Ask a Praetorian!

[Agares Tretiak]

Lately, I've gotten a lot of questions regarding the Praetorian Guard and it's functions, duties, etc. I felt that given the volume of them, I should make a forum thread so everyone can receive the answers and maybe save everyone a bit of time!

I'll cover a little ground work regarding the Guard for those of you new to the Ordo.

The Praetorian Guard is the elite special branch that serves directly under the Imperator, given special powers to carry out his will. They serve as his bodyguards, enforcers, and special combat unit. Members of the Guard are usually referred to as Praetorians or Guardsmen (though a Guardsman is actually a rank as well, inside of the Guard). Currently, the Guard is undergoing a series of organizational changes and modifications to help it function better. The Guard's history is a long and illustrious one, dating back to the Alliance Navy II and the Protectorate for the Admiralty.

So! With that out of the way, feel free to ask any questions you may have about the Praetorian Guard, how they functions, and so and so forth!

I will occasionally refer to the Carta Praetorian, a fairly substantial document that outlines many of the duties and responsibilities of the Guard.

A link to the Carta Praetorian can be found here: Carta Praetorian

[Tiridates Mikadze]

Are you all 10 feet tall with death-ray eyes?

[Agares Tretiak]

Those upgrades are currently in Progress. Eventually, yes, though.

[Ron Bleac]

Does the Praetorian Guard have a rank equivalent to that of the rest of the organizational structure of Ordo? As in, would a Guardsman be the equivalent of a W-1/O-1 etc? What are your personal experiences in the Praetorian Guard, and did you require specialized training and/or procedures before entering service? How long did the training take, and what would an individual have to be prepared for before entering Praetorian Training?

[Gulliver Carpool]

If I were to allot one potato for each Praetorian, and this was going to be the last potato they'd ever have ever again, but I could only prepare these potatoes one way, in what way would I prepare them to please the greatest number of Praetorians?

[Cygna]

Those upgrades are currently in Progress. Eventually, yes, though.

I refuse to be 10 ft tall.

[Agares Tretiak]

Does the Praetorian Guard have a rank equivalent to that of the rest of the organizational structure of Ordo? As in, would a Guardsman be the equivalent of a W-1/O-1 etc? What are your personal experiences in the Praetorian Guard, and did you require specialized training and/or procedures before entering service? How long did the training take, and what would an individual have to be prepared for before entering Praetorian Training?

Excellent questions, Mr. Bleac!

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1. The Praetorian Guard has it's own specialized internal rank structure, which is as follows:

The Lord Imperator - Aryte Vesperia - Supreme commander and the man we swear our fealty and undying service to. He's our biggest boss.

The Lord Praefectus - Kytec Switchblade - The somewhat titular second in command of the Ordo Imperialis, and our commander in most basic policy and combat leader. He's my day to day boss. Manges many other apsects of the Guard and is at least traditionally, considered the first among equals of the Legates level officers.

Praetor Evocati - Myself, Sera Otoro, and Tenaki Kupferberg - EVocati are like squad leaders. Each Evocati leads their own Signa Praetorium, which has a vague, but overlapping field of interest, outside of their combat duties. Evocati are something like Senior NCOs and Officers wrapped into one, and are strong leaders. Each Signa has ideally, two Praetorians assigned under an Evocati. They are my peers inside of the Guard.

Praetorian Guardsman - Karlhockey Forte, Intus Infinity, Devastator BLuebird, Vlad-ee-moose, etc - The Guardsman is the bread and butter of the Guard. Each Guardsman is part of a Signa Praetorium, and serves under an Evocati. They're all awesome people. Technically subordinates to the Praefectus and Eocati.

Praetorian Initiates - none right now - Praetorians new to the Guard, who've been selected to join. They undergo a rigorous introduction and training regime to acclimate them to the nature of the guard. They also fetch coffee, clean bedding, and wipe blood off my mask after a particularly messy melee kill. Technically not full members of the Guard, they don't wear the traditional Praetorian Armor until they pass the initiation rites.

THERE IS a theoretical rank equivalence going (noted in the Carta Praetorian) as follows:

Praefectus is obviously at the very least, an O-3. With perks. :D

Praetor Evocati are generally very very veteran members of the Ordo and the Guard, and skilled leaders. They carry the -approximate- rank of an O-2 officer.

Praetorian Guardsmen are generally veterna members of the ORdo and competnet leaders in thier own rights. They carry the approximate weight of W-1 or W-2.

Initiates are roughly E-7, since they are not entirely epic just yet.

It must be noted, all Guardsmen, PRaefectus to Initiate technically are beyond the normal rank structure of the regular ORdo Imperialis forces. They cannot really be ordered by anyone but the Imperator. For instance, a Guardsman ranked PRaetorian cannot be ordered around by an O-1. However, by the Imeprator's own insistence, the Guard are...encouraged... to follow orders in the sake of being good sports and team players. Just don't get any ideas about asking one to do any frivolous tasks.

Generally, every Praetorian Guardmember carries the implicit trust and weight of the Imperator's Word. If they ask for something to be done, one should generally listen. If it's incredibly stupid, Aryte gets upset, though. We're given a wide latitude to exercise our implied powers, but also expected to do so with discipline and consideration for the Imeprator's wishes. Should be read as "used rarely".

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2. I joined the Guard when I was an E-3, which a long time ago, meant I was an NCO. Waaay back. I took part in a sort of trail system, though not as comprehensive or organized, maybe, as the one we're standardizing now. We underwent a number of exercises and tests, before being chosen. Afterward, we did receive a fair bit of special training, especially regarding the new set of weapons we'd been given access to. The current system of training and expectations are better defined, I feel, than previously laid out, however. I would recommend that anyone interested in participating in the Guard consider three areas of skill: Combat abilities as an individual and as a team player. Team work especially will be important. The third is your ability to cover administrative work, which is one reason we will likely look closely at a number of our senior NCOs with staff responsibilities. Another consideration is your record with Curia and the AiR. Clean records aren't strictly required, especially if there are past transgressions...but the better the standing you have with them, the better are your chances. Every praetorian is expected to be a paragon of the Ordo Imperialis.

The Training planned for initiates (I.E. if you pass the trails) will entail at least a month of indoctrination and acclimatization as you are introduced to the precepts and regulations of the Guard, as well as the culture of the Guard itself. At the end of that initiation process, you will be granted your armor and access to the entire Ordo Arsenal, with the reasonable expectation you will receive training and qualification in your new weapons.

If I were to allot one potato for each Praetorian, and this was going to be the last potato they'd ever have ever again, but I could only prepare these potatoes one way, in what way would I prepare them to please the greatest number of Praetorians?

Gulliver, I'd say baked with a full side bar of the fixings or possibly thusly: Hachis Parmentier

I should research the tradition of Praetorian potato eating habits.

Intus, you will by the Imperator! D:< LASER. EYES. You can't use them if you're tiny.

[Ron Bleac]

Great answers!

[ribena Homewood]

Why do you claim to be "the body guards of thy Imperator," when as a matter of fact you do the exact same things as everybody else? Specifically, what do your jobs consist of? (Other than stating the obvious)

[Agares Tretiak]

Why do you claim to be "the body guards of thy Imperator," when as a matter of fact you do the exact same things as everybody else? Specifically, what do your jobs consist of? (Other than stating the obvious)

We do, in fact, serve as the personal bodyguards of the Imperator and his family, though we've only been occasionally called on to do so in the past. This role of protection is expected to be expanded with the inception of the new set of Guardsmen and the full adaptation of the Carta Praetorian. This will likely include accompanying the Imperator on diplomatic missions and during combat, attempting to shield the Imperator from possible enemy attacks on his person. We also are tasked with hunting down and eliminating any personal threat to the Imperator inside of or outside of the Ordo.

Praetorians of the past served a variety of roles, including and almost primarily as administrative assistants and special combatants to the Imperator. As time has progressed, a new and emerging set of roles has been laid out through the broad based document of the Carta Praetorian, to become even more specialized and have a far more organized set of rules governing their combat duties, as well as their internal functions as direct extensions of the Imperator's will.

In my case, I've served as a content developer, officer, liaison, diplomat, training adviser, sim builder, administrative staff member, and internal security specialist through out my career as a Praetorian. Many other Praetorians have similarly diverse and illustrious duties. However, the Guard are not expected to usually laud their own accomplishments, leaving much of their work unnoticed or in the background for much of its history in service.

Praetorians past, present, and future are all expected to not only be jacks of all trades, but be masters of as many of them as is possible to facilitate their roles. I would strongly urge anyone with interest in their role to look carefully at the Carta Praetorian, specifically the section Codex Praetorian Custodiae Decorum and The role of the Praetorian Guard (Sections VI and VIII, respectively). The new role of the guard will be an evolving thing, given the extent of change the Carta represents.

[Arc Vyper]

Why have I yet to see a gun-wielding Praetorian crocodile that serves coffee while balancing your checkbook? >>No one will answer this question after I bring it up at every chance <<

[Agares Tretiak]

Probably because we have no Praetorian Initiates. This also why I might be seen occasionally doing my laundry.

[Cygna]

I usually get my own coffee.

... Unless I trick an E-1 into thinking it's written in the handbook that it's their implied job. :x

[Sera Otoro]

i too get my own... though when im at AC i usually have a load of starbucks coffee in cans stocked in my combat trousers... that way im always topped up with coffee... :P

[Agares Tretiak]

It's their job to follow orders. <_<

[ribena Homewood]

Agares