Ground Forces of the Duranium Legion
While much-reduced in size since the Trans-Newtonian War, the Duranium Legion maintained an impressive force of active-duty ground forces arranged into large formations imaginatively called legions. The base units of each legion were the battalions of Mechanized, Tank, and Artillery types, which were combined into brigades of four battalions apiece. In contrast to most militaries in Earth’s known history, the brigade headquarters was not a separate formation but was embedded into one of the four combat battalions with no type preference in place of the usual battalion headquarters. This was done in accordance with Legion battlefield philosophy which placed high emphasis on leading from the front.
The Mechanized Infantry Battalions of the Legion were the most numerous. While largely based on foot soldiers and thus suitable as defensive units, as with all Legion ground forces the primary mission of the Infantry was offensive in nature and thus fortified emplacements were disdained in favor of mobile armored vehicles to support the riflemen in aggressive front-line assaults. As these assaults had proven costly even against the lightly-armed minor nations and rebels in the post-war era, Legion ground commanders sought room in their research budgets to develop heavy powered armor to improve their infantry survivability and battlefield staying power.
The Tank Battalions of the Legion were considered the most prestigious of the three ground force services, owing to their premiere offensive firepower and maneuverability. While the Halberd main battle tanks were the pride of the Legion, the Devastator anti-infantry tanks were far more feared on the battlefield by the light infantry forces typically fought in the post-war era. Legion weapons scientists had submitted a number of proposals to develop heavier, more fearsome armored vehicles for use in the coming interstellar era of warfare.
Supporting the infantry and tank arms were the Mechanized Artillery Battalions, at the ratio of one artillery formation per brigade of either type. These were split into light and medium artillery, the former represented by the Arbalest mortar tanks while the medium bombardment role was filled by the Onager self-propelled guns. While Legion artillerists were familiar with heavier artillery weapons from prototype development during post-war conflicts, much work was needed before such guns would be ready for mass-production and mounting on armored fighting vehicles.
Intermediate command and control was provided by Corps formations which were composed largely of logistical elements necessary to support the Legion’s brigades in an extended war of conquest. The terminal Legion headquarters followed the same template apart from expanded command facilities. While these were in theory distinct, rear-echelon formations, Corps and Legion commanders were frequently known to abandon their command posts to direct fighting from the front lines, a fact often used by Legion propagandists of the post-war era to enhance the fearsome reputation of the ground forces.
Ranks
- SCD: Subcommandant
- CDT: Commandant
- LCD: Lord Commandant
- LG: Lord General
And for the completionists in the audience…
Mechanized Infantry Battalion
Transport Size: 4,994 tons
Build Cost: 151.5 BP
2x Athena Mk III Battalion Command Vehicle
324x Moros M-13 Legionnaire Mag Rifle
45x Moros M-20 Legionnaire Chain Gun
27x Moros M-24 AT Rocket 'Hellfire'
6x Moros M-28 AA Flak Cannon 'Javelin'
75x Hoplite Mk III APC
6x Phalanx Mk III AT Gun Carrier
2x Daedalus Mk III TAC Vehicle
Mechanized Infantry Brigade
Transport Size: 5,000 tons
Build Cost: 169.8 BP
2x Hera Mk III Brigade Command Vehicle
324x Moros M-13 Legionnaire Mag Rifle
45x Moros M-20 Legionnaire Chain Gun
27x Moros M-24 AT Rocket 'Hellfire'
6x Moros M-28 AA Flak Cannon 'Javelin'
75x Hoplite Mk III APC
6x Phalanx Mk III AT Gun Carrier
Tank Battalion
Transport Size: 4,982 tons
Build Cost: 410.6 BP
2x Apollo Mk III Battalion Command Tank
54x Halberd Mk III Main Battle Tank
18x Devastator Mk III Anti-Infantry Tank
6x Aegis Mk III AA Tank
2x Hephaestus Mk III TAC Tank
Tank Brigade
Transport Size: 4,952 tons
Build Cost: 444.2 BP
2x Poseidon Mk III Brigade Command Tank
54x Halberd Mk III Main Battle Tank
18x Devastator Mk III Anti-Infantry Tank
6x Aegis Mk III AA Tank
Artillery Battalion
Transport Size: 4,988 tons
Build Cost: 405.3 BP
2x Apollo Mk III Battalion Command Tank
36x Arbalest Mk III Mortar Tank
18x Onager Mk III SPG
9x Aegis Mk III AA Tank
2x Daedalus Mk III TAC Vehicle
Artillery Brigade
Transport Size: 4,994 tons
Build Cost: 447.5 BP
2x Poseidon Mk III Brigade Command Tank
36x Arbalest Mk III Mortar Tank
18x Onager Mk III SPG
9x Aegis Mk III AA Tank
Corps Headquarters
Transport Size: 19,984 tons
Build Cost: 1,164.5 BP
2x Zeus Mk III Corps Headquarters Tank
288x Swiftfoot Mk III MTV
16x Aegis Mk III AA Tank
Legion Headquarters
Transport Size: 19,984 tons
Build Cost: 2,444.5 BP
2x Olympus Mount Mk III Legion Command Tank
288x Swiftfoot Mk III MTV
16x Aegis Mk III AA Tank
Legion Ground Forces Order of Battle in 4000
Active-duty Legion ground forces at this time totaled just over 60,000 highly-trained soldiers operating 519,000 transport tons of cutting-edge weapons and equipment.
Imperial Guard Legion
I. Imperial Guard Corps: 1st, 2nd, 3rd Imperial Guard Brigades
II. Imperial Guard Corps: 4th, 5th, 6th Imperial Guard Brigades
IV. Imperial Guard Corps: 7th, 8th, 9th Imperial Guard Brigades
Emperor’s Hand Legion
III. Armored Corps: 101st, 102nd, 103rd Tank Brigade
V. Armored Corps: 104th, 105th, 106th Tank brigade
VI. Mechanized Corps: 10th, 11th, 12th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
Imperial Guard and Mechanized Infantry Brigades: 3x Mechanized Infantry Battalion, 1x Mechanized Artillery Battalion
Tank Brigade: 3x Tank Battalion, 1x Mechanized Artillery Battalion
Brigade headquarters is embedded with one of the constituent battalions with no type preference