United Communes Defense Forces

Messidorian Armed Forces
Forces Armées du Messidor Iɣskrbiln n Mgrawi
File:Messidor Army Emblem.png File:Messidor Naval Jack.png File:Messidor Roundel.png The Messidorian Army Corps' emblem, the Navy Corps' jack, and the Air Corps' roundel
Founded	1839 (1839)
Service branches	Messidorian Army Corps Messidorian Navy Corps Messidorian Air Corps
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	President Yolande-Minerve Saverne
Commissioned Chairperson	Lt. General Rezki Tinifsan
Personnel
Military age	18-55
Conscription	Voluntary service only
Active personnel	102,800 total: Army Corps: 55,200 Navy Corps: 31,500 Air Corps: 16,100

History

The Messidorian Army and Navy Corps were founded in 1839, 8 years after the founding of the Messidor Union. The formation of a standing military was a contentious issue among the various syndicates who had originally called to rely upon civil militias organized at a local level rather than a central military. After the loss of northern Tafriqt in 1833, the notion that such a force could effectively protect the Union was effectively dispelled, though it took a further 6 years before the exact details of the Messidorian Armed Forces would be determined. From the outset, the Army and Navy Corps were small, professional, volunteer forces which were organized under a federal union. Merovian and later Aɣmatian factories ensured that they were well-equipped and supplied, though the forces established an enduring reputation of poor discipline. Despite their reputation, the first major deployment of the Messidorian Army Corps in the Annexation of the Timna Strip in 1919 was a great success. The Messidorian Navy Corps served nearly the entirety of its first century and a half of existence as a patrol and deterrence fleet for ships making the transit across the Periclean Sea. During the Reannexation of Tafriqt in 1950-51, the Navy Corps ran blockades around the coast of Tafriqt and prevented any seaborne assault. They also saw major surface combat during the Fourth West Scipian War. The Messidorian Air Corps was founded in 1920 and rounded out the three branches. Elements of the Messidorian intelligence services are also incorporated into the armed forces, specifically the Naval Infantry Brigade of the Army Corps, which conducts counter-intelligence, special reconnaissance, and direct intervention missions.

Structure

The structure of the Messidorian Armed Forces is highly unusual for most nations but ultimately consistent with the Union's own logic. While elsewhere officers are trained and awarded commission and a strict military hierarchy is followed, each unit level of the Messidorian Armed Forces elect their commanders, i.e.: an infantry section elects its sergeant, a ship elects its captain, and the general staff is elected by its branch of service. Elibigilty for commissioned roles is often subject to criteria of education or seniority. It is this particular element of the armed forces' structure that bewilders more disciplined military forces in the world. For their part, officers and enlisted members of the Messidorian Armed Forces hold that the system creates a greater sense of camaradery and investment in the service.

The combined armed forces is overseen by the Directorate of Defence Armed Forces Committee. The committee is chaired by the most senior of the elected members who are commanders of each of the three branches. The Director of Defence is also a member of the committee. The present chairperson of the committee is General Rezki Tinifsan. Below the committee each branch has its own general's staff composed of the commanders of its subgroups and their staffs.

The Army Corps is composed of 22 regiments and an air component divided among two divisions: one based in Aɣmatia and the other in Merovia. At an operational level the regiments are organized into 8 brigades; 4 for each division. While conscription is unconstitutional in the Messidor Union, additional volunteer regiments can be raised in emergencies. There is no standing reservist force in the Army Corps.

The Navy Corps operates under a single unified fleet - the Periclean Fleet. The formal organization of the fleet is much looser than the Army Corps and most of the officers maintain the rank of "Captain", taking on command of larger formations only for the duration of a particular deployment. Presently, the Navy Corps has a few active deployments in the Periclean protecting the corridor between Merovia and Aɣmatia.

The Air Corps has two air divisions which are not strictly organized along geographic lines. Each division has 5 wings which may have as many as 72 aircraft each or as few as 15 according to the wing's role. Unlike both the Army Corps and the Navy Corps, the Air Corps has 6 air reserve squadrons which fly the dated AT-32 fighter aircraft.

Branches of service

Messidorian Army Corps

Equipment

Arms

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Calibre	Notes
Small arms
P16		Messidor	Pistol	10×25mm	Standard service pistol
FA-58		Messidor Tsurushima	Assault rifle	7×40mm	Standard service rifle, licenced production of the Tsurushiman Type 89 rifle in 7×40mm 420 mm (16.5 in) barrel
FA-58C		Messidor Tsurushima	Carbine	7×40mm	Carbine variant of the FA-58 300 mm (11.8 in) barrel
FA-58X		Messidor Tsurushima	Carbine	7×40mm	Short carbine variant of the FA-58 for vehicle crews and pilots 190 mm (7.5 in) barrel
FR-55		Messidor	Marksman rifle	7.5×54mm	Second generation update of the Mle 105 service rifle
FM-21		Messidor	Medium machinegun	7.5×54mm	Section support weapon and vehicle-mounted machinegun
FM-27	File:MAC-58 FM-66.jpg	Messidor	Heavy machinegun	12.7×99mm	Vehicle-mounted machinegun
FR/CM-70		Messidor	Anti-matériel rifle	12.7×99mm	In limited use with special forces
MP-54		Messidor	Portable ATGM	136mm
LG-58		Messidor	Grenade mortar	50mm
G23		Ostrozava	Hand grenade
FA-30		Messidor	Assault rifle	7×40mm	In training, reserve, and police service Messidorian modification of the North Ottonian/Ostrozavan-designed PAL in 7×40mm
Mle 113		Messidor	Semi-automatic rifle	7.5×54mm	In training, ceremonial, and police service
Mle 105		Messidor	Bolt-action rifle	7.5×54mm	In training, ceremonial, and police service
Artillery
OR-41		Messidor	Towed howitzer	155mm

Vehicles

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Armament	Notes
Armoured vehicles
CA-52		Messidor Ostrozava North Ottonia Tsurushima	Main battle tank	120mm smoothbore cannon FM-27 12.7mm machinegun FM-21 7.5mm machinegun	Co-developed with the Ostrozavan OPU-S78 series, the North Ottonian M15/VII series, and the Tsurushiman Type 90
CS-53		Messidor	Fire support vehicle	2× 30mm autocannons 4× 136mm ATGM launchers 2× 50mm grenade launchers FM-27 12.7mm machinegun FM-21 7.5mm machinegun	Built on the CA-52 chassis
VBR		Messidor	Armoured reconnaissance vehicle	90mm AT cannon 2× FM-21 7.5mm machineguns
VBC		Messidor	Infantry fighting vehicle	30mm autocannon FM-21 7.5mm machinegun	Command vehicle and engineering vehicle variants
VBA	File:PzH plus VBCI from Tank Encyclopedia whoops.png	Messidor	Self-propelled artillery	OR-41 155mm howitzer	Built on the VBC chassis,
VBM		Messidor	Mobile SAM platform	8× 136mm SAM launchers	Built on the VBC chassis
Light vehicles
CUdO 6×6 CUdO 10×10		North Ottonia	Utility, transport, and cargo vehicles		Converted civilian vehicle
Cm-53		Tsurushima	Utility and transport vehicle		Converted civilian vehicle
Aircraft
RN-66		Tsurushima	Attack/scout helicopter gunship	30mm autocannon 12× 136mm ATGM launchers
AC-51		Messidor	Cargo/transport plane		Converted civilian aircraft

Messidorian Navy Corps

Vessels in active service

Class	Image	Role	Armament	Number in service	Notes
Ayll Lbaz-class		Anti-air frigate	40× 340mm SAMs 39× 136mm SAMs 8× 350mm anti-ship missiles 2× 533mm torpedo tubes 100mm naval gun 2× 30mm autocannons 4× FM-27 12.7mm machineguns	30	Carries one RN-66 helicopter, same hull as the Ɣum Lbaz-class
Ɣum Lbaz-class		Anti-submarine frigate	40× 350mm anti-ship missiles 30× 136mm SAMs 100mm naval gun 2× 30mm autocannons 4× FM-27 12.7mm machineguns	4	Carries two RN-66 helicopters, same hull as the Ayll Lbaz-class
Amansakal-class		Amphibious assault ship	8× 136mm SAMs 2× 30mm autocannons 4× FM-21 7.5mm machineguns 4× FM-27 12.7mm machineguns	2	Carries 1-2 helicopter squadrons, 1-2 tank battalions, and 1-3 infantry battalions
Taġruyt n Nhas-class		Patrol ship	2× 30mm autocannons 2× FM-21 7.5mm machineguns	10
Tmnirin-class		Nuclear attack submarine	14× 350mm anti-ship missiles 4× 533mm torpedo tubes	7
Hluaxdil-class		Auxiliary vessel	8× 136mm SAMs 4× 30mm autocannons	4	Carries two RM-50 or HC-37 helicopters

Messidorian Air Corps

Aircraft in active service

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Notes
Ava 70		Messidor	Multi-role fighter
AT-32		Messidor	Fighter/interceptor	In use for training and reserve squadrons
RN-66		Tsurushima	Attack/scout helicopter gunship
RM-50		Jhengtsang	Search and rescue helicopter
HC-37		Messidor	Cargo/transport helicopter
AC-51		Messidor	Cargo/transport plane	Converted civilian aircraft, electronic warfare variant

Ranks and insignia

All three branches of service make use of the same rank insignia, though titles vary.

Officer ranks

OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Field Marshal Maréchal de Champ Shrfamgarlharb	General Général Amgarlharb	Lieutenant General Lieutenant-Général Ssirwamgarlharb	Brigadier Brigadier Shrfamgarinigi	Colonel Colonel Amgarinigi	Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Ssirwamgarinigi	Major Commandant Shrfamgarigr	Captain Capitaine Amgarigr	Lieutenant Lieutenant Ssirwamgarigr

Enlisted ranks

OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Regimental Sergeant Major Sergent-Major Régimental Aɣamixmsa	Battalion Sergeant Major Sergent-Major de Bataillon Aɣamirbɣa	Company Sergeant Major Sergent-Major d'Escadron Aɣamikrad	Platoon Sergeant Sergent d'Escadre Aɣamisin	Sergeant Sergent Aɣamiyan	Corporal Caporal Ssirwaɣami	Senior Soldier Ancien Shrfaɣskri	Soldier Soldat Aɣskri	Recruit Recrut Aɣskrilmd