RE: More IC questions

This has been sitting in my Drafts folder since June; I
thought the thread had gone cold:

> From: ~ On Behalf Of Glenn M Wilson
> Sent: 30 June 2003 04:47
> To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu;
>     Stargrunt-Fullthrust@yahoogroups.com;
>     Dirtside_2_Players_Guild@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: More IC questions

> What do you think the IC would be most likely to do for
> recruitment? <snip>

> 1) Recruit ethnically homogeneous units?
> 2) Recruit individuals and parcel them out?
> 3) Recruit (and garrison) locally?

> Would there be a core of the 'regulars' on each colony 
> planet to stiffen/control the local self defense forces
> (and watch the 'governor' raised forces? Or would
> raising military forces off planet be restricted to
> "Supra-National" troops only?

I did a little scratching around on this, and modern-day
Indonesia certainly seems a patchwork. So the official
language is Bahasa Indonesian, but more Indonesians speak
Javanese? And both of these are minority languages since
there are over 300 languages across the islands, mostly
concentrated in particular areas and spoken by populations
varying from a few thousands to several millions? Who
needs interstellar colonies? These people already have a
good analogy of their own.

It's possible that in the years before colonisation mass
media will have rationalised the number of languages down,
possibly to the point where most IC citizens can speak
the state language. For example, the Chinese now claim
that 93% of their population can speak Mandarin. By
contrast, I keep on finding figures suggesting that only
5% of India is fluent in English (though this may be
rapidly changing.) 

Assuming that linguistic convergence and integration
isn't widespread, I would expect the IC to use all three
of your options in the classic Praetorian model. Tier 3
is comprised of your local forces, raised on the same
planet (for lack of interstellar transport?) with a single
language, simple command structure and local support.
Politically suspect, they have the worst equipment,
frequently manufactured on-planet.

Tier 2 contains drafts from tier 3, uprooted from their
homeworlds and given better training, equipment and pay.
They keep their own officers and draw replacements from
their planets of origin, but do not go home until they
are demobilised. Indeed, they may never return at all
but instead may be packed off to found new colonies,
along with accompanying dependents or new brides pressed
from their homeworlds. These troops are loyal to the IC
because they are surrounded by strangers and the navy
is their only way home.

Tier 1 are your Praetorians*, picked troops of all ranks
with proven combat records and a good command of the IC
language. Confident individual soldiers, they can be
slotted into any IC TOE that their specialisations permit.
On retirement they can select the planet to retire to and
can count on preferential treatment, including reserved
occupations and a worthwhile pension.

Tier 2 can beat any four tier 3 units and can engage far
higher strategic odds due to superior mobility. Tier 1
think they can beat any four tier 2 units, and tier 2
know better than to try it. Tier 3 simply think tier 2
can beat ten times their own number, and rout if
confronted by a tier 1 unit.

Given that it's very bad press for your Praetorians to
lose a scrap, I would expect tier 1 to remain as
garrisons or only get low-risk assignments (ideally
with the prospect of a high enemy bodycount). It would
be the better tier 2 units that get fielded as cheap
mercenary units, particularly to give them experience. 

* Yes, I know in reality the Praetorian Guard didn't
  work like that; I'm just going with the popular image.
  It might be 2,000 year-old propaganda, but it's GOOD
  propaganda.