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
President of the Union	Yolande-Minerve Saverne
Commissioned Chairperson	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 twenty 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 but not yet obsolete AAB-F32/B3 Tiara fighter aircraft.

Branches of service

Messidorian Army Corps

File:MU Tank History.png

Development of Messidorian armoured fighting vehicles through the 20th century

The Messidorian Army Corps counts over 55,200 members across two divisions; one based in Merovia and the other in Aɣmatia. The Army Corps is also supported by a number of employees and government workers. Founded in 1839, the Army Corps began as an organizing body for many armed militias across the Union. By the 1850s, the Army Corps developed into a professional fighting force. The last militia forces were disbanded or organized into professional reserves by the early 20th century.

Despite the population gap between Aɣmatia and Merovia, Army Corps personnel are distributed relatively equally between the two nations. The majority of training is conducted in southern Aɣmatia, but soldiers are trained in multiple environments. The forces of the Army Corps count twenty-two regiments. Regiments are divided into brigade groups at an operational level. Messidorian brigades are relatively large, including between six and eight battalions. The two main types of brigades which are fielded are armoured brigades and infantry brigades. The former are primarily composed of tanks and mechanized infantry with supporting reconnaissance and artillery elements. The latter are primarily light infantry.

Equipment

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Notes
CC-T84B2		Messidor	Helmet
JC-T85B1		Messidor	Combat vest
PC-T66/B PC-T66/V		Messidor	Camouflage	In both desert tan and temperate olive

Arms

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Calibre	Notes
Small arms
PA-M16/A1 Isque		Messidor	Pistol	10×25mm	Standard service pistol
FA-M45/D2 Rz Awl		Messidor	Assault rifle	7×40mm	Standard service rifle
FA-M35/B1 Rz Adaw		Messidor	Assault rifle	7×40mm	Service and reserve rifle, derived from the PAL
FR-X(O-NO)23/B3 Asmawi		North Ottonia Ostrozava	Battle rifle	8×57mm	Standard marksman rifle, imported PAL
PM-M32/B1 Imik		Messidor	Submachine gun	10×25mm
FM-XO28/A3 Stulskabus 8		North Ottonia	Medium machinegun	8×57mm	Section support weapon and vehicle-mounted machinegun
FM-M03/A3 Stulskabus 13	File:Hotchkiss 1930 strip-fed.jpg	Messidor	Heavy machinegun	13×92mm	Vehicle-mounted machinegun
FRCM-M70/A1		Messidor	Anti-matériel rifle	13×92mm	In limited use with special forces
MP-M54/A2		Messidor	Portable ATGM	136mm
LG-M58/A1 Issoufir		Messidor	Grenade mortar	50mm
G-XO23/A5 Dikra		Ostrozava	Hand grenade
Mle 64/8		Messidor	Bolt-action rifle	8×57mm	Straight-pull action, in training and ceremonial use, limited conversion to marksman rifles

Vehicles

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Armament	Notes
Armoured vehicles
CM-A77/A2 Izm	File:MU Tank A77A1.png	Messidor Ostrozava North Ottonia Tsurushima	Third generation main battle tank	105mm rifled cannon 13mm machinegun 8mm machinegun	Co-developed with the Ostrozavan OPUv.78 series, the North Ottonian M15/VII series, and the Tsurushiman Type 90 Equipped with 105mm gun-launched AT missiles
CM-A20/C2 Tizmt	File:MU Tank A20C1.png	Messidor	Fire support vehicle	2× 30mm autocannons 4× 136mm ATGM launchers 2× 50mm grenade launchers 13mm machinegun 8mm machinegun	Built on the A20 chassis
CM-A20/B3 Lancier	File:MU Tank A20B1.png	Messidor	Second generation main battle tank	105mm rifled cannon 13mm machinegun 8mm machinegun
VBC-A40/A1 Feneq	File:MU Tank A40A3.png	Messidor	Infantry fighting vehicle	30mm autocannon 8mm machinegun
VBR-A42/B1 Basset	File:MU Tank A42B1.png	Messidor	Reconnaissance vehicle	90mm rifled cannon 8mm machinegun	Built on the A40 chassis
VBA-A69/A1 Martel	File:MU Tank A69A1.png	Messidor	Self-propelled artillery	155mm howitzer	Built on the A40 chassis
VA-A69/B2 Zizouar	File:MU Tank A69B2.png	Messidor	Mobile SAM platform	4× 136mm SAM launchers	Built on the A40 chassis
Light vehicles
CU-XNO68/A6 CU-XNO68/A10 Dromadaire		North Ottonia	Utility, transport, and cargo vehicles		Converted civilian vehicle, 6x6 and 10x10 configurations
CU-XT53/A1 Linx		Tsurushima	Utility and transport vehicle		Converted civilian vehicle
Aircraft
HA-XT66/A2 Kitakazé		Tsurushima	Attack/scout helicopter gunship	30mm autocannon 12× 136mm ATGM launchers
AU-F51/A1		Messidor	Cargo/transport plane		Converted civilian aircraft

Messidorian Navy Corps

The Messidorian Navy Corps was formally established in 1839 and, unlike the Army Corps, had no effective predecessor. The first warships in 50 years were laid down in Aɣmatia shortly after. At present, the Navy Corps has 62 active warships in addition to several support vessels. The Periclean Fleet, the largest organizational unit of the corps, is headquartered in Port Isadore in Merovia, but the Union's shipbuilding industry is still largely based on Aɣmatia's coasts.

Vessels in active service

Class	Image	Role	Displacement (standard)	Armament	Number in service	Notes
Yu'tanuɣi-class assault platform		Amphibious assault ship	14,300 tons	1 × quad canister SAM battery 2 × 30mm autocannons 5 × helipads	3	Carries up to 15 helicopters, 200 armoured vehicles, and 720 infantry
Tamdda-class destroyer		Air-defense destroyer	7,500 tons	1 × 100mm naval gun 2 × 30mm autocannons 8 × quad canister anti-ship missile battery 1 × 90-cell multi-purpose missile battery 6 × 325mm torpedo tubes 1 × helipad	4	Carries an HA-XT66/A2 Kitakazé helicopter with a submarine-hunting loadout
Tmassa-class frigate		Anti-submarine frigate	3,500 tons	1 × 100mm naval gun 2 × 30mm autocannons 2 × quad canister SAM battery 2 × quad canister anti-ship missile battery 2 × quad canister anti-sub missile battery 6 × 325mm torpedo tubes 1 × helipad	12	Carries an HA-XT66/A2 Kitakazé helicopter with a submarine-hunting loadout
Azbar-class frigate		Escort frigate	2,100 tons	4 × 100mm naval gun 2 × quad canister anti-ship missile battery 2 × quad canister anti-sub missile battery 6 × 325mm torpedo tubes	4
Bri-class corvette		Escort corvette	1,300 tons	1 × 100mm naval gun 2 × quad canister anti-ship missile battery 6 × 325mm torpedo tubes 1 × 6-cell anti-sub missile battery	16
Tillas-class submarine		Attack submarine	2,800 tons (submerged)	6 × 533mm torpedo tubes 1 × 20-cell anti-ship missile battery	8
Tuhan-class patrol vessel		Patrol vessel	250 tons	1 × 30mm autocannon 2 × 13mm machine gun	10
Mintirzi-class minesweeper		Minesweeper	600 tons	1 × 30mm autocannon	10
Awɣaman-class replenishment ship		Replenishment ship	8,100 tons	1 helipad	4
Zrskradaln-class surveillance ship		Spy ship	4,500 tons	2 × quad cannister multi-purpose missile battery 6 × 325mm torpedo tubes	4

Messidorian Air Corps

The most recent branch of the Messidorian Armed Forces is the Messidorian Air Corps. Founded in 1920 after the Annexation of the Timna Strip, the Air Corps primarily provided aerial reconnaissance. Over the next few decades, the role and capabilities of military aircraft rapidly evolved. At present, the Air Corps is the only branch of service to maintain an active reserve force, owing in part to the amount of training required to operate and maintain a fleet of aircraft. The Air Corps is organized across two wings and includes several hundred aircraft. Any aircraft seconded to the Army or Navy Corps are provided and operated by the Air Corps. In addition to its military roles, the Air Corps also provides search and rescue and emergency airlift services. Many of these additional functions are performed by reservist members.

Aircraft in active service

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Notes
Ava 70		Messidor	Multi-role fighter
AAB-F32/B3 Tiara		Messidor	Multi-role fighter/interceptor	In use for training and reserve squadrons
HA-XT66/A2 Kitakazé		Tsurushima	Attack/scout helicopter gunship
HU-XJ50/A1 Ouiya		Jhengtsang	Search and rescue helicopter
HU-F32/A3 Péloquin		Messidor	Cargo/transport helicopter
AU-F51/A1		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-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Insignia
Army Corps Rank	Marshal of the Corps	General	Lieutenant General	Division Commander	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Battalion Commander	Company Commander	Platoon Commander
Navy Corps Rank	Marshal of the Corps	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Senior Captain	Captain	Junior Captain	Senior Lieutenant	Lieutenant
Air Corps Rank	Marshal of the Corps	General	Lieutenant General	Division Commander	Wing Commander	Squadron Commander	Flight Captain	Junior Captain	Senior Lieutenant	Lieutenant

Enlisted ranks

	OR-10	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Insignia	File:Messidor OR-10.png
Army Corps Rank	Corps Sergeant Major	Regimental Sergeant Major	Battalion Sergeant Major	Company Sergeant Major	Platoon Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Senior Soldier	Soldier	Recruit
Navy Corps Rank	Corps Chief	Enlisted Chief	Bridge Chief	Deck Chief	Watch Chief	Watch Sergeant	Senior Sailor	Sailor	Junior Sailor	Recruit
Air Corps Rank	Corps Sergeant Major	Wing Sergeant Major	Squadron Sergeant Major	Flight Sergeant Major	Watch Chief	Watch Sergeant	Senior Airperson	Airperson	Junior Airperson	Recruit