Tymphiatouri
The Tymphiatori were an elite, prestigious formation of guards associated with the Princes of Aparnovos. Consisting of the most experienced and capable soldiers in the realm, they guarded the palace district of Aparnovos, important government buildings, and the Prince and members of the royal family.
Composition
Manpower
The Tymphiatouri have most often been organized into five "bandons," or regiments, of approximately 500 men each. However, periods of warfare, expansion of palace guard duties, or paying off of large numbers of troops in peacetime have led to varying numbers throughout history. These regiments are continually rotated through a schedule of frontline service and guard duty in Aparnovos (at the Fall of Aparnovos, three bandons were present).
Equipment
As the most prestigious troops in Aparnovos, the Tymphiatouri were outfitted with whatever armour and equipment was of the highest quality at a given point. Most recently, during the Fall of Aparnovos, guardsmen wore full harnesses of fine plate armour over mail hauberks and padded arming wear. Barbutes and bascinets with mail aventails and face protection were the preferred varieties of helmet, although tall, pointed kettle helmets still enjoyed some use. The former two styles were some of the finest pieces ever forged in Aparnovos, from single pieces of steel worked into elegant curves which also served to offer excellent protection. For long marches, guardsmen were noted to doff their greaves and sabatons in favour of the tough leather "marching boots" common to the Aparnovosi military. For long stretches of shipboard service, the Tymphiatouri often resorted to the lamellar armour and lighter fabrics used by the Aparnovosi Marines.
When escorting royalty, officials, or emissaries, guarding important buildings throughout the city, and while on parade, the Tymphiatouri wore distinctive, elaborate livery. The visual language of this conspicuous display was shrewdly calculated, serving to impress upon observers the extensiveness of Aparnovosi mercantile networks, the wealth and prestige of the city, and the investment which these high-status troops represented. As such, it also engendered a certain esprit de corps in the guardsmen themselves. Most prominent was a richly-patterned, silken surcoat, hued with expensive dies and trimmed with gold and silver lace, which could be buttoned over the armour. It was fastened around the cuirass with a fine leather belt, which was often dyed and stamped with intricate designs. Additionally, velvet orles around the helmet bore feathery plumes from exotic birds, and shields were often painted with bright and complex patterns. When a guardsman reached retirement, his pension included these garments, which could serve for personal use, or be sold for a considerable sum.
Weaponry
The Tymphiatouri shared the Aparnovosi partiality to maces, which were often used in conjunction with the aforementioned kite shields or pavises. They were also noted for their use of grimly effective spiked, reinforced halberds. Several regiments were also equipped with crossbows when the need arose. Sections within each regiment also were trained in mounted warfare, during which they adopted the heavy couched lance from Westwythe.
Vehicles
During the Wythe-Lagona War and previous conflicts, the Tymphiatouri made use of a specialized type of galley known as "marfora," or horse-transports. Propelled by oar as well as sail and designed to be rapidly beached, these ships featured bows which could lower as ramps, allowing fully armoured, mounted cavalrymen to ride directly onto a beach. The complex construction of the ships' bows was the result of considerable experimentation, and the seams between the ramp and the rest of the hull were heavily caulked and tarred, requiring the crew to use levers and prybars to break the seal and open the hatch.
Use of marfora during landings was immensely valuable and helped to mitigate the inherent risk and uncertainty of amphibious operations, as they could deploy fully combat-ready groups of cavalry. These troops could then screen the rest of the landing force's more time-consuming disembarkation from conventional ships, giving them the opportunity to organize themselves by driving away enemies whose interference could lead to a messy, failed landing.