The 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Duke of Travunia's own)

Like the Italians, the Austrians, and the Germans, after the war the Syldavian army experimented with specialist assault units for the purpose of raiding and or spearheading attacks. Ultimately the government in the 1920’s was unwilling to pursue this any further, and the experimental company was disbanded in 1921.  However the Duke of Travunia was a firm proponent of modern ideas of mobile warfare and with the blessing of the monarch he raised and financed the 3^rd infantry regiment, organized for specialist operations.  The regiment contained not only infantrymen but also many other specialists: assault gunners with light cannon, machine gunners, mortar crews, and engineers. The men were issued the Bergman MP18 and large numbers of grenades, rather than then the standard infantry rifle in order to provide them with the firepower needed to consolidate captured enemy positions while awaiting reinforcement. The formation of a regiment of this type marked a radical change in tactics within the military.

                        

The regulation uniform for the on-duty enlisted man consists of a dark grey wool service coat (w/ a falling collar), fez, shirt, dark grey wool trousers, helmet and ankle boots in brown leather, laced up with eyelets and hooks worn with puttees. The trousers and coat were reinforced at the elbows and knees. The regiment sported an unusual magazine pouch in drab light grey cloth, designed to be worn on the chest, its ten horizontal pockets holding the thirty-round clips of ammunition for the Bergman MP18.  For combat/field service the soldier would add a knife based on the traditional Travunian fighting knife and grenades.

The 3^rd IR gained a notorious reputation within the Syldavian military and the public’s perception.  Soldiers in the 3^rd IR have traditionally been allowed a greater degree of independence than those of other units.  The relatively young unit has been encouraged to develop a strong sense of espirit de corps and bravado.  For example during training recruits are often ordered to undertake raids on other units.  As a result more than a few proud old Syldavian regiments have briefly lost their prized regimental flag to a thief in the night.