Enlightened Guard

"They fight and die with one purpose: to fight and die. If our own forces possessed such single-minded dedication, we would know victory within the year."

— Colonel Qin of the Landrian 20th Light Infantry

Celestial Mantle of the Hegemony
Emblem of the Mantle
The Dragon Banner, the war flag and naval ensign of the Mantle
Motto	Men can conquer kingdoms, but only Dragons can conquer the world
Founded	Heavenly Revolution
Service branches	• Order of the Army • Heavenland Defense Corps • Order of the Navy
Headquarters	The Sundial, Ealen
Leadership
Commander-in-chief	Hegemon Kharon Vizirov
Grand Archon-Minister of War	Marbas kol Gahal
Chief of the Celestial High Command	Zakar Ard Vadoth
Manpower
Military age	18–49
Conscription	All males upon reaching 19 years of age are liable to a service period not exceeding 22 months in the Army, Navy or Defence Corps
Active personnel	1.4 million
Reserve personnel	1.6 million
Deployed personnel	400,000
Industry
Domestic suppliers	• Stahl Arms • Visari Corporation

The Enlightened Guardians of the Faithful, or the Enlightened Guard is a branch of the Celestial Armed Forces, founded after the Celestial Revolution on 22 April 1975 by order of Hegemon Arkhan Vissari. Whereas the Iranian Army defends Iranian borders and maintains internal order, according to the Iranian constitution, the Revolutionary Guard (pasdaran) is intended to protect the country's Islamic republic political system.[7] The Revolutionary Guards base their role in protecting the Islamic system as well as preventing foreign interference and coups by the military or "deviant movements".

Structure and Organization

During the early days of the revolution and First Coalition War, the Enlightened Guard was seen as nothing more than a poorly organized and structured paramilitary of fanatical men, women, and children. However, as the war continued, the forces of the Guard gradually became more potent. When the Guard began to have ordered ranks, tight formations, and the ability to carry out complex battlefield strategies, this would come as a shock to most military personnel of the Coalition. Those Coalition commanders who doubted the organizational effectiveness of the Enlightened Guard did not live long enough to regret their mistake.

The key to Guard's military discipline lies within its cult-like structure. The further up the chain of command one looks, the less the Guard resembles a modern-day military and the more it resembles a that a church. Rank and file soldiers are indoctrinated to look upon their commanders as warrior-priests, who in turn worship their superiors as saints.

As Enlightened Guard soldiers rise in rank and experience they are indoctrinated into the deeper mysteries of the warrior cult, their flesh branded in jagged scars and tattoos of rank and devotion, their souls given to a creed that offers divinity through warfare. Every foe slain in battle is looked upon as a sacrifice, a blood offering sent up the chain of command to the Hegemon.