The Gargan Army, also known as the Altrites, was the collective ground forces of Gargan's Empire, comprising much of the Empire's infantry troops.
History[]
Gargan Conquests[]
The Gargan Army first saw action during the Gargan Unification War, being founded from the Kingdom of Myrra's most seasoned warriors. During this period, the early Gargan Army conscripted from conquered towns and villages, while some were also eager to join this fledgling military voluntarily.
The Gargan Army proved to be highly effective, as they were coordinated personally by Gargan the Conqueror himself - who some considered to be one of the greatest military strategists of his age. The Gargan Army fought and eventually defeated the Kingdom of Adamant, the Kingdom of Rodahl, the Kingdom of Semrita, and the Kingdom of Nylos respectively.
Dissolution[]
By the time the Gargan Civil War broke out, the Gargan Army was split between two camps of Gargan loyalists led by Gargan the Abominable, and Gargan reformists led by the Order of Gargan. The civil war proved to be a disastrous conflict for the Garganese, forcing the Galactic Empire to intervene.
The Galactic Empire occupied Gargan Space and subsequently disbanded the Gargan Armed Forces, the Altrites along with them. The Army remained inactive for a good twelve years, and most of the military in Gargan Space was replaced by the Imperial Military.
Reformation and Golden Age[]
Following the ascension of the Crimson Gargan, Gargan Space became liberated from the Imperials - and the Gargan Army was reformed once more. The subsequent Resurgence Period and Gargan Golden Age increased funding for the general armed forces, the army among them. Quality for equipment also improved, only increasing the overall power and ferocity of the Armed Forces.
Organization[]
Administration[]
In accordance to the rest of the Empire's government, the Altrites were ruled directly by the Gargan, along with the Mordan as his advisor. Generally speaking, however, the Altrites were coordinated by a Teiateal, a council of highly-experienced Wranths; field commanders in the legion. The Empire maintained a sense of uniformity in the army, and like with all the other branches in the Armada - the Army's power was centralized and followed a simple chain of command structure.
The Teiateal kept a close hierarchical structure in the army. They were also responsible for approving promotions, missions, and coordinating unit formation. They also dealt with logistics and coordinated closely with the other branches in the military for a more effective output of resources and forces. The Teiateal rarely ever communicated with the Gargan, rather they answered to the Mordan, who was the supreme commander of all three branches of the military - the army included. The Mordan would relay any information from the Teiateal to the Gargan himself, depending on the importance.
Tactical organization[]
Within the Army, there was a clear distinction between combat troops and support as well as command elements. As such, only the actual soldiers appeared on the battlefield and engaged the enemy, while the command as well as support personnel remained far removed from the actual combat. The support forces consisted mainly of women or Force-sensitive soldiers, the latter of which could heal wounds otherwise impossible through conventional means. Aside from that, the Force-sensitive groups also provided flanking support and used varying Force abilities on the battlefield. The Pestren and Wranths rarely involved themselves in the actual ongoing combat, except when needed. They mainly coordinated their troops and relayed commands to their deputies.
The Army was divided into various subgroups, which included:
- Atrabernium: Consisted of eight men, enough to fill a small forward camp.
- Centeraks: A centerak was made up of 10 atraberniums with a total of 80 men commanded by a junior Pestren.
- Cortae: Cortaes included 6 centeraks of total of 480 fighting men, not including officers. In addition, the first cortae was double strength but with only 5 centeraks instead of the normal 6. A cortae was typically led by a veteran Pestren, who acted as a deputy to a Wranth.
- Archform: Archforms consisted of 10 cortaes, led by a Wranth. An archform typically consisted of about 4800 - 5000 soldiers.
The First Cortae totaling 800 men (5 double-strength centeraks with 160 men each) 9 Cortaes (with 6 centeraks at 80 men each) for a total 4,320, and an additional 120 mounted soldiers for a grand total of 5,240 men not including all the officers.
The basic designation of the 10 cortae was the same throughout all the Archforms. They were arranged in battle so that the strongest and weakest units would be mixed throughout the formation maximizing moral and effectiveness.
Equipment[]
The equipment of a Garganese soldier depended on their rank and status. Low-ranking soldiers were generally regarded as nothing less than cannon fodder, and were given only the most basic equipment available. Experienced and veteran soldiers, however, were provided with more advanced equipment. This was to allocate resources more effectively, as experienced warriors were more likely to survive a battle than a young grunt.
Weaponry in the army included basic grenades and blasters. The troops were also equipped with melee weapons such as vibroblades, who were considered very popular throughout the Army's existence. Physical shields were also handed out, mainly to the more high-ranking soldiers. Armor was also worn, usually made of basic plasteel for the lower ranks, and expensive durasteel for the veterans.
