An Overview of the Alliance Armada

///From the author: much like last year's post An Overview of the Spacer Corps, this is meant to be an encyclopedic overview of the Armada of the Free Worlds, the primary antagonist faction in The Spacers Saga. The Armada was founded as one of the first acts of the Alliance Central Commission, and fifty years later it has grown from humble beginnings to a position of power rivaling that of the Spacer Corps. This is the story of the Armada...

[The AML's Red Ensign was first flown in 2342 at the military parade to commemorate the end of the Jovian Civil War]

Historical Rundown:

The Armada traces its origins to the height of the Draconist Wars, particularly the violent civil conflicts which engulfed the Jovian sector. After the IDC intervened in the Jovian Civil War (2324-2341) following the attacks on the Edwin Aldrin Spaceport on Mars, a fifth column force emerged in Jovian space, made up of factions which sought a third option besides the Draconists or the ICA. The Jovian Revolutionary Council emerged in 2334 and sought to bring an end to the civil war on their terms.

By 2336, this trend came to a boiling point with the establishment of the Joint Commission for Public Security, which combined several JRC committees to address the problem of Draconism in Jovian space. Over the next two years, they led a reign of terror against DRAC by planning, organizing, and executing a counterinsurgency campaign against their operatives. They used DRAC's own networks of spies and informants against them, all funded by under-the-table sources (including the ICA).

These early paramilitary commandos formed the backbone of the Alliance Armada when it was first mustered in late 2339, and remain the foundation and cornerstone of the modern Armada Special Operations Force (ASOF). Almost as soon as General Order Number Five took effect and the AML was established, the Alliance Central Commission passed General Order Number Six to provide for the funding, organization, and staffing of their new Armada.

One of the most controversial facets of General Order Number Six was the adoption of conscription, which was intended only as a stopgap measure to fill out the Armada’s ranks in response to the ongoing Draconist Crisis. Conscription was originally meant to be phased out by 2343 and then abolished altogether by 2349, but as of 2371 the Alliance still drew roughly fifty-six percent of its enlisted ranks from conscription.

Throughout the second phase of the Draconist Wars, the Alliance played a complicated game of double intentions: while the ACC funneled funds from its various state-owned industries to the Draconists to prop them up as a convenient distraction for the ICA, the Armada officially deployed peacekeeping forces to aid in the pacification of troubled sectors of the frontier. All the while, they funneled even more money into their own military machine to build it into something capable of matching the Spacer Corps’ power.

The first real test of this newfound power did not come until March 2371, however, when the Armada launched Operation Cinderblock in an effort to destroy the ICA’s drydocks in orbit of Europa. This operation was only marginally successful, though, and the attacking Armada detachments suffered heavy casualties as a result of their commanders’ bravado. But the operation was a vital learning experience for Central Command, and over the coming months new strategies and tactics were drawn up to address the IDC’s edge in technical know-how and combat experience using the Armada’s big advantage: sheer brute force.

The next five years were varying degrees of deadlocked between the Armada and the Spacer Corps, with only periodic breakouts in the outer system that were usually pushed back a few months to a year later. This began to change in 2376, for two reasons. First, the Armada Supreme Council appointed a new Chairman, Irwin Oviedo, who instituted a rigorous campaign of reform and force modernization which he named “Fight with the Force You Want, Not the One You Have” in a reference to an Old Earth war.

The second big change was that the ACC began secret negotiations to bring the Zharan Liberation Army into the war on their side. The Zharan Collective, formed in 2359 after their deal with the Alliance at the conclusion of the Zharan Uprising, was effectively neutral in the Frontier War at that point (although they did sell them weapons), but as Chairman Oviedo’s reforms improved their odds, the zharans agreed to bring their military to their aid.

The hammer fell on 23 November 2379, when the ZLA and Armada launched Operation Kaleidoscope, a joint operation which caught most ICA units completely wrong-footed. Over the next year and a half, the new Allied Coalition for Mutual Defense (ACMD or “Coalition”) slowly ground the Spacer Corps and its allies down until they agreed to peace talks in early 2381. These resulted in the Treaty of Nüwa on 25 June, with all fighting officially ceasing three days later. The Frontier War was over, and ever since, the Coalition has maintained a strong posture in the outer system, with a conscript to volunteer ratio of about 2:1.

The only major challenge to the Alliance’s power in their domain is the emergence of the Colonial Liberation Front, a radical nationalist group which ironically shares much in common with the old Jovian Revolutionary Councils in that it seeks a third option for frontier citizens. This faction, identified as terrorists by the Alliance, is secretly funded by the ICA, a fact which many pundits identify as a wedge issue that could lead the frontier back to war sometime soon, to the detriment of all who live there.

[The Alliance roundel (above) is commonly displayed to denote Alliance affiliation or Armada allegiance]

Facts & Statistics:

• Official name: Armada dos Mundos Livres (“the Armada of the Free Worlds”)

• Founded: first mustered on 7 November 2339 (established by provision of General Order Number Five, passed by the Alliance Central Commission on 11 July 2339)

• Parent organization: Alliance of Free Worlds (“the Alliance”)

• Total Strength: estimated to be approx. 4,700,000 personnel as of 2389

  • Includes approximately 1.1 million from Callisto, 800 thousand from Titan, and 140 thousand from Ganymede (the “Big Three” worlds of the Alliance)

• Yearly defense spending: approximately $3.57 trillion; approximately 8.38% of GDP

• Official colors: unity red (Hex code c1272d) and purity white (Hex code f2f2f2)

• Primary unit: Unidade de Frota (UF, "Fleet Units")

  • Number of UFs as of 2389: thirty (30)

  • Espaçadores per UF: approximately 150 thousand

  • Number of UFs in the inner system: six (6)

  • Number of UFs in the outer system: eighteen (17)

  • Number of UFs on standby: seven (7)

• Military HQ: Alliance Citadel; Outer Syrené, People’s Republic of Callisto

• Official motto: Unidade, Pureza, Força (“Unity, Purity, Strength”)

• Unofficial motto: "Freedom costs, but it is cheaper than servitude"

• Official march: “Os Guerreiros da Fronteira” (“The Warriors of the Frontier”)

  • Chorus: “The Warriors of the Frontier fight the enemies of freedom,

    Wherever they may be, wherever we can see;

    upon the sea of endless night,

    to them we’ll take our tireless fight…”

• Unofficial fighting song: “Tempestade Vermelha Chega” (“Red Storm Rolls In”)

  • Chorus: “The Red Storm rolls in from the dark sea,

    to wash away the tyranny,

    of evil men from darkling skies,

    who look at space with hungry eyes…”

Forças Terrestres (Ground Forces):

• Officially founded: 27 September 2340

• Number of personnel: approximately 2,400,000 espaçadores

• Number of aircraft: approximately 20,000 (includes fast attack craft, transport VTOLs, etc.)

• Number of ground vehicles: approximately 126,000

• Official motto: Liberdade pela força ("Peace through strength")

• Unofficial motto: "Nunca volte atrás ("Never back down")

• Standard unit breakdown:

  • Lança (lance): four espaçadores (1 rifleman, 1 machine gunner, 1 assistant gunner, and 1 junior rifleman; led by an S-3 or S-4)

  • Seção (section): three lanças and a squad leader (13 in total, led by an S-5)

  • Pelotão (platoon): 2 seções plus a 6-man weapons team and a 5-man command element (one O-1 or O-2, one S-6, a médico and aide, and a comms officer; can also include a political officer, usually a member of the Ministério da Informação)

  • Esquadrão (squadron): 2 pelotões infantry, 1 pelotão heavy weapons, and a command element (approx. 130 espaçadores in total, usually led by an O-3 o O-4)

  • Batalhão (battalion): typically 4 esquadrões infantry, 1 esquadrão heavy weapons, and a logistical element, plus command staff (approx. 850 in total, usually led by an O-5)

  • Regimento (regiment): typically 2 batalhões infantry, 1 batalhão mecanizado, 1 batalhão fire support, and 1 batalhão logistics, plus a command element (approx. 4,400 espaçadores in total, led by an O-6)

  • Divisão (division): typically 2 regimentos infantry, 1 regimento mecanizado, and 1 regimento fire support, plus a logistical support element and a command staff (approx. 21,000 espaçadores, led by an O-7 or O-8)

  • Força de Assalto Terrestre (Ground Assault Force): typically 2 divisões infantry, 1 divisão mecanizado, and 1 air supremacy wing, plus a logistical element and a Space Forces detachment for troop transport, space supremacy, and so on (approx. 130 thousand espaçadores in total, usually led by an O-9)

Forças Espaciais (Space Forces):

• Officially founded: 19 February 2341

• Number of personnel: approximately 1,300,000 espaçadores

• Number of spacecraft: roughly 2,400 (official INTELCOM estimate: 2,401)

  • Note: roughly 3o percent are stored in mothballs for emergency reactivation in case of war

  • Primary shipyards are at Callisto and Vesta, with additional facilities at Titan and Mimas

• Official motto: Vitória com Honra (“Victory with Honor”)

• Unofficial motto: “O Longo Braço de Calisto” (“The Long Arm of Callisto”)

• Standard unit breakdown:

  • Unidade (unit): 4-10 espaçadores, usually tasked with completing a specific task aboard a spacecraft or in an Armada ground facility; typically led by an S-4 or S-5

  • Esquadril (flight): 4-5 unidades (16-50 espaçadores in total), typically assigned to operate a spacecraft or control a groundside station; typically led by an O-4 or O-5

  • Esquadrão (squadron) 5-7 esquadrilhas, each one typically an individual spacecraft assigned to a particular mission within a specific deployment plan; typically led by an O-6

  • Grupo (group): a group of 2-3 esquadrões (10 to 20 spacecraft in total) assigned to a particular duty within the framework of the Asa Espacial (typically led by an O-7)

  • Asa Espacial (Space Wing): typically all of the flights in an Unidade de Frota (anywhere from 70 to 90 spacecraft in total, depending on the mission); usually commanded by an O-8

Forças de Operações Especiais:

• Officially founded: 26 October 2343

• Notes: made up of units from both the Forças Terrestres and the Forças Espaciais, the FOE (also called ASOF or "Armada Special Operations Forces") is is an umbrella for all Armada spec ops units, from the Guardas Fuzeleiros (similar to the U.S. marines) to the Brigadas de Reconhecimento (analogous to the Green Berets)

• Number of personnel: estimated to be approximately 300,000 espaçadores in total

• Official motto: Por todos os meios necessários (“By any means necessary”)

• Unofficial motto: “A Opção Cirúrgica” (“The Surgical Option”)

Ministério da Segurança Interna:

• Officially founded: 10 July 2346

• Notes: the sprawling state security and police apparatus of the Alliance, roughly equivalent to a combination of the Soviet KGB and the American FBI

• Number of personnel: approximately 900,000 uniformed staff (official INTELCOM estimate)

• Official motto: Ordem acima de tudo (“Order above all”)

• Unofficial motto: “O Punho de Syrené” (“The fist of Syrené”)

Ranks and Insignia:

ENLISTED RANKS

• Espaçador (S-1): the primary soldier unit of the Armada, equal to the eponymous spacers of the Interplanetary Defense or “Spacer” Corps. The espaçadores are the Armada’s Jacks-of-all-trades, and make up the backbone of the Alliance of Free Worlds’ military apparatus

• Primero Espaçador (S-2): usually after a year or two of service to the Alliance, an espaçador is advanced to the Primero level, which carries greater responsibility and prestige. espaçadores who reach this level have generally decided to make a career out of their military service

• Senior Espaçador (S-3): sometimes considered a junior noncommissioned officer rank, the Senior Espaçador is placed at the crux of the Alliance’s military organization, partly due to the fact that, by this rank, they have been selected for further advancement to NCO status

• Segundo Cabo (S-4): the rank of “Second Corporal” is the true gateway to noncommissioned officer status, and carries with it a great deal of responsibility, both to the ranks above and to those below. For that reason, these espaçadores are often called the “heart and soul of the Armada”

• Cabo (S-5): although technically given the name of “Corporal,” this rank is more equal to the Sergeants of traditional militaries (and the Spacer Corps), in that they are the true brains of the most frontline units. They are the ones responsible for leading other espaçadores in battle

• Segundo Sargento (S-6): roughly equal to the Staff Sergeants of the Spacer Corps, these espaçadores generally have at least ten years of experience under their belts before reaching this level. As such, they are respected by junior enlisted espaçadores and by junior officers alike

• Sargento (S-7): the equivalent of a Master Sergeant in the Spacer Corps, these espaçadores have at least fifteen years of experience under their belts, and are both respected and feared by junior enlisted and junior officers, and provide the final word in most decisions for frontline units

• Chef Sargento (S-8): with anywhere from twenty to thirty years of hard-won experience behind them, these espaçadores are the truest definition of “old salt” there can be among the enlisted ranks of the Armada. Their decisions are ironclad, and even mid-grade officers defer to them

OFFICER RANKS

• Subtenente (O-1): generally selected from the best candidates in military advancement academies (equivalent to the Officer Candidate Schools of the 20th and 21st centuries), these officers are still rarely older than twenty-four or twenty-five, and therefore very inexperienced

• Tenente (O-2): much like the Captains of the Spacer Corps and the militaries of Old Earth, tenentes are a lower mid-grade officer rank often tasked with leading Armada forces and organizing their tactics of Alliance military forces at the frontlines of their deployments in Solar Space

• Maior-Tenente (O-3): roughly equivalent to the Majors of the Spacer Corps, these espaçadores are the true backbone of the Alliance Armada, as they have enough experience to back up their decisions and enough time-in-service to command the respect of more junior espaçadores

• Comandante (O-4): these espaçadores typically command large units or whole spacecraft, and are second only to Capitães in frontline decision making. They often have upwards of twenty years of service behind them, and are held responsible for the success of big operations

• Capitão (O-5): as the Armada is organized in the fashion of the maritime navies of Old Earth, it has the rank of Capitão in place of the Colonels of the Spacer Corps. This rank holds the Alliance’s most seasoned non-flag officers, and they command respect to match their experience

• Comodoro (O-6): the Spacer Corps has Brigadier Generals, and the Armada has Commodores. These officers are often the link between frontline units and the Central Command leadership apparatus, and hold power and influence equal to low-ranking politicians in Alliance society

• Contra-Almirante (O-7): the Armada’s Rear Admirals are generally thirty-plus-year veterans of the commissioned service, and have the experience to either lead Battlegroups or decide the movements of entire task wings of the Armada across the border of Alliance-ICA space

• Vice-Almirante (O-8): Vice Admirals are second only to Full Admirals, who are themselves second only to the Admiral of the Fleet, a role only activated during times of war. The few hundred Vice Admirals in the Armada are the real movers and shakers in its command structure

• Almirante (O-9): being that the Armada is modeled after maritime navies, its Admirals are the equivalent to a full General in the Spacer Corps, and are the tip of the command pyramid in all decisions not explicitly requiring the input of the Alliance Central Commission

• Almirante da Armada (O-10): this is a special officer rank, only activated in times of emergency (typically an interplanetary war), and is generally held either by the Chief of the Central Military Commission or, in times of true emergency, by the Alliance Head of State

Armada Uniforms:

SERVICE & DRESS UNIFORMS

Notes:

The Sistema Uniforme Padrão (“Standard Uniform System”) was adopted by the Armada Supreme Council in 2354 following a lengthy development cycle which was delayed repeatedly due to shuffling of the military high command. One aspect of the SUP program was the implementation of a new universal standard for service dress and duty uniforms to outfit enlisted and officer espaçadores of the Armada.

The new service and dress uniforms, first fielded in 2356, prioritize simplicity and ergonomics while also minimizing traditional ornamentation seen by Alliance leadership as ostentatious. As a result, the only adornment on Alliance service and dress uniforms are nametapes and rank insignia. Even then, the latter concession was resisted by more hardline elements of the Alliance Central Commission for several years early on due to the belief that it would diminish equality among the Armada’s personnel.

DUTY UNIFORMS

Notes:

As part of the Sistema Uniforme Padrão (“Standard Uniform System”) fielded from the early 2350s on, the Armada adopted the Uniforme de Serviço da Armada (“Armada Duty Uniform”) for use by espaçadores stationed at forward posts. Much like the Standard-Issue Duty Uniform (SIDU) of the Spacer Corps, it was intended to provide a universal duty wear outfit for them in forward bases, aboard spacecraft, and so on.

ADUs come printed in all four standard camo patterns, and in a coverall variant for use as a base layer for the standard-issue 4PA3-2 combat EVA suit. The standard headwear with the duty uniform for all ranks is the 4CP2-3 garrison cap, the first version of which was adopted in 2346 as one of the first measures of the Alliance’s second Five Year Plan. The ASOF operator shown here wears the 4CP5 beret, a rare accoutrement only afforded to special units, and all examples wear the standard-issue 4CS2-4 combat boots.

Armada Camouflage:

Notes:

When the AML was founded in 2339, central command undertook an initiative to outfit their espaçadores with new uniforms befitting their aspirational status as a peer organization to the Spacer Corps. After initially clothing the espaçadores of the new Armada with surplus uniforms pulled from every stock they could get their hands on (including IDC supplies), they fielded Type I camo in 2343. It was meant to be used by espaçadores aboard spacecraft or in garrison, and was supplemented in 2348 by a second pattern (Type IV), which is reserved for use exclusively by elite Armada Special Operations units like the famous Guardas Fuzileiros. Type III came in 2351, designed for use on arid worlds like Titan or Mars, then Type IV in 2354 for use on worlds with temperate regions, like Earth or the Main Belt orbitals.

More to come, when it's ready...

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