Kingdom Defender

The Kingdom Defenders are a force of fighters within the Army of the Truthful. They operate under the command of High General Benaiah IV.

Background
The Kingdom Defenders, while not representing the bulk of the combined military of the Kingdom of the Light, are crucial to its continued existence. Tough and versatile fighters, what they lack in numbers is made up for reliability and loyalty.

Philosophy and Founding
While the Army of the Truthful was and is primarily a guerrilla organization, the formation of the Kingdom of the Light in the tundra of Dragonblight made the Truthful's central command realize that if they were to hold territory, they would have to field a force that is capable of holding and defending it.

Formed initially by the first High General, Derek Truesteel, the Kingdom Defenders were primarily made up of remnant veterans of the Scarlet Onslaught. During the Dragonblight Offensive, they performed admirably for the burgeoning polity, proving their worth to the Truthful's central command.

Tactics and Strategy
Strategically, the Kingdom Defender unit is meant to be a mobile and versatile entity that can be employed at decisive moments to break through enemy lines or to reinforce a defense. To enable this, rather than being under local and decentralized commanders like militant formations, they directly answer to the central military and its High General, Benaiah IV. On the level of a company or battalion, the Kingdom Defender unit can reliably be depended on to follow orders to the letter and to be moved around on the battlefield like a chess piece.

However, on the level of a platoon or squad, there is a certain level of independence fostered. Trained to relentlessly look for opportunities on a battlefield such as a weak point in the enemy's line, the Kingdom Defender squad or platoon is innovative in the sense that the leader of a small unit is encouraged to take initiative and act decisively more so than what is typical among most contemporary militaries.

Fyrd nir'Falor
First and foremost, the elite of the Kingdom Defenders is Fyrd nir'Falor, which translates to "Army of Hardship" in Archaic Common. At its core, it is comprised of non-Abbendite veterans of the Scarlet Onslaught. Members are chosen for their competence in combat and religious zeal. For many laymen who are familiar with Kingdom Defenders, the image is of Fyrd nir'Falor; a coal black set of armor with crimson trim.

The Fyrd has an impressive service record spanning from the Dragonblight Offensive to the defense of the Scarlet Monastery. In the latter, losses were severe to the point of near annihilation. Unlike other Kingdom Defender units, the Fyrd is multi-national.

Vorath'morde
Coming from a term derived from archaic common meaning "Warrior of Death", the Vorath'morde are a subset of Kingdom Defenders who are deployed on missions typically deemed suicidal in nature due to the danger involved. Selected by The Prelacy for their faith and devotion, the Vorath'morde are the most faithful of the Truthful's zealots.

A typical mission for a Vorath'morde unit involves infiltrating the main enemy defensive line and wreaking havoc on the rear echelon, attempting to cause as many losses as possible for the enemy in terms of manpower, material and infrastructure. This often involves war-crimes attributed to the Truthful such as the burning of farms and the massacring of prisoners.

Due to the "martyrdom culture" among adherents of Truth, becoming a Vorath'morde is seen as something to strive towards, and a high honor to whoever it is bestowed upon.

Kingdom Defender Units
The following is a list of all known Kingdom Defender units.

Unit Structure
The central military of the Truthful, generally regarded to as the Kingdom Defenders or occasionally "Fyrd nir'Kaelsig" is organized in terms of archaic common. The highest level command is typically a brigade; about 2000 men, although the often decimated Kingdom Defender units are usually somewhat lower.

Fyrd - Equivalent to a brigade, about 2000 men. Commanded by a "Fyrdwaetha", or "Theign nir'Fyrd".

Aescild - Equivalent to a battalion, about 500 men. Commanded by an "Aescildwaetha", or "Theign nir'Aescild".

Werald -  Equivalent to a company, about 80 men. Commanded by a "Weraldwaetha", or "Theign nir'Werald".

Anfald - Equivalent to a platoon, about 20 men. Commanded by an "Anfaldwaetha", or "Theign nir'Anfald".

Scildan - Equivalent to a squad, about 10 men. Commanded by a "Scildanwaetha", or "Theign nir'Scildan".

Ranks
In addition to the ranks above, the typical fighting man within a Kingdom Defender unit is known as a "Fyrdman" or occasionally "Scildman".

Notable Defenders
Includes honorary and confirmed