Regiment of the Blackfriars'
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1697 AN - present |
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| Current Commander: | Ahmed al-Osman |
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The Regiment of the Blackfriars', formally the Worshipful and Honourable Company of the Blackfriars' Regiment, established 1697 AN, is a mercenary regiment raised in the International Mandate, whose cantonments are situated in the eponymous Blackfriars district of Tiegang.
The regiment is notorious for relying upon impressment and kidnapping to fill out its ranks, which are otherwise filled with the denizens of the district's other fine institutions - a collection of schools, asylums, and dubious drinking establishments. From its inception the regiment has been disproportionately officered by the descendants of Babkhan exiles.
History
From 1712 AN, the "Lord Proprietor" and "Captain-General" of the regiment was Anthony al-Osman, who was otherwise known as the landlord of the Blackfriars' Redux. Fortunately the position was mostly honourary, and a man who was in essence a pub landlord did not have much involvement in the day to day life of the regiment.
Between 1714 AN and 1718 AN the regiment was contracted by the Hurmu Peace Corps for security duties in Keltian Hurmu. During this time, the regiment performed its duties with efficiency and professionalism. Despite its reputation for relying on impressment and kidnapping to fill its ranks, the regiment was able to provide effective security in Keltian Hurmu, and was well-regarded by the Hurmu Peace Corps.
The regimental recruitment service was separately organised as the Blackfriars' Regimental Impressment Service as part of the Blackfriars' Regimental Impressment Garrison.
In 1716 AN a Demi-Regiment of Horse was raised in order to provide an outlet for the martial inclinations of the well-borne youth of the city, as well as for those who wished to wished to purchase for their children a better place in society. Riders who could pass a series of equine trials were permitted to enlist and commissions were offered up for sale at an auction conducted at the Blackfriars' Redux. Notably the Lord Proprietor of the Regiment did not invoke privilege but instead demonstrated his commitment by bidding at open auction for lieutenancies in the hussars' squadron for his two sons. The proceeds from the sales of commissions went towards the purchase and establishment of the mess hall and training grounds of the new cavalry contingent.
As the deployment in Hurmudan Keltia drew to a close, the Blackfriars' found themselves subject to a bidding war between the Kingdom of Normark and the Suren Confederacy for their employment on two separate fronts of the growing conflict between the Raspur Pact and the Confederacy of the Dispossessed, a post-Bassarid resistance movement active on Eura and Keltia. Anthony al-Osman, who frankly preferred the familiar surroundings of his pub, left the negotiations in the hands of Mei Ling just as she handled so much else of the burgeoning Blackfriars business empire. Once she fully comprehended the urgency with which both parties desired to engage the services of nearly every PMC in operation, she set about leveraging their need and willingness to bid against one-another with a ruthless aplomb. She even briefly entertained an extravagant offer from the Confederacy of the Dispossessed to keep the regiment out of the conflict, but instead reasoned that the short-term payoff would not be worth incurring the long-term ire of either the Pact or the benefactors of her various enterprises.
The Regiment of the Blackfriars' would spent a dismal year in the Suren Confederacy on the frontline in Norasht, before being recalled and subsequently contracted from II.1720 AN to serve the Senate of the Lakes in its contention with Assembly of Representatives.
The contribution of the Blackfriars' in the Hurmu conflict amounted to a parade through the streets of Mitrovska as part of a demonstration of force after Senate loyalists took possession of the city. At the conclusion of which, all allied contingents were paid off and made their own arrangements for departing homewards.
Accordingly, the Regiment of the Blackfriars' began the year 1721 AN in their cantonments outside Tiegang.
In 1727 AN the regiment was awarded a ten year contract by the Hurmu Fyrð to garrison Amaland in conjunction with the ESB Group.
The passing of Anthony al-Osman in 1732 AN, occasioned a moment of overindulgence during a concert by the Filthy Barstools, saw the regiment pass into the uncertain hands of Ahmed al-Osman, the eldest son of the late lord proprietor, who was subsequently embarrassed to discover that the officers and men who would now ostensibly be under his command expected a generous donative payment before he could safely be permitted to assume the mantle of leadership.
Organisation
The blackfriars' regiment is organised into a number of different units, including a command and control troop, the 1st march demi-regiment, and the 2nd march demi-regiment. each of these units is further divided into smaller sections and squads, with specialised roles such as reconnaissance, security, signals, and transport. The regiment also includes a blackfriars' regimental impressment garrison, which is responsible for recruitment, and two regimental replacement depots, which provide replacements for soldiers who are injured or killed in action.
Structure
- Regiment of the Blackfriars'
- Command and Control Troop
- Command & Control Section (CO, 2IC, Adjutant, Staff Officer, RSM, Quartermaster, x2 other ranks)
- Reconnaissance Section (1x Snatch Land Rover, 2x motorcycles)
- Security Section
- Signals Section
- Transport Section
- 1st March Demi-Regiment
- Command Echelon
- Command & Control Section (OC, MDR 2IC, Adjutant, Quartermaster, x4 other ranks)
- Reconnaissance Section (1x Snatch Land Rover, 2x motorcycles)
- Security Section
- Signals Section
- Transport Section
- Infantry Cohort
- Area Defence Squadron
- Commissariat Troop
- Inspectorate Troop
- Command Echelon
- 2nd March Demi-Regiment
- Blackfriars' Regimental Impressment Garrison
- Blackfriars' Regimental Impressment Service
- 1st Regimental Replacement Depot
- 2nd Regimental Replacement Depot
- 1st Demi-Regiment of Horse
- Command Echelon
- Command & Control Section (OC, DRH 2IC, Adjutant, Quartermaster, x4 other ranks)
- Armoured Car Section (2x Ferret Armoured Cars)
- Security Section
- Signals Section
- Transport Section
- Dragoon Cohort (45x IFVs, 8x Scout AFVs)
- Hussar Squadron (16x Scout AFVs)
- Commissariat Troop
- Inspectorate Troop
- Command Echelon
- Area Defence Squadron (16x self-propelled mortars, 8x Snatch Land Rover teams with "waspsting" man-portable surface-to-air missile launchers)
- Commissariat Squadron
- Inspectorate Squadron
- Command and Control Troop
Establishment
Equipment
Ranks
- Patrons
- Colonel-Commandant (Lord Proprietor)
- Colonel
- Lieutenant-colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Cornet/Ensign
- Staff
- Quartermaster
- Gentleman of the Ordnance
- Paymaster
- Chaplain
- Surgeon
- Surgeon's Mate
- Regulars
- Adjutant
- Serjeant-Major
- Engineer
- Serjeant
- Corporal
- Lads
- Pioneer
- Gunner
- Bombardier
- Kettle Drummer
- Trumpeter
- Drummer
- Matross
- Hautboys
- Private Man
