Imperial Army
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Established: |
2016 |
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Type: |
Army |
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Size: |
200 Regulars, 100 Militia |
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Commander in Chief: |
Constantine IX |
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Website: |
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The Imperial Army (sometimes referred to as the Sarovian Imperial Army or Imperial Sarovian Army, to distinguish between other foreign armies) is the biggest employer in New Sarovia and the land component of the Armed Forces. As of May 2021, the Imperial Army has over 200 full time soldiers and 100 part time soldiers.
Its roots begin and can be traced almost continuously from 2016, under the command and watchful eye of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Constantine III Mako. Its purpose is straightforward – to defend the borders, honour and prestige of the Empire from enemies anywhere and anytime. Members of the Imperial Army swear allegiance to their monarch as their commander-in-chief, and the force is overseen by the Ministry of Defense and the Chief of Staff, according to the National Defense Act of 2020.
The Imperial Army was primarily composed of three arms - infantry, cavalry and Guards, but cavalry has since shrunk to a diminished role. In the Army, consists of a series of departments that help in administration: the Department of Engineering, the Department of Supply and Logistics, the Department of Standards, the Department of Personnel and the Department of Signals.
The Imperial Army has seen action in major wars for five years and on every continent, including the Saro-Malum War, the first and second Great War, the Great Northern War, the Saro-Imperian Wars and more. Sarovian victories in major wars such as those allowed it to become the hegemon of Graal and abroad.
History
2016
The Imperial Army began after the success of the May 21st Revolution. Within a day, multiple guilds were made and being filled. Two Infantry Divisions were led by Colonel Jin and Colonel Mathiveas and Colonel Goose formed his Artillery Division.
A week later, the Imperial Army began the initial stages of the Autumnwood Campaign - the task to cleanse everything south of the River Nafets from Malum. Malum’s homeland was in Destiny and Swamp, so the war council decided to attack to destroy the enemy’s morale. The Imperial Army swept south and engaged at the gates of Destiny - which fought for just under six hours. The two sides were unrelenting and uncompromising, with the fiercest fighting getting the area warped. Under the recommendation of Chancellor Xiao, the Treaty of Tels was proposed to King Blackfyre - no battle would last longer than three hours. Should a battle last longer, both sides were mandated to engage in a guild spar. It was accepted by Blackfyre. The treaty was risky - Malum had the noble family of Valeria - one known for their good fighters.
The Imperial Army deployed their special forces - nicknamed the Golf Team, made up of multiple professional sparrers from GST teams. They swept through battles after every three hour time period was up. After the Malums were defeated at Autumnwood, they fled to Swamp, which would give way to the decisive battle of the entire Saro-Malum War. Battles won at Swamp, Onnet and Snow accelerated the Autumnwood Campaign.
In June, the Battle of Les Deux Fronts began was won, taking the territory of MoD and Castle, and in the final battle Emperor Constantine III led his Golf Team to victory in person, effectively ending any resistance. The decisive battle of Les Deux Fronts crippled Malum, leaving Blackfyre exiling himself. On the 5th of June, the regent of Malum, Azrael, surrendered to Constantine, and was assimilated into Sarovia, forming a Division full of Malum refugees.
An Expeditionary Corps (Sarovian Expeditionary Corps) travelled to the West, which was a decent success. There began the first permanent Sarovian navy, and most members of the Expeditionary Corps transferred to it. The Expeditionary Force retreated when the Emperor focused all forces on an upcoming campaign against the United Forces, led by Auelist loyalists who were disgruntled Sarovian prosecution of Statees. The United Forces seized Big City and sent probing attacks to all Sarovian territories, which were promptly defeated by the garrisons there. Soon after, an official war declaration was sent.
The United Forces were knocked out of the war insanely early with a decisive victory in MoD. In honour of this victory, the Royal Guards were elevated to the Imperial Guard, and the Chancellor raised ten thousand gralats to be funded to build on map bases - Mirage and Draydon. The Imperial Army was only defeated by itself in the Sarovian Civil War. The first and only battle of the Civil War began on September 1st, 2016 at Delta. The battle is one of the quickest in Sarovian history - lasting just over half an hour. Both sides engaged below the spar arena, with the Yorkist green being used to signify allegiance to Emperor John, and the old brown being used to identify the forces of Emperor Oliver. The battlefield was warped once, and when the troops returned to continue the fight - Emperor John and members of both sides were banned for boosting - a mere 48 hours, but enough to kill any claim to the Sarovian throne. Oliver’s excitement was short lived however - his top staff was included in the ban wave, and his grip on power began to crumble as activity fell. Former Emperor Constantine IV fled into exile into Northern Wilderness with the Imperial Guard.
Constantine V rebuilt the Imperial Guard - who donned unique scarlet coats - in November of 2016. The Guard quickly built up three Regiments - the 13th, 14th and 15th Regiments. New Sarovia laid claim to everything north of the River Nafets, before planning to launch further south and retake the map. Two small rebel guilds, each not even one full tag, were put to the sword in battles at Delta and Snowtown, which let the Empire claim those. Eventually, the Saro-Aurean War began. When the Imperial Army came to MoD Town with the intention of a fight, the Aureans fled to Destiny. This behaviour was suspicious from the Aureans, who were so keen on fighting the Sarovians. The Sarovians chased them the next day, though the Aureans again refused to fight at Destiny, though scouts did smirkish at Swamp.
2017
The Aureans set up shop at York - known to the Sarovians as Poltava - and began setting up defenses and scouts. The Sarovians, eager for a fight, decided to attack York the next day. The Aureans had developed a secret glitch allowing you to be able to gain kick powers inside of other guilds. When the Sarovians attacked York through the snow in early January 2017, the Aureans unleashed the glitch - nicknamed the nuke - and the Sarovians fell into disarray. All Regiments were masskicked, leaving everyone uncertain what happened and what to do.
Lieutenant Colonel Sevirax tried to stop the troops from fleeing and leaving Sarovia for good, as Colonel Low tried desperately to recruit them back. It was to no avail though, the Sarovians fled in great numbers. The day was completely lost due to Aurea’s exploits - the first time the glitch was ever used in the Graal Military Community. The first Battle of Poltava was the first - and only - decisive defeat in Sarovian history, due to uncontrollable external factors that would foreshadow the carnage and destruction of the Great War, half a year later.
In April of that year, a veteran of the Battle of Poltava, Carolus, became King of Sarovia.
