This article discusses "modern" military unit designations as they were used by large states with centralized militaries in Oshmondu.

Structure

Units were fundamentally structured hierarchically by size, subdividing militaries that could number into the millions further and further.

Note that it is very difficult to assign an size in numbers to any of these unit levels; because, though the hierarchy was generally followed (with some steps being potentially skipped), they were applied to incredibly different institutions.

Most levels of size have several unit names belonging to them. Many systems used just one of the two names; however, there are also general associations generally associated with the choice. At the regimental level, the older form was the regiment: raised from a geographically determined area (and often named after that place). Brigades were often longer-standing forces detached from any specific regional origin. One level up, the legion was classically constituted temporarily, usually from levies, whereas the division was a younger template used by professional militaries with permanent, numbered divisions. There is a similar difference in age and form associated with the army/corps, however the distinction here is more blurry. Some military systems had armies grouped above corps.

Naturally, there was considerably more complexity (and variation) in real systems. Notably, it was common for there to be special small units attached directly to higher commands, and combined-arms units also broke this structure. Furthermore, when there were other branches than the main land army, these were usually structured differently.

There are many implementations of this system to reference. Notable examples include the Woodlands Legion, Federal Silurite Army, and Grand Armies.

Ranks

Individual officers were in command of each unit. Officers had more or less formal headquarters around themselves; the commander of a company would have junior and noncommissioned officers as their "cadre", but from the regimental level upwards there were dedicated headquarters groups.

There is considerably more variance in the officer hierarchy than in the unit hierarchy presented above. Furthermore, it should be noted that the ranks presented here and in most lore is translated to English, mapping titles to the standard equivalent where possible and thereby simplifying a lot of detail.

(1) chosen from among the vonoryks and vonoryks ekystron in the emaye's staff

(2) the unit commanded by a lieutenant was officially called cohort (following Bromal traditions), but its was only 100 men strong

History

The unit structure as presented here was first codified by the officers of the Elvish House Mystraleth, considered the inventors of professional armies and the "canon" doctrine of militarily successful states. Their hierarchy was the inspiration for (though rarely matched by) other Elvish armies, and later carried over relatively smoothly into the Federal Army. Bromalnor adopted a similar system in 4'500 b. OW.

The Greentree Coalition states relied on a shared lexicon of army corps, divisions, and regiments in their communications. Coordination in this war led to somewhat more "doctrinal" armies in the ensuing Human Age, though of course there were still considerable variations. The Korpeonic Joint Tactical Code formally defined the modern unit structure as presented above so strongly that its successor states largely stuck to it.