Republican Guard (ETW Unit)

Republican Guard (ETW Unit)
Class	Elite Infantry
Unit Size	160 Men
Weaponry	Muskets
Morale
Melee Attack
Ranged Attack
Defence
Charge Bonus
Accuracy
Range
Ammunition
Region	Worldwide
Recruitment Cost	1200
Upkeep Cost	300
Turns to Build
Unit Limit
Building Requirements	Army Staff College
Technology Requirements	None
Attributes	Can Guard; Can hide in woodland; Can hide in light scrub; Resistant to morale shocks; Inspires nearby units; Grappling Hooks;

The Republican Guard are the elite of the nation, proud to fight for their people and unwavering in the defence of their hard-won liberties.

Overview

The guard are trained to fight in the same fashion as line infantry, standing in line to deliver volley fire from their smoothbore muskets. They are, however, considered to be elite, as they are chosen for their devotion to the national cause and for their personal courage. In a republic all men may be equal, but the guard are more equal than other soldiers!

In much the same way as a royal or household guard would do in a monarchy, this force also has a ceremonial role, giving protection to the head of state. Their presence at formal occasions adds gravitas to the business of the republic. A republican guard is different from a royal guard in one other respect: it can include political officers in its ranks, whose main job is to watch for signs of disloyalty.

Historically, the “palace guard” sometimes became the only unit a leader could rely on when politics got out of hand, most of the time. It was not unknown for the guard to take the role of “kingmakers”, even in a republic, and only give their protection to a presidential candidate of whom they approved.

Details

Republican Guard units are near identical to regular guard units apart from lacking Fire and Advance. They are only recruitable if a faction has become a Republic. Guards represent the very best most nations have to offer in terms of line infantry. They have very high morale, are resistant to morale shocks (such as being charged by cavalry) and can rally routing troops around them. Therefore, they are very reliable and should be used in key positions on the battlefield.

Guards utilize the platoon firing technology. This means that they represent less of a shock value on the battlefield and more of a constant influence. Guards boast very high accuracy so platoon firing is very devastating when used by them despite the smaller amount of firepower deployed.

To prevent overuse, each faction is limited to six units of guards. Every European (including non-native, pirates and Americans) faction, including minor nations, can train generic guards. However, some major factions have a unique assortment of other elite infantry they can also choose from. Like guards, these units generally possess superior statistics to regular line infantry, and utilize platoon firing unless it is unavailable.