Skanderan Legion
| Skanderan Legion | |
|---|---|
| Skandarskyu Forrstpaj | |
| File:SKANDARK lEGION.png The legions native name, in Skanderian Runic | |
| Active | Since 1952 |
| Country | Template:Country data Austrasien
 Temuair |
| Allegiance | Template:Country data SU |
| Branch | Independent |
| Type | Mechanized Infantry Armor Cavalry Special Forces |
| Size | 24,560 |
| Battalion Headquarters (Skankalt) | Akureyri Bedero Dinsmar Eisenberg Paris Ostrogslav |
| Motto(s) | On Our Honour (1st Division) The Last Resort of Kings (2nd Division) |
| Colors | Red, Black, White |
| March | The Legion |
| Anniversaries | 1st November |
| Commanders | |
| Generallöjtnant | Julius Skorzeny |
| generalmajor | Daghan Kment |
| generalmajor | Jónmundur Darges |
The Skanderan Legion (SL) is a joint military force administered, commanded, and staffed by the Skanderian Union. Considered by some political opponents as a government sanctioned private army. The Skaderan Legion is a traditional guard as well as a military unit; composed nearly 25,000 troops, the SL has seen combat deployments with Skanderian forces since its inception in 1952. A culturally protected element of Skandera, the legion came about as a way of preserving Skanderian identity and cultural heratage while also giving the political Skanderian Union a contingency force for dealing with any active or sudden political turbulance, especially those of a Communist nature. Today, the Legion mostly acts in a Gendarme like roll for policing Skanderan Union jointly administered territories, important facilities, and cultural sights, while maintaining a reserve of combat and support troops.
Composed of volunteers of pure Skanderan ancestry, members of the legion swear deep allegiance to the union, revoking such rights as the ability to own property during term of service, all claims or titles (besides those held through Academia) bestowed upon them, and any procession willed to them through family or death. Volunteers are subjected to a rigorous background check, concerning both family and family history.
History and Inception
The Skanderian Legion traces its roots back to the original tribes of Skanderian people and customs of the current Skanderian nations.
The Legion was by and large the brainchild of Valdas Skorzeny, a Dnieguan veteran of the First and Second Great Wars, and numerous interbellum wars and conflicts. Having served with merit in both the Dnieguan Armed Forces and the Sieuxerrian Foreign Legion, Valdas had by and large become disgusted with the constant affiar of conflicts between nations that had, historically, had deep cultural similarities and similar traditions. Following the Second Great war, Skorzenys published a book, On the People of Skandera, which called for the end of wars on the Skanderian continent and the establishment of a political protectorate to defend and preserve the Skanderian way of life. The book was notably read by much of the Dnieguan and Aisling mission to the newly founded Skanderian Union, whos political mission was to foster new relationships between member states and propagate better communications.
In 1951 Valdas, now a Yesaul in the Dnieguan Armed Forces, was invited to speak before the Union on behalf of member sanctions to advocate for the establishment of a join Skanderian Guard. At the same time, escalated political strife globally along with the beginning of the Cold War had created a second wave of a Red Scare, along with the (failed) 1949 Communist revolution in Gratislavia. Poor response times and low willingness to fight against Communist forces in Skanderia had lead to a fear that Communists may take hold and, as such, a jointly-owned and funded guard may be beneficial, the Legion effectively serving the interests of the continent, and not a nation.
The Legion was voted into funding in 1952 and mustered into a regiment-sized formation with Valdas at command later that same year. In order to ensure members would be loyal to the Legion and, therefore, the continent, only military-age males with two years of prior service and multilingual abilities of pure Skanderian ancestry were selected for service. Men had to forfeit all titles (besides those held through Academia) bestowed upon them by nobility, family or government entities, as well as inheritances or other "worldly" possessions. The Legions ranks were well paid and consisted mostly of soldiers aged 22-26, all of whom would be reeducated on Skanderian History and learn the original Skanderian tongue, Skandar Runic.
Officially not part of any nation, Dniegua and Temuair both voted to count service to the Legion as fulfillment of national service tasks; Dniegua requiring six years of Legionary service, while Temuair elected to require ten. Enlistees were free to sign off present service contract obligations (provided they had reached the minimum standard) to join, in addition to being selected from a pool of previous military enlistees. Officers were trained at the Dnieguan College of War in Windhelm, while infantrymen were trained at the Rev'lart Cavalry center in Evallti, Grovlund, Dniegua. Alpine training took place at Fort Largs, Tulach, Temuair, and Gunnery training at Camp de Châlons, Châlons-en-Champagne, Sieuxerr. The Legion would see its first combat in the 1954 Dnieguan Våne crisis, where the Legionaries of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Guards Rifles Fommstran assaulted the Dien and Coyst separatists at the Battle of Wevnark, killing 866 and wounding 217, capturing some 1,420 while sustaining 96 casualties. The deployment of the Legion against Skanderian targets was met with mixed response from the public initially, though revalment that 80% of those involved on separatist side had been of Dienzeng nationality swayed public opinion in favor of the legion.
During the Sieuxerren lead invasion of Kolenomai, Sieuxerr called upon the Legion to establish a zone of control in the Capital city of Khả Lễ. A reinforced Regiment of 3,126 men was deployed using join Sieuxerren-Dnieguan maratime lift capabilities. This unit was known as the 1st Motorized Expeditionary force of the Skanderian Legion Kommiejäger. From 1961 to wars end, the Legion unit would see combat deployments in and around the capital, as well as supply fire support, troop reinforcements and other combat duties for involved states. At its peak, 5,200 Legion troops were stationed in and around Khả Lễ; the legion suffered 182 killed in action, 285 wounded, and 8 missing of a total 51,650 committed troops.
Most recently, in 2015, the Skanderian Legion 1st Battalion, 7th Mechanized Dragoon Regiment Wiking defended the Pukotina Nuclear Waste Repository from Gratislavian revolutionaries druing the 2015 Invasion of Gratislavia.
Recrutment and enlistment
| National origin of Legion enlistees (2014) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nation | Percentage |
|||
 Sieuxerr |
21% | |||
| Temuair |
20% | |||
| Template:Country data Gratislavia | 13% | |||
 Dniegua |
23% | |||
| Template:Country data Tule | 5% | |||
| Template:Country data Austrasien | 17% | |||
| Other | 1% | |||
The Legion theoretically accepts enlistees from any ethnic Skandar state; however, in practice, it accepts mostly applicants from the Skanderan Union. Recrutes are required to be between 1.75 and 2 meters tall, and must be within health parameters. Legionaries must be of good mental and moral standing. Before acceptance, a through vetting process takes place, ensuring that the applicant is of true Skanderan decent and is able to trace liniage back several generations.