Albione Military Forces

Harts Armies

Circle Guard

Often under-rated, the Circle Guard is normally split between the various ritual and transport circles of Albion; protecting travelers and ensuring that these tactically vital sites are protected. They are however arguably amongst the most efficient of the Harts armies, comprised solely of professional soldiery and free from the civilian attachments that troops in many of the duchy battalions maintain. In a time of war the various Circle Guard detachments can be assembled to form an extremely dangerous army, over a thousand strong (six hundred spearmen and five hundred archers/scouts). The colours of the Circle Guard are an argent chevron on an azure field.

First Tooth & Claw

Of all Albion's armies the youngest and most infamous is The First Tooth & Claw. Comprised almost entirely of troops drawn from the ranks of either the beastmen (a contingent of about five hundred) or the demonic host (about four hundred) its speed and ferocity are both terrifying. The battalion excels at fast assault and shock tactics, and provides Albion's military with options in this area that would most likely be unfeasible for the other battalions. Unlike the other Albione armies The First Tooth & Claw finds no need for colours or in fact uniforms of any description.

Gloucester Battalion

The largest of Albion's armies, the Gloucester Battalion consists of around fourteen hundred men. Of these about six hundred are well-trained and disciplined heavy infantry, supported by an additional hundred light spearmen and a hundred specialist archers. Almost half the battalion however consists of levies and volunteers with poor equipment and little training, and it is estimated that about two hundred of this number are members of the religious Order Of The Crone. Since the battalion's expansion rumour of fanaticism and dark incantation have begun to emerge, however it is unclear how much truth there is behind this. The colours of the Gloucester Battalion are a sable chief over a vert field.

Keswick Battalion

The front line Keswick Battalion consists of around four hundred heavy infantry supported by a similar number of heavy pikemen. What the battalion lacks in speed it more than compensates for in durability and it is boasted that the "wall of steel" is unbreakable by conventional forces. Like most of the other battalions Keswick's armour is supported by a hundred or so light spearmen and another hundred archers who between them fulfill scouting and skirmish roles. The colours of the Keswick Battalion are argent and gules quarters.

Norhault Battalion

Historically formed to protect The Great Library, the Norhault Battalion is primarily trained and equipped for defensive actions but does excel in this field. Its thousand-strong ranks are split roughly evenly between heavily armoured shieldmen and lighter crossbow troops, but the two divisions are trained to fight cooperatively and thus members of the battalion are usually deployed in mixed units. The battalion's numbers are boosted by an additional hundred rangers and scouts of the infamous Company Of The Black Boar. The colours of the Norhault Battalion are a gules fess on a sable field.

Winchester Battalion

Unquestionably the most prestigious military force in Albion is the Winchester Battalion; led by a hundred members of the elite, Royal Guard. This vanguard force is supported by an additional six hundred heavy and super-heavy infantry ... making it a formidable line force but also extremely expensive to equip and maintain. The heavy infantry is supported by a force of about 100 hundred light spearmen, 100 archers and 200 hundred levied troops - eager to serve in this much celebrated army. The colours of the Winchester Battalion are an or saltire on a gules field.

York Battalion

The York Battalion consists of about twelve hundred men and women. At its vanguard are two hundred heavy shield and an additional three hundred heavy pike; spearheaded by around a hundred elite heavy infantry drawn from House Falcon's household guard. This formidable strike force is supported by a huge force of around four hundred scouts and skirmishers, divided roughly equally between archers and light spearmen. The battalion's numbers were badly depleted late in 1104 when an unidentified creature attacked its line causing heavy casualties. Since that time it has included about two hundred levies amongst it's numbers in an attempt to maintain full strength. The colours of the York Battalion are a sable bend sinister on a azure field.

Harts Navies

Pride Of Londinium

The Harts' northern fleet is nominally based in Londinium, although since the Elysium occupation of the city in 1104 the fleet has been run out of the deep-water port at Newcastle. The fleet is comprised primarily of capital ships and heavier transport vessels, supported by a formidable force of Royal Marines. The Pride Of Londinium represents the majority of the Harts navies' offensive capabilities.

Pride Of Southampton

The southern fleet has been moved to Brighthelm Stane from Southampton, and has since been deployed to block Imperial supply lines. It is comprised primarily of smaller, faster vessels and is at first-glance far weaker than the northern fleet. Any weakness is however more then compensated for by the fleet's speed and versatility, which is key to the defence of Albion's shores. The small size and light weight of its vessels make Pride Of Southampton potentially vulnerable to ramming and boarding, and it relies on its combination of superiour maneuverability and ranged weaponry to keep heavier attackers at bay.