Just as metal that is hard but brittle will shatter easily, so too will an army that is strong yet inflexible. The state troops trained in the use of the greatsword provide that flexibility to basitin armies, enabling both a vigorous defence and a dynamic offence to be undertaken as the situation demands. Greatsword companies are stationed in the second line of the army, behind the wall of steel that are the shieldbearers in the front that bear the brunt of the enemy charge. While there is never a doubt that the shieldbearers will remain steadfast in the face of any assault, only a foolish general would assume that they are capable of holding the line in all circumstances. As such, the primary role of the greatswords is first and foremost as an active reserve element, rushing in to fill any gaps that might open in the line to prevent their foes from reaching the skirmishers and artillery at the rear of the formation. In this task they are uniquely suited because, unlike the shieldbearers and halberdiers, the greatswords do not rely on a tight knit formation in order to be effective as, on the contrary, they need space around them to be able to effectively use their weapons. Hence while other infantry units would need to move as a highly organised group, the greatswords can rush straight into the fray and thus enables them to react much faster to an ever changing battlefield which can often times be the difference between victory and defeat. Greatsword companies are also, conversely, utilised offensively to exploit gaps in enemy formations for the exact same reasons as they are used to defend holes in their own. The slow, inexorable advance of the shield wall may be the hammer that crushes all in its way but the greatswords are the dagger, slipping into the chinks in enemy defences and cutting deep into the heart of the opposing army before they can be covered up again.

The aforementioned is how greatsword companies are employed in a traditional battle against enemies primarily armed with short weapons. However the eastern basitins have, on occasion, been matched up against enemies favouring phalanx or pike-block formations in which the primary infantry arm are long pole weapons. Facing such formations is difficult for short sword infantry such as the shieldbearers because closing the distance to the foe involves wading through rank upon rank of spear-points. In these situations, the greatsword companies are dissolved as individual, cohesive units and are instead directly attached to the shieldbearer companies, mixing into the front few ranks of their brethren. This enables the immense power of the greatsword to be employed in countering the opposing pole-arms, the wielder using its mass and leverage in a continuous figure-of-eight swinging motion to hack, slice and smash enemy weapons out of the way, cutting a path through the forest and allowing their comrades and themselves to commence their deadly work. Such an undertaking is especially dangerous even by battlefield standards and so it was for the greatswords that the plate armour, now worn in modern times by most state troops, was originally designed. The almost total coverage provided by the current design allows the greatswords to shrug off most blows aimed at them, a vital function when you have no shield with which to defend yourself. In order for units such as these to become effective, their armour had to become their shield.

The large, two-handed weapon from which the companies derive their name is seen here in the hands of an optio, the company second in command, as designated by the grey painted armour with a blue plume adorning their helmet. The sword itself is in many regards a scaled up version of a more traditional longsword. It is typically the same height as the average wielder and features a number of important differences to its antecedent that give the weapon its unique function. The oversized quillons, often featuring side rings, grant increased protection to the user as their large breadth makes it easier to catch opposing weapons. The grip is also extended, enabling better of control of the blade by granting a larger moment about which the wielder can actuate it around the point of balance. Also in service to dexterity, the blade features a blunt ricasso just above the guard with a matching set of smaller quillons above. The leading hand is typically moved to this ricasso once the greatsword is in and amongst a throng of the enemy where there is no room to swing the blade using its full length. This technique, known as "half-swording", reduces the length of the weapon amongst the pressed melee and additionally enables greater point control, allowing the sword to be used almost like a small spear, seeking out gaps in the enemy's armour which can then be exploited at a distance.

Greatswords are some of the most fearless warriors in the known world, their courage and tenacity in battle only matched by their dedication to their comrades. It is no surprise therefore that the companies are a favoured testing ground for future Arms Generals, with almost 50% of all the people to hold that post starting their career in a greatsword company, including the current position-holder: Marcus Kaine. Kaine was elevated along with Mordacai Seethe and Gregor Thule to the high generalships of Arms, Intelligence and Master respectively after the debacle with the Templar in Hohlen Hold that cost the lives of all the previous position holders. That incident also created a hitherto unseen fourth generalship: the Ambassador General, a role filled with no small amount of controversy by the black sheep Keith Keiser.

Basitins are the creation of Tom Fischbach over at http://twokinds.keenspot.com/