Dragons of Cambria

The Dragons of Cambria

Based upon an elite unit of Cambrians trained in the Roman style of combat, Ythr and his clansman Lidoc formed this unit to be a long-term military force. Whereas most Cambrians fight as individuals, even in mass combat, the Dragons are trained to fight as a unit performing actions in tandum with eachother.
The Dragons are a formal military unit, and as such have a formal rank structure and a military code of conduct and uniform code of military justice. Crimes are dealt with harshly, generally in the form of exile.
In order to be considered for acceptance into the Dragons, one must petition an existing Dragon of the rank of Centurion or higher, who will test the perspective member, looking for traits of loyalty, dedication, and honor.
Meeting these qualifications will allow one to be considered for adminitance. Acceptance puts the indiviual under the sponcership of a an existing member, who will oversee his training and outfit him with the proper equipment. Once accepted, the new Dragon is awarded the rank of Tiro, a recruit, awaiting training and formal induction into the Dragon Order.

Organization
The Dragons of Cambria are highly organized and regimented. Units can be identified by their color combinations worn within their armor. Dragons in the rank of Tiros through Immunis (see rank structure below) are generally considered in training for more specialized assignments, or simply members who are not seeking specialized assignments, and therefore do not advance further in rank.

Hoplites
Warriors of the guild form the Hoplites, or infantry units. They are perhaps the more ordered and regimented within the Dragon legionary body. The Hoplites themselves are divided into four distinct orders.
The pride of the Dragons are Ythr's Knights. Dragon Knights are heavily armored and favor swords, maces, or lances for battle. Knights are divided into varrious units, and each unit has its own colors, though all wear a full suit of plate, and all wear the seal of the the Dragon upon their capes and, for those that use them, shields.
Control, defence, and safety of outposts are in the hands of the Iron Guard. Armsmen and Paladins, the Iron Guard guards lands controlled by the Dragons, ensuring the welfare of the lands and the people therin. Iron Guard all wear dark armor, with gold guantlets and boots. They are either armed with polearms or swords and heater shields (which will have the seal of the Dragons emblazoned on it). The best, bravest, and most dedicated of Armsmen Knights may become Repulsor Knights, the elite of the Dragon legion. Repulsor Knights serve as senior officers, and often lead units of Knights into battle. All Repulsor Knights wield polearms and crossbows, and wear full plate of gold and crimson, with the seal of the Dragon upon their capes.
The Judges, the elite of the Dragon Paladin corps, are charged with bringing justice to the lands controlled by the Dragons. They wear dark armor, hooded cloaks emblazoned with the Dragon seal upon it, and weild great twq handed axes.

Rank Structure
Being based upon Roman units, the Dragons have a Roman-based rank structure as well. From junior to senior they are:

Recruits

Tiro (recruit). Not truely placed within the rank structure, Tiros are raw recruits, completely untrained to function within the Dragons.

Lower ranks

Miles (private): A fully trained trooper, elegible for duty and benefits.

Discens (trainee). Private in training for special function, a rank higher than the Miles, but still eligible for fatigue duties.

Immunis (immune (from fatigues)). Specialist with basic privilages and immunity from certain fatigue duties.

Non commissioned officers

Sesquiplicarius (Junior NCO): This individual is in training for higher duties. Awarded more privilages, and may be placed in charge of small groups of dragons.

Duplicarius (Senior NCO): It is from these ranks that the optio centuriae (rearrank officer, the 'chosen man' of the Centurion) is drawn from, which serves as second in command of a Century.

Subaltern officers

Centurio (Centurion, 'commander of hundred', officer in command of a centuria) Serving in command of a Century, Centurions are responsible for the training of their troops and leading them into battle.

Senior officers

Tribunus (Tribune): Traditionally, there were six of these officers to a legion. There served as the command staff, leading subunits of the Legion.

Praefectus castrorum. This camp commandant usually had held the post of senior centurion and was in charge of a host of tasks. This officer also acts as agens in vice legati, acting in place of a legate.

Legatus Praefectus (Legate Commander): The senior officer of the Dragons.

< Uniforms
As with any well-disciplined unit, the Dragons maintain a strict dress code. Some units have their own colors, which is authiorized by the Legate Commander, so long as it is uniform.
Certain ranks, however, have certain decorations that are dependant soley on rank. Uopon attaining certain ranks, cloaks of different colors are worn. They are:

Sesquiplicarius: Blue Cloak.

Centurion: Red/Crimson cloak.

Tribune: Purple

Unit Organization
The unit itself also utilises Roman terminology. The smallest unit is the Contubernium, consisting of eight men who sleep and travel together. A Contubernium is led by one Optio, and generally has at least one healer and one long-ranged attacker of some sort in it. Seven Contuberniums form one Century, commanded by a Decurion. Two Centuries form one Maniple, which is more or less an administrative/training unit. A Maniple is led by either a Decurion or a Centurion, generally the senior officer of one of the two Centuries in the unit. Six Centuries (three Maniples) form one Cohort, the main battlefield/tactical unit, commanded by a Centurion. Essentially, it breaks down as follows:

Eight Dragons = one Contubernium - Optio

Seven Contubernium = one Century (Basic unit of Imperial Legion) - Decurion

Two Centuries = one Maniple - Centurion/Decurion

Six Centuries (3 Maniples) = one Cohort (Main Battlefield/Tactical Unit) - Centurion Seven Cohorts = a Legion - Tribune

Note: For historical fact, this is not an accurate representation of a true Roman Legion. The numbers have been adjusted to suit the game. Those curious should look in the Sources page for good websites with the accurate information

While this is the goal of the Dragons, the current chain of command resembles this:

Legate
Commander

Praefectus Castrorum

Adjudant

Centurion
I Century

Centurion
II Century

Centurion
III Century

Centurion
IV Century

I Century

II Century

III Century

IV Century

Copyright (c) 2001, Mythic Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Mythic Entertainment, the Mythic Entertainment logo, "Dark Age of Camelot", the Dark Age of Camelot logo, stylized Celtic knot and "Live the Legend" are trademarks of Mythic Entertainment, Inc. Abandon Entertainment and the Abandon Entertainment logo are trademarks of Abandon Entertainment, Inc. Material on this site referencing Dark Age of Camelot used without Permission.
Many graphics were used from The Celts, a site dedicated to the Celts of Ultima Online.
Many of the ideas for the organization of this guild were taken from The Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte, which is another account of the Arthurian legends which removes much of the fantasy elements usually inherent in such stories. This series is highly recommended.
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