Hello again boards. So a few months ago I did a similar thread regarding Freljord (you can check it out here https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/HOB5Rokp-freljord-region-strenghts-and-weaknesses-analysis), and since I got bored, I decided I have nothing better to do right now than use my knowledge of the lore to make a similar one for Noxus. So let's begin.

SPECIALITIES

Some advantages and strenghts Noxus has which are unique to the region.

Assasins

Noxus has been known to use assasins to get rid of enemy commanders before a battle, greatly weakening their leadership and capacity to resist. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/547867910111100968/607611811147284487/noxus_xamari_01.jpg

Especially the Xamari Redblades

The Xamari tribes are renowned for their skill with long blades of blood-quenched steel. Xamari swordmasters take vows of silence, becoming the bane of enemy commanders, as they evade bodyguards and life-wards with ease.

They are also mentioned in Swain's color story, Black Powder plot

Siege weaponry

Noxus makes usage of large warbeasts, in order to crush their enemies under their heavy weight, transport troops, or smash down the gates and walls of enemy settlements and fortresses Among them are: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/547867910111100968/607614092097617920/unknown.png Drakehounds, although its unclear if they are used in warfare too or not

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/547867910111100968/607614856291549372/image.jpg Basilisks. Those are actually known to be used for warfare:

Young basilisks are prized riding beasts, and few can stand against their charge. After they become too large for a rider to control, they are put to use as beasts of burden, or sometimes as living battering rams to smash down the walls of besieged cities.

In Black Powder plot, it's also suggested to use them as living battering rams to destroy the enemy walls and forces. Although it should be noted that they if they get scared they can cause havoc among both friend and enemy. Noxians also make use of artilery, such as trebuchets, as seen in Darius's comic: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/545735672351424515/607625030616088644/image_6.jpg The Trifarian Legion

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/547867910111100968/607630825969680396/image_8.jpg The elite troops of Noxus, every soldier is individually picked by their commander, the Hand of Noxus, Darius. Only the best soldiers from the Warbands get recruited into it, and as a result, it's the most elite and disciplined branch of the Noxian warmachine. Their soldiers are the most loyal to the empire, and they are equiped with heavy armor from the best steel in Noxus, Ironspike steel from Delverhold.

Special weaponry

Although Noxus uses a very, very large variety of weapons, recently they started to experiment with 2 of the most dangerous mass-destruction weapons on Runeterra: black powder and chemtech, although with mixed results and often doing equal damage to both friend and foe.

In recent years, Noxus has begun to experiment with crude black powder weapons and chem-tech from Zaun, though the results are mixed—often as destructive to friend as they are to the enemy.

Warmasons

Warmasons are resourceful scouts, engineers, and warriors who design and oversee the construction of roads, bridges and fortifications. Often the first indication of Noxian expansion is not the sight of troops on the march, but a lone warmason scouting enemy territory for possible invasion routes.

Warmasons are basically the best spies on Runeterra you could wish for. They are expert in infiltrating enemy lines and figuring out their weaknesses, as well as figuring out counters to their strenghts.

MAGIC

The Noxian empire gathers magic users from all over its large territory, using them as weapons in their never-ending conquest for expansion.

Noxians generally regard magic as another powerful tool in their arsenal. Those who are able to wield it are held in high esteem, and are actively sought out—even beyond the borders of Noxus—in order that their special talents may be honed and best harnessed for the benefit of the empire.

Their usage of magic is very aggresive, with little utility, fit for their war-oriented way of using it. One of the most common forms of magic among the Noxian military is blood magic. Introduced by none other than Vladimir, it fits the Noxian way of using magic in war very well, being oriented to blood and gore, with little utility. Its capabilities vary from draining the enemies's bodies dry to heal yourself, to creating powerfull barriers of blood and slashing down enemies with tides of blood. Noxus also had an elite group of warmages, known as the Arcane Fist, which were decimating Demacian legions. Sadly for Noxus, they got killed by Galio, so rn it's unclear if they reformed that group or no (although I think they did)

MEN POWER

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/547867910111100968/607621701005606952/image_1.jpg https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/545735672351424515/607621958074630144/image_2.jpg Noxus's greatest strenght, the Noxian warbands form the spine of the Noxian warmachine.

Noxus has one of the largest armies in the known world, composed of elite troops such as the Trifarian Legion, as well as hundreds of individual, localized warbands. Led by their own chieftains, marshals, and captains, each warband is unique, with its own culture, hierarchy and favored way of war. They fulfill specific roles as part of a much larger warhost, perhaps fighting as frontline shock troops, heavy infantry, scouts, assassins or cavalry—whatever best suits their skills.

Basically, each individual in the Noxian warbands gets to do whatever best suits their skill, whether that is archery, sword combat, or chopping down heads with an axe. Besides that, they always have superior numbers to overwhelm their enemies, which is always very nice to have on battlefield, as Swain himself states:

But some battles cannot be won. Sometimes, the only strategy is to burn. To charge into the flames, knowing full well you will die, but that twenty thousand march behind you. And that behind them, there is a greater power.

#EQUIPMENT https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/545735672351424515/607623144999747622/image_3.jpg Although each Noxian soldier's weapon may have some distinct characteristics to help the individual fulfil the task he or she is the best at, each armor shares the same hard, dark, Noxian aesthethic. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/545735672351424515/607623616032669706/image_5.jpg Regarding weapons, Noxus uses a wide vareity of weapons: long and short swords, axes, hammers, spears, halberds, crossbows, bows, and the list goes on.

#NOXIAN COMMANDERS Noxus is lead by the one and only glorious soviet, Swain. He is arguably the best military strategist and tactician we have on Runeterra rn, with only perhaps Nasus equallying or surpassing his skills. Besides his genius-level intelect on battlefield, he also has acces to the demon of secrets, so he can gather critical secret info about the enemy armies and leaders without much trouble.

#WEAKNESSES Although arguably the strongest mortal faction on Runeterra in modern age, even Noxus isn't without flaws. And with so many strenghts, the flaws come in force too.

Corruption Noxus is corrupted to the core by the Black Rose, although it's significantly better than it was during Darkwill's reign. So human incompetence or straight-up sabotages are quite common.

Fodder soldiers The average warband soldiers rely more on their talent and numbers than on their skill in combat, discipline, and training. Having to quickly replace the fallen Noxian soldiers, the recruits in the warbands most probably only receive minimal actual training, just enough so they can execute commands from their captains and generals, or create battle formations, or have minimal discipline. This is a severe weakness, as you can see when they face a highly trained elite army like in Demacia. This is not the case for the Trifarian legion, but the Warbands are the most common seen troops of Noxus in an overwhelming ammount

Vulnerable to ambushes The Noxian warbands, being quite stupid if I may say so due to their lack of formal training and being very hard to be commanded due to their chaotic nature (created by the fact that each warband has an unique way of waging war) makes them very susceptible to being ambushed in terrains where the enemy troops can hide or camouflage (like jungles, mountains, forests etc)

A war on many fronts Noxus constantly wages war on many fronts, making it almost impossible to use its full strenght on only 1 front, as seen with Darkwill, who failed to conquer Ionia due to this very fact (among others)