Fire Nation Army

The military of the Fire Nation is the unified armed forces of the Fire Nation. It was the world's most powerful military during the Hundred Year War, and saw many glorious victories in battle throughout the span of the conflict.

The Fire Lord is the commander-in-chief of the Fire Nation military and delegates power through a select few generals and admirals of the army and navy, respectively. The War Minister develops and provides technology and equipment for the Fire Nation military and reports directly to the Fire Lord. At least prior to the Hundred Year War's end, female Fire Nation soldiers mainly served in the homeland.

The Fire Nation military is comprised of a large number of personnel, with an extensive propaganda campaign used to convince people to volunteer. The nation's army is the second largest in the world in terms of numbers, after the Earth Kingdom, and it maintains the largest navy. The Fire Nation military also possesses advanced and powerful military equipment, giving it huge military capabilities and power projection solidifying itself as the most powerful military force in the world. The only known force capable enough to match the Fire Nation military head-on was the military of the Earth Kingdom, though it very often experienced major losses against the Fire Nation.

Army
The Fire Nation Army is comprised of both nonbending foot soldiers, who normally wield spears, swords, and shields, and firebenders. During the Hundred Year War, this army was the strongest in the world, capable of almost any military ground operation.

Infantry
The infantry, as part of a volunteer and standing army, has an excellent moral that borders on fanaticism, is highly trained and very effective. Notably, there are cases of Fire Nation infantrymen known that fought huge monstrosities and spirits head-on without the chance of victory or survival, rather than surrendering, deserting or fleeing. Another example of the almost fanatical mindset of Fire Nation infantrymen was given during the Air Nomad Genocide; to kill a single airbending master, dozens of soldiers gave their lives without retreating. The nonbenders and firebenders fight together in joint companies, often operating with tanks or cavalry. Overall, the Fire Nation infantry is flexible, and due to their high moral and good training, commanders can entrust them with several different tasks.

Uniform
Fire Nation soldiers are recognizable by their red and black armor. However, there are two types of armor which are equipped for different purposes.

The first type, the heavy armor includes a cuirass, tassets, a combination of shoulder pads and armored collar, and heavy boots. However, most recognizable element is its special helmet with neck guard, a flame-like crest and an intimidating faceplate shaped like an abstract skull. This armor provides excellent protection and is also suited for psychological warfare. The heavy armor is mainly used by heavy infantry and tank crews. Even though ranking officers use this armor, they do not wear faceplates, as they make it difficult to speak properly. In cold climates, the heavy armor is supplemented by lined trousers and a warm jacket.

The second type is the light armor. It includes a simple cone helmet with leather neck guard, a combination of shoulder pads and armored collar and a leathern, sleeveless robe, and heavy boots. As the most common armor, it is used by almost two thirds of the infantry. Even though the light armor does not provide excellent protection, it is largely fire resistant and provides adequate protection against projectiles. For the fighting in cold climates lined trousers, a gray overcoat, gloves, a scarf, and a woolen cloak are added to the light armor.

Generally, the Fire Nation appears to update their uniforms every so often. In around 15 AG, uniforms had large, protruding shoulder spikes. In 100 AG, the uniforms are more streamlined.

Weapons and Equipment
Nonbending soldiers typically use spears, but sometimes also swords, shields, crossbows, pu dao, halberds and knives as their means of warfare. Firebenders rely mainly on their bending abilities, but they can obtain weapons when it is required, for example in emergency situations like solar eclipse.

As the most advanced nation of its time, the Fire Nation employed a multitude of heavy vehicles and machines for conventional warfare. Most of their technology also derives off of their firebending abilities, allowing them to power coal-based technology and weapons.

Tanks
The most important heavy weapon the Fire Nation Army employs is the tundra tank, the first mass-produced tank in the world and a light tank. These tanks are heavily armored and equipped with fire ports to allow the crew to launch fireballs, as well as two grappling hooks on the front. However, the unmodified tundra tanks are only able to fight infantry due to the lack of anti-tank or generally heavy weapons, thus their classification as light tanks. They are built with the main body separated from the tracks with a complicated hydraulic suspension which enables them to right themselves if flipped over, but leaves them vulnerable to waterbending and metalbending.

Tundra tanks are great all-around vehicles, able to be used in tundras, mountains, deserts, grassland and urban area. Although they are inferior to their counterparts, the earthbending-powered tanks of the Earth Kingdom, they are a serious threat, especially when they are used in joint companies with infantry.

Artillery
The Fire Nation Army uses metal semi-automated catapults, or trebuchets, for larger operations. They work by using a large bar holding a metal net with a coal-ball inside it. The coal ball is ignited and a pedal is hit with a mallet causing the bar to fling over and toss the ignited coal-ball into the air.

Calvary
The army makes use of komodo rhinos. Outfitted with heavy armor around the face, they are used as cavalry, for cart pulling, and can even be mounted with two catapults. Fire Nation soldiers mount these frightening beasts to terrorize their enemies.

Drill
This siege engine was a massive drill, designed to breach the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. The drill was originally modeled by the mechanist and took over two years to construct. As large as a village, it housed an entire brigade of Fire Nation engineers, who were needed to make repairs and clean out pipelines. The drill was composed of two moving parts which were connected by a series of braces. It worked by tearing chunks of stone from structures and grinding them down, dispensing them into water and channeling them out the rear.

Domestic
While most of its military forces are preoccupied with the conquest of the other Nations, the Fire Nation maintains a large and formidable domestic army to defend and enforce the law in both the homeland and a few of the larger mainland colonies. As opposed to the army, the domestic army employs a surprisingly large number of female warriors and firebenders, who usually do not serve on the front lines. They also serve to train new recruits for both the army and the navy, and as a result most of the military's forces are trained by high-level female firebenders.

Uniform
These soldiers do not utilize the thick armor seen on front line soldiers, as few of the Fire Nation's enemies have ever managed to approach the homeland. Instead, these warriors only wear light armor with black shirts and pants underneath. Most of them wear headbands with various Fire Nation emblems on them, but Boiling Rock prison guards have been seen wearing helmets with golden visors as opposed to skull masks. Male warriors are fully clothed, but female soldiers wear shirts that expose their midriffs. Also, all warriors wear short sleeves. This light armor serves their policing duties better, allowing the pursuit of suspects without heavy armor slowing them down.

The color of shoulder and chest-plate armor also denotes the rank of an officer in ascending order: rusty red, gold trim and bright red trim.

Weapons and Equipment
The domestic army has access to almost all of the weapons and vehicles used by the front line forces, among them tanks, airships, warships, etc. A vehicle exclusive to the domestic army is the jet ski, a two-man water vehicle that can travel at fast speeds in order to intercept trespassing vessels. The defenses of the Fire Nation capital showed extensive use of ballistae that fired harpoons and explosive shells.

Nonbenders in the domestic army employ the use of swords and spears for basic defense.

Navy
As a result of the Fire Nation being an archipelago, its navy is a key part of its armed forces as it is required to project the Fire Nation's power and soldiers to foreign territories. The Fire Nation thus maintains a large standing navy. The navy is composed of hundreds of coal-powered, ironclad vessels, manned by firebenders as well as regular troops. Using these massive warships, the Fire Navy can launch incredible amphibious assaults, like the great siege of the Northern Water Tribe. The Fire Nation Navy is the largest and most powerful in the world, capable of dispatching over a hundred warships in larger operations.

The Fire Nation Navy is highly organized and stratified, with a clear hierarchy and efficient bureaucracy. All soldiers are expected to defer unquestioningly to their superiors. The navy's movements are coordinated by messenger hawk through various towers placed strategically throughout the ocean, and all towers are required to stay current on all navy movements.

Ships and Weaponry
Ship types vary from huge vessels like those of the empire class, to smaller vessels such as Zuko's ship. These vessels serve many purposes, from ferrying and disembarking troops to providing bombardment with their catapults to creating blockades and transporting cargo.

Design
The Fire Nation is a pioneer of warship design, using advanced metallurgy on all warships. Most ships in the Fire Nation Navy have a heavy releasable bow at the front of the ship, which shares some characteristics with that of a real-life Icebreaker. As the bow also acts as a landing exit, it can be used to batter through walls to create a landing point for ground troops, as shown in raids on both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes.

Many of the ships vary in size and appearance to reflect its status and role. For example, Admiral Zhao's flagship had a large dragon on the hull during the Siege of the North.[11] Princess Azula's royal sloop also had several spikes on its hull as well as a pagoda command tower or bridge.

All warships are equipped with semi-automatic trebuchets for attack and defense.

Armament
The Fire Nation Navy uses metal semi-automated trebuchets on all warships, operated by trebuchet operators. These engines work by setting a ball of coal in a shovel-like placement that is attached to a machine and held stationary with rope. The coal-ball is ignited and the rope is cut; this causes the bar holding the placement to fling over and toss the ignited coal-ball into the air. Fire Navy ships can also be armed with ballistae that fire harpoons.

Ship Classes
The only named ship class is the empire-class battleship, a huge warship capable of carrying a crew of thousands. However, other unnamed ship classes are also seen, here with non-canon classes according to function:
 * Empire-class battleship - Admiral Zhao's vessel was the huge flagship of the Fire Nation armada that attacked the Northern Water Tribe capital. Twice the length of a standard cruiser, it possessed an ornate bow resembling the head of a dragon.
 * Fire Nation cruiser - The mainstay of the Fire Navy, these huge ships carry a large crew and armament. Some variants are armed with three trebuchets in a line, while others have five trebuchets. One cruiser was even seen armed with ballistae. The ships are steam-powered, with two smoke stacks and a massive command tower aft amidships. They have spike-shaped bows that can be used as rams and lowered to form ramps.
 * Zuko's ship (outdated cruiser) - Zuko's ship, while fairly large in general terms, was small compared to standard cruisers (about half-size in all dimensions). It was an old ship from the early days of the Hundred Year War. This ship appears to be the same class as the shipwreck, the old Fire Navy ship stuck in ice on the South Pole. Zuko's ship was armed with a single catapult, rather than more modern trebuchets.
 * Kayak - Some Fire Navy ships possess kayaks or small lifeboats deployable through a side hatch on the hull. Zuko used one of these ships to infiltrate the Northern Water Tribe.
 * Prison ferry - Used to transport earthbending prisoners in the western colonies to the prison rig.
 * River steamer - A metal, steam-driven river raft Zuko used first to chase Aang to the Avatar Temple on Crescent Island and in his hunt for the gang after they steal a waterbending scroll from some pirates. The pirates later commandeer this particular boat when their own sloop is taken by the Gang, and run both down a waterfall. Zuko's ship held at least this one steamer, and they may be standard issue in the Fire Navy.
 * Riverboat - Admiral Zhao used a series of wooden riverboats to traverse through narrow rivers in his search for the traitor Jeong Jeong and the Avatar. All of these particular boats got destroyed by Zhao's reckless firebending, after some goading by Aang.
 * Royal sloop - Azula's royal sloop was fast and large, complete with a highly ornate bow and a large pagoda-style conning tower. However, the ship seems more representative than made for actual fighting, probably relying more on an armed escort, as it is sleek, has no visible armaments and the house-like tower looks rather fragile. Fire Lord Ozai also possessed his own unique personal vessel, which was briefly seen before his departure to the Earth Kingdom prior to the arrival of Sozin's Comet. The ship appeared to be slightly larger than Azula's ship and again highly ornate. Like all Fire Nation vessels, it sports a large conning tower on a large base.
 * Southern Raiders frigate - The Southern Raiders make use of this warship variant. Smaller and faster than the traditional Fire Nation ships, the Raiders' ships are perfect for attacking coastal villages. Their smaller size and improved maneuverability allow the ships to pull up close to the shore and surprise the enemy. One of their special technologies is a large set of dual paddle wheels used to propel these ships through the waters.

Air Force
The Fire Nation was the first of the four nations to develop flying machines for military purposes; war balloons and airships. It should be noted that the war balloons were designed by the mechanist, an Earth Kingdom citizen, and that the airships were made using the balloons as a base. Being able to control the skies gave the Fire Nation an almost insurmountable advantage over its enemies.

Before the end of the Hundred Year War, all known personnel of the Fire Nation Air Force was male. After the conflict's end, women began to serve in the air force as well.

Hot Air Balloons
The Fire Nation hot air balloon, also called the war balloon, is a simple airborne vehicle comprised of a large red balloon with the Fire Nation insignia and a personnel gondola underneath. The balloon is fueled by a coal furnace set alight by a single firebender while a second firebender launches projectiles at air or ground-based forces.

Airships
Airships are massive aerial warships made of metal, with dozens of crew members. They are primarily used for bombing ground targets, and have dozens of small platforms from which firebenders can attack airborne enemies, and also defend the body of the ship. The airships float using large fuel cells on the bottom of the hull to heat the air inside. The airships played a large role in the last stages of the war, as they made up the battle force with which Ozai planned to burn down the Earth Kingdom during the passing of Sozin's Comet.

Yuyan Archers
The Yuyan Archers are Colonel Shinu's highly skilled unit of archers, and are, according to Zhao, "capable of pinning a fly to a tree from one hundred yards away, without killing it".

Imperial Fire Benders
The Imperial Firebenders are an elite group of firebenders dressed in unique armor serving to protect members of the Royal Family. They were banished by Azula just before Sozin's Comet arrived, as she belived they could not be trusted and would eventually betray her.

Rough Rhinos
The Rough Rhinos were an elite group of Fire Nation cavalry, founded by Colonel Mongke. There were five members of the group, each of whom carried a different specialized weapon. They were highly skilled and able to ride their komodo rhinos silently through the brush. After the Hundred Year War, the Rough Rhinos left the military to become mercenaries.

Southern Raiders
The Southern Raiders are comprised of an elite force of vessels and soldiers tasked with launching the numerous raids on the Southern Water Tribe.

Their insignia is a sea raven and their uniforms are slightly different from conventional Fire Nation armor. Their helmets have red eye shields that extend to the sides with two spikes on each side in the resemblance of flames or wings and the armor is all black except for red outlining along the edges. The commander has a more intricate helmet in that he has no eye shield but has three red spikes extending outward, a curved red spike outlining the eyes, a black nose guard that extends down, spikes near the mouth, and finally spikes on the arm guards.

Their flagship is fairly advanced, with an unusually large conning tower. The goal of the Southern Raiders is to eliminate all the waterbenders from the Southern Water Tribe, as well as stealing supplies for the Fire Nation.

Strategies
The Fire Nation military forces seem to favor a strategy that symbolizes their bending art. The Siege of the North showed that the Fire Nation uses heavy bombing with their fleets before overpowering the enemy with armored vehicles, heavy cavalry, and heavy infantry. After gaining a foothold the Fire Nation usually clears the area by advancing at great speeds with cavalry and tanks. After the first advancement, the Fire Nation military usually swarms over the area with infantry. Other strategies are not shown but they are known to make use of maneuver warfare and for encircling their enemy.

The Fire Nation Army uses strategies that are similar to the characteristics of its representative element; it is highly mobile and aggressive in combat, but also acts clever and cunning, preferring complex strategies over brute force.

A typical Fire Nation Army strategy is as follows: Infantry companies of firebenders and nonbenders try to outflank their enemies, avoiding defenses too strong for them, using terrain and even environmental conditions like wind to their advantage. The infantry advances steadily, securing gained ground. At the same time, heavy units like tanks and cavalry act as spearheads and break the enemies' strongholds. If needed or available, artillery provides additional suppressive fire. In the best case the troops are able to encircle the enemy. When finally everything is ready to strike, the army carries the decisive attack out. Using all forces to overwhelm the enemy, the troops fight merciless and determined until the enemy is completely wiped out, securing another victory for the Fire Nation. In fact, the Fire Nation Army is infamous for accepting collateral damage on civilians and their own troops. Before Fire Lord Zuko's reign, it was even acceptable to sacrifice inexperienced troops to gain a battlefield advantage. This practice, however, ended under the populist Fire Lord. Nevertheless, there are few cases known about Fire Nation infantrymen surrendering, deserting or fleeing.