duties are centered around protecting the East Empire Company in Raven Rock and garrisoning Fort Frostmouth.

Twelfth Legion: The legion patrolling the borders between Cyrodiil, Elsweyr, and Black Marsh. They often deploy from the city of Leyawiin for years at a time, but historically act as a reserve Legion to support any province under attack. Every ten years or so they trade places with the Eigth Legion to act as the Imperial Watch.

Thirteenth Legion: The other legion stationed in High Rock, just outside the city of Daggerfall.

Fourteenth Legion: The legion currently stationed at Soulrest and the immediate areas in Black Marsh. Their standard is two entwined serpents with one’s head above the other.

Fifteenth Legion: The legion currently tasked with the patrols of Southern Black Marsh. Usually lightly armored to facilitate movement through the undergrowth. Their standard is a winged serpent.

Sixteenth Legion: Northern Elsweyr's Pellitine is currently garrisoned by this legion, trained in desert warfare and consisting of a higher amount of cavalry than usual including the use of war elephants, which they also use as their standard.

Seventeenth Legion: Tasked with keeping an Imperial presence in the archipelagos between Tamriel and Akavir but is much smaller than the Ninth and mostly garrisons sea forts along the coasts to act as first warning of any activity from Akavir.

Eighteenth Legion: Southern Elsweyr's Anequina is currently garrisoned by this legion, lightly armored similarly to the Fifteenth for mobility, their standard is a tiger.

 

[jamochawoke]

I'd still like some input on the standards, if you guys have anything to add or would like to see