Armed Forces of the the Great Powers

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Armed Forces of the the Great Powers

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The various Great Powers of the Milky Way maintain some of the largest and most powerful militaries in the Local Group. Entities that have been refined over thousands of years, the armed forces of the Great Powers represent an investment in time, resources, manpower, and political will that of which has not been seen in eons. Such military forces have undoubtedly developed a highly complex and intricate organizational structure in order to maximize their full potential, which will be analyzed here. Note that in-depth articles regarding a particular military branch or articles on military doctrine can be found on a Great Power’s specific military article.
Last edited by Magister Militum on Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Armed Forces of the the Great Powers

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Royal Armed Forces of the Imperial Commonwealth

The Imperial Commonwealth currently holds the distinction of being the most powerful of the Terran great powers. However, this distinction also means that she is the most favored target by hostile and/or rival powers who seek to dethrone her from her position. In order to counter these apparent threats, the Imperial Commonwealth makes no hesitation in fielding a military capable of responding to threats to the Imperial Commonwealth and her interests throughout the Southern Cluster. Ceremonially led by the Empress of the Imperial Commonwealth as commander-in-chief, the Royal Armed Forces are overseen by the Ministry of Defense and the Minister-President of the Commonwealth.

Royal Navy

Arguably the most high profile service in the Royal Armed Forces, the Royal Navy is the pride and joy of the Imperial Commonwealth and acts as the primary form of power projection across the Southern Cluster. Unlike other spacies, such as the Imperial Russian Star Forces or the Kriegsraummarine, which are geared towards doctrines that favor wall of battle supremacy and overwhelming firepower, the Royal Navy features a more balanced naval doctrine that emphasizes a balanced offensive navy and rapid-reaction first strike capabilities, such as in the case of the Royal Navy’s quick-reaction battlecruisers, which it has a near monopoly on. Combined with the Royal Navy’s own ship-of-the-wall fleet, its long-range carriers, and its rapid-response marine force, the Royal Navy is capable of responding to hot spots all throughout the universe with ease, as well as keeping the peace through the threat of its fleets overwhelming numbers. In addition, the Royal Navy also maintains an extensive and active research and development division that has spawned monsters such as the HMS Conqueror. The Royal Navy’s motto is Per Ardua ad Astra.

Royal Imperial Army

In contrast to the Royal Navy’s finesse, the Royal Imperial Army is a warhammer that is used by the Imperial Commonwealth to bludgeon its enemies and smash their armies. Focusing on overwhelming firepower and prefabricated fortifications, the Royal Army fuses these elements with the naturally large nature of its forces (thanks not only due to its large population but also to its extensive use of war droid legions and its well-organized, intricate sepoy system) to create a powerful, hard-hitting land force that can respond to virtually all corners to the known universe via the Royal Spacelift Command. In typical RIA fashion, the army features a predisposition for heavily armed and armored war engines that can be expected to successfully defeat virtually any reasonable threat on the battlefield. The Steel Line doctrine, as the philosophy is known, has served the Royal Imperial Army remarkably well in some of the most grueling sieges and battles it has participated in, especially when battles evolve into one of attrition. The motto of the Royal Imperial Army is “Fortune Favors the Brave.”

Royal Aerospace Force

The primary instrument in aerial warfare, the Royal Aerospace Force oversees duties such as orbit-to-surface interdiction, aerospace superiority, close air support, strategic bombing, and atmospheric fire support when planetary shielding prevents warships from carrying out that duty. Of particular note is the RAF’s airship fleet. First created by the RAF, the aerobattleships, carriers, cruisers, et cetera of the Imperial Commonwealth are considered the best in the galaxy, and are one of the main methods of delivering tactical and strategic-level fire support when ortillery is unavailable. In addition to its airship armada, the RAF fields a formidable fleet of aerospacecraft, including the British Aerospace Rampage F2 aerospace dominance fighter. Unlike other polities, the RAF is also partly responsible for starfighter combat, which is overseen by the Royal Starfighter Corps, a joint command run by the Royal Navy and Aerospace Force. The Royal Aerospace Force’s motto is Cede Nullis.

Royal Maritime Service

The least recognized of the main services, the RMS is charged with overseeing all aspects of maritime combat, as well as delivering extremely-heavy anti-orbital weapons and super-heavy fire support to land-based forces. To this end, the Royal Maritime Service makes use of a vast fleet of state-of-the-art warships, including battleships (e.g., the Leviathan-class super-heavy battleship), submersible aerospacecraft carriers, guided missile cruisers, and many other vessels, as well as its naval infantry and air arm. While essential for the defense of worlds and/or structures with significant bodies of water, as well as the invasion of said planetoids, The RMS has historically struggled to avoid being absorbed by the Royal Army. Difficulty in actually absorbing and restructuring both services causes this proposition to be repeatedly rejected, however. The motto of the Royal Maritime Service is “Not by Strength, but by Guile.”


Specialty Commands of the Royal Armed Forces

In addition to the various services that a part of the Armed Forces of the Crown, there exist several specialty commands (similar to the United States Armed Forces Functional Combatant Commands) that handle specific duties within the Royal Armed Forces. Falling under the purview of one or more branches, the specialty commands have a continuing mission that covers the entire known universe.

Royal Imperial Army Fortress Command

Oversees the Imperial Commonwealth’s vast network of fortresses, both terrestrial and celestial-based, as well as space-based fortifications, including mine fields (e.g., the 'Great Belt' of “offensive-defenses” that guard Commonwealth interests in the Large Magellanic Cloud) and jammerfield generators. Originally a sub-division of the Royal Imperial Army, Fortress Command has since evolved into a nearly fully independent service, although the RIA still handles the administrative aspects of the command. The influence of the RIA can be seen in many of the aspects of Fortress Command; the uniforms used by the Command are identical to the RIA’s, and the ranks are virtually identical save certain modifications (e.g., General of Division being replaced by General of Fortification).

Royal Starfighter Corps

Originally born as a compromise as to who would oversee fighter operations in space, the Royal Starfighter Corps is charged with conducting and overseeing starfighter operations in space. Jointly run by the Royal Navy and Aerospace Force, the RSC operates out of the Royal Navy’s warships and military installations and fields a large fleet of starfighters, including space superiority fighters of all grades, torpedo bombers, interceptors, parasite drone craft, gunboats, and many more. Despite opposition from the RAF, the Royal Starfighter Corps also fields a modest but potent strategic bomber fleet that operates out of the Royal Navy’s fleet and strategic carriers. Despite interservice squabbling that sometimes occurs, the RSC has managed to operate relatively smoothly and efficiently.

Royal Extragalactic Forces

Nicknamed ‘The Crusaders,’ the Royal Extragalactic Forces is a relatively new branch of the Royal Armed Forces charged with conducting military operations all throughout the Local Group as a first-strike force. The REF is subdivided into numerous task forces made up of elements of all major services that oversee operations within a particular area of space. As such, each task force is a virtual self-contained military-industrial complex, maintaining the elements necessary (such as its massive yardships and fleet tenders) in order to continue its missions without interference. The far-flung nature of the Third Pan-Galactic War, and later, the Ingergalatic War, has resulted in the Royal Extragalactic Forces to grow massively in size and numbers in order to continue its operations in the satellite galaxies. This has also resulted in the REF gaining near-total autonomy in its functions in exchange for temporarily ceasing its calls for independence (the implication being that the REF will become a fully independent service at the wars conclusion). The REF also maintains the highest concentration of super-heavy assets under its direct control.
Last edited by Magister Militum on Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:13 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Armed Forces of the the Great Powers

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Armed Forces of the United States of Orion

The mantra of manifest destiny pushes the United States of Orion in its goal of becoming the undisputed hegemon and master of the Milky Way, and, indeed, the whole Local Group, in the name of the Red, White, and Blue. Naturally, this is not an easy task. Competing powers, ideological enemies, native empires, and other troublemakers seek to gain the ultimate one-up over the USO and rob it of its prestige and influence. Luckily for the United States, she makes use of one of the most effective and technologically sophisticated militaries that any respectable power can field. Led by the President as commander-in-chief and administered by the Secretary of Defense, the United States Armed Forces are part of the tri-pronged doctrine that allows America to gain new territories, allies, and interests and stay ahead of the competition.

United States Star Navy

The most powerful and advanced navy in the galaxy, as well as the third largest among terran nations, the United States Star Navy is one of the most vital tools the President has at his or her disposal. Although the USSN has typically favored battle wall formations i.e., its superdreadnoughts, dreadnoughts, and battleships alongside their escorts (i.e., the Space Action Group, or SAG), a recent change in mentality in the 69th century has caused the Star Navy to place a greater emphasis on carrier battle groups (i.e., the Carrier Action Group, or VAG). The end result of this mentality is a doctrine that emphasizes the maximization of power that Space and Carrier Action Groups can provide, as evidenced by the Star Navy’s new Sic Semper Tyrannis-class superdreadnoughts and the famous Enterprise-class strategic carriers, although the wall of battle is still dominant. Duties of the USSN include engaging hostile fleets; planetary bombardment and destruction; transporting the Army and Aerospace Forces; siege actions; space-lane interdiction, and strategic bombardments carried out by strategic missile ships such as the Liberator-class. The Star Navy also operates its own versatile starfighter force, although attempts to branch out to areas such as strategic bombers have been viciously blocked by the Aerospace Forces. The motto of the USSN is Libertatem Defendimus.

United States Army

Being a naval power first and foremost, the United States of Orion has no business fielding titanic armies on the scale of the Holy Eternal Empire of Altamak or the Imperial States of Russia. However, this mentality has instead created an army that is the most lavishly equipped force in the known universe. Besides its penchant for force multiplication and mechanized warfare (which it has a major advantage in), the Army also espouses the concept of expending munitions rather than men, which can be seen in weapon systems ranging from handheld tactical nuclear mortars to the Mjöllnir super-heavy howitzer. Combined with such weapons as the .50 caliber hypervelocity rifle, the standard weapon for infantry, and the Patton-class planetary control vehicle (A.K.A., the Land Dreadnaught), the U.S. Army is fully capable of defeating an opponent several times their own size. The trade off, however, is the somewhat sluggish nature of the Army and its super-heavy armor. This is counterbalanced somewhat by the Army Scout Corps, which handles screening, skirmishing and aggressive reconnaissance duties via its lightning fast, first-response forces. The motto of the U.S. Army is This We’ll Defend.


United States Marine Corps

The ‘big stick’ of the United States, the United States Marine Corps is geared for first-response duties in space, land, sea, air, and virtually any other environment conceivable, as well as rapid-assault invasions that require speed and ruthlessness. In order to accomplish said goals, the USMC makes use of such military assets as its famed spacemobile infantry (a potent mix of light armor, heavy power armored infantry, self-propelled artillery, and VTOL craft, among other things) and combat walker divisions. Of particular note is the USMC’s heavy powered combat armor, the de facto symbol of the Marines, which, in addition to being capable of being inserted in battle-zones via orbital drop pods, mount integral weapon systems (such as tactical nuclear missiles) and maintain a heavier supply load. Often the first to enter the battlefield, the fearlessness and power of the spacemobile infantry has earned them the nickname of 'Iron Demons,' a term dating back to the 2400's, by their enemies. In order to live up to its spacemobile nature, the USSMC makes use of its own Starfleet, known affectionately as the ‘Gator Navy,’ for aiding the Star Navy in system invasions and planetary assaults. The motto of the Space Marine Corps is Semper Fidelis.

Untied States Aerospace Forces

Playing a crucial role in both military offensives and strategic deterrence, the United States Aerospace Forces continues to be a highly important service, despite the Star Navy’s attempt to marginalize it into a component command of the Army. The USAF is divided into three major commands, each of which oversees a specific responsibility. Tactical Aerospace Command oversees all tactical assets of the Aerospace Forces, ranging from the A-421 Avenger strikecraft to the Constitution-class Aerobattleship, and conducts operations that include interdiction, CAS, and tactical bombing. Aerospace Defense Command is charged with defending the United States proper and her interests, and thus operates the planetary defense centers and their first-response units scattered throughout the Southern Cluster. Finally, there is the infamous Strategic Aerospace Command, which conducts strategic bombardment via its fleet of long-range strategic bombers and its parasite escorts, and, much to the chagrin of the Star Navy, long-range reconnaissance. The motto of the USAF is Deos Fortioribus Adesse.

United States Navy

A de facto extension of the Star Navy, the United States Navy is the service that is charged with defending planetoids/megastructures that maintain a significant percentage of water from hostile aggressors. Rather than fielding a more conventional navy, the USN instead maintains a near-total submersible fleet. Indeed, the Navy has expanded the submarine paradigm to include everything from submersible battleships and carriers to amphibious fighters to everything in between. Naturally, the United States Navy is regarded as having the finest submarine fleet (referred to in the Navy as armored boats) there is, as well as being masters in underwater and amphibious warfare. In addition, the Navy also acts as one of the joint administrators of the United States Space Marine Corps (although, in reality, the Star Navy is the dominant partner), and, thus, can call upon the Space Marines for military operations. Duties of the Navy include providing ultra-heavy fire support for land forces, delivering anti-orbital munitions and ordanence, securing and defending planetoids and megastructures with large bodies of water, and policing the sealanes and protecting them from pirates and criminals (via the Coast Guard). The motto of the Navy is Non Sibi Sed Patriae.


Functional Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces

Unlike the Unified Combatant Commands, which oversee a fixed area of responsibility, Functional Combatant Commands are multi-service commands that are charged with a specific responsibility or continuous task. The following is a listing of the more important/notable commands (hence why Transportation Command, for example, is not listed here).

Strategic Command

United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is charged with overseeing America’s strategic arsenal; pan-galactic C4ISR capabilities; information operations; first strike capabilities; and defending against hostile strategic-level weapons. In order to maintain its mission, STRATCOM makes use of various component commands which operate under its purview, such as the Aerospace Forces Strategic Aerospace Command and the Star Navy’s Strategic Forces. Other innovations pioneered by Strategic Command have included the creation of the Armed Forces prized Joint Tactical Information Datalink System (JTIDS), which essentially links all American assets together in one massive, real-time combat network, and, via SAC, the Strategic Bombardment Missile (SBM). Historically an extension of the Aerospace Forces, STRATCOM has since then become equally divided between the USSN and USAF, with (minimal) token support by the Army, Space Marines, and Navy.

S.T.R.I.K.E. Command

United States Strike Command (USSTRICOM) was born out the need of the USO to maintain a strategic military reserve that could respond to any potential military crises that could potentially catch it flatfooted. As such, Strike Command (strike standing for Swift Tactical Reaction In every Known Environment) maintains roughly ten percent of all American military assets under its control that can be immediately deployed to deal with emergency military interventions, reinforcing Unified Combatant Commands and their subdivisions, or the formation of special, temporary task forces. Strike Command is subdivided into five massive component commands: the Star Navy’s Combined Starfleet; the Army’s Mobile Strategic Army Corps; the Aerospace Forces Composite Aerospace Strike Force; the Space Marine Corps Rapid Reaction Corps; and the Navy’s Combined Strike Fleet. Typically the first ones to respond to diplomatic emergencies, STRICOM’s Joint Task Forces have come to represent the ‘big stick’ philosophy of the United States, much to the chagrin of its neighbors and rivals.

Special Operations Command

America’s ace in the hole, Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is the organization responsible for overseeing all the individual special operations commands maintained by the five main branches of the Armed Forces, as well as coordinating their actions during joint operations. As such, SOCOM’s duties range from unconventional warfare and special reconnaissance to direct action operations and counter-terrorism. In addition to the various special forces that SOCOM has access to, SOCOM can also make use of other military assets for joint-service operations, including the Star Navy’s stealth attack ships (such as the Star Wolf-class), the Aerospace Forces strategic reconnaissance bombers (useful for long-range, independent insertion), and other weapon systems. USSOCOM maintains a warm relationship with the Joint Intelligence Agency, which has produced benefits for both parties. With the JIA’s aid, USSOCOM has developed a massive intelligence network that spans much of the Southern Cluster, while SOCOM forces will occasionally work the JIA’s Special Activities Division to produce the second most lethal force in the known universe (the first being the Special Operations Section of the French Imperial Guard).
Last edited by Magister Militum on Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Germania your game is through, now you're gonna answer to... The Freestates! Fuck Yeah! Now lick my balls and suck on my cock! Freestates, Fuck Yeah! Coming in to save the motherfuckin' day! Rock and roll, fuck yeah! Television, fuck yeah! DVDs, fuck yeah! Militums, fuck yeah! - Shroomy
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Re: Armed Forces of the the Great Powers

Post by Mobius 1 »

I do like a sci-fi verse that maintains an actuall freakin' wet navy in it, I'll say. On top of that, it's good to see SOCOM is only one step behind Cyrano and Gabrielle and Co.
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