The Holy Empire of Aldebourne is a theocracy under the iron fisted rule of the Papal-Emperor Eugenicus, which has persisted for the past 100 years, with many more years in its future.
Before its current state, the Empire was a motley collection of feudal Dukes and Earls at the court of the King. His Majesty, one King Perrod, was hardly a figurehead, and a man of loose morals. Under his so called rule, sin and vice ran rampant, and his Kingdom threatened to crumble about his ears at the hands of his corrupted vassals.
With the coming rise of the Imperialistic age, and the era of feudalism coming to a swift end, the fate of the Kingdom seemed dire.
Enter Father Eugenicus, a pious man of The Church. Seeing the plight of his beloved country, Eugenicus arose, and in short time overthrew the King and his vassals in the name of piety and justice, citing religious text as reasons to his actions.
The people, who suffered greatly at the hands of the King and his lords were all to eager to follow him, securing a swift victory, and erecting Eugenicus as both pope and emperor of the newly founded Holy Empire. Under his rule, Eugenicus brought peace and stability to his Empire, and appointed members of the Church in key government positions. He erased provinces and regions, which had previously belonged to the King's vassals and unified it all into one.
He brought industry and infrastructure, and even education, albeit strongly relegated to pre-approved texts. From the outside looking in, the sheer growth and well being that blessed the Empire was astounding, countries that only moments before were prepping for large scale invasions and subsequent land grabs were rocked, stunned.
Eugenicus took advantage.
In a move that surprised one and all, Eugenicus launched an all out war on every country that bordered his, and produced well equipped and well trained armies from seemingly out of thin air. In the years to follow, the armies of the Empire effectively steamrolled their neighbors, succeeding in a massive land grab that many could only dream of.
Once a significant portion of the surrounding countries had been subdued, the Papal-Emperor set about securing his borders, and mandating his new acquisitions. In a matter of no time at all, Eugenicus had formed an Empire, and made sure it was one that few would forget, if ever. He made them the center of this new world, a force to be reckoned with for many, many years to come.
Then, he withdrew from the public eye, to rule from his Cathedral Palace in the capital city of Titos, where he reigns impossibly still. Some say he is strengthened by his god, that he has been granted longevity so that he may continue his crusade of piety and justice, others say that he has already perished and there is another who rules under his name. None know the truth, and will more than likely never know.
Until such time as it is revealed, the nature of the Empire's ruler shall remain a mystery.
Here below are the brave men of the Empire who helped make their country what it is today, to begin with:
The Dragoons of the Empire, marching in wedge formation, led by Lord-Bishop Beyhurn, on his black steed.
They are armed with lance, pistol and sword, serving as both scouts and shock troops as needed.
Only those of noble birth are allowed to ride as cavalry. These men here purchased their own equipment and weapons. Normally commoners would never be able to afford such things, and as a consequence are not allowed the honour of riding horseback. Their dis-unified appearance is explained through their background. Many emblazon their shields with their positions in government, or where they are from. Uniform is not required in the cavalry, only a show of wealth and competence.
Here is the backbone of the Empire's military might, the common infantry man, represented in royal red by the gallant 29th Infantry Regiment. It is led by Colonel Hugo Nought, who stands up front in officer's black. Any man can join the infantry, it is open to all who are willing to serve. And to those unwilling as well. It is no secret that the ranks are filled with prisoners and ne'er-do-wells should the need arise.
However, no matter their histories, the infantry of the Empire have proved their worth a hundred times over, should you need your enemies ground to dust by disciplined volley fire and general adversity, here are the men to do it.
The 43rd Infantry Regiment "The Iron Celts", led by Captain Merrick Cribbs and his Peach Lieutenant Atticus Tinn. An experiment of sorts, as Peaches are not allowed to fight. Their usual military roles have been restricted to supply, artillery, or medical positions.
Many don't have faith in their performance, which is yet to be seen, but there are a few who retain some hope. Whatever anyone else's thoughts, the Peaches are eager to prove themselves as capable fighters, equal, or perhaps even better than the original yellows.
An unnamed artillery division of the Holy Empire, manned by Peaches. As stated before, this is one of the few positions those of their kind are trusted in, away from the front and the brunt of the fighting. They wear steel helmets as protection, and its insides are muffled to save their ears from the constant roar of the cannons.
It is the Peach's performance here that has convinced some that they would not fail their duties as infantry. They have proven themselves more than competent at their current tasks, there should be no reason to believe that they won't do the same for their next one.
The 37th Native Auxiliaries, led by Lieutenant Marius Grey. These men, save for our Lieutenant, are natives of The Holy Empire's newest acquisistion, the region of Khandarya. To further help in subjugating the remainder of the region, officers of the military have set about recruiting the indigenous peoples, arming them, and training them for the Empire's cause.
Although not as well trained as the regular infantry, the auxiliaries have served their purpose well, proving themselves in battle many times over. However, more often than not, they are used as fodder, or as a screening force so that the regular infantry can move into position.
Lastly, the Empire's Royal Marines, shown here with Captain Nalton. These men specifically serve on the ironclad the HMS Ecere, but are oftentimes used interchangeably on both land and sea.
The Royal Marines fight capably where ever they are needed. Usually they are used as boarding parties, or as a deterrent to such, yet other times they are used as a preliminary landing force, to gain quick footholds on key targets. They are vicious, and fierce, and those who find themselves on the wrong side of these men would find themselves in fatal straits.
And that's all I've got for now! It's still very much a work in progress. Hope you enjoyed! Check back here for updates, whenever I get enough money to buy more minifigs and accessories!
but this faction is really cool. It needs some sort of mechanical monstrosity created by an insane engineer though...
