Union Defence Force
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| Motto | Pax in Bello | ||
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| Type: | Defence Force | ||
| Size: | 2,085,512 personnel (1692 AN):
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| Nicknames: | The Ironsides | ||
| Commanders: | Commissioner of Defence: General Adam al-Osman Chief of Staff: General Abolfazl Shahzad Khoroushi | ||
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| Conflicts & Deployments | |||
The Union Defence Force constitutes the armed and military forces of the Elwynnese Republic.
History
The UDF has been through various incarnations but traces its ancestry back to the feudal militias raised by Elwynn to fight in the War of Vengeance and the Elwynnbrigaden which fought in the War of Jeremy's Nose and the Kai Aphmyarkaiph before being re-established as the Elwwehr in the wake of the White Lily Revolt. The UDF expanded dramatically in size during the era of Elwynnese independence and emerged as a political power broker in the tumultuous years prior to the establishment of the Coordinated State. It was abolished after the Communist Revolution of 1613 and replaced by various ad hoc revolutionary groups and a People's Militia. Following the Kalirion Restoration the UDF was re-established by decree of the Steward of Elwynn, the Storjarl Hallbjörn Haraldsson, in 1629 AN.
The UDF essentially collapsed after three separate wars against the Imperial Forces, these being the River War (1635), the Year of the Four Kaisers (1644) and the Auspicious Occasion (1651). Although victorious in the first two encounters, both triggered by rogue anti-Elw factions within the Imperial Government, the final decisive battle which united Imperialists and Elwynnese dissidents against Monarchists loyal to the House of Ettlingar Freyu was an abrupt and decisive coup during in which the UDF hesitated, wavered and finally went over to the Imperial side, joining the cudgellers in turning against the Froyalanish FLG and VTG.
In spite of backing the winning side the UDF was now at the mercy of its longstanding rivals the Imperial Army whose tribunes, legates and magisters took great pleasure from humiliating the Elwynnese officer corps by having them wait upon them as servants and personal attendants. This both demoralised the UDF and undermined the officers in the eyes of their subordinates. A wave of resignations ensued and the command and control of the UDF progressively collapsed.
As officers resigned and troops abandoned the colours, the active strength of the UDF was reduced down to the Zjandarian Guards, the 12th Naval Division, the Elwkustbevakning and the Amokolian Highlanders and much of its equipment forfeited to their old rivals the Imperial Forces whilst the General Staff was replaced by an Imperial Liaison Mission intended to reintegrate the UDF into the wider scheme of the Imperial Republic's collective defence. It was replaced after 1653 by the Republican Guard, a state security service geared towards maintaining internal security.
The Republican Guard however would ultimately prove to be an inadequate force for the magnitude of the task it faced, confronted as it was by the decay of the Imperial Republic in the aftermath of the War of Lost Brothers, and would be swiftly overwhelmed by the Elwynnese Civil War.
The third restoration of the UDF occurred in 1672 with the unification of the two paramilitary forces which had supported the Elwynnese Republic during its first year of independence in the aftermath of the Kalirion Fracture: these being the Elwynnese Liberation Army (consisting of cudgellers of the Northern Reaches and Akordionyr, supported by the ESB and the Iron Company, and volunteers) and the Sāzmān-e Basij-e Niruha-yeh Entezami (Babkhi paramilitaris active in Alalehzamin and Utasia). The Northern Banner Group of Benacia Command has been instrumental in equipping and reorganising the nascent new UDF and has assisted with the integration of defecting Imperial personnel into its ranks.
Following the Leng Garrison abuse scandal of 1688 separate female-only formations and barracks were established in the following year for women undertaking national-service. These new formations, the Women's Auxiliary Air Service, the Women's Auxiliary Maritime Service, the Women's Auxiliary Nursing Service, and the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service, whilst subject to the same military discipline of their male counterparts, focused on the fulfilment of specialist non-combat roles. Women continue to enjoy the legal right to join the territorial defence and combat arms of the UDF and, as of 1689, 14% of the total manpower establishment of contracted personnel (professional volunteers as opposed to conscripts), equating to 63,852 servicewomen are female.
Doctrine
The relationship of the Union Defence Force with the institutions of the Republic and with civil society are defined under Article Seven of the Constitution of Elwynn, which defines the purpose of armed forces raised in Elwynn as being the "defence of the Republic and the promotion of peace". The conception of the Union Defence Force as a manifestation of the nation at arms can be traced back to the Coordinated State. Section Two of Article Seven establishes the Prince as the constitutional authority with responsibility for determining the strength, composition, and division of the contingents of the Union Defence Force, including their designated garrisons within the territory of the Republic. The Prince also has the right to call any portion of the Union Defence into active service, subject to provisions limiting their external deployment during peacetime.
Following experiences in the River War the UDF reorganised the Territorial Defence Corps into four divisions, three of which comprised of fours brigades. The lead brigade of each division was built around two pansarbataljons of Horjin AFVs supported by specialist mechanised infantry, towed-artillery and modular anti-aircraft missile systems. Of the remaining three brigades, one would be built around heavy artillery, one around heavy assault infantry and the last brigade would be dominantly comprised of light infantry skirmishers (Fedayeen).
The lead brigade in each division would act as a rapid reaction force in defensive operations and, when on the offensive, the force penetrator intended to drive through and shatter the enemy line before moving on to secure objectives to the enemies rear. Broken enemy formations would then be held in place by a fast moving following wave of Fedayeen before being ground down by heavy artillery bombardment, after which the heavy assault troops would move in to dispatch whomsoever still displayed the least indication of resistance.
The UDF doctrine also encompassed the concept of a 'battle in depth' in which the rear areas of hostile formations and their vital supply chains and communication networks would be comprehensively disrupted and interdicted by the operations of the two tactical aviation divisions of the Union Aerospace Corps as well as the special operations and electronic warfare activities of the Union Intelligence Corps and the Panopticon Corps.
From a doctrinal standpoint, the UDF does not expect to operate in isolation on the battlefield but rather as part of a broader coalition of allied forces, including the Black Legions of Benacia Command. Nonetheless as a combination of solid mass, momentum and firepower, the UDF would be expected hold its own effectively against any immediate threat of aggression, and in so doing fulfil its basic remit of providing for a comprehensive defence of the Republic.
The UDF on the march seeks to secure lines of supply and communication for an advancing force by establishing a chain of fortified depots or magazines and the establishment of a motorised transport corps capable of drawing supplies from these magazines for dispatch to the tabor-laager, an armed convoy of roaming merchants, commissary officers and camp followers carrying all the necessary supplies and rear units, such as field kitchens, sanitation wagons, field hospitals armourers or shoemakers, necessary to sustain a brigade level force in the field.
When on the march, particularly in enemy territory, the brigade would, after a day's advance, establish a defensive perimeter around the furthest point reached by the tabor-laager. While the brigade headquarter's would be a part of the tabor-laager encampment, each of the 4 battalions of the brigade would construct a fortified camp or castra of an embankment and surrounding ditch with dugouts, mortar pits and machine-gun nests, requiring as raw materials only earth, turf and timber. Camp construction were the responsibility of special engineering units (ingenjörkompani) to which specialists of many types belonged. These engineers would requisition manual labour from the soldiers at large as required. An infantry bataljon could throw up a camp under enemy attack in as little as a few hours. The typical 4 castra arrangement would cover the cardial points surrounding the tabor-laager encampment, preferably dominating any approach roads or pathways - the tabor-laager would ideally be situated on raised ground overlooking a cross-roads or some other convergence point and have access to fresh water. The defensive positions should be sufficiently distant to reduce overcrowding, milling about, confusion and vulnerability to threats such as artillery fire or encirclement, yet should be sufficiently close to permit mutual indirect fire support in the event of an attack and the conduct of perimeter patrolling.
Depending on the duration of the occupation of the site, the brigade engineers would select from a menu of standard fortification measures designed to suit their needs. Typically an occupation of an encampment for a period longer than five days would see aspects of a forward operating base (F.O.B.) brought into being, including a dedicated helicopter landing site and improved fortifications using gabions made from collapsible wire mesh container and heavy duty fabric liner that would be filled with soil and gravel and stacked to create blast walls against explosions or small-arms.
Once the tabor-laager/castra configuration metastasised into a more permanent F.O.B., typically featuring the assembly of earthen dams, concrete barriers, gates, watchtowers, bunkers and other force protection infrastructure, it would become the secured position and 'jumping off point' for support tactical operations such as targeted raids and long range patrols into enemy or insurgent territory.
To ameliorate the loss of force strength that would be caused by having hold back 'front-line' troops to guard and patrol the main lines of communication and supply against guerrilla incursions, the patrolling of these routes and the garrisoning of depots was passed to reservists and 2nd-line personnel drawn from the Fästningbataljon ('fortress-battalion') of operationally deployed brigades, normally made available through the substitution of individual losses or through the roulement of companies.
Organisation
The UDF consists of sixty-five wartime combined-arms territorial defence divisions, nine "jaeger" divisions, seven "pansar" divisions, two auxiliary service corps (fleet & air) and five non-combatant corps.
Structure
The Prince enjoyed full control of the UDF, but used a highly complex organisational structure. The basic peacetime organisational structure of the UDF were the Territorial inspectorate, the Combined Arms Corps, the division and the regiment. Following on from the experiences of mobilisation during the Second Amokolian War the UDF's administrative structure was substantially reorganised. During wartime, the staff of the Territorial inspectorates formed field army commands, which controlled the corps and subordinate units. At the higher and allied command level of Benacia Command, the Banner Group existed. Each Banner Group controlled several field armies.
Territorial Inspectorates
Elwynn was divided into territorial inspectorates, each of which oversaw two or three corps of the former Territorial Defence Force.
- I Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Eliria, forming the 18th Army on mobilisation
- II Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Vijayanagara, forming the 13th Army on mobilisation
- III Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Ardashirshahr, forming the 12th Army on mobilisation
- X Combined Arms Corps
- 31st Territorial Division
- 54th Territorial Division
- 74th Territorial Division
- XXXV Combined Arms Corps
- 32nd Territorial Division
- 55th Territorial Division
- 75th Territorial Division
- XXXVI Combined Arms Corps
- 33rd Territorial Division
- 56th Territorial Division
- 78th Territorial Division
- X Combined Arms Corps
- IV Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Nordiskehjem, forming the 316th Army on mobilisation
- XXXVII Combined Arms Corps
- 34th Territorial Division
- 57th Territorial Division
- 79th Territorial Division
- XXXVIII Combined Arms Corps
- 35th Territorial Division
- 58th Territorial Division
- 80th Territorial Division
- XXXIX Combined Arms Corps
- 36th Territorial Division
- 59th Territorial Division
- 81st Territorial Division
- XXXVII Combined Arms Corps
- V Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Caligae, forming the 17th Army on mobilisation
- XL Combined Arms Corps
- XLI Combined Arms Corps
- XLII Combined Arms Corps
- VI Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Anun, forming the 14th Army on mobilisation
- XLIII Combined Arms Corps
- 2nd Division "Amokolian Pioneers" (2 Div Amk)
- 40th Territorial Division
- 63rd Territorial Division
- XLIV Combined Arms Corps
- XLV Combined Arms Corps
- XLIII Combined Arms Corps
VII Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Mittlere Stadt, forming the 115th Army on mobilisation(Defected to SDF, IV.1692 AN)- VIII Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Pozdam, forming the 1st Pansar Army on mobilisation
- XLVIII Combined Arms Corps
- XLIX Combined Arms Corps
- L Combined Arms Corps
- LI Combined Arms Corps (transferred from 2nd Pansar Army)
- 1st Pansarfördelningen
- 2nd Pansarfördelningen
- 89th Territorial Division
- IX Territorial Inspectorate: Headquartered in Mišalan, forming the 2nd Pansar Army on mobilisation
- LII Combined Arms Corps
- 3rd Pansarfördelningen
- 4th Pansarfördelningen
- 47th Territorial Division
- LIII Combined Arms Corps
- 6th Pansarfördelningen
- 7th Pansarfördelningen
- 90th Territorial Division
- LII Combined Arms Corps
Second Echelon Forces
- Amphibious Corps of the UDF
- Admiralty (Florencia, UGB)
- Fleet Resurrection Command (Florencia, UGB)
- Maritime Forces (Normark)
- Admiralty (Florencia, UGB)
Following disastrous defections which saw 80% of the maritime assets available to the UDF defect to the rebel forces at the onset of the Second Elwynnese Civil War, the order to reconstitute the Amphibious Corps of the UDF was given on 23.III.1693 AN. With the remaining Elwynnese ports in UDF hands (Anun, Asantelian, Avakair, Caligae and New Harbour) within range of rebel air attacks, or else situated in isolated and icebound Normark, the decision was made to assemble new personnel and shipping at Capitolia on the UGB administered island of Florencia.
12th Maritime Division (12 Div Mar)(Defected to SDF, III.1692 AN)1st Submarine Warfare Flotilla located at Vijayanagara3rd Naval Warfare Flotilla located at Wolfraven(Defected to SDF, III.1692 AN)4th Naval Warfare Flotilla located at Port Illumination(Defected to SDF,III.1692 AN)5th Submarine Warfare Flotilla located at Wolfraven
(Defected to SDF, III.1692 AN)23rd Maritime Division "Kustartilleriet" (23 Div KA)(Defected to SDF, III.1692 AN)
Union Aerospace Corps (UAC)
Union Aerospace Corps Command (UACC)(Defected to SDF, II.1692 AN)- 4th Tactical Aviation Division (4 TA Div)
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5th Tactical Aviation Division (5 TA Div)(Defected to SDF, II.1692 AN) -
6th Logistics-Airlift Division (6 L-A Div)(Defected to SDF, II.1692 AN) -
7th Anti-Air Defence of the Nation Division (7 AADN Div)(Defected to SDF, II.1692 AN) - 8th Strategic Operations Division (8 Strat-Op Div)
- 9th Maritime Reconnaissance Division (9 MR Div)
- 91st Tactical Aviation Division (91 TA Div)
Combat Support Services Corps (CSSC)
- 17th Logistic Division (17 Log Div) (Transport)
- Elwynnsbrigad 17 Nod I (i.e. 17th Elwynnese Brigade North (I) etc.)
- Elwynnsbrigad 18 Öst I
- Elwynnsbrigad 19 Syd I
- Elwynnsbrigad 20 Väst I
- 19th Ordnance Division (19 Ord Div) (Ammunition)
- Elwynnsbrigad 23 Nod II
- Elwynnsbrigad 24 Öst II
- Elwynnsbrigad 25 Syd II
- Elwynnsbrigad 26 Väst II
- 20th Services Division (20 Ser Div) (Logistics, Catering, Medical Services)
- Elwynnsbrigad 27 Nod II
- Elwynnsbrigad 28 Öst II
- Elwynnsbrigad 29 Syd II
- Elwynnsbrigad 30 Väst II
- 21st Works Division (21 Wor Dov) (Labour & Infrastructure Maintenance)
- Elwynnsbrigad 31 Nod III
- Elwynnsbrigad 32 Öst III
- Elwynnsbrigad 33 Syd III
- Elwynnsbrigad 34 Väst III
Non-Combatant Corps
- Kungliga Krigsacademien / Royal Academy of Warfare
- Försvarshögskolan / Defence College
- Union Signals Corps (USC) - Ledningsregementet
- Elwmarine (ElwM)
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Corps of the Gentlemen-at-Cudgels (CGC)(defected to the SDF, 1692 AN) - Union Medical Corps (UMC)
- Women's Auxiliary Air Service
- Women's Auxiliary Maritime Service
- Women's Auxiliary Nursing Service
- Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service
Current Missions
Assignments & Allocations
| Continental Theatre Command | Material allocation (%) | Lead Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Apollonia Command | 1% | (Floria after 1700 AN) |
| Benacia Command | 80% | |
| Keltia Command | 19% |
Ongoing operational deployments
For overseas expeditions the UDF follows the operational doctrine of the Raspur Pact in creating situation specific and mission-orientated combined-arms corps and battlegroups as required, typically formed by grouping, mobility, fire support, and logistical detachments, around the command staff and administrative structure of a territorial division.
- Allied Reconstruction Mission in Hurmu (1690 AN – )
Forces Assigned:
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51st Territorial Division(defected to SDF, 1692)
- 3rd Brigade, 81st Territorial Division (deployed, 1694)
- Regimental and Squadron Detachments from the following:
-- 7th Anti-Air Defence of the Nation Division
-- 17th Logistic Division
-- Union Signals Corps
-- Elwmarine
--Corps of the Gentlemen-at-Cudgels(defected to SDF, 1692)
-- Union Medical Corps
-- Women's Auxiliary Air Service
-- Women's Auxiliary Maritime Service
-- Women's Auxiliary Nursing Service
-- Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service - Operation Retribution (1692 AN – )
Equipment
Small Arms
| Name | Origin | Type | № in Service | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinger Bomb, Adhesive Anti-Tank Grenade | Small Arms | 34,986 | |||
| CP 60 "Cherry Picker" 7.62 mm sniper rifle | Small Arms | 17,492 | |||
| Cudgel | Small Arms | 885,949 | Issued to Elwynnese Landstorm | ||
| Florian Cocktail (Tar, sulphur, petrol, sand, & wick) | Small Arms | 7,258,270 | Issued to Elwynnese Landstorm | ||
| LTM 60 "Trouble Maker" 9 mm submachine gun | Small Arms | 46,649 | Issued to Elwynnese Landstorm | ||
| M14 Fragmentation Hand Grenade | Small Arms | 233,245 | |||
| M1486 Webb-Lee 11.6 mm Revolver | Small Arms | 3,358 | Issued to Elwynnese Landstorm | ||
| M15 White Phosphorus Grenade | Small Arms | 116,622 | |||
| M1508 Martini-Rossi 11.56 mm Rifle | Small Arms | 34,986 | Issued to Elwynnese Landstorm | ||
| M1525 9 mm Pistol | Small Arms | 11,662 | |||
| M1581 7.62 mm Machine Carbine | Small Arms | 7,258 | |||
| M1591(R) marksman rifle (7.62×67mmB) | Small Arms | 23,324 | |||
| M16 Mustard Gas Grenade | Small Arms | 116,622 | |||
| M1610 7.9 mm Rifle (Semi-Automatic) | Small Arms | 1,443,015 | |||
| M1656 9 mm SMG | Small Arms | 38,134 | |||
| M1686 assault rifle (7.62×67mmB) | Small Arms | 1,712,751 | |||
| M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) | Small Arms | 24,300 | |||
| M18 Red Smoke Grenade | Small Arms | 233,245 | |||
| Pattern 1496 Sabre | Small Arms | 9,483 | |||
| Tankgewehr 13.2 mm Rifle (Anti-Materiel) | Inf Spt Wpn | 114 | |||
| Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG | Machine Gun | 7,090 | |||
| Wren 7.62mm LMG | Machine Gun | 125,507 |
Artillery
| Name | Origin | Type | № in Service | Image | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trump Radar Tracking Autocannon | Anti-Air | 51 | ||||
| Waspsting Man-portable Air Defence System | Anti-Air | 48 | ||||
| Hornet 84 mm Recoilless Rifle (Anti-Tank) | Anti-Tank | 168 | ||||
| 105 mm Light Gun | Artillery | 1,015 | ||||
| Katzenklavier | Self-Propelled Rocket Artillery | 63 | ||||
| 80mm field gun | Artillery | 1,566 | ||||
| 82 mm Mortar | Artillery | 14,357 | ||||
| Self-propelled guns | ||||||
| BK-IV 155 mm self-propelled howitzer | 155 mm self-propelled howitzer / field gun |
|
Evaluation piece received 1690 AN. | |||
Land Vehicles
| Name | Origin | Type | № in Service | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BK-III Verteidiger | Main Battle Tank | 765 | |||
| GV(MCB)-7 Leviathan | Mobile Command Base | 3 | |||
| Horjin CV35 | AFV - Electronic Warfare Vehicle | 29 | |||
| Horjin CV56 | AFV - Infantry Fighting Vehicle | 9,679 | |||
| Pod Personnel Carrier | Spt Vehicle | 1,917 | |||
| Snatch Land Rover | Spt Vehicle | 250,023 | |||
| Truck, Light | Spt Vehicle | 105,814 | |||
| Truck, Medium | Spt Vehicle | 235 |
Vessels
| Name | Origin | Type | № in Service | Image | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Patrol Craft | Patrol vessel | 10 | ||||
| Elwynn-class | Guided missile corvette | 1 | ||||
| Florimell-class | Troop landing ship | 3 | ||||
| Logistic Support Vessel | Logistic support vessel | 1 | ||||
| Melusine-class | Fast missile attack boat | 7 | ||||
| Merchant Vessel (Cargo & Passenger) | Fleet logistics vessel | 1 | ||||
| Merchant Vessel (Cargo) | Fleet logistics vessel | 3 | ||||
| Montran-class | Destroyer | 6 | ||||
| Seafox-class | Corvette | 12 | ||||
| Vista de Nada-class | Frigate | 1 | ||||
| 1693 Procurement Programme (Fleet Resurrection Command) | ||||||
| Behaurnais-class amphibious assault ship | Amphibious assault ship | 4 ordered | ||||
| Type XXVI U-Boat | Fleet submarine | 6 ordered | ||||
| Carrillo-class amphibious command ship | Amphibious command ship | 2 ordered | ||||
| Logistic Support Vessel | Fleet auxiliary | 11 ordered | ||||
| Melusine II-class | Fast attack craft | 60 ordered | ||||
| Protector-class missile frigate | Missile frigate | 16 ordered | ||||
| Rhodondra-class amphibious assault ship | Amphibious assault ship | 4 ordered | ||||
Aircraft
| Name | Origin | Type | № in Service | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-6 Pundarikam | Attack | 1 | |||
| A-10 Kambera | Attack | 1 | |||
| F-8 Shrike | Multirole Strike | 87 | |||
| F-9 Ashavan II | Multirole Strike | 277 | |||
| GAV(AS)-1 Snaggletooth | Reconnaissance | 1 | |||
| GAV-4(U) Jackalope | Transport Utility | 31 | |||
| GAV(P)-5 Nereid | Patrol | 38 | |||
| GAV(P)-6 Zephyr Mark 1a | Patrol | 1 | |||
| R-1 Whirdlebird | Reconnaissance | 293 | |||
| T-2/A-2 Saeqeh | Training/Light Attack | 278 | |||
| T-3 Akóntio | Training/Light Attack | 12 | |||
| VT-UAV 1 Tadpole | Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Vehicle | 173 |
Missiles
| Name | Origin | Type | № in Service | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAM-1 Sonderwang | Missile – AAM | 1,338 | |||
| S-2 Standard Missile | Missile – GPM | 1,619 | |||
| SA-1 Red Mist | Missile – SAM | 36 | |||
| AGM-84 Harpoon | Missile – SSM | 9 | |||
| Banshee Cruise Missile | Missile – SSM | 3 | |||
| Moraquine SRBM | Missile – SSM | 3 |
Specialist munitions and objects of interest
A quantity of fissile material was recovered from the wreckage of the nuclear attack submarine, the IFS Ingrid, and the site of the Vijayanagara contamination zone.