The Legion

The Thardic Republican Legion, or Legion for short, is the standing army for the country. These articles detail Jonathan M. Davidson's Alternate Army as oppose to the Columbia Games Cannon articles. Use this information instead of that provided by: The HârnMaster Core and the Thardic Republican Module. Information in this article applies to all articles in this series.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

Making a Legionnaire Character

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills | Occupation Points

Using the random birthplace generation tables in HârnWorld, 1 in 10 characters are born in Tharda. Of those, 1 out of every 90 households has someone serving in the Thardic Republican Army, more commonly called the Thardic Legion. Every free person in the Thardic Republic reports to their local legion outpost in their sixteenth year. Assuming the local Milities Primus deems them acceptable, they will become a legionnaire for the next four years of their lives. After the age of 21 they may opt to become reservists, serving 90 days each year, or full timers. Generate Legionnaires characters with the following modifications to the HârnMaster Core rules.

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills |Occupation Points

Birth Attributes

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills |Occupation Points

Family Development

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills |Occupation Points

Appearance Attribute

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills | Occupation Points

Personality Attributes

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills | Occupation Points

Assignment of Skills

The final step in character generation is to assign skills. Please read Assignment of Skills in HârnMaster (Character 19) before proceeding.

[1] Automatic Skills

These are the skills that every character has regardless of background or training. They do not cost any option points to open. Calculate and record the SB for each automatic skill. In Tharda, Dagger is an automatic skill. Choose the ritual skill(s) that best match the character's religion(s).

[2] Occupation Skills

The occupations available are listed in the sidebar of of this article. Generate (or choose) an occupation and open the skills listed at the SB indicated in the article dealing with the occupation.

Note:any reservist has the same skills as a full-timer. The following list of skills assumes a beginning character.


Combat
Skills 		Craft/Lore
Skills 		Communications
Skills






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Milities
Linari 		6
4 4 4 4 4
4


3 3 2 1 1






1


Milities Fabrica 5
4 4 4 4 4
4



2 2 1 1 2 2 3 3 1

1


Milities Primus 7
5 5 5 5 5
5
4
4 3 2 1 2




1
2 5
1
Milities Auxiliari Skirmisher
4
4

4

4 4


1 1 1 1






1 3

Milities Auxiliari Archer 4

4 4
4 4 4



1 1 1 1






1 4

Compartes Skirmisher
4
5 5 5 5

5 4 4
4 3 2 1 2




2
3 4

Compartes Archers 4
5 5 5 5

5
4
4 3 2 1 2




2
3 4

Milities
Tala Sagitorium 		5
4 4 4


4

4
2 1 3 2




1
2 3 4 1
Milities
Tala
Gravis 		5 4 4 4 4


4

4
2 1 3 2




1
2 3 4 1
Manus 4 4 4 4 4


4

4
2 1 3 2




2
3 4 4 1
Sexton
Tala Sagitorium 		6
5 5 5

5 5

5
2 2 4 3




2
3 4 5 1
Sexton
Tala
Gravis 		6 5 5 5 5


5

5
2 2 4 3




2
3 4 5 1
Manus Primus 7 5 5 5 5


5


5 2 1 3 2



1 3 1 3 4 5 1
Manus
Legati 		7 4 4 4 4





4 5 2 1 3 2



1 3 1 4 4 4 1
Triberties 6 5 5 5 5


5

5
2 1 4 2



1 4 2 5 4 5 1
Triberties Primus 7 5 5 5 5


5

6
2 2 5 2



2 5 3 6 5 6 1
Triberties Legati 8 5 5 5 5


5

6
2 1 6 2



2 5 3 6 4 6 1
1The Milities Fabrica has a random craft skill at OML+3. They also have either Masonry or Woodworking, but not both.

2The Milities Auxiliari Skirmisher may have either a Javelin or sling and either a Shortsword or hatchet.

3The Compartes (Skirmisher) may have either a a Javelin or sling and either a Shortsword or hatchet.

[3] Optional Skills

Legionnaire characters have five (5) Option Points (OPs) to open new skills and/or improve open skills. Each OP may be used to open one (1) new skill on the Legionnaire Optional Skills table (sidebar) at its noted OML. OPs can also be expended to improve an open skill by SB1, including any just opened. Skills can only be improved in this manner once.

[4] Psionic Talents

Generate psionic talents normally, using the HârnMaster Core rules. The Legion ignores psionic talents, instead relying on the individual soldiers to convey the results of such things as clairvoyance, sensitivity or medium to their commanding officers.

Birth_Attributes | Family_Development | Appearance_Attribute | Personality_Attributes | Assignment_of_Skills | Occupation Points

Occupation Points

Different ranks in the legion assume a differing amount of experience and time spent in previous ranks. For example, to be a Triberties Primus, it is assumed that the character spent at least 1 year in training, 4 years as a Manus Primus and 4 years as a Triberties for a total of 9 years.

A tour of duty is four years. Each soldier and officer may serve as many full time tours as they wish. If they decide to become a reservist, they must still serve a certain number of ten-days a year, each year until they reach the age of 40. If the soldier or officer decides not to serve that year, they must pay scuttage.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

Equipment

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

Each type of legionnaire begins with a different type of equipment. For more information, refer to the article on the specific occupation. The legion does not, itself make or provide equipment. Instead there is a standard pattern book (Lex Equimenta) that has patterns and a list of minimum requirements for each item a legionnaire carries. The specification is very general for reservists, but exacting for full-time soldiers. One quartermaster owns a copy of the Lex Equimenta at each fortification.

If an item fails to meet the minimum requirements, due to either an error in its creation or poor maintenance the legionnaire owning the item will be fined and may even be charged with its replacement. Soldiers are charged at a rate of 1/36th of the cost of the equipment tenday in service. This allows full-time soldiers to pay off their debt within their four-year tour of duty. The debt is paid down each ten-day. If the debt is greater than the soldier's pay, they are expected to make up the difference out of private funds.

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

Standard Arms

All soldiers can purchase only the arms of their rank and position from the Legion quartermaster at a standard price.

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

Standard Armour

All soldiers and officers receive a hooded cloak and knee-high boots each year.

The cloak is made from a worsted cloth and colored appropriate to the rank and legion of the owner. The cloak's colors are also visible on the saddle cloths and the color of the helmet plumes of the officers. Soldiers tend to accessories in their legion's colors whenever possible. The knee-high boots are made of thick leather and lace up the front. Each legion has their own unique lacing pattern on their boots. To wear either the cloak or the boots, if one is not a legionnaire, is a capital offence.

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

The KneeBoots

Legionnaires wear a special type of Kneeboots - it laces up the front with a thin leather strap, usually in trim color. Each legion has their own unique lacing pattern, and the number of knots at a certain height on the lacings identifies different tenacus members. In Ramala and Taztos many legionnaires risk their lives to mis-lace their boots; elsewhere they're just libel to get jumped by their fellows as an intruder.

The kneeboots have a leather flap that falls down over the lacings and is suppose to help keep rain out. Many legionnaires have an extra flap of leather sewn into the inside of the boot to help keep their feet dry.

While the legion offers new boots yearly, most legionnaires prefer to pocket the bootmoney (80d) and have their old boots repaired if possible.

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

The Cloak

The legion cloak is a waxed, worsted hooded cloak with a thin linen lining. Like the KneeBoots, the legion offers a new cloak yearly to each full time legionnaire. The cloak is darkly colored, with a special color depending on one's rank. The cloak price (50d) can also be pocketed, but usually the legionnaire needs the new cloak. Old cloaks are recycled into blankets and bandages.

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

Other Equipment

All other equipment, weapons and armour must be supplied by the soldier or the officer. Those serving due to a land obligation traditionally receive their arms, equipment and armour from the land owner. Full timers may inherit their arms and armour from their parents, but most recommend new equipment be purchased for each legionnaire to assure it meets with the Lex Equipmenta.

Standard_Arms | Standard_Armour | The_KneeBoots | The_Cloak | Other_Equipment | Colors and Clothing

Colors and Clothing

The cloth, quilt and even sometimes bits of leather or Kurbol are dyed the colors of the legion in which the Milities Linari serve. Trim may be added to cloak edges, used as patches, belt and boot colors as the individual Milities Linari wishes and can afford. Occasionally, officers will have their metalwork painted the trim color of their legion. Trim colors along with legion heraldry appear on the tower shields, horse and legion issued blankets.

Individual units within a legion usually share the same coloring. If a commander orders his units to wear special coloration, often it is he or she that must pay for the modification.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

Recruitment

Limitations | Entry_Points | Soldiers_&_Officers | Soldiers_Benefits | Officers_Benefits

Every freedman or citizen in the republic must, in their 16th year, report to the nearest legion outpost on the last Lesser Sapelah of the month of winter. Each candidate is tested for skill, intelligence and physical fitness.

The legion requires 200, 232 draftees each year. It has just under 21,000 households to draw upon. Consequently, only about one person out of every 90 households per year is required. The legion thus has the pick of the most physically fit and the brightest of the youth of the nation.

There are only three reasons for not choosing someone for military service.

  1. By Faith:If the candidate is a cleric, he must show that his devotion to his gods is greater than to the state. Proving that your devotion to your god(s) is greater than to the state usually involves having a senior priest speak for you. Clerics are not welcomed among the rank and file, but may petition to join as physician-assistants, cooks, or even servants.
  2. Scuttage: If the candidate fails the tests of skill, brains and brawn. These tests are dependent upon the tester. Guild members may be excused service because their guilds pay the legion a fee. This fee is called Scuttage. It is suppose to be used to pay for the guildsman's replacement in the legion. Scuttage must be paid for each year the candidate wishes to avoid legion service between the ages of 16 and 20.
  3. Failure:If the candidate, or his guild, pays scuttage to the legion. This scuttage must be paid for each year the candidate wishes to avoid military service from ages 16 to 20. Each tester knows he must find a certain number of potential legionnaires. Some may be turned down just because the tester doesn't like the way the candidate looks.

If the candidate fails the tests he must reapply each year from ages 17 to 19. At the age of 20 the candidate is permanently exempt from military service. If the republic goes to war those candidates that initially failed applicancy must apply again. The republic lowers its standards to assure they receive the number of soldiers they require for their new campaigns.

Limitations | Entry_Points | Soldiers_&_Officers | Soldiers_Benefits | Officers_Benefits

Limitations

Other than the serious possibility that one could get killed, there are three reasons not to join the legion:

Limitations | Entry_Points | Soldiers_&_Officers | Soldiers_Benefits | Officers_Benefits

Entry Points

An aspiring legionnaire may join the legion in one of three ways:

Limitations | Entry_Points | Soldiers_&_Officers | Soldiers_Benefits | Officers_Benefits

Soldiers & Officers

In the legion there is suppose to be very little difference between recruiting a soldier and recruiting an officer. In truth, however the soldier has far more to gain than any officer.

Limitations | Entry_Points | Soldiers_&_Officers | Soldiers_Benefits | Officers_Benefits

Soldier's Benefits

There are several reasons for freemen or citizens to join the legion:

Limitations | Entry_Points | Soldiers_&_Officers | Soldiers_Benefits | Officers_Benefits

Officers Benefits

Note:In this article, while a Milities Tala is an equestrian by birth, he or she is not considered an officer.

There are several benefits for equestrians who wish to join the legion.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

Naming1

A Legion comprises all the military forces of a province. Each legion bares the name of the province in which it resides. There is only one legion per province, but there are eight legions in the Republic.

The legions of the Republic are:

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

Organization

The senior-most Triberties in the Province commands the provincial legion. The provincial marshal (the legatus) works with the Triberties Primus to give both military and legal reports to the senate on a yearly basis. The Triberties Primus can loose his appointment only on senatorial decree. If this should happen the next most senior Triberties in that province should take over as the Triberties Primus. Unfortunately politics tends to corrupt this somewhat and senatorial-favored Triberties are often transferred as unfavorable-Triberties are removed.

The republic is organized into both provinces and districts. There is no military structure at the district level, though sometimes all the troops within a district are referred to (confusingly) as a "Cohort". However, each district does have a central fortification, normally a keep, where more than one cohort is based. This keep is located at, or near, the district capital. The most senior Triberties within the district will be assigned to the first cohort based in the district's keep. He is responsible with liasing with the district Legar.

The Senate can, upon reaching a consensus, call out all the reserves to contend with a major incident. To oversee the call out, they elect an Imperitor. This personage has enormous civil and military powers. He acts as the commander-in-chief of all the legions (except the Red Guard), and may give orders to any Legatus. He also acts with the full power of the Senate and may issue any decree, even enacting civil law or raising taxation, which they can. However, his power is limited in two ways, firstly his period in office is limited to a set time period, and secondly his actions must be justifiable in terms of his military objective. When the period of "Imperitor" is over the commander must surrender himself to the senate who will then hold a trial where he is assumed guilty of treason unless he can prove he acted properly. As yet, no Imperitor has tried to seize ultimate power; it is likely that he would be abandoned by his troop if he so tried. So ingrained in the patriarchal patronage system within the army that it would be unthinkable to owe allegiance to one man rather to one's sponsoring clan and the Senate. The last Imperitor was Kronas Elernin, Legatus of Ramala, in 712TR.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

History

From whence the legions come is a much-debated topic. A few scholars believe they are a combination of the ancient Corani Empire's military logic and the tales and lore brought back from Azeryani by travellers and delegates. The Senate and most of the Triberties, however, consider the legion to be their own invention. The relation between it and the ancient Corani Empire is one of language more than structure or logic. In an attempt to give the legion credibility with its members, its creators used older words for the various ranks, groupings and titles.

The legion was formed originally from the Autarch's Guard in 673 with the creation of the Republic. It borrowed the Autarch Guard's ranking system and renaming a few of its levels of organization. The Autarch's Guard, intended in its founding to be a militia system, was quickly converted to a standing army that could provide the same level of protection to all of the Republic, instead of just a few senatorial holdings and border positions.

The land grant provides the minimum number of soldiers required each year, allowing for a healthy margin of corruption in regards to the census upon which the land grant is devised. Still, in order to entice volunteers a few benefits were worked out at the legion's founding. The largest, and most controversial, of these benefits is the land grant. Each soldier or officer, having served a lifetime in the legion (from ages 21 through 40) is eligible for a grant of land, and the necessary rise in social standing to own land.

Unfortunately, the benefit does not specify the exact amount of land to be given. The current opinion is that the land should be approximately 20 acres of borderland or 10 acres of cleared land. But everyone of importance seems to have a differing opinion on this. Kronas declared that all of his soldiers would receive parcels of 20 acres each in Eidel region, or an equivalent amount of coinage - should they retire from the legion at age 40. He offered his officers 40 acres, upon the same condition. This infuriated the Senate, for only they can parcel out land. But if the Senate does not act on this before these legionnaires retire, chances are the decision will be taken out of their hands.

The history of the Corani Empire exists only in tales, songs and legends as well as the occasional bill of lading. It is not surprising, therefore, that the legion can claim it as its ancestry without worrying about being contradicted. Comparing the legion to the forces of Azeryani, however, is ludicrous. Other than both having standing armies, and both calling them legions - there are few similarities. The Thardic Republics Legions are pale and simple when compared to the Heavily armed and armored forces of Azeryani.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

Duties and Obligations

The legion protects the Republic. While Legionnaires take no oath promising obedience, they are made aware of the punishments for failure early in their training.

The social contract between the legion and society promises social acceptance and improvement in return for obedience and sacrifice. The legion can be thought of as the military class of the Republic with its own rights and rituals. This is often cause for confusion among feudal societies because it separates the knights from the nobility/equestrians. And, unlike other social classes, it cares almost nothing for one's birth social class, only wealth and skill.

To the Republic

The legion's fortifications act as a center for law and imprisonment. The legion's duty, in terms of peace, is to keep it. In times of war they must restore the peace. This duty is colloquially known as Pax Tharda.

Each member of the Republic is taught to see the legion as the police force while the legatus and his staff act as the law. It is the legion's duty to protect the populace and keep the peace. This includes patrolling settlements (towns, manors, villages), taking charge of prisoners and offering emergency help as needed.

The legion also provides mass labourers and monies for large projects that would, otherwise, never be started, such as: paving roads, building bridges, building new fortifications and repairing existing structures. Since Tharda is chronically short of labour, the legion also provides the necessary labour to bring in the harvests of the legion's and surrounding lands.

Obeying the Senate

The Legion is wielded by the Senate. The individual Triberties Primus and Legatus for each province are directly responsible to the Senate for their actions. Officially the Senate cannot use the Legion for solving political problems amongst its members or law-abiding members of the Republic. In return the Legion's members are suppose to be above clan politics and petty feuds. It is a shame nothing ever seems to work the way it's suppose to in Tharda.

Making_a_Legionnaire_Character | Equipment| Recruitment | Naming | Organization | History | Duties_and_Obligations

  1. Legionnaire_Types
  2. Women_in_the_Legion
  3. Mages_in_the_Legion
  4. Religion_in_the_Legion
  5. Optional_Skills
  6. Skill_Improvements
  7. CPs_by_Rank
  8. Legion_Colors
  9. Red
  10. Scuttage
  11. Reservists
  12. Veterans
  13. Lifer
  14. Regulars
  15. Dignitas_in_the_Legion
  16. Clan_Politics
  17. Legion_Politics
  18. The_Land_Draft
  19. Order_of_Things
LEGIONNAIRE TYPES
01-79 Citizens and Freemen
001-121 Milities Linari
122-161 Milities Primus
162-201 Milities Fabrica
202-215 Milities Urbani (R)
216-217 Comparte Urbani (R)
218-554 Milities Auxilliari (R)
555-877 Milities Linari (R)
878-958 Milities Primus (R)
959-000 Compartes
80-00 Equestrians (d1000)
000-096 Sexton
097-192 Manus Primus
193-213 Manus Legatus
214-304 Triberties Linari
305-310 Triberties Primus
311-316 Legatus
317-799 Milities Tala (R)
800-992 Manus
993-000 Manus Legatus

(R) denotes a reservist

Social Class Translation
HMC Thardic
UnGuilded Freeman
Guilded Citizen
Noble Equestrian


[Top]

Women in the Legion

Officially, women are treated identically to men in the legion. There are women Triberties, Linari and all ranks in between serving alongside, performing the same tasks and in the same barracks as the men.
Dating a woman in the same troop (Tenacus, Tala or Comparus) is considered the social equivalent of dating your sister. Dating someone in the same Maniple is acceptable only so long as both parties are discreet.
Those that have time to comment on the beauty of another legionnaire, regardless of the intent of the comment, obviously have too much time on their hands. This excess time is quickly put to work in doing the most onerous chores possible.



[Top]

Mages in the Legion

There are members of the Shek-P'var in the legion. They are neither acknowledged, nor given special privileges. Often they server their four years as clerks and scribes rather than soldiers. A mage who becomes a full-time soldier may be called a Milities Fabrica by his fellow-soldiers. While he does not have any special Milities Fabrica training, his special skills are acknowledged by the title. This, of course, leads to the assumption that all Milities Fabrica are mages. Of course not all mages are Milities Fabrica, there's rumor that a few Fyvrians are actually Physicians.



[Top]

Religion in the Legion

There are no priests in the legion-instead they offer spiritual and healing advice from the sidelines. Paladins, Terhani and other knightly religious orders are welcome in the legion, so long as they can abide by the legion's laws and follow orders.



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Optional Skills

These are the skills a legionnaire character may optionally open at creation, or later in their career.

Optional Skills
Acrobatics/1, Dancing/2, Swimming/1, Musician/1, Script, Riding/1, Alternate Weapon(s) at OML, Agriculture/2, Animalcraft/1, Brewing/1, cookery/3, Engineering/1, Fishing/1, Fletching/1, Folklore/2, Herblore/1, Hideworking/1, Law (Thardic, or Legion)/1, Masonry/1, Mathematics/1, Tactics/1, Tracking/1, Weaponcraft/1, Weatherlore/2, Woodworking/1


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Skill Improvements

Each month (30 days) of training assumes three days of rest. One training month provides the following number of improvement rolls's for each character to spend:

Training Improvement Rolls
Weapons 108
Group 81
Craft 27


Each month (30 days) of career assumes three days of rest. One career month provides the following number of Improvement Rolls

Career Improvement Rolls
Weapons 3
Group 2
Craft 1

It takes 20 hours of training to earn one improvement roll, and 40 hours of work. Training is assumed to be a maximum of 4 hours a day, where as careers consist of 8 hours a day.

The above calculations do not include any days off from the legion, nor do they include the 3 free rolls an HârnPlayer receives each month.

Weapon Skills are:

Group Skills are:

Craft Skills are those skills relating to crafts or guilds. This includes most of the optional skills available to legionnaires.



[Top]

CPs by Rank

Each Legionnaire should have served a minimum number of years before being able to attain higher rank.The number of CPs here are average. Modify accordingly

LEGIONNAIRE TYPES
Rank Yrs* CP
Citizens or Freemen
Milities Linari 0
Milities Primus 4
Milities Fabrica 4
Milities Urbani 0
Compartes Urbani (R) 4
Milities Auxilliari (R) 0
Milities Linari (R) 4
Milities Primus (R) 4
Compartes (R) 4
Equestrians
Sexton 5
Manus Primus 5
Manus Legatus 5
Triberties Linari 9
Triberties Primus 9
Legatus 0
Milities Tala 1
Manus 1
Manus Legatus 1


(R) denotes a reservists. Reservists receive XCP for every year in service while full timers receive Y CP per year.
* Roll 1d40 (1d4-1+1d10) to determine the number of years in service. Add this to the number in the table.

Legion Colors

Legion Name Under Tunic Trim
Gerium Legion Yellow Green
Red Guard Yellow Red
Shiran Legion White Blue
Coranan Legion Yellow/White Purple
Eidel Legion White Black
Kom Legion Yellow Black
Ramala White Red


[Top]

Scuttage

A fine paid by a legionnaire currently not in service. The fine is suppose to pay for their replacement in the legion (wages, equipment, arms, armour, etc.).



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Reservists

Reservists are those Milities Linari who have already served their first four years and have opted to serve part time (9 tendays in a calendar year), instead of full time. Usually reservists from the same region are called up together for a season of patrols and practices. Reservists must care for their own arms and armor when off duty. It is up to them to see to its care and replacement, or face fines upon returning to the legion for duty.



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Veterans

This is the polite term for any legionnaire who's reenlisted to serve again after his first four years. Anyone, even if they become a reservists, who gains the title of Veteran keeps it. While this can be confusing, it helps to remember this is an honorific and has no bearing on rank or salary.



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Lifer

A lifer is someone who intends to serve a full 6 terms (24 years) to retire as a citizen with a land grant from the Senate. Lifers are rare and most consider them to be touched.



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Regulars

Regulars are those who are either serving their first four years (sometimes called Recruits) or any who serve full time. A lifer or a veteran may be a Regular, but a Reservist is not.



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Dignitas in the Legion

Dignitas, as every Thardian knows, is your reputation, a combination of social standing, wealth and trust in this totally corrupt society. The richer (and the older) the legionnaire becomes, the greater his dignitas. Rank naturally adds to one's dignitas but so does not collecting demerits and serving long periods. Dignitas earned in the legion tends to be carried into civilian life in equal measure.



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Clan Politics

Clan politics are never suppose to intervene into Legion duties. Loyalty, for a serving legionnaire, is always to the Senate and the populace, not to their patrons. But old habits die hard. Soldiers from one political faction tend to be placed in the same unit for fear of clan politically-inspired reprisals. Personal heraldry is shunned when on duty in the legion for fear of being accused of preference. This crime bears no direct punishment, other than to be shunned by more of the rich and powerful - as well as opening the guilty to even more clan politics.



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Legion Politics

Legion politics only resemble Clan politics to the initiated. Each legionnaire has his or her favorite Triberties or Mani, and will champion their favorite's decisions and come to their defense. While some of this is just idle speculation, those champions of Triberties Linari Primus Kronas worry the senate greatly, for they are his power base. Politics in the legion, be it legion based or clan based, is a dangerous subject, and best left alone.



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The Land Draft

The draft assessment for the year 720TR is as follows:



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Order of Things

There is more to a legion than just its Tenacus. While this article focuses on the Tenacus and its contents, there are a few other latin titles used in this article.

There are exceptions and subdivisions of the legion not mentioned in this article. They will be covered in future articles in this series.

Many parts make a Legion. Those parts are:



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Latin Names and Nomenclature

The Thardic Republic Legions are loosely based on Earth's Roman empire. To give the setting a more Roman feel, Latin names are used.

Real Roman legions changed over the course of the centuries the Roman empire existed - where as the Thardic Legions have barely been around for 50 years.

The Thardic Republican Legions are a poor imitation of the Roman Empire's Legions, but their structure is similar.
In Latin, you do not add an "s" to pluralize a name. Instead, in words ending in "us" you drop the "us" and add an "i".

E.g.:Manus is singular, Mani is plural.

As with English there are exceptions.

E.g.:Compartus is pluralized as Compartes not Comparti.

Words ending in a consonant are pluralized by dropping the last consonant and adding an "s".

E.g.:Cohort is pluralized as Cohors.

For ease of our non-latin readers, Maniple is pluralized as Maniples, legion as legions, and Militi as Milities. Words ending in a vowel, like Tala and Fabrica, Linari, and Auxiliari are never pluralized.
This concludes our Latin lesson for today.

Singular plural saying it
Auxiliari Auxiliari AUX-il-AR-ee
Cohort Cohors co-HORT / co-HORS
Comparus Compari com-PAR-us / com-PAR-ee
Compartus Compartes com-PAR-tees
Fabrica Fabrica FAB-ric-A
Linari Linari LIN-AR-ee
Maniple Maniples MAN-i-ple/MAN-i-ples
Manus Mani MAN-us/MAN-i
Militi Milities MILI-ties
Primus Primi PRIME-us/ PRIME-i
Tala Tala TA-la
Tala Gravis Tala Gravis TA-la GRav-is
Tala Sagitorium Tala Sagitorium TA-la sag-i-TOR-ium
Tenacus
 Tenaci
 ten-ASS-us / ten-ASS-ee
Tribertus
 Tribertes
 Tri-BER-tus/tri-BER-tees

1 This section was taken from Jonathan M. Davidson's Alternate Army article. For more information regarding the individual legions, refer to the Overview.^Back Up

 

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