Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Marching Cadence

Marching Cadence is one of the Confederations support powers.

Overview
"It's a cavalry march, but I'm told the Confederation fancy it for other uses. They borrowed it from the Sapinards, Sapinards from the Moors. It's called Degüello." "Kinda pretty."

"Degüello means 'Slit Throat'."

-Exchange between a Commander and Minuteman

The power of language and speech is strong in many ways, and facilitating cooperation and bonding between military personnel is one such way that has been recognized for centuries. War cries and battle cries helped stimulate greater levels of adrenaline and provide an outlet for nervousness or fear, and war chants and marches boosted the morale of fighting units. Even in the present century, such tactics are still utilized by the modern soldier. Most infamous are the 'rebel yells' used by the old and new Minutemen, used to lift their own spirits and dampen those of their enemies, but such shouts and cries are not limited strictly to them. Aquilan marines no matter their national origin have taken to shouting "Oorah!" when going into battle, in response to Tallarn Century pilots shouting "Vur ha!" as they offloaded parachuting soldiers onto the battlefield. Protecorate Warriors continue to yell the traditional cry of "Tenno Haika Banzai!" before drawing their beam katanas and charging at enemy infantry. Most Encantadian vehicle crews shout "Ventinasala!" before firing their cannons. Many Red Guards have died with the words of "Jai Hind!" ringing in their pointed ears from a sudden Sepoy ambush, and even the mercenaries of Legion Security have the unofficial warcry of "Get some!", a phrase which is starting to gain in popularity amongst Reservists stationed alongside them in Lustria.

The Humanitarian Guard also utilizes sound and language to bolster morale and inspire fear in enemies, but of a different sort. Aside from the popular shout of "Viva la Confederacion!", battle cries are actually quite rare, if not nonexistent entirely. Instead of loud yells or war cries, Confederation troops will instead steadily march across the field, chanting any one of a number of different marching cadences in unison, timed to both the speed of their march and the time it takes to sight, fire, lower, and reload their weapons. This constant chanting, along with the timed footfalls and sometimes an accompanying drumline or auxiliary band, creates a constant steady beat and vibration that has been described by some observers as "a prickling sensation of increasing dread."

Beyond the psychological effects on hostiles who hear it, however, the effect of ordering a marching cadence is intended to instill a positive effect in those participating in it. Infantry forces close enough to hear and participate in the cadence are calmed by the steady rhythm and sense of connection with their fellow soldiers, to the point where in the heat of a firefight they can sense and react to incoming fire with more clarity than usual, keeping their heads and providing covering support for their fellow men and women. This has the two-fold effect of increasing their survivability, with more soldiers in the march helping decrease the fatality rate in the overall group, as well as allowing said soldiers to focus on firing their weaponry even while moving in an amazing display of coordination and concentration under fire.