//------------------------------//
// The Griffonian Empire and the Reichsarmee 
// Story: Tagesanbruch 
// by JahJah 
//------------------------------//

Lore dump chapter! Here is the background of the Griffonian Empire, to help explain some of the driving points; as well as information about the Reichsarmee, particularly it’s organisation, since that will play a role in some of the events.


The flag of the Griffonian Empire


The Griffonian Empire used to stretch from Cloudbury in the north, to Wingbardy in the south and Prywhen in the east. Unless you were a river pony, you almost certainly lived under the banner of the black griffon, whether you loved it or despised it.

However, when Kaiser Grover IV passed away, he left an underage heir. The regent for the young, sickly Grover V was to be his cousin, King Guto VI of Griffonstone. However, Guto died during an attack by a cyclops, the same incident which lost the Idol of Boreas. Instead, the noblegriffs formed a regency council to govern the empire in Grover V’s stead. Under their rule, the pro-commoner reforms of Grover IV were rolled back, the proud imperial bureaucracy decayed, corruption spiked, and the kingdoms of Aquilea and Wingbardy broke away, all while the nobles continued to be focused on increasing their own power.

Grover’s regency dragged on, and tensions began to mount between the neglected peasants and the nobility. Finally, in 978, it all snapped when frustrated peasants and lower-class workers marched on the Imperial palace in Griffenheim under the tricolour flag of the Republican movement. They broke into the palace, and executed whomever they found, from royal guards to nobles of the regency council. However, they couldn’t get their claws on the emperor, who escaped from the palace with the aid of Eros VII, archon of Boreas. 

The Republicans declared the Griffonian Republic, with a Reichsarmee artillery officer by the name of Alexander Kemerskai as their president until elections could be held. Republican forces then marched out to secure the rest of the duchy of Griffenheim and beyond. They initially had sweeping successes, destroying several imperial armies before getting bogged down. 

The republic was short-lived though, as the next year, a counterrevolution, led by first-cousin to Grover V, Duchess Gabriela Eagleclaw of Strawberry, finished off the revolutionary armies, and sent them fleeing north. Grover V was coronated, but it was too late. The collapse of imperial authority had left most of the empire outside of the Herzlands in anarchy, and local authorities and warlords rushed to fill the power vacuum, the imperial Reichsarmee too weakened to restore order. In addition, the powerful nobles who participated in the counterrevolution demanded autonomy within the empire, decentralising the emperor’s power even in the lands still loyal to him.

Today, the empire is a shadow of its former self. It exists solely in name only, most of its former land now either independant, or autonomous under the numerous vassals of the Reichspakt. Only the land of the duchy of Griffenheim is directly administered from Griffenheim, most of the Imperial Herzlands being under the control of the Duchy of Strawberry, and Grand Duchy of Feathisia, the Peasant Republic of Griefenmarschen, the Free City of Romau, the Yale Rectorate, the Barony of Angriver, the Katerin Principality, and the County of Bronzehill. These vassals almost operate completely independent of Griffenheim, maintaining their own armies, their own bureaucracy, their own economies, and their own politics. This heavily decentralised nature of the empire gives some stability, but means that the Kaiser is mostly powerless outside of Griffenheim’s borders.

Now, the Kaiser aller Greifen (Emperor of all Griffons) is dead. His son, Grover VI, is only four years old. Another regency council is being formed from the nobility and clergy of the empire. Although this time, they plan to elect a final authority in the council, many in the empire still have memories of the last regency, and some fear the “Sick Bird of Griffonia” will not survive the coming years.


Since this story is about Reichsarmee officers, here is some
Information about the command structure of the Reichsarmee as of 1007 ALB.

The command structure of the Reichsarmee is designed so that a soldier is always under supervision of a higher-up. The only real flaw with the system is since the artillery is commanded at the divisional and corps level, it makes it difficult and time consuming for regimental commanders to communicate effectively with artillery units, which has on more than one occasion allowed an enemy to organise a counter attack to stop advances.

The basic units of the Reichsarmee are the gruppe and the korporalschaft, made up of enlisted griffons. A gruppe consists of one Gefreiter leading eight regular soldiers, and a korporalschaft consists of two Gruppes led by one Unteroffizier. As NCOs, Gefreiters can be promoted to Unteroffizier. Griffons who serve well enough and for long enough can be promoted to Feldwebel, or even Etatmässige Feldwebel. These ranks hold a warrant, and serve as a bridge between NCO’s and commissioned officers. The Feldwebel has the power to veto a decision made by an Unteroffizier in their platoon if another Unteroffizier backs them, while an Etatmässige Feldwebel can do so without needing backing. 

Four korporalschafts (seventy-two griffons) make up one zug, commanded by a Leutnant, or an Oberleutnant. Leutnant is  the lowest rank of commisioned officers. Oberleutnant is slightly higher in authority, but serves mostly as a slightly higher rank for slightly more experienced officers before expanding their command. In lieu of a Leutnant or Oberleutnant, a Feldwebel can receive a commission and be promoted to Feldwebel-Leutnant - a transitionary rank between NCO and officer, - and command a zug.

Three zugs (two-hundred sixteen griffons) make up one company under the command of one Hauptmann. The Hauptmann is the highest ranking officer to actually be deployed to the frontlines with their troops. The Hauptmann is responsible for the individual micromanagement of their company, while also carrying out orders from higher up.

Four regular riflegriff companies plus a machine gun company ( one-thousand eighty griffons in total) make up a battalion under the command of a Major. Three Battalions form the moving part of the Reichsarmee, the regiment (three-thousand two-hundred forty griffons). The regiment is commanded by an Oberstleutnant or an Oberst (similar relationship to regular Leutnants), who with the three Majors of the battalions are expected to form the tactical heart of the Reichsarmee. While generals issue objectives to the regimental commanders, the regiments are more-or-less completely autonomous in what tactics are used in combat (although communication with other regiments working towards the same objective is highly emphasised). The Majors and Obersts (and Oberstleutnants) are in a group of officers called field officers, who are neither at the front lines nor sitting in a cushy mansion during war. They often sit behind the frontlines in command posts, watching the battle unfold on a map with their radio nearby.

Sitting around a large front-long map with figures and counters representing armies, the generals of the Großer Generalstab (Great General Staff) are rather detached from any direct fighting. They discuss strategy, issue orders to lower ranks, and pray that the officers at the front are competent enough. 

One Generalmajor commands a brigade, containing two regiments (six-thousand four-hundred eighty griffons). Two infantry brigades plus a field artillery brigade makes up one infantry division under the jurisdiction of a Generalleutnant. Two infantry divisions plus a light infantry battalion, a pioneer battalion, a foot artillery regiment, and technical troops make up one army korps under one General. Two or more Generals answer to a Generaloberst, who commands an army. Two or more Generalobersts answer to a Generalfeldmarschall, who commands an army group. As of 1007, there are two Generalfeldmarschalls in service, Elias Bronzetail and Erich Ebonwing. A Generalfeldmarschall is promoted in person by the Kaiser, who is the de-facto head of the armed forces, although he technically answers to Arcturius in matters of military.