# [[Imperial Army]] > [!infobox] > # Imperial Army > ![[_Images/Flags and Symbols/Imperial Army.png|wsmall]] > Banner of the Imperial Army > ###### General Info >**Local Headquarters:** [[Places/Settlements/Saint Jernod|Saint Jernod]] >*Presence:* All territories of the [[Empire of Light]] > ##### Leadership >*Leadership:* Military organization >*Influential cultures:* [[Settler]], [[Auroran]] >##### Allegiances > Strategic Allies: [[Royal Court of Fortuna]], [[Fortunan Mining Consortium]] > Tactical Allies: [[The Luminaries]], [[Aturi Federation]]. The Imperial Army are the armed forces of the [[Empire of Light]]. They have forces stationed on all countries of the Empire and across all colonies. Their constitutional role is to guarantee the interests of the [[Empire of Light]] alongside the local nobility, having their own internal hierarchy and regiment. In [[Fortuna]], the Army cooperates with the [[Royal Court of Fortuna]] to maintain the law and the peace of the Empire in the land. Among the field forces of the Imperial Army, there are units specialized in different forms of combat. Among them, there are: * **Musketeers.** Specialized in firearms * **Infantry.** Melee combat. * **Cavalry.** Horseback combat. (although other exotic animals have been used before) * **Artillery.** Cannons and other siege weapons. * **Sappers.** Field engineering. * **Evokers**. Battlefield magic. ## History The Imperial Army tracks back their founding to the [[The Age of Gods and the Just War|Just War]], when human kingdoms followers of [[Sol]] joined forces to defeat [[Vile Abaddon]]. Ever since, they have been the military branch of the [[Empire of Light]]. During the [[Age of Colonization]], the Army was not directly involved in the first years of colonization, as the exploration and domination of the territory was handled by colonial enterprises, like the case of the [[Flagbearers]] in [[Ibir]]. With colonial settlements founded, the [[Empire of Light]] started creating their own battalions of the Imperial army throughout the colonies. In [[Fortuna]], the first army garrison was created with the founding of [[Places/Settlements/Saint Jernod|Saint Jernod]]. Before the [[Reign of Terror]], [[Vile King Lucius IV]] had started co-opting the military of [[Aurora]] in his campaigns against the goblins outside of [[Torholt]]. During the [[Reign of Terror]], the [[Vile King Lucius IV|Eternal Emperor]] substituted the top brass of the military hierarchy for his cronies from the goblin campaigns and from the [[Golden Horizon Trading Company]]. With the end of the [[Reign of Terror]] and the start of the [[Modern Era]], the heads of the Imperial Army were prosecuted for their crimes and substituted by allies of [[Emperor Bahamir II]]. Many high-ranking officers in battalions across the colonies were also sacked and substituted, but the renewal of the forces was not as intense as in war-torn [[Aurora]]. ## Membership Any citizen of the Empire or the Colonies can report to their local [[Imperial House]] and apply as a member of the military. A member of the Army receives constant training and a monthly wage, and is expected to strictly follow the hierarchy of the army. Advancing within the military hierarchy depends on both the internal politics of the Imperial Army, as well as endorsement from the [[Royal Court of Fortuna]], as the Court handles the tax budget that is allocated to the Army stationed within their territory. It usually takes 2 years occupying a position before a member of the army is considered for promotion. The military hierarchy is as follows: * **Aspirant.** An applicant that is still doing part-time basic army training. Aspirants are not given an army wage. In times of war, the Army is also able to conscript people from settlements as aspirants. * **Cadet.** An aspirant that concluded the basic training and starts training for becoming a soldier. They learn how to handle weapons and firearms at this stage. Cadets are entitled to Army housing and a military wage, though their tasks are still usually menial. * **Soldier.** The lowest level of a professional member of the Imperial Army. * **Lieutenant.** Tactical leadership responding to a captain. Manages the operational side of orders coming from the captain. * **Captain.** Military head of an [[Imperial House]]. Handles the strategical aspects of the military operation in the area. Captains can command from 50 up to 200 soldiers. * **Major.** Responsible for leading the army in large regions, like a barony. * **Coronel.** Leads large battalions of up to 500 soldiers in greater regions, like a duchy. * **General.** Responsible for commanding the Imperial Army of a major region. In [[Ibir]], Generals command the armies within a whole region. %% Air: Brigadier, Sea: Admiral %% * **Marshall.** Responsible for commanding the army of multiple colonies. %% Air: Air Marshall, Sea: Grand Admiral %% The rank of a member of the military within the hierarchy is demonstrated by their insignia (each rank has their own insignia) and the epaulettes in their uniform (starting from lieutenant, each rank has their own fashion of epaulettes). ## Relationship with the [[Royal Court of Fortuna]] While the Imperial Army has its own hierarchy, they are meant to collaborate and coordinate alongside the [[Royal Court of Fortuna]] to maintain the law and peace of the Empire. The Army will follow orders of the Court unless those orders run directly against the law of the [[Empire of Light]]. Many families of the Court sends their young to train with the military to gain experience within the military hierarchy to eventually be better at commanding troops in the case of war. ## Relationship with the [[Fortunan Mining Consortium]] As the main providers of metal ore and gems, the needs of the [[Fortunan Mining Consortium|FMC]] are directly aligned with the needs of the [[Empire of Light]], and higher-ups in the Consortium have benefitted from operations of the Imperial Army in the past, and vice-versa. ## Relationship with [[The Luminaries]] The industrious enterprises of [[The Luminaries]] have been useful to complement the technical capabilities of the Army, like the manufacture of complex metal instruments and textiles championed by factories associated to [[The Luminaries]], but the Army fears that their connections to [[Vesper]] could lead to independence movements that would rival the needs of the [[Empire of Light]]. ## Relationship with the [[Aturi Federation]] and the Natives While the Army has previously used alliances with the natives as a way to defeat threats that were beyond the geographical reach of the Imperia troops, the Army fears that too much liberty for the natives could lead to a fragmented territory and a conflict of interests between the natives' needs and the needs of the [[Empire of Light]].