Striga (WIP)

[Gamov]

Military Organization:

There is but one Emperor.
He is our shield and protector.
We will give of ourselves unto him.
And we shall know no fear.

- Oath of Fealty

Overview:

The Strigan military is organized like any other fighting force in the galaxy, possessing both an Army and Navy, both of which have their own divisions within the War Ministry to help them organize and maintain their armed forces. Although both divisions are separate entities of one another with their own chains of command, they are often used in unison to complete a task and are subservient to the commands of the Emperor, Wardens or Warlords. However, perhaps the greatest difference between Strigan military forces and others is their highly politicized and fanatical nature.

Every soldier within the Dominion is trained to serve the Emperor loyally and without question. The act of sacrificing ones life in service to the Emperor is considered a high honor among the Striga, and war heroes are revered in their society for their actions in battle. However, the Dominion military is something of a double edged sword. On the one side, it is seen by many as a defender, dutifully carrying out its orders to ensure the safety and security of every man, woman and child within the Dominion. On the other, however, some view the military as a tool of oppression, built by the Emperor to repress free thought and force loyalty to his throne.

This view is particularly true among newly conquered worlds where the notion of swearing allegiance to a sovereign Emperor has been met with stiff opposition. On such worlds, the military is used as an implement of destruction, mercilessly hunting down and eradicating any traces of dissent or rebellion.

Departments and Divisions:

Warlords:

The Warlords are foremost amongst the defenders of the Dominion, the greatest of the Emperor's warriors. They are typically considered to be superior to the average soldier in every way; having been forged in battle where they have proven their skill, loyalty, tenacity and ferocity. Clad in gleaming black suits of protective Keltite battle armor and equipped with the finest equipment and weapons in the Dominion arsenal, Warlords are terrifying foes and their devotion to the Emperor and the Dominion is unyielding. They will often undertake suicidal tasks or missions in order to prove their continued value to the Emperor and to further test their own abilities in battle.

Warlords also lead by example from the front lines of every engagement, standing shoulder to shoulder with their own troops in the trenches. Typically, the very presence of a Warlord is enough to inspire Dominion forces to stubbornly hold their ground, or take the fight to their enemies even in the face of impossible odds. Though they are not superhuman by any stretch of the imagination, their actions in battle lead many to believe this to be the case. This image is only further engendered within the military as war heroes are often elevated to legendary status, their exploits glorified to near biblical proportions in some instances. They are figures that are both praised and feared across the whole of the Dominion, and their will is absolute.

Army:

The army is the largest fighting force of the Strigan military. It is comprised of countless millions of men and women – hundreds of thousands of different regiments, supported by a vast array of light and heavy armored vehicles that provide the army with its primary offensive punch. They are usually the first force to respond to a threat if a planet's Military Police force fails to suppress it. They also garrison major locations of strategic or cultural interest to the Dominion and are often found in defensive roles on key worlds.

However, offensively, the power that the army can bring to bear on their enemies is so devastating that the entire organization has garnered the moniker the “Emperor's Fist”. Given its vast numbers and sheer weight in manpower, the main tactic of the army is to overwhelm the enemy with their endless numbers, while at the same time hammer them into submission with devastating artillery and powerful main battle tanks. This is not to say this is the army's only method of attack, however. Contained within the army itself are numerous sub-divisions of soldiers tailored to meet more specialized tasks. Some of these divisions include:

Stormtroopers

The shock troopers of the Strigan army. Trained to operate either in small squads or large battalions, they are often equipped with a variety of assault weaponry including assault rifles, shotguns, grenades or vibroswords and are specially trained in close quarters battle (CQB). These men and women usually serve as part of the first wave of assault troops, meant to demoralize the enemy through their sheer determination and brutality in battle.

Due to their ferocity and tenacity, entire companies of Stormtroopers are usually selected to serve as private envoys or bodyguards for Warlords. On occasion, senior Stormtrooper officers can be given command of other army units, putting their years of specialized training to practice in order to maximize the effectiveness of smaller fighting forces.

Mechanized Infantry

Soldiers specially trained to operate in tandem with the Dominion's armored cavalry forces. These troopers usually field a diverse array of weapons ranging from small arms and grenades, to mortars, anti-armor rifles, missile launchers, APCs, battle tanks and mobile field artillery. When deployed in battle, their preferred tactic is similar in function and execution to Blitzkrieg, storming ahead well in advance of the main Dominion force to crush enemy opposition or outflank strong points with their speed and maneuverability. They are also well known for their expert use of hit and run tactics, striking an enemy swiftly and disappearing before they have a chance to organize an effective counter attack.

Drop Troopers

Similar to paratroopers, Drop Troopers are trained to be deployed into the heat of battle by atmospheric transport craft. These soldiers are exceptionally tough and resilient, trained to hold their own against overwhelming odds until reinforcements arrive to back them up. Often equipped with battle rifles, carbines, sniper rifles and grenades, drop troopers are also highly trained demolitions experts taught to disrupt enemy operations by destroying bridges, communication relays, supply depots or other valuable targets. Due to their versatility and extreme mobility on the battlefield, Drop Troopers are also deployed to act as advanced scouts, conducting reconnaissance on enemy positions or seizing strategic targets well ahead of the main body of the attack force.

Commandants

Even in battle, soldiers may need to be reminded of their duty to the Emperor to overcome their fear, and Commandants step in to fill this role. Expertly trained and highly disciplined, Commandants are often chosen from those candidates who were not appointed to Warlord positions. Candidates who were not elected or appointed to the Council of Lords may still be recognized for their loyalty by becoming apprenticed to an existing Warlord. In this capacity, Commandants serve as executive officers where they act as proxies, coordinating and leading army units wherever a Warlord cannot be present to do so personally.

Austere leaders trained to remain calm under any circumstances, Commandants are able to inspire great deeds or strike fear into the hearts of their subordinates. Either way, these emotions encourage the troops to stand their ground against impossible odds and battle it out to the end. However, Commandants are trained to be more than just a visible representative on the battlefield. They also take the fight to the enemy, battling against foe after foe to aid their units in battle. Their elevated status marks them apart from the standard hierarchy of the army's regimental command, and they often operate as autonomous individuals, counseling and advising the commanding officer of an army unit on behalf of the Warlord.

Navy:

Second in power only to the army, the Strigan navy is responsible both for defending the boarders of the Dominion from invasion, as well as leading the attack on new worlds. Comprised of millions of individuals helming thousands of warships, the navy is as diverse as it is expansive. Unlike the army, however, the navy takes a much more pragmatic approach to battle. Rather than focusing on overwhelming numbers, the navy has instead adopted a “less is more” principle – meaning it relies heavily on smaller, more specialized units to do the bulk of its fighting. This means that the navy is far more compartmentalized as a department than the army, comprised almost exclusively of individual tactical strike forces rather than a single large entity built for rolling over its opposition.

Outside of its military role, the navy is also responsible for moving the army from planet to planet and sometimes the two entities are seen, mistakenly, as one. Even while the army may rely on the navy for support, and visa versa, both organizations retain their own chain of command in order to minimize confusion and maximize cohesion and efficiency. However, unlike the army which largely operates autonomously, the navy is closely tied to the offices of Tactical Command, given that it often falls to the navy to police and patrol the boarders of Dominion space. Similarly to the army though, the navy also fields a diverse array of powerful weapons, as well as many specialized sub-divisions. Some of these sub-divisions include:

Marines:

Soldiers that specialize in ship to ship operations, Marines are usually found aboard Dominion ships where they serve as both a security force and as an attack force during naval battles. While serving as the security force for Dominion warships, senior Marine officers are often given purview over the ship's security systems, trusted to use their skills and knowledge to defend the ship from enemy boarding actions. Outside of their defensive roles, Marines are well suited to taking the fight to the enemy as they have been expertly trained in boarding actions.

Additionally, Marines may also be deployed for minor planetary operations such as conducting search and rescue missions, or providing support for planet based naval air bases. Armed with a variety of weapons designed to maximize maneuverability and versatility, and deployed in smaller numbers than most specialized army units, Marines are arguably among some of the most tactical soldiers within the Strigan military.

Crimson Knights:

Fighter pilots renowned for their skills and bravery, it takes a special breed of pilot to join the Crimson Knights. Expert soldiers capable of piloting anything that can fly, the Crimson Knights are considered the elite among fighter pilots, and with good reason. Every member of the Crimson Knights is an ace pilot selected from the ranks of the navy's starfighter corps. Only those individuals who have proven to have nerves of steel, sharp reflexes and an exemplary service record will be chosen to join the Knights.

However, unlike most standard fighter formations within the navy that may be assigned to a particular ship or fleet, the Knights are administrated directly by TAC/COM. Serving as a private fighting force for TAC/COM, the Crimson Knights can be deployed at a moments notice to handle any threat to the Dominion.

Valkyries:

A division within the navy that is comprised entirely of female members, the Valkyries fulfill a wide variety of roles ranging from fighter pilots, to transport pilots, and even ship commanders. While their duties are not that dissimilar from the duties of regular naval personnel, the Valkyries are widely known for their cunning in battle. Valkyrie fighter formations are considered among some of the best in the entire navy, second only to the Crimson Knights.

Additionally, while it is not a particularly common sight in the navy, entire strike forces can be comprised of Valkyries. These battle groups are revered for their efficiency and are often seen serving on the front lines of most engagements both within the Dominion and beyond. While some hard line military officials still hold reservations about the effectiveness of female fighters in the armed forces, the Valkyries have worked hard to prove otherwise and are nonetheless considered just as integral to the military as any other division.

Military Police:

The most common sight on Dominion worlds, the Military Police enforce laws and generally keep the peace when military forces are not present to provide planetary security. While their training is nothing like the military training recruits in the army or navy receive, the Military Police are nonetheless highly disciplined, well equipped and expertly trained to handle a variety of situations ranging from minor civil infractions, to riots and some small scale invasions.

Typically seen patrolling the streets of major cities or metropolis areas, the Military Police serve as a constant visual reminder of the Emperor's rule. Like most organized fighting forces in the Dominion, the Military Police also posses a specialized division of elite officers who are trained to handle a much wider range of situations.

These officers, known collectively as the Counter Insurgency Division, or COIN for short, are among the elite of the Military Police. Each member is hand picked from the best and brightest by the offices of Tactical Command and trained in a number of specializations beyond what the standard Military Police are trained in. Members of COIN are rigorously drilled on subjects such as urban combat tactics, CQB skills, marksmanship and guerrilla tactics.

In order to aid them in their duties, COIN members are often equipped with some of the best weapons and equipment available. Their responsibilities are similar to those of SWAT teams, responding at a moments notice to handle any threat that may be beyond the capabilities of the Military Police to effectively control.

Wardens:

Serving the Dominion as a kind of secret police or internal affairs organization, the Wardens are often seen as extensions of the Emperor's will, acting as proxies for him by executing his demands wherever they go. Tracing their origins back to the rule of Emperor Dominus, Wardens are appointed personally by the Emperor and are specially trained to locate and neutralize any potential threats posed to the Dominion, be they foreign or domestic. Imbued with the Emperor's blessing, no world is beyond their jurisdiction and no individual beyond their scrutiny. Their sphere of influence is the Dominion itself, their loyalty unquestionable and their methods brutally efficient.

Because of the importance of their occupation, the Wardens necessarily exist beyond many of the laws and regulations of the Dominion, as part of their duties entail routing out corruption and gross incompetence within the Dominion itself. They also tend to work very closely with the Church of Unity, putting their unique skills to use in helping the church to rid the Dominion of heretical practices. Wardens also hold some power over the Council of Lords and can privately requisition military forces at any time in order to eradicate any traces of rebellion they may find in their investigations.

Office of Military Intelligence:

The Office of Military Intelligence, often simply referred to as OMIN, is the central intelligence agency of the Dominion. Employing a vast network of spies, informants, double agents, hackers and intelligence officials, OMIN provides security and peace of mind for the Strigan people by tirelessly working to obtain actionable intelligence on enemies of the Dominion. Where the Wardens are specifically trained to handle any threats posed by Force sensitives, OMIN is charged with covertly maintaining the security of the Dominion by neutralizing any political or military threats that may be posed by foreign powers. Be it a Republic Senator or a decorated General, OMIN has been given the mandate to secure the Dominion's safety through “any necessary channels.”

Next to the army, OMIN has the second largest defense budget of any other military department in the Dominion. Utilizing its nearly unmitigated wealth to fund its operations, the reach and influence of OMIN remains uninhibited by boundaries or regulations. OMIN also funds and operates its own private research and development department. A facet that often leads the organization to be on the cutting edge of military technology.

Due to its responsibilities, OMIN operations are often clandestine and completely off the records. Names of agents, employees and locations are redacted from every single document in the OMIN archives, erasing any trace of their presence and providing a nearly impenetrable shroud of deniability for the entire organization. The only other individuals that have intimate knowledge of OMIN operations beyond its agents are the Emperor and his Wardens. Others within the Dominion, including Warlords, must simply accept it on faith that what OMIN does is in the best interest of the Strigan people.

Rangers

Special operations soldiers that serve as covert field agents for OMIN. They provide the organization with a physical presence in the galaxy, and the means with which to execute their mandates. Rangers are trained to infiltrate enemy positions for the purposes of either conducting intelligence gathering, or for performing a more specific task such as target assassination and/or High Value Target (HVT) capture/extraction. Rangers can be recruited from almost any branch of service in the military, but the bulk of recruits come from specialized task forces within the army. Only those individuals with impeccable service records and exceptional combat skills are considered for training.

Each and every agent is considered to possess expert survival skills that allow them to operate for weeks at a time independent of any other support. They are also skilled marksmen as well as assassins, often being deployed to eliminate high value targets such as enemy officers or commanders. When Rangers are not engaging the enemy in combat though, they are trained agents of espionage and subterfuge, able to extract information from almost any source before sending it back to OMIN headquarters (colloquially referred to as Overwatch) for review. It is often said that the best Ranger is one that never even existed – meaning they can accomplish their mission without raising suspicions or drawing undue attention to themselves.

In all, next to the Wardens, these individuals are considered the best of the best in the Dominion – or at least within the halls of OMIN headquarters. The great irony of becoming a Ranger is that while one may be recognized for their skills at first, OMIN treats secrecy as its paramount concern and agents recruited to become Rangers very rarely receive official commendations for their actions. Any medals or accolades they may earn through their service are awarded posthumously with little or no ceremony. In order to maintain this facade of anonymity, Rangers also adopt specialized callsigns not only to protect their own identity, but the identity of their fellow agents as well.

Known Ranger Callsigns:

Scarecrow
Ronin
Domino
Gremlin
Jinx
Vector
Seven
Priest
Sandman
Thirteen
Gamble
Bandit
Spooky
Maverick

Tactical Command:

Responsible for the operation, maintenance and organization of planetary defenses across the Dominion, the offices of Tactical Command, or TAC/COM, serve as the first line of defense against incursions from hostile forces. Among the duties of TAC/COM are maintaining local Military Police forces on Dominion worlds, appointing planetary Governors and coordinating with army and navy commanders to organize effective defensive measures.

While TAC/COM is overseen by the War Ministry and made answerable to higher powers, because of its largely defensive roles it is allowed to operate with a higher degree of autonomy. TAC/COM also directly controls and administrates the Crimson Knights and COIN forces as part of a private military force that can be deployed at their discretion to deal with any potential threats.