Edit 2: Fixed. Stupid Photobucket.
The Basilikoi are the lone bastion of light and civilization in a dark and barbaric world. Under constant pressure from enemies on all sides, they rely on the superior discipline, training, equipment, and leadership of their professional army to prevent their empire from being overwhelmed by the sheer number of their savage enemies.
The assembled might of the Basilikoi.
The Emperor himself, flanked by his son the Porphyrogenitus on his left (in the purple sleeves) and his son's wife on his right (the white sleeves). The Porphyrogenitus chose his wife after an empire-wide beauty pageant in which she proved not only to be the most physically attractive, but also the most intelligent and the most skilled at arms.
The backbone of the imperial army are the Stratiotes, and the backbone of the Stratiotes are the infantry. Traditionally, they deploy in line, with a proportion of 4 heavy infantry to 1 light infantry. This flexible arrangement allows them to thin the line to the depth shown here, or to thicken it by doubling or redoubling the depth (8:2 or 16:4 heavy to light infantry). This lets them array themselves as appropriate to terrain and the enemy force composition. When on campaign, they will typically march, fight, and make their fortified camp in a large box formation, with the light infantry on the inner side and the heavy facing outward. Cavalry often use this infantry square as a base from which to launch sorties.
Here is a close-up of the infantry line, allowing a somewhat better view of the armaments. The front rank uses battle axes for close-in butchering, while the back ranks use long spears, allowing them to attack past the men deployed in front of them. The light infantry to the rear are armed with composite recurve bows, allowing them to unleash a hail of powerful and long-ranged arrows.
Cavalry are the offensive backbone of the Basilikoi army. They serve both as scouts and as the hammer blow that breaks the lines of their foes.
The Klibanophoroi are the heaviest cavalry, armored both man and horse. Rather than charge with lances like undisciplined barbarians, the Klibanophoroi charge at the trot, using heavy sabres capable of cutting down infantry with great effect. They often rearm with flanged maces if they know that they will be facing heavily armored foes. These Klibanophoroi are from the Stratiotes.
The Kataphraktoi are medium-heavy cavalry. They are extremely versatile, combining the capabilities of light horse archers with heavy chargers. Though their horses lack the armor of their heavier brothers, they remain a potent force in melee. The ability to support a charge with archery makes them invaluable in a cavalry attack. Their composite recurve bows grant them powerful ranged offensive capability, while their heavy sabres make them a threat in melee. These Kataphraktoi belong to the Leontes regiment.
When the Stratiotes infantry line is too cumbersome to attack a position, these specialists lead the way. Armed with scimitar and dagger, they can move quickly and effectively through even the most broken of terrain and are deadly in close combat.
When the enemy manages to scrape together heavy armor, flanged maces make short work of them. Basilikoi mace-armed infantry have earned such a fearsome reputation that some armies have fled outright rather than face them in battle. These mace and shield infantry come from the Leontes regiment.
Against the most fearsome of foes, or when terrain simply cannot support a cavalry wedge, Kataphraktoi and Klibanophoroi have been known to dismount and fight as infantry. These particular soldiers are armed with maces and are drawn from among the Drakoi, yet another regiment in the Basilikoi army.
For defending a city, the Basilikoi prefer archers. Their fortifications are second to none, and when a determined force armed with composite recurve bows fights with discipline and good leadership from atop Basilikoi walls, they are rarely thrown back. Often supported by Sea Fire from the dreaded engineering corps, Basilikoi garrisons have faced, and defeated, countless barbarian incursions. These archers are drawn from among the Drakoi. [I regret that I do not have any Sea Fire projectors currently; I hope to add some once I redo my dromon and get a section of city wall built - it'll probably be quite a while from now]
The Imperial Navy is the bulwark of the empire at sea, turning all the civilized waters into a veritable Basilikoi Pond. Through the might of the empire's dromons, the navy ties together the sprawling territories of the empire and defends the commerce that is its lifeblood. Manning these dromons are the oarsmen and sailors of the navy, hearty and well-trained men capable of maintaining a staggering pace at their oars, and willing to fight to save their ships should they ever be boarded. Defending them are the imperial Marines. Armed with steel-bowed arbalests or long boarding pikes, marines are trained to fight in boarding actions against the enemies of the empire, as well as to seize beachheads ahead of the army during landings.
I also had some dismounted Stratiotes Klibanophoroi armed with two-handed swords, but forgot to take a close-up of them. They should be visible next to the imperial family in the overview shot.
Huge castle army is huge!
