The Expeditionary Force is the main offensive unit of the Legions of Scholae Palatinae. They are posted to the Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer Warspite and Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer Indomtiable for rapid deployment throughout the Cocytus System and the entire galaxy.
History
The Legions of Scholae Palatinae had traditionally been defensive in posture and training, owing to their creation as protectors of the Reborn Emperor and Byss. This posture worked, for the most part, but this is because the Coctyus System had yet to see a true invasion.
In 26 ABY, a Quaestor by the name of Archangel made a suggestion to the leader of the ground forces of the Clan, Angelo Dante. The suggestion revolved around the creation of a new corps, a unit of strength as well as speed, which could be used as the spear of the Legions.
While the idea had merit, no outside force had threatened the Clan yet, and probably wouldn't for sometime, and the new Corps would need some better thought and consideration. No new regiments would be raised, and no funds allocated for this Corps, until further discussion had been completed successfully. Soon, this wait-and-see approach would lead to a disaster.
In that same year, 26 ABY, Archangel set about training the House Caliburnus troops in speed tactics, such as air assault and rapid deployment from dropships. He squeezed every credit out of his funds to help pay for improvements to armor, weaponry and field kits, which were sorely lacking.
Expeditionary Force in battle
In early 27 ABY, the need for the Expeditionary Force arose abruptly. A race of warriors, alien to this galaxy, called the Yuuzhan Vong, attacked and ravaged the Cocytus System. During this Incursion, the defensive regiments did their part, blocking the attacking routes as best as they could, but the waves of Yuuzhan Vong slave troops as well as their massive warriors, was too much. Many regiments retreated within a few hours of their first encounters.
Judecca was evacuated, along with most of her troops. Caina was ignored, for the most part, except for one occupation base, while Antenora was occupied. Ptolomea, on the other hand, held fast against the attack. With the new training the Quaestor of Caliburnus had given them, the defensive regiments of Ptolomea were holding the line, but barely.
It was only a matter of time before the line broke. Archangel swept up as many of his men as he could, before ordering an orbital bombardment of the Yuuzhan Vong formations.
The Scholae Palatinae legions were battered and bloody-nosed. They retreated with the rest of the Clan's forces into the Shroud, fleeing ahead of the Yuuzhan Vong onslaught. It was only after a concerted effort from all of the armies in the Dark Brotherhood did the Yuuzhan Vong invasion cease, and much recovery and cleanup work would still need to be done.
The formation of a true Expeditionary Force was almost without question, and Archangel was appointed to lead it. Retraining thousands of troops to attack when their main role in previous years had been to defend was an arduous task in of itself. A lucky boon of vehicles and weaponry, provided by the Dark Council to the beleaguered forces of the Brotherhood, allowed for speedy assimilation into this new style of warfare.
Judecca
The Expeditionary Force's trail by fire was the Reclamation of Judecca. By late 27 ABY, the Yuuzhan Vong had dug in deep on the planet of Judecca, the capital planet of the Clan's dominion and the Cocytus System. While the new training was fresh in their minds, the Expeditionary Force, led from the front by their commander, newly promoted Surface Marshal Archangel, the Corps broke through the Yuuzhan Vong lines with apparent ease.
The Expeditionary Force used a lightning fast attack strategy to break through troop lines and attack their supply lines and communications. This would have worked on any conventional army, and would've succeeded almost immediately. However, the Yuuzhan Vong were anything but conventional.
It would be a very long campaign, and the Expeditionary Force would take many losses. However, they were the crowning glory in a battle which saw three entire defensive regiments wiped out.
In 30 ABY, the Grand Master Aristan Dantes led the entire Brotherhood back into the Shroud, attacking Antei to reclaim it from the Yuuzhan Vong. What would be called the Ninth Great Jedi War was confusing at first, with the majority of the Yuuzhan Vong dead or dying. In their place, a sect of Jedi who had taken over along with a horde of battle droids.
This was a more conventional army to fight, and with Archangel's knowledge of anti-droid battle maneuvers, the Expeditionary Force steamrolled most opposition. It was only when the Jedi entered the fray did things become difficult, but with the addition of Dark Jedi to the legions in the so-called Marshal Plan Charlie, these attacks were quickly dealt with.
After so many years of near-constant fighting, the Expeditionary Force was tattered and mangled. They were brought home and given four months rest. Many men refused to reenlist, now that they knew of the horrors that they might face in the service of Scholae Palatinae. It would take some time to recuperate from these losses, and many of the new recruits were horribly young and underwhelming.
Unfortunately, the training of these troops were cut short. In 31 ABY, the Clan was ordered to attack the planet of Salas V, as a test between the Clans to see who would be allowed to capture the planet and keep it for themselves. The Clan's Consul was quick to take up the fight, despite the legions needing much more time to rearm.
Salas V was a nightmare, with many of the green troops being slaughtered by the troops of Taldryan. It was only a tiny grace that they were able to defeat the Plaguian forces and claim at least a semblance of victory.
In 33 ABY, under the guidance of Angelo Dante and Brent "Archangel" Ligur Victae, the Expeditionary Force was downsized, condensed and reworked into what it is today: two large fighting forces, capable of equal destruction and victory.
Command
Commander: Colonel Blake Harrid
- Species: Human
- Gender: Male
- Height: 171 cm
- Weight: 81 kg
- Eye Color: Green
- Hair Color: Brown
Born on the planet of Corulag, Blake Harrid was destined for military service, with all of the men in his family having served in one branch or another. He keenly worked through his education, focusing on subjects which would assist him in the future, and this focus set him apart from most of the applicants to the Carida Imperial Officer Academy.
He enrolled in the Stormtrooper Legion officer course, and excelled immediately. After a very successful academical tenure, he was assigned to the Hammer's Fist Legion. He was put in command of Vendetta Platoon, and led it through seven operations.
During these operations, he got to know a man known as Decarat, a Lieutenant Colonel in the elite platoon, Nightstalkers. Decarat had Blake Harrid, now a Captain, assigned to the Nightstalkers, under his command, so that he could be of more use than in a defensive platoon.
When Decarat left the Hammer's Fist, after being expelled from the Emperor's Hammer, Blake was the first to follow. He would become the right hand man of Decarat, now known as Archangel. He commanded the Expeditionary Force in Peace time, and the Expeditionary Force Warspite during war time.
Elements
The Expeditionary Force consists of eight Legions, and four Airlift Squadrons, grouped into two equal units, one assigned to the Warspite and the other to Indomitable. The groups are named for the vessels they are assigned to.
- Main article: Expeditionary Force Warspite
Expeditionary Force Warspite consists of the 30th, 31st, 32nd, and 33rd Legions and the 100th and 110th Airlift Squadrons.
- Main article: Expeditionary Force Indomitable
Expeditionary Force Indomitable consists of the 40th, 41st, 42nd, and 43rd Legions and the 101th and 111th Airlift Squadrons.
Deployment
Each of the Expeditionary Force units are assigned to the vessel they are named for. Though the units remain on their assigned vessels for the majority of the time, they do take part in war games with various Guard units, as well as training on their own on the moons of Cocytus System.
Vehicles
The Expeditionary Force's Legions has numerous vehicles assigned to it, as it has the main armored units in all the Legions.
The Expeditionary Force's Airlift Squadrons have large store of heavy-lift dropships, allowing the EF to drop a Legion at a time.