Reiksguard
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In the Warhammer Fantasy setting of Games Workshops games, the Reiksguard (mock German "Imperial Guard") forms the personal army and bodyguard of the Emperor of the The Empire and are the regular troops forming the backbone of an Empire army.
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[edit] Overview
The Reiksguard are an elite group of highly trained and extensively-equipped troops. They are relatively few in numbers and the bulk of the Empire army is made up of regiments from the individual provinces. In the battle line the Reiskguard generally takes the centre alongside the Emperor himself. The leader of the Reiksguard is the "Captain of the Reiksguard" and the position is generally held by the most senior general within the Empire, who will be second only to the Emperor. The current Captain of the Reiksguard is Kurt Hellborg "Reiksmarshal of the Empire".
The Reiksguard is divided into the Reiksguard Knights who form cavalry units similar to Knightly Orders such as the Kinghts Panther, and as infantry units; the "Reiksguard regiments".
Reiksguard are recruited from all over the Empire from amongst the sons of knights and nobility. The ranks of Reiksguard are open to all young men of noble birth regardless of where they live within the Empire. Thus the Reiksguard includes men from all the provinces from as far a field as Ostland and Nordland, Wissenland and Ostermark. The heirs of many of the most wealthy and powerful families can be found amongst its ranks, including sons of Elector Counts. It is a considerable honour for a family for its oldest son to serve in the Reiksguard. Many of the members of Reiksguard hope to inherit their father’s title and property one day. Some younger sons will never inherit, and while most leave the army to pursue other interests, some remain in the Reiksguard to become its senior officers, commanders and generals.
When not on the battlefield the majority of the Reiksguard is barracked in the comparative comfort of Altdorf the capiutal of the Empire.The Reiksguard was founded during the reign of Wilhelm, the first Emperor of the lineage of the Princes of Altdorf (ascended the throne around 2430 IC).
[edit] Reiksguard knights
The knights wear full plate armour and ride armoured horses and use lances. Individual squadrons of Reiksguard Knights are commanded by noblemen, and are generally recruited from their home provinces.
[edit] Reiksguard regiments
The Reiksguard foot regiments form the second part of the Reiksguard. Like the knights they wear full armour and carry shields but use heavy swords, halberds or great two-handed swords.
[edit] Appearance
The Reiksguard wear magnificent gilded armour, highly polished to a mirror-like finish, garlanded with scarlet sashes and emblazoned with the device of the Reiksguard. Their helms are adorned with tall feathered red and white crests of the ruling Emperor Karl Franz, or extravagant crests elaborated of the family crest of the squadron’s commander, varying widely from squadron to squadron. All ranks carry shields emblazoned with a skull and the initials of the current Emperor (KF for Karl Franz). The knights carry tall lances with pennants decorated with crowns, and ride fierce and prancing stallions. It is common and popular to sport mottoes painted on armour (either the knight’s armour or shield, or the steed’s barding). Examples of such mottos include Malleus (hammer), Sigmar, Desporandum, Victorium and Mortis, amongst many others. The Reiksguard flag bears the national emblem on one side and the Emperor’s emblem (currently initials KF for Karl Franz) and the Sigmar legend on the other. Sometimes the Reiksguard Knights may carry the personal standard of the Emperor as their banner. This is a great honour, and if the Emperor’s banner should retreat or be lost this would be a terrible disgrace.
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