Grand Alliance Army

Grand Alliance Army
	; "For the Grand Alliance, we shall stand!"
Military Type	Army
Kingdom(s)	Cohesive Grand Alliance
Size	50,000+ Soldiers; 800+ War machines and vehicles
Headquarters	Stormwind City; Ironforge; Lion's Landing;
Leaders	King Anduin Wrynn; King Genn Greymane; Grand Marshal Julianne Tremblade; General Shandris Feathermoon
Secondary Leader(s)	Grand Marshal Ashamal Shalah'aman; Grand Marshal John Padmore
Engagements	War in Outland; War against the Lich King; Alliance-Horde War; War against the Iron Horde
Insignia	Grand Alliance Lion
Status	Active
Nickname	Army

The Grand Alliance Army (GAA) is the primary land fighting force of the Alliance. The army is the united coalition of multiple armies, such as the Stormwind Army, the Ironforge Army, the Gilnean Army and several others. In general, they are led by a group of Marshals and Generals, and they answer directly to the Alliance High Command and King Anduin Wrynn.

History[]

The Grand Alliance Army is the direct successor to the Allied Forces of the Alliance of Lordaeron, founded some time after the Battle for Mount Hyjal. At first, the largest part of it was comprised of the forces of Stormwind, Ironforge, Darnassuss and the Gnomeregan Exiles, along with the remnants of Stromgarde. and in the aftermath of the Third War they saw little action other than a few skirmishes such as those that started in the Warsong Gulch, the Arathi Basin and the Alterac Valley.

The Alliance forces would not fight a true threat until the re-opening of the Dark Portal and the second Legion invasion, where they mobilized to the broken world of Draenor, now Outland. Reuniting with the Alliance Expeditionary Force that was lost in the Second War, they sent reinforcements to the broken world to fight the Legion. During this time the Alliance were also joined by the Draenei, who brought their might to the Alliance armies.

Upon their return to Azeroth, the Alliance was attacked by the undead forces of the Scourge under the returned Lich King, the traitor Prince of Lordaeron Arthas Menethil. Fighting off an invasion of Stormwind, the Alliance sent their forces to the frozen continent of Northrend in order to take the fight to Arthas' doorstep. The armies of the Alliance rallied under the Valiance Expedition, sailing to Northrend and establishing themselves along the coast of the Borean Tundra and the Howling Fjord. Their initial attempt to enter Icecrown was met with failure at the Battle for Angrathar, the Wrathgate. The Alliance regiment stationed in Fordragon Hold under Highlord Bolvar Fordragon met severe casualties while sieging the gates alongside the Kor'kron when they were betrayed by the Forsaken under Grand Apothecary Putress. Following the battle, King Varian Wrynn took his forces to the Tirisfal Glades, where they invaded the Undercity and slew Putress. Meeting with the Horde forces within who had slain Lady Sylvanas Windrunner's traitorous advisor Varimathas, they were about to come to blows when Lady Jaina Proudmoore teleported the Alliance forces away.

Later on, the Westfall Brigade of the Stormwind Army under then-Captain Gryan Stoutmantle managed to push into the Grizzly Hills, where they established a base camp while trying to find an alternate route into Icecrown. Ultimately, the Alliance forces made their way into Icecrown with the Argent Crusade, participating in their tournament before the Siege of Icecrown Citadel.

Major Bases[]

The Army has many bases of operation, such as Stormwind City, or a strategic point such as Lion's Landing.

Eastern Kingdoms[]

Stormwind City (Primary headquarters)
Ironforge
Tol Barad

Kalimdor[]

Northrend[]

Pandaria[]

Lion's Landing

Units[]

For a more detailed explanation, see here.

As the Grand Alliance Army is the united coalition force of the Alliance, all armies holding allegiance to the Alliance are part of the Army.

Human Armies[]

The armies of the Human nations of the Alliance provide the bulk of the forces fielded against those who would threaten it.

Stormwind Army[]

The Stormwind Army is the standing military of the Kingdom of Stormwind. While under direct authority of the House of Wrynn, many of its higher-ranked officers and commanders come from the Stormwind House of Nobles, where many of the kingdom's lords have donated their own armsmen to Stormwind's cause. They arguably are the largest Army within the Grand Alliance Army.

The Stormwind Army is comprised of four brigades from the four main regions of the Kingdom: Westfall, Elwynn, Redridge and Duskwood with a fifth brigade, the Stormwind City Brigade, is stationed within the capital city itself and defends it. Finally, the Stormwind Army has additional minor brigades for some of the larger duchies of the kingdom, such as the Greyhallow and Redrock Brigades.

Gilnean Army[]

The Gilnean Army is the primary land force of the Kingdom of Gilneas. It is led by the monarch of Gilneas both ceremonially and practically as the High General, as well as a collection of officers and members of the Gilneas Peerage. Though weakened by the fall of Gilneas, most of the remnants of the army was reorganized into the Gilneas Liberation Front, while other units continued fighting on their own independently from the Gilneas Liberation Front under the banner of the Gilnean Army. After spending several years in a major repairing state, the Gilnean Army officially made a return to active duty with the Burning Legion's third invasion of Azeroth. Merging several brigades together and reinstating general ranks, the Gilnean forces have taken on a prominent role in the battles against both the Legion and the Horde.

The current composition of the recovering army is that of eight brigades: The Gilneas Brigade, the Ebonguard, the Blades of Greymane, Redemption Company, the Royal Gilnean Marines, the Royal Gilnean Artillery, the Blackhowl and the Northmarch Brigade. The fifth brigade, formerly that of the Crownlands of Duskmist Shore and Duskhaven, is held in memoriam for the fallen.

Stromgarde Army[]

The Stromgarde Army are the remnants of the Stromic military forces that protects the Kingdom of Stromgarde, formed from the remains of the Arathorian Legion. It is currently led by Commander Amaren and Radulf Leder and is based out of the ruins of Stromgarde City and the Refuge Pointe.

The remaining forces aligned with Stromgarde's army are comprised of two small garrisons stationed in the capital and the Refuge Pointe, as well as the Stromgarde Brigade. Stromgarde's infantry unit is under the command of Captain Dathanor Cromwell, while their cavalry division is under the command of Captain Ariana Thesslocke.

Sentinel Army[]

The Sentinel Army is the primary infantry fighting force of Darnassus. It is the standing army of the Kaldorei peoples in Kalimdor and Darnassus. It is primarily made up of Sentinels and Huntresses. Led by General Shandris Feathermoon, the most notable branch of the sentinels are the Shadowleaves.

Ironforge Army[]

The Ironforge Army is the standing army of the Kingdom of Ironforge. It consists of all infantry, cavalry and mechanized land weapons in military service to the Kingdom of Ironforge.

The Ironforge Army's main forces include those of the Ironforge Guard, who are the standing forces protecting the Kingdom of Ironforge and Khaz Modan, the Ironforge Mountaineers who specialize in tracking and traversing the rugged terrain of Khaz Modan and the Dwarven Vanguard, a military force comprised entirely of Dwarves in service to the Kingdom of Ironforge and Grand Alliance that succeeded the Mountain Guard.

Command Structure[]

For a more detailed explanation, see here.

The standard command structure of the Alliance armies is one comprised of a higher echelon of marshals and generals commanding their subordinates. Although each separate nation has its own specific names for each rank, the majority of these ranks are directly equivalent to one of the standardised ranks shown here. The standard command structure as used by the majority of the united Alliance forces is:

Marshals[]

Grand Marshal	Lord High Marshal

GM	LHM

High Marshal	Field Marshal	Lord Marshal	Marshal

HM	FM	LM	MSHL

Senior Officers[]

High Commander	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Major

HCMDR	CMDR	LCMDR	MAJ

Junior Officers[]

Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant	Ensign

CPT	LT	2LT	ESN

Sergeants Major[]

Sergeant Major of the Army	Chief Sergeant Major	First Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major

ASM	CSM	FSM	SGTM

Senior Enlisted[]

Chief Sergeant	Master Sergeant	Sergeant	Master Corporal

CSGT	MSGT	SGT	MCPRL

Junior Enlisted[]

Corporal	Private First Class	Private	Recruit

CPRL	PFC	PVT	RCT

All Insignia Picture Credit Goes to Vannesira.

Uniforms[]

The forces of the armies of the Grand Alliance wear varied uniforms to identify their members. Each nation uses a different uniform, and some uniforms are less strict than others. It should also be noted that all uniforms shown below are not specific regulation or requirements though they are the most common. Most of the uniforms, specifically those of the Stormwind Army, the Stromgarde Army and the Kul Tiras military are crafted from the same streamlined supplies used by the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Second War, differentiated by national colors and tabards.