2nd Marine Guard
The 2nd Marine Guard of the Realm Merchant Marine, under sponsorship of House V’neef, is a military force whose ostensible purpose is to defend the Realm’s merchant shipping. Under the direction of its sponsoring House, the Marine Guard has embarked on a program of expanding its landward capabilities so it might better serve as a security force for V’neef satrapies and a counter to the Legions of other Houses in the event of civil war. As part of the Realm merchant marine, the 2nd Marine Guard is ultimately answerable to Archnavarchos V’neef Ririon.
The 2nd Marine Guard is commanded by a Navarch (currently V’neef Tsunare) and divided into ten Dragons, each commanded by an Archtrierarch and made up of two Wings of infantry and 3 military vessels. Each ship is commanded by a Trierarch. Each Wing is also commanded by a Trierarch, and consists of two Talons and a support/engineering scale. Each Talon is commanded by a Talonlord and consists of three light infantry Scales and two medium infantry scales as well as an artillery fang. Each Scale is commanded by a Scalelord and consists of five Fangs. Each Fang consists of a Fanglord and four regulars.
Marine Guard units are, like the Legions, made up of infantry: mounted forces do not fight well aboard ship. The Guard lack the armoured heavy infantry seen in Legion ranks, the ‘heavy’ units of the Guard instead equipped as are Legion medium infantry, with spear, tower shield, and reinforced buff jacket. Medium infantry are capable land combatants but much less useful aboard ships, and continue to make up a minority of troops in the Guard. The bulk of Guard troops are light infantry, equipped with short chopping blades, buff jackets, and javelins for throwing, and are well at home fighting aboard ships though their light armour leaves them more vulnerable ashore. The Guard does not make use of bow archers, as water and salt serve to warp and weaken bows and bowstrings. Artillery in the Guard consists of light ballistae and onagers, with the occasional fixed sailcutter, heavy ballista, or heavy fire cannon stationed in defense of a port. Essence weaponry is rare, and concentrated in the 2nd’s 1st Dragon, which commands over a dozen light implosion bows. While House V’neef has undertaken extensive efforts to equip the 1st Marine Guard with firedust weaponry, the 2nd remains much more conventionally equipped. The 1st also commands the bulk of V’neef’s few warstriders, though the 2nd’s 3rd Dragon has one common strider attached, and the 6th Dragon has an understrength unit of two scout warstriders.
Marine Guard troops do not follow the fortified encampment practices of the Legions, nor do they carry the equipment for such.
The 1st and 4th through 7th Dragons of the 2nd Marine Guard are deployed along the Western coast of the Blessed Isle. The 2nd Dragon is divided between the Isle and accompanying the Navarch on inspection tours. The 3rd, 8th, and 9th Dragons are deployed piecemeal to Southern and Western satrapies of House V’neef. The 10th Dragon is currently unmustered.
Example Wing:
2nd Marine Guard 3rd Dragon 2nd Wing
The 2nd Wing is an understrength unit of the 2nd Marine Guard, stationed in the satrapy of Bushan, responsible for security of the satrapy and Realm possessions on the island, particularly the Realm-controlled port. Its commanding Trierarch is V’neef Huoxin. The current Archtrierarch of the 2nd Marine Guard 3rd Dragon is Guolin Sharezar.
The 1st Support Scale of the 2nd Wing is under command of Scalelord Ledaal Mitsukai, consisting of 1 savant, 1 thaumaturge, 1 engineer, and 20 light infantry, as well as 1 warstrider (personally piloted by the Wing’s commanding officer). Additionally, the 2nd Wing 1st Talon 1st Artillery Fang is attached to the 1st Support Scale, adding five artillerists and two light ballistae to its ranks.
The 1st Talon of the 2nd Wing is under command of Talonlord Nellens Bruzho, who also serves as second-in-command of the Wing. The 1st Scale of the 1st Talon, consisting of 24 medium infantry and 1 medium infantry with signal flags, is under direct command of the Talonlord. The 2nd Scale is commanded by scalelord Sazuro Arabesh and consists of 24 medium infantry. The 3rd Scale is commanded by scalelord Harmonious Ivory Maiden and consists of 24 light infantry. The 4th Scale is commanded by scalelord Spear-Breaking Fist and consists of 24 light infantry. The 5th Scale of the 1st Talon has not been mustered, and the 1st Talon’s 1st Artillery Fang has been seconded to the 2nd Wing’s 1st Support Scale.
The 2nd Talon of the 2nd Wing is under command of Talonlord Ragara Daigo, who also serves as quartermaster of the Wing and maintains a command staff of 1 combat engineer and 1 medium infantry drummer. The 1st Scale of the 1st Talon, consisting of 24 medium infantry and 1 medium infantry with signal flags, is under direct command of the Talonlord. The 2nd, 4th, and 5th Scales of the 2nd Talon have not been mustered. The 3rd Scale is commanded by scalelord Ineffable Fox and is slightly understrength with 20 light infantry. The 1st Artillery Fang of the 2nd Talon, commanded by fanglord Indefatigable Fox, consists of 4 artillerists manning 1 fixed-position heavy ballista overlooking the Realm-controlled harbour in Handae.
All officers and men of the 2nd Marine Guard 3rd Dragon 2nd Wing are quartered at the Marine Guard barracks in the Realm District of Handae, with the exception of the 2nd Talon’s 3rd Scale and 1st Artillery Fang, quartered in the lighthouse tower of the seawall sheltering the Realm-controlled harbour.
