21.4 Taking up the role of legion commander.

Although it is possible (and commonplace) for legions to be controlled entirely through dispatches prepared and sent out by remote masters, many chose to lead their city or guild legions personally. They take up the status of 'commander', also known as the lieutenant, colonel or the guild-captain. It is the lowest military rank an Avalonian can hold since it is the only non-commisioned rank, but, perhaps more importantly it is also a position open to all citizens and guildsmen, regardless of age, nobility and past experience. It is the entrypoint to interacting hands-on with the military and fieldworker legions of the land.

Syntax: MARSHALL <legion>.
Use this instruction to take up a command-post of the specified legion. It takes a little time for the legion to marshall the correct formation but, having done so, you will be largely shielded from attack (by dint of being at the command-post epicentre) but likewisew rrestricted in various areas (e.g. free use of Farsight and direct melee versus in-location enemies). At the command-post, providing you have the rank and authority, you will be able to pass commands directly to the legion as documented below. See also HELP COMMANDPOST for a list of shortcut command-post commands.

Syntax: RELINQUISH <legion>.
Reverses the effects of the MARSHALL order by information your legion to disperse and afford you a way out, back into the open. The legion will quickly adjust its formation to let you relinquish your commandpost (thereby losing direct control of the group) and return to a normal unprotected state.

Syntax: COMMAND <legion> [<...goal/mission...>].
A marshall, having taken up a commandpost at the epicentre of a legion, may use this command to pass orders directly - in real-time - to the group over which he or she has assumed leadership. Commands generally supersede dispatches (the other form of order-giving). They are simpler, more direct, less inviting of interpretation or complex assessment of criteria. You command; the legion obeys. See HELP GOALS for a list of direct legion-goals or actions available to the 'commander'.

Syntax: BATTLEREVIEW CITY/GUILD <date>.
This command provides you with an overview of the battlefield actions for your legions (city or guild). If you include an date it will inform you of action on a period around that date. The interactions are listed by Avalon date but the date you specify should be 'real' date, in the format DDmmmYYYY e.g. 10apr2010 to review the 10th of April 2010.

See also HELP LEGION for the central legion management command documentation, HELP DISPATCH for a comprehensive dossier on the creation, writing and propogation of dispatches while HELP SPECIALIST for info on legion-trained specialist skills.

HELP COMMANDPOST for a list of short-cuts you can issue to legions from the command-post: learn these and you'll be ready for the battlefield.