Imperial Legionnaires

The Imperial Legionnaires (Also known as the Emperor's Legionnaires, Imperial Warriors, or the Empire's Dark Angels) are one of the most elite fighting forces in the known universe. Swearing fealty only to the Emperor of Imperia and the Emperian Empire; therefore, making them semi-autonomous to the Imperial Senate and fully autonomous entities in regards to the governments of the Astral Provinciales. The basic concept of the Legionnaires in terms of organization is the Legions and Tagmata whereby the vast majority of these warriors are a member. Forming self contained and sustaining groups of warriors with their own traditions, doctrines, and in some cases organization. Now, due to the fact the Imperial Legionary was never meant to be a standard soldier, but a warrior whose sole purpose is to defend the Empire and fight its enemies, means there are not enough Legionnaires to form the backbone of the Empire's military. Rather, Legionnaires are meant to be elite shock forces capable of operating in limited numbers against numerically superior foes, and up against the worst the universe can throw at them, means they are relatively few and far in between.

History
Historically, Legionnaires can trace their lineage back to the old warrior orders of Imperia, many thousands of years before the founding of the Empire. Offering a diverse array of traditions and methods of modus operandi. In terms of the Empire's own history there were twenty-eight original Legions in addition to the Legio Praetoria, which, formed the Praetorian Guard of the Emperor and Imperial Senate.

The original twenty-eight Legions were upon establishment compromising many of the old warrior orders, guilds, and best soldiers in the Emperor's armies. Numbered I-XXVIII these formed the core of the campaigning Army the Emperor was going to use in his conquests, as a vanguard to destroy all opposition.

After the formal establishment of the Empire and end of the Expansion Era (1-255IC), the Legions underwent many changes, some were broken up into the first Tagmata; others, disbanded for whatever reason or diminished in strength they simply mustered out of service. Leaving the Empire with eighteen Legions without a purpose, for few enemies could challenge the Empire at this point, and so they primarily became an elite reserve or strike force. Although, over the passage of centuries three new Legions were added to the rolls, and many Tagmata as the Empire assimilated and colonized its vast dominions. Incorporating the warrior cultures of other planets and helping tie the Empire together.

Organization
Main Article: Imperial Legion

The Imperial Legionary of the Empire (if not part of a Tagmata or otherwise) is typically part of a Legion. Legions themselves being fully self sustaining and versatile military formations containing their own FTL capable Fleet, craft; support personnel and arsenals; along with a base from which to operate from. There are twenty-one Legions in total, each led by an elected Legionnaire of senior rank, and managing themselves autonomously from the Imperial provincial government; though, not from the Emperor or Imperial Senate. The latter even then is extremely limited in terms of authority. A Legion's fighting strength is not universal, nor permanent, as availability of new recruits and casualties can cause Legion numbers to fluctuate greatly. However, each Legion is made up of Cohorts (though other Legion unique names exist) that are denoted by numerals, with each Cohort containing hundreds if not thousands of Legionnaires; next, immediately below Cohorts are the Centuries or Companies that usually have 100 to 400 Legionnaires within them. Centuries in turn are made up of squads and support squads, which vary from Legion to Legion if not century to century, along with any attached specialists or units at the tactical level, as Cohorts typically deal with the allocation of specialists on the strategic level.

Main Article: Legionary Tagmata

Not all Legionnaires are part of Legions; however, as given the nature of the Empire currently being in a less aggressive state, the need for smaller and more easily maneuvered formations was deemed necessary. Thus, the Tagmata was created to be in a since, miniature Legions, and operating just like their larger Legion brethren. The difference, is mainly in size, as a Tagmata can contain just a few hundred to as many as 13,000 Legionnaires at what is typically called, 'double strength,' Tagmata. Though no average size does exist most Tagmata hover around 5,000-6,000 Legionnaires. Tagmata, given their size are not always divided into Cohorts, often simply skipping that level of organization and going straight to centuries/companies and on to squads level organization. A typical Tagmata Cohort, if it exists in the given formation, usually has 500 to 1,000 troops and operate much like their larger cousins in the Legions.

Tactical Organization
Though no uniform organization exists or imposes a specific organization on a Legion or Tagmata, all of these formations have common elements that make up the whole. As each Legion and Tagmata are at the very bottom made up of squads and centuries. A Legionary squad is usually tailored for a specific combat specialty; Melee, Ranged, Scout, Air-Assault, or combined (the most common). Each squad designed to form a versatile and adaptable century, while fully capable of operating on their own and each Legionnaire trained in all disciples of combat. Usually proceeding to go into the squad they would best fit into. Further each Legion and Tagmata has an elite core or warriors in their ranks that can form squads completely compromising veterans, and therefore forming a pool to draw replacement officers at the same time. Additionally Legionnaires can specialize in other fields, like technology, medical, building, and even psionic specialties.

Ideological Stance

Even though many of the Legions and Tagmata have a historical past linking to older organizations that often had religious or certain ideological differences. The Imperial Legionnaires are sternly atheistic as per Imperial belief and espouse Imperial ideology as their own, or versions of it that do not drift far.

Equipment and Arsenal
Imperial Legionnaires are equipped with the best armaments available to the Empire. The only standard weaponry known to be in the armaments of every Legion and Tagmata is the Emperian Battle-spear, and any of its shorter or longer variants, complimented by the Emperian Long-sword. Further, Legionnaires have access to Power Armor of the best quality, adding to their expert training and rigorous recruitment to produce a lethal warrior. Though various heavier and lighter types of Legionary Power Armor are used, along with custom suits given to distinguished or particularly skilled Legionnaire capable of building his own suit.

Recruitment and Training
Prospective Legionnaire recruits are chosen from the best warriors among the Emperian, Aetherian, and Human species. Of course many Legions and Tagmata possess their own recruitment worlds were they are given to draw any and all necessary recruits from, despite the fact they can recruit anywhere in the Empire if they so choose. Any recruit taken by a Legion or Tagmata is put under intense scrutiny for flaws in any form, this leads to the rejection of 90% of all recruits under most conditions. If a recruit makes it past this initial screening they are taken to a training facility to start their rigorous, and sometimes lethal, training process to make them Legionnaires. If they survive these arduous years, as training often takes a decade or more and typically involves being thrust into combat situations regularly, they will graduate and be made a Legionary proper. At this point they will be assigned to the replacement Century of a Cohort for at least another 3-5 years before being assigned to frontline century or specialist group; where, the century commander will assign the relatively new Legionnaire to a squad.