The Protectorate Military
The Protectorate Military is divided into three branches: Navy, Marine, and Army. There is no equivalent of the Imperial Scout Service. Each is outlined in some detail below.
A note on character generation for those in military careers. The dice roll to determine Duty Assignment is modified up by one half of the character's level in the branch of service, rounded down. For example: a fifth level marine has a +2 modifier to their duty assignment.
The Protectorate Navy
Entry Requirements: Intelligence 12+, Dexterity 12+, Education 10+
The Protectorate Navy is the first line of defense and is built around a radical new weapon doctorine. The current line of Protectorate warships is less than twenty standard years old and their armament is based on the Zebra class automated missile.
Protectorate warships are capable of striking orbital targets from safe jump distance and with a different take on jump technology are capable of more mobility than that of any other fleet. They have repeatedly fought the Zhodani to a standstill and have kept the Protectorate safe in spite of repeated incursions by the forces of the Zhodani Consulate.
The dress uniform of the Protectorate Navy is black trousers and a black pull over turtleneck. A black shirt with rank insignia, a black beret, and a cutlass completes the uniform. The only exception to this is that a white beret is worn only by starship commanders.
The normal working uniform is a one piece jumpsuit, usually of a dull black or grey color. No headware is issued and all insignia is either worn on the lapels (for officers) or the sleeves (for enlisted).
Organizational Structure
A single starship is commanded by a Captain (O6).
A starship squadron is composed of 6 starships and is commanded by an Admiral(O7).
A fleet is composed of 6 squadrons and is commanded by a Fleet Admiral (O8). More than one fleet is usually called a task force.
A single Ancara class SDB is commanded by a Lieutenant or a Lieutenant Commander.
A squadron is composed of 6 vessels and is commanded by a Lieutenant Commander or a Commander.
A wing is composed of 30 vessels and is commanded by a Commander.
A battle group is compose of 150 vessels and is commanded by a Captain.
The Protectorate Marine Corps
Entry Requirements: Strength 12+, Dexterity 12+, Constitution 10+, Intelligence 8+.
The Protectorate Marines act as both shipboard security and provide security for various secure installations. The marines are trained to a higher standard than the army and as such tend to see more combat situations and suffer a higher casualty ratio. Approximately ten to fifteen percent of active duty marines are trained as shock troopers, battle dressed troopers with high energy weapons.
The dress uniform of the Protectorate Marine Corps is similar to that of the Navy except that the color is dark blue instead of black. The only exception to this is that a white beret is worn by members of the Protectorate Commandoes.
The normal working uniform is either a one piece jumpsuit like that of the navy (when shipboard), except of a dark blue color or fatigues (when groundside). Headware is worn only when groundside and it is the same as for the dress uniform.
Organizational Structure
A marine squad is composed of 6 personnel and is usually commanded by an experienced enlisted (E5+).
A marine platoon is composed of 36 personnel (5 squads plus an additional squad for the platoon commanding officer) and is usually commanded by a low ranking officer (O1 or O2).
A marine company is composed of 186 personnel (5 platoons plus an additional squad for the company commanding officer) and is usually commanded by an O3 or an O4. One of these platoons is usually battle dress equipped.
A marine battalion is composed of 5 companies and is usually commanded by an O5 or an O6.
A marine division is composed of 5 battalions and is usually commanded by an O7.
The Protectorate Army
Entry Requirements: Strength 10+, Dexterity 8+.
The Protectorate Army serves primarily in the roles of garrison and planetary combat. While the marines serve as the first wave to establish (or re-establish) control planetside, the Protectorate Army engages in protracted ground fighting and garrison duties. The dress uniform of the Protectorate Army is a yellow shirt with a necktie, grey trousers, and a peaked hat.
The working uniform of the army is fatigues and headware remains the same.
The army uses the same organizational structure as the marines.
The Protectorate Military Ranks
The Protectorate uses a more complex rank structure than that of the Imperium. This is outlined below and has no other game effect. The ranks given are designated by classification (letter, number) then by branch (Navy, Marine, Army).
Ranks
Enlisted
E1 - Recruit, Private, Private
E2 - Space Hand, Lance Corporal, Corporal
E3 - Petty Officer, Corporal, Senior Corporal
E4 - Chief Petty Officer, Sergeant, Sergeant
E5 - Senior Petty Officer, Tactical Sergeant, Sergeant Third Class
E6 - Chief, Gunnery Sergeant, Sergeant Second Class
E7 - Senior Chief, Master Sergeant, First Sergeant
E8 - Master Chief, Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major
Commissioned
O1 - Ensign, Lieutenant, Lieutenant
O2 - Junior Lieutenant, Senior Lieutenant, First Lieutenant
O3 - Lieutenant, Force Commander, Second Major
O4 - Lieutenant Commander, Major, First Major
O5 - Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel
O6 - Captain, Colonel, Colonel
O7 - Admiral, Brigadier, General
O8 - Fleet Admiral, Force Brigadier, Major General
The Velde Protectorate Military Academy
Located on the world of Velde, the Velde Protectorate Military Academy has been training the officer corps for approximately thirty standard years.
Eligibility: Open only to a natural born citizen of the Velde Protectorate. No immigrant that has applied to the academy has ever been accepted.
Admission: INT check vs DC (22 - Edu) to be successfully admitted. The admission roll may be adjusted by the character's SOC modifier if so desired as those of noble blood tend to gain admission easier. The character gains 1000 XP upon successful admission.
Graduation: INT check vs DC (22 - Edu) to successfully graduate. The graduation roll may be adjusted by the character's CON modifier if so desired as those with more stanima (ie Constitution) tend to be more successful.
Benefits of Graduation: The character gains the Leader skill at 5 ranks. If the character's Education stat is less than 12, then it is automatically raised to 12. In addition, the character also receives 5000 experience points and is awarded the first commissioned rank in their branch of service.
Restrictions: A character that successfully graduates will manatory re-enlist in their branch for five terms of service. That is, the character must serve five more terms in the military during their prior history. The only exception to this is if the character fails a survival roll and is discharged (or the campaign is active military).
Honors: INT check vs DC (28 - Edu) to graduate with honors. The honors roll may be adjusted by the character's WIS modifier if so desired.
Benefits of Honors: The character gains the PMOS feat which must be applied to a class skill for their particular branch of service. In addition, the character receives a bonus 4000 XP and is awarded the second commissioned rank in their branch.
Compulsitory Service
While the Protectorate does not require military service of every citizen, many younger sentients often choose a career in the military as a path to fame and glory. In part because knighthood is most easily reached through military service and in part because the military is the most secure employment available.
Most sentients choose to enlist for a minimum of four years. While many choose a lifetime of service and with the advent of the prolong process careers of fourty years or more are easily possible. Most of those with military service usually pass along into a mercenary career or similiar professional career. Those knighted in the line of duty sometimes prefer political and/or diplomatic careers.
While military service is not technically compulsitory, in the event of an emergency or a state of war (the Protectorate has been in a state of war since it's founding), any citizen may be called upon to take up arms in defense of the realm. Or in simpler language, any citizen may be drafted.
Draftees usually find themselves in the Protectorate Army. Those with sufficient training and/or skills may find themselves holding a low ranking commission.
Shock Troopers
Shock troopers are inmates who have been convicted of the death penalty and have been given the option of having their personality completely changed via RNA implant. This implant makes the individual not only completely loyal to the Protectorate but obliterates their memory of anything that takes place before. These individuals are refered to as "Shock Troopers".
Shock Troopers normally serve as the first wave of any assault and are considered completely expendable, normally being the personnel housed in low berth until needed. Shock Troopers usually serve for life as most do not live the requisite ten years of service required to receive a "release from service" (or a full pardon). Shock Troopers are normally issued (and only issued) one set of armor, either Cloth Armor or Combat Enviro Suit, and a Gauss rifle with 6 magazines.
A character having been turned into a shock trooper retains their current attributes (including lifeblood, stanima, and saves) but immediately gains an additional level which must be taken in the Army service class. All previous skills and feats are considered lost and the only feats and skills the character then has are those of one level of the Army service class. The character will NOT gain an additional level until they receive enough experience points to move to the next level.
Example: a sixth level rogue looses all skills and feats but then gains one level of the Army service class. The character is now considered 7th level and will not gain another level until enough experience is gained to achieve 8th level.