Copperhead Republican Army

Copperhead Republican Army Farmer's and Miner's Green Army
Soldiers from the Federal 2/3 Guard's Rifle Battalion conducting training at Fort Spruce.
Active	1927 - Present
Country	Copperhead
Size	44,000+
Commanders
President of the Republic	Jonathan Baker
Chairman of the Joint Defense Commissariats	Tayanita Fredrick
General of the Army	Denny Thacker
Senior Advocate	Winslow Harman

The Farmer's and Miner's Green Army commonly referred to as the Copperhead Republican Army is the ground service branch of the Copperhead Republic and the largest service branch of the Copperhead military. The army was officially constituted in 1927 after the ratification of the Constitution of Copperhead, and was formed from components of the Forest Rangers and Revolutionary Miner's Combat Organization following the Breakup of the Allegheny Confederation. The primary mission of the Army is to "Defend the Republic of Copperhead and propagate the revolutionary struggle via combat and humanitarian operations." Due to the sustained tensions with neighboring Shenandoah and Piedmont the Army is required to maintain a high level of readiness in preparation for the outbreak of war on either of the nation's borders.

Each of the Thirteen constituent states of the Republic of Copperhead is responsible for raising and maintaining one regiment for integration into one of Copperhead's four standing divisional formations. The National Farmer's and Forester's Union each respectively raise and maintain a regiment for integration into the divisions. The standard Copperhead division consists of three state or union regiments and one federal regiment in the square divisional organizational model. The Fishing and Mining Unions likewise maintain an independent regiment each, and a single federal regiment primarily responsible for unit training is maintained. Due to the mandate for each state to raise and maintain a regiment, it is common practice to recruit and organize units based on geographic locality; consequentially units within state regiments are comprised of soldiers who generally serve with their neighbors and colleagues. This promotes unity, comradery, cohesion, and discipline among soldiers due to the fact that they are familiar with one another.

Organization

Composition and Organization

The Farmer's and Miner's Green Army is comprised of four Rifle Divisions, three independent regiments, and several independent federal company-strength forces (specialized forces). Each Rifle Division of the Army is comprised of three state regiments and one federal regiment. The Army divides the nation into four military districts and assigns divisions and regiments based on necessity. Currently, the 2nd and 3rd Divisions are assigned to the Northern military district, while the first is assigned to the central and the fourth to the southern military districts respectively. The 1st Independent Miners and 1st Independent Anglers Regiments are currently assigned to the northern district, while the 1st Independent Federal Regiment is assigned to the special capitol military district. Recruiting is primarily handled at the regimental level, though recruit standards are enforced at the federal level. Each regiment is allocated funding from the federal government, but additional revenue is often provided on the regimental level by the individual states, unions, or in the case of the federal regiments via a special tax on river commerce. This at times results in some discrepancy between the regiments, though a general minimum standard is strictly maintained by the federal budget. Regiments are officially headquartered in their state of origin, with the federal regiments headquartered in the special capitol district and the union regiments headquartered at Pineton and Big River respectively.

Regiments within Copperhead's divisions are further classified (on a rotational basis) as either "H" (Heavy) or "L" (Light). At any given time during a deployment, three regiments will hold the "H" designation while the fourth will hold the "L" distinction, with rotation generally occurring every six months. Heavy and Light in this instance do refer to the physical displacement and armament type of the regiment (L regiments have their regimental level artillery, armored, mechanized, and non-man-portable anti-air elements temporarily detached and under direct divisional command), but more importantly, refers to both the strategic and tactical role of the regiment (See: Tactical Doctrine).

Divisional commanders (generally of Major General rank) are appointed by the Joint Defense Commissariats and approved by the Legislature of Copperhead. Divisions on deployment take their regimental field command with them, but recruiting and long-term logistical elements remain at their respective regimental headquarters. The President of Copperhead appoints the General of the Farmer's and Miner's Green Army, the titular and functional commander of all Copperhead Army forces. The General of the Farmer's and Miner's Green Army (GFMGA) is responsible for nominating his general staff from active duty members of all regiments. At the regimental level, officers ranking major and below are elected by active members of the regiment who have served for at least 1 year. To stand for officer candidacy, a soldier must have served for at least four consecutive years and within three months of his or her appointment must complete the Federal Officer's Training and Decorum course. Colonels of a regiment are appointed by the governor of the state in which they originate. The only exception to this is the 1st Independent Federal Regiment whose officers at all ranks are appointed and ratified by the Joint Defense Commissariats.

Additionally, every enlisted member of the Copperhead military regardless of their time of service participates in the election of the Senior Advocate of the Farmer's and Miner's Green Army. The Senior Advocate is responsible for a variety of logistical functions within the Republican Army. First and foremost, the Senior Advocate is responsible for ensuring the welfare, timely pay, and fair treatment of all enlisted personnel within the Republican Army. Secondly, the Senior Advocate is responsible for validating the vote count of all officer elections, and ceremonially bequeaths the rank of elected officers upon them following the conclusion of officer elections. The Senior Advocate likewise holds a permanent position within any GFMGA's general staff and is both entitled and expected to raise any major grievances of enlisted men to the Joint Defense Commissariats if such a situation arises. The senior advocate serves on a five year basis.

In fulfilling their duty as Commander in Chief, the President of the Copperhead Republic serves as the supreme leader of all military formations in the nation including the Republican Army.

Strategic Doctrine

Due to Copperhead's tenuous and at times outright hostile relationships with Piedmont and Shenandoah, the Copperhead Republican Army has adopted a doctrine and policy known as Total National Resistance. The basis of this doctrine was drawn from Copperhead's experiences during the Allegheny Civil War in which the various military formations operating on the Copperhead side fought a series of guerilla and holding actions against both Piedmontese and Shanandoahan forces. According to this doctrine, the formal military's primary aims are as follows: 1) Defend the major urban centers of the Republic from capture of destruction by opposing forces, 2) Defend the major riverine towns that provide for both military transit and economic activity along the Copperhead river, and 3) Defend critical mountain passes throughout the nation to slow, halt and eventually destroy invading elements. Another major component of Total National Resistance defines the relationship between non-traditionally-military guerillas, designating any person who takes up arms in defense of the Republic a provisional member of the military and placing them under the command of the militia (see: Militia).

Beginning in middle school and continuing for the rest of their education, citizens of Copperhead are taught that the defense of the republic from invasion is paramount for the survival of the nation. This in combination with the nation's traditions of marksmanship and outdoor activities theoretically provides a ready base of irregular resistance fighters that, in the event of invasion, would support regular Republican Army forces. Additionally, political and union youth clubs often provide finer instructions in military-related activities including discipline, weapon maintenance and hunting.

Tactical Doctrine

FMGA tactical doctrine was initially drawn up from trial and error practices during the Allegheny Civil War and, in saying such, has two primary doctrinal methodologies depending on the unit in question. In order to compensate for equipment disparities between the most likely adversaries of the Copperhead Republic, Copperhead employs the 2 Letter Combat Theorem originally formulated and introduced by General William "Wild Bill" Jacobs in 1958. Regiments within a division are issued the "H" or "L" designation on a rotational basis, and in saying such operate according to one of two small unit tactical plans depending. "L" designated regiments are doctrinally the forward deployed elements of a division, defending the initial frontlines of the division and serving as a picket to stronger positions. Their primary mission is to both delay and gather information about any advancing hostile unit in their sector, offering battle only with the intent of harassing, slowing, and then withdrawing in the face of superior enemy forces. In saying such the typical Copperhead rifle squad operating within an L division (normally consisting of 6 Rifleman, 1 Grenadier (Junior NCO), 2 Machineguns, and 1 Senior NCO equipped with either a battle rifle or assault rifle) will arrange and operate thusly: Rifle picket will engage enemy forces from cover, rifle picket will withdraw in orderly fashion leaving behind remote detonated mine if possible, upon advancing of the enemy column, Machineguns positioned behind the original position on either flank, under direction of the Grenadier, will engage the enemy force before withdrawing under cover of the rifle picket.

"H" regiments operating behind the initial "L" regiment picket are utilized differently. "H" regiments are primarily concerned with either defending entrenched and or strategically valuable positions or, when possible, counterattacking against elements that have engaged the initial "L" regiment picket (in which cases the attacking H regiment(s) is generally reinforced by the detached elements of the "L" regiment). In defensive actions, "H" regiment squads are primarily concentrated in static and prepared positions and thus are distributed as according to the available defenses and positions in a squad's area of operation. In assault operations, squads of an "H" regiment operate thusly: The squad is broken down between two fireteams, one containing the senior NCO the other junior NCO with a machine gun allocated to each. When the rifle component advances, the NCO and machine provide a base of fire allowing for maneuver, when the machinegun and NCO advance, the rifle component provides the base of fire. When the fire team is within suitable close-engagement range, the machine gun and NCO element will provide suppressing fire while the rifle component utilizes grenades to engage the enemy.

Training

Despite the regimental and regional character of the Copperhead Republican Army, the Recruit Introductory Course (RIC) is a federally administered basic training program that every recruit in the army, regardless of regimental type, must attend and pass to be accepted for service within the FMGA. RIC is a 12-week program, consisting of an initial introductory week in which general physical fitness tests, medical inoculations and screenings, and hygiene/style enforcements are introduced to the recruit. Following introductory week, recruits are subjected to a 5 week period known as "Pick Breaker" (an homage to the colloquialism used by the initial miners who fought in the Allegheny Civil War). During Pick Breaker, recruits are subjected to a series of rigorous physical tests, training, discipline, and are introduced to the traditions and standards of the FMGA. Following this, a 4-week period known as "Nitroglycerin" begins. During nitroglycerin, recruits are instructed in the maintenance and usage of firearms and explosives with a heavy focus on marksmanship and team-building during this period. Finally, the last 2 weeks of RIC consist of "Paydirt," in which recruits are subjected to the FMGA Soldier Competency Battery, a grueling physical fitness, procedural, and marksmanship test that determines if recruits have acquired the necessary competencies to graduate from RIC.

Following RIC, recruits are then released to their respective regiments and enter Military Vocational and Occupancy Training (M-VOT). M-VOT lengths vary depending on the specialization of the personnel in question, generally ranging between 10 weeks and 6 months depending on the occupation in question. Recruits who are enlisting for service in any of the FMGA's independent companies (intelligence, strategic anti-air, etc.) receive M-VOT training courtesy of the 1st Independent Federal Regiment. M-VOT for enlistees in the Angler's Regiment involves both occupational training and extended combat training on riverine and amphibious operations, and M-VOT for enlistees in the Miner's Regiment also includes a sapper course, even for non-combat engineer occupations.