Warning: Spoilers This section or article may contain spoilers!

In early Albion, security and public order was kept by the Albion Guard. After the Hero of Bower Lake became the monarch of Albion, the Guard swore allegiance to the new monarch and evolved into the Royal Army as seen in Fable III.

Background

The army fulfills the traditional "guard" role and is responsible for keeping the peace, investigating crimes, and dealing with criminals. For this reason, the Army is still known as the "Old Guard". In addition to guarding towns in Albion and Aurora, the army is charged with the defence of the realm.

Story

Fable III

It is unknown exactly whose side the Royal Army was on during the Battle for Albion as only the Swift Brigade actually swore to help the Hero. It is possible that Swift and Ben Finn recruited more members, if not almost all, of the Royal Army to join the Hero's cause as no Royal Army soldiers are seen fighting on Logan's side. Instead, the soldiers the Hero encounters actually fight against Logan's Elite Soldiers.

When the Hero of Brightwall takes the throne from Logan, several members of the army will become the guards of the Bowerstone Castle and the protectors of Albion's new ruler, replacing Logan's Elite Soldiers. Pending the Crawler's attack on Albion, the Hero of Brightwall must raise a large amount of gold to fund the Army's attempt to recruit and train enough soldiers to defend all of Albion and Aurora against the coming Darkness. Failing to do so can result in as many as 6 and a half million civilian casualties. This has a drastic effect on the game as virtually all towns will appear devoid of people after the main story line is completed.

The Royal Army appears to only use Iron Flintlock Rifles and Iron Longswords. Later, when the Hero has raised money for the army and after the battle against the Darkness, the guards use Iron Flintlock Rifles and Steel Longswords. Interestingly, during the battle against the Crawler, the guards are armed with Master Flintlock Rifles and do not carry any mêlée weapons, instead using the butts of their rifles in close combat.

Traitor's Keep

In the Traitor's Keep DLC, the Royal Army is still allied with the Hero and will protect the Hero from the assassin during the assassination attempt in the throne room. However, due to the guards' preference for long ranged weapons, they will only give the Hero covering fire from their positions unless the assassin comes too close to one of them. The army is later seen present when an unidentified ship arrives at Bowerstone, preparing to open fire on the vessel's occupants. They are surprised to discover that the members of the ship are actually Elite Soldiers; the Hero of Brightwall appears to stop the army from opening fire.

Fable: Edge of the World

Attention: Novel Content This article or section contains information original to the novel Fable: Edge of the World, which is a licensed Fable work, but does not necessarily conform to Lionhead's Fable canon.

The Albion Royal Army returns as a prominent force in Fable: Edge of the World, now lead by Walter Beck's replacement, Jack Timmins. Ten years after the defeat of the Crawler, the Albion Royal Army, still allied with the mighty Hero King, have ushered Albion into a new era of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Therefore, the Royal Army is able to spare a detachment of soldiers for an expedition into the lands of Samarkand, where it is rumoured that the Darkness has returned. Joining the Hero of Brightwall, along with Kalin and Ben Finn, the regiment braves the dangers of Samarkand's Great Trade Road before reaching the gates of Zahadar. In an attempt to overthrow the dictatorial new ruler known only as The Empress, the army commits to Garth's plan to storm the city and distract the Empress and her troops while the Hero sneaks into the palace and captures her. While the plan initially works to perfection, it is revealed that the resurgent Darkness infected Zahadar's river, pouring out to attack the Royal Army and forcing them to retreat. Despite the insistence of Kalin, Ben Finn, and Percival, the Royal Army follows Garth's plan to wait out the rescue of the Hero King, realizing the importance of coming up with a new plan of attack.

Fable: The Journey

The Albion Royal Army also makes a brief return in Fable: The Journey, with a small detachment of ghost soldiers guarding the ancient fortress of Stonehaven, found within the Fallen Fen. In his attempt to find an alternate path across the Ironwash River, the Dweller Gabriel is lead to the old fort, where he aids the soldiers in fighting off hordes of Hollow Men. After fighting through the undead ranks and lighting the beacon that turns back the Hollow Men, the ghost soldiers are given a chance to rest, having finally completed their objective.

Members of the Military

In order of appearance:

• Hero of Brightwall (Chief of the Rebellion, later the third Chief of General Staff and slayer of the Crawler)
• Walter Beck (Unknown, partner of the Hero of Bower Lake, adviser to Logan and later the trainer, adviser and mentor of the Hero of Brightwall)
• Logan (Second Chief of General Staff and Allegiance)
• Hero of Bower Lake (First Chief of General Staff and uniter of Albion)
• Clarence (Private, later resigned to join the Mercenaries, impersonated by the Hero of Brightwall)
• Stilts (Private, also resigned to join the Mercenaries, friend of Clarence)
• Captain Saker (Captain, also resigned to join the Mercenaries, but was soon defeated and resigned from them as well)
• Major Swift (Commanding Officer of Mourningwood Fort, later of the Rebellion)
• Ben Finn (Captain, Second in Command of the Rebellion and subsequently of the Royal Army) (resigned to join the Bowerstone Resistance and replaced by Jack Timmins )
• Grove (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Trevor (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Gould (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Tyrell (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Digger (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Morris (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Lips (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Tick (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort)
• Jammy (Private, artillery officer of Mourningwood Fort, wounded 724 times)
• Lieutenant Simmons (Lieutenant of Mourningwood Fort, Commissioned officer)
• Keith (Private, also resigned to join the Mercenaries and later worked for Nigel Ferret)
• Lemmy (Lieutenant, also resigned to join the Mercenaries and later became their new Captain)
• Private Tomkins (Private, warned the monarch about Commander Milton's approaching ship)
• Private Bishop (Private, guarded the Bowerstone Old Quarter docks when Commander Milton arrived)
• Private Shaw (Private, guarded the Bowerstone Old Quarter docks when Commander Milton arrived)
• Private Cullen (Private, guarded the Bowerstone Old Quarter docks when Commander Milton arrived)
• Commander Milton (Warden of the Ravenscar Keep prison)
• General Turner (Former General, former inmate of Ravenscar Keep)
• Lieutenant Hadley (Lieutenant of Ravenscar Keep, later Warden)
• Baron (Unknown, soldier at Mourningwood Fort, later resigned to become leader of a group of Mercenaries).
• Trevor (Private, soldier at Mourningwood Fort, later resigned to become a Mercenary).
• Flower (Commanding Officer of Stone Haven Fort)
• Mugsworth (Private, soldier at Stone Haven Fort)
• Pullman (Sergeant at Stone Haven Fort) (deceased)
• Nodsy (Private, soldier at Stone Haven Fort)
• Tibbles (Private, soldier at Stone Haven Fort)
• Jack Timmins (Unknown, took Walter Beck's position after his death)

Trivia

• The uniform is resembles the "redcoat" uniform worn by the British Army from the late 17th century to the early 20th century. The style of the uniform is extremely similar to the British Army uniform of the Napoleonic era (1799-1815).
• The uniform is also reminiscent of Welley's Soldier Outfit from See The Future.
• Once you become the ruler of Albion, the guards will no longer arrest you, but they will defend themselves if attacked. Evidently they despise this, as they will often say things along the lines of "I never joined up just to watch our monarch commit crimes".
• It is they, not Logan's men, who execute prisoners, as seen in the opening cutscene, and Logan's execution. This is done by the soldiers lining up in front of the prisoner, who will stand in an open courtyard, and each firing upon the prisoner in succession.
• It is possible to don the clothing worn by the soldiers with the Traitor's Keep DLC. The outfit is called the Bowerstone Soldier Uniform, and is obtained when the DLC is loaded and clothing can be earned.
• If you walk through Chill Breath Caverns, you will find a broken bridge and and frozen waterfall/lake. If you look in the right place, you can see a frozen guard member beneath the ice floor.
• Elite soldiers comments in battle that the royal army soldiers have the same qualities of Hobbes.
• The soldiers in battle are never seen accompanied by a superior.
• Ben Finn and other nobles comments, suggest the Royal Army is badly in need of training and funds.