Valanian Army

From Scandia

Exercitus Valaniae Valanian Army

Military Branches
• Legiones Terrae (Ground Legions) • Legiones Maris (Sea Legions) • Legiones Aeri (Air Legions) • Vexillarius Militarius Fabrorum (Military Corps of Engineers)
Military Manpower
Military age	18
Availability	Ages 18-40: 45,286,331
Fit for Military Service	Ages 18-40: 15,009,875
Expenditure
Annual Amount	[[Vd]] 120 billion
Percent of GDP	10%

The Valanian Army (Valanian: Exercitus Valaniae) is the main military force of Valania. The First Praetor of the Legions is the head of the Army, and this role is currently filled by Quintus Scelestus, after Jovinus Agricola's death and execution. The First Praetor is elected by the General Staff.

The Army is composed of 47 Legions of five thousand men each. Most of these are infantry, but some are specialised as Air or Sea Legions, providing air and naval support to the ground forces.

1 History
2 Command and Control
3 Organisation
4 Military Corps of Engineers

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History

The Valanian Army is very ancient, dating back to the early Valanian Empire. It was founded in 97 AE, when the Emperor realised that a permanent military force was necessary for the continued defence of the Empire. The troops were famed for their discipline and training, and the eagle standards of the Legions were feared throughout Dorania. Unlike less civilised nations of the period, Valanian infantry fought in close order, with a rigidly defined chain of command and great reliance upon drill and procedure.

Little changed for the Legions over the years. After the fall of the Empire, they were largely broken up, but Gaius Pontifex restored them after the War of Religion, following the ancient systems of training but replacing their eagle standards with golden crosses.

By the time of the Ingallish raids, many of the Legions' officers were corrupt servants of the Church and cared nothing for discipline or tactics. Such incompetence resulted in the Ingalland Disaster, where seven Legions were annihilated at sea by a small Ingallish force. This has chiefly been blamed on the use of substandard powder in the Valanian ships' guns, a common ploy at the time to save money. The guns became unusable after a short time, and the Valanians were massacred.

Antoninus Decius reformed the Legions, reducing the Church's influence and ensuring a ready supply of funds for equipment. In 1466, with the widespread introduction of mdern rifles and artillery, the legions realised that their tactics had to change, and were one of the first of the world's militaries to adopt looser formations and more relaxed drill in order to mitigate the effects of the new technology. This however did not prevent their conspicuous failure to hold the dwindling theocracy together, and several new states, notably Taereoca, emerged from this.

During the Valanian Civil War, many Legions rebelled against the Theocracy and were instrumental in the downfall of the government.

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Command and Control

The General Staff, composed of the most experienced legates available, controls the military, headed by the three Praetors of the Legions. Below this level, each Legion has its own command, logistics and communications (CLC) corps, enabling it to operate on its own without outside backup. The Proconsul is the constitutional head of all armed forces, although he is not allowed to make an executive decision regarding the military without the backing of the Senate.

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Organisation

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Ground Legions

There are thirty-three ground Legions. Each of these is composed of 2,000 infantry, plus a further 1,500 mechanised infantry. These are supported by 750 men in armoured vehicles and 250 providing helicopter support. The remaining 500 are part of the CLC corps, and provide support for the rest of the Legion. All troops are armed with the AV-36 assault rifle. Selection for the Legions is an extremely tough process, with fewer than a fifth of applicants having the desired physical ability for admission. That said, there are always many volunteers, because the Legions offer a fixed level of pay and guaranteed accomodation, which can be difficult to find in other areas of employment.

It is worth noting that all ground Legionaries are trained in various basic construction techniques as well as military operations; thus, a Legionary garrison is largely responsible for the upkeep of the roads and administration in their area. They also fill many other roles that might normally be provided by the government. Legionary medics, for example, will often treat locals' illnesses and wounds for a lower price than the unreliable private hospitals. The Legions' great verstility in this regard is often used to justify the amount of money spent on their upkeep (10% of GDP) because they do in effect replace the non-existent public sector. The Legionaries also collect taxes, although after the fall of the Theocracy they are no longer allowed to use force in the extraction of money.

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Air Legions

There are eight Air Legions, each of which has its own airbase in Valanian territory. They are tasked with providing extensive air support and defence for the land and Sea Legions. This support can include supply drops, bomber and fighter support, reconnaissance, and emergency evacuation. Each Air Legion base is equipped with a large variety of aircraft. Valanian aircraft are unique in that they are carefully designed so that minimal training is required to switch from one plane to another, a task impossible in other parts of the world. This results in a flexible airforce with a large reserve of trained pilots.

The Air Legions' main combat aircraft are the VK-6 Accipiter supersonic jet fighter and the VL-3 Larus heavy bomber. A replacement for the VK-6 is rumoured to be under development. This is codenamed the VX-1, designed to combine the tactical roles of fighter, bomber and spyplane.

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