La Légion Étrangère: 2300AD

The 1e REC is the Légion’s oldest cavalry unit, formed in the years following World War 1. It attracted a number of minor nobles to its ranks when it was formed and still carries the nickname of the Royale Étranger. The 1e REC has seen action recently in the Central Asian, German Reunification and Kafer Wars, although it is routinely stationed on Tirane. The 1e REC was heavily engaged in the Liberation of Kimanjano taking severe casualties against Kafer attacks on the landing zones and later fighting a mobile battle against Kafer reserves to the south of Fromme. The 1e REC is predominantly manned by Tiraneans; Néo-Provençales, Friehafeners and New Canberrans of Argentine extraction being most common although there are people from across the planet in its ranks.

The regiment has been brought back up to strength since the Kimanjano operation. It remains part of the 2e DLB stationed on Kimanjano and tasked with reinforcing the Eta Bootis finger should a further Kafer incursion take place. 1e REC is still equipped with the ACL-7 light hovertanks in which it suffered such heavy casualties on the Kimanjano LZs. Many of the légionnaires would prefer to convert to the heavier AC-12s which are more survivable and morale has suffered because of this. The regiment normally works as a demi-brigade with the I/2e REI.

2eRégiment Étranger de Cavalerie

2e REC - BCB – 1e DMC, Aurore

The 2e REC has been formed and disbanded several times during its existence but in its latest incarnation it has seen almost a century and a half’s service. Known as the Dauphin Étranger it has primarily operated in the colonies although it served with distinction in the Central Asian War as part of the Groupe Mobile de la Légion Étrangère and was one of the few units to escape from the Battle of Omsk. After the war it was sent to Beta Canum where it remained until the Kafers invaded Aurore and it was dispatched as part of the expeditionary force to rescue the world.

The 2e REC has seen heavy fighting under its legendary Colonel Carnot including the famous victory at Marais Marmont and was the spearhead force against the Kafer landings in January 2302. With almost five years combat experience on Aurore the 2e REC is extremely combat experienced and morale remains high. Once a mixed armour-infantry task force, the 2e REC was reorganised in late 2300 as a pure hovertank unit with the latest AC-12bis. It works in a demi-brigade with I/13e DBLE so retains an all-arms capability. The unit is assigned to the 1e Division de Marche Coloniale under Général de Division Carnot.

Before deploying to Aurore, 2e REC was manned predominantly by French colonials, Central Asians with some Russians and a scattering of other nationalities. During its time on Aurore it has received a constant stream of replacements of many nationalities, the glamour of the 2e REC being a great recruiting sergeant and the unit is now very cosmopolitan. In addition it has gained many recruits from on-world recruitment, notably many refugees from Noyoa Kiyev as well as colonists from Tanstaafl and Aurore Français.

3eRégiment Étranger de Cavalerie

3e REC - BCB - 1e DLB, Beta Canum

The 3e REC is the youngest of the current Légion cavalry units being formed permanently only in 2283 when it saw sterling service in the Central Asian War including with the GMLE. In the aftermath of the war it served for several years in the CAR as part of the Armée de l’Asie Centrale and it missed the Reunification War as a result. It was then re-roled into the crack 1e DLB with the Force d’Action Rapide on Earth, ultimately being dispatched to Beowulf to become a part of the Armée de Libération with whom it saw heavy action on Kimanjano.

3e REC moved with 1e DLB to Beta Canum where it is still stationed, however unlike 1e REC the regiment has re-equipped with AC-12bis. 3e REC is mostly French, but with strong contingents of Germans (mostly Bavarians), Poles, Russians and Central Asians. The 3e REC operates in cooperation with III/2e REI.

1eRégiment Étranger d'Infanterie

I/1e REI – BFA – 102e DAM, Aurore

II/1e REI – BFA – 8e DAM, Dijbouti

III/1e REI – BFA – CECdoGy, Guyana

The 1e REI is the oldest of the Légion’s infantry units and has a long and distinguished combat record stretching back for centuries. Today, like the other REIs, it operates as independent battalions. I/1e REI is stationed on Aurore in the airmobile role where it operates as an airmobile reaction force, seeing frequent low level action in the bled. II/1e REI has the same role as part of the regional airmobile reserve stationed in Djibouti in East Africa. III/1e REI is a specialist jungle warfare battalion stationed at the commando training centre in Guyana.

In terms of make up the 1e REI is typically mixed. I/1e REI has spent several decades on the French Arm and has a primarily colonial make-up, in recent years it has recruited many ex-Bavarians from Neumarkt. II/1e REI has a strong backbone of Central Asian NCOs left over from the years after the Central Asian War as well as a heavy representation of Indochinese. III/1e REI is also strong with Indochinese as well as a number of légionnaires from Madras and Sri Lanka.

2e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie

I/2e REI – BFAML – 2e DLB, Kimanjano

II/2e REI – BFAM – 3e DMC, Beta Canum - 4

III/2e REI – BFAML – 1e DLB, Beta Canum

If 1e REI is the oldest 2e REI regards itself as having the best fighting reputation in recent years. Through its history it has been a pioneer of mechanised infantry techniques in the Légion and its battalions saw heavy action in the Central Asian War and III/2e REI distinguished itself in the Battle of Picardie against the Germans. All three of the regiment’s battalions have seen action against the Kafers.

I/2e and III/2 are light mechanised infantry of the FAR and operated alongside 1e and 3e REC were in the first wave of the Liberation of Kimanjano. II/2e had seen action in the first invasion of Aurore and was then an airmobile battalion stationed on Beta Canum when the Kafers invaded that world and it was destroyed defending the beanstalk terminal, survivors formed maquis bands or escaped to New Africa. The battalion has since been reformed and aided in the liberation of the Continent Français.

I/2e REI has been stationed on Tirane and has a similar make up to the 1e REC. The II/2e REI has been rebuilt around a hard kernel of pre-war Bavarians, reinforcements from Earth and large numbers of colonists from Beta Canum’s French and German colonies. III/2e REI is a battalion split between north Africans, Bavarians and Indochinese.

3e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie

II/3e REI – BFAM – 2e DMC, Kimanjano

III/3e REI – BFL – Cabo Verde

The 3e REI is the heir to the traditions of the RMLE that fought in the first two world wars and remains the most heavily decorated unit in the Légion. It also sees itself as the most versatile and forward looking of the REIs; it was from the 3e REI that the first Légion paras were formed, 3e REI pioneered modern jungle warfare techniques in the French Army and I/3e REI was chosen to pioneer a new airmobile concepts. I/3e REI was all but destroyed in a delaying action by the German III Korps on the Meuse in 2293 before eventually being converted to the airmobile I/REAI.

II/3e REI was one of the French theatre reserve battalions in the 212e DI on Kimanjano and its survivors only just evacuated from that world during Operation ENTENTE. It was then reconstituted at Beowulf and integrated into the 2e DMC and was involved in the Liberation of Kimanjano. III/3e REI is stationed in the Cabo Verde islands to protect the trans-Atlantic lines of communication between French Africa and Brazil. III/3e REI is seen as a plum posting given only to légionnaires who have served with good conduct for ten years.

Both II/3e and III/3e REI are very polyglot units with no particularly outstanding ethnic groupings.

4eRégiment Étranger d'Infanterie

I/4e REI – BCPB – 2e DB, France

II/4e REI – BFA – 1e DLA, Nouvelle Europe

III/4e REI – BFL – Polynésie

4e REI was for many years the training unit for the Légion, however this role has now passed on to the 11e REI. I/4e REI is one of only two combat walker units in the Légion and is assigned to the famous 2e DB. The battalion converted during the Central Asian War, saw action in the War with Germany and completed a year long combat tour on Aurore in 2299-2300 and is one of the leading French CW units.

The II/4e REI has been located at Nouvelle Europe on Beowulf for the last several decades. It forms the French airmobile reserve in this colony and frequently deploys to the Rhadamanthine Archipelago and has seen action against pirates and Alician forces. III/4e REI forms part of the garrison of French Polynesia, like III/3e REI in Cabo Verde it is regarded as a plum posting.

I/4e REI is a predominantly French unit but also has numbers of Manchurian, Bavarian and Japanese soldiers. I/4e REI is a prestigious unit and many légionnaires strive to be transferred into its ranks. II/4e REI is largely colonial French and African in composition, especially a large numbers of expatriate Elysians. III/4e REI is a polyglot unit.

5eRégiment Étranger d’Infanterie

I/5e REI – BFA – 102e DAM, Aurore

II/5e REI – BFA – Cadre, Nouvelle Europe

III/5e REI – BFAM – 5e DM, Earth

5e REI has had a varied existence. It was formed initially as the garrison for Indochina, it then was a garrison for Polynesia and developed as the French reserve for the region during the Paix Français. It then became a garrison unit for Nouvelle Provence on Tirane. I/5e REI is currently an airmobile battalion and is deployed on Aurore on secondment from French Africa. II/5e REI was on Kimanjano for the Kafer invasion and was destroyed fighting in the perimeter around the city of Fromme, it has been reformed as a cadre on Nouvelle Europe and no date for its complete reestablishment has been given. III/5e REI is hovermobile infantry unit of the Armée de Manœuvre on Earth which has seen frequent deployments to the CAR, it has also served a tour on Auore.

I/5e is a mainly Asian battalion including Indochinese, Malays, Punjabis and a contingent of Nepalese who joined the Légion following the disbandment of an Independent Gorkha Rifles battalion. III/5e REI has large numbers of Bavarians, Francophone Flemish and north Africans.

6e Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie

I/6e REI – BFJ – 106e DI, Algeria

II/6e REI – BFAM – Division Europa, French Arm

The 6e REI is the Légion’s problem child regiment and used for generating bataillons de marche. Its permanent battalion is I/6e REI, the Légion’s punishment battalion, stationed deep in the Algerian Sahara. It is a harsh but very professional unit often used in the shock role, and lives up to its ‘Bataillon du Damné’ nickname. In the Central Asian War 6e REI included a number of battalions formed from turned Manchurian PoWs, while in the war with Germany it included battalions formed from anti-Reunificationist Bavarians. Although they were disbanded at the end of hostilities many of those soldiers transferred into mainstream Légion units.

During the Kafer War volunteers from I/6e REI formed the Groupement Étranger de Choc which operated in the coup de main role in the liberation of Kimanjano, taking massive casualties in seizing the town of Galliarde-sur-Maine. II/6e REI is a bataillon de marche formed from soldiers of the Croat and Serbian militaries who have volunteered for service against the Kafers in the Division Europa. Given the near legendary antipathy between these two nations the harsh discipline of the II/6e matches that of I/6e REI.

11eRégiment Étranger d’Infanterie

I/11e REI – BEF – Algeria

II/11e REI – BEF – Algeria

III/11e REI – BEF – Tirane

IV/11e REI – BEF – Beta Canum

V/11e REI – BEF – Aurore

The 11e REI is the Légion’s training regiment responsible for instruction of recruits. It has two battalions on Earth at Sidi-Bel-Abbès, one on Tirane and one on Beta Canum. Its most recent addition has been the V/11e REI on Aurore to process on-planet recruits. The IV/11e REI was caught up in the invasion of Beta Canum where it mounted a stirring but doomed defence of its depot in the spirit of Camerone. It has only just been reformed. The core battalions have been in overdrive providing fresh manpower to replace the numerous casualties the Légion has suffered.

13eDemi-Brigade de la Légion Étrangère

I/13e DBLE – BFAM – 1e DMC, Aurore

II/13e DBLE – BFAM – 2e DMC, Kimanjano

III/13e DBLE – BFA – Beta Canum

13e DBLE has a reputation as being slightly different from the other Légion units, a tradition started when the unit backed de Gaulle in WW2. It has been deployed to the French Arm since the late 22nd Century and has a very colonial outlook, and until recently it has concentrated almost entirely on the light infantry role. I/13e DBLE was re-roled to hovermobile infantry to join the 1e DMC on Aurore late in 2300.

II/13e saw action on Aurore for two years taking part in the liberation of Aurore Francais, it was then transferred to Kimanjano where it saw heavy action in the invasion. A kernel of the unit escaped and was rebuilt as a mechanised unit in the 2e DMC; the battalion is immensely combat experienced. The III/13e DBLE was stationed on Nous Voila which was isolated and bombarded by the Kafers. The battalion survived only by imposing martial law on the surrounding areas. It has recently transferred to Beta Canum.

13e DBLE as a whole is manned mostly by colonial volunteers. These include many Germans from ex-Bavarian colonies in the French Arm, expatriates from Elysia, refugees from Noyova Kiyev serve with I/13e DBLE, and some dissidents from Crater. Many of the refugees created recently by the Kafer War try to join this regiment which many of the colonial French see as ‘Notre Légion’.

1eRégiment Étranger de Parachutistes

I/1e REP – BFTIS – 1e BI, Nouvelle Europe

II/1e REP – BFTIS – 1e BI, Nouvelle Europe

1e REP has had a mixed history often displaying almost suicidal bravery and superb professionalism but was once disbanded for mutiny. They are currently roled as crack TIS para-commandos and were assigned to Rochemont’s Fleet during the Kafer War where they earned the nickname of ‘les grognards’. Alongside US Marines they spearheaded the abortive, doomed first attempt to liberate Beta Canum and while badly mauled fought on from New Africa and conducted a notable stand at Zelberg on the German Continent. The units have been rebuilt with an influx of manpower and are training hard on Beowulf for further operations. 1e REP is a very cosmopolitan unit with the cream of the Légion competing to get into its ranks, however it has the major concentration of ‘Anglo-Saxon’ légionnaires.

2eRégiment Étranger de Parachutistes

I/2e REP– BTS – GTS TIS, Nouvelle Europe

II/2e REP – BCPB – 1e BI, Nouvelle Europe

2e REP is a specialist regiment including the only special operations roled battalion as well as an airborne combat walker battalion. The II/2e REP provides combat walker support to the 1e REP battalions and has an intense rivalry with I/4e REI. I/2e REP is the Légion’s most elite unit and is a strategic special operations unit. Both of 2e REP’s battalions have seen heavy action in the Kafer War.

3eRégiment Étranger de Parachutistes

I/3e REFP – BFEP – Corsica

II/3e REFP – BFEP – Nouvelle Provence

3e REP is the Légion paras’ holding and training unit. It had three small battalions on three worlds providing continuation training and rehabilitation for injured paratroopers. Long service soldiers with good records or chronic injury problems are assigned to these units in a similar way to III/3e and III/4e REI. III/3e REP was caught up in the invasion of Beta Canum and destroyed as an operational unit, although some of the légionnaires escaped and later joined up with 1e REP. III/3e REP has not been reformed although consideration has been given to relocating it to Nouvelle Europe if it is.

Régiment Étranger d'Aero-Infanterie

I/REAI – BAM – 101e DAM, Beta Canum-4

The REAI is an experimental unit designed to blend infantry, gunships, scouts and transports at the company level in a single airmobile battle group. I/3e REI was chosen to become the infantry element of this unit which wears the green beret of the Légion with the silver capbadge of the ALAT. The unit was deployed to Aurore to test the new concepts in action, it then returned to Beta Canum to refine its doctrine and organisation.

During the Kafer invasion it was one of the few units to escape destruction while taking a notable toll on the Kafers, however it was forced to escape to the British Continent from where it continued to make its presence felt on a number of raids. I/REAI played a major role in the subsequent 2nd Battle of Uethan and the liberation of the Continent Français. It continues to act as a fire force hunting down Kafer remnants. Alongside II/13e DBLE it is one of the most experienced units in the Légion and is famous across Beta Canum even with British and German colonists who usually disparage French military efforts.

6e Régiment Étranger de Génie

I/6e REG – BGAML – 2e DLB, Kimanjano

II/6e REG – BGL – Guyana

III/6e REG – BGL – 102e DAM, Aurore

1e CEGP – 1e BI, Nouvelle Europe

6e REG is the Légion’s combat engineering arm, a role that has always gone hand in hand with the Légion’s infantry duties. I/6e REG provides the combat engineering support for the 2e DLB and saw action with it on Kimanjano. II/6e REG is tasked with supporting French forces in Guyana. III/6e REG was tasked with providing engineering support for the 102e DAM on Aurore, and is largely responsible for the division’s excellent bases. The regiment also provides its best engineers for the elite 1e CEGP which works with the 1e REP.

1e Régiment Étranger d’Artillerie

I/1e REA – BAAML – 1e DLB,

II/1e REA – BAAML – 2e DMC, Kimanjano

III/1e REA – BAL – Cadre, Continent Français

1e CEAEP – 1e BI, Nouvelle Europe

1e REA is the Légion’s artillery unit and it has been heavily hit in the Kafer War. The I/1e REA is the artillery for the 1e DLB and saw action with it in the liberation of Kimanjano where it was often firing over open sights in the defence of the LZs. II/1e REA was on Kimanjano when the Kafer invasion hit it and was forced to abandon its guns when it retreated off-planet, however incorporated in the 2e DMC it regained its honour in the liberation of Kimanjano. III/1e REA was the artillery component of the 101e DAM on Beta Canum and was destroyed in the defence of the Beanstalk station. The regiment also mans the 1e CEAEP which saw action with the 1e REP, although mostly in an infantry role.

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Organisation

The modern Légion has a total strength of just under 22 000 soldiers, although due to confusion during the Kafer War the exact number cannot be currently ascertained as many are missing in action.

The Légion does not fight as a single body. There are no entirely Légion manned formations, although the 1e BI and 212e DI come close. The Légion is a ‘teeth’ force, it has only combat and combat support units, it provides no logisticians or administrative specialists beyond those found at the battalion level.

Instead it provides individual battalions of cavalry, infantry, engineers or artillery to formations of the French Army. The Légion usually finds itself in leading frontline units which are likely to see heavy action, or in far flung colonial garrisons. The infantry, artillery and engineer regiments do not fight as regiments and are dispersed as individual battalions. The cavalry is organised into battalion sized units called regiments. In general légionnaires will usually only serve within the one regiment through their careers.

At the battalion level the Légion uses the same organisation as the rest of the French Army. Currently there are no fewer than 18 different battalion orders of battle in use in the Légion.

Bataillon de Cavalerie Blindée

Both the 2e and 3e REC use this standard organisation, the 2e REC having recently converted from a Bataillon de Cavalerie Blindée Mixte and 3e REC from BCBL. The BCB is a pure hovertank battalion equipped with modern AC-12bis hovertank. The BCB does not have the integral all-arms capability of the BCBM it commonly operates with as a demi-brigade with a BFAM and divisional support elements giving it much more versatility and combat power.

The BCB is organised with 3 hovertank Escadrons and a command and service Escadron. The hovertank Escadron are organised with four 3 tank troops and a command troop. In total the BCB has 41 AC-12s and numerous support and service vehicles.

Bataillon de Cavalerie Blindée Légère

Only the 1e REC remains organised as a BCBL, which essentially is identical to the BCB except for its equipment with the light ACL-7 hovertank. The BCBL also trains for airmobile deployments.

Bataillon de Fantassins Aéromobiles

The BFA has been almost the default organisation for the Légion’s infantry in recent years, although with the creation of the Divisions de Marche Coloniale this has changed somewhat. The BFA is a light role, airmobile infantry battalion and is a versatile infantry force capable of full spectrum combat operations. Some of the BFAs have environmental specialisations, most notably III/2e REI’s jungle training.

The BFA has four rifle companies, a support company (CEA) and a HQ company (CCS). The rifle companies have three rifle platoons and a HQ with small integral anti-tank and anti-aircraft elements. The support company has reconnaissance, mortar, anti-tank and anti-aircraft elements. The command company has the usual combat support elements and a pioneer platoon which also functions as a defence platoon.

Bataillon des Fantassins Joyeux

The BFJ shares most of the organisation of the BFA, except it has a fifth rifle company rather than a CEA. The BFJ is a punishment battalion and is under much harsher discipline than any other unit, having integral military police. The I/6e REI is organised in this way.

Bataillon de Fantassins Légers

The BFL are conventional light infantry battalions primarily used in the static or garrison role. In the Légion there are two battalions with this organisation, both deployed on Earth the III/3e and III/4e REI. The BFL share the general organisation of the BFA but have less wide ranging training and less modern equipment. The Légion BFLs are manned by veteran légionnaires, many of whom are greatly experienced but are not in the first flush of youth.

Bataillon de Fantassins Aéro-Mécanisés

The BFAM has become and increasingly important organisation for the Légion with the conversion of several BFAs to BFAMs. There are now 6 Légion battalions with this order of battle which is the standard hovermobile mechanised infantry organisation in use in the French Army. BFAMs can be equipped with either the ACVI-4 or the obsolete ACVI-3.

The BFAM has four manoeuvre companies, a CEA and a CCS. The companies have three rifle platoons and a support platoon in addition to the usual headquarters. The BFAMs are trained to work in conjunction with BCBs, although the more recently converted Légion BFAMs are believed to be insufficiently trained in this regard. However their light role experience prior to re-roling have given them greater dismounted close combat effectiveness.

Bataillon de Fantassins Légers Aéro-Mécanisés

The BFAML is almost identical to the BFAM except they operate with the BCBL in the 1e and 2e DLB. The difference is in the versatility of the training opportunities, but they are also equipped with ACVI-4s. Two battalions of the 2e REI are employed in this role.

Bataillon de Chasseurs à Pied Blindée

BCPB are French combat walker units of which there are two in the Légion. Each has 4 CW companies, a CEA and CSS. Each company has two platoons of walkers with a small HQ for a total of 24 walkers. In total the BCPB has 100 frontline walkers but also hold a reserve of 25 walkers to replace maintenance and combat losses. Both Légion units have this organisation, although I/4e REI works with an armoured division while II/2e REP is assigned to a TIS Bde, so their training routines are somewhat different.

Bataillon de Fantassins des Troupes d’Intervention Spatiale

The BFTIS is France’s most capable light infantry organisation, used by its most elite intervention forces. It includes four rifle companies, a reinforced CEA and a CCS. It has double the normal complement of anti-tank weapons, its second AT platoon being manned by the pioneers, and an integral commando platoon. What makes the real difference for these units is the quality of training and rigorous selection of personnel. Both the battalions of the 1e REP have this organisation.

Bataillon de Troupes Spéciales

The I/2e REP is organised as a BTS, which is France’s default special forces organisation. It includes 4 RAPAS companies as well as the usual support elements.

Bataillon d’Entraînement des Fantassins

The BEF is a basic training depot battalion used for the training of recruits. It includes a CCS and a number of training companies depending on the size of intakes expected. For example the I and II/11e REI at Sidi-Bel-Abbès each have four training companies, but the V/11e REI on Aurore only has the one.

Bataillon d’Entraînement des Fantassins Parachutistes

The BEFP are holding depots for légionnaires destined for the REPs. They have a small CCS and a single training company. Their role is to get légionnaires up to the required operational standards to be posted to a BFTIS. Due to the prestige BFTIS role the on the job training common in most units is not acceptable.

Bataillon d’Aviation Mixte

There is only one BAM in the French forces, I/REAI. It is an integrated airmobile assault unit including scouts, gunships and infantry. It is grouped into 3 companies and a CCS. The companies have an air platoon with four Zephyr gunships and two AG-7 scouts and two infantry platoons each with two Dragon III transports and 35 légionnaires. The BAM is highly mobile, hard hitting, but is somewhat deficient in infantry. It is common for the companies to be regrouped to produce a task organised force and the BAM usually operates as a complete unit.

Bataillon Légers du Génies Aéro-Mécanise

The BGAML is a versatile hovermobile engineer unit intended to support the 1e and 2e DLBs. The bulk of the vehicles are converted ACVI-3s although there is a vast range of specialist models. There are only two such battalions in the French Army and I/6e REG is one of them. The BGAML has three field engineer groups and two heavy engineer groups and a GCS.

Bataillon Légers du Génies

The BGL are light engineering units. They have a single field engineering group, one heavy engineering group and a GCS. They have either un-armoured wheeled or hover vehicles in addition to their usual plant.

Bataillon d’Artillerie Légère Aéro-Mécanise

BAAMLs are hovermobile MRL artillery units. They have three strong batteries and a command and support batteries.

Cadre

There are currently two battalions in cadre, II/5e REI and III/1e REA. These units are currently non operational and have only a staff of fewer than 20 légionnaires. However it is planned that these units will be reactivated in the near future.

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Recruitment

Joining the Légion is relatively simple. All you need to do is walk through the door of a French Army recruitment centre, these are found across French territory on Earth and in the colonies, and volunteer.

The Légion will accept any male from the ages of 18-40 and of any nationality. The recruit centre will undertake a range of basic aptitude and intelligence tasks, whilst running a first background check. Any obviously unsuited people will be turned down here. The Légion will accept anyone who has no record of committing a major crime, although a petty criminal record will count against a marginal candidate. If the candidate passes this initial phase they are sent for further testing.

On Earth this means being dispatched to a reception unit at Sidi-Bel-Abbès, or on Tirane to the III/11e REI at Lancon-Nouvelle-Provence. If the candidate has volunteered on Aurore or Beta Canum then they are dispatched to the appropriate 11e REI battalion. If on another colony world the further assessment is done by a small Légion team located at one of the local garrisons. The two week assessment includes medical, fitness, further aptitude testing, interviews and a more detailed background checks. If successful the candidate will be loaded on the next training cycle, if on a world without a Légion training unit this will involve a passage on a French military troopship which may take some months to arrange.

There are two sets of terms for légionnaires, one for peacetime and the other for wartime. Peacetime recruits sign on for an initial five year contract, after which they are eligible for French citizenship and can sign extensions on their contract for flexible durations. The five year contract has proved very useful as it allows the légionnaires to be economically deployed to the off-world colonies. Throughout their service the légionnaires are paid at the same rates as their French colleagues and after 15 years the soldier is eligible for a pension.

There are also wartime contracts which last for the 'duration' of the particular conflict in a particular theatre. These are available only to those with verifiable previous military service and do not qualify the volunteer for pension or citizenship, although it is possible to transfer to a regular contract.

The Légion recruits from all nationalities including the French, who it no longer insists on classifying as ‘Swiss’ or similar nationalities. However the Légion gains influxes of different nationalities as a result of wars, political or economic unrest. As a result of this the composition of the Légion varies notably through the decades as new waves of volunteers join and progress through the ranks.

In recent years the Légion has had a third wave of South American recruits following the 3rd Rio Plato War including many Brazilians who now hold senior NCO and, in some cases, officer positions. The aftermath of the war saw a strong contingent of Incans join the Légion and the continuing instability in that country has seen a slow but sustained number of young Incans following the same route.

Canton’s continuing political domination of Indochina following the war between the two states has led to many Vietnamese escaping the country and joining the Légion. The tough eastern Indochinese have been a major influence in the Légion, and some of their battles with Cantonese units serving with Manchuria during the Central Asian War have passed into Légion legend.

The war in Central Asia and the continuing presence of French troops in the CAR has resulted in large numbers of Central Asians joining the Légion, especially those who have served as conscripts in the CARA. Indeed several Légion battalions have a backbone of Central Asian NCOs. Numerous Russians also joined the Légion during and after the CAW, as did veterans of the various European contingents. There were also some smaller contingents of Manchurians and their Cantonese and Korean allies recruited from PoW camps.

German Reunification resulted in an influx of Bavarians into the Légion, supplementing those who had served in the Central Asian War. The first were members of the Bavarian armed forces who disagreed vociferously with Bavaria becoming part of the new Germany. Labelled as extremists by the German authorities they were formed into ad-hoc units, 4e REC, II/6e and III/6e REI, and fought alongside the French in the War. They were joined in the years after the war by an increasing number of Bavarian soldiers made redundant by reforms to the Bundeswehr and those who resented the war. Prominent amongst them are many ex-officers who have quickly gone on to secure nearly 40% of the available positions as sous-officiers.

Although the Terran Bavarians were the most politically visible they were equal in numbers to the colonial Bavarians who had even less in common with the new German state. These included many Garteners/Freihafeners stationed on Earth, but there were also many volunteers from French Arm colonies. In particular the civil war in the colony of Neumark generated many anti-Reunificationist recruits for the Légion, but there is a steady stream from other colonies. The range of opinions amongst the Bavarians and other Germans has become a disciplinary problem for the Légion in recent years.

Two of the smaller, but influential, conflicts of recent years have also had an effect on Légion recruitment. The Elysian Revolt which saw that colony gain independence from France has generated a number of recruits for the Légion amongst the loyalist blanc and exile population. The independence of Flanders has also brought in many Francophone and French loyalists from that new country.

People have many reasons for joining the Légion but all who succeed in earning the képi blanc have a desire to soldier, without that most basic pre-requisite the volunteer will not last long in its ranks. Indeed many légionnaires have previous military experience in their national armed forces before chancing their arm with the Légion. Essentially there are three main reasons for joining the Légion and there is often an element of all three in most volunteers: citizenship, fighting and reputation.

Once a légionnaire has completed his first five year contract he becomes eligible for French citizenship. If he is serving in the colonies, as so many légionnaires do, he can choose to be discharged there and start a new life. This is a strong incentive for many recruits from non-starfaring nations on Earth and traditionally one taken up by many Eastern and Southern Europeans as well as people from Africa and Asia.

Many légionnaires who have previous military experience join the Légion because there is a strong chance they will see action in its ranks. There are many armies that have not fought in a major conflict for centuries and many of their keener soldiers despair of escaping the peacetime soldiering routine. For some of these fire eaters the Légion is the obvious answer. Other join because of the poor quality of their national armies have driven them to serve in a professional force; especially those from conscript armies. Most of these will serve with the Légion long enough to see action and then leave, while others go on to make excellent NCOs.

Lastly the romantic image of the Légion attracts a fair number of recruits on its own. Media and film coverage of the Légion is almost ubiquitous and it is probably humanity’s best known military force. From the latest re-working or Beau Gest to fly-on-the wall combat documentaries from the frontlines of the Kafer War the mystique of the képi blanc is just about inescapable and a strong contributor to recruitment. In particular the few Japanese légionnaires are drawn almost totally by this allure. The glamour and reputation is also a major reason why so many Frenchmen serve in its ranks rather than those of more mundane units.