January 13, 2009

Askel Academy

While some Academies focus on drills and maneuvers, and other emphasis on tactics and strategies, and even others adopt the philosophy of learn by doing. The Askel Academy takes a different approach. They focus on preparing it’s recruits for the chaos that ensues during war. They understand that drills and maneuvers are important just as tactics and strategies and nothing can prepare you for the real thing. But if you can't keep your wits about you when the shit hits the fan, then all the drilling and the greatest tactics are worthless. The Academy has two stages. First, new recruits are put through vigorous training meant to shake them to the core and then when they are broken, they are rebuilt as harden killers.

From the first day they enter the academy, training starts and doesn't end until they graduate. Even then, most students will tell you the training never stops. Students are forced to run until they collapse. Get up and continue running. They practice while sleep deprived. Ambushed while they are eating in the mess hall. Ambushed while they rest. They are forced to run through series obstacle courses as cannons and musket fires over their heads. They learned how to fight multiple attackers. Learn how to fight against armed opponents unarmed. They are trained to act on their feet. And that anything can be a weapon. At any point during their training a fight can happen. Once students graduated the first stage. I should mention, that unlike other academy, you graduate when the instructors think you are ready, not when you've completed the course or passed a test. That is because there is no course or test to complete. If the instructors don't think you can graduate, they push you until either you drop out or graduate. Once you graduate the first stage, you are then put into a unit and the cycle starts over. Stage two is like stage one but this time it is with your unit. The unit is pushed to its breaking point until they learn to act a group. It forces them to learn that if you don't act as a team, then the unit fails. And failure on the battlefield means death. Past students come back to test new recruits in mass combats. (Battles not meant to be deadly, but war is hell, so they can't make any guarantees.) And like stage one you don't graduate until the instructors believe the unit is ready. Most students of the Askel Academy learn multiple styles of fighting during their training here. Most of it learned from other recruits or on the field of battle. No particular school is taught here. Although; Eisenfaust, Drexel, and Tout Pres seems to be the favorite.

Some have described the academy's methods to torture, which the academy takes as a compliment. But it also explains why the academy has the highest drop out rate to any other academy, but it's starting to gain a reputation of turnout the toughest and most physically fit soldiers in all of Theah.