Tenth Legion
The Orlesian Tenth Legion, nicknamed Les Lions, is the highest and most well-respected unit of the Orlesian army. It is known for its strength, skill, and unwavering loyalty to the person sitting on the Orlesian throne. They also have a storied past, having won "impossible" battles and having pushed forward the art of war in the middle of battle in ways previously thought impossible.
Unlike other legions which are only required to know one specific style of fighting, such as cavalry-men knowing how to fight on horseback, members of the Tenth are required to be masters of fighting in every style and environment. Each individual in this legion is levied personally by both the general of the Orlesian army and the currently-sitting Orlesian emperor or empress.
Training for the Orlesian army is more rigorous and demanding than any other nation's army by far. Their only rivals would be the Chevaliers, of which the Tenth holds a friendly rivalry with.
Its origins date back into the days of when the Drakon family, though its most well-known modern activity was in freeing Val Royeaux from under Dalish control during Second Exalted March.
This Legion has approximately six-thousand legionaries in its ranks.
Composition
Training
Recruits that are accepted into training for this legion must undergo a four month training period. Much of this training is kept as a military secret, but some information is known.
It is during this time that each recruit is tried and tested to see if they live up to the strict qualities demanded by the Tenth. If they fail or are rejected, they are usually suggested to other lesser legions or are rejected from the army entirely. Upon success, a recruit has to swear unwavering loyalty to the army and to the Orlesian throne before becoming a legionnaire.
The first skill a recruit would be taught during this trial period would be the march. Whereas most other Legions would have to perform twenty-mile marches over five hour periods while carrying sixty or more pounds once a week, recruits for the Tenth were required to do this twice a week. This march is strict, requiring recruits to move in perfect cohesion and to change formations regularly. Members of the Tenth were also required to regularly mount and dismount their horses so as to strain their bodies even more, though this comes with the side-effect of growing the relationship between one's self and their horse.
All members of the army, even servants, are required to learn how to swim at competitive speeds while in full armor.
Recruits are regularly subjected to conditions that would otherwise break most people's minds, forcing them to rely upon those around them and the skills they have. In so doing, the bond of a legionnaire with their potentially-future legion is cemented.
Recruits for the Tenth are trained with every style of weaponry, even those not commonly found in Orlais, so as to allow them to be capable fighters even when taken completely off-guard. They are also capable of scrounging resources and working quickly with tools to build small forts in just under a day.
It is almost certainly true that there is far more the Orlesian army does to bring its recruits to be as exceptional as they need to be, though Orlais and its soldiers hold their tongues when speaking of such important affairs.
Logistics
Recruitment
Recruitment for this is incredibly strict, and only those recruits who show exceptional qualities might even have a chance to find themselves amongst this legion.
The Orlesian army is well aware of the impacts of culture and environment upon a recruit's future prospects. It is for this reason that recruits from the countryside are preferred as they are more accustomed to the struggles of life from a younger age. They also surely knew how to use the many tools that would be seen while serving in the army, and their bodies were also more used to being hungry. Recruits from cities can be accepted in, but they undergo an even more rigorous training program than their peers in order to get their bodies and minds to the level they need to be at.
After drawing up these recruits, particularly desirable feats are looked for:
- Strong physical shape and good eyesight, to indicate a healthy body
- High "shoulder to waist" ratio
- A minimum height of 5'6" to get in most legions though heights above 5'8" were mandatory to be considered for the Tenth
- "Lively eyes", which indicates the person is of quick thinking and is not dull
- Good manners and a reputable family are indicators that a recruit will be able to fall in line, obey orders, and show respect
- A sense of humor, to show that the recruit is of a positive disposition and healthy mind
- Literacy, to show that the recruit is able to be taught
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