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Eventually, Sadeas' Bridge Crews were bought off of him by Dalinar for his Shardblade, who granted them freedom from slavery and promoted them to a battalion.{{book ref|sa1|69}}
For the Alethi, being a leader is essentially the same as being a general. Officers wear something called an officer’s coat, which is long and meant to be unbuttoned
{{sidequote|All wars are games. The greatest kind, with the pieces lost real lives, the prizes captured making for real wealth! This is the life for which men exist. To fight, to kill, to win.|The [[Sadees|Sunmaker]], who shaped modern Alethi militarism{{book ref|sa1|24}}|side=right|size =300px}}
{{sidequote|There hasn’t been peace since the Tranquiline Halls, Man’s life on Roshar is conflict.|a quotation from [[The Arguments]]{{book ref|sa1|24}}|side=right|size =300px}}
A Shardbearer is typically trained in a specific way among the Alethi. Lighteyed boys of appropriate rank around the age of ten are chosen by an ardent swordmaster for training.{{book ref|sa2|16}} These boys typically already have at least some training with the sword. The swordmasters train in training grounds run by the ardentia. The swordmaster's job is to teach them the ten [[Stances|Shardblade Stances]], which are used in both dueling and regular combat.{{book ref|sa2|44}} They train with Blades in two ways. If the trainee has no Blade of his own, they can make use of wooden practice swords that approximate the balance and weight of a real Blade. They may also borrow one of the King's Blades.{{book ref|sa2|16}} Either way, when training with real Blades a guard is used to blunt the cutting edge.{{book ref|sa2|18}} A swordmaster also coaches their student on how to control the Blade with their mind, commanding it to remain in place so it can be loaned to others.{{book ref|sa2|35}} A proper salute is moving a hand to your breast.{{Book ref|sa2|75}}▼
Each enlistment lasts four years, after which a soldier can choose to enlist for another four years. Upon completion of his time in the army, he will receive a war bonus, equal to one tenth of his total wages. If a darkeyed soldier manages to distinguish himself and rise to a high rank, he could also rise in nahn.{{book ref|sa1|44}}
=== Command structure ===
==== Ranks ====
==== Squads ====
=== Equipment ===
==== Armor ====
==== Uniforms ====
When it rains soldiers may choose to wear a stormcoat over their uniform, and there are often umbrellas ready for officers.{{book ref|sa2|81}}
Messenger women often wear travelling dresses of a particular fashion. These dresses have the front and back slit open, all the way to the waist, to allow for greater mobility.{{book ref|sa2|76}} They also wear something called a runner’s sash.{{book ref|sa2|81}}
==== Weaponry ====
=== Tactics ===
The Alethi have a wide range of tactics.
Each highprince has his own martial philosophy, and their army has it’s own strength, with the [[Kholin Princedom|Kholin]] army having the best heavy infantry, the [[Roion Princedom|Roion]] army the best archers and the [[Sadeas Princedom|Sadeas]] army the fastest bridges.{{book ref|sa1|24}}
The Weeping is a common time for military campaigns.{{book ref|sa2|79}}
==== Formations ====
The Alethi make use of a wide variety of formations. They generally fight in a shield wall.{{book ref|sa1|65}} However, they also have many other formations. One such formation is called ‘pincer pattern’. This formation looks, as the name suggests, like a pincer, the formation is meant to distract and then destroy an enemy target. The troops at the side generally distract the target while the troops in the middle go for the kill. Pincer pattern is meant to be used by a large number of men, like a full squad.{{book ref|sa1|47}}
Another formation is called the trident formation, this is a small-squad battlefield formation used by spearmen. The men, or man, in the middle hold(s) the target’s attention while those on the outside attack from the flanks.{{book ref|sa2|32}}
On the battlefield, runners are used to give orders.{{book ref|sa1|65}} Many leaders give speeches to their troops, these speeches are then recorded by a number of scribes, who are always women, and repeated to the rest of the army.{{book ref|sa2|81}} When it is dark stormlight may also be used to give certain signals, such as the signal to attack.{{book ref|sa2|81}}
War banners are used to mark divisions, battalions and companies. This makes a battlefield easily surveyable for someone who understands the system.{{book ref|sa4|27}} Most highranking brightlord have their own personal glyphpair, which, like the name suggests, is usually made up of two glyphs.{{book ref|sa1|28}} These glyphpairs are often painted on war banners, which ensures that particular brightlords are easy to find on a battlefield.{{book ref|sa1|67}}
When the sound of battle is loud enough, a squadleader may decide to give his commands by banging his spear against his shield in a certain rhythm, with particular rhythms meaning particular commands.{{book ref|sa1|47}} ▼
▲When the sound of battle is loud enough, a squadleader may decide to give his commands by banging his spear against his shield in a certain rhythm, with particular rhythms meaning particular commands.{{book ref|sa1|47}} Some troops, like a lighteyes’ personal guard, are trained to recognise certain arm gestures, which mean certain commands, such as to retreat.{{book ref|sa1|13}}{{book ref|sa1|28}}
==== Warcamps ====
How a warcamp is organised and run depends greatly on the highprince. Some camps are organised and patrolled while others are chaotic and almost lawless.{{book ref|sa2|5}} Proper Alethi warcamps are arranged neatly, with the barracks, which are placed in rows, arranged into radials, with a meeting ground and a mess hall at the center of each battalion.{{book ref|sa1|26}}
=== Training ===
The way soldiers are trained depends on the Princedom they’re from. In some princedoms it is seen as the squadleader’s or sergeant’s task to train new recruits.{{book ref|sa2|52}} The Alethi do make use of a number of drills to practice large scale warfare however.
==== Drills ====
The Alethi have a large number of drills to practice certain formations, movements and fighting in general.{{book ref|sa1|28}}
The ‘close order’ drill is a an essential exercise to an army’s performance, although few outside the military appreciate its importance. There is also a drill called the ‘extended order’ drill, sometimes called the ‘extended combat’ drill, this drill focuses on practicing formations and movements used on the battlefield.{{book ref|sa1|28}}
==== Punishments ====
The Alethi military also has a large number of punishments. Regular punishments, usually given by a squadleader, include menial duties and corporal punishment.{{book ref|sa3|91}}{{book ref|sa1|62}} A highprince can also choose to execute someone, or even leave them to the stormfather’s judgment, which includes tying them up and leaving them outside during a highstorm.{{book ref|sa1|34}}
==== Shardbearer training ====
The Alethi military also relies on trained [[Shardwielding|Shardbearers]] to aid their regular soldiers. Due to their militaristic society, and the large amount of Shards they have, the Alethi have become excellent at training Shardbearers.
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