OBT Forum
General BattleTech => Canon Inspired => Topic started by: alkemita on January 08, 2013, 11:54:26 AM
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Hello All,
the following thread is an examination of how Inner Sphere forces do not necessarily have to follow Star League norms, disguised as an SLDF Field Manual.
This work is heavily based on Drakensis's work in his "Davion & Davion" story where, among other things, he re-imagined the militaries of the Great Houses. I thank him for permission to use his work.
Also, this is not intended to intrude on the work of the potential Inner Sphere Armed Forces Handbook. I was not even aware of the thread until Drakensis pointed it out to me.
Finally, there is no real "story" here, except perhaps what can be read between the lines. This is, after all, an SLDF publication written before the Amaris Coup.
I hope you enjoy my first foray into this realm. Comments and feedback are always welcome.
Alkemita
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SLDF FM 35-25-2.4
Introduction to the Militaries of the Inner Sphere & Territorial StatesSECURITY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED - SLDF EYES ONLYOriginally Issued 2733.06.24 under the Authority of:
Rebecca Fetladral, Commanding General, SLDF
Revised: 2735.07.01, 2739.05.24
This Edition issued 2741.10.13 under the Authority of:
Alexsandr Kerensky, Commanding General, SLDF
Preface
Field Manual 35-25-2 provides an overview of Member State and Territorial State militaries. It discusses in general terms the organization of their forces. It does not address the history, tactics or procedures of said militaries unless necessary to clarify or highlight pertinent information. This document is not intended to serve as an Intelligence Estimate. For current and in-depth assessments of Member and Territorial State militaries, refer to your Echelon Ic. Those requiring a refresher on SLDF overview and organization should consult FM 35-25-1.
The intended primary users of this Field Manual are Recruits & Cadets in training, and Members posting to stations in Member and Territorial States
The Proponent of this Field Manual is the Chief of Intelligence Command. Comments and recommendations should be submitted on form DF-A401.9, found here
Introduction
Militaries are not built in a vacuum. Politics, culture, ideology, demography, geography, economics and history all play a role in shaping the size, organization and objectives of any military force.
For these reasons, the various militaries the SLDF interacts with tend to differ from what you have likely come to accept as the norm. The following sections will discuss each Member and Territorial State in turn.
General Observations
Readers will quickly note that the militaries discussed herein tend to diverge from the SLDF baseline in at least one of the following three ways.
Firstly, most deploy far larger numbers of infantry at equivalent echelons. This can usually be explained by technological disparity. The average SLDF 2-man infantry Fire Team packs more sensor and comms technology than most Member and Territorial State platoons, meaning that the SLDF can “do more with lessâ€. On a related note, economic realities for some states mean that infantry will be the backbone of their forces to a greater extent than the SLDF, and may be expected to operate without the full range of support available to the average SLDF Infantry Regiment. Under those circumstances, higher troop strengths become vital.
Secondly, Echelons above the Regiment are often strategic or theoretical in nature. While economics again is sometimes the culprit, politics is also another factor in this difference. Many political rulers tend to be wary of concentrating military force under someone elses command, and therefore discourage this in ways implicit and explicit.
Thirdly, Combined Arms Operations below Brigade-equivalent Levels tend to be rare. SLDF members are aware of how difficult it is to operate in concert with the various arms, and consequently the heavy amount of training, both field and simulated that is devoted to getting this right. This training is costly, and for that reason alone many Member and Territorial States cannot carry this out as much as they would like. Also, for political reasons, some State rulers do not necessarily want strong relationships to form between units.
Finally, it goes without saying that all militaries will be organized to some degree based on local needs, and this in itself will produce variations from the baseline. The SLDF is not immune from this.
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Hi All,
this is taking a bit longer to work up than I anticipated, but I'm aiming to have the chapter on the AFFS up this week.
Thank you for your patience.
Alkemita
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We are waiting.
Wait...
an Ice Hellion waiting for something? Someone call the doctor, quick. ;)
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We are waiting.
Wait...
an Ice Hellion waiting for something? Someone call the doctor, quick. ;)
Yeah, amputate at the neck. ;D
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Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)
The AFFS is a military in transition. Formerly the closest in organizational structure and doctrine to the SLDF of all the House Militaries, the AFFS has radically altered its core structures over the past 10 years to make combined arms operations the norm rather than the exception.
Pure units now exist only to Battalion level. Above that, units are combined arms, in various configurations. These are discussed below.
Note that the AFFS does not use the Regiment as an operational echelon. Instead, a grouping of Battalions is a Demi-Brigade. AFFS Regiments follow ancient British Commonwealth practice as meta-units which farm out Battalions to higher formations. For instance, the 11th Avalon Hussars ‘Mech Regiment is comprised of a number of BattleMech Battalions, of which the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions serve in the 2nd Avalon Hussars BattleMech Demi-Brigade.
This change has not been without opposition. Many units were renamed, consolidated or disbanded, leading to considerable opposition. In addition, placing ‘Mech Battalions under the command of Infantry and Armor Brigades has provoked a backlash among more traditional MechWarrior officers, some of whom have resigned, taking with them a substantial amount of experience.
BattleMech Organization
Lance 4 BattleMechs
Company 3 Lances (12)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Lance (40)
At Battalion level and below, AFFS BattleMech organization remains familiar. Battalions are led by a Leftenant-Colonel, with a Major as Executive Officer (Second in Charge, abbreviated 2iC in AFFS parlance). Captains command Companies, and Leftenants lead Lances.
The Battalion Commander has a separate command Lance as they do not have the advanced command consoles available to the SLDF.
AFFS BattleMech formations tend to average out in the Medium weight range, but formations of all weight classes can be found in the AFFS.
Armor Organization
Platoon 4 Vehicles
Company 3 Platoons (12)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (40)
Armored vehicle unit organization is identical to that of BattleMechs. Ranking conventions have been adjusted so that most Armor Battalions are now led by Leftenant-Colonels instead of Majors.
Infantry Organization
AFFS infantry broadly falls into 3 sub-groups - Foot Infantry, Mechanized Infantry and Jump Infantry. There are many regional variations that take local conditions into account, such as Motorized Infantry, Alpine troops, Heavy Infantry and Light Infantry.
Foot Infantry
Fire Team 4 Soldiers
Squad 2 Fire Teams (8 )
Platoon 4 Squads + Command Fire Team (36)
Company 3 Platoons (108)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (360)
As with Armor Battalions, Infantry Battalion Commanders have become a Leftenant-Colonel slot.
AFFS Infantry organization starts with the Fire Team of 4 soldiers, led by either a senior Corporal or a Sergeant. The Sergeant is also in command of a Squad of two Fire Teams. Both Squads in a Fire Team are usually identically composed in terms of weapons and equipment, but this is not always true.
Four Squads plus a Command Fire Team make up an Infantry Platoon, led by a Leftenant and assisted by a senior Sergeant. Generally, one Squad in each platoon is “Heavyâ€, consisting of support weapons. Again, there are many variations on this model, and some Platoons may consist solely of Heavy Squads.
Three Platoons comprise a Company, led by a Captain, and finally, three Companies make up a Battalion, which has an attached Command Platoon.
Most Foot Infantry Battalions are found in planetary garrisons.
Mechanized Infantry
Fire Team 4 Soldiers
Squad 2 Fire Teams (8 ) + IFV
Platoon 4 Squads + Command Fire Team (36) + (4 IFV)
Company 3 Platoons (108) + (12 IFV)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (360) + (40 IFV)
Mechanized Infantry is typically found in the new combined arms Brigades fielded by the AFFS. Each Squad rides into battle in an IFV, which provides speed, protection and firepower.
Jump Infantry
Fire Team 4 Soldiers
Squad 2 Fire Teams (8 )
Platoon 3 Squads + Command Fire Team (28)
Company 3 Platoons (84)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (280)
Except for special operations troops, Jump Infantry are the elite of the AFFS’s ground pounders. Due to the difficulty in training and supplying these forces, they are typically organized with only 3 Squads to the Platoon.
Artillery Organization
Platoon 4 Artillery Pieces
Battery 3 Platoons (12)
Battalion 3 Batteries + Fire Control Battery (36) + (12)
AFFS artillery units are organized almost identically to their SLDF counterparts. One key difference is the attachment of a Fire Control Battery, made up of spotter vehicles and their crews, at the Battalion level rather than at Battery level. The AFFS rationale for doing so seems to revolve around allowing spotter teams to be parcelled out in any combination as needed, and to get them used to working with any Battery in the Battalion.
AeroSpace Craft Organization
Lance 2 Craft
Flight 3 Lances(6)
Squadron 3 Flights + Command Lance (20)
As part of the reorganization of the AFFS, AeroSpace units have been attached at Brigade and Brigade Combat Team (Division) level. In doing so, their unit structure has also been standardized. Lances are led by Leftenants, and Flights by Captains. Squadrons are commanded by Light Commodores.
Most units attached to front-line Combined Arms Brigades consist of AeroSpace Fighters, while planetary garrisons usually have conventional fighters only.
Demi-Brigades
The Demi-Brigade is the cornerstone of the AFFS’s new organizational model. Each is formed around 3 Battalions of one type of unit (for example, BattleMechs), with 2-3 Battalions or Squadrons of supporting units.
Each Brigade is expected to be able to fight integrated, or as a number of semi-independent Reinforced Battalion Groups. Two Demi-Brigades make up a Brigade.
It was hoped that the permanent assignment of disparate Battalions to the same Demi-Brigade would grow combined arms expertise more quickly, and to a certain extent, this has happened. However, due to command inertia, only a few units, such as the Davion Brigade of Guards, are truly proficient in exploiting the advantages of the new organization to its fullest. Some Demi-Brigades have only paid lip service to the concept, while others are still working up. We can therefore expect that combined arms expertise will vary widely across the AFFS for some time to come.
Each Demi-Brigade is commanded by a Colonel drawn from the same community as the base arm, so Armor Brigades will always be commanded by a Colonel from the Armor community.
There are six basic types of Demi-Brigade and two types of Wing (the AeroSpace equivalent)
BattleMech Demi-Brigades consist of 3 BattleMech Battalions, 1 Armor Battalion, 1 Mechanized Infantry Battalion and one Artillery Battalion. It is common to see Armor and Mechanized Infantry attached in Company strength directly to each ‘Mech Battalion.
Armor Demi-Brigades contain 3 Armor Battalions, a BattleMech Battalion, a Mechanized Infantry Battalion and an Artillery Battalion. In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Armor Brigades have fared the best at assimilating the new concept of operations. At the moment, it is estimated that AFFS Armor Brigades are more proficient at combined armed operations than their BattleMech counterparts.
Infantry Demi-Brigades contain 3 Infantry Battalions, one Armor Battalion and an Artillery Battalion. These Brigades form the bulk of planetary garrisons in the Federated Suns. Equipment quality, training and readiness is known to vary widely. It is reported that some garrison Infantry Brigades have not even started training in combined armed operations, while others (chiefly those closer to border areas) have demonstrated surprising competence with the same.
Mechanized Infantry Demi-Brigades consist of 3 Mechanized Infantry Battalions, one BattleMech Battalion, one Armor Battalion and one Artillery Battalion. These Brigades are often assigned to quieter areas, and make up the bulk of the new BCTs.
Jump Infantry Demi-Brigades consist of 3 Jump Infantry Battalions, a BattleMech Battalion and a Troop Transport Squadron. These units are intended to be the AFFS’s Rapid Reaction Force, and at least one independent Jump Infantry Demi-Brigade has been assigned to each PDZ.
Artillery Demi-Brigades combine 3 Artillery Battalions, a Recon Battalion and a Recon Squadron of spotter aircraft to provide a Brigade Combat Team (See below) with many fire options. These units are currently only deployed as part of a BCT. Innovative commanders are reportedly using the recon unit to augment the BCT’s tactical intelligence capabilities.
Air Support Wings consist of 3 AeroSpace Fighter Squadrons, one Transport Squadron, and a Combat Engineer Battalion trained to build and maintain and protect airfields.
Troop Transport Wings reverse the ratio of AeroSpace Fighter to Transport Squadrons in the Wing, but are otherwise organized identically. Their job is to provide tactical airlift.
Brigades
Brigades are usually made up of 2 Demi-Brigades of the same sub-type, with some independent Battalions directly assigned to Brigade HQ. These are intended to be attached to component Demi-Brigades as needed to bolster their capabilities. The type and number of independent Battalions varies widely, though there are generally no more than 2-3 of these.
At the present, the trend is for the independent Battalions to offer capabilities not found in component Demi-Brigades. For example, a Mechanized Infantry Brigade’s Independent Battalions may include a BattleMech Battalion and a Jump Infantry Battalion.
AeroSpace Assets are also included at Brigade level, and are also usually attached as needed to Demi-Brigades. At the moment the usual assignment is one Squadron, but reports seem to indicate that field commanders are pushing for more AeroSpace fighters at this level.
Brigades are commanded by Leftenant Generals.
Brigade Combat Teams
While the AFFS has historically used Division-equivalent units, these have usually been temporary organizations. The new BCTs are meant to be permanent, with their own Headquarters, and commanded by a Major General.
There are 4 types of BCT organization defined by the AFFS.
BattleMech BCT
Consists of 2 BattleMech Brigades, 1 Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 1 Artillery Brigade and 1 Air Support Wing. Few such units exist in the AFFS today outside the Brigade of Guards, chiefly due to lack of BattleMechs under the House Troop numbers limitations.
Armored BCT
Contains 2 Armor Brigades, 1 Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 1 Artillery Brigade and 1 Air Support Wing. The second most common type of BCT, this configuration generally plays two roles - as the iron fist along quieter Periphery borders, or as a second-line back up in the Capellan and Draconis Marches.
Mechanized Infantry BCT
Made up of 2 Mechanized Infantry Brigades, 1 BattleMech Brigade, 1 Artillery Brigade and 1 Air Support Wing, this is the most common BCT configuration in the AFFS, making up well over half the front line BCTs.
Jump Infantry BCT
Comprising 2 Jump Infantry Brigades, 1 BattleMech Brigade, 2 Air Support Wings and a Transport Wing, this is the rarest BCT formation in the AFFS. Just ten exist.
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That's the first half of the AFFS chapter. Info on the actual formations coming up when life stops shooting at me.
Regards,
Alkemita
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Interesting take on that organisational breakdown.
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Interesting take on that organisational breakdown.
Good "interesting" or bad "interesting"? ;)
You came up with the original concept, I just tinkered with it some.
Regards,
Alkemita
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If the Demi-Brigade is the new cornerstone of the AFFS, why not go further and eliminate the regiments?
You keep the name but you have a stronger former regiment.
This way you could have the 11th Avalon Hussars Demi-Brigade and not split the unit between the 2nd Avalon Hussars Demi-Brigade and another one.
This could decrease the number of people against the reform.
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If the Demi-Brigade is the new cornerstone of the AFFS, why not go further and eliminate the regiments?
You keep the name but you have a stronger former regiment.
This way you could have the 11th Avalon Hussars Demi-Brigade and not split the unit between the 2nd Avalon Hussars Demi-Brigade and another one.
This could decrease the number of people against the reform.
Good question, Ice Hellion - go to the head of your Sibko! :)
There's multiple reasons for not eliminating the Regiment.
In-universe, the changes already wrought would cause some degree of angst, resentment and rebellion. Since the AFFS is in some ways the spiritual descendant of the British/Commonwealth army system, the soldier's regiment is a critical part of their esprit-de-corps. They will not want to tamper with that lightly.
So while the 11th Avalon Hussars Regiment, say, is definitely more prestigious than, oh, the Galax Mechanized Infantry Regiment, telling the grunts of the 3rd Battalion Galax MIR that they are now part of the Avalon Hussars simply because they're in the same Demi-brigade will have adverse consequences for morale.
Also, the way I interpreted Drakensis's original concept was that this is all about creating a far more robust and versatile tactical unit. Yes, adding 2 additional battalions strengthens via sheer numbers, but it also gives the Demi-brigade commander more options in more situations.
I tried to build on that by assigning independent battalions at Brigade level that give even more options.
In addition, in the real world, changes happen. The BM DB may get posted to some planet where tracked/wheeled vehicles don't cut it. Fine - we'll detach the AR BN and MI BN from the DB and give you 2 BNs of horse-mounted infantry.
Regards,
Alkemita
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Good "interesting" or bad "interesting"? ;)
I like the infantry and artillery parts.
One thing I did do that you've not done is that the three 'like' battalions in a Demi-Brigade were all from one regiment, with the Demi-Brigade named for it. I can certainly see reasons for not doing that, since you're abolishing the regiment as more than an administrative purpose but in that case I wouldn't suggest then using the same formation names for regiments and for demi-brigades
For instance, the 11th Avalon Hussars ‘Mech Regiment is comprised of a number of BattleMech Battalions, of which the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions serve in the 2nd Avalon Hussars BattleMech Demi-Brigade.
This would just be confusing.
I'd suggest instead that the existing 'Mech regiments are broken up with one battalion retaining regimental number and the other battalion taking up the number from a fallen brother-regiment (or a new one). So the 11th Avalon Hussar Regiment become, for example, the 11th, 12th and 13th Avalon Hussar Battalions. The Demi-Brigades should either have their own distinct names or an entirely different naming pattern.
One possibility would be for names to come from the 'independent' Mech regiments that were sometimes combined arms regiments anyway. So the Kestrel Grenadiers or Kittery Borderers become Demi-Brigades.
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One thing I did do that you've not done is that the three 'like' battalions in a Demi-Brigade were all from one regiment, with the Demi-Brigade named for it. I can certainly see reasons for not doing that, since you're abolishing the regiment as more than an administrative purpose but in that case I wouldn't suggest then using the same formation names for regiments and for demi-brigades
Hmmm - I guess I wasn't clear enough in the writing - I did intend that all the 'like' battalions come from the same Regiment. :-[
I'll have to revise that in the second draft.
Regards,
Alkemita
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There's multiple reasons for not eliminating the Regiment.
In-universe, the changes already wrought would cause some degree of angst, resentment and rebellion. Since the AFFS is in some ways the spiritual descendant of the British/Commonwealth army system, the soldier's regiment is a critical part of their esprit-de-corps. They will not want to tamper with that lightly.
So while the 11th Avalon Hussars Regiment, say, is definitely more prestigious than, oh, the Galax Mechanized Infantry Regiment, telling the grunts of the 3rd Battalion Galax MIR that they are now part of the Avalon Hussars simply because they're in the same Demi-brigade will have adverse consequences for morale.
Also, the way I interpreted Drakensis's original concept was that this is all about creating a far more robust and versatile tactical unit. Yes, adding 2 additional battalions strengthens via sheer numbers, but it also gives the Demi-brigade commander more options in more situations.
I tried to build on that by assigning independent battalions at Brigade level that give even more options.
Then if I do get it, you take a former Regiment of whatever and assign to it independent or newly created units to form a Demi Brigade?
If so, you could name the Demi-Brigade like the Regiment its main units come from?
Or did I get it wrong?
By doing this, you are just expanding the idea behind the naming of the RCT and you keep the people in the units happy and prepare for a future change.
The only question is: do you have enough independent/newly created units?
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Then if I do get it, you take a former Regiment of whatever and assign to it independent or newly created units to form a Demi Brigade?
If so, you could name the Demi-Brigade like the Regiment its main units come from?
Or did I get it wrong?
By doing this, you are just expanding the idea behind the naming of the RCT and you keep the people in the units happy and prepare for a future change.
You've got it essentially correct. At the moment (and this will go into the second draft) the foundation units of each Demi-brigade are all from the same regiment (eg, the 1st Davion Guards), and carry the name of the foundation unit.
However, as Drakensis mentioned above, there's no real necessity for all 3 BattleMech battalions of a BM DB to come from the same regiment under these reforms. Theoretically, you could put together a BM DB with one BattleMech Battalion from the 42nd Avalon Hussars Regiment, 5th Syrtis Fusilers Regiment and the Capellan Dragoons.
In this AU, the reason this has not been done is mainly simplicity - most former regiments (as an organisational echelon) already have 3 battalions, so just leave them in place as a DB core. Also, as you pointed out, this keeps people happy. After all, we've already slaughtered a couple of sacred cows by forcing MechWarriors to work more closely with tankers and grunts, and (in Armor and Mech. Inf. DBs), actually placed MechWarriors under the command of conventional arms officers (the horror!) :o
The only question is: do you have enough independent/newly created units?
I think so. Remember that under the British system, there's no actual set number of Battalions a Regiment can have - budget is the usual reason there's restrictions. Some British Infantry Regiments raised as many as 25 battalions for service in WWI.
I'm going to use that as a guide here.
So, for example, the Davion Heavy Guards BCT in this AU is a BattleMech BCT, with 2 BattleMech Brigades and one Mechanized Infantry Brigade. This is a total of 14 BattleMech Battalions, and they are numbered as the 1st - 14th Battalions, Davion Heavy Guards (usually referred to as 3rd Heavy Guards, etc)
Since the AU is set before the Amaris Coup, my assumption is that the AFFS has more BMs than during the Succession Wars period. (Though, as I pointed out, Mechanized Infantry BCTs, with their lower number of BM Battalions remain the most common)
Regards,
Alkemita
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My own RPG campaign uses a system where each "regiment of reknown" or Brigade as they are called nowadays is actually a separate legal entity with different laws and customs it follows. For example you can have Avalon Hussars and Davion Guards which are both administrative and legal entities with different laws concerning who can join and why.
The beauty lies in that Avalon Hussars creates a number of large combat units with numbers like 1st and 11th. These units are essentially flags which form basis of independent field units. Thus you have number of flags within each legal entity but size and formation of each flag differs according to time. Thus in Star League time 1st Avalon Hussars were actually a Mech division but in 3025 it is effectively a Mech regiment with smattering of supporting units.
However, there is no limit to number of individual units that each legal entity can raise as long as they are grouped under flags. Thus Avalon Hussars in 3025 field no less than 5 Mech Battalions that are put under these two flags and/or kept separate under detached duty in as home defense formations. Thus when you see 1st Avalon Hussars it can have 2 to 4 battalions depending on casualties and reinforcement and other tasks. During campaigns these flags can also be reinforced with units from enemy units like Syrtis Fusiliers.
However, as each "Regiment of Reknown" fields a number of battalions and number of battalions raised and put to different flags varies the key importance here is who raises flags. Each flag is a title (rather than unit) and it means its holder is an officer of Lord Davion. Since being an officer is a title and generalship will essentially depend on lord's good will, the value of having a flag is enormous in internal fight over resources. Flag equals Dukedom and as such they are raised only for a good reason.
This allows you to have essentially any kind of TO&E in your game and have haughty officers from units with illustrious backgrounds and stellar pedigrees pompously bragging at each other ... which is the very essence of BattleTech.
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FORMATIONS OF THE AFFS
Under the previous structure of the AFFS, the Regimental Combat Team (not to be confused with the SLDF RCT) was the Division-equivalent formation. They were built around and named for a ‘Mech Regiment, with supporting armor, infantry, artillery and aerospace units added as deemed necessary for the duration of a mission. While some of these RCTs (particularly in the Brigade of Guards) worked together for years, the vast majority were clearly temporary formations.
The reforms that abolished the RCT radically changed the naming conventions of the AFFS.
Where many RCTs were named for the ‘Mech Regiment it was formed around, the new structure of the AFFS aimed to make all arms equally important in the eyes of the AFFS.
Familiar units, like the 2nd Robinson Dragoons RCT and the Argyle Lancers have given way to the 34th Mechanized Infantry BCT and 165th Independent Composite Brigade respectively.
The new naming/numbering scheme for BCTs uses seniority as it’s basis. As units were organized into BCTs, the average seniority of the component units determined the BCT’s seniority, and thus, numbering.
Not unexpectedly, many BattleMech units reacted negatively to the renaming. The AFFS compromised by allowing the re-named BCTs to continue carrying their former nicknames, many of which were originally the nicknames of BattleMech Regiments..
Today the AFFS fields an estimated 140 BCTs and approximately 60 Independent Brigades. These numbers should be treated with some caution as the re-naming and standardisation of unit organisation has made it difficult to keep track of them.
BCT Type Breakdown
Mech. Inf. 79
Armored 33
BattleMech 12
Jump 10
Other* 6
*BCTs with variant structures.
It should be noted that Independent Brigade structure can vary widely from established norms mentioned above. Those that do tend to carry the term “Composite Brigade†as a descriptor. This usually means that the component Demi-brigades of this Brigade are not identically organized as normal.
Below that level are planetary garrisons, which are mostly based on Infantry Brigades, and beyond the scope of this Manual.
Some of the more notable AFFS formations are discussed below.
Brigade of Guards
The Brigade of Guards were the only meta-unit to both remain intact, and without name changes to their BCTs in the reorganisation (some sub-units did move between BCTs in the shuffle). Every type of BCT is represented in its ranks.
Of it’s eight BCTs, the Assault and Heavy Guards are BattleMech BCTs, the Light Guards are one of the rare Jump BCTs; the Second and Fifth Guards are Mechanized Infantry, the Third and Fourth are Armored, and the First is a Composite BCT, containing one BattleMech, Armor and Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
Both the Assault and Heavy Guards BCTs have attached far more independent battalions - about 10 each - than normal. Both have additional Transport Squadrons to aid battlefield mobility and artillery battalions to add to their already considerable firepower. From articles published in AFFS Staff Journals, we are aware that certain sectors of the AFFS are concerned that these two units are so bloated that they will put a strain on strategic transport.
By way of contrast, the Light Guards hew closely to the textbook organisational structure for a Jump BCT. It carries just 3 independent battalions on its rolls, two of them of light vehicles.
The First Guards consist of one BattleMech, Armor and Mechanized Infantry Brigade. Its unusual structure is not openly discussed in the AFFS, which is not unexpected considering their role as personal bodyguards of the sovereign. In addition to the abnormal structure, the First Guards contain an additional Air Support Wing and a Transport Wing. The seven battalions of the Royal Davion Infantry Regiment remain as Independent Battalions at the BCT Level. Three of the battalions are now Mechanized Infantry, three are Light Infantry and one is a reinforced Jump Infantry Battalion.
140th Composite BCT (Ceti Hussars)
Probably the unit that suffered least in the transition from RCT to BCT mainly because it has always operated as a combined arms force. The Ceti Hussars freely mix forces down to company level according to mission needs. Although technically divided into three combined-arms Brigades (internally known as Combat Commands), opposing commanders should be aware that the 140th is fully capable of reorganizing on short notice to create a large number of task forces, or massing into a small number of reinforced Brigade equivalents.
Given their proficiency in this mode of warfare, the 140th are in high demand as field-trainers for other AFFS units. Several of their officers and senior NCOs have been transferred to other BCTs to share their knowledge, and the 140th is currently operating as 3 independent composite brigades, with one each assigned to the Capellan, Draconis and Crucis Marches as mobile training detachments.
34th Mechanized BCT (Shield of Robinson)
At the other end of the spectrum, the 34th Mechanized Infantry BCT, formerly the 2nd Robinson Dragoons RCT has suffered badly in the transition. AFFS High Command put off transitioning the 2nd Robinson Dragoons RCT until the last phase of the program in the hopes that they would come to accept the change if they saw it working elsewhere.
It didn’t work. All of the ‘Mech Battalion commanders resigned, along with several Company commanders when the RCT reorganized. Relations between the different arms were further strained when an Infantry officer was promoted to command of the new 34th BCT.
The AFFS is anxious to rectify the situation in the 34th as it is meant to serve as a reaction force along the Draconis border.
SUMMARY
One one level, it is easy to see why the AFFS has undergone these reforms. With three hostile borders, they have incentive to maintain a strong and effective force. The new BCT and Demi-brigade structures are directly aimed at countering the the strengths of the DCMS, CCAF and TDF.
On the other hand, undertaking such a change seems to signal the AFFS’s intention to rely less on the framework of the Star League in securing the interests of the Federated Suns. Although House Davion has always been one of the strongest supporters of the Star League, these reforms may be a symptom of changing thinking in that realm.
While they are experiencing growing pains and working out how to operate under their new structures, it is fairly certain that they can only improve. We can be sure that the CCAF, DCMS and TDF will be watching closely, and we should do the same.
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That's it for the AFFS. Coming up next, the CCAF.
Regards,
Alkemita
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I still have a problem with your naming.
Could you give us the TO&E for the 34th and 140th?
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I still have a problem with your naming.
Could you give us the TO&E for the 34th and 140th?
Hey Ice Hellion,
I haven't worked them out in great detail, but based on the structures I wrote about earlier, here's how I imagine the 34th:
34th Mech. Inf. BCT (formerly 2nd Robinson Dragoons* RCT)
* Since the Robinson Rangers were formed after the fall of the Star League, I imagined the Robinson Dragoons as their predecessor unit that was wiped out in the 1SW.
1st MI BDE
10 SQ Clovis Attack
12 BN Draconis Jump Infantry
Robinson Mounted Rifles Demi-Brigade
1, 2 & 3 BN Robinson Mounted Rifles
6 BN Robinson Dragoons
1 BN Kentares Cavalry
4 BN Duke Sandoval's Artillery
Bremond Mechanized Infantry Demi-Brigade
4, 5 & 7 BN Bremond Mechanized Infantry
5 BN Robinson Dragoons
2 BN Kentares Cavalry
5 BN Duke Sandoval's Artillery
2nd MI BDE
9 Clovis Attack SQ
13 BN Draconis Jump Infantry
Tsamma Mechanized Demi-Brigade
1, 2 & 3 BN Tsamma Mechanized
7 BN Robinson Dragoons
4 BN Robinson Heavy Armor
8 BN Duke Sandoval's Artillery
Galax Mechanized Infantry Demi-Brigade
7, 8 & 9 BN Galax Mechanized Infantry
8 BN Robinson Dragoons
3 BN Kentares Cavalry
4 BN Flitvelt Heavy Artillery
3rd BM BDE
24 SQ Murchison Fighter
354 SQ Robinson Heavy Lift
6 BN Kentares Cavalry
1st Robinson Dragoons Demi-Brigade
1, 2 & 3 BN Robinson Dragoons
4 BN Kentares Cavalry
4 BN Robinson Mounted Rifles
1 BN Duke Sandoval's Artillery
2nd Robinson Dragoons Demi-Brigade
4, 9 & 10 BN Robinson Dragoons
5 BN Kentares Cavalry
5 BN Robinson Mounted Rifles
2 BN Duke Sandoval's Artillery
Duke Sandoval's Artillery Demi-Brigade
1, 3 & 7 BN Duke Sandoval's Artillery
2 BN New Aragon Recon
32 SQ Federated Recon
9th Draconis Air Support Wing
13, 14 & 15 SQ Draconis Fighter
256 SQ Federated Transport
16 BN Robinson Combat Engineers
Independent Commands, 34th MI BCT
2 BN Robinson Heavy Armor
9 BN Draconis Jump Infantry
255 SQ Federated Transport
The 140th is a different case altogether since they prefer to build Combat Commands to suit the mission at hand. As such, their ~50 Battalions/Squadrons can be mixed and matched in all sorts of combinations. I see them as having roughly equal numbers of BattleMechs, Armor, Infantry, Artillery and AeroSpace BNs/SQs.
I hope that's a bit clearer than mud now.
Regards,
Alkemita
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But why name it 34th and not any number Robinson XXX?
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But why name it 34th and not any number Robinson XXX?
In one word - politics.
Under the RCT system, the RCTs were named for the 'Mech Regiment, thus stamping the superiority of the BM arm over all others. In this AU, the AFFS is attempting to encourage cooperation between the arms. Hence, BCTs will be classified according to their composition as BattleMech, Armored, Infantry etc.
To "level the field", all BCTs (except in the Brigade of Guards) would be numbered according to the average seniority of their component units. (I'm borrowing the concept of unit precedence from the Commonwealth armies in this). Thus the Ceti Hussars, who were created by John Davion relatively recently, have many new units, and therefore end up low on the seniority list, becoming the 140th Composite BCT.
As a side issue, AFFS High Command is also attempting to break, or at least tone down regional loyalties amongst the front line units. They're not too worried about the March Militias, since their mission is primarily defensive, and strong ties to their local region is a plus in that scheme of things.
Regards,
Alkemita
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Not dead, just hibernating.
Hi all - apologies for the delay in putting out the next segment. A whole pile of the real world has landed on top of me in the past two weeks, including needing the re-certify in my field, and a sick baby.
The CCAF section is about half done, and I'll have it up as soon as I can.
(Anyone have Marauder I can borrow to blow away my obstacles?) ;D
Alkemita
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(Anyone have Marauder I can borrow to blow away my obstacles?) ;D
Just take a Stalker.
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After far too long, I present the CCAF:
Capellan Confederation Armed Forces
The CCAF is a military that has endured despite being beset by almost as many problems within as enemies without.
While the paranoia of various Chancellors has made it difficult for the CCAF to practice the employment of large formations, the skill level of individual soldiers is on par with those of the DCMS, and in terms of teamwork, may actually surpass the troops of the Draconis Combine.
Like most Member and Territorial States, the CCAF does not have any permanent Division or Brigade equivalent units. This is not for lack of resources - rather, it is an intentional move on the part of the Capellan government to prevent the creation of a potential rival power bloc in the military.
Another feature of the CCAF is the relatively high skill levels displayed by conventional forces. While ‘Mech Regiments remain the elite of the CCAF, the gap between them and Armor or Infantry forces is not as great, on average, as it is in say, the LCAF.
In general, CCAF doctrine follows a “Defence First†philosophy. Capellan forces are generally oversized in infantry, artillery and AeroSpace forces compared to the SLDF. This allows them to both absorb and deal considerable damage on the defence.
Their preference for a defensive battle notwithstanding, the CCAF is certainly capable of offensive action. In this area, however, they appear to have been politically hamstrung, perhaps because of fears that a military force too skilled in attack may try to apply their expertise to a coup.
BattleMech Organization
Section 2 BattleMechs
Lance 2 Sections (4)
Company 3 Lances + Command Section (14)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Section (44)
Regiment 2-5 Battalions + Command Lance (92-224)
CCAF ‘Mech organization begins with the Section, a pair of BattleMechs. Unlike most other militaries, the CCAF considers the Section to be a viable tactical unit and actively trains their MechWarriors to use it.
The section is also the basis of an informal mentoring relationship between veteran and new MechWarriors. Recently graduated MechWarriors are assigned to a sifu as their Section Leader, who is expected to guide and pass on hard-won experience to the new arrival. This extends in a modified fashion to the Command Sections used at Company and Battalion levels as well. The Company or Battalion Commander’s wingman in these formations is generally not the formation second in command, but rather an officer being groomed for promotion to the Second in Command position. Thus, a Company Command Section will be made up of the Sao-shao in command, plus a Sang-wei who has previously commanded a Lance, and who is being tapped as a possible Company Second in Command.
Note that while the CCAF has a set standard organization to Battalion level, Regiments are highly variable in composition, containing between 2 to 5 Battalions. Although the familiar 3 battalion regiment remains the most common arrangement, a sizeable minority of CCAF ‘Mech Regiments deviates from this. Only one ‘Mech Regiment - the Red Lancers - is organized with 5 battalions, and some Regiments in the interior of the Confederation only have 2 battalions.
The CCAF shows a preference for BattleMechs in the Medium and Heavy weight classes.
Due to the prestige afforded MechWarriors in the Capellan Confederation, all MechWarriors are officers. Thus, Lances are commanded by Captains (Sang-wei), Companies by Majors (Sao-shao) and Battalions by Lieutenants-Colonel (Zhong-shao). This places them one step above their conventional arms counterparts at each echelon.
Armor Organization
Section 2 Vehicles
Platoon 2 Sections (4)
Company 3 Platoons + Command Section (14)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Section (44)
Regiment 2-5 Battalions + Command Platoon(92-224)
Armor organization is identical to BattleMech in the CCAF. While BattleMechs remain the kings of the battlefield in CCAF doctrine, that same doctrine posts the Armored Corps as the backbone of the CCAF. Armor units are expected to either support the ‘Mechs, or, in their absence, form the main effort in attack or defence.
The number of battalions fielded by an Armor Regiment is usually determined by the weight class of the vehicles. The heaviest Armor Regiments usually contain 2-3 Battalions, while the lightest may have 4-5.
No particular preference for weight class or motive system is shown by the CCAF.
The mentoring system used by MechWarriors is also present in Armor formations, but generally limited to officers in the Command Sections of formations.
Infantry Organization
The CCAF recognizes 3 major sub-divisions of the Infantry Arm - Foot, Mobile (Mechanized) and Jump. Regardless of classification, it is widely recognized that CCAF infantry are among the best trained in the Human Sphere, behind only the SLDF in terms of the quality and quantity of training received. It is believed that all CCAF infantry have received anti-BattleMech training, though only some infantry units (usually Mobile Infantry) are actually equipped for this task.
There does not seem to be a set criteria for how many battalions a CCAF Infantry Regiment has. Many Home Guard Infantry Regiments technically have 5 battalions, but these are often under strength formations. Front Line units tend to be maintained closer to actual book strength, and most of these contain 3-4 battalions.
Foot Infantry
Group 3 Soldiers
Squad 3 Groups + NCO (10)
Platoon 4 Squads + Command Group (43)
Company 3 Platoons + Command Squad (139)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (460)
Regiment 2-5 Battalions + Command Platoon (963-2,343)
CCAF infantry units are built on the 3-man Group as the basic fire and maneuver element. Groups come in two varieties - Standard and Fire, with the latter being equipped with a crew-served weapon. All members of a Group are usually Recruits (Shia-ben-bing), with one designated as the Group Leader.
The general pattern is for two Standard and one Fire Group to be combined into a Squad, with a Corporal (San-ben-bing) in command. Squads composed of 3 Fire Groups do exist (often referred to as the Fire Squad), and are routinely assigned as the fourth Squad in each Platoon. It should be noted that in the defence, it is common for the Fire Squad to be broken down to individual Groups and distributed among the other three Squads to boost available firepower along the line.
Mobile Infantry
Group 3 Soldiers
Squad 2 Groups + NCO (7) + IFV
Platoon 4 Squads + Command Group (31) + 4 IFV
Company 3 Platoons + Command Squad (100) + 13 IFV
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (331) + 43 IFV
Regiment 2-5 Battalions + Command Platoon (693-1,686) + 90-219 IFV
CCAF Mobile Infantry differ from Foot Infantry in that their Squads delete one Group (generally the Fire Group) and have an IFV assigned for transport, protection and fire support. Due to cargo capacity of their assigned IFVs, many Mobile Infantry units are equipped for Anti-BattleMech warfare.
Jump Infantry
Group 3 Soldiers
Squad 2 Groups + NCO (7)
Platoon 4 Squads + Command Group (31)
Company 3 Platoons + Command Squad (100)
Battalion 3 Companies + Command Platoon (331)
Regiment 2-5 Battalions + Command Platoon (693-1,686)
Like Mobile Infantry, CCAF Jump Infantry also operates on a lower establishment. Unlike SLDF practice, they maintain 4 Squads per Jump Platoon, but reduce the size of each Squad. Capellan Jump Infantry have been known to carry out ad-hoc anti-BattleMech attacks when located on favourable ground (such as urban areas) where they can exploit their mobility.
It is rare to find a Jump Infantry Regiment over 3 Battalions in size.
Artillery Organization
Section 2 Artillery Pieces + Spotter Vehicle
Platoon 2 Sections (4) + (2)
Company 3 Platoons (12) + (6)
Battalion 3 Companies (36) + (18)
Regiment 2-5 Battalions (72-180) + (36-90)
Capellan Artillery is well trained and highly effective. Artillery Regiments are common even among Home Guard forces, and most front line Battle Groups (brigade equivalents) will have at least one Artillery Battalion on their TO&E, which are often attached to conventional regiments.
CCAF artillery units have one Spotter party for every two artillery pieces, a much higher ratio than used by other militaries. These parties routinely travel with or ahead of friendly forces, which provides Capellan artillery units with a lot of sensor platforms to detect and target enemy forces. The high number of Spotter parties also means there is considerable redundancy and reserve capacity, and opposition forces will find that it takes considerable effort to reduce the accuracy of Capellan artillery. Note that while Spotter Parties are assigned a vehicle, they are also trained to move on foot when required.
AeroSpace Craft Organization
Triple 3 Craft
Flight 3 Triples(9)
Squadron 3 Flights + Command Triple (30)
Wing 2-5 Squadrons + Command Flight (69-159)
Uniquely among Member & Territorial State Militaries, the CCAF’s basic AeroSpace unit is the Triple, composed of a Leader and their two wingmen. While other forces consider the formation unwieldy and inflexible, the CCAF stands by it, apparently for two reasons. Firstly, the extra protection afforded to the element leader under normal circumstances, and secondly the extra firepower that can be brought to bear by each Triple when they switch to a “two-up†formation in some attack scenarios, where the third member of the Triple continues to provide cover.
CCAF AeroSpace units quickly become quite large, which is intentional given the Defence First posture of the Capellan military. Many of the larger Wings are posted as the first line of planetary defence. Important planets like Sian, Capella, Liao, Tikonov and St. Ives are known to be protected by at least two of the five-squadron Fighter Wings, in addition to any AeroSpace forces attached to on-planet units.
Like their BattleMech counterparts, all CCAF pilots are officers.
Battle Groups & Task Forces
Although there are no permanent CCAF forces above the Regimental echelon, CCAF doctrine does loosely define such formations.
While officially these formations are only temporary, many Battle Groups have operated together for many years. Task Forces are rarely assembled, and there are currently none in existence. When Task Forces are formed, it is usually for offensive purposes.
Battle Groups (Brigade equivalent) are built around a ‘Mech Regiment in front line units (Home Guard Battle Groups are usually built around an Armored Regiment) and contain anywhere from 2-5 Regiments.
It should be noted that only half the regiments in the CCAF are currently assigned to a Battle Group. The rest are free Regiments.
Local conditions and resources usually dictate the composition of Battle Groups, but a survey of existing Battle Groups shows some general trends.
SLDF Intelligence has identified three patterns of Battle Group organization. Note that the following names are not used by the CCAF, who simply name their Battle Groups after the anchor unit (for example, the 2nd St Ives Lancers Battle Group).
Assault Battle Group
These Battle Groups are the hammer of the CCAF, composed of a ‘Mech Regiment, two Armored Regiments, a Mobile Infantry or Jump Infantry Regiment and an AeroSpace Wing. One of the Armored Regiments is usually a light-weight formation, while the other is a Heavy one. The Infantry Regiment is usually of the 4-battalion variety. At least one battalion of artillery is usually present, attached to one of the conventional regiments. In some cases, all three conventional regiments have artillery battalions attached.
SLDF Intelligence estimates that somewhere between 20-25 of these Assault Battle Groups are in existence at any one time, about half of which have been in existence for over 10 years.
Some examples of Assault Battle Groups include:
Red Lancers Battle Group
Red Lancers BattleMech Regiment (5 BN)
Red Lancers Assault Regiment (3 Heavy Tank BN + AY BN)
Red Lancers Recon Regiment (5 Light Tank BN + AY BN)
Red Lancers Mobile Infantry Regiment (4 BN + AY BN)
Red Lancers Wing (4 SQ)
As the elite of the elite in the CCAF, the Red Lancers are proof of what the Capellan military can do if allowed the resources and training. SLDF intelligence confirms that the Red Lancers constantly train for any number of contingencies, from securing the Celestial Palace against infiltrators to conventional warfare against FWLM, AFFS and even SLDF forces. In all these scenarios, the Red Lancers Battle Group operates as a coherent force, putting the right mix of units in the right place at the right time.
As a secondary duty, the Red Lancers supplement the Chancellor’s Guard at the Celestial Palace when not deployed.
Stapleton’s Grenadiers Battle Group
Stapleton’s Grenadiers BattleMech Regiment (3 BN)
Iron Hand Armored Regiment (2 Heavy Tank BN + AY BN)
Stapleton’s Recon Regiment (4 Light Tank BN)
Iron Feet Mobile Infantry Regiment (4 BN + AY BN)
9th Confederation Wing (2 SQ)
A more typical Assault Battle Group, Stapleton’s Grenadiers are assigned as the heavy reserve force for the Tikonov region. They specialize in grinding down enemy forces, using their AeroSpace assets to track and harass. Meanwhile, their Recon Regiment, despite its name, is used as cavalry, sniping and making flank attacks to keep the enemy off-balance, with the intent of driving them into killing grounds set up by the rest of the Battle Group.
Raid Battle Group
These small Battle Groups are designed for quick movements and striking power, not to hold ground. Their composition averages out at one 3-battalion ‘Mech Regiment, one 3-battalion
Mobile Infantry Regiment with attached Artillery Battalion, and a 2-Squadron Wing.
Raid Battle Groups tend to be formed on an ad-hoc basis, usually by detaching the required forces from parent units. It is quite common, for example, for a Local Defender Wing to detach 2 of its squadrons to furnish the AeroSpace element of a Raid Battle Group. Raid Battle Groups also tend not to last as long as other Battle Groups. Many are formed for a specific mission, and disband afterwards.
Most of them are positioned within one jump of the border. Coupled with their minimal transport requirements, Raid Battle Groups are designed to perform three roles.
Firstly, they act as tripwire forces, moving from planet to planet (usually within a specified Duchy’s boundaries) and hoping to catch pirate forces unawares.
Secondly, in the event of invasion by hostile forces, they act as a spoiling force, aiming to slow attacks until heavier forces can be brought to bear.
Thirdly, they can be used in offense to either launch raids into enemy territory, or attack an enemy’s supply lines.
It is estimated that 40-50 Raid Battle Groups currently exist, with roughly equal numbers posted to the TH, FS and FWL borders, and a smaller number on the Periphery border. Roughly 80% of them are less than two years old.
A typical example of a Raid Battle Groups:
3rd St Ives Lancers Battle Group
3rd St Ives Lancers BattleMech Regiment (3 BN)
45th Warlock Mobile Infantry Regiment (3 BN + AY BN)
3 & 4 SQ, 21st St Ives Defender Wing (2 SQ)
Formed 18 months ago, apparently in response to the increasing expertise of AFFS units across the border, the 3rd St Ives Lancers Battle Group has since visited almost every border world in the Duchy of St Ives. They rarely stay in one location for more than a month, and usually spend time in-system exercising against the local Home Guard.
Home Guard Battle Group
Home Guard Battle Groups constitute the planetary defence forces of the Confederation. Their structure and equipment levels vary greatly depending on resources available to them, but there are some features common to them.
First, most have no, or at best, minimal BattleMech support. Only the Home Guard Battle Groups on industrial planets or politically important worlds count ‘Mech units in their roster, and usually no more than a Company.
Second, Armored Regiments form the core of Home Guard Battle Groups. All Home Guard Battle Groups have at least one Armored Regiment (some have as many as three), although the weight class may show considerable variation.
Third, Home Guard Battle Groups tend to have oversized artillery units, in accordance with the CCAF preference for defensive warfare. It is common to find an artillery regiment assigned to a Home Guard Battle Group, as well as additional artillery battalions attached to other regiments.
Fourth, there is considerable mixing of different classes of unit at regimental level. It is common for a Home Guard infantry regiment to include both Foot and Mobile Infantry battalions, or for a Home Guard armored regiment to mix heavy and light battalions.
Fifth, infantry forces follow one of two models - either oversized, or under-strength. Home Guard infantry is a mix of veterans, reservists doing their annual service block, and short-service troops who didn’t qualify for assignment to front-line units. Depending on what is available in terms of manpower, a Home Guard infantry regiment may be of cadre strength only, or be reinforced beyond what the Table of Organization and Equipment may say.
SUMMARY
The CCAF generally does not get much respect, contending with the LCAF for the title of the worst House Military, but this is not the whole picture. At regimental level and below, the troops are well trained and generally well led. The chief weakness of the CCAF comes from the lack of experience in handling large formations, and a lack of initiative shown by the officer corps.
The root cause of both of these failings is the same - the desire of the Capellan state to keep the CCAF on a short leash, lest it become a rival for political power. This has made defence the preferred posture of the CCAF - it is a politically safe and acceptable, and the CCAF certainly excels on the defense.
It would be a mistake to generalize and say that the CCAF is incapable of offensive maneuvers, but it would probably have trouble executing more than limited attacks. In defence, however, the CCAF would have to be considered extremely dangerous.
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Nice update!
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No example of TO&E for Home Guard units? No Warrior House?
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No example of TO&E for Home Guard units? No Warrior House?
Hey Ice Hellion,
There's so many possible permutations of Home Guard Battle Groups that I decided to defer that to Version 2.0. As for the Warrior Houses, they were founded during the Succession Wars - so they're still decades in the future.
Regards,
alkemita
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My question is about the March Militias for the AFFS. You mention they exist, but don't give much detail on how they are organized. Are they an in-between organization like in canon, above the planetary militias but below the line regiments? Or were they incorporated into the BCT model?
Also, just out of curiosity, does the AFFS continue to maintain Regular Army independent infantry brigades for supplementing garrisons and attack forces?
Good stuff by the way. I think ideas for it might be helped by the upcoming field reports though.
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My question is about the March Militias for the AFFS. You mention they exist, but don't give much detail on how they are organized. Are they an in-between organization like in canon, above the planetary militias but below the line regiments? Or were they incorporated into the BCT model?
Also, just out of curiosity, does the AFFS continue to maintain Regular Army independent infantry brigades for supplementing garrisons and attack forces?
Good stuff by the way. I think ideas for it might be helped by the upcoming field reports though.
Hi FirstStarLord,
Not sure if I understand you correctly re: March Militias. Organizationally, they would change to the BCT model as well. In terms of skill levels and equipment, they would, like in canon, remain midway between the front line and planetary forces.
I would imagine the RA would continue to maintain independent brigades of all stripes.
And yes, I'm waiting impatiently for the upcoming field reports :)
Regards,
alkemita
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Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, were the March Militias included in the totals of the BCTs you listed, or are they a separate organization? And if they are part of the list, where would they rank? For example, if the Ceti Hussars are at the end of the list at 140, and the Davion Guards are (presumably) at the top of the list, then where would the MMs fit in? They're old formations with roots long before the Star League was formed, but not front-line troops, so their position would be rather awkward. I doubt some newly formed front-line formation would appreciate being ranked below them just because of seniority issues.
Something to reference for future drafts would be the Cardwell Reforms in the British Army in the 1870's, and the succeeding Childers Reforms in 1881, if you're not familiar with them already.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardwell_Reforms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardwell_Reforms)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childers_Reforms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childers_Reforms)
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Thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, were the March Militias included in the totals of the BCTs you listed, or are they a separate organization? And if they are part of the list, where would they rank? For example, if the Ceti Hussars are at the end of the list at 140, and the Davion Guards are (presumably) at the top of the list, then where would the MMs fit in? They're old formations with roots long before the Star League was formed, but not front-line troops, so their position would be rather awkward. I doubt some newly formed front-line formation would appreciate being ranked below them just because of seniority issues.
Something to reference for future drafts would be the Cardwell Reforms in the British Army in the 1870's, and the succeeding Childers Reforms in 1881, if you're not familiar with them already.
Yes, the March Militias are included in the 140 (only planetary militias are excluded). I'm familiar with the Cardwell & Childers reforms, as well as similar efforts in other Commonwealth Countries, and they definitely inspired some of this. My sense is that in this AU, the AFFS High Command grew some balls, as it were, and rode rough-shod over the entrenched sense of entitlement that many units (especially 'Mech units) had developed (in the canon, the AFFS was pretty riddled with incompetence, complacency and nepotism in this timeframe). So if, say, the Islamabad CrMM's component units turn out to have a higher average seniority than a line BCT, it gets the higher number, and tough cookies to the line unit.
Actually, that may not matter so much to the line units, since Regimental seniority remains intact and separate from BCT seniority. In any case, as battalions move around the BCTs, eventually the BCT numbers will become a historical artefact more than anything else. At this point in the chronology, however, with the changes fairly recent, many of the BCTs still retain the "flavour" of their previous incarnations.
As a side note: the Davion Guards are at the top of the list, but by decree, rather than by averaging unit seniority. They occupy a special place in the AFFS, which is reinforced by their getting to transfer their RCT designations to the new BCTs, while everyone else has to make do with a number and (sometimes) a nickname.
Regards,
alkemita
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As for the Warrior Houses, they were founded during the Succession Wars - so they're still decades in the future.
But the Korvin Doctrine was implemented much earlier.
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But the Korvin Doctrine was implemented much earlier.
It was, but the Warrior Houses weren't formed until the 2nd Succession War, so they aren't a part of this work.
Regards,
Alkemita
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It was, but the Warrior Houses weren't formed until the 2nd Succession War, so they aren't a part of this work.
Just pointing out that the ideology behind them was already around.