Union Defence Force

Union Defence Force

Active:	1508–1613 1629–1653 1672–
Motto	Pax in Bello
In use by:	Council of Eliria
Allegiance:	Elwynn

Type:	Defence Force
Size:	456,083 personnel 120,000 Northerners 120,000 Southerners 100,083 ex-Imperials 116,000 cudgellers
Nicknames:	The Ironsides
Commanders:	Commissioner of Defence: Magister Mihrzād Gushnasp Chief of Staff: General Abolfazl Shahzad Khoroushi

Allies	Black Legions Natopian Defense Force Grand Army of Ransenar Riverine Forces of Ransenar
Opponents	-
Conflicts & Deployments	War of Jeremy's Nose Amokolian War River War Angularis Sxiro-Jingdaoese Confrontation The Year of the Four Kaisers Auspicious Occasion Kalirion Fracture War in Wintergleam Operation Vigilant Resolve Exercise Tempus Est Operation Dalväktare

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.

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 four combined-arms territorial defence divisions, five "Jaeger" divisions, two auxiliary service corps (fleet & air) and five non-combatant corps. These are organised sequentially as follows:

Administrative formations

Territorial Defence Corps

1st Division "Elwmacht" (1 Div Elw)
2nd Division "Amokolian Pioneers" (2 Div Amk)
10th Division "Zjandarian Guards" (10 Div Zja)
11th Division "Hyperborean" (11 Div Hyp)

Jægerkorpset

3rd Division "Livgardet Elenaran" (3 Div LE)
14th Division (14 Div)
15th Division "Angularis" (15 Div)
16th Division (16 Div)
22nd Division "Kustjägarna" (22 Div KJ)

Auxiliary Service Corps

Amfibiekåren
- 12th Maritime Division (12 Div Mar)
  - 1st Submarine Warfare Flotilla located at Vijayanagara
  - 3rd Naval Warfare Flotilla located at Wolfraven
  - 4th Naval Warfare Flotilla located at Port Illumination
- 23rd Maritime Division "Kustartilleriet" (23 Div KA)
Union Aerospace Corps (UAC)
- Union Aerospace Corps Command (UACC)
- 4th Tactical Aviation Division (4 TA Div)
- 5th Tactical Aviation Division (5 TA Div)
- 6th Logistics-Airlift Division (6 L-A Div)
- 7th Anti-Air Defence of the Nation Division (7 AADN Div)
- 8th Strategic Operations Division (8 Strat-Op Div)
- 9th Maritime Reconnaissance Division (9 MR Div)

Non-Combatant Corps

Kungliga Krigsacademien / Royal Academy of Warfare
- Försvarshögskolan / Defence College
Union Signals Corps (USC)
- Ledningsregementet
Elwmarine (ElwM)
Corps of the Gentlemen-at-Cudgels (CGC)
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
- Union Medical Corps (UMC)

Operational formations

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.

Operation Vigilant Resolve

XXIII Combined Arms Corps
Unit Name	Commandant	Order of Battle	Personnel	Establishment	Insignia	Location
Headquarters & Central Services

1st Echelon
10th Division "Zjandarian Guards"
2nd Echelon
3rd Division "Livgardet Elenaran"
3rd Echelon
4th Tactical Aviation Division

Operation Kulning

Following Exercise Tempus Est, Operation Kulning was a follow up action intended to establish naval bases at Port Illumination, Vijayanagara, and upon the isle of Wolfraven. Alongside these facilities would be built a fortified command centre at Fieldburg, from which the operations of the maritime forces, alongside the layered area defences protecting those assets, would be directed.


Unit Name	Commandant	Order of Battle	Personnel	Establishment	Location
Headquarters & Central Services
Fästningbataljon Fieldburg (Drawn from 16th Division)	Generalmajor Jan Gräbner	16/00/01 Stafkompani 16/00/02 Ingenjörkompani 16/00/03 Trängkompani	Officer Commanding – 1 Staff Officers – 5 Field Officers – 3 Junior Officers – 9 Non-Commissioned Officers – 12 Other Ranks – 360	22 Pod Armoured Personnel Carriers 40 Light Trucks	Fieldburg
Ledningsregementet
1st Echelon
9th Maritime Reconnaissance Division
22nd Division "Kustjägarna"	Generalmajor Viktor Harzer	22/00 22/00/01 Stafkompani 22/00/02 Ingenjörkompani 22/00/03 Trängkompani 22/01 kustjägarbataljon 22/02 kustjägarbataljon			Vijayanagara (Forming up from Detachments)
2nd Echelon
7th Anti-Air Defence of the Nation Division					Dragonskeep (Mustering at prior to Deployment)
12th Naval Division					Port Illumination
3rd Echelon
23rd Maritime Division "Kustartilleriet"
8th Strategic Operations Division

Operation Dalväktare

Angularis Battlegroup
Unit Name	Order of Battle	Personnel	Establishment	Location
Headquarters & Central Services
Command & Control Regiment, 15th Division "Angularis"	15/00/01 Stafkompani 15/00/02 Ingenjörkompani 15/00/03 Trängkompani	Commanding Officer – 1 Field Officers – 6 Junior Officers – 61 NCO's – 180 Other Ranks – 360	LTM 60 9 mm SMG – 360 M1581 7.62 mm Carbine – 154 Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG – 12 Waspsting MANPAD – 1 Horjin CV56(S) – 12 82 mm Mortar – 10
Detachment Omega, Union Intelligence Corps	10. Panopticon-förbandet 12. Sambandskompani 13. Telekrigskompani	Field Officers – 6 Junior Officers – 62 NCO's – 180 Other Ranks – 360	M1525 9 mm Pistol – 68 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle – 28 M1656 9 mm SMG – 706 Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG – 12 Pod APV – 1
1st Echelon: Regimental Assault Group
15/03 Jägarbataljon	15/03/01 Stafkompani 15/03/02 Jägarkompani 15/03/03 Jägarkompani 15/03/04 Jägarkompani	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 34 NCO's – 152 Other Ranks – 1,011	M1525 9 mm Pistol – 37 M1581 7.62 mm Carbine – 200 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle – 1,000 Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG – 36 Hornet 84 mm Recoilless Rifle – 5 Waspsting MANPAD – 1 Horjin CV56(S) – 12 Pod APV – 30 82 mm Mortar – 10	Aryastan
2/03 Jägarbataljon	2/03/01 Stafkompani 2/03/02 Jägarkompani 2/03/03 Jägarkompani 2/03/04 Jägarkompani	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 34 NCO's – 152 Other Ranks – 1,011	M1525 9 mm Pistol – 37 M1581 7.62 mm Carbine – 200 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle – 1,000 Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG – 36 Hornet 84 mm Recoilless Rifle – 5 Waspsting MANPAD – 1 Horjin CV56(S) – 12 Pod APV – 30 82 mm Mortar – 10	Azeroth
15/05/02 Fästningkompani	-	Field Officers – 1 Junior Officers – 12 NCO's – 54 Other Ranks – 360		Lun Ezkaron
15/05/07 Fästningkompani	-	Field Officers – 1 Junior Officers – 12 NCO's – 54 Other Ranks – 360		Lun Ezkaron
2nd Echelon: Manoeuvre Support Group
2/01 Pansarbataljon	2/01/01 Stafkompani 2/01/02 Pansarkompani 2/01/03 Pansarkompani 2/01/03 Pansarkompani	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 26 NCO's – 102 Other Ranks – 1,072		40% Aryastan 40% Azeroth 20% Lun Ezkaron
3rd Echelon: Fire Support Group
15/01 Artilleribataljon	15/01/01 Stafkompani 15/01/02 Artillerikompani 15/01/03 Artillerikompani 15/01/03 Artillerikompani	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 40 NCO's – 180 Other Ranks – 1,200		35% Aryastan 35% Azeroth 30% Lun Ezkaron
4th Echelon: Combat Support Services Group
Transport Detachment	Transportation Company Vehicle Maintenance Teams Vehicle Recovery Teams	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 40 NCO's – 250 Other Ranks – 1,200		40% Aryastan 40% Azeroth 20% Lun Ezkaron
Logistics Detachment	Health Services Company Munitions Company Stores Company	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 40 NCO's – 250 Other Ranks – 1,200		40% Aryastan 40% Azeroth 20% Lun Ezkaron
Labour Detachment	Engineer Company Construction Company Formed Work Parties	Field Officers – 4 Junior Officers – 40 NCO's – 247 Other Ranks – 1,200		40% Aryastan 40% Azeroth 20% Lun Ezkaron

Equipment

Small Arms

Name	Type	№ in Service
Clinger Bomb, Adhesive Anti-Tank Grenade	Small Arms	91,125
CP 60 "Cherry Picker" 7.62 mm sniper rifle	Small Arms	45,563
Cudgel	Small Arms	121,500
Florian Cocktail (Tar, sulphur, petrol, sand, & wick)	Small Arms	1,397,250
Hatchet	Small Arms	4,304
LTM 60 "Trouble Maker" 9 mm submachine gun	Small Arms	121,500
M14 Fragmentation Hand Grenade	Small Arms	607,500
M1486 Webb-Lee 11.6 mm Revolver	Small Arms	8,748
M15 White Phosphorus Grenade	Small Arms	303,750
M1508 Martini-Rossi 11.56 mm Rifle	Small Arms	91,125
M1525 9 mm Pistol	Small Arms	30,375
M1581 7.62 mm Machine Carbine	Small Arms	18,908
M1591 7.62 mm Rifle	Small Arms	60,750
M16 Mustard Gas Grenade	Small Arms	303,750
M1610 7.9 mm Rifle (Semi-Automatic)	Small Arms	48,296
M1656 9 mm SMG	Small Arms	99,326
M18 Red Smoke Grenade	Small Arms	607,500
Pattern 1496 Sabre	Small Arms	24,701
Tankgewehr 13.2 mm Rifle (Anti-Materiel)	Inf Spt Wpn	304
Polybolos 12.7 mm HMG	Machine Gun	18,990
Wren 7.62mm LMG	Machine Gun	12,150

Artillery

Name	Type	№ in Service
GV(LU)-3 Boojum	Anti-Air	350
Trump Radar Tracking Autocannon	Anti-Air	143
Waspsting Man-portable Air Defence System	Anti-Air	128
Hornet 84 mm Recoilless Rifle (Anti-Tank)	Anti-Tank	456
105 mm Light Gun	Artillery	152
80 mm Field Gun	Artillery	95
82 mm Mortar	Artillery	1,424

Land Vehicles

Name	Type	№ in Service	Notes
GV(CV)-4 Red Queen	AFV - Command Vehicle	75	To be withdrawn from service by 1680
GV(MBT)-1 Bandersnatch	AFV - Main Battle Tank	1,268	To be withdrawn from service by 1680
GV(SPG)-2 Jabberwocky	AFV - Self-Propelled Gun	700	To be withdrawn from service by 1680
Horjin CV35	AFV - Electronic Warfare Vehicle	76
Horjin CV56(S)	AFV - Infantry Fighting Vehicle	2,007
IMW-2 Spidertank	AFV - Light Tank	635	To be withdrawn from service by 1680
IMW-3 Snark	AFV - Super Heavy Tank	22	To be withdrawn from service by 1680
Pod Personnel Carrier	Spt Vehicle	1,974
Snatch Land Rover	Spt Vehicle	71
Truck, Light	Spt Vehicle	1,499
Truck, Medium	Spt Vehicle	243

Vessels

Name	Type	№ in Service
Elwynn-class Corvette	Maritime	4
Merchant Vessel (Cargo & Passenger)	Maritime	10
Merchant Vessel (Cargo)	Maritime	20
Merchant Vessel (Livestock)	Maritime	3
Oil Tanker	Maritime	8
Viviantia-class LSV	Maritime	5

Aircraft

Name	Type	№ in Service	Notes
A-6 Pundarikam	Attack	10
A-10 Kambera	Attack	7
AH-1Z Viper	Attack Helicopter	3
AV-8B Harrier II	Attack	3
B-49 Delta	Strategic Bomber	234	To be transferred to Benacia Command for F-9 Ashavan II by 1680
B-66 Vulcan	Strategic Bomber	22
C-61 Buzzard	Light Fighter	16
EA-6B Prowler	Electronic Warfare	2
F-8 Shrike	Multirole Strike	174
GAV(AS)-1 Snaggletooth	Reconnaissance	4
GAV(P)-5 Nereid	Patrol	40
R-1 Whirdlebird	Reconnaissance	41
T-2 Saeqeh	Training/Light Attack	51
T-3 Akóntio	Training/Light Attack	23
UH-1Y Venom	Utility Helicopter	7