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Bridge crew

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Bridge crew
World of Origin Roshar

The bridge crews, crewed by men known as the bridgemen, were originally an expendable workforce used for hard labor and cannon fodder. They later become an infantry battalion, but retain the name "bridge crews" as their official unit name.

Under Highprince Torol Sadeas, the bridge crews carry large, heavy bridges in order to allow his soldiers to cross the chasms of the Shattered Plains.[1] The bridgemen consist mainly of slaves, deserters, thieves, foreigners, and some men who joined because they had nowhere else to go.[2] The bridgemen were treated as expendable and incurred heavy casualties with every bridge run.

The bridge crews are later transferred to the control of Highprince Dalinar Kholin, where they become a battalion of soldiers in Kholin's army. In this capacity, they are commanded by Captain Kaladin Stormblessed, with Bridge Four as its premier unit and headquarters.

Under Highprince Sadeas

Origins

The unique geography of the Shattered Plains required the armies to cross many chasms to reach the battlefields. Brightlord Torol Sadeas employed a large number of bridgemen to transport his army's temporary bridges. The bridgemen were also used as cannon fodder for the Parshendi bowmen.[3]

The bridgemen were split into 40 bridge crews, each carrying one bridge.[4] Each bridge crew was comprised of approximately 35-40 men.[1] The most notable crew was Bridge Four first because it had the highest casualty rate,[5] later because they became their champions.[6] Kaladin was their bridgeleader.

Organization

Gaz was the bridge sergeant, reporting directly to Brightlord Lamaril[7] and later technically to Brightlord Matal, although his wife Brightness Hashal was the one who typically issued orders to them.[8] Within each bridge crew, the men appointed their own bridge leader, but they lacked an overall command structure or allegiance to anything except their own self-preservation.

Under Highprince Kholin

After Kaladin saves Highprince Dalinar Kholin's life, Highprince Kholin repays him by securing the release of the entire bridge crew unit from Highprince Sadeas. He does this by giving his Shardblade Oathbringer to Highprince Sadeas in exchange for the bridge crews' freedom.[9]

Following this, Highprince Kholin offers money and freedom to every member of the bridge crews, if they wanted it; alternatively, the bridge crews are offered the opportunity to join Kholin's army as soldiers.[10] Very few bridgemen take Kholin's offer of freedom, and Kholin is left with a full thousand-man battalion.

After the bridge crews are freed by Kholin, they all immediately recognize Kaladin as their leader.[10] Highprince Kholin formalizes this by appointing Kaladin as their commander with the rank of captain.

Organization

Captain Kaladin re-organizes the bridge crews into twenty platoons of fifty men each, with each platoon named from Bridge One to Bridge Twenty, in memory of their previous life.[4]

Bridge Four, Kaladin's original bridge crew, becomes their premier unit as well as headquarters platoon. Initially, forty members (two from each Bridge) are chosen to be trained directly by members of Bridge Four. These forty members are then seeded back to their original Bridges, promoted, and help train the remainder of their Bridges, with assistance from Bridge Four.

Innovations

Under Captain Kaladin's command, the bridge crews have implemented a number of innovations to warfare.

Due to Kaladin's background in medicine, he has trained some members of the bridge crews in battlefield medicine, leading to the first deployment of combat medics on the battlefield.

Kaladin also creates a modernized command structure for the bridge crews. A typical Alethi army is organized around a very small number of lighteyed officers with a moderate amount of "citizen officers," the Alethi term for a non-commissioned officer.[11] Since the bridge crews have no lighteyes, and also because Kaladin believes this command structure to be lacking, he creates the position of lieutenant between himself and the sergeants who lead platoons. Additionally, he is considering expanding the size of his non-commissioned officer corps by adding the additional rank of "master sergeant."[4]

Members

Bridge Four (Headquarters)

Bridge Seventeen

Bridge Eighteen

  • Sergeant Vet, Bridge Commander[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 6#
  2. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 30#
  3. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 32#
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Words of Radiance chapter 2#
  5. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 9#
  6. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 64#
  7. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 17#
  8. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 43#
  9. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 69#
  10. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 73#
  11. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 46#
  12. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 41#
  13. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 46#
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