Mutong Brigade

Mutong Brigade
Brigade insignia
Active	1746 – present
Allegiance	Monsilva
Branch	Monsilvan Army
Type	Assault troops
Role	Land warfare Expeditionary warfare Airborne forces
Size	~6350
Nickname(s)	"The Mutongs"

Mutong Brigade is the collective name which refers to all the units in the Monsilvan Army that are composed of Mutong soldiers. The brigade originates from the annexation of Shaoyu Island by the Kingdom of Great Shan in 1732, after which the Imperial Shan Army recruited people on the island, including the Mutong people, who made up the majority of the island's defense force. The Mutong people were quickly identified by the Great Shan due to their efficient guerrilla warfare and fierce tactics, a reputation the Mutong Brigade continues to hold. The brigade includes infantry, engineering, signal, logistic and training and support units. The Mutong are also known for their husa, a distinctive sharp blade.

Recruitment and basic training

The selection process for the Mutongs is demanding: in 2021, 140 trainee riflemen were recruited from around 10,000 applicants. Although originally, the Mutong Brigade could only consist of Mutong people from the island of Shaoyu, this eventually widened into all Shaoyunese people, and since 1956, any Monsilvan. However, the traditional techniques used by the Mutong people are still used, and most of the highest ranks of the brigade are ethnically Mutong people.

Recruitment sees the prospective soldier undertakes a series of physical tests, written Monsilvan and numeracy assessments, and an interview. Those that pass selection move forward to the central selection process in San Kong (Taimali from 1969 to 2023), which sees further physical and language tests, a medical and a second interview. Mutong training lasts for 36 weeks and addresses a range of areas such as ethos, language training, cultural training, career management and trade selection, as well as the same infantry courses that the normal line infantry receive.

See also

• Monsilvan Army