Re: [VV] Meran Cluster

On Mon, 7 Feb 2005 09:10:18 -0500, laserlight@quixnet.net
<laserlight@quixnet.net> wrote:

> Given the tech level, I'd rather they were using natural jump points
> instead of setting up their own.  Otherwise good.

The Maran Empire was definitely a Tier 1 system.  And I wanted jump
points of limited military value.

> >I designed one star system, the Lithian Commonwealth, with miltary
> forces FT/DS.  Any interest?
> 
> Yes.	Depending on length, maybe a summary to the list and the
extended
> version to whoever wants to write the web page...which I suspect is
going
> to be me.

Summary:

Perhaps 20% of the population is "Gentry" (best English translation). 
Gentry, by social custom are limited in the occupations they can hold,
primarily landowning/capitalist/military.  All members of the Gentry
class have a vote in Parliment.  In practice, most gentry members give
proxies to Magnates who are social equals but far wealthier and
control large areas of land, great wealth, and/or private armed
forces.  There is an elected-for-life Grand Duke.  He mainly controls
the Fleet, although the Fleet is supported both by the Grand Duke's
personal estates (and those of his personal retainers, in his position
as a magnate in his own right) and by taxation supported by the
Parliment.

The Gentry have a well-developed Code Duello, which extends to miltary
conflict between Magnates with their private armed forces.  On-planet
military operations are highly limited in rules of engagement which
are designed to eliminate as nearly as possible noncombatant
casualties.  These rules of warfare are enforced by the Fleet. 
Typically the engagements between the household troops consist of a
great deal of maneuver, with a short, sharp engagement terminated by
surrender of the disadvantaged party.

The Fleet is primarily a self-defense organization, divided into N
Task Forces, each consisting of Strike Groups based around 2-4 Armored
Cruisers (88 Mass) and Carrier Groups based around 2-4 Strike Carriers
(110 Mass).  These are both escorted by escort cruisers(1-2) and
destroyers (3-5), and more destroyers and corvettes are formed into
Patrol Groups of 8-10 vessels.

The Fleet operates a Naval Infantry Brigade consisting of
combat-armored assault troops, with the capability to land a BN at a
time in shuttlecraft, and has a number of planetary-based Fighter
Groups, each of 4-6 squadrons.	Squadrons are broken into 3 6-craft
flights.

The typical Magnate's ground forces are organized into a Cavalry
Brigade.  This consists of an Armored Group (large company) and 2-4
Mounted Rifle Regiments, plus an Artillery Batallion, Engineer
Company, Anti-armor Company, etc.  Each Regiment has 4 Rifle
Squadrons, a Machine Gun Squadron, and platoons of Scouts, Anti-armor,
and Engineers.

Squadrons may be mechanized in APCs, motorized in either trucks or
jeeps, or horse-mounted.

Any Magnate whose military gets too large, either gets a pointed visit
from the Fleet or from his neighbors.

It's chaotic, unstable, and messy.  But it isn't supposed to be stable
long-term, what would be the fun in that?

John
-- 
"Thousands of Sarmatians, Thousands of Franks, we've slain them again
and again.  We're looking for thousands of Persians."
--Vita Aureliani