Alexander Guard Honourary Regiment

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Почетный Лейб-гвардии Александровский Полк

Alexander Leib-guard Honourary Regiment

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Regiment Commander:
His High Excellency Duke Nethair Kiltharan, Polkovnik of the Leib-guards
Battalion Commanders:

The Alexander Leib Guard Honourary Regiment is a unit of the Leib Guard, tasked with defending and protecting the lives of the Grand Duke and other members of the Dynasty. It is the senior regiment of the Taraskovyan National Defence Forces and is directly subordinate to the Military Council of the Royal Household.


Brief History

The first “roots” of this elite unit go back to the rule of the Grand Duke Alexander the Ist, who took several most valiant warriors from his army and made them his personal bodyguards. The measure was taken following his victory over the Order of Zynthris and the Treaty of Uiliath. Yet, this measure did not prevent him from dying in a mysterious hunting incident. During his rule, the Guard got richer by new warriors, to reach a total of 30 Guards. Under the Grand Duke Namel'lar Shakhovskoy , the Guard received its official name of the “Alexander Guard Honourary Regiment” and was made the official ceremonial and personal guard of the Ducal family. Grand Duke Namellar decided to complement the Guard with the sons of the highest Taraskovyan nobles, and decided that the color of the uniform will be deep blue – the color of Honor and Nobility.

As centuries went by and new technology became available, the Honourary Regiment constantly changed and adapted to the new times. The Alexander Guards always received first every new technological weapon and armor and were always battle ready to defend the Grand Duke's family. At its peak, the Alexander Guard Honourary Regiment comprised a total of around two thousand Guards. It consisted of the finest sons of the highest Taraskovyan nobility – the pride and future of the Grand Duchy. Serving in the Regiment is the greatest honour of a young Taraskovyan noble, and to get demoted from it is worse than death by execution.

After the Time of Troubles

After the fall of the Grand Duchy, the Alexander Guard, quite diminished by its direct participation in the Aphyr Conflict, refused to bow to the Ruling Council and enter pledge allegiance to the new government. The Leib-guards furthermore refused to abandon the Vigvar Winter Palace, the official residence of the Grand Dukes, and swore to fight to the last in case of an assault by Federal forces.

However, with the return of the Grand Duke and the reemergence of the Grand Duchy, the Leib-guards once again assumed their role of protectors of the Grand Ducal family.

Reorganisation

In the year 1152 A.S., the regiment was split in three. The 2nd and 3rd battalions were elevated into their own regiments, while the 1st Battalion "Silence and Death" became the basis of a new entirely foot regiment.

The "Silence and Death" was the name of the 1st Battalion of the former Alexander Regiment. It is is believed to be the first ever appearance of the Alexander Guard, created by the Grand Duke Alexander the Ist himself. The story tells that the 30 Bodyguards of the Grand Duke were trained to be deadly and stealthy assassins. The story also tells a slight paradox - these assassins were to never kill anyone but to guard the Grand Duke from any attempts on his life.

Requirements for admission

Due to the particularly delicate position of an Alexander Guardsman and his closeness to the Grand Duke, all candidates are first screened by a special committee of the National Security Ministry, to avoid any “dangerous” elements of getting into the unit. Once the candidates received the approval of the committee, they are admitted to the Palace Academy. There, they undergo harsh and very exhaustive physical and mental training, which turns months of their lives into a nightmare. Not many make it through the entire course, many fail and resign.

Moreover, all candidates are to be at least of the age of 23 and be bearers of some higher education diploma. Since the Leib-guards often accompany the Grand Duke on his foreign trips, they have to speak several languages, have knowledge in tact and ethics, culture, sciences.

Duties

The members of the regiment often serve as guards inside of the Palace Complexes and accompany the Grand Duke on most of his ceremonial visits. Although it is believed that their assassin training has stopped long ago, these guards tend to show extreme prowess in certain skills when it is needed.

While often seen in their ceremonial outfits, the regiment none the less fields armoured vehicles and equips its troops with cutting edge personal combat weaponry and armour.