User:Oriflamme/Sandbox
| Thundering Elephant Army | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1985 – 1987 |
| Country |  Itayana |
| Allegiance |  Charnea |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Motorized Infantry |
| Size | 18,770 (1985) 37,990 (1987) |
| Garrison/HQ | Airashe (logistical hub) Yanomi (logistical hub) |
| Engagements | Ninvite War |
The Thundering Elephant Army was an expeditionary military unit sent by various governorates of Karana Basin to Charnea during the Ninvite War. Assembled and organized in 1985 from the forces of regional governors, it saw action in several major battles of the war. The Banner fought in several major battles of the Ninvite War, developing methods and raising cadres for future iterations of the Itayana military. Its political impact, however, is poorly understood up to this day.
Background
Operations
At the cessation of hostilities in 1987, the unit was transferred to Airashe, where, on January 5th, 1988, it was disbanded in a ceremony attracting much of the city's population and various delegations from across the Itayana. Its subdivisions returned to the original governorates, while shared units were split between 6th and 29th Governorates.
Composition and Equipment
The Corps was formed from the forces of governorates of the right bank of Karana (6th, 8th, 10th, 12th) and the Makgato Plateau (29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th and 36th). Initially, each governorate sent a battalion and either a pioneer command or an artillery battery. Following the escalation of hostilities, governors mobilized additional units, mostly to train replacements for killed or wounded soldiers. Medical services command was expanded and the centralized signal command was established for enhanced coordination of the units.
Organization of the Arm reflected changes in the overall thought as well. In 1986, the Corps followed the traditional structure of Itayana Banners, slightly modified with the experience gained in the Agala War. However, it was found to be unwieldy in motorized offensive operations and redundant in defense, so the structure was adapted by the late 1986 into a less common square structure with independent reconnaissance brigade and four triangular brigades, also called "Banners". This later structure persisted until the end of hostilities and dissolution of the unit; following the war, the word "Banner" was used only to denote brigades.
Initially, Army troops were issued Pattern 1950 automatic rifles, by that time a standard-issue weapon for line infantry; for company-grade fire support, 15mm Pattern 1950 HMG was used, a rechambered DShK machine gun. Heavier weapons included 50, 81, and 120mm mortars, as well as old 77mm field guns and 144mm heavy cannons of LDN Arsenal. Later in war, the banner received AK-54 assault rifles, proven to be useful in urban confines in the Battle of Hamath, as well as various RPGs for tank defence. 100mm MT-12 anti-tank guns and MLRS systems were also added.