Land Forces of the Benacian Union

Land Forces of the Benacian Union
Active	1703 AN –
Country	Benacian Union
Allegiance	Benacian Union Defence Force
Branch	Command Corps Corps of the Black Legions Corps of the Artillery Corps of the Cavalry Corps of the Engineers Corps of the Infantry Corps of Signallers General Service Corps Land Forces Commissariat Land Forces Inspectorate
Size	1,056,599
Headquarters	Merensk
Commanders
Officer Commanding, Land Forces	Frainan Streïakeï Konstantin Uskok

Organisation

Administrative

• Land Forces of the Benacian Union
  • Command Corps
  • Corps of the Black Legions
  • Corps of the Artillery
  • Corps of the Cavalry
  • Corps of the Engineers
  • Corps of the Infantry
  • Corps of Signallers
  • General Service Corps
  • Land Forces Commissariat
  • Land Forces Inspectorate

Command Corps

Colours: Purple on Green

Inspector of the Command Troops: Frainan Uihmanzis Bahramian Behdin

Assigned Regiments:

Corps of the Black Legions

Colours: Black on Green

Inspector of the Black Legions: Frainan Uihmanzis Arshan Sarkari

Corps of the Artillery

Colours: Dark Blue on Green

Inspector of the Artillery: Frainan Uihmanzis Azarzushnes Shroff

Assigned Regiments:

Corps of the Cavalry

Colours: Light Blue on Green

Inspector of the Cavalry: Frainan Uihmanzis Arshavir Majra

Assigned Regiments:

Corps of the Engineers

Colours: Brown on Green

Inspector of the Engineers: Frainan Uihmanzis Hurang Jiveh

Assigned Regiments:

Corps of the Infantry

Colours: Red on Green

Inspector of the Infantry: Frainan Uihmanzis Adarbad Bambaawala

Assigned Regiments:

Corps of Signallers

Colours: Yellow on Green

Inspector of the Signals Troops: Frainan Uihmanzis Kurosh Davalien

Assigned Regiments:

Corps of the Special Reconnaissance Troops

Colours: Grey on Green

Inspector of the Special Reconnaissance Troops: Frainan Uihmanzis Kaykavus Sarbh

Assigned Regiments:

General Service Corps

Colours: Pink on Green

Inspector of the General Service Troops: Frainan Uihmanzis Ata Sharifabad

Assigned Regiments:

Land Forces Commissariat

Colours: Silver on Green

Inspector of the Land Commissariat: Frainan Uihmanzis Babak Faredoonian

Assigned Regiments:

Land Forces Inspectorate

Colours: Gold on Green

Inspector of the Land Commissariat: Frainan Uihmanzis Kaykavus Ardeshiri

Assigned Regiments:

Operational

BUDF patrol in a village on the Inter-Benacian border between the Governorate of Austland and the Schwinn Circle, II.1724 AN.

The Land Forces constitute the largest part of three service branches of the BUDF. Benacian armies have historically been massive, dating all the way back to the warring dynasties of the Second Era of Shireroth. Today, they are also highly mechanised, well-equipped, and have great firepower and manoeuvre potential. Manpower and material combined make the present Land Forces of the BUDF a formidable warfighting force in their own right.

The main combat power of the Land Forces is concentrated in the panzer, dragoon, and motorised infantry regiments that form the heart of the Combined Arms Corps which are the mainstay of the forces fielded by the Armies and Banner Groups organised by Benacia Command from the forces provided by the BUDF.

The basic principle of land warfare for the BUDF Land Forces is violent, sustained, and deep offensive action. Mechanised and armoured formations, supported by aviation and artillery, are to seize the initiative at the outset of hostilities, to penetrate the enemy's defences, and to drive deeply and decisively into the enemy's rear area. The effects of the Scouring convinced the Benacian Union that any future continental war against a near peer rival would be resolved by the indiscriminate use of weapons of mass destruction - the so-called Endsieg scenario - and that the duty of the Land Forces therefore would be to secure the positions that would be advantageous for the survival of the Union in the ensuing conditions of economic and civilisational collapse.

Roughly equivalent to an army group, a Banner Group could be composed of three to five armies with organic artillery, missile, air defence, engineer, signal, intelligence, reconnaissance, and rear service units, plus aviation, air assault, and special purpose forces. As the top-level combined arms formation, a Banner Group would have a Banner Air Force and Banner Fleet attached.

An army meanwhile would comprise of three Combined Arms Corps, each one with a legion at its heart, providing the number, identity, and higher command staff of the corps. The legions, transferred into the BUDF Land Forces from the Black Legions of Benacia Command, have been organised to comprise of three motorised infantry regiments, each regiment consisting of three cohorts. It is these cohorts which provide the heart of the corp's war-fighting manoeuvre formations, the streïkrupp, being supported by a regimental train of squadron formations attached from the divisions of the "regular army" to fulfill combined-arms and combat support roles.

The divisions, army, cavalry, and armoured, were transferred into the BUDF from the loyalist remnant of the Elwynnese Union Defence Force. Recruited from amongst distinct ethnic groups, they are garrisoned in cities away from the bailiwicks in which they were recruited so as to ensure that they do not experience a conflict of interest when putting down revolts in the locale to which they have been assigned. The regiments of a division, when not assigned to a streïkrupp, are available to the governor of the Governorate in which they have been garrisoned to serve the civil authorities in an enforcement capacity, in addition to their normal training and preparedness maintenance cycles.

Armies

The composition of the armies of the BUDF are determined by Benacia Command to meet the wider needs of the Raspur Pact on the continent. As of 1743 AN the majority of formed armies under direct BUDF command remained within the Central Banner Group area of operations covering the territories of the Unified Governorates, where their subordinate formations screen the frontiers facing Batavia and Shirerithian-occupied Elluenuueq, and the Eastern Banner Group, protecting the economic heartland of Ransenar and the Sovereign Confederation.

The destruction of the armies assigned to the Northern and Western banner groups during the Shiro-Benacian War was a hard blow from which the BUDF would ultimately struggle to recover.

Army	Area of Operations	Headquarters	Subordinate Units	Commandant
Eastern Banner Group
Bivarhins Hohm	Chryse	Chryse	Szodanin Uihmanz Saznan Bivarhins II Uihmanz XIV Uihmanz	Frainan-bi-Mari Streïakeï Theudemir Schlick
24th Army	Holwinn	Demonsfall	III Uihmanz 4th Ransenari Division XV Uihmanz 6th Ransenari Division XXV Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Aspar Tiefenbach
41st Combined Arms Army	Sovereign Confederation	Cortallia-Rathwood	IV Uihmanz XVI Uihmanz XXVI Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Muderic Holk
Central Banner Group
15th Army	Austland	Peroz-Liv	VI Uihmanz XVII Uihmanz XXVII Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Valamir Haes
16th Army	Lower Lywall	Klymdown	VII Uihmanz XVIII Uihmanz XXVIII Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Sidimund Hatzfeldt
31st Army	Lachmeren	Merensk	I Uihmanz V Uihmanz XXXV Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Godas Degenfeld
32nd Army	Litel	Laikum's Wald	VIII Uihmanz XIX Uihmanz XXIX Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Sunieric Aldringen
35th Army	Kalgachia	Oktavyan	IX Uihmanz XX Uihmanz XXX Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Konstantin Jeckeln
Southern Banner Group
6th Combined Arms Army	Near Guttuli	Lachlan	X Uihmanz XXI Uihmanz XXXI Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Roderic Gallas
19th Army	Florencia	Capitolia	XI Uihmanz XXII Uihmanz XXXII Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Heidrek Tserclaes
Western Banner Group
11th Army	Upland Confederation, Bergburg	Bergburg	XII Uihmanz XXIII Uihmanz XXXIII Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Eger Leslie
Siyacher Hohm	Siyachia	Litkov	XIII Uihmanz XXIV Uihmanz XXXIV Uihmanz	Frainan Hohmin Alexander Duval

Equipment

Artillery

Name	Origin	Type	№ in Service	Image	Notes
Ground-Based Air Defence Systems
Field Artillery
M1700 155 mm howitzer	Javelin Industries	155 mm howitzer / heavy artillery	2,600		Heavy towed artillery, capable of precision-guided munitions; introduced from 1742 AN onward.
HK-VI	Mishalan Arsenal	155 mm Towed Field Gun	3,825		Developed as an urgent operational requirement, 1723 AN. Included autoloader and remote firing station (carried aboard Snatch Land Rover or equivalent). Order for 5,100 placed XIII.1723 AN. Full delivery required by 1729 AN.
M1734 "Corncrake"	Mishalan Arsenal	82 mm Gun-Mortar	16,653		Standard infantry support mortar for indirect fire missions;
Rocket Artillery
M1701 158mm MLRS	Mishalan Arsenal	158mm Multiple Rocket Launcher	4,780		Introduced into service 1701 AN–1702 AN. Production of 1,034x pieces per Norton year (1703 AN–1715 AN) (halted by 1711 AN). Assigned to artillery regiments. 1,475x transferred to Surenid Armed Forces, 1722 AN.
Self-Propelled Artillery

Infantry weapons & equipment

Name	Origin	Type	№ in Service	Image	Notes
Equipment
M1699 Mess Tin	Stahl Maschinenfabrik Koïsoßwerke	Personal Kit	-
M1700 9 Pieces Cooking Set with Burner	Stahl Maschinenfabrik Koïsoßwerke	Personal Kit	-
M1701 Stainless Steel Coffee Pot	Stahl Maschinenfabrik Koïsoßwerke	Personal Kit	-
Personal Weapons
M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm)	Mishalan Arsenal	Officer or crew side-arm	830,625
M1721 battle rifle (7.62×67mmB)	Mishalan Arsenal	Service rifle	6,645,000		Ordered 1717 AN. Deliveries in period 1722 AN–1732 AN. Further orders made in 1733 and 1735.
M1729 BLE-G	Elwynn High Tech Engineering	Incendiary grenade			Replaced the once ubiquitous Florian cocktail.
Squad Weapons
M1703 Wren MK II general purpose machine gun (7.62x67mmB)	Mishalan Arsenal	General Purpose Machine Gun	101,205		Belt-fed replacement for the Wren Mk I. Introduced to Palatine regiments in late 1703 AN, thereafter to be issued to motorised infantry regiments in 1704 AN. Planned total production to be 25,200 per year for four years (1704 AN–1708 AN).
Troop Weapons
M1591 7.62 mm Rifle	Allied Production Matrix	Marksman rifle	28,000		Modernised ex-Imperial Forces service rifle. Issued to infantry troop sub-units for designated marksmen.
M1693 medium machine gun (8x80mm RP)	Luix-Satyria Scientific-Production Association LLC	Machine Gun	26,414		Delivered 1728 AN – 1733 AN
M1700 82 mm Recoilless Rifle	Mishalan Arsenal	Anti-Tank System	17,660
Squadron Weapons
M1701 14 mm sniper rifle	Mishalan Arsenal	Sniper Rifle	8,333
Malus PLU	Kalgachi Weapons Tech	Anti-Tank Weapon	294		Refurbished ex-KDF. Issuable to area defence regiments.
Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG	Shireroth	Heavy Machine Gun	7,090
Waspsting	Royal Ordnance Factory Lichkeep	Man-portable air-defence system	157		In long-term storage after Second Elwynnese Civil War. Many believed to be in deteriorated condition. Issuable to area defence regiments.
Protective Equipment & Body Armour
M1671 Stahlhelm	Neridia Defense Industries	Combat Helmet	3,869,140		40% of global production of the type entered into the inventory of the Black Legions and Union Defence Force, with the BUDF continuing to receive regular consignments. By 1751 AN, particularly following the Shiro-Benacian War, only a third of this quantity remained in inventory.
Pattern M1671	Neridia Defense Industries	Body Armour	-		Limited refurbished quantities. Issued to assault formations.
Pattern M1751c	Neridia Defense Industries	Body Armour	-
Uniforms
Pattern M1751a	Guilds of Benacia	Field Uniform	-
Pattern M1751b	Guilds of Benacia	Garrison Uniform	-

Land Vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	№ in Service	Image	Notes
Main Battle Tanks and Heavy Armour
BK-IX	All-Union Locomotive Motor & Carriage Company	Heavy tank	182		Order for 2,000x placed XIII.1723 AN.Full delivery required by 1729 AN. Majority were knocked out by enemy action or rendered inoperable by mechanical failure during the Shiro-Benacian War.
BK-X	All-Union Locomotive Motor & Carriage Company	Medium tank	984		Orders for 4,000x placed XIII.1723 AN.Full delivery required by 1729 AN. 75% loss rate during the Shiro-Benacian War.
BK-XX (Lion 1A1)	Neridia Defense Industries	Main battle tank	456		Ordered in 1744 AN.Improved armor and enhanced electronic warfare capabilities. This variant also includes an upgraded engine for better performance and fuel efficiency.
BK-XXI (Lion 1A2 Polar Bear)	Neridia Defense Industries	Main battle tank	200		Ordered in 1744 AN. Variant for operations in subzero temperatures and polar scenarios. Features additional thermal insulation, anti-icing systems for engine and weapons, and specialised lubricants for cold weather. It is equipped with skid plates for better traction on ice and snow.
Light Tanks
BK-XI	All-Union Locomotive Motor & Carriage Company	Light tank	39,170		Orders for 8,000 placed XIII.1723 AN.Full delivery required by 1729 AN. Production continued throughout Shiro-Benacian War. Assigned to dragoon regiments. Transferred to the war reserve and placed in long term storage, 1749 AN.
Armoured Combat Vehicles
BK-XIII	Mishalan Arsenal	Infantry fighting vehicle	6,450		Developed as replacement for Horjin Combat Vehicle 56. Orders placed XIII.1723 AN.Full delivery of 12,000 required by 1729 AN. Assigned to motorised infantry regiments.
HK-IV M1707 Stalker	Mishalan Arsenal	Anti-Tank Missile Vehicle	50		Introduced into limited service, 1713 AN. Assigned to the Honourable Artillery Regiment.
Support Vehicles
BK-VIII Light Infantry Scout Vehicle	Citadel Arsenal  All-Union Locomotive Motor & Carriage Company  Stonetree Engineering Group	Scout carrier	420,000		Ordered 1722 AN. Delivered, 1723 AN–1725 AN. Assigned to infantry regiments of the Land Forces and Ransenari Grouping of Forces. Reclassified as a support vehicle, 1730 AN. Production resumed 1741 AN. By 1748 AN, excessive numbers had accumulated as a consequence of uncontrolled overproduction. In consequence 420,000 vehicles were transferred to various auxiliary formations, other service branches, and law enforcement agencies.
		Fuel Tender	70,000
Ahvaz Modular Cargo Transporter	Ahvaz Automotive Engineering Company	Modular Logistics Vehicle	210,000
Specialist Vehicles
M1731 Eisenwerk	All-Union Locomotive Motor & Carriage Company	Combat Engineering Vehicle	8,184		12,000 ordered for delivery between 1733 and 1745.
Decommissioned, retired, or scrapped