Flawed doctrines....

By the above title I mean that for Cotu I built the (sometimes very
sub-optimum) national flavor doctrine then the vehicles for my
"un-campaign" forces.

The PHR were a direct inspired force from an old IBM/ATARI (maybe
others)
computer war  game nation.  Flawed in putting it mildly.  Christian
Communists.  The worst of both stereotypes. "Security in Numbers" and
"Necessity is the Mother of Inspiration" would be their philosophical
underpinnings.	With 5 Combat vehicles in a Platoon,  3 Platoons in a
Company and 4 Companies in a Battalion plus HQ/support vehicles they
basically depend on being able to absorb losses and overwhelm you at
critical points.

The NPC Doctrine is called "Firestorm" and depends on destroying or
suppressing vehicles ("Kill the AFVs and the infantry will follow") and
"Battle Rider" infantry for assault/close support in unfavorable terrain
the NPC hopes to keep to win the battle quickly and break the attacker
by
overwhelming them with missiles.  Since their potential foes are not
major powers this may be possible: 

[PHR - who see them as 'heathens' and are their most frequent foe - have
Basic ECM and Basic PDS; the IC use Enhanced ECM but their vehicles have
PDS that vary from Basic (or none) for many APC/MICV through Enhanced
for
others and Superior for HQ/Assault gun sections/VTOL (T) and spend most
of their effort on the PHR,  NEA, RH and LLAR respectively; RH mostly
has
clashed over sea resources with the NPC so land combat has been very
infrequent but they use Enhanced ECM, reactive Armor,  and generally
enhanced with some superior PDS {the NPC has tried to keep conflict via
sea or air assets if diplomacy doesn't work because they are concerned
about a land force clash with a group with the RH's resources}; the NEA
have other problems but tactically they have Superior ECm and (when they
have it) Enhanced or Superior PDS on their vehicles - they depend on
their MDC-5 PA assault tanks screened by light forces and/or
Infantry/Combat Walkers (size 2 through 4) to carry the day;  the LLAR
are close allies and the one time they clashed both governments were
turned out of office by popular discontent.]

The IC are there mostly so have a presence on the planet and to keep an
eye on the PHR (who dealt them a major internal blow before the entire
group, along with their ESU and Japan counterparts, were banished to
Cotu.)	The IC believes in rapid advances covered by artillery in mass
(2
Arty units supporting an assault by a short Battalion is required
doctrinally) plus Assault Infantry at critical points supporting line
infantry in an assault.  Strategic Offensive and Tactical Defensive are
the heart of their doctrine.

The RH is the group least interested in affairs on Cotu although they
have a significant presence in undersea nodule 'mining' on planet.  They
believe is short, sudden strikes on priority targets and most of their
clashes have been at sea (submarine usually) with the NPC or the NEA
with
some clashes with the PHR.

The NEA is the "wannabe" force on Cotu.  Limited by small population and
cost concerned politicians the NEA has fallen back on the 'technical
superiority' mantra.  Having no way to compete in numbers the
unconventional theories around Combat Walkers and large Assault tanks
using MDCs and PA has won favor in NEA political-military circles.  All
politicians in the NEA are either retired flag officers or successful
businessmen/women.  There is a saying about NEA politicians by the other
groups.  "You can't run for office in the NEA unless you have 2 stars or
2 billion credits."

The LLAR is on planet as part of the LLAR effort to watch NAC and NAC
supported groups and find their place in the stellar systems.  They are
deeply affected still by the near mythical role of cavalry in the wars
of
liberation on Earth where the LLAR got it's start (and still holds South
and Central America up to but  not including Mexico in my games.)  The
LLAR has liberal amounts of Mortar vehicles starting at Company level to
support fast moving attacks.  The LLAR believes if you defeat the enemy
forces the geography will fall too.

That's a brief synopsis of what I used to design the Cotu military
forces
in my games.

Gracias,
Glenn

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