Factbook of the Soodean Imperium (Closed, Incomplete)

[The Soodean Imperium]

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2.c Economic System

*this page is still incomplete*

Overview:
The Soodean Imperium uses a Centralized Socialist Economy. This means that the government is not only the main shareholder in all productive enterprise, but that it actively tracks production levels and re-distributes resources in order to perfectly match supply and demand. This system is similar to the "Project Cybersyn" which was planned (but never fully implemented) in Chile under Salvador Allende, although it developed independently. Each factory, workshop, or other business is equipped with a simple computer that transmits data on inputs, outputs, product quality, and a variety of other factors to a central nerve network, where administrators may track production and make adjustments as necessary.

The main advantage of such a system is that it creates massive economies of scale by replacing competition with cooperation. This removes the challenge of the "Prisoner's Dilemma," and thus increases efficiency by eliminating the need for firms to waste valuable resources on advertising and other forms of competition. It also removes the barriers of information that might exist between competing firms, allowing firms to coordinate their sales activities.

Wages:
Wages in the Soodean Imperium are determined by a number of factors. First is the skill required for a job; a surgeon or engineer will be paid more than a bricklayer. However, in most cases wages an individual worker's wages are adjusted day-to-day depending on whether he or she fell above, below, or near the production quota. This quota is calculated based on the average estimated productivity of a person using that factory's level of equipment, and also accounts for the quality of the goods produced. It is more common for manufacturing jobs, where quality and quantity are easy to assess.

Quality of Life:
In most Capitalist nations, popular culture encourages people to consume as many products as possible, because this will stimulate economic growth. In the Soodean Imperium, the opposite is largely true; people are encouraged to live simple lives, pursuing needs before wants and finding happiness in friendship and experience rather than consumer luxuries. This has sparked intense debates between the Imperium and Capitalist economies over which provides the highest quality of life.

According to the Capitalist argument, quality of life is determined based on the quantity of goods owned on average, determined by per-capita wealth or income. By this logic, the Imperium has a below-average quality of life, as its people tend to choose simple lives and typically do not invest in the suburban homes and cars that make up most of an individual's wealth in other systems. The balance is further skewed by the Imperium's lack of an upper class, with very few people receiving incomes of over $100,000 a year.

According to the Socialist argument, however, quality of life is captured by other measures. Though they own fewer items, Soodean citizens are generally happier, nicer, and more compassionate than the global average, demonstrating (in the eyes of the Socialists) that they have learned to obtain joy from cooperation and friendship and that material wealth cannot buy a good life. The nation also suffers from low rates of obesity and preventable cancer, which also reduces the quantity of resources that would otherwise be devoted to medical care.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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4.f The Great Conquest, 1925-1947

The Great Conquest is a very controversial topic in the Soodean Imperium's history; some people view it as a high point of nationalist glory, while others regard it as a mistake that is best left forgotten. In either case, it was a very important moment in history, and its influences can still be seen in many areas of military and political life.

The process began in 1925, when the Soodean continent was still divided between the three Great Nations of the Daiya Empire, Treikoronea, and Sovyetskaya Rus'. Until now these nations had been focused primarily on rebuilding the devastation created by the Great Quake of 1899, and restoring the balances of power that had prevailed before the collapse of the previous nations. However, by this point the speed and effort of reconstruction had created a storm of nationalist sentiment in all three Nations, and with no more room to expand, border tensions were running rampant. In 1927, after a series of incursions and incidents along disputed frontiers, the leaders of the three nations met in Yashad, a town in the mountains of the central area. For many, it seemed that a declaration of war was imminent.

However, the population was stunned when the final decision came out. In spite of rising differences, the three leaders - Emperor Kakudai, Commissar Narodnov, and Fuhrer Ksaszar - forged a pact of mutual cooperation and alliance, declaring that they would instead turn their imperialist ambitions against the outside world. Throughout the continent, this was seen as a great opportunity to spread Justice and Righteousness across the world, liberating the millions who lived under Capitalist oppression and foreign occupation.

In a flurry of action, large armies were gathered from all three countries and placed aboard large transport ships built specially for the operation. The first landings took place in 1931, and were followed by attacks and invasions - known as the Glorious Campaigns - across the area. At first, the attackers encountered little resistance, and through a combination of numbers and heavy air and naval support they were able to overrun many outposts and bases. The conquered areas were incorporated into the three Empires, and their inhabitants were given equal rights and privileges - in theory if not always in reality.

Unfortunately, as the attacks and campaigns grew bolder, enemy resistance gradually began to rise. In 1940 several large powers entered the war against the Three Empires, bringing the war to a deadly stalemate as large fleet clashes and land battles proved indecisive. The turning point, however, came in 1943, when an enemy admiral was able to trap a large portion of the Daiya Imperial Fleet in a major strait and annihilate it with aerial attacks from the land and sea. With their naval support lost, supply routes cut, and path of escape blocked, the forces on land were forcibly beaten back over the next year.

By late 1944, the war had pushed the Three Empires onto the defensive, and for the first time in known history enemy troops set foot on the continent of Dalu. The Imperial Armies responded with fierce armored counterattacks, but they were heavily outgunned and outnumbered, pushed back by the invaders. Realizing that a total defeat was possible, High Command began resorting to desperate measures in an effort to demoralize the invaders and force a withdrawal. In 1945 the Air Force began using its older planes as manned bombs and missiles, ramming them into enemy ships and troop concentrations. The Army did the same, relying on mass charges of partisan militia to slow the enemy advance.

Meanwhile, enemy forces continued their advance, leveling entire villages and massacring the inhabitants as an act of revenge against the fierce resistance movements. Strategic Bomber fleets made regular air attacks on the major cities and towns, and over time the large interceptor wings of the Imperial Air Force dwindled down to a few valiant aces who flew daily missions against the bomber raids. The cost in civilian lives grew higher every day, but every death only made the defenders more determined to fight to the last.

Treikoronea was the first nation to fall; already plagued by internal divisions, it was seriously fragmented by the turning tide of the war. Fuhrer Ksaszar abdicated from the throne in 1946, effectively announcing his nation's surrender; several weeks later, he was found dead, shot by a group of generals determined to continue the fight. In spite of their effort, the country soon collapsed, and Treikoronean soldiers across the Western regions surrendered in droves.

Sovyetskaya Rus' lasted a little bit longer, its soldiers and generals continuing to defend the last key positions even after Commissar Narodnov was killed in the defense of the Regional Capital. Countless cities became hellscapes of fallen brick and twisted steel, while others were slowly starved into submission as the attackers cut off all trade routes in the middle of the winter.

The last Nation to fall was the Daiya Empire, whose soldiers and citizens were among the most fanatical on the continent. Even in 1947, after the main cities and defensive lines were in ruin and the country was effectively under enemy control, small pockets of footsoldiers continued to fight in defense of hilltop caves and patches of forest. Emperor Kakudai left the Capital, which was destroyed soon afterwards, and went into hiding in a temple palace in modern-day Sheng Province. Crushed at the sight of his beautiful nation in ruins, he treated the war as his own wrongdoing, as he had been the first to propose this ambitious course of action. On November 13, 1947, he committed ritual suicide while on the high tower of the Bai Lian Temple, thus marking the official end of the Great Conquest.

The cost of the war had been truly severe. The national population was reduced to well below half its original size, and many more would die in the coming famines. A total of nine Atomic Bombs had been dropped by the enemy over the course of the attack; all the other cities had been reduced to ashes by conventional firebombing or artillery bombardment. Unwilling to risk letting the nation rise again, the invading forces set up a new government - the High Commonwealth - to keep the continent of Dalu under perpetual occupation. It was a blow from which the Imperium has only recently recovered.

Impact:
The main effect of the Great Conquest was a defining sense of political and military identity. In military propaganda, the war is often portrayed as a patriotic fight between good and evil, a fight from which the Imperium derives its identity. The positions where entire regiments fought to the last man are now reserved as national monuments, and the inteceptor aces who shot down enemy bombers in defense of the people in the cities below are treated as legendary heroes. To this day, Soodean soldiers wear uniforms similar to the kind issued in 1941, with tan tunics and knee-high boots. Tactics of self-sacrifice also play an important role in the military Code of Honor. While Banzai charges and Kamikaze/Taran attacks are rarely used, it is common for ships, planes, or entire ground formations to make dangerous maneuvers in order to save their comrades in arms. Both the initial war mentality (bringing a better life to people living abroad) and the final war mentality (giving up everything in order to defend the innocent) are vital in understanding the Imperial Military's strategic and tactical decisions.

On the other hand, the failed war and its costs also instilled a sense of caution and pragmatism to a people who had learned the hard way that rash moves can easily result in a heavy cost for all those who follow. The Imperium has sworn off the practice of taking foreign land as its own territory, and will typically only resort to warfare if diplomacy fails. There is also a great sense of guilt in many intellectual circles, as the Three Empires often resorted to totalitarian means in order to achieve their ends, sometimes forgetting to see the human cost of their pursuit of perfection.

In addition, the common experience of the war was vital in creating the shared national identity that holds together the Soodean Imperium today. Soldiers from every corner of Dalu fought and died side-by-side on the battlefields, and civilians in every region of the continent suffered the same treatment by invading forces. This sense of a common struggle was only in its infancy, however; it would grow much stronger during the Great Occupation that followed.



The Daiya Empire:
Inspired by the rapid industrial advances of Sovyetskaya Rus', the Daiya Tennou (Great Asia Emperor) launched a program to build up the Eastern reaches of the Imperium, constructing new factories in the cities and provinces away from the central area. Nationalism reached a dizzying, feverish level here, as the citizens reacted to their new prosperity with complete and total loyalty to the Emperor. Traditionalism also made an important comeback, as Classical dress and uniform entered into fashion.

Sovyetskaya Rus':
A Socialist economy based on the Soviet model, Sovyetskaya Rus' was a roaring industrial center by this time, and new efforts were already being made to expand agriculture to the untamed fields of the East and North. The national identity was focused not on a single race or nation, but on the identity of the Working Class itself; and in this way, the nation was able to unite disparate groups from the deserts to the tundras with the common promise of a better life. However, tensions between the working, middle, and upper classes also drove the arts into stagnation as wartime industry took the place of cultured life.

Treikoronea:
Originally a Republic, Treikoronea was by this point a largely Fascist regime, with a strong nationalist emphasis on historical traditions as the path to future greatness. Many have questioned in particular its practice of granting second-class citizenship to the Arabs and Native populations under its rule. These populations were left out of nationalist rhetoric and largely neglected by economic planners, and at several points there were suggestions of a plan to relocate them further south.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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3.b Quality of Life

*this page is still incomplete*

A wise man once said, 'Better is bread and a happy heart, than wealth with vexation.' These words, repeated many times, have been forgotten under the pursuit of individual material gain.
- Emperor Su Dou, Speech for the Second Five-Year Plan.

Overview:
There is widespread disagreement between Capitalist and Socialist observers over whether or not the Imperial State-directed economy has been successful. The terms of the debate largely stem from differing opinions of what determines a good quality of life. In most Capitalist nations, popular culture encourages people to consume as many products as possible, because this will stimulate economic growth. In the Soodean Imperium, the opposite is largely true; people are taught to pursue simple lives, shunning materialism and consumerism in order to become healthier as individuals and as a society.

Before continuing, it is crucial to note that this difference is economic cultures is voluntary and widespread; while there are state and religious efforts to encourage simple living, it would be incorrect to say that the Soodean people are brainwashed into poverty or denied the things they desperately want. Rather, it is a central part of cultural teachings to treat greed as the root of all evils, and instead appreciate the inherent value of living a humble life.

It is also important to avoid confusion with Western notions of "counter-consumerism." To Soodean observers, the "Hippie" and "Hipster" trends are simply variations of mainstream consumerism, as they demand that a person broadcast their individuality through the purchase of rare and sometimes expensive goods. Rather, Soodean "counter-consumerism" follows a combination of traditional and Soviet culture, calling on people to value virtuous behavior and healthy social relations rather than material gain.

Availability of goods:
As a result of the planned economy, basic necessities such as food, clothing, and apartment housing are readily available at a low cost. This, in combination with the progressive employment policy, ensures a remarkable level of social equality and in particular a very low poverty rate. It is also another reason why traditional measures of income understate the quality of life - wages are low, but prices for basic necessities are even lower.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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2.c Important Policy Positions

*this page is still incomplete*

Overview:
The Soodean Imperium is not strictly Left or Right, but rather combines different systems in a distinct political ideology that emphasizes self-restraint, law and order, and the importance of the collective good. In accordance with the Soodean National Ideology, it emphasizes "needs before wants, the collective before the individual, and the long-term before the short." Below is an alphabetical summary of the Imperium's positions on major political, social, and economic issues, which the uninformed observer can use to get a basic understanding of Soodean life.

Abortion: Abortion is illegal except in cases of rape, severe birth defects, and risks to the health of the mother. Unwanted pregnancies are rare, due to a combination of strong cultural restraints, progressive educational policies, and harsh punishments for sexual assault.

Alcohol: The purchase and consumption of alcohol are illegal in all provinces of the Imperium. Alcohol use has always been cast in a negative light, and prior to the passage of the Prohibition law it was typically limited to occasional consumption of wine and other light beverages. As a result of high enforcement and low demand, the smuggling business is at an all-time low.

Drugs: (except Tobacco and Alcohol) All illicit drugs and narcotics are illegal, and pharmaceutical medicine is highly regulated to prevent abuse. There is, however, an increasing trend of abusing Brazhesh, a rare herbal extract native to the Imperium which heightens the user's ability to logically analyze situations in the absence of emotion.

Environment: The Soodean Imperium has a high level of environmental protection, with strong restrictions on pollution and a focus on clean, renewable energy. There is a widespread government campaign to emphasize the natural beauty of the Dalu continent and either preserve nature or build in harmony with it.

Free Trade: The Imperium believes in the free-trade theory of comparative advantage, but all trade is conducted through the Imperial Government. Details on this policy can be found here:

Immigration: The immigration and naturalization process is open and easy, and the government even actively advertises the Imperium as a destination for people seeking good economic treatment and ordered society. However, many people leave the country soon after entering if they cannot adjust to the highly ordered way of life.

LGBT Rights: LGBT individuals are given the same social and political rights as straight individuals, including the right to marry their spouses, adopt children, and join the military. However, they also face the same extensive sexual restrictions as straight individuals.

Nuclear Power: Nuclear power currently makes up close to 80% of all energy generation, and the latest generation of reactor designs features decreased levels of waste and an automatic reactor shutdown in the event of coolant failure.

Nuclear Weapons: The Imperial Military has made no attempt to develop nuclear weapons, on the basis that they are intentionally designed for attacks on civilians. There is, however, a large reserve of high-powered conventional-explosive missiles for use against enemy troops.

Private Enterprise: Private ownership of a business is illegal in the Socialist system, but it is very easy to obtain a license for sale of goods as a State enterprise. There are also programs in place which experiment with limited small-scale business and farm ownership.

Smoking: Tobacco, marijuana, and all other smoked drugs are illegal in the Imperium. This law is harshly enforced, but rates of smuggling are low due to the treatment of former addicts. This program has saved the healthcare sector millions of Chings in cancer treatment.

Welfare: Social Welfare is generally unnecessary, due to the ambitious employment program and the high level of income equality. However, there are extensive pension programs for people who cannot work due to illness, injury, or old age.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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2.e Vehicles

OOC: Due to my recent revision of the military, this section is now effectively null and void.

Overview:
Soodean Battle Strategy relies heavily on the use of armored combat vehicles, ranging from formidable Main Battle Tanks that sweep through enemy ground formations to smaller Armored Personnel Carriers that transport infantry to and from the area of battle. Generally speaking, the Imperium uses Soviet vehicles, though the latest generation of vehicles are of entirely Soodean design.

OOC: Do not confuse these tanks with the cheaper Soviet equipment which was exported to Iraq and other Soviet client states. In Real-Life history, the Soviet Union generally exported old vehicles which had been phased out of service and stripped of their advanced equipment, keeping the more powerful units for themselves. The Soodean Army does not use the base T-55 or T-72 (although many T-62s are kept as emergency reserves). Rather, it uses upgraded systems developed at the end of the Cold War, which are fitted with gun-fired missiles, state-of-the-art targeting systems, and reactive armor. While still slightly inferior to modern MBTs like the Challenger II, M1 Abrams, and Leopard 2, they are by no means the steel cannon fodder used by Saddam's forces in the 1991 Gulf War.

Main Battle Tanks: 12,000 in active service
T-62A: 10,560 (in emergency storage)
T-62M: 2,880 (in emergency storage)

T-64BV. Note the heavy reactive armor and infrared searchlight.

T-64BV: 5,760 (simplified suspension and autoloader)
T-72B: 960 (thicker composite armor on hull and turret front)
T-90A: 2,400
Type 98G: 480 (serves 12th Advanced Armor Legion)
Su'Chong 6: 2,400 (independent Soodean design, upgrade of T-90)

Infantry Fighting Vehicles: 4,000 in active service
BPT-2: 3,200 (BMP-2 with lengthened rear section for 8 passengers total)
BMP-3: 640
BWP-2000: 160 (serves 12th Advanced Armor Legion)

Armored Personnel Carriers:
BTR-60: in reserves
BTR-80: Main squad transport
BTR-90: Being phased into service
TD-7: (Independent Soodean design, upgrade of BTR-90)

[The Soodean Imperium]

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International Trade in the Soodean Imperium

Overview:
While the Soodean Imperium can be very isolationist at times, it has relatively open trade policies, in part because the Theory of Comparative Advantage is similar to the Imperium's ideology of Cooperative Efficiency. That being said, the Imperium is also a Socialist economy, meaning that the barrier between the State-controlled domestic economy and the market-based world economy can be hard for the uninitiated to navigate. Therefore, the Bureau of Information has set up this section, to be used as instruction for any person wishing to engage in trade with the Imperium.

Trade Licensing:
All international traders must register with the Bureau of International Trade, apply for an importer/exporter license, and comply with the Bureau's protocols. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to acquire a license, as the current Government is open to trade. Licenses will be denied to persons with a history of dishonest negotiation, or those with ties to illegal mercantile activities. They may also be denied for political reasons in the event of hostile relations with the applicant's country of operations, though trade with neutral Capitalist or even Corporatist nations is still fairly common.

Trade Contracts:
Because the Soodean economy is Centralized Socialist, goods are acquired and sold based on the State's production schedule. Once his or her license is approved, a trader will be allowed to negotiate with a representative from the Bureau of International Trade to agree on an acceptable trade contract. As per the terms of such a contract, the trader will buy or sell a certain quantity of goods over a certain period of time, with the option to renew the contract as necessary once it is finished. The contract also sets the price of the goods, which is usually determined by supply and demand on the international market.

Exchange Rates:
In the Soodean domestic economy, all prices are set by the government, meaning that the currency (Ching) does not have an easily measurable exchange rate compared to other currencies. Fortunately, the Imperium does not use it in international trade; rather, it keeps a reserve of foreign currencies that were gained through previous trades. This reserve is part physical and part electronic, and is used to pay other countries' exporters in their own currency. The system is somewhat outdated and has many flaws, such as the inherent limit on the value that can be imported, but it has served the country well enough that it remains in use.

Main Exports:
Soodean goods are typically thought of as "cheap but reliable;" they are generally plain, simple, and inexpensive, but can withstand a lot of reuse and damage while staying intact. Traders are encouraged to form a manufacturing contract whereby goods designed abroad are manufactured for a low price in the Imperium. There are also a number of handicraft or cultural goods, which are known for their quality but are also generally based on Soodean culture and have a limited audience abroad. Main exports include:
- Books
- Textiles and clothing
- Tourist visits to the Imperium
- Music recordings (Classical, Military, Traditional)
- Simple manufactured goods
- Handicrafts
- Low-cost automobiles

Main Imports:
The main imports are consumer goods and other items deemed "luxuries" by the Economic Bureau. These items are rarely produced in the Imperium itself, and are instead provided almost entirely through importation. Main imports include:
- Computers and Electronics
- Furniture
- Carbonated Beverages
- Rubber and Plastics
- Clean Energy Technology
- Medium and luxury automobiles

Contraband Goods:
The following items are banned in the Soodean Imperium; they may not be imported as they are banned in the Imperium, and cannot be exported as they are not produced there. Any traders found guilty of smuggling these illegal goods may be subject to any punishment ranging from permanent loss of import/export license to execution. Contraband goods include:
- Weapons for private ownership
- Pornographic material
- Illicit drugs and Narcotics
- Alcohol, fermented or distilled
- Tobacco goods, including Marijuana
- Consumer goods featuring overly prominent logos or advertising (yes, this is actually banned)

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Togo-class Heavy Cruiser


Heavy Cruiser ISS Ikaro on trial patrol. The vessel in the background is ISS Ocun, an Amur-class escort destroyer.

Type: Heavy Cruiser/Fast Cruiser

Armament:
- (5x2) 200mm Naval Gun
- (1x10) UGST torpedo
- (10x2) 25mm 6-barrel CIWS autocannon
- (2x3) 9M317 "BUK" missile

Advantages:
- High speed for a ship of its size and firepower
- Very good range and accuracy for the Main Guns
- Very good CIWS/SAM to the sides and rear

Maximum speed: 42 knots (77.8 km/h)

Nomenclature: Important historical individuals
(ISS Togo, ISS Sultan Selim, ISS Yamamoto)

Dimensions:
- Length: 181 meters
- Beam (Width): 18 meters
- Draught (depth of keel): 5.4 meters
- Height (to top of mast): 24.3 meters

Disadvantages:
- CIWS/SAM defenses are relatively thin directly to the bow
- No devoted ship-to-ship missiles

Design:
Once the Namikaze-class Heavy Destroyer was already in service, Soodean naval engineers foresaw the need for a new, heavier ship, which would be able to serve as the flagship for small patrol fleets. In order to fulfill this role, the design would need speed and maneuverability, but also the command equipment to operate independently from the rest of the unit. After a brief design competition between the two leading naval design firms, the two programs were eventually merged into a single ship with a larger hull. Soon after the ISS Admiral Togo was launched, it became apparent that the designers had underestimated the ship's capabilities. On the first day of speed trials, the vessel reached a top speed of 42 knots, outrunning its Heavy Destroyer escorts. Its guns also proved remarkably accurate, especially when firing the new guided shells. Impressed by this performance, the Naval Design Bureau decided to increase the rate of construction, and the Togo-class was soon entering service as a battle cruiser rather than a task force flagship.

Overview:
The Togo's main distinguishing feature is its sleek profile, with low-lying turrets slowly ascending around a two-stage superstructure. At the center of the superstructure lies a helipad, which may be used to land a State Autogyro to ferry an Admiral to and from the ship, or a Ka-25 for Anti-Submarine operations or target-spotting. The perilous location between the two smokestacks makes for difficult takeoffs and landings, but was chosen because it allows easy transport to and from the bridge and clears up the rear turrets' line of fire.

The ship's main advantage in combat comes from its 200mm Main Batteries, which are an adaptation of similar guns mounted in stationary fortifications as coastal defenses. The combination of a long barrel and the option to use guided shells gives these guns impressive range and accuracy, allowing them to reliably score hits on enemy surface vessels and coastal positions. Its CIWS battery is also a force to be feared, with a total of 10 radar-aimed guns making the ship well-defended against incoming missiles. These guns have a small blind spot in that they are not able to consistently fire at a target directly in front of the bow when the forward turrets are at an angle. For this reason, Togo-class vessels will usually approach an enemy formation at a slight angle when fired upon.

Tactics:
In a naval battle, Togo-class vessels usually use their accurate Main Guns to provide "marksman fire" from slightly behind the main line of Heavy Destroyers. They can also serve as skirmishing vessels, rushing forward to fire precision volleys and torpedo spreads before quickly dashing back to safety. In small patrol formations, they may serve as the flagship to a group of destroyers.

Service:
There are currently 19 Togo-class Heavy Destroyers in service with the Imperial Navy; there are no plans to cease production or withdraw units from service. Most of the ships are assigned to Main Battle Fleets, while perhaps four are assigned to coastal patrols.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Standart-Class Battleship
Note: this article refers to the retconned decommissioned Standart-class battleships which were operated in the Revolutionary Navy.
For the modern Standart-class Guided Missile Cruiser built as part of the Naval Modernization Effort, click here.

ISS Standart and ISS Chuusei, the first two battleships of this class. Note the five-turret layout and the glass bridges.

Specifications:
- Length: 225 meters overall
- Draft: 9.7 meters
- Beam: 35 meters
- Standard Displacement: 32,450 tons
- Complement: 1,897 total
- Propulsion: 12-boiler steam turbine driving 4 propeller shafts
- Maximum Speed: 31 knots
- Traveling Range: 19,200 kilometers at 14 knots

Armament:
- 15x 300mm Naval Gun (5 triple mounts)
- 20x 150mm Naval/Flak gun (10 double mounts)
- other misc AA guns (WIP)

Overview:

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The Standart-class battleships were better described as large battlecruisers, 225 meters in length and 35 meters wide. They each carried fifteen 300mm naval guns in five three-gun turrets, as well as a formidable array of dual-purpose AA/ASuW guns along the sides. Introduced in 1940, the class served under the Dai-Oukou Empire as main-line battleships, under the Occupation Navy as propaganda and intimidation vessels, and under the Soodean Revolutionary Fleet as shore bombardment, command, and fleet combat vessels. The sole surviving vessel out of three was decommissioned as part of a naval modernization effort, and is currently being used as a museum ship.

History:

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The concept of the Five-Turret Battleship (Go-Hosho Senkan) had its origins in the years prior to the Great Conquest, as naval architects sought to create increasingly impressive designs to showcase the Dai Oukou's might and glory. The first round of designs were largely impractical, and never made it past the drawing board; but the onset of the campaigns raised a pressing demand for a more modern, more capable ship, and the designs began to look increasingly serious. The first hull was laid down in 1938, and commissioned as IDNS Standart in 1940; two more followed in 1942 and 1943, respectively, and at least three more keels were laid down by 1944. Some documents hint that there were plans to build at least nine ships in all, but the changing outlook in the war and the growing shortage of material meant that the hulls still in drydock were scrapped for steel in 1945.

The ships performed admirably in a string of naval engagements, achieving good speed and a high rate of fire, but arrived at a time when the shift toward airpower was eliminating the need for a fast battlecruiser like Standart. The third ship in the series, IDNS Geroizm, was sunk by dive-bombers while in the open ocean off the northeast coast in 1945, prompting High Command to restrict the surviving two ships to coastal defense patrols. After another air attack seriously damaged the ISS Chuusei in 1946, the vessels were both moved to fortified ports in the Gulf of Aqbar, where they were hastily refitted with more advanced radar and gun-sighting arrays. The war ended while both were still under repair; some reports suggest that ISS Standart weighed anchor and sailed out into the bay firing her aft-most turret as the enemy approached the port, but she was soon hit on the waterline, sinking into the shallow mud near the shore.

During the Great Occupation, both surviving Standarts were slowly refitted by occupation forces, and beginning in 1962 they were employed as heavy patrol vessels. The vessels were never used in combat, even against the surviving resistance strongholds. They were, however, useful as symbolic tools of humiliation and demoralization, and spent most of the Occupation years in dock or on show patrols. Shortly after the 1987 Decembrist Uprising established the Soodean Revolutionary State in the East, mechanics on the ISS Chuusei (stationed in the west of the country) mutinied and killed their occupation officers, raising a navy blue flag on the mast and declaring their loyalty to the revolutionaries. Standart, stationed in the East, was abandoned by its Occupation crew and captured by Soodean revolutionary forces shortly thereafter.

For the first few years after the Glorious Revolution, these vessels saw active service in the Soodean Navy, where they were used as fleet flagships and employed to moderate effect in multiple operations. After the Murder War in Themiclesia, which saw the sinking of the ISS Chuusei in what some conspiracy theorists hold to be an extraterrestrial attack, the Standart was decommissioned as part of a major effort to modernize and revitalize the Imperial Soodean Navy. Initial plans suggested that the ship be torn up for scrap, but widespread protests and demonstrations persuaded officials to convert her into a museum ship. She is currently located at the Museum of the Revolutionary Flotilla in the capital city of Su'Cheng.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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List of Imperial Legions

OOC: This ORBAT is based on a population of 1.2 billion. It may be revised when the population reaches its 2-billion cap.

Overview:

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The main strategic unit of the Soodean Army is the Legion, a force of 10,000 soldiers. It is roughly equivalent to a Division in most other armies. Their main forms include Armored Legions, Infantry Legions, and New Expeditionary Legions.

1st Armored: LKmdr Mikhail Vdokhnova. Tank: T-90A. Experience: **
2nd Armored: LKmdr Jacinto Pendon. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: **
3rd Armored:
4th Armored:
5th Armored: LKmdr Igor Brasovskii. Tank: T-90A. Experience: ***
6th Armored: LKmdra Kazuko Hisashi. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: **
7th Armored:
8th Armored:
9th Armored:
10th Armored: LKmdr Uqad Sharif. Tank: T-90A. Experience: **
11th Armored:
12th Armored:
13th Armored: LKmdr Bulent Kalmadir. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: *
14th Armored:
15th Armored: LKmdr Tamir Ka'en. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: ***
16th Armored: Tank: T-64BV. Experience: **
17th Armored: LKmdra Kiyoko Hayabusa. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: **
18th Armored: LKmdr Grigory Yashenko. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: *
19th Armored: LKmdr Huang Yuan. Tank: T-64BV. Experience: *
20th Armored: Tank: T-90A. Experience: **
21st Armored: Tank: SCh-6. Experience: **
22nd Armored: LKmdr Faisal Dakhad. Tank: SCh-6. Experience: **
23rd Armored: LKmdr Jian Hongbao. Tank: SCh-6. Experience: **
24th Armored: LKmdr Daisuke Isshin. Tank: SCh-6. Experience: **
25th Armored: LKmdr Viktor Starikin. Tank: SCh-6. Experience: **

*many more will be added in time*

[The Soodean Imperium]

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FnK-5 "Feszek"

FnK-5 "Feszek"
Overview:

Role: Self-Propelled AA Gun
Crew: 3 (driver, commander, gunner)
Dimensions: L 8.93m, W 3.50m, H 3.61m

Performance:
Maximum Speed: 60km/h onroad, 50 offroad
Operational Range: 950 m (external tanks)

Armament:
Main: 2x 50mm proximity-fuse autocannon
Missiles:
8x Igla-S (FnK-5B
6x 9M333 (FnK-5C)
4x 9M33M3 (FnK-5E)

Advantages:
- Superior gun range
- High damage and exceptional penetration
- Good armor for an SPAAG

Disadvantages:
- relies on other vehicles for scanning radar
- Poor missile range (except FnK-5E)

The prototype "Objekt 624," which would serve as the base for future "Feszek" developments

Design:
The FnK-5 project began in relatively recent years, as Soodean designers searched for an alternative to the 9K22 "Tunguska" already in service. While the addition of the 9M311-1M missile substantially improved that vehicle's capabilities, its main gun range was still considered low, and its penetration capabilities were being put into doubt by the possibility of new, heavily armored aircraft on the enemy side. What the designers believed they needed was a system for intermediate-range surface-to-air combat, to fill the gap between MANPADS systems like the Igla missile and medium-range SAMs like the Buk-M1-2.

The resulting prototype, dubbed "Objekt 624," presented a possible solution. As with the shift from the Shilka to the Tunguska, the gun calibre was substantially upgraded to allow for greater range and damage. Early models used the DBN-50 autocannon, which was introduced in 1938, but these were quickly replaced with a more modern 50mm weapon that could sustain a higher rate of fire. The lower half of its chasis was borrowed from the SCh-6 tank; the engine and lower hull were identical, though the upper hull was enlarged and the interior modified. Unique among anti-air vehicles, it has relatively thick armor, protecting it from nearby explosions, light projectiles, and even direct hits from certain missiles, though a tandem-charge missile is usually enough to penetrate its reactive armor.

While the designers had always intended to equip the vehicle with intermediate-range anti-air missiles, disagreement over which system to implement stalled the program, and the initial FnK-5A variant entered service with guns only. The FnK-5B, equipped with the Igla-S, was abandoned after designers reasoned that infantry with MANPADS could achieve the same missile range; the FnK-5E mounted the longer-range Osa missile, but the installation of a radar guidance system proved difficult, and this variant only saw limited production. In the end, the designers selected the FnK-5C, which featured the 9M333 missile of the Strela-10. Though it suffers from poor range and low speed, the 9M333 features an advanced tracking system and a heavy warhead.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Ha-150A Towed Artillerypiece


A battery of early Ha-150As performing field exercises in the Great Praries.

Ha-150A
Overview:

Role:Heavy Artillery/Light Howitzer
Crew:5 (commander, gunner, 3x loader)
Dimensions: Barrel Length 7.40 m

Elevation: -5 to +60 degrees
Traverse: -30 to +30 degrees
Maximum Range: 20 km
Minimum Range: 500m (direct fire)
Rate of Fire: 3 r/m (maximum), 1 r/m (sustained)

Overview:
The Ha-150A is a 150mm light howitzer/heavy artillerypiece in widespread use with Soodean "trench-fighting legions." It can be used either to bombard defensive positions, such as infantry in buildings or trenches, or to suppress mobile or armored units in battle. A typical barrage consists of HE or thermobaric rounds, though smoke, HEAT, and laser-guided range-extended rounds are also carried.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Soodean Military Summary

*OOC: this page is a work in progress*

Overview:

---

The Soodean Imperium operates a relatively strong military, with 7 million active soldiers and 17 million reserves. From a (capped) population of roughly 1.2 billion, these add up to 0.58% and 1.42%, respectively. Of the active soldiers, 2 million are designated as ready to deploy to foreign conflicts, and the remaining 5 million are generally reserved for defensive duties. The reserves are similarly divided up, with 11 million in organized labor and 6 million in typical man-at-arms reserve service. More thorough information on this system can be found in our article about the Line System.

Manpower:

---

From a population of 1.2 billion:

By Line System:
Line One (Active, on Standby): 2,000,000
Line Two (Active, in Fort): 5,000,000
Line Three (Reserve Labor Service): 11,000,000
Line Four (Reserve Reinforcement Service): 6,000,000
Line Five (Emergency Partisan Volunteers): Up to 20% of the invaded area's population.

By Conventional System:
Active: (Lines One and Two): 7,000,000
Reserve: (Lines Three and Four): 17,000,000

[The Soodean Imperium]

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The Pantorran Missile Crisis

*this page is still incomplete*


A Soodean Anti-Ballistic Missile Unit test-fires during a training exercise. While most Anti-Air Defense units are equipped with the more advanced BUK-M2 and S-300, the urgency of the crisis led Reserve Units to activate hundreds of older SAM systems as well.

Overview:

---

The Pantorran Missile Crisis refers to a period of high tensions between the United Kingdom of Pantorrumand the other nations in the Grand Coalition. At its lightest, it was a time of tension and mutual distrust. At its worst, it led to widespread fears that the Soodean Imperium and other nations in the region would come under nuclear attack. While the crisis is largely seen as a negative event that led to widespread instability, many historians note that it also had the effect of bringing the nations in the region closer together.

Origins:

---

The Pantorran Missile Crisis originated with a violent and chaotic uprising in Pantorrum. The first week alone saw the toppling of the old government, a biological-weapons attack by terrorists, and the sudden rise to power of an absolute monarch, Charles I. Mistaking the monarch for an usurping force, Palafox moved in with an aid fleet to restore stability, but was forced to turn back when King Charles threatened to test a nuclear weapon against them. For a moment, it looked like the region was teetering on the brink of nuclear war.

While this crisis was eventually disarmed, the region remained a dangerous tinderbox, in part due to the more hostile temperament of King Charles' regime. In the next week, a Pantorran proposal to ban nuclear weapons led to confusion and outrage when it was found that only two nations had voted on it. Seeing the revision as a personal insult, King Charles announced that he would instead vastly expand his own reserve of nuclear weapons. The Soodean Imperium responded by cutting off all trade and began considering defensive preparations. The seeds of the standoff had been planted.

Nekheb: the Spark that Started it All:

---

The true tipping point came some time later, when the Federation of Nekheb decided to leave the Coalition. Seeing this move as a personal insult to his reputation, King Charles reacted by ordering a full-scale invasion of the smaller nation, readying ships, troops, and conventional spread-burst missiles. This unprecedented move led to outrage throughout the region, casting King Charles in a negative light. The Western Missile Defenses were placed on full alert, but due to the large-scale military deployment in Themiclesia's Murderist Insurrection, the Expeditionary Corps and its well-trained troops were not in a position to take offensive action.

BUM-M2 SAM/ABM system on the West Coast. These
advanced systems made up the bulk of the primary
Missile Defense Network.

As a further show of resolve, the Defensive Corps conducted a controversial anti-shipping simulation off the north coast, triggering further armament testing in Pantorrum. Concerned by the growing likelihood of a hostile missile strike, the Central Military Council instead began extensive tests of the missile defense network, firing live SCUD missiles into its range and shooting them down. These moves of increased defensive readiness were copied by Palafox, which immediately declared its full and unconditional support for the Soodean Imperium. Given the nation's smaller size and proximity to both Pantorrum and Nekheb, these actions can be seen in a justifiable light.

Before fighting could commence, however, growing threats of retaliation from Nekheb's allies tipped the balance of the situation. The United Republic of Samukan and the Peaceful Republic of the Hackleberry Islands, prominent representatives of Nekheb's new alliance, contacted United Tiberia threatening greater retaliation if Nekheb was not left to be at once. They also contacted the Soodean Imperium directly, beginning friendly relations with the nation. These moves prompted United Tiberia, head of the region, to step in and demand an end to the fighting and a process of de-mobilization.

The Confrontation Continues:

---

While Pantorrum did withdraw its forces from Nekheb's sea border, it continued testing progressively more advanced weapons, and banned all foreign ships from using its ports. While official propaganda proclaimed that the economy was self-sufficient and prosperous, there was widespread speculation on the outside that the self-imposed embargo was taking its toll. The Imperium of Nationalist Reichland, though remaining officially neutral, pledged its support for the Soodean Imperium, and the regional heads began a serious discussion about finally stripping Pantorrum of its position as Minister of Defense.

King Charles replied with increasingly ferocious and unstable rhetoric, announcing that he would expand his nuclear arsenal. Air quality tests by a Soodean MiG-25RR over the CNA detected elevated levels of radioactive particles, confirming that atmospheric nuclear tests had been performed within the rogue country. Now seriously concerned by the possibility of a ground invasion, the Economic-Production Bureau stepped up the production of tanks and other arms, and commenced a major recruiting effort aimed at increasing the size of the conventional force. Struggling to meet the ambitious production targets, Soodean arms factories began manufacturing vehicles in the base configuration, leaving missile guidance, all-weather optics, and reactive armor to be installed on the field at a later date.

The Spy War:

---

While conventional forces were being prepared, Soodean High Command began to realize that the lack of credible intelligence was making it difficult to assess the situation. The Charles Regime regularly issued official reports, but the information contained was often deemed improbable and unrealistic, especially with regard to the nation's alleged economic prosperity in the face of trade sanctions from all states in the Coalition. There were also widespread concerns about the possibility that Pantorrum was testing and amassing a substantial nuclear arsenal.

A Tu-95 on recon patrol over the CNA

In response to this lack of information, the Defensive Corps began sending flights of long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft to gather vital information on the status of Pantorran mobilization. While these scouts had been venturing further and further out to sea earlier on in the conflict, they were now regularly making flights near Pantorran territory. In time, photographs of Soodean Tu-95RT recon-bombers would become an enduring symbol of the conflict and the perpetual suspense that accompanied it.

The Defensive Corps' decision to employ long-range recon flights remains a source of controversy in the Soodean Imperium today. While technically legal in that they were charted to remain over international waters or allied land, the missions were nonetheless a visible provocation. Some justify the flights because they gathered vital intelligence on Pantorran ground movements and nuclear tests, while others suggest that they may have played a role in escalating the crisis by posing a credible threat to Pantorran aerial sovereignty.

The Height of the Crisis:

---

The Pantorran Missile Crisis reached its climax in the months that followed, as King Charles stepped up nuclear tests and announced that Parliament would take definite measures to punish the Soodean Imperium. Panic spread like wildfire across the country, as many interpreted this as an open nuclear threat. All non-essential workplaces were closed down, and the citizens were organized into teams of construction workers to dig bunkers and bomb shelters across the country. The Western Missile Defense System was placed on its highest state of alert, and all across the country people feared that the disastrous events of 1945 to 1948 would be repeated.

These fears fell somewhat when it turned out the threat only concerned a (redundant) ban on trade, but tensions remained high. After Pantorran fighters shot down a Palafoxian airliner and fired on CNA jets, the Soodean Imperium sent a small force of reconnaissance planes and interceptors to the Consolidate Nations Alliance to bolster its defenses. This admittedly risky move set off another series of ground military exercises on the border, with both sides threatening pre-emption. At sea, the same scenes played out, as King Charles accused Palafox of sinking one of its destroyers and claimed to have lost a submarine near Soodean territorial waters. Large Pantorran naval forces were spotted circulating in the Northern Sea near the Soodean Imperium.

Peace, Resolution, and Outcome:

---

In an effort to end the inevitable escalations, Nationalist Reichland summoned all nations' diplomats to a meeting in their capital, where an eventual truce was worked out. Already, there had been some efforts at negotiation, including one unusual event in which a Pantorran official landed without warning in Szantiago to offer peace - though this negotiation ended in disappointment, as the Soodean representative stated that he would only discuss peace if Palafox was not threatened.

In the end, these negotiations culminated in a decision to eject Pantorrum from the Grand Coalition. As King Charles had threatened every member state at one time or another, the vote was nearly unanimous. Infuriated again, the Mad King traveled abroad with the goal of amassing military aid from old allies, but once the full facts of the crisis came to light, few outside powers were willing to believe their claims. After some time, a final truce was offered by which the two sides would put the crisis behind them and refrain from hostilities against one another. This treaty appears to have succeeded in ending the Pantorran Missile Crisis once and for all.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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The Severogorsk Demonstration


A still frame from footage of a Tu-16 releasing a KS-1 Komet missile over the training zone.
Skeptics famously pointed out that the scene switched just before the missile's jet would have activated.

Background:

---

During the early stages of the Pantorran Missile Crisis, the Soodean Military conducted a number of large-scale defensive troop exercises, meant to simulate future efforts at repelling a hypothetical amphibious attack.

The first in a long line of these military exercises occurred off the North Coast, near the military port at Severogorsk. There, a formation of old cargo ships were fitted with remote steering systems and moved out to sea, where they would be used as stationary, moving, and maneuvering targets for a force of twelve Tu-16 bombers. The exercise did not explicitly identify the OPFOR foe being simulated, but it was clear that the targets represented Pantorran troopships bound either for the Imperium or Nekheb.

Official state reports hailed the exercise as a resounding success, declaring that all target ships were sunk in a short time and with little trouble. Released footage showed pilots taking aim, anti-ship missiles dropping from the planes, and finally the ships themselves caught up in fiery explosions upon impact.

Skeptics Emerge:

---

However, questions soon began to emerge about the validity of this assessment. The first critic was Abel Ikrul, a university student browsing internet footage of the exercise. On a number of separate forums, Abel pointed out that while previous reports always included one or two shots of the entire missile-to-target process, this one only showed cut-and-pieced clips of the exercise. The missiles were rarely shown in flight or hitting the target.

This protest, usually ignored in such a setting, attracted much attention as the week went on. Other skeptics looked closer at the released images, noting that certain scenes were repeated two or even three times, leaving few independent missile drops in total. Another set of frames was noted to show evidence of video edits. Later, a single frame from the footage revealed a high-explosive shell, rather than a missile, flying towards the target ship.

The official government response was cautious but telling. No arrests were made, though a few of the main skeptics received cloaked threats to quiet down. Several of the forums discussing the footage were shut down completely, which only added to the growing suspicion. One of the posters was reportedly advised to "postpone discussion of this matter until the current situation (i.e., the threat of war with Pantorrum) has died down. Still, while there were no arrests or open acts of intimidation, and the main state effort was generally successful at temporarily sweeping the matter under the rug.

The Reveal:

---

Years later, first-hand documents surfaced and revealed the truth behind the controversy. The air-to-ship missiles used were old models, which had been built decades ago and stored in poor conditions where they were rarely cleaned or inspected. As a result, several lost guidance early on, either due to loss of contact with the plane or defective steering equipment. Two more were very inaccurate as they approached the targets, and a third apparently failed to detonate upon impact. After all missiles were fired, close to a third of the mock convoy remained intact, and coastal patrol vessels had to be called out to finish the job.

Outcome:

---

While the Severogorsk Demonstration was originally identified as one of the main drivers of escalation in the Cold War with Pantorrum, it later gained prominence as something of a civil scandal. Teams of skeptical netizens, mostly middle-class youths, later made repeated efforts to uncover similar deceptions elsewhere. While the military establishment generally dismissed the critics as "uninformed hoax-weavers and conspiracy-theorists," their pursuit of openness was generally tolerated by the main areas of the government, which used the threat of exposure as a threat to persuade lax or noncompliant inspection officers.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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BPT-5 "Tragat"

BPT-5 "Tragat"
Overview:

Role: Heavy IFV
Crew: 3 + 8
Dimensions: L 9.53m, W 3.10m, H 2.83m

Performance:
Max Speed: 60km/h onroad, 45 offroad
Operational Range: 600 km

Armament:
Main: 50mm Autocannon
Co-Axial: PKT Light Machinegun
Top: PKT Light Machinegun
Turret Side: 2-4 9M113 Konkurs ATGM

Advantages:
- Powerful Armament
- Excellent armor for an IFV
- Large troop compartment

Disadvantages:
- No Amphibious capability
- Same mobility as a tank
- Easy target for RPGs and tank fire

Original blueprint for the BPT-5 IFV, with Cyrillic text.

Design:
The Soodean Imperium's first experiments with IFVs began with the BPT-2, a license-produced variant of the Soviet BMP-2. The vehicle demonstrated adequate overall capabilities, but it also bore a number of difficult drawbacks. The armor proved highly vulnerable to .50-caliber fire, the main armament was judged insufficient, making it ill-suited for front-line battle alongside armored formations. As a stop-gap response, the Arkhangelov Design Bureau introduced the BPT-2MS, a Soodean variant featuring thicker frontal armor and a slightly lengthened hull which raised the passenger capacity to 8. This vehicle filled some of the project requirements, but the vehicle remained expensive, unsteady, and prone to mechanical failures.

Rather than try to fix the BPT-2MS piece-by-piece, the heads of the ADB decided to start from scratch, with an entirely new design. Influenced by the Polish BWP-2000 project, the new vehicle was intended to serve as a "Heavy IFV" with substantially stronger armor and weaponry. The general layout remained the same as the BMP-2, with the engine in the front and the crew compartment in the rear, but the details of the vehicle were entirely new. After undergoing trials as Ob'yekt 705, it was adopted under the classification "BPT-5."

Overview:
Overall, the BPT-5 is more like a tank than an APC, well-suited for front-line service in armored engagements. Its hull can withstand 35-mm APFSDS rounds from the front (and most areas of the sides), and its rear is protected against .50-caliber rounds. Its main armament is a 50-mm autocannon, though it also carries two PKT machine-guns and a dual launcher for the 9M113M Konkurs anti-tank missile. It also has space in the rear for eight passengers, with the seats arranged facing the center to allow rapid deployment and re-entry.

Of course, the vehicle also has substantial drawbacks. The increased capabilities required an increase in weight, to the point that the vehicle is no longer capable of swimming in water or traversing muddy terrain. It is also larger than the BMP series, making it a slightly better target for enemy fire. These factors, along with its high production and maintenance costs, mean that it only sees service with infantry in Armored Battalions; those in the motor-rifle battalions following behind still use the BMP-2M.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Yach-8 "Vector"

Yach-8 "Vector"

Overview:
Role: STOVL figher-bomber
Crew: 1 (pilot)
Dimensions: L 17.7m, W 14.1m, H 4.2m

Performance:
Maximum Speed: 1800 km/h (Mach 1.5)
Service Ceiling: 15,000 m
Range (internal fuel): 1,750 km

Armament:
Guns: 2x 23mm NR-23 Autocannon
Hardpoints: 7 total:
- S-8 rocket in 20x pod
- R-73 heat-seeking missile
- Kh-35 anti-shipping missile
- S-24 rocket
- MU90 Anti-submarine torpedo
- 250kg general-purpose bomb

Advantages:
- All-around improvement on Yak-38
- Can land on small ship decks
- Excellent anti-shipping capabilities

Disadvantages:
- Requires a catapult launch when fully loaded
- Air combat a secondary capability
- Expensive (by Soodean standards)

3-view diagram of a Yach-8, Unit 103 flown by Lt. Nikolai Volushkin. Note text in Sukomun.
This version displays a versatile load of rocket pods, anti-ship missiles, and anti-air missiles.






Design:
While the Imperial Navy had relied primarily on conventional aircraft carriers and devoted surface combat vessels for most of its existence, the purchase of a Kiev-class aircraft-carrying cruiser led to a renewed interest in combined-purpose naval vessels. This interest was further fueled by construction of prototype Battlecarriers in the CNA, a close ally of the Imperium. The Military Design Bureau from Severograd soon began to draw up plans for domestically produced vessels along similar lines, to be used in rapid-response operations under the Expeditionary Corps.

But while the ship design went on at full pace, there were growing concerns about the aircraft used. The Yak-38 VTOL attack aircraft included with the cruiser-carrier proved deeply flawed in all areas; their payload was too small, their range was too short, and their engines frequently malfunctioned in the hot climate of the southern Imperium. Clearly, they were unfit for duty, but the Imperium still desperately needed a fighter/attack aircraft that could operate from the small decks of the Kiev-class and its successors.

The Severograd bureau considered several plans to extensively refit and upgrade the aging aircraft, but in the end it was decided that the Yak-38s would be scrapped in favor of an entirely new design. Officially classified as the Yach-8, this plane represents an all-around improvement over the Yak-38, featuring vast increases in key areas of performance and endurance. Changes included a larger wing area, more powerful engines, and (as a result) an increased capacity for weapons and fuel. The only drawback of the redesign is that the new fighter must be launched with a catapult or jet assisted takeoff unit, as it is unstable when taking off fully loaded.

Overview:
Overall, the Yach-8 can be considered an all-around upgrade of the Soviet Yak-38. Its main role is as a ground attack aircraft ("Shturmovik") for use against naval targets and coastal defenses, though it also has some capacity to serve as a fighter. Depending on the mission, it can carry bombs, rockets, fuel tanks, torpedoes, or anti-ship missiles on the five innermost hardpoints, with the two outer ones reserved for air-to-air missiles. Due to its increased weight, it can land vertically but requires an added boost for launch, making it a STOVL rather than VTOL aircraft.

Tactics:
The Yach-8's most common ground-attack tactic is a conventional strafing run, in which the plane makes a low dive at the target, fires guided missiles or rocket salvos, then pulls away. It may also be used to drop conventional 250-kilogram bombs, though due to the aircraft's cost this is rarely used on targets with heavy AA capabilities. Recent trials have experimented with a submarine-hunting tactic that involves slowing to a near-hover over the water, dropping torpedoes, then boosting into level flight again. However, due to the risk of instability when hovering with a full load, most anti-submarine missions are still carried out by helicopters.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Kara-II Class AA/ASW Cruiser


Click for full-size image

Overview:

---

The Kara-II class is a new type of vessel which entered service with the Soodean Imperial Navy in 2007. Essentially an upgrade of the Kara-class cruiser, it specializes in AA and ASW operations. The former is provided by an S-300FM SAM installation with a maximum range of 150 km, and a 9M217 Ezh (Navalized Buk system) on the bow for area defense at closer ranges. Anti-submarine weapons include helicopters, anti-submarine missiles, torpedo tubes, and rapid-firing depth charge rocket launchers.

Armament:

---

- 8x URPK-4 Metel-U Anti-Submarine Missile in 2 quad angled launch tubes
- 24x S-300FM SAM in 6 quad VLS tubes
- 1x 9M217 Ezh SAM on reloadable swiveling launch rail
- 2x Kashtan Missile-CIWS
- 4x 30mm AK-630 CIWS
- 2x5 533mm Torpedo tubes
- 2x2 AK-762 76mm dual-purpose cannon
- 2x RBU-1000 Anti-Submarine Rocket Projector
- 2x RBU-6000 Anti-Submarine Rocket Projector
- 2x Ka-27 Helicopter in dual hangar

Design

---

The design originated with the hulls and superstructures of a group of Kara-Class Cruisers bought from a cash-strapped state downsizing its military. After examining and assessing the ships, which were already in a state of disrepair, Naval High Command made the decision to refit them. The upgrade process was originally limited to the replacement of the Shtorm SAMs with Buk-derived 9M317 launchers, but this was soon followed by the installation of S-300 long-range SAMs, and eventually a thorough refit of the entire superstructure. Main changes:
- Replaced forward 2x M-11 Shtorm SAM with 1x 9M317 Ezh SAM
- Replaced rear 2x M-11 Shtorm SAM with 20 VLS tubes for S-300FM (as seen on Russian cruiser Azov)
- Enlarged rear hangar to accommodate two Ka-27 ASW helicopters
- Replaced side 9K33 Osa SAMs with Kashtan systems
- Enlarged the bridge and superstructure
- Recolored in Soodean Navy paint scheme.

Role:

---

As an "AA/ASW Cruiser," the Kara-II is best suited for defensive duties, protecting other ships in a fleet from aerial and submarine attacks. Typically, a few of them will be stationed on the flanks of a larger battlegroup at sail in open seas, but in a combat situation they will withdraw toward the formation's center or rear. Their S-300FM missiles provide an umbrella of air defense 150 kilometers in diameter, and their RPK-3 missile-carried torpedoes and two Ka-27 helicopters allow them to engage submarines from afar; these capabilities, and their relative lack of anti-surface weapons, mean the Kara-II cruisers prefer to fight from a safe distance wherever possible.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Infantry Weapons of the Soodean Imperium

*this section is very much under construction*

Overview:
Soodean infantry weapons tend to resemble Eastern Bloc weapons in appearance and function, emphasizing reliability and ease of maintenance over accuracy and rate of fire. Almost all are manufactured in the Imperium itself, though some are imported from abroad. For logistical compatibility, some weapons are designed to use a different type of round. Due to highly restrictive laws, these weapons are only used by the military, and may not be owned by private citizens.

Assault rifles:
Generally used by footsoldiers and armed guards except where otherwise indicated
AK-74
Type 81
AK-107 (elite forces)

Compact Assault Rifles:
Compact Assault Rifles refer to bullpup rifles and carbines, which are used by specialist infantry expected to deal with tight spaces (such as those assigned to IFVs, APCs, and Urban Storm Units).
AK-104
QBZ-95(modified for the AK-74's 5.45×39mm round)

Light Machine Guns:
Lightweight Machine-Guns used by infantry units
MG3(modified for the 7.7x58mm Arisaka)
PKM (modified for the 7.7x58mm Arisaka)

Rifles:
Rifles are not used by the main forces, but commonly appear in military parades, and are used by emergency defensive forces.
Type 98 Arisaka-II (domestic Soodean design, seen on parades and used by some reserve units)
Mosin-Nagant 1891/30 (emergency partisan reserves)
SVT-40 (emergency partisan reserves)

Pistols:
Pistols can serve two distinct purposes, either as a sidearm for soldiers or a ceremonial weapon for officers.
Luger (9mm Parabellum) (officers' weapon)
M9 Beretta (infantry sidearm)

Sniper Rifles:
Soodean infantry squads typically contain a dedicated marksman, who is tasked with picking off enemy targets at long range.
SVD (modified for the 7.7x58mm Arisaka)

Shotguns:
Shotguns are rarely used by Soodean footsoldiers, but specialized close-quarters units commonly carry them.
Saiga-12

Special Weapons:
The Special Intelligence Corps makes use of a variety of specialized weapons which do not see common infantry service.
PP-90 concealed SMG
PSS noiseless pistol
PSM compact pistol

Rocket Launchers:
Due to the increasingly mechanized nature of warfare, most Soodean infantry squads include a specialized anti-tank soldier with a rocket launcher. The typical ammunition load includes both shaped-charge and high-explosive rounds.
RPG-7
RPO-A (elite forces)

Grenade Launchers:
Under-Barrel Grenade Launchers are a rare sight among Footsoldiers, but Motor-Rifle and Elite squads use them more often.
GP-25

[The Soodean Imperium]

code=31

Motor-Rifle Infantry


Soodean infantry of the 544th Motor-Rifle Battalion in Themiclesia.
Note the BTR-70 APCs in the background.

Overview:

---

Transported into battle inside armored combat vehicles, Motor-Rifle Infantry serve a key role in the Soodean Army's Combined Arms operations. They are typically better-trained than common Footsoldier conscripts, but not as much as the Special Forces; they can be compared to average infantry in most modern developed-country armies. In line with the Soodean Army's decimal organization, a Squad consists of 10 soldiers, including the crew of the transport vehicle. They are divided into two classes: IFV squads to provide suppressing fire, and APC squads to storm tight positions.

IFV Squads:

---

IFV squads are transported into battle aboard Infantry Fighting Vehicles, which are typically tracked and heavily armed with a crew of 3. These squads include a high degree of specialization, and are generally tasked with suppressing or eliminating key targets from a relatively large distance, often firing into the open from a position of cover. The infantry operate in two-man fire teams: one rifleman carries extra RPG warheads, another advances ahead and spots targets for the sniper, and the third moves up under the machinegunner's covering fire to recover wounded men. This structure allows for excellent cooperation in long-range engagements, but leaves few "open riflemen" for charge and storm tactics.

- Vehicle Commander
- Vehicle Driver
- Vehicle Gunner
- Sergeant
- AT infantry
- Rifleman (AT assistant)
- Marksman
- Rifleman (spotter)
- Machine Gunner
- Rifleman (medic)

APC Squads:

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APC squads are optimized for rapid strike and storm operations, in which the soldiers approach the target in the APC, disembark, eliminate all resistance at close range, then climb back in and leave the area. For this purpose, they typically involve larger numbers of assault riflemen, though they lack a marksman and a trained medic.

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Military Designs of the Soodean Imperium

This page is a node. See the list of links below the summary for more information about those topics.

Overview:

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While the Imperial Army generally relies on reverse-engineered or license-produced Soviet technology, there has been a recent push to transition to more modern vehicles designed entirely in the Soodean Imperium. These vehicles often follow similar design doctrines to the Soviet home units' equipment (not to be confused with the inferior "Monkey Models" designated for export), with an emphasis on easy manufacture and maintenance alongside impressive technological quality.

Ground Vehicles:
- BPT-5 "Tragat"
- FnK-5 "Feszek"
- Su'Chong 6 "Vanguard"

Aircraft:
- Su-Ne 1 "Dart"
- Su-Ne 2 "Falchion"
- Yach-8 "Vector"

Other:
- Ha-150 towed artillerypiece

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Armored Regiments

OOC: This page is null and void due to the 2005 military reforms to boost realism. It will be edited in the coming days.

2nd Armored Regiment of the 18th Legion, in formation prior to training exercises during the Pantorran Missile Crisis

Overview:

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As of the recent Military Reforms of 2005, every Armored Legion contains three Armored Regiments as part of its front-line force. The post-reform version is a well-rounded unit complete with its own artillery, anti-air, engineers, and logistics trucks, allowing it to operate independently from the rest of the Legion if needed. In battle, it is one of the units most likely to be featured in front-line engagements on open ground.

Order of Battle:

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One Armored Regiment contains:
- 90x Main Battle Tank (T-64BV, T-72B, T-90A, or SCh-6)
- 30x Heavy IFV (BPT-5)

- 15x Self-Propelled Artillery (2S3, SMH-4)

- 8x Self-Propelled AA gun (FnK-5)
- 4x Medium-Range SAM (Tor or Strela-10M3)

- 10x Tank Destroyer (MT-LB with Shturm, or SM-3)
- 5x Light MLRS (BM-14)

- 6x Engineer Tank
- 3x Bridgelayer Vehicle (MTU-55 or MTU-72

- 2x Recon IFV (BRM-1)
- 4x Motorcycle
- 2x Armored Car (BRDM-2M-96
- 3x APC (BTR-80

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Military Reforms of 2005

*this page is still incomplete*

OOC Note: dates are in the IC timeline. In Real-Life, these changes were made from October 2013 onward

Soodean Motor-Rifle Infantry of the 44th Armored Division conducting training in the fields outside Huangmenchap.

Overview:

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The Military Reforms of 2005 refer to an extensive program of intensive doctrinal reform, procurement re-prioritization, and organizational restructuring that occurred in the Soodean Military starting in the year of 2005. Ordered in response to the Soodean Army's poor performance in the Themiclesian Murder War, these changes were meant to transform the Soodean Military from a post-revolutionary arm of the state into a truly efficient fighting force. Its effects are widely seen in today's military; ten years later, the Soodean Military possesses a professional officer corps, a comprehensive doctrine, and a land, air, and sea arsenal whose quality is rapidly on the rise.

Origins:

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When Soodean High Command ordered an intervention in the Themiclesian internal conflict in late 2004, officials at all levels of command generally believed that the conflict would end in a swift and easy victory. The enemy lacked moral support, the intervening coalition possessed overwhelming strength, and the relatively short distances involved allowed the transport of a very large force. Reality, however, proved a coldly shocking disappointment. After a rapid but disorganized initial advance, the Soodean army stalled out on the outskirts of Southwood, and was unable to press any further. While the main reason for the sudden stalemate was the arrival of a large and technologically advanced Frenco-Ardavian force in the city, internal criticism found no shortage of targets.

For all its national pride, the Soodean military was simply in no condition to fight a proper conventional war. The Army still included a large number of "Footsoldier" units with minimal mechanization, and in many cases the only reliable mode of long-range transport was Tank-Desant. Equipment and organization of these units was also poor, and in many cases they suffered appalling casualties in massed charges against superior fire. The latter problem was just as much a failing of the Soodean commanders, who were appointed from a corrupt political apparatus that favored adherence to moral ideology over skill and innovation. Air support was the most lacking field - since the 1987 coup, the Soodean military had prioritized anti-aircraft defenses over air cover and artillery strikes over air support. Consequently, most aircraft in the ISAF's inventory were clearly outdated, to the point that old "Su-Ne" ground-attack aircraft were being used in the air-to-air role. According to some scholars who wrote after the signing of the ceasefire, there were several periods in the conflict where even a slightly competent counter-offensive by Murderist units could have easily cut off the main Soodean forces and decisively ended the war.

Military Organization:

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Prior to the Murder War, the Soodean military had adhered to a modified version of the DPR Menghe's military structure, which was itself based loosely on the military organization of the Soviet Army. "Loosely" refers primarily to the fact that Soodean infantry units in this period were characterized by a low level of mechanization. Armored and Motor-Rifle regiments carried their infantry in BTRs and BMPs, but the accompanying Footsoldier Regiments and Divisions fought on foot and traveled long distances on unarmored trucks or while riding Tank-Desant. Beyond its obvious impact on units' combat performance, this caused unacceptable lags in operational mobility, especially where small and flexible maneuvers were needed. Following the 2005 reforms, Footsoldier units were disbanded or reorganized into mechanized ones, though in some cases delivery of the transports did not take place until several years later. Today, there are no Footsoldier units in active service, though reservist formations carried to the battlefield in unarmored trucks can still be called up in an emergency.

Other changes took place at higher levels of organization. In order to allow greater flexibility and independent operation, units down to the Regiment level were provided with greater organic supporting elements and supply capacity, though the Division remains the smallest formation capable of independent operation. Above this level, permanent Corps and Armies were formed along the troubled Western Border, and the Air Defense, Artillery, and Logistics Legions were broken up into smaller constituent parts to allow a greater flexibility of supply.

Infantry Training:

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Officer Training:

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Of all the changes made in the 2005 process, none met with more opposition than the disbandment of the traditional Legion system. Under this system, units at the Division level were referred to as Legions, as in "15th Armored Legion." Control of a Legion brought with it considerable prestige, as it was the largest peacetime component unit (much like the Regiment in the British system) and each came to develop its own history and traditions. This independent development, however, proved problematic for coordination under the new system, especially with regard to the practice of gathering an Army's various supporting elements into Artillery, Air Defense, and Logistics Legions. In many cases, it had also become associated with entrenched cliques of conservative officers who opposed the new changes on grounds of tradition. Debate on the status of the Legions continued for years, and by the early '10s it seemed that a halfway solution was in the works. This decision was promptly reversed in 2011, when a sudden decree with Emperor Su Dou's support ordered the reorganization of all Legions into Divisions or their component parts. A minor concession to the old tradition was made in 2012, when experienced or famous units were assigned the title of Legion (as in "12th Legion-Division" or "125th Legion-Regiment") where the Guards title had previously been used.

Naval Reforms

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[The Soodean Imperium]

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Motor-Rifle Battalion

Click here for detailed full-size diagram

Overview:

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The term Motor-Rifle refers to a motorized infantry unit equipped with wheeled APCs, usually the BTR-80. Currently, one Motor-Rifle Battalion contains 544 personnel, of whom 335 are combat infantry, and 45 combat APCs. It is also equipped with organic heavy mortars, MANPADS, Heavy Machine-Guns, and ATGMs, though it does not have organic tank support. All its combat units (except the mortar carriers) are fully amphibious, but their wheeled chassis are better-suited to flat, packed terrain than mud or very uneven ground. These units are better-suited for fast attacks and counterattacks rather than prolonged armored engagements.

Organization:

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Unit: Officers/Enlisted

0th Platoon HQ: 5/8
1st Company Motor-Rifle Infantry: 7/92
2nd Company Motor-Rifle Infantry: 7/92
3rd Company Motor-Rifle Infantry: 7/92
4th Company Anti-Tank: 6/49
5th Company Fire Support: 7/49
6th Company Communications: 2/8
7th Battery Mortar: 7/60
8th Platoon Logistics: 1/32
9th Platoon Medical Aid: 1/12

Equipment:

---

Commissioned Officers: 50
Enlisted Personnel: 494
APCs: 45
Combat Infantry: 335
RPGs: 30
MANPADS: 12
ATGMs: 12
Mortars: 9
Armored auxiliary: 8
Soft-skinned auxiliary: 37

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Templates for Soodean Diplomatic Letters:

Basic Diplomatic Letter

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Bureau of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs

To Cooperate with the Righteous Against the Forces of Darkness

To: Name, Office of Nation

Text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text

From:
--Wen Hong, Director of Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs
The Soodean Imperium

[The Soodean Imperium]

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Combat Readiness Ratings (The Line System)

Overview:

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In the Soodean Armed Forces, a Combat Readiness Rating (or "Line") is the equivalent of a unit's status as Active/Reserve in most national militaries. The main difference is that, rather than splitting troops along a binary line, it consists of five categories, listed from "Line One" (fully equipped and ready to head overseas) to "Line Five" (registered as a member of a Partisan unit). In a comparison of military strength, Lines One and Two can be counted as Active, Lines Three and Four can be counted as Reserves, and Line Five can be counted as paramilitary capability.

There are several competing theories as to how the term "Line" developed. Many first-time observers liken it to the concentric defensive lines which would surround a fortified position; Line One soldiers are the "first line of defense," Line Two the "second line of defense," and so on. Others speculate that it was linked to the bars of rank assigned to defensive units near the end of the Great Conquest, where the number of horizontal bars on the right sleeve differentiated experienced veterans from fresh partisans. At any rate, the term has stuck, and is used with great frequency in official documents.

Line One (AOS, Active-On-Standby):

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Line One troops comprise the Soodean Military's active standby force for intervention abroad. These units are kept at a high state of combat readiness, and are fully equipped so that they can be marshalled and dispatched in a relatively short time. Their equipment tends to be the best in the Soodean Military, and their training is held to a high standard. The personnel themselves are generally professional soldiers, signed up on five-year tours of duty. In peacetime, they are often used to patrol unstable areas, and regularly take part in live-fire battle simulations. The total strength of Line One units is currently estimated at 2 million.

Line Two (AIF, Active-In-Fort):

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AIF units are slightly less combat-ready than their Line One counterparts, and are intended to either reinforce Line One units in prolonged deployments or defend the Soodean Imperium in the event of an invasion. As such, their equipment is generally slightly less advanced, though all but a few Legions have all the necessary equipment for combat in ready storage. The tour of duty is also shorter, generally running at a 2-3 year standard contract. In peacetime, they usually remain stationed in permanent camps or forts. The total strength of Line Two units is currently estimated at 5 million.

Line Three (RLS, Reserve-Labor-Service):

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These units are technically active soldiers in that their official employment is military, they live in barracks, and they are organized into military units. However, they are primarily used as an "industrial reserve army" to quickly and efficiently build infrastructure, manufacture goods, or farm empty land. This labor improves the soldiers' physical strength, builds inter-reliance between soldiers, and encourages loyalty to the State; but the soldiers are only given weekly sessions of military training, and much of their equipment dates to the 1950s. As such, these "Reservists" are fiercely loyal but otherwise poorly trained, and will often be used in human wave shock assaults. The total strength of Line Three units is currently estimated at 11 million.

Line Four (RRS, Reserve-Reinforcement-Service):

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RRS Soldiers are the classic "army reserves" units; all are ordinary citizens employed outside the military who are registered to be called up for full service if the situation requires it. The category includes personnel on extended military leave, as well as Line One officers and soldiers who have finished a five-year tour and qualified for retirement, but still want to be ready in case their experience is needed. Nonetheless, the bulk of these units have received no proper military training. The total strength of Line Four units is estimated at 6 million.

Line Five (EPC, Emergency Partisan Corps):

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Line Five soldiers are individuals who have signed up with the EPC, essentially pledging that they will take up arms in defense of the Imperium if it is invaded. Given the high emphasis on loyalty and self-sacrifice in the national culture and the recent memory of the Great Conquest, enlistment in the EPC is very high, running at between 20 and 25% of the nation's 1.2-billion strong population. However, it is doubtful whether this number is of any value; many individuals who had not signed up with the EPC would still take up arms to fight, and many who have signed only did so to gain the social benefits that come with membership. Additionally, the Imperium's restrictive gun control laws mean that very few citizens have experience with firearms, and would only have a few weeks' training with an age-old rifle from an emergency storage shed by the time they meet their first combat. Nonetheless, if the last days of the Great Conquest are any example, their aggression and persistence shouldn't be underestimated.

Link to Military Table of Contents