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"The facts of political relationships . . . , the history of frontier wars along the borders, the details of interstellar intrigue, and the potential for future warfare on both the system and interstellar levels all dictate the existence of battle fleets. . . ."
— Marc Miller, "The Battle Fleets of the Marches," Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society #9


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Military Strategy in the Colonies Sphere

Pollux District | Sirius District | Fomalhaut District | Jagannath District


Pollux District
(Adapted from Melbourne Times #5)

The following material is excerpted from a lecture given by Duque Don Ignacio Rueda while he was Special Visiting Lecturer at the Commonwealth Naval Command College.  Admiral Rueda has since returned to his position as Imperial Commander of Aztlán's Pólux Military District.

Pollux District is vital to the interests of the Commonwealth of Earth and the Empire of Aztlán.  Both Colonial States have important historical, political and commercial ties to the worlds of Pollux.  Consequently, both powers have stationed significant military forces in the district.

The Commonwealth world Prometheus represents an enormous military presence in Pollux.  Total forces at Prometheus stand at nearly 50 million.  Still, contemporary military bastion doctrine requires that the bulk of these forces remain in system to protect the high-population world from interstellar assault.

Operationally, Prometheus provides one fleet, the 8th Elite, and one army, the 2nd Mobile Elite, to Commonwealth forces stationed elsewhere in the district.  These local forces join the Commonwealth 1st Fleet and the 1st and 2nd Armies.  Elements of these forces are based on the ten Commonwealth worlds in Pollux as well as on four independent worlds in the district.  Deployed Commonwealth space forces in Pollux total 387,000 while planetary forces number 633,000.

The 8th Elite Fleet is based at Apollo with elements stationed at Epimetheus, Remus, Izanagi and Izanami.  First Fleet headquarters are at Hunaphu with attached elements at Fei Lien, Xbalanque, Anokye, K'ang-hsi and Thomas.

The 2nd Mobile Elite Army is headquartered at Thomas with elements stationed at Romulus, Remus, Izanagi and Izanami.  The 1st Army, based at Hunaphu, has attached forces at Fei Lien, Xbalanque and Anokye.  Second Army headquarters are at Apollo with attached elements at Feng Po, Epimetheus and K'ang-hsi.

Aztlán forces in Pollux total 988,000 of which 382,000 are space forces.  Aztlán forces are organized into two armadas and three legions and are deployed on four independent worlds in Pollux.

The 7th Armada and 8th Legion are headquartered at Perez.  Esau, headquarters of the 14th Legion, also supports space elements attached to the 7th Armada.

Artemis serves as the headquarters of the 9th Armada and the 15th Legion.  Elements of the 9th Armada are also based at Jacob along with planetary forces attached to the 14th Legion.

The Empire of Shinnihon bases a patrol squadron at Yamaguchi.  Shinnihon maintains a neutral position between Aztlán and the Commonwealth.  Thus the Shinnihon squadron at Yamaguchi plays virtually no role in the military balance in the district, except to maintain the neutrality of its system.

Commonwealth and Aztlán forces are fairly matched in Pollux with Aztlán enjoying a slight advantage in space forces that is offset by a minor Commonwealth advantage in planetary forces.

Any conflict between Commonwealth and Aztlán forces in Pollux District would be focused around control of access to the Prometheus bastion.  A Commonwealth offensive in Pollux would originate from Prometheus while any Aztlán offensive must neutralize the Prometheus bastion before any operations could be conducted elsewhere in the district.

Thus, any conflict in Pollux District, whether a Commonwealth or Aztlán offensive, would involve an Aztlán effort to force Commonwealth forces to approach or depart Prometheus from deep space.  Currently, there are fourteen worlds within range of Prometheus that must be controlled to force only deep space access to Prometheus.

Five of these worlds, the Aztlán worlds Leyte in Sirius District and Cibola and the Aztlán clients Jardin, Casero, and Aterraje in Procyon District, already deny access to Commonwealth military forces.  Jardin, the only world within commercial starship range of Prometheus would most likely be reinforced with forces from the Aztlán 1st and 9th Imperial Armadas in Procyon to protect against a Commonwealth convoy operation.  Darien in Sirius District would most likely be neutral in any Commonwealth-Aztlán conflict and would deny access to forces from both sides.  On the other hand, Takla Makan in Sirius is a key Commonwealth ally with forward-deployed Commonwealth forces based in the system.

Of the remaining worlds within range of Prometheus, only the Commonwealth worlds of Kon'-win and Aoki in Procyon District and Epimetheus and Izanagi in Pollux are within range of non-military starships.  These four worlds would be the most likely site of any initial conflict in Pollux.  The three worlds of Izanami and Remus in Pollux and Cybele in Gaea District could be involved in secondary operations aimed at denying access of military forces to Prometheus.

Any conflict over Kon'-win and Aoki would involve forces of the Aztlán 1st and 9th Imperial Armadas and the Commonwealth 5th, 6th and 17th Fleets in Procyon District.  This would leave Epimetheus and Izanagi as the primary battlefields between Aztlán and Commonwealth forces in Pollux.

Initial defense of Epimetheus would fall to elements of the Promethean 8th Elite Fleet and the Commonwealth 2nd Army.  Elements of the 8th Elite Fleet would also have initial responsibility for the defense of Izanagi along with planetary forces attached to the Promethean 2nd Mobile Elite Army.

Jacob, home to elements of the Aztlán 9th Imperial Armada and the 14th Imperial Legion is within range of Epimetheus.  Izanagi is not within range of Aztlán military bases but could be reached with relative ease from a deep space destination within range of Artemis, headquarters of the Aztlán 9th Imperial Armada and the 15th Imperial Legion.  Izanagi is also within range of Epimetheus.

These two worlds then — Epimetheus and Izanagi — are the flash points of Pollux.  I've have never visited either world.  I've heard though that the ballast sharks of Epimetheus and the dirigible spores of Izanagi are truly wonders to behold.  I hope someday that we may experience them together.

Forward-deployed Aztlán Forces in Pollux District

7th Imperial Armada (Perez)

191K    

    61st Bombardment flotilla (Perez)

30K

    29th Combat flotilla (Esau)

28K

    53rd Combat flotilla (Perez)

28K

    69th Combat flotilla (Esau)

28K

    78th Patrol flotilla (Esau)

26K

    100th Siege flotilla (Perez)

40K

    67th Transport flotilla (Perez)

11K

9th Imperial Armada (Artemis)

191K    

    81st Bombardment flotilla (Artemis)

30K

    25th Combat flotilla (Artemis)

28K

    37th Combat flotilla (Jacob)

28K

    49th Combat flotilla (Jacob)

28K

    74th Patrol flotilla (Jacob)

26K

    90th Siege flotilla (Artemis)

40K

    79th Transport flotilla (Artemis)

11K

8th Imperial Legion (Perez)

202K    

    65th Anti-bombardment horde (Perez)

33K

    75th Anti-bombardment horde (Perez)

33K

    87th Anti-bombardment horde (Perez)

33K

    63rd Combat horde (Perez)

34K

    65th Combat horde (Perez)

34K

    83rd Combat horde (Perez)

35K

14th Imperial Legion (Esau)

202K    

    29th Anti-bombardment horde (Esau)

33K

    69th Anti-bombardment horde (Esau)

33K

    100th Anti-bombardment horde (Jacob)

33K

    4th Combat horde (Esau)

35K

    21st Combat horde (Jacob)

34K

    37th Combat horde (Jacob)

34K

15th Imperial Legion (Artemis)

202K    

    23rd Anti-bombardment horde (Artemis)

33K

    70th Anti-bombardment horde (Artemis)

33K

    72nd Anti-bombardment horde (Artemis)

33K

    35th Combat horde (Artemis)

35K

    40th Combat horde (Artemis)

34K

    87th Combat horde (Artemis)

34K

Forward-deployed Commonwealth Forces in Pollux District

1st Commonwealth Fleet (Hunaphu)

197K    

    73rd Bombardment squadron (Thomas)

43K

    20th Combat squadron (K'ang-hsi)

31K

    35th Combat squadron (Xbalanque)

31K

    80th Combat squadron (Anokye)

31K

    32nd Patrol squadron (Fei Lien)

31K

    71st Siege squadron (Hunaphu)

24K

    17th Transport squadron (Hunaphu)

6K

Promethean 8th Elite Fleet (Apollo)

190K    

    32nd Bombardment squadron (Epimetheus)

42K

    35th Combat squadron (Izanami)

37K

    41st Combat squadron (Izanagi)

37K

    71st Patrol squadron (Remus)

36K

    90th Siege squadron (Apollo)

34K

    11th Transport squadron (Apollo)

4K

1st Commonwealth Army (Hunaphu)

197K    

    32nd Anti-bombardment division (Xbalanque)

30K

    55th Anti-bombardment division (Anokye)

30K

    97th Anti-bombardment division (Fei Lien)

30K

    36th Combat division (Anokye)

26K

    49th Combat division (Xbalanque)

27K

    74th Combat division (Hunaphu)

27K

    82nd Combat division (Hunaphu)

27K

2nd Commonwealth Army (Apollo)

197K    

    24th Anti-bombardment division (Epimetheus)

30K

    28th Anti-bombardment division (Feng Po)

30K

    34th Anti-bombardment division (K'ang-hsi)

30K

    3rd Combat division (Epimetheus)

26K

    21st Combat division (Apollo)

27K

    86th Combat division (Apollo)

27K

    57th Combat division (K'ang-hsi)

27K

Promethean 2nd Mobile Elite Army (Thomas)

239K    

    2nd Anti-bombardment division (Thomas)

28K

    5th Anti-bombardment division (Remus)

29K

    10th Anti-bombardment division (Izanagi)

29K

    55th Anti-bombardment division (Romulus)

29K

    69th Anti-bombardment division (Izanami)

29K

    59th Combat division (Izanami)

32K

    88th Combat division (Izanagi)

32K

    46th Combat division (Thomas)

31K


Forward-deployed Shinnihon Forces in Pollux District

    44th Patrol squadron (Yamaguchi)

24K

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Sirius District
(Adapted from Melbourne Times #1)

The following material is excerpted from an address given by Marshal Gillian Mtawala, Retired, at the triennial meeting of the Commonwealth Ex-Services Society.  Marshal Mtawala last served as Commander of the Commonwealth's Sirius Defense District.

Sirius District has long been at the core of the Commonwealth's defensive strategy.  The Commonwealth has important historical, political and commercial ties to all of the worlds of Sirius.  In addition to those home forces at Earth itself, the Commonwealth has deployed significant military forces in the district.

Earth represents an enormous military presence in Sirius.  Total forces at Earth stand at over 64 million.  Contemporary bastion doctrine insists that most of these forces are based in the Sol system to protect Earth from interstellar assault.

Operationally, Earth provides two fleets — the 8th Commonwealth Fleet and the 1st Commonwealth Reserve Fleet — and four armies — the 11th, 14th and 15th Commonwealth Armies and the 1st Commonwealth Reserve Army — to support Commonwealth military operations elsewhere in the district.  Elements of these forces are based on nine Commonwealth worlds in Sirius as well as on eight independent worlds in the district.  Forward-deployed Commonwealth space forces in Sirius exceed 350,000, while planetary forces approach 715,000.

Commonwealth military forces are not the only forward-deployed forces in Sirius.  In addition to extensive local forces stationed at al-Mansur, the Theridian League has a limited deployment of space and planetary forces at Nagpur intended to deter potential aggressors.  These forces do not pose a military threat to Commonwealth forces in the district though a wary relationship endures with the Theridians to trailward.

In no small part due to the bastion at Earth the Commonwealth enjoys unprecedented military superiority in Sirius which must nevertheless be understood in terms of the Aztlán position to spinward in Procyon District.  Conversely, the Commonwealth's position in Sirius benefits from friendly relations with the Abrahamic Synod to upward in Gaea District and from the minimal threats posed by the frontier regions to downward in Alpha Hydri and coreward in Orion.

Forces in Sirius are also poised to support Commonwealth forces in Fomalhaut District to rimward though the potential for conflict with Ouroran Community forces there is minimal.  Commonwealth forces in Sirius can also be called upon to protect Commonwealth interests to spin-rimward in Siddhārtha District where conflict with the Rajasthan Confederacy is not unexpected and where the occasional threat of Nyanza "piracy" is an ongoing concern.

In addition to ensuring the security of important allied worlds in Sirius like Takla Makan, the primary focus of Commonwealth military strategy in Sirius is upon Pollux District to up-spinward where the potential for conflict with the Empire of Aztlán is most acute.  Any conflict in Pollux would center on the Prometheus bastion and Commonwealth forces in Sirius are prepared to reinforce Prometheus in any outbreak of hostilities, though the more likely course would be a defensive effort to ensure that Aztlán forces from Procyon do not advance into Sirius.

Hence, the forward-deployment of the 8th Fleet to support the extensive local forces at Taklan Makan which is easily reached from Leyte by Aztlán forces — though several 8th Fleet units are typically dispersed throughout Sirius in peacetime including at other allied worlds Lingayen and Orinoco.  These space forces are supported by the 11th Army, headquartered at al-Ghazali but with units deployed to allied worlds Takla Makan and Oporto.

The 14th Army, headquartered at Ulan-Ude, is focused on the defense of Commonwealth worlds in Sirius, with units also deployed to Saavedra, Roodepoort and Novo Uralsk and to the allied worlds Orozco and Mbandaka. From its headquarters at the allied world Lingayen, the 15th Army, also defends allied worlds Orinoco, Makino and Edo and the Commonwealth world Kapteyn.

From its base at Saavedra, the 1st Reserve Fleet is of course focused on defensive operations including the protection of allied worlds Edo and Orozco.  These space forces are supported by the 1st Reserve Army based at Ensanche.

These forward deployments make it clear that an important role of Commonwealth military forces in Sirius is to reassure allied worlds that the Commonwealth is committed to the defence of the entire district.

Forward-deployed Commonwealth Forces in Sirius District

8th Commonwealth Fleet (Takla Makan)

191K    

    27th Bombardment squadron (Takla Makan)

43K

    6th Combat squadron (Ulan-Ude)

31K

    63rd Combat squadron (Lingayen)

31K

    88th Combat squadron (al-Ghazali)

31K

    32nd Patrol squadron (Ensanche)

31K

    90th Seige squadron (Orinoco)

24K

1st Commonwealth Reserve Fleet (Saavedra)

160K    

    6th Bombardment squadron (Novo Uralsk)

43K

    40th Combat squadron (Orozco)

31K

    85th Combat squadron (Ogadai)

31K

    23rd Patrol squadron (Edo)

31K

    89th Seige squadron (Saavedra)

24K

11th Commonwealth Army (al-Ghazali)

198K    

    29th Anti-bombardment division (Ensanche)

30K

    49th Anti-bombardment division (al-Ghazali)

30K

    95th Anti-bombardment division (Takla Makan)

30K

    14th Combat division (Ogadai)

27K

    27th Combat division (al-Ghazali)

27K

    39th Combat division (Oporto)

27K

    93rd Combat division (Lalibela)

27K

14th Commonwealth Army (Ulan-Ude)

198K    

    14th Anti-bombardment division (Orozco)

30K

    33rd Anti-bombardment division (Ulan-Ude)

30K

    91st Anti-bombardment division (Saavedra)

30K

    11th Combat division (Roodepoort)

27K

    50th Combat division (Mbandaka)

27K

    54th Combat division (Novo Uralsk)

27K

    97th Combat division (Ulan-Ude)

27K

15th Commonwealth Army (Lingayen)

198K    

    16th Anti-bombardment division (Orinoco)

30K

    56th Anti-bombardment division (Lingayen)

30K

    85th Anti-bombardment division (Makino)

30K

    40th Combat division (Kapteyn)

27K

    15th Combat division (Edo)

27K

    67th Combat division (Orinoco)

27K

    100th Combat division (Lingayen)

27K

1st Commonwealth Reserve Army (Ensanche)

120K    

    557th Anti-bombardment division

21K

    838th Anti-bombardment division

21K

    871st Combat division

30K

    945th Combat division

30K

    1324th Patrol battalion

3K

    1865th Patrol battalion

3K

    1409th Siege battalion

3K

    1676th Siege battalion

3K

    1103rd Transport battalion

3K

    1479th Transport battalion

3K


Forward-deployed Theridian Forces in Sirius District

    91st al-Mansur Combat squadron (Nagpur)

43K

    74th al-Mansur Anti-bombardment division (Nagpur)

29K

    87th al-Mansur Combat division (Nagpur)

32K


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Fomalhaut District
(Adapted from Melbourne Times #3)

The following essay is excerpted from Into the Mouth of the Whale: The Security Structure of Fomalhaut by Jacobine Mkunda, Mwinyi Professor of Politics and Head of the Sarakikya Centre for Security Studies at the University of Tabora.

The security structure of Fomalhaut is driven by its astrography, its demography and its corresponding relative lack of development compared to the major Colonial States.  The Fomalhaut Rift, stretching across the district from rim-spinward to core-trailward, makes travel between the coreward-and-spinward regions of Fomalhaut and the trailward-and-rimward regions difficult.  Indeed, the J-3 trade route between Nifflheim and Marduk is the only connection between these two regions of Fomalhaut available to non-military starships.

Furthermore, the worlds of Fomalhaut are generally not highly populated or possessed of substantial technological accomplishment, reflecting its principal economy of agricultural production and resource extraction.  Only one world, Tabora, has a population in the hundreds of millions.  Tabora is also the only world in Fomalhaut with Interstellar-level technological accomplishment.  Seven worlds — Ibadan, Maka, Marduk, Nifflheim, No Cha, Okhotsk and Trabzon — have populations in the tens of millions but only Ibadan, Marduk, Nifflheim, No Cha, Okhotsk and Trabzon have gained sufficient technological accomplishment — Early Interstellar-level — for independent jump drive capabilities.  Two less populous worlds, Snowball, which hosts a Commonwealth naval base, and Guari, a Commonwealth member, have also achieved Early Interstellar capabilities but this is largely due to their association with the Commonwealth.

Were it not for these astrographic and demographic circumstances, Fomalhaut might have been a key area of contention between the Commonwealth of Earth to spinward and the Ouroran Community to rimward.  Instead the security structure of Fomalhaut is characterized primarily by the efforts of its many independent worlds to maintain their independence, not so much from larger the Colonial States as from each other.

Tabora, on the core-spinward side of the Fomalhaut Rift, is clearly the most formidable military power in Fomalhaut.  The bulk of its twelve-million forces, reflecting contemporary bastion doctrine, are therefore based in the Tabora system.  Tabora maintains a single combat squadron at its space force base which is ready for deployment out-system though expeditionary efforts are rare, consisting primarily of courtesy visits to friendly worlds elsewhere in the district.  Tabora maintains six divisions ready for expeditionary deployments but only two of these are deployed off-world on Luxor, to protect its trade route to Okhotsk.  Tabora guards its independence closely, recognizing that the Commonwealth presents the greatest potential challenge to its sovereignty and is therefore careful not to threaten the Commonwealth worlds in Fomalhaut.

Marduk, on the trail-rimward side of the Fomalhaut Rift, has military forces which are a tenth the size of Tabora's and lag Tabora's technological accomplishment.  Marduk operates a space force base but maintains no expeditionary space forces.  Marduk's planetary expeditionary forces are based at Marduk, except for a regiment based on Avichi and a battalion based on Enki to protect its trade routes to Nifflheim and Ibadan.  Marduk maintains good relations with the Ouroran Community to rimward — Ouroran warships are frequent visitors to Marduk's space force base — and is also attentive to security risks to trailward in Vishnu and to rim-trailward in Cinnabar.

Okhotsk, with military forces somewhat smaller than Marduk's but of comparable technological capability, has trading ties to coreward in the Commonwealth as well as to Tabora and Ibadan in Fomalhaut.  It has two expeditionary regiments, with one forward-deployed to Guangdong to protect its trade route to Ibadan.

Nifflheim and No Cha each have military forces which are of comparable technological capability to Marduk's but are only half the size.  Nifflheim, on the core-spinward side of the Fomalhaut Rift, is a key trading partner of Tabora.  It's expeditionary forces, two regiments and two battalions, are not forward-deployed.  No Cha, on the trail-rimward side of the Rift, has no trade routes connecting it to other major Fomalhaut worlds and instead focuses its security attention trailward to Vishnu, downward to Tunghai and trail-downward to Amaterasu.  None of it's expeditionary forces, two regiments and two battalions, are forward-deployed.

Maka, with forces twice the size of those of Marduk but with a technological accomplishment which lags Marduk, Nifflheim and No Cha, keeps its three expeditionary regiments at home as well.

Trabzon, though of comparable technological accomplishment to Marduk, has military forces which are less than half the size of those of Nifflheim or No Cha.  It is closely-aligned with nearby Marduk.  Trabzon hosts a Commonwealth naval base — operated by Trabzon space forces.  Though no Commonwealth naval forces are permanently based there, the base means the Ouroran Community is wary of Trabzon.  Trabzon's three expeditionary regiments are all based at Trabzon.  Ibadan, on the other hand, hosts an Ouroran Community scout base.  With military forces half the size of those of Trabzon but comparable in technological accomplishment, Ibadan has forward-deployed regiments on Novo Karachay and Enki, to protect its trading ties to Marduk.

The Commonwealth of Earth has no forward-deployed naval forces in Fomalhaut — though Commonwealth navy ships routinely transit Fomalhaut, making their way to the naval base at Trabzon.  Combat battalions from Earth in Sirius have been forward-deployed to Barnard and Guari.

Canyon, which, like Trabzon, hosts and operates a Commonwealth naval base, as well as Snowball and Astarte each maintain an expeditionary battalion which nevertheless remains based on their respective homeworlds.

The security structure of Fomalhaut succeeds in maintaining a stability which facilitates trade and maintains the sovereignty of its many independent worlds.  Fomalhaut has avoided Colonial State scale conflict largely through the accident of astrography and the advantages of underdevelopment.  There is little reason to expect these circumstances to change in the near-term but whether or not this stability and relative peacefulness will endure remains to be seen.

Forward-deployed Commonwealth Forces in Fomalhaut District

    2570th Combat battalion (Guari)

3K

    9664th Combat battalion (Barnard)

3K


Independent Expeditionary Forces in Fomalhaut District

    1st Taboran Combat squadron

30K

    76th Tabora Combat division

31K

    327th Tabora Transport division

28K

    387th Tabora Combat division (Luxor)

31K

    392nd Tabora Transport division

28K

    419th Tabora Anti-bombardment division (Luxor)

29K

    849th Tabora Anti-bombardment division


29K


    237th Marduk Combat regiment

8K

    287th Marduk Anti-bombardment regiment (Avichi)

8K

    849th Marduk Anti-bombardment battalion (Enki)

2K

    1365th Marduk Anti-bombardment battalion


2K


    768th Okhotsk Anti-bombardment regiment (Guangdong)

7K

    1615th Okhotsk Combat regiment


7K


    803rd Nifflheim Anti-bombardment regiment

7K

    1154th Nifflheim Combat regiment

8K

    5070th Nifflheim Anti-bombardment battalion

2K

    5380th Nifflheim Anti-bombardment battalion


2K


    854th No Cha Anti-bombardment regiment

8K

    1221st No Cha Combat regiment

8K

    2809th No Cha Anti-bombardment battalion

2K

    9810th No Cha Combat battalion


2K


    131st Maka Combat regiment

8K

    293rd Maka Combat regiment

8K

    1305th Maka Anti-bombardment regiment


7K


    198th Trabzon Anti-bombardment regiment

7K

    873rd Trabzon Combat regiment

7K

    981st Trabzon Anti-bombardment regiment


7K


    150th Ibadan Anti-bombardment regiment (Enki)

8K

    617th Ibadan Anti-bombardment regiment (Novo Karachay)


8K


    9478th Astarte Combat battalion


2K


    9242nd Snowball Combat battalion


2K


    3119th Canyon Combat battalion

2K


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Jagannath District Fomalhaut District
(Adapted from Melbourne Times #2)

The following material is excerpted from the commencement address given at Forces Academy Dundigal on Indra by Chief Marshal Priscilla Golaknath who currently serves as Chief of Military Staff of the Indran Forces.

In many ways the worlds Indra and Rajasthan are like competitive siblings, each seeking to influence the worlds of Jagannath.  Rajasthan's approach has been the more direct, focused on a political project — the Rajasthani Confederacy — intended to expand its control.  Indra, on the other hand, has been more subtle, seeking to expand its influence through cooperation and assistance.  Each world has had its successes, with the most interesting example perhaps being the world Rudra, a Confederacy member which has reached Interstellar technological accomplishment with assistance from Indra.

Rajasthan's overt approach has drawn the unwelcome attention of more powerful others, most notably the Federation of Nyanza which has expanded from rimward to control as many worlds in Jagannath as does the Confederacy.  Other Colonial States — the Commonwealth of Earth to core-trail-downward, the Abrahamic Synod to core-trailward, the Ouroran Community to rim-trail-downward and the Empire of Aztlán to core-downward have all encroached upon the frontiers of Jagannath.

The most significant potential for conflict in Jagannath is where the Rajasthani and the Nyanzans meet — in the very space surrounding Indra.  Rudra and the Nyanzan world Agni are Indra's closest trading partners — and though each world is closer to the other than either is to Indra, most of the trade between them flows through Indra, allowing each to maintain the fiction of having no direct trade with the other.

The flashpoint in Jagannath is the Nyanzan world Adamawa — claimed by the Rajasthani as "Nicobar."  Commercial starships from Agni can only reach Adamawa via a circuitous route which must also pass through Rudra while the same route — through Nyanzan space — is the only way commercial starships from Rudra can reach Rajasthan.  A conflict between Rajasthani and Nyanzan forces would likely focus on control of the Adamawa bastion.  (A battle at Rudra is less likely because the bastion there is much stronger than that at Adamawa.)  A Rajasthani offensive would most likely originate from Rajasthan itself while the Nyanzans would seek to hold the bastion until reinforcements could be introduced from Agni or from Nyanza to rimward.

A Rajasthani attack on Adamawa which sought to deny access to the Nyanzans except from deep space would need to seize control of the Nyanzan worlds Ashanti, Siguiri and Uele while maintaining control of Rudra.  (Adamawa might still be reachable from worlds in Boötes to upward.)  But given that these Nyanzan worlds are on the far side of Adamawa from Rajasthan it would be difficult for the Rajasthani to gain control of them except via a separate assault from Rudra, a difficult challenge.  Perhaps the best the Rajasthani might do in such a situation is to interdict ships seeking to travel between Agni and the three Nyanzan worlds at Rudra.

These circumstances suggest that gaining control of Rudra would be an important Nyanzan goal in any effort to repulse a Rajasthani attack on Adamawa.  Such an objective likely could only be accomplished with reinforcements from Nyanza to rimward as Nyanzan forces at Agni would likely be unable to breach the Rudra bastion.  Likewise, any Nyanzan offensive against Rudra — in the absence of a Rajasthani attack on Adamawa — would also likely depend upon Nyanzan expeditionary forces from Nyanza District.

The result of these complex, counter-balancing circumstances is the "wary peace" which currently prevails among the Rajasthani-Nyanzan border worlds in Jagannath.  Each faction would be advantaged by a shift in the status quo in its favor but each would find it difficult to accomplish such a change.

Indra, of course, could help to sway the tide one way or the other but doing so would hardly be in Indra's interests.  The current circumstances serve to secure Indra's independence while enabling Indra to profit from trade with both Rajasthani and Nyanzan worlds — Rudra and Agni chief among them.  For the time being at least, the security structure in Jagannath is primarily a matter of each world protecting its position in the prevailing circumstances.

With Interstellar-level technological accomplishment, Rajasthan, the capital of the Rajasthan Confederacy, is the most significant military presence in Jagannath.  The majority of its seven and a half million military forces remain in the Rajasthan system in accordance with military bastion doctrine, to protect the Confederacy capital from interstellar assault.  Rajasthan has a single combat squadron forward-deployed at its base at Sikkim, protecting the trade route there both to Arthabaska and to spinward into Pollux.  The 1st Expeditionary Ground Force, headquartered at Rajasthan, has three forward-deployed divisions in the Haryana Belt, protecting trade routes to Maharashtra, to Arthabaska and into Pollux.

Maharashtra has the second largest military force in the Confederacy though its technological capabilities lag those of Rajasthan. The overwhelming majority of its million and a half forces are also deployed in-system.  Maharashtra has a space force base but no expeditionary space forces.  Two expeditionary regiments are forward-deployed at Sikkim to protect the trade route to spinward into Pollux.

Rudra, with the Confederacy's third largest military force — with technological capabilities on par with Rajasthan, is isolated from most of the Confederacy, only connected to Rajasthan by a single, wandering trade route which passes through Nyanzan space, including the world Adamawa.  Its astrography requires Rudra to pay particular attention to its own security and the overwhelming majority of its half million military forces are deployed to defend the system bastion.  Two regiments are forward-deployed to Tamil Nadu which is otherwise isolated from the Confederacy.

Claimed by the Rajasthani Confederacy, the Nyanzan world Adamawa — called Nicobar by the Rajasthani — matches Rudra in both the size and technological accomplishment of its military forces.  Though connected directly to Rajasthan via a trade route, Adamawa is only connected to the Nyanzan world Agni via a circuitous trade route which passes through Rudra.  Adamawa's isolated position leaves little space for security concerns beyond maintenance of the system bastion by the bulk of the half million forces in-system, including a space force base but no expeditionary space forces.  Nevertheless, it has expeditionary regiments based at Uele, Siguiri and Ashanti to protect the trade route to Agni via Rudra.

Agni, with a fifth of the military forces of Adamawa — though of similar technological capability — is also a Nyanzan border world with key trade routes both to Rudra — and from there on to Adamawa — and to Indra.  Like Adamawa it has a Nyanzan space force base but no expeditionary space forces.  Its two expeditionary regiments are based at Huambo to protect the trade route, via Rudra, to Adamawa.

There are no expeditionary forces at the Nyanzan space force base at Karttikeya though Nyanzan warships often transit through from Nyanza to rimward.  The expeditionary battalion at the Nyanzan world Mwadui is not forward-deployed.  The are also Nyanzan space force bases at the independent worlds Surya and Kivu, each operated by local forces (and each protected by a local, dedicated, expeditionary battalion), with no Nyanzan forces forward-deployed to these worlds.

Indra, a technological peer of Rajasthan, Rudra, Adamawa and Agni, has somewhat more than a quarter of the military forces of Rajasthan, giving it the second largest military in Jagannath.  It has a single expeditionary squadron, based at Indra; its warships make frequent visits to both Agni and Rudra, patrolling the trade routes to both worlds, and also to trade partners to spinward in Arcturus, to rimward in Nyanza and to spin-rimward in Isauria.  All five divisions of the 1st Indran Expeditionary Ground Force are also based at Indra.

With two-thirds of the military forces of its technological peer Maharashtra, the independent world Arthabaska has a wary relationship with the Rajasthani Confederacy.  Keen to preserve its independence, Arthabaska nevertheless has important trading ties both to Maharashtra and to Rajasthan — though it has tried to diversify to markets to coreward in Pollux, to spinward in Arcturus and to spin-downward in Kiangsi.  Arthabaska maintains a space forces base but has no expeditionary space forces.  Its minimal expeditionary ground forces are all based at home.

The independent world Yama has a sizeable military but, at Substellar technological accomplishment, its focus is entirely upon the in-system bastion.  The locally-operated Abrahamic Synod base has no forward-deployed units but is routinely visited by Synod warships from Gaea to core-trailward.  Yama's three expeditionary regiments remain in-system.

Several other Colonial States have space force bases in Jagannath.  Commonwealth naval forces from Sirius to core-trail-downward — and from Pollux to coreward — routinely transit through their base at Jahangir — protected by a local expeditionary battalion — when patrolling the Commonwealth worlds of Tvashtri, Ratri and Sarasvati.  The Ouroran Community space force base at Chandi has no permanently-stationed units but is routinely visited by warships from Ourora to rim-trail-downward.  Warships from Procyon to core-downward — and from Pollux to coreward — visit the Aztán naval bases at Joliette and Lakshmi at frequent intervals.

Most of these Colonial States are still interlopers in Jagannath.  The real potential for conflict remains between the Rajasthani and the Nyanzans — at Adamawa, or perhaps at Rudra.  While each would be advantaged by a change in circumstances in its favor neither is in a position to force such a change.  So an uneasy stability — which is in Indra's best interests — prevails.

Rajasthani Expeditionary Forces in Jagannath District

    1st Rajasthan Combat squadron (Sikkim)

29K

1st Confederal Ground Force - Expeditionary (Rajasthan)

185K    

    25th Combat division

30K

    171st Anti-bombardment division (Haryana Belt)

31K

    184th Siege division

32K

    236th Anti-bombardment division (Haryana Belt)

31K

    361st Anti-bombardment division (Haryana Belt)

31K

    400th Combat division


30K


    760th Maharashtra Anti-bombardment regiment (Sikkim)

7K

    1296th Maharashtra Anti-bombardment regiment (Sikkim)

7K

    8431st Maharashtra Anti-bombardment battalion

2K

    9251st Maharashtra Combat battalion


2K


    1193rd Rudra Anti-bombardment regiment (Tamil Nadu)

7K

    1919th Rudra Anti-bombardment regiment (Tamil Nadu)

7K


Nyanzan Expeditionary Forces in Jagannath District

    1297th Adamawa Anti-bombardment regiment (Uele)

8K

    1771st Adamawa Anti-bombardment regiment (Siguiri)

8K

    1832nd Adamawa Anti-bombardment regiment (Ashanti)


8K


    396th Agni Anti-bombardment regiment (Huambo)

8K

    1232nd Agni Anti-bombardment regiment (Huambo)


7K


    8288th Mwadui Anti-bombardment battalion

2K


Independent Expeditionary Forces in Jagannath District

    1st Indra Combat squadron

28K

1st Indran Expeditionary Ground Force (Indra)

148K    

    65th Combat division (Indra)

29K

    159th Combat division (Indra)

29K

    318th Anti-bombardment division (Indra)

30K

    495th Anti-bombardment division (Indra)

30K

    497th Anti-bombardment division (Indra)


30K


    725th Arthabaska Combat regiment

8K

    1957th Arthabaska Siege regiment

8K

    3006th Arthabaska Combat battalion

2K

    8056th Arthabaska Combat battalion


2K


    114th Yama Combat regiment

7K

    392nd Yama Combat regiment

7K

    1103rd Yama Anti-bombardment regiment


7K


    2315th Surya Combat battalion


2K


    1606th Kivu Combat battalion


2K


    2059th Jahangir Anti-bombardment battalion


2K



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