| Category | Militaries |
| State | Orchish Empire |
The Orchish Empire has one of the larger militaries of the realm. Where the Orchish Empire are superior to most other civilizations is in military doctrine. Their land tactics are superb, if not the best. Their drill is of the highest precision, soldier morale is exemplary, and they are methodical in siege warfare. Their fortifications rival those of the dwarves. Their homeland of Grashakh a mountainous region with lots of rivers and valleys. This makes their holdings very defensible. The use of nearly any beast of burden as a steed, coupled with skyships , and the latest in artillery make even the smallest outpost a tough nut to crack.
Orchish Empire armed forces are led by a general staff and have an officer core of the highest caliber. The groundwork for their war doctrine began with Blac'Drugulois.
Prisoners, slaves, and the weak are expendable for the greater glory of the Orchish Empire.
- Monty the Mad, "Don't Give Me Losses, Give Me Results!"
In Orchish Empire society, military prowess is held in high regard by Githirmil soldiers and other races that have long served or grown up in the empire - military rank a badge of honor and status.
The Orchish Empire is divided into three competitive military commands. These are the armies of the North Military District (NMD), the Eastern Military District (EMD), and the Central Military District (CMD).
- Benâkhâs, military strategist of the Khazarkar Empire - "Fograth Warmongering"
Fograth
Fograth is the land army of the Orchish Empire. Since the empire is generally evil, they use tactics in battle that goodly forces would not, like using slaves and weaker soldiers as cannon fodder. This role usually falls to goblin and kobold slave soldiers. In times of peace, many of these goblins and kobolds return to being simply slaves.
Fograth cavalry is comprised of giant lizards, dire boars, crodlu out of Ahunil and horses out of the Hoof Arc. The latter are not treated as some would like, the first to go in times of want, or on the menu for the empire's flesh-eating mounts. The army's airforce is of great variety, flying beasts out of Maar'tolaak, with chimera, manticore, wyvern, and griffon the most common.
The army also has several special units. One of these is comprised of several dozen ironclad maulers. These magically engineered dire bears come from Morath.
Fograth has three super army groups. These armies are positioned across Grashakh commanding three sectors of the region Grashakh:
| Command | Sector |
|---|---|
| North Military District | Mirtheon |
| Central Military District | Inirthak |
| Eastern Military District | Thingrorn |
| Unit | Location |
|---|---|
| Druog | Hrornskar |
| Ebonweird | Argruxiel |
| Feloren | Valangrim |
| Penal Battalion 321 | Collossapolos |
| Geb Vanguard | |
| Griffon Trumpets, griffon riders | |
| Roringrak | Hrornskar |
| Ebonweird | Argruxiel |
| 12th Corps, Surturs Finest (fire giants) | |
| Venom Wing, wyvern riders |
Fothakith
Fothakith is the name of empire's navy. It is headquartered in the Core Sea city Moglúr. It is a young navy, established in the last years of the Core Offensive.
The High Command has realized their dream of taking their military might to the seas. They continue expanding their naval interests in the direction of Nautrek and beyond.
- Benâkhâs, military strategist of the Khazarkar Empire - "Fothakith"
Kangrath
Kangrath is the void and air fleet of the Orchish Empire. They are becoming a major fighting force of the Orchish Empire. In addition to voidships, the Orchish Empire has skyships and floating citadels that utilize earth and air motes for levitation and propulsion. The motes are usually procured from the giants of Gurnskolf. The giants are happy to help the orcs, since ultimately end up being used in their wars with the Khazarkar Empire.
| Rank | Symbol Tattoo on Righ Arm |
|---|---|
| Trooper | green skull |
| Raider | brown thorn embedded in a green eyed skull |
| Stalker | single jagged-tipped blood red spear |
| Impaler | saw-tooth hand-axe floating over a pool of green liquid |
| Salarai | twin double-bladed deep green battle-axes |
| Imperial Salari | blood red skull pierced with a single jagged blood red sword |
| Bersudin | black and green flaming skeleton bearing a great spear |
| Raider-Salari | four spoke, jagged blood red swords upon a cracked iron-colored skull |
| Skull Bersudin | five spoke, flaming swords beneath an onyx |
Trappings & Protocol
The general alignment of Orchish Empire is lawful evil. Respect is to be given to those of higher rank. Orders are to be followed, and breaking such orders incurs serious disciplinary action or death. Disobedience and cowardly acts often result in removal of rank and sentencing to one of the many Penal Battalions.
- all rank insignia is worn on the tunics inlaid on a bronze badge. It is pinned over the creature's heart
- salute is a raised weapon covering one eye
- colors are defined at each level of the unit - super army group down to the platoon
- each army has a unique style and dress
Rituals
Many units have rituals that are performed before and after battle. A standard ritual of the soldiers of the Orchish Empire is to stab, burn, or pluck out the left eye of their enemies - this being a tribute to Gruumsh.
Groups may also have a ritual unique to their members. Such as wearing the ears of the recently slain on leather cords. While others like the orcs of Feloren have a practice of using serrated daggers to sever the victim's arteries and drink the blood from charred black cups. Some inscribe their military unit symbol into the head of the dead. A victorious Fograth army rarely leaves a battlefield free of un-mutilated bodies, believing that the defaced bodies of their enemies will enter the after-life in a wretched form.