Doctrine
Modern Ellian military doctrine is shaped by its vastly inferior technology and industry relative to the Morimpan Empire combined with its comparatively low population, low population density and low population growth in addition to traditional Ellian religious doctrines of non-violence, mutual co-existence, mercy and compassion. Under these circumstances, the Ellian military is to be considered an innately defensively force at every level of command; organised and structured accordingly.
The Dominion of Elliannia is bordered by hostile nations to the galactic rim and to the galactic core as well as above and below the galactic plane whilst surrounded by highly developed alien nations. To overcome its inherent geographical disadvantages, Ellian foreign policy emphasises building amicable relationships with all neighbouring powers but remaining neutral in regional affairs to avoid upsetting the delicate balance of power. Furthermore, by securing extensive defensive treaties against hostile nations, the Dominion is able to partially offset its technologic and industrial disadvantages.
To strengthen its economic standing and to compensate for manpower shortages in the event of a war, both the civilian industry and the military industry are extensively automated. Manufacturing is geared towards high-volume mass production of standardised goods, designed and approved by a central authority to ensure universal compatibility. Education, healthcare and welfare policies must strive towards maintaining an intelligent, fit and healthy population, especially when the employment of physical labour in the manufacturing sector has been eliminated by automation.
In line with this mode of thinking, the recruitment pool must be quantitatively and qualitatively augmented in such a way as to be culturally acceptable to the Ellian public. As the automation of the fighting forces violates traditional cultural and religious values, the creation of a genetically engineered clone army becomes a necessity for the survival of the state. The integration of this new population with existent Ellian society is critical to public acceptance and thus pivotal to the success of this initiative.
Thus, at the grand strategical level, the Ellian military must be considered a defensively structured and organised force responsible for deterring foreign invasions and capable of repelling any and all incursions into Ellian territory without any allied assistance in-theatre. Achieving this outcome requires the integration of top-level Army and Starforce grand strategical planning in order to coordinate forces across multiple theatres of war, as well as the skilful management of national resources and international relationships.
Amberwell's The Art of War
Amberwell's
The Art of War (not to be confused with other works by the same name) is the most influential Ellian military treatise in modern usage. The work is attributed to the myriad of members of House Amberwell who served in the New Kasmari Defence Force from 10064HE to 12000HE under the Karadana Dynasty. The text is comprised of thirteen chapters, each devoted to a specific aspect of military conduct.
The Art of War analyses the state of the New Kasmari military and the New Kasmari economy in relation to universal constants, the physical laws and traditional cultural and religious beliefs. The text only touches on strategy and tactics briefly and instead spends much of its time exploring military psychology and its influence on structure, organisation, logistics, command, efficiency and morale. It also stresses the importance of leadership, intelligence and espionage to all level of command.
In particular, the
The Art of War identifies the four main military attitudes or personalities in conducting warfare and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each stance. These are, in the order mentioned in the text; fire, representing the offensive spirit and proactiveness; earth, representing the defensive spirit and inactiveness; air, representing neutrality and passiveness; and water, representing flexibility and reactiveness.
1. A good commander, like a good magician, is one that masters his or her favoured element. The better commander is one that masters the element that is strong against his or her favoured element so as to offset his or her weaknesses. The best commander is one who masters all the elements such that, regardless of his or her opponent's methods, he or she may always retain the advantage.
- Chapter 5: Attack By Fire, Amberwell's The Art of War (12000HE).
Fire
The fire form commander is a specialist in the offensive arts and exercises a style of warfare emphasising proactive manoeuvring that undermines the position of his or her opponent. Through the skilful employment of energy, momentum and timing, the fire form commander is able to neutralise portions, or, occasionally, the entirety, of the enemy's defence, rendering them inert or even irrelevant.
1. Raise the temperature along the entire front and that which is combustible will catch ablaze. Identify the routes most conductive to your attack, then strike like a thunderbolt. Burn through that which is vulnerable and leave nothing but ashes. One only needs to destroy the foundations. Without it, no house can stand.
2. Ignite all that is flammable in the enemy's interior to divert attention away from the primary objective. Be opportunistic and threaten key targets along the whole line. Pin down the enemy where they stand and do not allow them to come to each other's aid.
3. You must gain the initiative and never lose it. Speed and momentum are key to the advance. Like a forest fire, you must drive the fleeing animals before you. Allow them no rest. Permit them no respite. And when they are exhausted, engulf them in flames.
- Chapter 5: Attack By Fire, Amberwell's The Art of War (12000HE).
Earth
The earth form commander is a specialist in the defensive arts and exercises a style of warfare emphasising careful positioning and inactivity. By conserving one's energy and concentrating one's strength, the earth form commander frustrates the enemy by maintaining unassailable positions of vital strategic and/or tactical importance. The earth form commander only leaves an established position once a better position has been found and a route towards it is secured, never exposing himself to an attack.
1. Any successful defence must surround two foci. The first is the objective, for which the action is fought. The second is the depot, from which all supplies must be sourced.
2. Should the depot be lost, the objective will follow and the fighting forces will starve. Should the objective be lost, the depot will remain secure and the objective can be retaken. Thus it is imperative that the depot is insulated from attacks in all directions and sufficiently stocked up to weather an extended siege.
3. Therefore, invite the enemy to bleed themselves out on the jagged rocks of the objective but never permit them within an inch of your depot.
- Chapter 6: Immovable Forces, Amberwell's The Art of War (12000HE).
The Art of War explains that earth is strong against air and weak against fire due to its inactive nature. The static, omnidirectional defence of the earth form requires large portions of the reserves to be committed to forward positions, making it vulnerable to a concentrated attack in a single sector, especially whilst experiencing fire form's signature diversionary attacks at the same time. To compensate for the earth form's lack of flexibility, Amberwell recommends pairing up earth form commanders with water form commanders.
Air
The air form commander is a specialist in espionage and exercises a style of warfare emphasising passive observation. Through the employment of skilful manoeuvring, stealth and infiltration, the air form commander is able to avoid direct confrontation with the enemy's main forces whilst gaining vital information on the enemy's disposition, intentions and goals.
The air form seeks to be omnipresent behind enemy lines where it may gather intelligence and monitor the movement of enemy troops, equipment and supplies. Where necessary, the air form commander may launch offensive actions against the enemy's rear to disrupt supply lines and bog down enemy resources. This characterises the air form as a special operations discipline unlike any other mentioned in the text.
The Art of War explains that air is strong against water and weak against earth due to its role on the battlefield. The static, omnidirectional defence of the earth form is predictable and subject to very few changes in the long term. This is in stark contrast to the fluid nature of the water form, which emphasises high mobility and flexibility. Thus, it is simply a matter of utility that observing and disrupting a water form opponent produces, proportionally, the greatest results.
Water
The water form commander is a reactionist specialising in manoeuvre warfare and exercises a style emphasising high mobility and flexible deployment. The water form differs from fire form and earth form in that it possesses both offensive and defensive capabilities through its ability to rapidly transition from attack to defence, and vice versa.
The water form commander conserves his or her energy behind friendly lines as a large reserve force that is ready to deploy along any part of the line should increased enemy activity be identified. Characteristically, the water force commander leaves a token force along the front tasked with maintaining contact with the enemy's main body such that any shift in pressure can be immediately felt and the reserves deployed accordingly.
1. Let your reserves appear as vast as the oceans and crash into the enemy like a tsunami. Flow around what is strong and drown what is weak.
- Chapter 8: The Flow of Battle, Amberwell's The Art of War (12000HE).
The Art of War explains that water is strong against fire and weak against air due to its heavy reliance on mobility. The large reserve force is particularly effective against fire form opponents as a counterattacking force, especially after the attackers have exhausted their forward momentum. Amberwell recommends water form commanders to be paired up with earth form commanders so that they may help compensate for their weaknesses and capitalise on their strengths.
The Army
The Army, broadly speaking, relies on its superior mobility to rapidly close with the enemy and destroy their ability to cause harm through the application of restrained and proportionate force. Speed and mobility at all levels of command are key to military success on the ground. Though strong in defence, the Army is logistically reliant on the Starforce for transportation and resupply when inside enemy territory.
The Army is structured around a defensive core made up of mechanised infantry supported by universal carriers. It is organised such that top-level commanders are able to move large concentrations of men and equipment with relative ease without sacrificing efficiency at the operational and tactical levels. However, due to the lack of intermediary ranks between the top-level commander and commanders on the strategical level, the Army can, at times, be strategical unwieldy.
The Infantry Corps
The infantry corps comprises the backbone of the Ellian Army and is made up of well-trained mechanised infantrymen specialising in close-quarters combat, combined arms, urban warfare, asymmetric warfare. Its role is to seek out and destroy the enemy's combat capacity through the application of restrained and proportionate force. The infantry corps can operate in all terrain, all climates, all weather and all conditions.
The Armoured Corps
The armoured corps is the anti-tank specialist arm of the Ellian Army and is exclusively made up of anti-tank gun carriers. It is distinguished from the infantry corps and the artillery corps by its reliance on the Ellian Anti-tank Gun Carrier No. 2 Mk 6, a variant of the Ellian Universal Carrier No. 1 Mk 2 boasting a turret-mounted 110 mm plasma cannon. In addition to providing long-range anti-tank support, the armoured corps is able to provide direct-fire artillery support up to a maximum range of 10 km.
The Ellian Universal Carrier No. 1 Mk 2 has a length of 8 m, a width of 3.2 m and a height of 2.5 m. The Ellian Anti-tank Gun Carrier No. 2 Mk 6 variant carries a 110 mm plasma cannon capable of penetrating up to 550 mm of solid armour at a range of 10 km. In comparison, the vehicle's own armour is 110 mm in thickness and can be defeated by 22 mm anti-tank weapons. Any penetrating hits to this vehicle will incapacitate the driver and the radio operator, leaving the anti-tank gun carrier immobilised and vulnerable to further enemy fire.
For this reason, the anti-tank gun carrier is to be deployed behind friendly lines as a self-propelled direct-fire artillery platform. Commanders are advised to always operate under the assumption that the enemy possesses anti-tank capabilities until proven otherwise and should conceal this vehicle accordingly. Relocation is recommended immediately after firing to prevent the loss of this vehicle to enemy anti-tank fire.
- Paragraph 9, Page 47, Army Field Manual No. 1 Mk 8 (12069HE)
The Artillery Corps
The artillery corps is the long-range indirect fire support arm of the Ellian Army and is exclusively made up of torpedo tube carriers. It is distinguished from the infantry corps and the armoured corps by its reliance on the Ellian Torpedo Tube Carrier No. 1 Mk 3, a variant of the Ellian Universal Carrier No. 1 Mk 2 boasting a hundred 50 mm torpedo tubes capable of firing anti-tank and anti-air torpedoes. The Ellian Torpedo Tube Carrier No. 1 Mk 3 possess a maximum firing range of 10 km.
The Ellian Torpedo Tube Carrier No. 1 Mk 3 is best used for counter-battery fire and defeating enemy tanks and aircraft that cannot be engaged by infantry and anti-tank gun carriers.
- Paragraph 7, Page 74, Army Field Manual No. 1 Mk 8 (12069HE)
The Starforce
The Starforce historically relies on its superior range and mobility to attack targets of opportunity and avoid confrontation with more capable enemy forces. However, following the First Battle of Rastho Prime, it became clear that Ellian vessels, individually, lack staying power due to flaws in Ellian armour design that are only apparent when facing the onslaught of kinetics. Modern Starforce doctrine largely relies on numerical superiority and first strike capabilities as a substitute for staying power.
The Starforce is structured around a defensive core made up of heavy cruisers operating under planar tactics and organised such that top-level commanders are able to move large concentrations of vessels with relative ease. However, due to the lack of intermediary ranks between the top-level commander and lower-level commanders, the Starforce's organisation is unwieldy at the operational and tactical levels. Logistically, due to manpower limitations and a lack of automation, the Starforce favours the employment of smaller ships utilising heavy weaponry to enable them to defeat larger opponents.
The Ellian Warp Drive
The invention of the Ellian warp drive in 10000HE changed the nature of spatial warfare forever. Unlike conventional warp drives, the Ellian warp drive travels at a constant speed of 132 times the speed of light and did not require spooling or recharging, allowing vessels to depart instantaneously. Additionally, the Ellian warp drive is non-steerable and relied completely on the orientation of the ship prior to the warp drive's activation to determine the direction of travel. Thus extremely precise pre-jump calculations and timekeeping were required to arrive at the correct destination.
These unique limitations had immediate ramifications on military operations. For example, the natural interdiction range is the distance from a star where the star's natural gravity well is strong enough to pop warp bubbles. For the Ellian warp drive, the natural interdiction range of a star with 1 solar mass is 4.5 AU. Thus, Starforce tacticians were forced to develop methods for trapping the enemy in the star's natural interdiction range and prevent them from leaving.
The Cruiser Force
The cruiser force comprises the backbone of the Ellian Starforce and is made up of corvettes, light cruisers, heavy cruisers and dreadnoughts. It is distinguished from the carrier force and the destroyer force by its employment of heavy plasma cannons. As the largest and most diversified arm of the Starforce, the cruiser force is responsible for all manner of battlefield operations including reconnaissance, skirmishing, screening and forming the plane-of-battle.
Ellian plasma cannons have an alpha range of a little over 600 kilometres and the 1100 mm plasma cannon can reliably penetrate 2400 mm of armour at a range of 1 light second. It can also penetrate 580 mm of armour at a range of 1 light minute. It is important to note that due to plasma-armour interactions, accumulative damage made by successive hits from plasma weaponry is capable of penetrating armour of any thickness given sufficient hits.
To maximise damage output, gunners are advised to fire all guns in a single battery as salvo, thus ensuring that the total armour penetration of each salvo is multiplicative with the number of individual hits scored on the enemy target. For example, a standard turret consists of four guns and a typical battery comprises six turrets. Should all guns score a hit on an enemy target at a range of 1 light minute, a total penetration value of up to 13920 mm may be achieved, though in practice a value of 3480 mm constitutes the average.
- Paragraph 8, Page 345, Starforce Field Manual No. 1 Mk 8 (12069HE)
The mainstay of the cruiser force is the
Lax class cruiser which carries a primary armament of almost a hundred 1100 mm plasma cannons. This heavy armament, coupled with heavy armour, allows the
Lax to excel at close to medium range fleet action against the bulk of enemy fleets. As such, the class is typically the main constituent of the plane-of-battle and typically engages the enemy battleplane at distances of approximately two to three light minutes.
Making up the plane-of-battle alongside them are the
Princess Erika class dreadnoughts. Though lesser in number, dreadnoughts are exceptionally well-armed and well-armoured which permits their use as shock formations. Dreadnoughts are typically placed towards the rear of the plane-of-battle, immediately behind the
Lax class cruisers. This allows them to conserve their strength until their deployment against a weakened enemy.
Supporting both them is the more numerous
Rosy class light cruisers whose role is to act as screening forces for the rest of the fleet. For this reason, light cruisers are usually deployed to the front, flanks and rear of the plane-of-battle. In addition to screening duties, light cruisers are commonly used to harass enemy formations, particularly during the opening phases of an engagement. Effective light cruiser screens are vital to defending fleets from torpedoes and small craft.
The Carrier Force
The carrier force is the planetary operations arm of the Ellian Starforce and is exclusively made up of carriers. It is distinguished from the cruiser force and the destroyer force by its use of atmospheric-capable and non-atmospheric small craft. These small craft excel at providing air support to terrestrial forces but are highly vulnerable to point-defence screens. Thus, carriers are often only deployed after the enemy fleet has been driven from orbit.
The Destroyer Force
The destroyer force is the long-range specialist arm of the Ellian Starforce and is exclusively made up of destroyers. It is distinguished from the cruiser force and the carrier force by its reliance on powerful anti-ship torpedoes and torpedo tubes. These torpedoes excel at destroying enemy capital ships at long-range but are highly vulnerable to point-defence screens. Thus, destroyers become more effective towards the end of a battle when the enemy point-defence screen has been weakened by artillery fire.
The destroyer force works in conjunction with the cruiser force as long-range artillery support but does not participate in the plane-of-battle. During the opening phases of a battle, destroyers often advance in concert with light cruisers to deliver long-range torpedo salvoes before retreating behind the battleplane to regroup. After doing so, destroyer formations are typically deployed on wide flanking sorties alongside extended light cruiser screens to harass enemy formations from afar.
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