Solar Legion (Telkevan Union)

The Legion is the naval land forces branch of the Telkevan Armed Forces. It conducts expeditionary warfare and boarding operations, and as a result works in close conjunction with both the Solar Navy and Army. Though substantially smaller than its counterparts, the Star Legions are composed almost exclusively of highly-trained infantry equipped with the most sophisticated gear the AFRE can offer. Often the first to engage enemy ground forces during an invasion, the Legion has earned a fearsome reputation as the empire's shock troops.

The Star Legion can trace its origins to the Marines of the pre-exodus Telkevan Union, which operated in close conjunction with the ocean-faring navy. It was not until Tagara's reforms and the subsequent rearmament program that the Legions were repurposed to support the new Solar Navy while the ocean fleets were merged with the Army. Even before these reforms, the Marines had maintained a reputation as quality infantry and maintained a rivalry with the Army over prestige, a rivalry that continues even into the modern era.

The Army is administered by the High Marshal of the Army, who holds a seat on the High Chamber. The current High Marshal is Nuoh Gersalv.

Founding
The first iteration of the Legion was established in 553BE. At this point, the Telkevon had yet to develop space-travel technology; as a result, the Marines worked with the ocean navy. This remained the case as the space race began and the Solar Navy was created, with the Marshal's Council making a tiny, specialized infantry corps for the new branch. As a result, by the time of the Wars of Unification, the Marines played a minimal role in the conflict, often fighting alongside the Army.

When Grand Marshal Tagara reformed the military, she radically altered the Marines, transitioning from the ocean fleets, which had been merged with the Army, to the Star Fleets, merging with the old infantry corps in the process. Tagara had done this partly because of the Marine's ingrained culture of excellence and aggression, which she believed would be better served abroad rather than as a partner to the ocean fleets, which at the time did not exist in any capacity as the ships had been left behind during the Exodus. They henceforth became the 'Star Legion' so as to separate them from their origins. They also received priority during reconstruction alongside the Navy, helping them to quickly regain their strength. As part of these reforms, Tagara introduced new doctrines to the branch, including orbital insertion. The Star Legion got its first trial by fire during the Delusar conflict, during which, though they suffered initial setbacks due to inexperience, they achieved great success by the end of the war.

Nepharian Cold War
In 3468, Nuoh Gersalv was appointed to High Marshal of the Legions after its previous High Marshal, Tarsovis Visaria, was appointed to grand marshal. Nuoh had by this point been a close associate of Tarsovis for many years and shared his vision for the empire's future and the military. He soon befriended High Marshal Ilivaris Kindasi of the Solar Navy, with whom he began to work on new innovations for the Legions, including what would eventually become the Selshezak supersoldier program. As tensions escalated between the Telkevon and Holy Nepharian Empire, Nuoh, along with the rest of the High Chamber, deployed several armadas near the contested-zone in the event of sudden Nepharian aggression.

Air Commissioned Officer Ranks
The Star Legion has its own air corps separate from that of the Solar Navy. They are organized in much the same way, but answer only to Legion command under normal circumstances.

Battle Doctrine
Main page: Telkevan Battle Doctrine

The Star Legion is vanguard of the AFRE's ground forces and is tasked primarily with softening the enemy's defenses, prosecuting important objectives, and paving the way for the Army by securing landing zones. Because they often lack the numbers for prolonged battles of attrition, the Legion takes inspiration from the Solar Navy, utilizing a combination of speed and overwhelming firepower to subdue an enemy before they can mount a proper defense. With aerospace fire to cover their advance, Legion troops will be deployed as close to the enemy as physically possible, oftentimes deploying directly onto enemy positions via orbital drops, and will effectively maintain a permanent offensive posture, relentlessly engaging enemy forces as they target enemy infrastructure such as orbital guns and communications relays. Once the Army arrives in force, Legion troops will link with the Army's armored thrusts and advance alongside them into enemy territory.

The Legion's aggressive mindset, combined with their aversion of attrition warfare, dissuades them from prolonged defense operations and sieges, both of which they leave to the Army, though they can and often do provide support.

In space, legionnaires are tasked with defending against and partaking in boarding operations. During a boarding operation, legionnaires will support central intelligence operates in acquiring data, capturing officers, and/or securing or demolishing the vessel from within.

Equipment
See also: Arsenal of the Telkevan Union.

Due in part to being smaller than the Army, the Star Legion is able to invest more of its time and resources into its troops and their equipment. As such, the Legion equips its forces with state-of-the-art equipment, including experimental weaponry. It is often the case that new vehicles and weapons will first be sent to the Legion for field testing; if the design is a success, it may then be passed along to the Army for mass-production.

Infantry
''See also: Infantry Weapons of the Telkevan Union, Infantry of the Telkevan Union. ''

The standard legionnaire is equipped with a suit of N80 or the newer N85 exoskeletal battle armor (XBA), suits of powered armor which, alongside providing many of the same enhancements found in N25 powered plate armor armor, enhances the user's strength and speed via hydraulics and artificial muscles. Commonly fielded battlesuits include the hisla HCS, yuthar HACS, and the Kuros CCS.

While legionnaires are trained in most if not all weapons in the arsenal, most prefer weapons tailored for the legion's doctrine of lightning engagements at near point-blank range. The VKR97 assault rifle and LLE11 plasma bolt rifle are the most common rifles, though some may instead employ the CHRN16 medium machine gun in this capacity as well as for suppressive fire. Popular sidearms include the SIS12-G automatic pistol, GAR81 railpistol, and the QHY43 missile launcher. The FLX42 wave gun and HFG38 micro-missile shotgun provides extreme close-range firepower, with the QAT70 laser shotgun serving as a 'jack of all trades' alternative. The HZL52 plasma bolt cannon and DHG80 shoulder-fired railgun act as tank-killers, with the FLE50 missile launcher being employed against aircraft and fast-moving targets. The OTN99 grenade launcher and AGZ32 flamethrower are used primarily to clear bunkers and other structures. Legionnaires are additionally equipped with grenades and at least one melee weapon, often a dagger, axe, or sword with a plasma blade.

The Legion was among the first to adopt the use of mrganite-based weapons. These include the HCS20 marksmen rifle and the CRL02 pistol, which both utilize marganite flechettes; the 3490 crystal sword, a one-handed sword which can use either a straight or curved blade of pure marganite; and various explosives.

Crew-served weapons are somewhat uncommon as they do not quite fit into standard Star Legion doctrine, but they maintain a presence nevertheless. These weapons include the LXA77 and YRT54 heavy machine guns, the FVH37 heavy grenade launcher, QWX18 mortar, and various grav-artillery guns, namely the GA-IS20 infantry support gun and the GA-LG07 plasma gun.

The Legion employs a large number of drones and combat proxies to supplement its forces. These include remotely-operated drones such as the O50 aerial drone and O10 supply carrier as well as sophisticated front-line combat machines such as the CD-I15 Vera and the CD-I77 Nyrog. These proxies, each equipped with sophisticated A.I of their own, are often commanded by A.I operating from a CD-I50 Hazej command platform. The far more durable CD-IT80 Sutha command platform has been purpose-built for Telkevan-class sapient A.I.

Vehicles
See also: Combat Vehicles of the Telkevan Union, Warships & Aircraft of the Telkevan Union.

The Star Legion primarily uses anti-gravity vehicles, as their speed and agility suits Legion doctrine, and walkers, which provide the Legion with exceptional and versatile firepower. Conventional tracked vehicles tend to serve a supplementary role. With some exceptions, the Star Legion requires that its combat vehicles be able to withstand the rigors of being deployed via orbital drop so that they can be deployed alongside the legionnaires.

The J-33 Dreavarok serves as the Legion's main battle walker, with the T-35 Tagara serving as the main battle tank. The JT-17 Korvack, provides ranged support. The TL-5 Izahj anti-grav tank destroyer and the larger THL-05 Saertu anti-grav line breaker are used for both hunting armor and bunker busting. The JI-2 Ralek is the preeminent infantry fighting vehicle, with the K-33 Nezerai IFV providing transportation and the substantially larger KT-14 Uyar siege transport acting as a heavily-armored battering ram. The JV-33 Yukar acts as a short-ranged mobile mortar while the V-11 Hurth and VR-70 Xzar supply ranged firepower. Mobile gun platforms such as the JNF-11 Visar operate as versatile modular vehicles which can be fitted to serve a variety of roles ranging from transportation to spearheading armored assaults.

The Star Legion is currently the only branch with access to the AFRE's siege walkers, the ODV-3 Vasekar MKI, which presently operates as a ranged support platform, and the ODV-5 Vasekar MKII, presently the largest and most powerful terrestial combat vehicle in the Telkevan arsenal.

The Legion utilizes engineering vehicles, but whereas Army engineering vehicles are used for a wide variety of tasks, the Legion uses them almost exclusively for the maintenance of its equipment and for clearing mines and other obstacles, leaving the construction of bases to the Army.

The Legion also possesses a diverse arsenal of aircraft. X-35 Olderos-class corvettes often lead formations of GC-39 Hizurat and/or G-19 Galandil gunships. A-23 Nazkea serve as air superiority fighters while Z-11-S Sinarsa tactical bombers and Z-20 Xalku strategic bombers, supported by LR-19 Nokatad Reconnaissance & Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft, target ground-side troop formations and installations. L-100 Tyrg jam enemy wireless communications. Transports include the F-17 Chereg transport gunship, FS-30 Sethet stealth dropship, and the FV-11 Nefal vehicle transport.