The Shifting Tide

None that belong to the Tide themselves, but they use what they find - be it carts, horses, hovercrafts, ships etc. They are as well trained on land as they are on sea.

The Shifting Tide is not merely an outstanding milita, it is a battlefield philosophy of those who choose it. Developed by an admiral on the Isle of Irons (a nation otherwise known  for its mineral deposits and mastery of forge and anvil), whose people have longed lived under the rule of ever-changing tides and weather, this doctrine focuses on fluidity rather than rigid formations.

The Shifting Tide do not hold their ground, but reshape their form in response to the battlefield like water around stone.

Where traditional armies rely on firm lines and predictable hierarchies of command, the Shifting Tide does not, cycling soldiers through roles seamlessly mid-battle. What beings as a line of archers may become a sudden pincer of skirmishers. What appears to be a vulnerable flank may thicken into an impenetrable shield wall. One thing is for certain; the Tide is never what it seems.

• Rotational Combat:
  Every soldier is cross-trained in at least four combat roles. Archers learn to skirmish and bend elements, mages train with blades and vehicles, spearmen practice both offense and formation defense. Cohesion is maintained through an intensive mnemonic discipline called Currents.
• Environmental Adaptation:
  The Shifting Tide is especially deadly in variable terrain. Whether the battle occurs on cliffs, in forests, on rivers, or in ruined cities, they use the environment as part of the formation. Scouts memorize terrain maps, shifting positions based on seasonal cues, wind, and light. As well as the opponents and area of effect magic.
• Color-Banner Command System:
  Movement orders are often relayed through color-coded banners or arcane-infused lights in order to keep the covert movement and advancement.
• Blue: Advance
• White: Hold and reinforce
• Red: Collapse and counterstrike
• Black: Harry
• Purple: Reformation

Soldiers are trained for many years on the Isle of Irons, forming close-knit groups that move like one. Only the best of the best get to join the Tide, while those who wash out often go on to join other military formations throughout the world.

The Shifting Tide was first tested during the Varuvian Uprising, when the Isle of Irons sent the Tide to aid the varuvian struggle for independence. They were instrumental in the Battle of the Black Current which ended the uprising and secured independence for Varu from all foreign powers. They outmaneuvered both the illevan forces and the akati military by reshaping the battlefield minute by minute.

Since then, other nations (including Illeva and the Akati Empire) have attempted to mimic the formation but none have quite mastered it. Though some have come close.