Testekill fucked around with this message at 11:21 on Jun 2, 2014

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• The Celestian Guard: (Like The Sun, Powerful And Eternal) A Heavy Hoof Guard regiment and the personal security detail of Princess Celestia, who is also their Ceremonial Chief. They are generally male Pegasi, and all have white coats (usually bleached or dyed), and blue manes (ditto). They carry golden armor and helmets. Their unit insignia is a blue star, and in dress uniform a distinctive shamrock collar flash is worn. Their most recent known Colonel-In-Chief was Captain Shining Armor, who stepped down after marrying Princess Cadence and becoming Prince of the Crystal Empire. His replacement has not been publicly named. Their headquarters are in Canterlot.
  
• The Night Guard: (From The Night We Come, Into The Night We Go) A Light Hoof Guard regiment and the personal security detail of Princess Luna, who is also their Ceremonial Chief. They are perhaps the most distinguishable of the military branches, seeing how they sport the most detailed and original uniform dress. Often mistaken for pegasi, they are actually bat-ponies, native to the mountainous regions in the north-east. They have dark blue or purple coats and manes, and carry dark blue armour and Cool Helmets with so-called fishbone manes. However, they also have slitted, yellow feline eyes, which greatly enhance their night vision. Their unit insignia is a blue eye. Their headquarters are in Canterlot.
  
• The Royal Unicorn Brigade "Prince Blueblood": (Kudos, Fidelity, Victory) An exclusive unicorn Heavy Hoof Guard regiment from Canterlot whose members have grey coats, and golden iron and cotton armor and helmets with white manes. Also known as the "Toff Brigade" by those not from Canterlot. Their unit insignia is a blue star. Their current Colonel-In-Chief is Blueblood, Prince of Canterlot. Their HQ also is, appropriately, in Canterlot.
  
• The Royal Household Detachment: (Fortune To The Vigilant) Usually pegasi or unicorns, those soldiers guard royal and governmental institutions in major cities, and also take care of Equestrian embassies around the world. Often the butt of cheap jokes from other soldiers who tend to forget that, while their major purpose is indeed guarding buildings and military installations, they have actually absolved a special lengthy combat training committed to capturing and holding buildings as well. They have grey fur and light black iron and cotton armour and black helmets with great white manes. Their unit insignia is a golden star badge. Their headquarters is in Hoofington.
  
• The 4th Pony Protection Platoon A.K.A. The Wonderbolts: (Fly Like Lightning, Strike Like Thunder) In-keeping with their status as elite soldiers, they have the least standardised uniforms, and do not require dyed manes or dyed coats. Their standard issue uniform consists of blue nylon body suits and wind goggles. Their unit insignia is a yellow thunderbolt with white wings. Their headquarters are in Winsome Falls, Neighgara.
  
• The Imperial Crystal Guard: (Between Stone And Gem We Last) The newest addition to the Royal Guard, having only joined in 2013. A Hoof Guard regiment that exclusively features Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi native to the Crystal Empire. They have wearing purple coats, silver armour and helmets with white manes over their naturally sparkly and glass-like physical forms. Their unit insignia is a silver, moon-shaped gorget. Their current Ceremonial Chief is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Empress of the Crystal Empire. Their current commanding officer is Lieutenant Flash Sentry. Their HQ is in the Crystal Empire.
  
• The King's Girthka Spears: (Paragon of Brotherhood, Predator of Fear) A Royal Neighpalese Cavalry unit serving the Equestrian Crown. In Equestrian-Neighpalese War of 1815, fought between Equestria and the Girthka Kingdom of Neighpal, Princess Celestia saw the potential of Girthka soldiers as well-trained and sturdy light cavalry with the bonus of an ancient military tradition. Their Equestrian HQ is in Fillydelphia.
  
• The Equestrian Gryphons' Armed Battalion: (These Rocks Rule None But Harmony) An independent national guard regiment under local administration, tasked with defending the Free City of Rostrum, an Equestrian fortress exclave and port inside the Gryphon Republic. Made up entirely by Gryphons from both Equestria and the Republic, it's the only unit with the authority to traverse Gryphon teritory, following the 1963 Treaty of Rostrum that regulated the territory's special 'inter-border' status that effectively made it a very neutral Truce Zone and buffer between the two great powers. They wear silver Gryphon armour (most notably with cabassets with yellow feather plumage), and their unit insignia mirrors the coat-of-arms of the town - a bird's claw grasping a thunderbolt. Their HQ is in Rostrum.
  
• The Border Guard: (We Are The Moats, We Are The Walls) A term referring to all the regiments of the Royal Guard stationed on the various borders of Equestria. They tend to be often stationed hostile spots, far away from major cities, and thus is frequently undersupplied. A large part of the ranks is made up of criminals, foreign soldiers seeking Equestrian citizenship, and misbehaving/incompetent Royal Guards. Due to the limited budget, even by Royal Guards standards, they are the only non-militia guardponies without any uniform. The biggest regiment, the one in Stalliongrad which is also known as The Northern Guards, is particularly (in)famous. Their headquarters are in Vanhoover, Northern Equestria and Dodge Junction, Appleloosa.
  
• The Ducal Mustangia Cavalry AKA the Ducal Lance-Canids: (If Not Us, Then No One Does) A strictily Mustangian earth pony force "on indefinite lease" to the Royal Crown in Canterlot note since the formal peace of the Thirteen Years' War in 1631. The Lance-Canids started out as mercenary companies employed by the local Mustangian dukes, and united in the chaos of the 13 war years as a national guard to the seceding Duchy of Mustangia. Evidently, none of it lasted. Probably one of the most ferocious Earth Pony regiments out there. Wear woolen harnesses under their silver armour and Nice plumed Caps. Their unit insignia is a red phoenix. Their headquarters are in Kiger, Mustangia.
  
• The 1st Light Anti-Parasprite Field Orchestra: (Beautiful Is The Melody Of Victory) While occasionally deployed into action, most recently to Fillydelphia under Celestia's personal command, they are better known as a public-relations unit that may be seen playing on many occasions, particularly the popular Canterlot Tattoo. They are responsible for playing the Royal Fanfare when the princesses are present. As a pan-regimental institution, each member keeps the insignia of his unit, though they all have uniform similar to that of the Celestian Guard. Their headquarters is also in Canterlot.
  
• The Royal Provost Battalion: (Harmony Through Justice, Justice Through Wisdom, Wisdom Through Harmony) The 1200 pony-strong military police of the Guard (not to be confused with Gendarmerie detachs), who seem to dispach in indefinite amount of zealous, but hopelessly inept Inquisitors General to cause trouble in the ranks. Annoying at best and harrowing at worst, they have garnered a universal Hatedom and - just as often as they seek to find things wrong with REG soldiers - they serve as the common soldier's showcase of everything wrong with the Royal Guard* . Wear golden armour and helmets with red manes, which has led to the desultory nickname of "redcaps." Have a silver star badge as their unit insignia. Their HQ is in Hoofington.
  
• The Royal Signals and Reconnaisance Regiment: (attributed: To Know The Unknown Is To Win The Unwinnable) Does not exist. But if it did, it would actually be the Royal Guard's military intelligence wing. As nopony is willing to officially confirm its existence, the scope of its activities is dubious note . They have their own task force though - the Security Assistance Squadron, whose existence, surprisingly and quite ironically, has indeed been confirmed. Of course, they have no coat of arms or uniforms of their own. Thanks to their direct links to the Princely Offices, there is confusion whether they can even be assumed part of the Guard proper. Their HQ is, of course, unknown. Canterlot would be a good guess, though.
  
• The 7th (Air) Cavalry Regiment: (Pay the Reckoning) Raised in 1866. Best known for the time when an arrogant Earth Pony officer named Custard led it into a ambush during the Buffalo Wars. Converted to a Pegasus unit in 1963. Its uniform consists of a blue tunic and a blue broad-rimmed campaign hat, and its unit insignia is two crossed sabres on brown cloth. Its headquarters are in Dodge Junction.
  

• Commander-In-Chief (Princess Celestia and Princess Luna) - There is no higher authority in the country.
  
• General, Marshal (Air Force only), Admiral (Navy only) - Branch commander rank. Formerly collectively referred to as Commander (archaic).
  
• Colonel, Commander (Navy only) - Commands all troops in one region or two.
  
• Captain - Has command over a regiment or other complete task force or vessel.
  
• Lieutenant, Wing Commander (Air Force only) - Commands a battalion at best, a company at worst.
  
• Cornet, Acting Lieutenant, Sheriff (doubles as political office) - A broad assortment of equal ranks without command, tasked with the sub-command (or temporary command) of a unit or command over irregular units (such as Militias and Border Guards).
  
• Officer Cadet - Officer in training.
  

• Warrant Major - Leads the platoon.
  
• Sergeant - Leads one whole section.
  
• Lance Corporal, Wing Leader (Air Force only) - Leads one combat team/one maneouvre team respectively.
  

• Specialist - A Trooper promoted into a specialised field of expertise (e.g. defence, magic, engineering, ambulance, etc).
  
• Private, Wing-Pony (Air Force only), Trooper (RPB only) - The standard rank that makes up the bulk of the Guard.
  
• Recruit, Air Cadet (Air Force only) - Soldier in training.
  

• app. 250 bd - 251 bd (Pegasus Army): The Eternal Winter Scramble: As the disastrous winters of the 200s bd destroyed most of the crops and reserves of the three Pony Tribes, and the 250 Conference failed, the three tribes scrambled for the last hoofful of fertile lands of the modern-day Canterlot area. Often, it resulted in occasional fights, territorial clashes and raids in the Hoofington, Cloudsdale and Everfree provinces, especially perpetrated by Pegasi. The animosity continued and grew worse until the three leaders ended up seeking refuge in the same cave...
  
• app. 100 bd - ? bd (Pegasus Army): The beginning of the Discordian Era. According to a letter of commission, one of the few historical artifacts that has remained from this time, the Pegasopolis Guard tried to fight the Discordian influence by order of the Equestrian Commonwealth in Canterlot. It is unknown how far it was successful, but the entire Commonwealth eventually succumbed to the Chaos in the next few decades.
  
• 10 - 1415 (EUP Guard): The Equestrian Unification Wars.
  
• 1006 (EUP Guard): The Crystal War: Everything began when the Crystal Empire, led by the rebellious Unicorn King Sombra, tried to expand its border into surrounding (Equestrian) Seaddle territory and enslave the local population. In the next two weeks, the Princess Sisters ammassed an 7500 strong-army and marched against the city state, eventually pushing back an avid, yet undersupplied and unprepared Crystal Guard in the Battle of Horstings. King Sombra famously ordered to raze the conquered land as they retreated. The Crystal State itself was overrun very easily, and the most spectacular event of the entire campaign was perhaps the Alicorn Sisters personally tracking down King Sombra during the retreat and sealing him under the Sir-Ascot-Glacier. Only about 400 ponies were lost on Equestria’s side, half of them civilian ponies of the surrounding lands. note That said, relationships with the Gryphons soured as part of the fallout of this campaign. The Gryphons had close ties to the region, and when the Crystal Empire was lost in time, they blamed the Royal Sisters for this failure, particularly Princess Luna.
  
• 1007 - 1009 (EUP Guard): The Equestrian Civil War. With the help of the Night Guard, Princess Luna rose up against Princess Celestia. Cities like Canterlot, Hoofington and Manehattan declared allegiance to Princess Celestia, while cities like Fillydelphia and Cloudsdale joined Princess Luna’s rebellion. The first months it was mostly showing fangs and individual skirmishes taking place all across the historical heartland, but open revolution had broken out by early 1009. The eclat was the Battle of Everfree Hall the same year, where the Night Guard, after trying to come to their leader's aid and take the princely citadel by storm, were surrounded and smashed by the Celestian Guard. Princess Luna was exiled to the Moon. The Night Guard surrendered in droves following this defeat. The overall toll of this conflict is largely unknown, but is estimated at around 6,000.
  
• 1248 – 1254 (EUP Guard): The Saddle Arabian Campaign: Because the Saddle Arabian Sultanate, as an outspoken friend of Princess Luna and still enraged about her banishment, was refusing to recognise Celestia’s status as Equestria's true Princess, he had all trade ties between the two nations severed and expelled numerous ponies from the Horse nation. Celestia decided to make him recognise her rule by force, and called note for the nobleponies of Equestria to march into Saddle Arabia occupy their cities and trade posts in her name. All counties of Equestria complied, and soon a force of nearly a hundred thousand ventured to the horse nation, and captured some major metropolises like Mareusalem and Coltstaninople. The Sultan followed suit, and turned to the Khalifs and Emirs of Saddle Arabia for defence. The captured cities switched owners several times as more noble equines from both sides headed into the battle for their respective nation's honour. Eight years and 65.000 lives later, all Royal Guard companies had been beaten back and the Saddle Arabian borders restored, with the Sultan's begrudging recognition following suit. Thankfully, the relations between the nations had been mild and positive ever since this very humbling conflict.
  
• 1618 – 1631 (EUP Guard): Thirteen Years’ War: The escalation of tensions between the Equestrian Crown and the Gryphon Union after Princess Celestia threw a misbehaving Gryphon envoy out a Throne Room window. note Seeing this as an act of diplomatic impiety (and appreciating an opportunity to utilise some cutting-edge magic and technology), the Gryphon Union declared war and poured over Northern borders, venturing deep into Equestrian and Changeling lands. The Changelings, who themselves had been at edge with Equestria at the time, suddenly found themselves sandwiched and participating in a vicious Mêlée à Trois with the Ponies and Gryphons. The Gryphons managed to capture the young colony of Northern Equestria, using Vanhoover as a rally point for mercenariesnote . While the Royal Guard scrambled to the Frozen North to (futilely) prevent the Gryphons advancing further south to Mustangia, the Changelings resorted to irregular warfare, dealing a lot of physical and psychological damage to both sides. The situation only grew worse when the Royal Guard retreated, Mustangia tried to secede from Equestria and Gryphon mercenaries began to defect and go rogue in the region. It took an entire decade for the fighting to die down and the respective sides to regroup behind their respective borders. Officially, the war was a draw, but cost all sides about 200,000 lives and a million ponies displaced.
  
• 1815 (EUP Guard): The Equestrian-Neighpalese War
  
• 1862 - 1891 (EUP Guard): The Buffalo Wars: A desultory series of actions during the Southwestward Expansion of Equestrian settlers into traditional buffalo lands.
  
• 1899 - 1902 (Equestrian Royal Guard): The Boors’ War: The last great attempt of Equestria to tame the Badlands. Setting up the colonies of Equitoria, the settlers soon found their biggest problem to be the native Diamond Dogs who lived under the earth and robbed towns, plundered supply routes and occcasionally even abducted ponies as bounty. The Royal Guard was called in to safeguard the Pony settlers, but was quickly overwhelmed with the Diamond Dogs’ presence, who at that point had already resorted to irregular warfare (against the painfully rigid, outdated and unflexible tactics of the Guard) to great effect. Even though the Guard proceded to increase their presence constantly over the months, the Badlands remained to be dangerous and utterly uninhabitable regions, last not but least because of such 'neutral' threats like dragons and hydras. Even though the casulaties were minimal (less than 200), Princess Celestia basically declared the cause not to be worth the trouble, sacked the responsible commanding officers and beat the retreat. Until this day, there is some sort of unspoken note agreement between the Diamond Dogs and Equestria that keeps Ponies (especially the Royal Guard) out and the Diamond Dogs in. The colonies are still there as well, but are destroyed beyond recognition.
  
• 1914 - 1945 (Equestrian Royal Guard): The Great Changeling War: Under the directions of their new Queen, Chrysalis I, the Changeling empire made repeated, but fairly subtle attempts to expand into Equestrian territory. When Princess Celestia chose not to react note , Chrysalis saw this as an allowance to swallow several whole counties. She invaded Northern Equestria, Mustangia, Germaneigh, Cowstria, as well as the Southern Gryphon Republic’s Yugryphonia and all of the Foallands from the air, and even had a jab at Gryphon-occupied Saddle Arabia, making the entire continent her enemy in record time note . It was perhaps the most world-spanning conflict that Equestria took part in. Royal Guards from all over Equestria were ordered to march up north and fend off the Changelings' "thunder and lightening", as they themselves called this new, swift form of conquering land. Chrysalis made heavy use of terror and mind control to make the captured states her puppet countries, and managed to put the Guard under constant pressure over years in a row. However, thanks to the Guard making up in fervour and technology what the Changelings had in flexibility and numbers, the stalemate between the two sides was upheld. Soon, neither side could advance even a mere dozen miles. It was not until the Gryphon Republic launched an offensive from the north and successfully thinned out the Changelings’ ranks that the stalemate ended. Those Changeling colonies that didn’t retreat were retaken by the Guard in a matter of weeks. The Changelings ended up with less land than before the war, and were utterly humiliated by the winning powers. This built-up animosity still persists in present times. More than a 500.000 ponies were taken out, and more than three Million lost their homes.
  
• 1982 (Equestrian Royal Guard): The Foallands War (referred to in griffon territories as the Falcons War). In the latest of Equestrian-Gryphonian tensions, the part-Equestrian part-Gryphon Foalland Archipelago (a tiny island group plagued by constant border struggles and unease between Gyphon and Equestrian citizens) was invaded by Gryphon troops (under the command of the new, radical Gryphon administration) with the intent to claim all of the territory and expel all (126) Equestrian citizens. Princess Celestia (nicknamed 'The Equestrian Empress' by the Gryphon President in the wake of the war) responded harshly, sending in a completely air-based armada of Celestian Guards to push the Gryphons back and retake the Equestrian parts. The operation, taking only about a month, was a big success, with the Gryphon invasion force twice the size falling back almost without dealing resistance. The Royal Guard only had abou 200 losses, and the Gryphons more than thrice that much. As this was a conflict more about honour rather than substance (Gryphon fishing rights in the area notwithstanding) the Status Quo between both nations was enforced after the end of the conflict, but the Gryphons are still particularly sore because of those islands.
  
• 1991 - 1999 (Equestrian Royal Guard): The Yugryphonian Intervention: In 1990, Yugryphonia, an apostate south-eastern region of the Gryphon Republic, used the country's precarious political climate (read; the the Gryphon Civil Wars, which began in the wake of Foallands debacle) to declare independence and began drawing up paramilitary forces. Equestria, which had been at odds with the Gryphon Republic ever since '82 and were deeply worried that the war's violence may sweep over the borders, hastily hatched a treaty of mutual respect with Yugryphonia. When the Gryphon National Guard marched into Yugryphonia and the Yugryphonian armed forces opened fire, Equestria warily abstained, but filed an international plight for Yugryphonia in the NEIGHTO. It was only when the Yugryphonian conflict got so thoroughly out of claw that the Princesses (and by extension, Equestria's allies as well) felt that the harmony of the entire theatre was too far in peril to be ignored, and organised a peacekeeping mission that deployed 500 Equestrians, 380 Saddle Arabians and 115 Zebricans to Yugryphonia. This peacekeeping force was officially neutral, and served mainly as a deterrent for both sides, interfering only in the wake of unjustifiably unharmonious actions perpetrated by the combatants. Naturally, the Gryphon Republic did not approve, but ultimately retreated from Yugryphonia. Peacekeepers are still stationed in the region as observers, and even though Yugryphonia is largely free, it has yet to be recognised as an independent state by about everyone.
  
• 1992 (Equestrian Royal Guard): Zebran Civil War.
  
• 2009 (Equestrian Royal Guard): The Battle of Appleloosa.
  
• 2012 (Equestrian Royal Guard): The Siege of Canterlot.
  
• 2012 - Ongoing (Equestrian Royal Huard): The Wuvy-Dovey Land Relief Mission.
  

• Spears: Largely ceremonial, as they must be held in the foreleg and cannot be carried at the gallop. Therefore they are regularly used on guard duty by all units, when leaving the post is not an option (since casting away one's weapon in the face of the enemy is a court martial offence, it also motivates guards to stay put in all circumstances, and instead use the lance to keep enemies at tip-point.
  
• Lances: Bigger and entirely wooden counterparts of the spear which, on the other hoof, can be carried on the move - affixed to a guardspony's armor and pointed directly to his front. They come in different weights and sizes, but are primarily the heavy cavalry's aggressive weapons, meant for charges on the battlefield to punch through the enemy's lines. Thick bulky ones are traditional weapons of the Crystal Empire, where it has since also become a national sport in traditional jousting tournaments.
  
• Bows: Far less mobile than those of other lands, Equestrian archers rely on a standup bow, reinforced and weighted at the bottom; however, the bow can be easily pivoted for aiming. Due to this, archers are always delegated as support units and never maker up a primary front line, being dependent on regular cavalry protection. There are varieties of ammunition, such as ice arrows for use against dragons.
  
• Cannons: Many would be surprised to hear that cannons - large cast-iron tubes on wheels that use black powder cartridges to propel loads forward really fast - have their roots on the battlefield. While they do have chiefly civilian uses nowadays (like propelling confetti, fireworks or stuntponies), artillery was once designed to hurl cast iron and carved stone projectiles into the enemy ranks with devastating results. Nowadays, artillery has been abandoned by the Guard in favor of the much more effective and cheaply available detonation spells. But the concept of firearms itself has not yet been entirely disused...
  
• Howitzers: The main artillery of the Equestrian military. The 6-inch 26 cwt howitzer made by Royal Armament currently in service can fire a 6 inch shell up to 9,500 yards.
  
• Mortar: A "Mortar" is a smaller version of the howitzers already in service. Unlike other experimental designs listed here, this on is expected to be finished in less than a few months and will not replace howitzers.
  
• Rockets: Another obsolete weapon designed to carry explosives to great heights and distances, these are now better known as firework carriers - though in some cases military and police ordnance - ponies are tasked with safely launching them over public events, their only function is to create colorful displays of light and sound. It has been theorized that these might one day be improved to carry larger payloads, or even carry ordinary ponies to the Moon. It is thought that this last is why Princess Luna has blocked any further development. Though, rockets in combat haven't left researcher's minds completely.
  
• Grenades: A grenade is a thrown explosive that can be used by the common infantrypony and thrown up to 40 yards. The grenade is stick shaped with a explosive ordinance up on top. The grenade is activated by a pull cord at the bottom of the stick and explodes after a five second delay. Infantryponies have occasionally tied up to six of these grenades together for a bigger explosion.
  
• Smoke Grenades: A grenade that releases smoke instead of an explosion. Used for escape, flanking enemy positions, and disorienting enemies.
  
• Magic Canceling Grenades: A grenade that releases a blast that cancels out all unicorn magic in a room. Unicorn guards are advised to be extra cautious with these grenades, for fear of accidental incapacitation.
  

• Small Firearms: Rumored to be a new type of weapon under development in the Royal Research and Development labs for at least a decade. note According to unconfirmed reports, a "firearm" is a smaller, thinner and portable version of the cannon, firing pellets of any type 200 yards at the pull of a trigger similar to those seen on crossbows. Due to their bulk, they might only be used by Pegasus guards^{note It is currently unknown as to whether Earth ponies and Unicorn guards will receive them as well.} .
  
• Tank: Based on the designs of a wood-plated, earth pony-drawn chariot by the popular Earth Pony leader Jan Horse, a tank would be an armored military vehicle armed with a high powered canon and maned by a crew of at least five ponies. Leading "tank" scientist Desert Fox boastfully proclaimed that these vehicles would be the future of warfare and Equestria had to keep up with the times in terms of military prowess, despite Princess Celestia's hesitance to do so.
  
• Rocket Launcher: A "Rocket Launcher" would be a weapon that launches a 2.36-inch Rocket from a tube like object designed to take out multiple groups of enemies, garrisoned buildings, or artillery positions. The main reason that the weapon is not on the a battlefield as of this writing is due to problems with getting to rocket to launch reliably.
  

• Daring Do tends to come across members of the Royal Guard once and a while on her travels. Unfortunately, most of them tend to be either obstructively stuffy about her snooping around everywhere or are simply dumb as bricks.
  
• The Three Tribes features Commander Hurricane and his Pegasus Tribes in a significant role.
  
• Personal Circle in Tartarus: Tales from The Great Changeling War is a biographical epic about the Great Changeling War, and was notable for portraying the Guard in an increasingly bleak light, and thus is accredited with setting the mood for how the Guard is seen today.
  

Lottery of Babylon fucked around with this message at 10:28 on Jun 6, 2014