Procession
The Accian Military Training Program is not a stationary program. They have built and prepared several compounds across the kingdom, one for each region, and while they spend two weeks in each of these compounds, they spend the rest of their time travelling from location to location. While on the move, it has come to be called "The Procession", carefully organized and maintained by staff into one well-oiled machine. Staff and recruits are divided up by their division and move accordingly. While compound staff and recruitment staff are local to their area, all procession staff travel with the recruits. The mobile nature of this program serves many purposes but the most apparent purpose of the procession is to train mobile, prepared and co-operative soldiers who can travel anywhere they are needed as efficiently as possible.
Supplies: Because the program travels from compound to compound, they don't need to transport nearly the same amount of supplies as an ordinary military unit might. The compounds are maintained and prepared by compound staff before arrival, fully stocking the compound ahead of time. Thanks to this, the procession needs only the supplies necessary to reach the next compound. They will carry more than is needed by a certain margin, as any number of emergencies or troubles can strike them along the way, but this organization makes them far more mobile than ordinary and recruits are also taught how to forage along the way, depending on the environment.
Animals: Many recruits possess and utilize animals whether these are beast companions, familiars or mounts. Mobile Division will ride their own mounts along the journey and smaller beast companions can travel alongside their masters. Any beast capable of acting as a beast of burden will be expected to do so as well. As for all other beasts and horses, they will be attended to and guided by staff. Finally, there are staff or recruits capable of summoning beasts and, when this is an option, they will utilize this ability after they arrive to transport the beast instantly. The procession also utilizes many beasts of burden to aid in the transport of supplies, generally travelling in the center of the procession while attended to by general staff.
The procession, much like the military, is divided up by division, marching in a very specific order. They have orders, maneuvers and formations they can switch to, given situational needs, but the default order generally stays the same. Staff, especially instructors, will march and guide their own given divisions. However, the Marshall still directs the entire procession, taking advantage of various forms of communication and signals.
Aerial Division:
The first to depart is always the aerial division. Highly mobile and perceptive, this party focuses on scouting the path ahead and relaying this information when necessary. They have a number of maneuvers, signal flares and, when necessary, the speed to bring messages in person. Many within this division possess superior vision, most with the vision of a raptor capable of seeing ahead up to two miles. They can react quickly and have a number of default reactions to obstacles or aggressors whether this is combat, evasion or retreat. To maximize their mobility, aerial division members do not carry their own supplies or belongings, taking only their weapon, water and flares, but they are also most at risk compared to the rest of the procession.
Control Division:
Those of the control division are capable of altering or manipulating the world around them. These members are permitted mounts because the rest of their duties can be taxing. They are expected to utilize their abilities to smooth the path the rest of the procession will travel along, their actions differing depending on the environment. This is considered crucial, drastically improving the travelling conditions for the entire procession. Depending on the environment, those of this division may be spread throughout the procession instead.
Infantry Division:
This is by far the largest division. While in military service they often provide horses for this division, in the procession they are trained and expected to march on foot while carrying their own personal supplies. This is made considerably easier thanks to the control division but this can still be a grueling task. They are also expected to protect the Control Division if combat becomes a necessity, the control recruits falling back. They are trained to march in specific formations according to signals and music produced from further behind them.
Aquatic Division:
In environments when travelling aquatically is possible, this division will do so. However, at all other times, they travel identically to the Infantry Division.
Staff and Supplies:
Located almost centrally, all staff not falling into a division (such as General Staff) march in this position, guiding the pack animals. They are also positioned here so that, at the end of the day, they are well positioned to begin setting up camp ahead of the rest of the procession while still having the muscle of Infantry and Aerial to secure the campsite.
Mages:
Considered as much of a precious resource as the supplies themselves, if not more valuable, the mages travel in this well protected and centralized position. They have their own mounts.
Support Division:
This division is slightly more diverse, depending on the specific abilities of a given recruit. Some will march while others are mounted. Those who are able tend to the weary or exhausted who lag behind, utilizing their abilities to relieve fatigue or maintain morale. There are many support who are capable of producing music and sounds, some of which double as enhancement, and these members are utilized to create and maintain marching music, signals and orders. These 'musicians' are actually placed throughout the entire procession, all of them synchronizing with each other. They are also spread out in this way so they can quickly enhance the abilities of more combative divisions as needed in an emergency.
Command Division:
Those of this division specialize in perception and communication and are often trained in strategy and leadership. They march behind support and utilize their abilities to both perceive the activities of the divisions ahead of them but also to issue orders and guidance. They are located behind the Support Division for this reason as well, both divisions working together closely to maintain control and communication between all divisions.
Ranged Division:
Those who are mid to long range fall into this division and are placed here not only because they can aid those ahead with superior reach, but so they can defend the mages/supplies while still protecting those behind.
Special Division:
Those within this division have a wide range of abilities but most commonly these are sabotaging foes or even assassination. They travel similarly to Infantry and Ranged, marching and carrying their own supplies. They are considered emergency muscle to protect the Medical Division.
Medical Division:
Following along the rest of the procession, this division tends to and provides medical aid to any wounded, sick, collapsed or otherwise unwell stragglers. While also travelling by foot, each has their own pack animal which carries their medical supplies.
Mobile Division:
Those of this division are extremely mobile, leaving the compound last, flanking the entire procession and easily capable of covering ground quickly and keeping pace despite leaving last. They also act to protect the medical division. Lastly, they are able to transport those too exhausted to travel on their own or the injured. Some will run messages between divisions as well.
Divisions and Marching Order
Parent Formation
This article isn't quite finished yet! Annie, Albert and I are hard at work adding and editing this article, you can expect more here in the future!
Comments