Military of the Water Tribe


 * This article is about the military of the Water Tribe. For other similar uses, see Military (disambiguation).

The military of the Water Tribe comprises the Northern Water Tribe's regular military, the Southern Water Tribe's militia, and the Foggy Swamp Tribe's forces. Due to their independence and separate location, these forces rarely have been united, and the northern and southern troops were at least once involved in a civil war.

For a long time, the military of the Water Tribes was much smaller and considerably less sophisticated than that of the heavily populated Earth Kingdom or the highly industrialized Fire Nation. Each tribe had its own militia, oftentimes not well equipped and outnumbered, instead relying on knowledge of the country and the deep pride and willpower typical of a warrior race. Only after the Hundred Year War and the merging of the Northern and Southern Tribe's governments, a standing army and navy were formed under the North's leadership. However, after the Southern independence, the Southern and Northern military were divided again, now led by their respective Chiefs.

Infantry


The Northern Water Tribe had a sophisticated and organized militia during the Hundred Year War, though no standing army. All adult male members of the Northern Water Tribe were fully-trained warriors, including both waterbenders and nonbenders. Master waterbenders who were involved in the military were referred to as "Water Warriors", and were known for being elite fighters as well as their ability to defend the ramparts of the capital city. In times of war, the men gathered, receiving the traditional war paint of both Water Tribes and their weapons. Both benders and nonbenders were equipped with melee weapons including clubs, spears, scimitars, and machetes. These weapons were traditionally made of bone; the machetes for example were laced with whale teeth on the dull side of the blade. There was no standard uniform, however, as the warriors either wore their casual clothing or fabric armor. Even though their equipment, organization and number was inferior to the Fire Nation Army, the Northern Water Tribe Army was adapted to the cold climate and treacherous landscape of the North Pole. This, together with their high morale, willpower and courage enabled the warriors to successfully defend their tribe for one hundred years.

Other equipment


The Northern Water Tribe made use of armories located on the warrior training grounds, which served as weapon storage and war planning rooms where orders were distributed. The armories also contained weapon sharpeners, which used a spinning wheel kept in motion by pressing down on a foot pad to grind spear tips and knives. Their waterbenders engendered and utilized a countless amount of iceberg spikes scattered across the ocean just outside the city as a first line of defense against Fire Nation ships. The spikes were capable of ripping through solid metal and sinking even the largest ships. The currents in the iceberg fields were known to be extremely dangerous, but were easily traversed by Water Tribe vessels. The iceberg spikes themselves were also used as cover for warriors to hide behind, enabling them to easily ambush any unwanted visitors.

Army (post 150 AG)


In course of the industrialization after the war, the Northern Water Tribe's military changed greatly. A standing army was formed, and its equipment was massively improved. By 151 AG, machetes and spears had become the most common weapons, but now made of metal, and, in the case of the spears' shafts, of wood. A standard uniform had been introduced, consisting of thick blue-violet fabric armor, a fabric helmet, lined trousers and padded boots.

This standard weaponry remained largely the same for twenty years, though a new uniform was introduced. Less thick and bulky, this new dark blue uniform allows greater freedom of movement. It consists of a padded jacket, a leather helmet with fabric neck guard, lined trousers and high boots. If needed, the military also provides woolen cloaks for the soldiers. High-ranking officers wear a dark blue coat with a Water Tribe insignia. The army also gained the ability to construct massive encampments and bunker complexes, proving to be a formidable defense force and capable of defeating even Team Avatar. However, the Northern forces also appear to be much less adapted to urban warfare, as seen during the Battle of the Southern Water Tribe. Soon after their invention, the Northern military also gained access to mecha tanks as part of their ground forces. Since at least 150 AG, the army also makes use of pack animals and mounts, most notably the arctic camel.

Late Hundred Year War


Despite being a nation culturally associated with the ocean, the Water Tribe boasted neither the largest nor the most advanced naval force in the world during the war. Ironically, the Fire Nation administered the most powerful navy among the four nations, even though the element of fire is the polar opposite of water. Nevertheless, the Northern Navy was capable of defending its waters from the Fire Navy, something the Southern Water Tribe's naval forces failed to achieve.

The Northern Water Tribe had a number of different ships during the war, the most common variant being the waterbending-powered catamaran, a small vessel with two hulls. Though its compact size enabled it to be used for a variety of applications, including transporting civilians across the canals within the city, its main purpose was to be used for short, open ocean trips. Even though it was not necessarily designed for long voyages, it was capable of being used to travel over a thousand miles and withstanding the harshest ocean conditions. Warriors used this ship to patrol and protect the waters just outside the Northern Water Tribe.

The Northern Water Tribe also possessed larger maritime vessels. Master Pakku used such a ship, also a catamaran, to travel from the Northern Water Tribe to the Southern Water Tribe as he began his effort to restore the decimated community to its former state. The ship was massive, easily transporting scores of waterbenders and healers, all the members of Team Avatar, and a ten ton flying bison.

Present
Within seventy years after the end of the Hundred Year War, the Northern Water Tribe constructed a much stronger navy, having gained access to modernized battleships. These ships were used excessively during the Water Tribe Civil War, blockading the harbors of the Southern Water Tribe and transporting prisoners of war.

Hahn's task force


These militants of the Northern Water Tribe were recruited when Chief Arnook called on his tribe asking for participants for a mission to stop the invading Fire Nation Navy. Sokka was one of the participants, but while training for the mission, he got into a quarrel with its leader, Hahn. He was subsequently removed from the team by Chief Arnook, although in reality it was so he could protect Princess Yue. Hahn and his team disguised themselves as Fire Nation soldiers with the intent of infiltrating the Fire Nation Navy in order to assassinate its commander, Admiral Zhao.

Hahn's task force was apparently successful in boarding Zhao's ship, but the mission ended in failure when Zhao threw Hahn overboard just as he attempted to kill the admiral.

List of known commanders

 * Chief Arnook
 * Hahn
 * General Tonraq
 * Chief Unalaq

Infantry


The adult male members of the Southern Water Tribe were fully-trained warriors and combatants during the latter stages of the war. Following the loss of their waterbenders during raids instituted by the Fire Nation, the Southern Water Tribe fighting force had shifted to a purely nonbender unit. Warrior weaponry included clubs, sharpened boomerangs, spears made of bone, scimitars, large shields and machetes lined with whale teeth on the dull side of the blade. Water Tribe warriors typically apply black and white war paint to their faces before going into battle. Hakoda's expeditionary force, however, used a special armor while on campaign. The armor consisted of helmets in the shape of a wolf's head and were outfitted with arm braces and greaves. The designs on their chests were different for each man. Possessing this full body armor and additional shields that could withstand small fire blasts, the Southern warriors were better equipped than the nonbending warriors of the Northern Tribe.

Other equipment
Southern Water Tribe warriors used tangle mines, buoyant, terrible smelling makeshift mines of Hakoda's invention, which he affectionately nicknamed the "stink n' sink". The tangle mines were constructed with a bamboo frame and covered with dried animal skin, while the inside was filled with skunk fish and seaweed. These mines floated in the water and would detonated when a ship hit them. When the mines detonated, they erupted seaweed, which tangled around the propeller of the ship, incapacitating it, and skunk fish, which terrible smell forced people to abandon ship. Though a very unusual type of mine, they had apparently been quite effective. Hakoda was also seen using small, handheld bombs. They appeared to be quite powerful, considering their size, only a few inches in diameter.

Southern Water Tribe rebels
After the end of the Hundred Year War, the governments of the two main Water Tribes were merged, and the Southern military was disbanded. The Northern military took over the protection of the Southern Water Tribe until the outbreak of the Water Tribe Civil War. In course of this conflict, renegade citizens of the South formed the Southern Water Tribe rebels, committed to achieve independence from the North. Consisting of waterbenders, they had no formal equipment or uniform, but tended to disguise themselves. Under the leadership of Tonraq, a former Northern general, they became a very effective fighting force, capable of defeating regular Northern soldiers. Nevertheless, they were eventually defeated during the Battle of the Southern Water Tribe.

Navy (late Hundred Year War)


The Southern Water Tribe had a number of cutter sailing ships with wooden hulls that utilized the wind for propulsion. The boats were operated by at least two people, one to maintain the main sail and one to control the jib, a smaller sail at the rear. Just like the army, the Southern Navy was disbanded after the Hundred Year War.

List of known commanders

 * Chief Hakoda
 * Bato
 * Sokka
 * Chief Tonraq

Foggy Swamp Tribe
The Foggy Swamp Tribe has a far less organized military than either the Northern or Southern Tribes. However, its waterbenders are skilled fighters and have been involved in at least one operation, the Invasion of the Fire Nation. The Foggy Swamp tribesmen use no standard uniform, instead wearing their common clothing. Because of this, their armor consists only of simple wooden chest and arm guards. While waterbending tribe members utilize bending in combat, nonbenders use spears and shields. They also use small canoes which are used mostly for hunting and traveling.

List of known commanders

 * Huu

List of major engagements

 * Hundred Year War
 * Northern Water Tribe Raids
 * Southern Water Tribe raids
 * Siege of the North
 * Invasion of the Fire Nation
 * Barbarian Invasion
 * Water Tribe Civil War
 * Battle of the Southern Water Tribe
 * Battle during Harmonic Convergence