Repzork Battle Doctrine

The following is an overview summarizing how the Repzork conduct war.

Overview
See also: Armed Forces of the Repzork Empire & Armada (Repzork Empire)

The AFRE is divided into four service branches: the Star Navy, which conducts aerospace warfare; the Army, which conducts land, oceanic, and subterranean warfare; the Star Marines, which supports both the navy and the army; and Central Intelligence, the AFRE's combined special operations branch. These branches operate in tandem with one another in order to assure strategic and tactical cohesiveness. Likewise, the modern battlespace is divided into five blocks: space, air, ground, oceanic, and subterranean. Of these blocks, space and air are considered the most crucial as superiority in both is often the determining factor in battle, but all blocks are considered vital to achieving total victory.

The preeminent unit formation of the AFRE is the Armada, which all contain at least one flotilla, grand army, marine division, and task force. At least one armada is present in each sufficiently developed sector of Repzork space, with the core worlds being capable of producing multiple due to their large population and industrial capacity. Armadas are responsible for either defending their assigned sector from incursions, waging war against foreign powers, or in the case of small armadas, supporting the former two. Armadas fall under the authority of sector marshals, who answer directly to the High Chamber, the ruling body of both the military and the empire as a whole.

In broad terms, modern Repzork offensive doctrine revolves around relentless aggression. The enemy is to be constantly bombarded from afar and harassed along their flanks as the front line uses concentrated attacks to pierce weakened sections of an enemy's defenses, allowing for the piecemeal encirclement and subsequent destruction of remaining enemy defenders as the vanguard continues their push deeper into enemy territory. If the enemy cannot be broken, the military switches to siege warfare, encircling and continually bombarding the enemy as saboteurs seek to dismantle the enemy's defenses from within. Defensively, the AFRE relies predominantly on a layered defensive network designed to gradually wear an enemy down until they can be repelled by a counterattack. The specifics to these strategies vary from armada to armada and from battle to battle as commanders adapt for specific scenarios and opponents.

Though the High Chamber has the final say in all decisions, military command is partly decentralized. The High Chamber often dictates grand strategy, establishing objectives that are then passed down to the sector marshals, who are often allowed to pursue their objectives as they see fit so long as they do not place citizens of the empire in jeopardy or violate the Oltavaran Code. This autonomy extends all the way down to the lowest ranking officers and NCOs, allowing them to experiment with new tactics and adapt to sudden changes in battlefield conditions. Officers are even allowed to go as far as to disobey direct orders if they believe it to be beneficial to the cause, but the punishment for failure, which can include execution in the most serious cases, dissuade most from attempting unless they are in a desperate situation or see an obvious opportunity.

To the Repzork, victory is paramount above all else. The empire will readily use any and all available options to subdue an enemy regardless of collateral damage if it contributes to victory. They seldom go out of their way to attack civilians, but have little remorse for those caught in the crossfire, with most soldiers and officers regarding them as unarmed combatants, a view which has been reinforced by mandatory conscription in Repzork society. If an enemy does surrender, the Repzork will spare them and take them as captives as it is considered dishonorable to engage a foe who is unwilling to fight. Officers do make an attempt to prevent casualties among their own ranks as often as possible. While casualties are expected for any operation, officials guilty of wasting the lives of their personnel can be be stripped of their command and have their reputation permanently tarnished, as 'throwing away' the lives of those under one's command is considered an affront to the dead, their ancestors, and to the gods themselves.

Technology & Equipment
See also: Repzork Technology, Repzork Military Arsenal

The AFRE maintains a vast and diverse arsenal allowing them to operate in any potential environment, with new weapons and tools being developed regularly. The empire places great emphasis on maintaining a technological edge over any potential rivals, and thus is constantly experimenting with new concepts and reverse-engineering foreign technology in order to later replicate and modify it to fit their needs. Some of the empire's ongoing research programs include the Selshezak supersoldier program, Void studies, antimatter weaponization, teleportation, and utilizing Marganite. Many of these projects have already bore fruit, but a few, such as teleportation, remain in the early stages of development.

Because of the AFRE's size, it often takes a few years for newly approved weapons to be issued to troops on a large scale; this is especially true in the case of the Army, which frequently employs last-gen tech in some capacity for months or years while new equipment is being deployed. The Star Marines, being substantially smaller and thus easier to equip than the Army, is often given immediate access to new weapons so that they can test its effective. If trials prove successful, the equipment is then given to the Army to begin distribution.

Pre-Invasion Operations
See also: Repzork Central Intelligence

Space Warfare
See also: Repzork Star Navy & Repzork Star Marines

The Star Navy has historically been a technological and strategic trailblazer within the AFRE. This was borne of necessity; following the Second Exodus, the Navy had been nearly wiped out and its old doctrines had proven woefully incapable of defeating their Nolsarian counterparts. Grand Marshal Tagara Vukarn, believing a strong navy to be the only way to adequately defend the fledgling Repzork, prioritized the Navy's reconstruction and reorganized it from the ground up with new strategies and ships. Since then, the navy has made every effort to maintain parity with any and all potential rivals. As a result, the Star Navy has become the crown jewel of the AFRE and a symbol of the empire's might across the galactic region.

Modern Naval doctrine eschews prolonged and potentially costly battles of attrition in favor of quick, decisive engagements. As such, surprise, speed, aggression, and control over the electronic battlefield are all considered crucial to success. Electronic warfare (EW) is considered particularly vital, as it affects faster-than-light travel, communication, targeting, sensors, and more, and thus holds significant influence on a tactical, operational, and strategic level. The Navy will always attempt to secure electronic dominance either prior to or early on during an engagement.

Standard Formations
All naval vessels are a part of a flotilla, one of the four main components of an Armada. Commanded by the star marshal of the armada, flotillas engage in grand strategy, though the star marshal will often personally participate in major engagements. Flotillas are then divided into fleet groups, which are made up of two or more fleets. These fleets are made up of squadrons known as battlegroups, groups of vessels assigned to a particular role or set of roles within the fleet. Listed below are the six broad battlegroup categories, though it must be noted that numerous variations of each category exists:


 * Command Battlegroup - Contains the fleet's command ship and it's personal escort.


 * Attack Battlegroup - Vanguard of the fleet, generally the first to directly engage enemy forces. Chiefly consists of assault, barrage, and escort ships. May also contain a small number of shock vessels for fire support.


 * Reserve Battlegroup - Defends key elements of the fleet and reinforces attack battlegroups when necessary. Similar in composition to attack battlegroups.


 * Artillery/Shock Battlegroup - Provides long-range firepower and shock strike capabilities. Comprised exclusively of shock and barrage vessels.


 * Carrier Battlegroup - Contains one or more carriers and their escorts.


 * Star Base Battlegroup - Contains a star base and its escorts.

Attack battlegroups are situated at the front and flanks of a fleet. Behind them are the reserve battlegroups, which typically spread their forces to both reinforce the flanks and cover the fleet's rear. Both battlegroups form a screen around the artillery/shock battlegroups, which in turn are situated both in front of and behind the command battlegroup, which sits in the middle of the fleet. Carrier and star base battlegroups are often situated closer to the rear, and only advance towards the front if their safety can be assured. Battlegroups are not limited to fleet actions and can be sent on independent operations, in which case they are comprised of whatever vessels are considered fit for their mission.

Tactics
Broadly speaking, the attack battlegroups will be the first squadrons to make contact with the enemy, with corvettes, frigates, and destroyers forming a screen around their commanding cruisers and battleships, which will engage the enemy at long range alongside the artillery battlegroups. The reserves will reinforce the attack battlegroups as needed while maintaining their positions until they are given orders. The fleet will keep its distance and each ship will keep its bow pointed towards the bulk of enemy fire both to reduce their profile and to keep their spinal guns focused on the enemy. If the enemy closes in suddenly, an attempt will be made to jump away, but if this is not possible, or the target can be quickly surrounded, then the Repzork will instead close in to meet their target. The ultimate goal is to eliminate an enemy's capitol ships and/or shatter their formations. Once this has been achieved, the Repzork's heavy assets will exploit the gaps to scatter the remaining enemy ships which can then be encircled in pockets and destroyed piecemeal.

Shock Strikes
Shock strikes, in which a vessel uses its subspace drives to maneuver itself near a warship and unload all of its frontal weapons into the target, have become an increasingly important aspect of modern doctrine. When performed successfully, shock strikes can cripple or outright destroy a target before it is capable of responding, which can subsequently shatter an enemy's formation, contributing to a rapid victory. Shock strike vessels seldom operate alone, with two or more ships engaging a target so as to ensure a successful kill. Shock strikes are most often employed against capitol ships, carriers, and orbital facilities, especially defense platforms. However, shock strikes require accurate subspace coordinates to perform successfully, and thus necessitate dominance in the electronic battlefield. Additionally, the potential for hostile shock strikes prevents the Navy from deploying its heavy assets on the front lines until the threat of a shock strike has been eliminated.

If the Navy can assure electronic superiority before the battle begins, fleets will almost always opt to open a battle with shock strikes, often sending their cruisers, battleships, and dreadnoughts. This 'battering ram' tactic aims to quickly disorient and cripple the enemy, ensuring a quick victory.

Carriers & Strikecraft
For more information on strikecraft, please read the strikecraft classification section in the 'Air Warfare' section.

Carriers and strikecraft play a predominantly supportive role in most naval engagements due to strikecraft being vulnerable to stray weapons fire, PDGs, debris, and other strikecraft. Interceptors and fighters are employed defensively to pick off off fighters, bombers, transports, and guided munitions. Bombers, alongside fighter escorts, are sent on sorties against ships in close range. They will target the engines, turrets, the bridge, and other vital elements of the target. Corvettes will often lead these sorties, using their more powerful munitions to soften a target for the bombers.

Boarding Operations
Traditional boarding operations have become increasingly uncommon in modern engagements as the navy's reliance on shock strikes and overwhelming firepower leads to most hostile ships being obliterated, rendering boarding impossible. Additionally, boarding is primarily utilized when the navy is aiming to capture specific personnel, such as officers, or to acquire information from a vessel's computers; thus, only high-value vessels such as flagships would be marked for boarding. Boarding can also be used as a means of destroying a ship from the inside, though demolition is only conducted as a last-resort.

Before a ship can be boarded, it must first be crippled. The Navy will attempt to destroy a vessel's engines, turrets, and any other vital systems, rendering the ship immobile and defenseless. Once this is achieved, boarding craft loaded with Marine squads, Central Intelligence agents, and combat robots will be deployed and will enter the ship either by blowing a hole into the hull, entering through the hangar bay, or through an airlock. Once inside, they will sweep the vessel, tap into its computers, and kill or capture any personnel they come across. If the ship is marked for destruction, they will plant timed explosives around the vessel's reactors. Once they have completed their objectives, the boarding crews will abandon the vessel, which will then be destroyed or towed back into the mainland for study.

During the interim era of the Great War, the Navy began experimenting with 'boarding shells', heavily reinforced boarding pods which could be fired from a ballistic battery's cannons. The boarding shells enter the vessel and then deploy swarms of robots directly into the ship. Boarding shells have been met with mixed results, as some shells are destroyed on impact or are unable to properly deploy their payload, but successful attacks have shown promise as a new means of damaging or securing a ship. They have also been employed against orbital facilities with often better results.

Landing Operations
Troops are not deployed to the planet until either complete or regional orbital superiority is achieved, regional superiority meaning that an area of ground sufficient to establish a sizeable base of operations. Once any potential threat is eliminated, the carrier battlegroups will close in and begin ferrying troops to the surface. If the secured territory is barren, landings will begin with FC-50 Treanaki carrier-transports, which will unload hundreds of troops and all of their equipment, including the supplies needed to begin constructing a staging area. If an enemy force is present and cannot be eliminated with bombardment, Marines will be deployed on and around them via drop-pods and dropships; these landings will then be followed by Army transports which will reinforce the Marines. If orbital elevators are present, the Repzork will attempt to capture with Marines deployed at the elevator's base and boarding operations. If secured, the elevators will be used to ferry troops; if they cannot be captured, the Repzork may instead opt to demolish the elevator so as to prevent the enemy from making use of them. Boarding pods have proven a reliable means of securing elevators and other installations, though care must be taken not to critically damage the installation.

Planetary Bombardment
Known also as orbital artillery or orbital bombardment, planetary bombardment is employed in regions where the Repzork have attained orbital supremacy and involves using either a vessel's spinal guns, missile launchers, and/or cannons fixed to the underside of a vessel. Bombardments are performed to secure landing zones, support advancing ground forces, and to eliminate fortified hostile positions. With the exception of particle beams, which allow for precision aiming, orbital artillery is universally destructive over a large area; as a result, when supporting ground troops, ships must have precise coordinates before any bombardment can be made so as to prevent friendly fire. When no ground troops are present and the Repzork control the skies, the enemy will instead be bombarded with impunity until they either surrender, are completely wiped out, or are weakened to the point that ground troops can suppress the survivors with little resistance, depending on the state of the planet itself.

Planetary Decimation
The continued development of increasingly large and powerful spinal cannons led to the creation of a new form of planetary bombardment known as planetary decimation, in which the planet is bombarded to the point that it is rendered uninhabitable due to a combination of the planet physically cracking apart and total ecological collapse. Though also possible through nuclear bombardment, planetary decimation refers specifically to the use of spinal cannons, the projectiles of which are significantly harder to intercept than ballistic missiles. Currently, the only vessel capable of performing planetary decimation is the Helia-class dreadnought, which is armed with the pattern-5 antimatter railcannon. Also known as the 'planet cracker', the antimatter railcannon is 25 kilometers (16 miles) in length and uses a two-stage projectile packed with an antimatter explosive. The barrel is lined with magnetic boosters to accelerate the projectile's velocity to as close to the speed of light as physically possible. The planet cracker is capable of physically destroying entire continents, causing severe tectonic disruptions and sending chunks of debris raining across the planet's surface.

Planetary decimation as a concept has been met with mixed responses from the admiralty. Most have shown themselves unwilling to utilize it outside of desperate circumstances as it permanently damages the target and renders colonization impossible. Others view it as a means of forcing an enemy to surrender without having to fight. A few, such as Star Marshal Xatka Yuvaki of the 77th armada, view decimation with abhorrence, believing it to be a waste of resources and morally abominable. As of right now, planetary decimation requires approval from an armada's sector marshal.

Air Warfare
The Air Force is a branch of the Star Navy and engages in both space and aerial warfare. As part of the Navy, the Air Force closely follows the Star Navy's doctrines of quality-over-quantity and short engagements, as well as its traditions of excellence and skill. New pilots receive substantial training before their first deployment, and when possible will be assigned to a veteran squadron following their graduation so as to assure that the veterans' expertise is passed down to the next generation. Thus, like the Star Navy, air squadrons, though small, make up for it with their skill.

The Air Force's primary objectives are to safeguard friendly ships from hostile strikecraft & boarding craft, engaging enemy ships in close range, and to attain aerial superiority so as to support ground forces. This section will primarily focus on the Air Force's role in terrestrial warfare.

Land Warfare
See also: Repzork Army