Terra Nova is a planet at war. Since the Battle of Rahnguard Oasis, the two polar confederations have dropped all pretense of peaceful coexistence and begun all out hostilities. The burden of defending the North and attacking the South falls primarily on the Northern Guard , the multinational force made up of soldiers from all three Northern leagues. With the declaration of war, the national armies have fallen into the Guard’s organizational structure — although they retain some degree of independence of operation. Dedicated Guard divisions, however, remain the core of the North’s armed forces. They will be the prime combatants in the Interpolar War. STRUCTURE OF THE GUARD - 2.2 About three quarters of the units that make up the Northern Guard come from the member leagues, which lend various regiments (and sometimes even brigades) to the confederated army for a limited period of time. Because the Guard has its own chain of command and its own military doctrine, it prefers to put its own senior officers in charge of the guest units. Often enough, those units are sent on a one-cycle or two-cycle tour of duty in the Guard when their senior officer retires or is promoted. The reasoning behind this decision is that if a new commander is going to be assigned to the unit, it might as well be one from the Guard. Military Ranks - 2.2.1 Ranks are split between commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers, and again between junior and senior officers. Commissioned personnel have been formally trained in the art of war, bureaucracy and leadership in order to organize and manage the army. Non-commissioned personnel includes senior and junior NCOs, who are essentially enlisted personnel who have been promoted and assigned more responsibilities. Enlisted personnel is what make up the bulk of the armed forces. Commissioned officers are those who give the orders. The highest ranking among them, the general officers, include the Grand Marshal and all manner of generals and brigadiers. They are the ones most concerned with large-scale movement of troops, supply lines and policies within the armed forces. While several of their duties are of a political nature, several general officers, especially brigadiers, remain attached to the duties that bring them closer to the men they command. Under the command of the general officers, the senior officers (colonels and majors) command regiments and battalions, deciding what company receives what mission and how to best apply the orders they receive from above. They are the highest ranking officers who interact with enlisted personnel face to face. Junior commissioned officers (captains and lieutenants) act as company and platoon commanders, and are the highest officers who lead their troops into battle. Although they are not expected to spearhead the attacks, they are often put at risk along with foot soldiers. Commissioned Officers Category Rank Role General Officers Grand Marshal Commander-in-Chief General Division Commander Brigadier Brigade Commander Senior Officers Colonel Regiment Commander Major Battalion Commander Junior Officers Captain Company Commander Lieutenant Platoon Commander Non-Commissioned Officers While they do not carry as much authority as commissioned officers, it would be foolish to disregard non-commissioned officers. On the contrary, no CO would be complete and efficient without a skilled NCO. The latter acts both as a counselor and an assistant, offering advice on how best to use the men under their command. Senior NCOs (sergeant majors, senior sergeants and sergeants) operate on a regimental, battalion or company level, and assist colonels, majors and captains, respectively. They are directly responsible for disciplining the men under their supervision. Their long cycles as enlisted personnel have given them valuable experience and earned them an enviable reputation, one which is not without perks. While NCOs must obey orders from their commanding officers, they are often given more latitude as to how to carry out these orders. Junior NCOs include senior rangers and rangers, personnel who have been promoted because of their leadership abilities and their excellent performance. Unlike several militaries on Terra Nova, the Northern Guard is extremely demanding and ensures that only truly qualified personnel gets promoted. Non-Commissioned Officers Category Rank Role Senior NCOs Sergeant Major Regimental NCO Senior Sergeant Battalion NCO Sergeant Company NCO Junior NCOs Senior Ranger Platoon NCO Ranger Section Commander Enlisted Personnel Senior Corporal Squadron Commander Corporal Specialist/Pilot Private Infantryman 2.2.2 - Military Units The Northern Guard is divided into several units, the largest of which are called task forces. Task forces are usually composed of multiple divisions and put under the command of a highly trusted and respected general. They handle operations involving large-scale engagements and long-term priorities. Task forces seldom survive the event for which they have been created, although they may be reformed later on when the need arises again. In TN 1936, eight task forces (for a total of 31 divisions) have been sent into the Badlands and the South to fight off the Southern Republic Army. Divisions Divisions are composed of around 20,000 troops for infantry divisions, and about 6,000 troops, 1,250 Gears and 300 tanks for armored divisions. Led by generals, divisions are the largest military unit permanently maintained by the Northern Guard during peacetime. They are organized to perform specific tasks, from holding territory to piercing enemy lines. Brigades Brigades are the smallest standard military unit in the Guard capable of independent action for extended periods of time. In addition to a nucleus of fighting troops, brigades include support units like medical evacuation teams, military police, combat engineers, artillery batteries and quartermasters. Commanded by brigadiers, they are usually based around a certain type of unit: infantry, Gear or armor. Regiments If there is one unit within the Guard that strongly promotes esprit de corps and traditions, it would be the regiment. Acting as a home away from home, regiments consolidate the military subculture and outlook. Regiments may have traditions and even rituals that are completely different from another. Some regiments even compete for bragging rights or for more prestigious assignments. It is only at this level that Duelists are nominated. Most regiments are led by colonels, although majors can be forced to take command of their regiments if their commanding officer is killed in combat. Battalions Battalion are infantry units about the same size as Gear or armored regiments. They include some 800 soldiers and their personal gear (rifle, clothes, supplies, etc.). Northern battalions are normally commanded by majors, but some elite battalions are commanded by colonels. Companies Companies have between 100 and 180 soldiers, and are the largest unit where the commanding officer is still slogging along with his troops instead of issuing orders from a separate command section. Most Northern Guard companies are led by captains. Platoons Infantry companies normally break down into three platoons of about 40 soldiers each. This is the largest type of unit where social bonding between soldiers occurs. Infantrymen in the same platoon normally know each other’s names and life stories, and usually share a strong sense of camaraderie. Northern platoons are commanded by lieutenants or senior rangers. Sections Sections consist of 20 to 30 soldiers linked by a strong camaraderie. Sections are normally the smallest battlefield unit deployed and are commanded by rangers. Gear Sections typically have three squadrons (9-15 Gears), and are commanded by lieutenants or senior rangers. Squadrons Squadrons are the smallest unit of military vehicles. A squadron normaly consists of three to five Gears, or two to three vehicles. Northern armored squadrons are commanded by lieutenants or senior rangers; Gear squadrons are commanded by lieutenants, rangers, or senior corporals. The five most common Gear Squadron types are: general purpose (GP), reconnaissance (recon), fire support, strike, and commando. Squads Squads are the smallest unit of infantry. Their members treat each other like siblings and are trained to work as a team. A squad typically consists of ten soldiers, two of which are equipped with heavy weapons. Some squad members are equipped with vehicles to provide them with increased mobility. Northern squads are commanded by a senior corporal.
