Volkian Rangers
"Garcien Lyons thought he was safe behind an army and a fortress too. One Ranger had something to say about that."The Volkian Rangers are the elite forces of the Royal Army of Mayoka. Tracing their origins to the original companions of the legendary general Volkius, from whom they take their name, the Rangers exist to carry out special operations beyond the capabilities of regular rank and file soldiers. Each Ranger is part scout, part spy, part diplomat and part soldier, trained in infiltration, diplomacy, stealth, survival and various forms of combat. The Rangers are headquartered in the Campus Volkius, an academy and base thirty kilometres north of Mayoka. With that said, most Rangers rarely stay in one place for long and usually operate independent of any organisation or hierarchy in the field. Rangers rarely openly identify themselves as such, preferring to operate clandestine in most of their operations. In a few rare instances however, they appear in the open, inspiring allies, awing the populace and terrifying their enemies.
-Imperator Marius Veluinnis, about to deploy Volkian Rangers in the Battle of Mayoka.
Structure
The Rangers exist outside of the standard ranking system of Mayokan and League militaries. It is a flat organisation; all members have the rank of Ranger, and there are no subordinates or any kind of hierarchy in the group. Each Ranger answers directly to the Imperator, and receives orders and instructions directly from him or her. While they operate separately from the command structure of the mainstream Royal Army, due to the nature of their work Rangers are given authority to deputise soldiers, equivalent to the Royal Army rank of Major.
Public Agenda
Publicly, the Rangers are considered the elite special forces / heroes of Mayoka, and exist primarily to carry out special missions and tasks that ordinary watch or soldiers are not suited to complete.
Assets
The Rangers' resources are allocated by the Imperator and subject to his or her approval; however generally there is a 'whatever you need, we will supply it' approach. Horses and chariots are readily supplied to Rangers, and weapons available to the Royal Army are usually also made available to the Rangers. The Rangers were traditinally drawn from the Mayokan aristocracy, and the family resources of the noble clans have often been made available to the Rangers as well; armours, family weapons and the like.
History
The original Volkian Rangers were, as the name suggests, companions of Volkius, the first Imperator of the Mayokan Army and founder of Mayoka. Their organisation pre-exists the founding of Mayoka itself, and they were integral to the Mayokati tribe's expansion into Arpium. The earliest Rangers often defended the fledgling settlement and its citizens from bandits and raiders and patrolled the roads. As Mayoka solidified into its own city-state, they became integrated with the Royal Army and assumed the special operations role that they are now well known for.
The Rangers returned to prominence during the Mayokan Civil War in 459 TE. When Vilio Komon's coup overtook Mayoka, the Rangers remained loyal to the Royalists and spearheaded the evacuation to Mayoka. They continued their role as guerrillas against the Komon regime, carrying out rescues, sabotage, espionage and assassinations. They played a prominent role in the Battle of Mayoka, and are famously known for securing the Danthine Palace and capturing Komon himself.
In the present day with the integration of Mayoka and its armies into the Helikan League, the Rangers have managed to retain their independence. The Helikan League have requested integration of the Rangers into their command structure, but they have flatly refused. In the interests of diplomacy, the League have not pressed the issue.
Founding Date
1781 DoM
Type
Military, Special Operations Force
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Veteran
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