Main Directorate for Reconnaissance

The Main Directorate for Reconnaissance, a subordinate body of the Legatine College for Military and Naval Affairs established in 1728 AN within the Commission for War, was a quasi-autonomous paramilitary agency tasked with political, military, economic and technological intelligence-gathering, as well as with seizing operationally important targets by way of sabotage and infiltration. The operational area of the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance was defined as the "continental near-abroad of the Benacian Union".

Foundation

The designated legatine director for the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance, Hendrik van Kepoek, was authorised by the Commission for War to recruit one hundred officers from the ranks of the Benacian Union Defence Force, as well as from its auxiliary and reserve forces, including the State Guard formations raised by the realms of the Union-State.

Officers selected for the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance, were required to be ideologically committed N&H cadre members, preferably with Vanguard Division experience, who had previously lived abroad and attained proficiency in praeta or Sanaman, as well as being familiar with the way of life in the area of operations where they were deployed.

Training for the officers chosen to transfer into the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance consisted of an initial twenty-week course of instruction conducted at Berht Klarænst. This training would focus on reconnaissance, swimming, hand-to-hand combat, demolitions, marksmanship, conventional infantry tactics, and other specialised training including familiarisation with common Kalgachi, Sanaman, and Shirerithian vehicle types.

For those who completed the initial training process, comprising forty-two out of the initial hundred, were promoted to tribunal rank. The remainder were returned to their units or else, in one instance, hospitalised.

Order of Battle

• Directorate Headquarters Cohort
  • Directorate Command Squadron
  • Operations Planning Squadron
  • Intelligence Analysis Squadron
  • Logistics & Support Squadron
  • Signals Intelligence Demi-Regiment

• 6x Reconnaissance Regiments
  • Each with 3x Reconnaissance Demi-Regiments
  • 1 Signals Squadron

• Special Operations Brigade
  • 3x Special Operations Regiments
  • Maritime Special Operations Regiment
  • Special Operations Aviation Squadron

• Support Demi-Brigade
  • Combat Engineer Regiment
  • Psychological Operations Regiment
  • Technical Operations Regiment

Organisation

• Directorate Headquarters Cohort
  • Central command, planning, intelligence, crypto, and logistics elements

• Reconnaissance Regiments
  • Conduct long-range recon patrols, surveillance, target acquisition

• Special Operations Brigade
  • Special Forces regiments for sabotage, raids, maritime/air operations

• Support Demi-Brigade
  • Engineer, psychological operations, and technical support regiments

The Directorate's personnel are organised into regiments, demi-regiments, cohorts, and squadrons based on their specialised roles. It maintained covert networks across the "near-abroad" and focused on unconventional warfare capabilities.