Loaded March

Fanfiction
Title:	Loaded March
Author(s):	Footloose
Date(s):	05 August 2011-05 September 2015
Length:	1,261,720 words (16 parts, completed)
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Merlin
Relationship(s):
External Links:	Loaded March (AO3) Loaded March Extras (AO3) loaded_march (progress!journal on LiveJournal) photo art by missexcalibur
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Loaded March is a Merlin/Arthur Modern Military AU series by Footloose.

The series was recced at Fuck Yeah Merlin Fanfic at the beginning of November 2011, which introduced more Merlin fans on Tumblr to this epic, and the author posted for the first time to merlinxarthur later that month when Part 7 was uploaded to the AO3. Until then, the series managed to mostly fly under the radar of the fandom.

In February 2012 the story was featured at Merlin Hot Recs, a community that keeps track of what's well-liked in Merlin fandom based on the number of recs it has received during the last three months.

The unofficial Loaded March PDF tumblr is dedicated to the compilation of Loaded March, providing a PDF compilation of all parts so far.

In April 2013, the The Loaded March Wiki was created. In addition to the wiki, in August 2014 a Loaded march Fanwebsite was made, featuring "a mashup of information from Loaded March Wiki and fanarts".

The series was completed on September 5th, 2015.

Series

Part 1: Radioman (34,854 words). Summary: The reason SAS Captain Arthur Pendragon can't keep a communications specialist in Team Excalibur because none of them are good enough. And then Lieutenant Merlin Emrys gets assigned to his squad, and Arthur does everything he can to prove that Merlin isn't good enough, either. Except he is. (5 August 2011)

Part 2: War Games (36,863 words). Summary: There's war games—the sort that nearly get members of Team Excalibur killed, where Arthur proves his men are better than anyone else, and the ones that involve power and politics. And then there's War Games. (22 August 2011)

Part 3: R&R (56,881 words). Summary: Team Excalibur's prize was two weeks of R&R, but it's not all fun and games. Arthur is determined to keep his squad ready for whatever mission the Brass will toss at them next, and that means getting in touch with old friends, learning about the impossible, and trusting Merlin. (10 September 2011)

Part 4: The Jester (43,740 words). Summary: The Jester has resurfaced, but the Directory wants to get their hands on him before the CIA does. Excalibur faces an entirely different level of danger that Arthur worries he hasn't prepared them for. Merlin is terrified—not that he doesn't think he can't protect his team, but of what will happen if he does. (26 September 2011)

Part 5: Avalon (39,568 words). Summary: First the CIA, now the Directory: Everyone seems keen on controlling Excalibur. After the mission in Algiers, it seems as if the Directory thinks they can dictate when the team can eat, shit, and sleep, and none of them likes it one bit. Arthur is willing to play their game only so far, but after he learns that Mister Smith is sitting on a mission that puts people in danger, he decides that he's had enough, and now it's time to teach the Directory just who's in charge. But the matter of magic is still in question, and Merlin needs to make a choice. (9 October 2011)

Part 6: Intermission (53,760 words). Summary: "Help comes from a surprising source when the team waits to hear their fate at the mercy of the Directory's agenda, but Excalibur isn't entirely at loose ends. Arthur intends to deal with a particularly pesky problem, even if it means leaving Merlin in the dark. But leaving Merlin in the dark has its own rewards." (28 October 2011)

Part 7: First Contact (65,795 words). Summary: The Directory and The Dragon take charge of Excalibur to train them and shape them into a combat force that few others would dare go against. Excalibur is ready for the NWO, but is the NWO ready for them? (22 November 2011)

Part 8: Groundwork (75,839 words). Summary: Merlin's secret is no longer a secret and Excalibur struggles with the knowledge that they had a sorcerer among them all along. But the mission against the NWO won't wait, and Merlin and Arthur must soldier on. (24 December 2011)

Part 9: The Play's the Thing (83,120 words). Summary: The Directory throws a wrench in Excalibur's plans against the NWO, and it looks like their assignment has come to an end. Luckily, the NWO is eager to get their claws into Arthur and Merlin any way they can, but that's not going to happen under anyone's terms but their own. (7 February 2012)

Part 10: Means to an End (110,990 words). Summary: Conspiracies. Double-dealings. Intrigue. Arthur has had it with being manipulated, with waiting for something to happen, with not being in control. The enemy's playing games and has every intention of using them and throwing them away like a two-bit hooker past their prime, and, honestly? The team's done with this rubbish. They've been pushed around, kept in the dark, strung along. Now it's time to push back, to take risks, and to hope it's not going to go all to Hell. (23 September 2012)

Part 11: Desperate Measures (91,277 words). Summary: Excalibur lost a battle, their advantage, their loved ones, their heart and their soul. A broken Captain, a shattered team, and no one to trust. Their mission has been full of secrets, the present is the broken past, and the only thing that's left to do is to enact desperate measures. (26 December 2012)

Part 12: Collaborations (94,821 words). Summary: It's driving Arthur mad, not knowing where Merlin is and if he's even alive. Without his usual resources, Arthur has no other choice but to reach out to people he doesn't even know—never mind trust—to help him unknot the snarl of conspiracies and to find Merlin. (30 March 2013)

Part 13: Breakwater (100,814 words). Summary: Never has the world felt more right than now, with Merlin free and once again with Arthur and Excalibur. Except it's not over. It's only begun. There's more to the war than they'd ever suspected. More players than they'd counted on. And no idea how to fight against it all. (26 December 2013)

Part 14: Storm on the Horizon (120,980 words). Summary: The world is in chaos. Civilization is menaced by a looming threat. Violence holds entire cities hostage, hapless citizens hiding in their homes. When the magic released by the NWO's bomb settles, it's only a matter of time before the war begins. In Camelot, it's easy to forget what's coming, even if it's only for a little while. Among family and friends, broken bodies can heal, shattered hearts can mend, and betrayals stop hurting, becoming a dull ache that allows others to trust again. The team has been kept in a heightened state of readiness while they wait for the Brass to reactivate them. They train until they're exhausted, they recruit new members, and they make sure that their new home and their loved ones are safe and protected. It's idyllic until it isn't, not anymore. (31 May 2014)

Part 15: Do or Die (196,023 words). Summary: It's time for war. More than anything, it's time for the war to end. The men of Excalibur are soldiers above all. They know every time they leave the base, every time they leave each other's line of sight, it might be the last time they see each other again. Their lives is a sacrifice they're willing to make if it will mean peace. But it's love—love for their families, their friends, their brothers and sisters in arms, and for each other that drives them to the end. (14 August 2015)

Part 16: At the End We Begin Again (56,394 words). Summary: Absolutely nothing could make the members of Excalibur sign on for more. The war was over, the aftermath cleaned up as much as it could be, and they were happy to leave the last few loose threads to the army. It was time to come home. But the world isn't done with them, and all that Arthur and Merlin want do is to live their lives. So they do. (5 September 2015)

Recs and Reviews

"Arthur is the leader of team Excalibur, the most successful and prestigious team of the SAS. A team that is only improved by the addition of communications expert Merlin Emrys. Along with Merlin, however, comes knowledge of the existence of magic, increasingly dangerous missions ... And heightened passions as Merlin and Arthur find themselves increasingly attracted to each other..."

"long and epic military!AU. radioman is part one in the loaded march series, which is currently WIP with five parts done - but each part is like a whole story (it's certainly long enough to be one). so much delightful UST between Arthur and Merlin."

"This series is HELLA LONG and seriously REMARKABLE. It's a modern day military AU that still has magic. The world is well-developed, the plot is engaging and complex, the characterizations are all lovely, the dialogue is very well done. It's over 200,000 words and never gets boring. My only complaint is that, around about the 5th part, the angst/tension between Merlin and Arthur no longer feels justified, since it's pretty much the same angst/tension they had in part 1. HOWEVER, it gets resolved later in that same part, so it's not really a problem. It remains one of the best stories for this fandom that I've ever read."

"I knew when I started reading this, I would not come out to see the light of day or be productive for as long as I wasn’t finished. And then commenced being glued to my itouch for 3 nights. Each part is like one completed fic within itself, but as a whole, it seems far from done. Still, so worth it. I had SO MANY FEELS and this fic cracked my poker face so thoroughly that I couldn’t even eat properly, or sleep properly without cracking a smile at this scene or squee at that one randomly during my breaks from reading. More than a few points, I shouted (in my head) at the fic when I reached the end of a part, “WHY? YOU ARE AS BAD AS THE SHOW. IN FACT. YOU ARE THE SHOW. BUT WITH BETTER PAYOFF. OMG YOU BETTER HAVE A FUCKING GOOD PAYOFF.” It has never disappointed. I believe I compared this fic to sex. As in, if this fic were sex, it would be orgasm denial, so thick with development and plot, really working at the relationship in the midst of meaty, detailed universe building. Dangling what you think you want in front of you, and when you’ve gotten what you think you wanted, you realize what you wanted was nothing and there is more, and it’s better than any expectations, so throw those away and just read. I honestly think I’ve said nothing worthwhile in describing how much I love this fic and how much it’s made my life. But if you enjoy longfic (and it is long. Wordcounts, check them before you start) and if you enjoy tried and true, very-close-to-show characterizations of Merlin and Arthur, I guarantee you will love this."

"The series is Loaded March by Footloose and it's seven titles at the moment. I'm only on the 4th story so I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's still an ongoing series. Still, the total count so far is about 330k which is far from shabby and so worth it. I am in no way, shape of form a fan of military stories. To me, most of it goes over my head as I'm just not interested in the genre. But this story - set in modern times - is just... well I've spent all day reading it. It's so detailed and yet not bogged down at all and it just had everything you want (well, I want) in a story. If you're looking to spend a couple of days doing nothing but immersing yourself into an amazing story and world, then I'd recommend that you give this series a chance. I'm enjoying this so much and just never want it to end!"

The above summary is for the first part, Radioman which is a mere 34,854 words long….wait what?

I suppose you should call it a WIP, except pretty much each part is like a separate fic. There are currently 9 parts, each increasing in length and combined reaching the measley total of 490,420 words, not counting the extras. I kid you not. This thing is a beast, and ‘footloose’ is saying the next part may break 100k. There are also numerous ‘extras’, and if you head over to loaded-march.livejournal.com, you can keep track of updates, progress and the occasional snippet.

I honestly cannot say enough about this; even if modern AUs aren’t your thing, read it. It is the best thing I’ve ever read, including Harry Potter. No exaggeration. Also, the sex in later parts is ridiculously hot. But seriously, there is just so much……the dynamic between Arthur and Merlin is spot on, Arthur and the knights (aka Team Excalibur), Merlin and Will, Merlin and Gaius, Merlin and Gwaine…..everything about this is flawless. It is hysterical, it is heart-wrenching, it is completely utter perfection. Footloose is a goddess.

I sincerely love military AU’s, the interaction is usually just about wonderful, this one especially so. I love Merlin’s role in Excalibur, and everyone else too really. The characterization for everyone is really spot on. Also, the plot isn’t just guns and urban warfare, if that isn’t your thing. It’s main focus is the magic, but it definitely is action-filled. Highly reccomendedable, especially if you’re looking for a lengthy fic.

Amalthia writes: This is a must-read for anyone in Merlin fandom. I’m glad I waited until the series finished because once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I loved the military aspects, the character voices, the plot, the scope and ambition of the story isn’t something you find every day.
2012bookworm writes: The world building is incredible, as well as the complexity of all the different characters and relationships. Even the minor characters feel real, and grow and change throughout the series. It’s intense and funny and so good you won’t want to come up for air.

The pacing in this fic is masterful and the world building is the best I have seen, well laid across all 16 parts. The character development, plot, narration and clever dialogue is incredibly immersive. Part 15, Do or Die, is my favorite and I have read it many times. Great long read.

Fanart

banner by tkegl

• Mine - fanart for Groundwork (Part #8) by eppy7
• Manipped gif art - gif set by historybooks_haveitwrong, inspired by Radio Man (Part #1)
• One Edge - fanart by Etharei, inspired by The Play's the Thing (Part #9)
• Loaded March - fanart by soturitar
• Cover art by tkegl
• Fanart by m_trix_lestrange
• Battle Art by greenleaves_never - a visual representation of the battlefield on the testing grounds toward the end of Means to an End (Part #10)
• Fanart by finem - Arthur at the very end of the cage match in The Play's The Thing (Part #9), looking dangerously and murderously challenging at everyone right before he says that last line in the story
• Photo art by missexcalibur

Resources

• Loaded March Wiki
• Loaded March Website