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 Repzork 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 the determining factor in most conflicts, 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.

In broad terms, modern Repzork offensive strategy revolves around relentless aggression. When possible, units are to utilize concentrated attacks to pierce enemy lines and disrupt their positions/formations, allowing for the enemy's piecemeal envelopment and destruction as vanguard units push deeper to disrupt the enemy's rear positions. If this is not possible, the military switches to siege warfare, surrounding an enemy and bombarding with long-range firepower while simultaneously sabotaging their defenses with infiltrators, and in the case of land warfare, subterranean units. 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.

Battle doctrines are never set in stone and are constantly evolving due in part to military command being partly decentralized. Though the High Chamber has the final say in all decisions, sector marshals possess a great deal of autonomy in how they achieve their goals, allowing for them to experiment with new ideas adapted to specific circumstances. This autonomy extends down to the lowest ranking officers and NCOs. At the same time, troops are expected to follow direct orders; though officers can disobey orders if they believe it to be beneficial, the punishment for failure, which in the most extreme circumstances is execution, often dissuades most from tying outside of desperate circumstances or obvious opportunities.

To the Repzork, victory is paramount above all else. Not bound by any notions of morality or ethics in regards to warfare, the Repzork will use any and all available options if they contribute to victory. The deaths of any civilians caught in the crossfire is often of little consequence as the Repzork consider them to be unarmed combatants, a view reinforced by conscription being mandatory in Repzork society. If an enemy does surrender, the Repzork will spare them and instead take them as captives. They do make an attempt to prevent casualties among their own ranks as often as possible. While casualties are expected for any operation, officers accused of wasting the lives of their personnel can be stripped of their command and have their reputation permanently tarnished for having defied the Oltavaran Code, in which wastefulness is considered a personal affront to the gods.

Technology & Equipment
See also: Arsenal of the Armed Forces of the Repzork Empire

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 emphasizes quality when designing its warships. Every ship is built to last, boasting durable armor and strong firepower through the use of multiple weapons systems. Most vessels possess at least one spinal cannon in the form of either a Railcannon or plasma beam cannon, though reverse-engineered Diab Pyre cannons have also begun to see deployment. Gun batteries also utilize railcannons or plasma, as well as ballistic and particle cannons. Seeking missiles are employed en masse and can load various payloads, including marganite, antimatter, and nuclear warheads. Point-defense weapon systems consists of lasers, which are used as a deterrent against missiles, torpedos, and strikecraft; autocannons and flak guns as further deterrents against strikecraft and lightly-armored ships; and scramblers to disrupt oncoming homing projectiles.

All combat vessels are equipped with efficient subspace FTL drives capable of making numerous jumps in short succession, though too many jumps can strain the engines to the point of breaking if they are not given time to properly cool and recharge. Ships designed explicitly for moving materiel through supply lines instead use faster but less maneuverable jump drives. Efforts are currently underway to produce a working void drive, but have yet to progress past the prototype stages.

Rather than possessing one single energy shield, vessels produce one or more layers of directional energy shielding, with the number of layers often increasing as the vessel becomes larger. Advanced in shielding technology during the interim era led to the development of wireless shield boosters which allows a vessel to strengthen the shields of nearby vessels, though to do so takes a large portion of the vessel's available power. Shield boosters can currently be equipped on capitol ships and destroyers.

Ships do not utilize windows as they are considered to be an obsolete structural weakness. As such, no modern warship possesses an external bridge; instead, the bridge is located inside of the vessel, generally in the most armored component of the ship. Ships reply on a vast network of sensors and A.I constructs to monitor battlefield conditions and help maintain the vessel. Engineers have used the lack of windows as an opportunity to increase a vessel's armor and thus widen the gap between crew compartments and the void of space. Additionally, because the Repzork are nocturnal, the vast majority of vessels do not possess any light fixtures. The only source of light is often the ambient lighting produced by computer terminals and other electronics. Ships predominantly crewed by auxiliaries with diurnal vision are the sole exception.

As well as the personnel required to maintain a warship, each vessel contains a dedicated Marine detachment to protect the vessel during hostile boarding attempts. Depending on the ship, the detachment may also engage in boarding operations. Robots also staff the ship and act as both extra security and maintenance workers.

Ship Classifications
All warships are divided into three categories depending on their role. Each role can be broken down into more specialized sub-categories:


 * Assault: Assault vessels are general-purpose vessels designed to combat a variety of threats.


 * Escort: Escort vessels emphasize batteries and point-defense guns to protect larger warships. Though their number has declined in recent years, a few dedicated escorts remain in service. They are not capable of independent operations.


 * Hunter: Hunters are stealth ships that predominantly operate behind enemy lines to harass their logistics.


 * Shock: Shock vessels are designed explicitly to perform shock strikes. They possess state-of-the-art subspace engines, enhanced frontal armoring, and powerful spinal cannons.

The navy currently uses eight types of warships:


 * Corvettes: Corvettes effectively operate as heavy strikecraft, boasting superior armor and firepower to their smaller counterparts. Fielded corvettes include:
 * X-35 Olderos - Assault/ground support
 * X-13 Ralgera - Escort
 * X-11 Hinva  - Assault/Anti-frigate


 * Frigate: Frigates are the smallest naval vessels. Though some are capable of independent operations, most frigates instead provide support to larger warships. Fielded frigates include:
 * HLF-Nolrius - Assault
 * HLF-Yinavi - Shock
 * HLF-Vatani - Hunter
 * HLF-Nisuvia - Escort
 * HLF-Glisuv  - Assault Volley (missile frigate)
 * HLF-Xinde  - Artillery assault (long-range fire support)


 * Destroyer: Destroyers are small, maneuverable vessels equipped with a large assortment of weapons. Fielded destroyers include:
 * HLD-Rigalda  - Assault
 * HLD-Eranok  - Escort
 * HLD-Dravius  - Shock


 * Cruiser: Cruisers are the navy's mainstay capital ships. Fielded cruisers include:
 * HLC-Orani  - Assault
 * HLD-Vyras - Hunter
 * HLC-Hizari  - Shock


 * Carrier: Carriers are divided into three categories depending on their cargo: troop carriers, strikecraft carriers, and all-round carriers, which carry both ground and air units, albeit not as many as their specialized variants. Fielded carriers include:
 * HLCA-Zalahang  - All-round carrier
 * HLCA-Golgnir  - Troop transport
 * HLCA-Jhtahk  - Strikecraft carrier
 * HLCA-Riga  - Experimental supercarrier currently under construction deep in the mainland. Details remain scarce.


 * Battleship: Battleships serve as the navy's front-line combat ships. Fielded battleships include:
 * HLBS-Faera - Assault
 * HLBS-Zitarsis  - Assault
 * HLBS-Sikarthia - Shock


 * Dreadnought: Dreadnoughts are the largest and most powerful of the navy's warships, bristling with high-powered weapons and remarkably durable shielding and armor. Fielded dreadnoughts include:
 * HLDR-Olvau - Artillery assault
 * HLDR-Helgvha  - Assault
 * HLDR-Helia  - Shock/Planetary decimation


 * Star Base: Star bases are mobile space stations built to perform a variety of roles, such as providing fire support to ground troops, supplying and maintaining its adjacent fleet, and ferrying equipment. They seldom operate as capitol ships. Fielded star bases include:
 * HLSB-Ikatan  - Terrestrial fire support
 * HLSB-Viritiv  - Logistics & Maintenance
 * HLSB-Gothak  - Production & electronic warfare

Standard Formations & Tactics
Fleets are comprised of battlegroups, squadrons of varying size made up of vessels assigned to a specific role within the fleet. 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. Consists of cruisers, battleships, and/or dreadnoughts alongside frigates and destroyers.


 * Attack Battlegroup - Vanguard of the fleet, generally the first to directly engage enemy forces. Chiefly consists of corvettes, frigates, destroyers, and a smaller number of cruisers and battleships.


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


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


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


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

Attack battlegroups are typically situated at the front and flanks of a battlegroup; behind them are the reserve battlegroups, which spread their forces to reinforce the flanks and cover the fleet's rear. The reserves are followed by the artillery/shock battlegroups, which form a smaller screen around both the carrier, star base, and command battlegroups, which reside either in the core or around the rear of the fleet. 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.

Current 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. Of these, electronic warfare (EW) is considered the most vital, as it affects faster-than-light travel, communication, targeting, sensors, and more, and thus holds significant influence on both a tactical and strategic level. All vessels are equipped with some number of electronic warfare implements and countermeasures including targeting scramblers and jammers, though some ships have dedicated EW suites with increased efficiency and range. EMP MIRVs are also employed and detonated within an enemy formation to temporarily disrupt shielding and wireless transmissions. Gravity well generators, generally equipped on larger vessels, are also considered EW weapons as they can disrupt a vessel's ability to produce accurate coordinates for FTL travel.

Battles in which the Navy has not attained total electronic superiority begin with the attack battlegroups making first contact with the enemy, with corvettes, frigates, and destroyers forming a screen around their cruiser and battleship counterparts. The artillery battlegroups will remain far from the front lines and use their weapons to pick off key targets and crippled vessels. The fleet will keep its distance from hostile vessels and engage predominantly with spinal guns, missiles, and railbatteries until an opportunity presents itself. Once an enemy force has been sufficiently weakened, the attack battlegroups will either push into the weakened portions of an enemy's formations so as to scatter them or will encircle them, preventing them from escaping as the rest of the fleet closes in for the final blow.

Shock Strikes
Shock strikes, in which a vessel utilizes its subspace drives to appear next to an enemy ship and unload 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 generally open a battle with shock strikes, often sending their cruisers, battleships, and dreadnoughts. This 'battering ram' tactic aims to cripple and disorient an enemy, leaving them vulnerable as the rest of the fleet moves in to engage.

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

Carriers and strikecraft play a predominantly supportive role in most naval engagements, as strikecraft are at risks of being downed by point-defense and stray weapons fire, hostile strikecraft, and debris from other vessels. 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 which drift too close to the fleet and target turrets, engines, and other vital elements of the vessel. Corvettes will sometimes lead these sorties, using their more powerful munitions to soften a target for the bombers.

Hunters
The HLF-Vatani frigate occupies a unique spot in the Navy's current lineup as it does not normally take part in fleet operations. A state-of-the-art stealth frigate equipped with an electronic warfare suite, missiles, point-defense guns, and a powerful spinal cannon, the Vatani is designed first-and-foremost to infiltrate enemy territory, harass their logistics and supply lines, and gather information. Vatani operate in small packs which frequently disperse to cover more territory and can remain on mission for months at a time. They only deliberately engage in open battles to support an invading fleet, in which case they will flank enemy formations and pick off stragglers with surprise attacks before vanishing once again. Central Intelligence possesses a number of Vatani which it uses in its operations.

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 through 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 vessel. 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.

Land Warfare
See also: Repzork Army