Does Equestria need a stronger army?

[Vlazamal 338]

After seeing Equestria constantly invaded with little conventional resistance, it starts to become more evident. The "royal guards" have shown to do like nothing. The Wonderbolts get trashed by Spike. Celestia gets overpowered by Chrysalis.  Darth Fizzle Pop Berry Twist made meancemeat of the entire royalty and Canterlot. Equestria's protection completely lies in the hands of the Mane 6 and Princesses, and its fate is constantly challenged.

 

Do you think Equestria needs a stronger army? How would such be achieved? How effective would such be?

[A French Derpy full of Salt 404]

they need city personal Army and Equestria Army. In my opinion.

The first one to concentrate on one and specific city or place, so it can't be taken easily and if there's trouble nearby, they can arrive faster.

The second one is called for emergencies and packed with heavy forces, it's kinda the final resort, the real final are the mane 6 and the princesses

[Senko 459]

I think the Royal Guard would probably do just fine if it weren't for the fact that they keep going up against plot armoured villains so the mane 6/princesses can save the day in the episode/movie. Its the same way Celestia/Cadence keep losing when Twilight needs to save the day and Twilight + Celestia lost when Starlight needed to save the day. Afterall the wonderbolts/Royal Guard have protected Equestria successfully for 1,000 years. Meaning etiher there has been a sudden rush of attacks in the last few or as I said the villains are plot amoured so no regular forces can deal with them. me I subscribe to the former.

[Kevin Tang 2,426]

The royal guards become useless is for plot convenience.

Like the appearances of the villains are also for plot convenience.

They are all for plot convenience.

[Senko 459]

Just now, Kevin Tang said:

The royal guards become useless is for plot convenience.

Like the appearances of the villains are also for plot convenience.

They are all for plot convenience.

Exactly just like the running joke starwars Stormtroopers have lousy aim because that's how they're normally shown in the movies but whenever they aren't dealing with the main heroes suddenly they become hundredds of times more effective.

[Kevin Tang 2,426]

3 minutes ago, Senko said:

Exactly just like the running joke starwars Stormtroopers have lousy aim because that's how they're normally shown in the movies but whenever they aren't dealing with the main heroes suddenly they become hundredds of times more effective.

Like what I said, plot convenience.

Compare the royal guards at the time before Luna's reformation and at MLP Movie.

[Hierok 11,832]

45 minutes ago, Senko said:

I think the Royal Guard would probably do just fine if it weren't for the fact that they keep going up against plot armoured villains so the mane 6/princesses can save the day in the episode/movie. Its the same way Celestia/Cadence keep losing when Twilight needs to save the day and Twilight + Celestia lost when Starlight needed to save the day. Afterall the wonderbolts/Royal Guard have protected Equestria successfully for 1,000 years. Meaning etiher there has been a sudden rush of attacks in the last few or as I said the villains are plot amoured so no regular forces can deal with them.

Fair point. The villains didn't wait till the mane 6 were ready. Before that they also fought villains, but they were not as plot armoured I guess.

Nice examples being Sombra when he was banished and Tirek when Scorpan betrayed him. I believe the royal guard was a strong army which was capable of dealing with such threats. 

[Senko 459]

Its not just here either books and movies are full of examples of powerful, dangerous people/forces which suddenly become useless when a main character is needed to be shown as the savior.

EDIT

Of course if you want an alternate explanation. Shining Armour was the strongest, smartest and most powerful Royal Guard in decades no problem too big, no issue too small leaving the others nothing more difficult than their all night gaming sessions. The the big meanie got married to a princess who invites commoners to call her by a shortened version of her name and moved to the Crystal Empire so now teh rest of the royal guard are trying to relearn how to be soldiers.

Edited July 14, 2018 by Senko

[Misty Shadow 7,940]

Even if it is just a common trope throughout entertainment for the effectiveness of royal guards and official soldiers to pale in comparison to the effectiveness of the heroes, I would like to see the royal guards do more. I can trust that they're competent enough offscreen, but I actually that would be a good idea for an episode, delving into the life of an Equestrian guard.

[Senko 459]

6 minutes ago, CloudMistDragon said:

Even if it is just a common trope throughout entertainment for the effectiveness of royal guards and official soldiers to pale in comparison to the effectiveness of the heroes, I would like to see the royal guards do more. I can trust that they're competent enough offscreen, but I actually that would be a good idea for an episode, delving into the life of an Equestrian guard.

Then go with my edited second response above where rather than competant offscreen/against non plot protected villains they all relied on Shining Amour for everything and are lost without him or a princess.

Of course they could just be a cermonial guard to protect/escort Celestia in a peaceful land she's loved in on the assumption if Equestria was invaded they could call up reserves only the enemies keep bypassing the country and attacking canterlot directly.

Edited July 14, 2018 by Senko

[Lord Valtasar 12,691]

i think they just need an inteligence gathering agency not a better army,they always seem so unprepared for the attacks its not a matter of force
and maybe the army actually does stop vilains behind the scenes,but we only get to see the ones that elude them and get defeated by the main cast

[Senko 459]

Much as I disl

3 minutes ago, Lord Valtasar said:

i think they just need an inteligence gathering agency not a better army,they always seem so unprepared for the attacks its not a matter of force
and maybe the army actually does stop vilains behind the scenes,but we only get to see the ones that elude them and get defeated by the main cast

Much as I dislike it your theory supports my joke one that it was all about Shining Armour as when he was captain of the guard they knew the changelings (beings able to assume anothers form) were a threat to Canterlot, increased the guards and had a shield over the entire city. Sure it didn't work but they were on top of things when he's gone they keep getting caught by surprise. Hmmm maybe he had an intelligence service and they went with him to the Crystal Empire?

[Lord Valtasar 12,691]

17 minutes ago, Senko said:

Much as I dislike it your theory supports my joke one that it was all about Shining Armour as when he was captain of the guard they knew the changelings (beings able to assume anothers form) were a threat to Canterlot, increased the guards and had a shield over the entire city. Sure it didn't work but they were on top of things when he's gone they keep getting caught by surprise. Hmmm maybe he had an intelligence service and they went with him to the Crystal Empire?

now that you mention it,they did know there was a changeling around when thorax lived nearby and were on high allert

Edited July 14, 2018 by Lord Valtasar

[Senko 459]

True, hmmm maybe Shining Armour really was the captain of the guard, main fighting strength and intelligence service.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

SUMMON THE ELECTOR COUNTS ... Oh wait, that'd probably be a griffin thing. Never mind.

 

Yeah, pony army: two thirds are useless against pole weapons and one third runs on batteries. Plus they need to draft peasants and weather workers whenever they want those two thirds of said army, so their economy goes to shit as well.

 

But Goat-kun, Maud can crush stones ... throw her and her sisters at a wall of spears, see what happens. Bonus: throw her and her sisters and Wonderbolts at a wall of spears that guards ranged weapons. Infantry is bread and butter. Ponies, being ungulates, have no way to effectively fulfill standard roles.

 

But-but-but Goat-kun, the tornado ... Goat-kun looks at the captains of artillery units: "Fire at the tornado. You literally cannot miss. The siege team that slaughters the most pegasi in one shot gets to drink the finest ale tonight!"

[Wonderbolt Slipstream 263]

I think we need a sorta armed civilian population, threats are always far, few an in-between threats that pop-up, we don't need a million guards just standing by, waiting for something to happen. There are not constant threats like there is in our world, they always pop-up and are random, so they only need a small force, even if one pops-up its easily dealt with so the force is kept small.

[Senko 459]

43 minutes ago, Wonderbolt Slipstream said:

I think we need a sorta armed civilian population, threats are always far, few an in-between threats that pop-up, we don't need a million guards just standing by, waiting for something to happen. There are not constant threats like there is in our world, they always pop-up and are random, so they only need a small force, even if one pops-up its easily dealt with so the force is kept small.

Which also fits with what we've seen the princesses have royal guards protecting them in the crystal empire and cantalot but we've only seen a nationwide army in the alternate timeline where they're fighting against Sombra. There are police (sheriff's in the series) and city police in the comics for manehattan but no real soldiers or if they are they're like soldiers in my country with a base here or there but you only rarely actually see them in uniform. Meanwhile threats are usually dealt with by whoever's closest generally Twilight and/or her friends.

[Vlazamal 338]

On 7/14/2018 at 11:32 AM, Califorum said:

I think it needs a better guard for one thing, but this is a kid's show and I don't think they would do anything related to the army. 

If only this show were American,  it would be perfectly acceptable and even congratulated to have the entire show take place in a military setting. 

 

16 hours ago, Wonderbolt Slipstream said:

I think we need a sorta armed civilian population, threats are always far, few an in-between threats that pop-up, we don't need a million guards just standing by, waiting for something to happen. There are not constant threats like there is in our world, they always pop-up and are random, so they only need a small force, even if one pops-up its easily dealt with so the force is kept small.

Well Equestria is constantly threatened by its neighbors to go to war. Griffonstone and the Dragons included. If Equestria had a larger military, they surely wouldn't be so bold. Equestria has a huge population in comparison to the neighbors that threaten them. The Storm King's armada, a much smaller threat than population than Equestria was able to cripple Equestria with a few grunts? Dragons in the comics were able to waltz on Equestrian villages? Unacceptable.

 

Most population estimates puts Equestria's population over a million. Much larger than the other states combined. Equestria should have tens of thousands of trained ponies defending, not less than 80. There's no infastructure in place in case for war or communication. Celestia could certainly delegate some resources without hurting economy or quality of life.

Equestria should speak softly. but carry a big stick.

[AlbaTross 1,586]

Yes.  The Royal Guard especially should include some of the most exceptionally gifted sorcerers Equestria has ever seen.  Yes, Unicorns only sounds about right, aside from needing Pegasus ponies to pull the royal carriage.  Celestia even runs a school for gifted Unicorns.  You'd think she'd have an elite force akin to the X-Men to protect her.  The Royal Guard should be able to handle powerful and magical threats that defy imagination.  I mean, they're supposed to be protecting two of the acting monarchs for goodness sake!  Instead they consist largely of third-rate spell-casters and useless Pegasus ponies.  

In all fairness, Equestria was somehow peaceful for a good 1000 years, so it comes as no surprise that they would be mostly for show, and to deter petty crimes around the palace.  The fact that I've never seen a single mare among them is highly suspect too, in spite of the fact that many of Equestria's most powerful mages are female.  I actually suspect that Celestia just likes to surround herself with stallions she finds attractive.  That would explain why they're actually quite useless at their job.  

[Senko 459]

5 minutes ago, AlbaTross said:

Yes.  The Royal Guard especially should include some of the most exceptionally gifted Unicorns Equestria has ever seen.  Yes, Unicorns only sounds about right, aside from needing Pegasus ponies to pull the royal carriage.  The Royal Guard should be able to handle powerful and magical threats that defy imagination.  I mean, they're supposed to be protecting two of the acting monarchs for goodness sake!  Instead they consist largely of third-rate spell-casters and useless Pegasus ponies.  In all fairness, Equestria was somehow peaceful for a good 1000 years, so it comes as no surprise that they would be mostly for show, and to deter petty crimes around the palace.  The fact that I've never seen a single mare among them is highly suspect too, in spite of the fact that many of Equestria's most powerful mages are female.  I actually suspect that Celestia just likes to surround herself with stallions she finds attractive.  That would explain why they're actually quite useless at their job.  

I can think of worse things to surround yourself with if your one of the most powerful beings alive considering until the start of my little pony she also had the elements of harmony to call upon.

[RDDash 19,195]

On 7/15/2018 at 12:57 PM, Califorum said:

I doubt that. It is American, to some extent.

U.S. of E. But still Equestria needs strong military

[AlbaTross 1,586]

12 hours ago, Senko said:

I can think of worse things to surround yourself with if your one of the most powerful beings alive considering until the start of my little pony she also had the elements of harmony to call upon.

True.  The conveniently peaceful millennium that preceded the show also probably made her complacent.  Still, you'd think there would be some restructuring of the Royal Guard now that the fate of Equestria is threatened on a regular basis, the current element holders are in Ponyville, and the elements are in a tree deep in the Everfree Forest.  I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that even one of the Royal Guards should be formidable enough to be a one-Pony army if need be.  The Princess may be a force to be reckoned with, but she should be the very last line of defense for her kingdom.  

[Denim&Venöm 19,198]

On 7/14/2018 at 12:17 AM, Vlazamal said:

Do you think Equestria needs a stronger army?

Fixed. 

Equestria doesn't have an army to begin with. The Royal Guard have never been shown to be any place where the princesses aren't. They're not military. They're secret service. Protecting royalty and royalty only. And even then, their role seems to be more ceremonial than anything. The Wonderbolts don't even classify as a military. Yes, their traditions are rooted in those of the military, but so does every other sport. You think people throw javelins and did archery originally for the fun of it? No, they were training for war. If anything, they're more of a public service branch, like fire or EMS. They maintain the weather and do stunts on the side. They're not a fighting force. 

The majority of Equestria's crises have been met with civilian response. Coup starting terrorist returns from exile? Send in the librarian asked to be an event planner. Mad god warps reality? Send in her and her friends.  Dragon attacks? Send in the local sports team. Dam breaks and construction site falls apart? A vigilante does all the work. Even int he comics, when Canterlot was attacked in the past, civilian militias were the ones who defended it. Lends credence to my theory that Equestria is a social anarchist state, where each region runs autonomously without a federal government, but power is invested in leaders to mediate internally and deal with international matters. And keep the planet from dying.

But before addressing why Equestria needs an army, let's address why they don't currently have one: what good would they do? Space faring, dream warping, demi-goddesses. Reality sundering titans. Shape shifting emovores. Curse casting, incorporeal tyrants. Magic eating demons. Sapient darkness. Mind controlling she-demons. Mesmerizing sea demons. Dimension Damaging Doppelgangers. And scorched earth capitalist conquerors. 

It's the same reason why in power rangers you don't see the military fight the monsters. They're ineffective. Conventional warfare wouldn't make much of a difference to these threats. And what need of it would there be, when you already have unconventional means to fight? Like I dunno, Magic superweapons grown from a magic tree? The literal power of love? Comradere converted into a god like stat boost? A giant crystalline organ that turns good vibes and turns them into dangerous ones? Your own rulers who can move stars and planets? Who needs an army when there's divine power like that on your side? 

Yet as I say all that, the times where Equestria has come closest to defeat were against conventional armies: The Changelings and the Storm Army. Sure, they were pretty much stopped by deus ex-machinas. But if Equestria didn't want to leave things to chance, then a fighting force would be welcome in the few times a belligerent power wants to challenge the sun and moon gods for supremacy, or when the national heroes aren't around to fix things. 

How I would do it is that since Equestria isn't a federal government, each region would have to train it's own fighting force under an agreed upon set of standards. If you don't follow them, then you'll have to compensate your neighboring towns for coming to your aid. Start simple, like making self defense and first aid a mandatory part of a foal's curriculum.  Same with weapons saftey. They may not need to know how to handle it, but how to be safe can be just as effective. Have regular drills for emergency preparedness. Then, make militia service manditory. Like one year for every adult. Fine them if they refuse. Reward them if they stay longer. That way, your civilians are your reserve. And if all regions agree on the formation of a military, include significant incentives to stay as well as progress through the ranks. It can't be just patriotism and a need for self preservation that gets ponies to stay enlisted. Also station them at the borders. How did no pony notice the Storm Armada travel halfway through the country to reach the capital? 

But while a military is encouraged, it should also be a last resort. Diplomacy, next to magical weapons of fate, is Equestria's strong suit. Deescalation and compromise have worked in the country's favor. Show your enemy the benefits of peace, compared to the burden of war. After all, as Sun Tsu said: "No nation has benefited from prolonged warfare." 

  

 

[TransitPony 238]

If Equestria is getting attacked by all these outside forces, then yeah it should get a military. 

I always wondered how a unified air force (Wonderbolts and Shadowbolts* putting aside differences, teaming up together) would work out... 

*Especially leaving anything related to Nightmare Moon.  

[Senko 459]

Rather explains Celestia's support of Twilight's friendship school over the EEA they're potentially gaining strong allies who can help fight conventional armies.

This also play's into my personal theory that Flurry Heart was born a princess of destruction so she can grow up amongst these more warlike races (yaks, dragons, griffons) and get a different mindset to most ponies. She is Equestria's response to all these threats Celestia raises the sun, Luna raises the moon, Cadence protects the crystal empire by keeping the Umbral ponies sealed away with the power of love, Twilight tries to befriend the threats turning them into allies and if you get a situation like the storm king a grown up flurry heart will lead the army against them.