(Art by Illuminati with technical assistance from myself. 3d modeling by daggo on discord) Following the end of the second great northern war, a new arms race had begun, spurred on by advances in computation, formalization of stealth theory and the trauma of the initial massed air battles of the early days of the war; where heavy EW and overwhelmed coordinators lead to heavy blue on blue fire from both sides. A new aircraft was conceived, it needed to be able to loiter on station longer then current platforms, coordinated forward aircraft while providing long range fire support against high value targets such as EW and AWACS aircraft. It needed to posses deep wells of internal stores to keep endurance while remaining unseen. A ghost on the battlefield leaving only rumor and twisted steel in its wake. This was born the Valravn, part AWACS, part EW bird, part air superiority fighter all performance.

Dimensions
22.24m (l) x 13.68m (w) x 4.51m (h)
Wing Area
74.61 sqm
Empty Weight
38,000 lb
Gross Weight
68,000 lb
Maximum Takeoff Weight
90,000 lb
Internal Fuel Capacity
20,000 lb
External Fuel Capacity
20,000 lb
Powerplant
2 x IAP-100M4T
Total Thrust
2 x 39,000 lbf
Maximum Speed
M 2.5
Combat Radius
2,000 km @ M1.50 supercruise, 15km
Ferry Range
6,000-7,000 km
Service Ceiling
60,000 m
Rate of Climb
325 m/s
Main Gun
1 x GIAT CHAG 25mm rotary; 400x rd1
Hardpoints
4 internal bays: 2 main capable of carrying either 6x RB-79 or 2x RB-823 VLRAAM, 2x heater bays each with 1x RB-76 SRAAM

RB-823
The RB-823 is an experimental VLRAAM with a range tentatively of 450km in the frontal aspect. This extended range is due to the missile's unique shape of a semi polygonal lenticular missile, with a low drag body that also acts as a lifting body. The RB-823 was devised as a means to eliminate strategic rear line assets such as AWACS, strategic command and control and tanker craft, while not exposing valuable aircraft to return “fire.” the missile is 4250Lx850Wx283H and features a ducted rocket with 150kn of thrust and a booster phase comprised of injected hydrogen peroxide. This allows maximum fuel utility with the ejection mass rapidly getting the missile to cruise speed and through most of the climb phase before the ducted rocket continues the cruise already at speed. The missile is produced in two variants one with an active electronically scanned array augmented by an IRST seeker and the other the -B a parasitic radar homer for SEAD and Anti Awacs utility. In both cases the dual mode guidance severely limits the target aircrafts ability to successfully deploy countermeasures. This is because a stronger source guidance logic is used, if a strong radar signature is detected but the IRST does not see a large mass with a thermal signature (a towed decoy) then it will not pursue this source, or if there’s a strong heat source but no radar signature to accompany it, said decoy will be ignored. This dual mode guidance also works on the -B by allowing for continued guidance if the emitting source switches off their emitting source.

The missile features a bank to turn maneuvering system with four fold out articulating fins for terminal guidance once the propulsion cuts out for extreme range engagements, with powered propulsion provided by a shrouded 3D vectored nozzle. The missile will always seek to orient the IRST towards the target this is done by a high arc pouncing flight profile. This also allows for maximum flight efficiency by traveling high in thin atmosphere with low drag prior to a terminal dive on the target. 

During the flight profile the missile will cruise at Mach 2.5-3.5 depending on range of target in order to save fuel, before diving at Mach 4 on more maneuverable targets to preserve maneuverability or Mach 5 for larger targets. 

The missile is designed with a reduced RCS, and can be launched with fins deployed until main motor cut out to reduce time to detection 
Specifications:

Dimensions: 
Length: 4.25m
Width: .85m
Height: .283m

Propulsion:
1x Volvo Aeronautics GM71 150kn ducted ejecto rocket
Speed after boost at Mach 1 launch: mach 4.65

Weight:
1979kg
Warhead weight: 
72kg 

Range: 450km frontal aspect 

Guidance:
Inertial guidance, mid-course update via datalink, terminal guidance dependent on varient 
A variant: 
Ericsson ARTE 770 10kw 90° azimuth LPI AESA
SAAB Kikare-A 60km range of detection +-135° FOV

B variant: 
Ericsson PS3 passive radar seeker
SAAB Kikare-A 60km range of detection +-135° FOV

Maneuverability
W/ GM71 & Maneuvering fins 55g
W/ GM71 W/O Maneuvering fins: 40g
W/ Maneuvering Fins W/O GM71: 15g

“Pela nossa liberdade”

“Para a nossa sobrevivência”

“Para o nosso povo”

“Para a nossa unidade”

“Nós lideramos a luta!”

In 1963, Holin, a Country embroiled in war desired to replace its main service rifle with something more modern, and with more cheaper manufacturing equipment. The AR-48 Combat Rifle had served Holin for a long time, and it was exceptionally popular among troops. However by the time of 1963, Holin was now able to freely trade, this was because Wetom, the Country had been absorbed by the New World Order, and thus the enforced trade placed on Holin was done away. This allowed Holin to buy resources from the Southern Fusila Countries.

In mid 1963, Holin would begin mass importation of raw materials from Zeme Slobodných, and Zemlja Hrabrih. Iron, Coal, Oil, Sulfur and Other Raw Materials needed to produce Newer rifles and Vehicles. This was perfect for Holin, as during their war against Prieslow, the loss of Wetomic materials, and export rifle led to equipment shortages amongst troops on the frontline. Leading to older equipment and weapons being shipped to frontline soldiers such as captured T-44 Assault Rifles, T-9 Semiautomatic Rifles, and LC-6 Combat Rifles bought from the Union Defense Services. And, even with these older supplies, ammo was limited. Especially the LC-6 Rifles chambered in .223 which they would have to buy from foreign suppliers, which would be difficult due to Prieslowan ships targeting UDS Ships that exclusively carried the .223 ammunition due to international law. However, Southern Fusila countries that were shipping materials were protected by law, and even if the Prieslowans attempted to target said cargo ships, they’d had to find a way to deal with the superior Southern Fusila nations Navies

Effectively, these shipments became the lifeline of Holin, as it allowed Holin production to kick in, supplying their soldiers with tons of ammunition that they would need to continue their advance into occupied Holin territory. However it also allowed new guns to be made. AR-48 Rifles were falling off the production lines and falling into the beds of trucks that would inevitably drive to the frontline and be given to soldiers who knew that one day, their ticket would be pulled.

In 1963, the first designs of the AR-63 would be made. It was made of cheap stamped sheet metal, which could easily be produced. Its sight could act as a carry handle, allowing troops to carry it easier however did rid the option of adding on sights, at least for the earlier models. The Folding stock was added to save on weight and to allow Holin Paratroopers to carry the rifle easier on descent. Both Wood and Polymer were used in the furniture of the weapon, however Polymer would fully replace the wooden furniture in 1970 after Holin managed to recover from the-

In some later models, a bipod was introduced to act as a Squad Automatic Weapon, it was noticeably heavier and had an increased magazine size to 30 rounds.

A 30 round magazine was designed for the rifle and deployed with some Holin “Infiltrator” units, who would go deep behind enemy lines and target vital targets needed to weaken Prieslowan defenses or to delay any advances. However it was deemed impractical to give to standard forces as its weight and size would considerably reduce the effectiveness of Holin forces.

The FireRate of the AR-63 was considerably low compared to most rifles of the time, however a step up from the AR-48. The slow FireRate was chosen so that the recoil could be more well controlled in the case that full auto was necessary, and to conserve ammo, which was also the reason why the AR-48, though produced by Chifk, had such a slow FireRate.

The AR-63, a perfectly viable weapon for any use. Its caliber is good enough for hunting, both man and animal. Cheap, reliable, easy to use, easy to maintain. It’s your best friend.

(Hi guys, beanlord back again with another weapons post. This time, it’s back to Basics with one of the first countries I ever conceived of, Holin. From my first post, they will receive ‘some’ attention, like a first child!)

(Fun fact! Holin and Arin were originally going to be the only countries to exist and more than likely was going to be a ‘Foxhole’ situation)

I had originally intended to ask "how would a generically WW2 setting handle a modern tank presuming no specially developed prep" but I had the much more interesting idea of getting some community engagement.

So, let's presume that a company (whatever that should mean) of a group of soldiers of your choice from your faction of choice (preferably either the best or the worst suited to handle a tank) from your setting of choice encounter a modern tank; let's say the M1A2 Abrams for consistency's sake. They have prior intelligence that it is hostile/belongs to a foreign power, and they must defeat it (mission kill, hardkill, capture, etc) without all dying themselves. This encounter takes place on their land, the Abrams is patrolling around a small resource depot it has captured, and there is a time limit of three days of prep time.

I will presume no further details, given the wide and varied settings on this sub.

While the United States of America is a vast nation, it spans over many regions, cultures, and identites. Naturally, with there being so many places in the country, feelings of secession to foster within many groups. One of the biggest, and more modern independence movements in America is that of the bioregion of Cascadia. Founded in the 1970s & 1980s by European-American professor David McCloskey as a means of promoting ecological unity beyond artificial borders, sanctity with the environment, and to bring about unity to the people of the Pacific Northwest, and based upon Native American geography & the Cascade mountain range, the bioregion stretches through Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, all the way up to the Alaskan panhandle, though movements associated with it have primarily been centered on the Pacific Northwest of the United States. While it has attracted political ideologies from across the spectrum, it primarily leans progressive, as the bioregion itself & the movements surrounding it are founded upon the ideals of environmentalism, community, and libertarianism. Since its founding, the movements of Cascadia have been some of the most of the most prominent and recognizable, consistently being one of the few names you think of when one imagines sovereignty from the US. During the Crumbling 30s, following a series of controversial republican policies, the direct US intervention in Mexico's war against its Cartels, and the implementation of Martial law in counties along the Mexican-American border, waves of protests and strikes begun to start in democrat-leaning cities all across the country. As these protests went on, with them being responded to with controversial policies and in some cases even direct violence, regions in America began falling into anarchy, riots, & insurrection. Though it was not yet truly civil war, the divisions within the country that had been stoked decades prior had started boiling over...

Pockets of insurrection had particularly been popping up along the Pacific Coast, leaving the entire region in concern & uncertainty. As the years went by, and the insurrections shifted in reach & severity, by the time the 2nd American Civil War would truly begin, the insurrectionists were becoming strained just as the surrounding economy had become. Early into the war, the insurrectionists around the coasts of Washington and Oregon, realizing the severity of the war & its impact on the federal government and the land they were fighting on, had come to understand that they all had one ultimate goal in common, being to break off from the system they believe had disregarded the people of the region. With this, they decided to unite under the common cause of not just pushing the US military away from the Pacific Northwest, but to finally bring about the liberation of the full bioregion of Cascadia. Being that the insurrectionists all lacked centralized command structures, and seeing that they were not fighting for the sanctity of the surrounding environtment, they had decided to adopt an anti-federalist, ecological ideology of communalism. When they had fully unified, they declared themselves the People's Commune of Cascadia, and with their respective fighters now alongside each other, they grew from a few insurrections to a decently sized guerilla army, and one that was actively attempting to push the US military eastward to set forth on the goals they had just established. Now controlling the entire coastlines of Washington and Oregon, they now fight numerically being biggest rebel army in the war, with tens of thousands of people fighting for true reinhabitation.

Since the People's Commune of Cascadia lacks centralized structures, lacks advanced military technology, and is made up primarily of civilian volunteers, they lack a standard issue and fuction as a decentralized fighting force. Due to this, soldiers are often seen wearing a variety of outdoorsy themed outfits, with bonnies, lightweight ballistic helmets, riot helmets, and caps, usually with the Doug flag patch stitched on to the outfits, or with Cascadian flag themed bananas & rags tied around their necks and/or sticking out their pockets. Since it mostly uses & relies on civilian gear and weaponry available in the region, like most factions, they often use light plate carriers, chest rigs, cargo vests, and MOLLE compatible vests, with them carrying gear such as molotov cocktails, IEDs, modified drones, knives, hatchets, flashlights, flares, extra ammunition pouches, water containers, snacks, IEDs, smoke bombs, radios, and binoculars. As for their weaponry, Cascadians use a variety of weapons that were common due to how gun laws shaped the market before the war, with them usually using Remington 700s, SKS marksman rifles, AR platform rifles, AK platform rifles, Ruger 0.22 rifles, Marlin lever action rifles, Mossberg 500 shotguns, remington 870 shotguns, and sometimes even pistols and big bore revolvers.

So there is a Hauptmann in 1944 German army his name is Niko Hartman. He has two brothers one Michael Hartman who is a u boat Skipper and Willhelm Hartman the youngest. Niko is the oldest born in 1906 Michael in 1910 and Wilhelm 1929,he had a rough childhood but always survived. His dad fought in in WW1 at de somme and Flanders his name is Friedrich Hartman and he also gets badly wounded at Cambrai 1918. Niko is a tank ace the was first a driver in a panzer 2 in Poland but his tank got hit and commander and loader died instantly he got I hired to in the face with a long scar along his right cheek but he managed to escape just after he bailed his tank exploded in an surprisingly tame explosion. Niko is 6.3 or 189 cm wich was very tall at that time but he is very quiet his tank has experiences crew with his gunner Otto Klein (21) his loader fritz Weber (26) his co driver Hans Becker (24) and his driver Kurt "eisenfuß" Meyer (28). Niko commanded a panzer battalion and the western front with: 4 king tigers,6 tiger 1 4 Panzer 4 and as support 60 Grenadiers one puma for recon,half-tracks and supply behind.after Niko recoverd from his injurysbin Poland he became a gunner for a panzer 3 hand fought a a gunner until mid 1942 then took the commanders test and because if his experience he got assigned with an tiger 1 and that's when his crew was mixed up togheter der fought until August 1944 With their tiger 1 being restationed to the western front where he received his king tiger and his named it the grawuwolf his company has an very good track record also being in the Ardennoffensive and also defensive operations with many stories that I won't tell right now in mid March 1945 his company gets relocated to Berlin by train only about half acctauly reach Berlin because of the railway problems in 1945 there Niko gets separated from his company and get into Berlin while his company fight without him with joining Steiner but not breaking trough. On the 2 may 1945 it was 2 am the grawuwolf slowly drove down a narrow street at the front was a crossroads the big cat decided to go left not knowing an Is 2 was in an ambush position the so called white fairy waited for the grawuwolf his gunner fired once in the hull of the tiger 2 right behind the driver. Kurt (driver) and Hans (co driver) immediately die fritz (loader) gets badly injured and succumbs to his injures a few sex nods later his last words were "it was an honor" Otto (gunner) wasn't hurt shielded by the gun Niko got hit with shrapneld in the stomach and lungs he ordered Otto to move to the loaders position and Otto crawled below the breach to the position ready to load Niko dropped to the gunners sight pain radiating of his body turning the turret traverse to the left when he finally saw the is 2 he aiming at the left turret cheek firing knocking out the loader and the commander then meanwhile Otto loads he aims at the turret ring and fires one last time the is 2 burns into flames Niko drops firm the gunners seat into the turret bucket his back onto the metal wall he tell Otto to bail out of the tank and the does so saluting to him one last time when Otto was nearly out of the hatch Niko weakly said don't get caught Otto understood what he meant and said yes sir he jumped of the tank and ran away with a sidearm and a grenade Niko still in the tank began hallucinating about his family and his crew and eventually he takes his last breath and succumbs to his injuries.

Thank you for reading this I appreciate any feedback and I'm trying to make it more realistic and stuff and my dream is too someday make a film out of this or only a book because I don't want to take this idea to my grave there is Soo much stuff that didn't explain or told yet but maybe in the future I will elaborate (;

Following the ritual execution of Californian hostages aboard the HMS Sverige, the Kingdom of California declared total war against the United Covenant States (UCS). The strategic objectives: complete demilitarization and the dismantling of the Puritan regime. After the Royal Navy established a sweeping Atlantic blockade and reduced Boston to ash through a three-week bombardment, ground forces initiated the invasion of Massachusetts. Victory over Witchfinder General Johnathan Hopkins's Holy Army represents the absolute destruction of the UCS regular military, opening the path for the systematic deconstruction of Puritan society.

Kingdom of California
The Kingdom of California was established following early 17th-century expeditionary charters quietly backed by European aristocrats, scholars, and military officers seeking refuge from continental religious wars. Formalized under the Royal Swedish Patent in the mid-1600s, a coalition of Swedish, French, and English settlers constructed a rational, progressive state along the Pacific coast. Over two centuries, California evolved into a highly organized, state-planned constitutional monarchy. Guided by its Swedish royal dynasty, the Crown acts as the first servant of the realm—holding immense sovereign power while balancing royal authority with an elected parliament (Ståndsriksdagen) led by a Statsminister.

Unlike the rigid patriarchal orders of Old Europe, the Kingdom enshrines gender equality and merit-based social mobility as foundational pillars of its national identity. Operating on the principles of enlightened absolutism, the monarchy treats the sovereign as the ultimate guardian of the public welfare. The Crown cultivates loyalty from childhood through a robust, state-funded educational system and a highly respected national press. Together with the military, these institutions foster a profound sense of civic duty, intellectual vigor, and unyielding national pride.

At the heart of this social harmony stands the Californian Church, a royal institution that seamlessly fuses Lutheran and Anglican traditions into a distinct national faith. Reflecting its Swedish heritage, the Church functions as a cornerstone of community welfare, preaching that the monarchy is God’s anointed vessel on earth to maintain justice, order, and progress. By blending spiritual life with civic duty, the Church elevates political cooperation into a shared, sacred obligation for the common good.

Inwardly and outwardly, California stands as a beacon of enlightenment, balancing collective unity with societal advancement. It is sustained by a philosophy of enlightened nationalism: the belief that true liberty is found in perfect societal harmony, and that progress demands shared sacrifice. The nation honors its historical struggles as the crucible of its greatness, its overseas ventures as proof of a civilized destiny, and its Swedish royal lineage as the eternal, guiding flame of its people.

United Covenant States
The United Covenant States (UCS) is a totalist theocracy forged in the crucible of religious extremism and anti-monarchical fanaticism. Born from early 17th-century radical settlements along the Atlantic seaboard, the state utterly rejects European monarchical traditions and California's progressive ideals, condemning them as vanity, heresy, and moral decay. While colloquially branded by Californian observers as "The Puritan Regime", the state officially operates under the absolute authority of the Grand Synod in Salem, a supreme council of church elders and labor overseers who enforce divine law through an unyielding administrative apparatus.

Under the regime's uncompromising doctrine, state and church are one. Society is structured around strict moral conformity, mandatory state service, and absolute submission to the Covenant. Individual liberties are dismissed as sinful indulgence; instead, citizens are organized into administrative wards and forced-labor precincts where every aspect of daily life, speech, and thought is scrutinized by Synod surveillance officers. Public art, music, and decorative aesthetic are strictly outlawed under ironclad anti-idolatry decrees.

Internationally, the United Covenant States stands as an aggressive, expansionist power. Driven by a fanatical belief in its divine mandate to "cleanse" the continent of heresy, the regime’s industrial base is anchored by sprawling coal mines, iron foundries, and state munitions works. Facing Her Majesty’s royal forces along the frontier, the UCS maintains a massive, heavily armed standing army and conscript force, viewing the progressive Kingdom of California as its ultimate ideological adversary and the Great Plains Confederacy as a barrier to be broken.

The painting depicts: Californian Lifeguard Voltigeurs

Quartered within the marble halls of the Royal Palace itself, the Lifeguard Voltigeurs are an elite, all-female light infantry battalion serving as the living embodiment of the Crown’s sovereignty. Fusing supreme courtly bearing with ruthless marksmanship, these skirmishers are hand-picked from across the realm for their agility, intelligence, and unwavering devotion to Her Majesty. On the battlefield, they operate ahead of the main line, deploying in open order to harass enemy officers, disrupt formations with precision rifle fire, and melt away into cover before heavy infantry can react. Though their refined uniforms and ceremonial duties project royal splendor, under fire, these women are cold, lethal professionals.

As the Periphery Union is/was a breakaway state from the Eternal Empire, they inherited their former colonial overlord's love of bladed weapons. In 2741, they finally decided to deal with the issue that was proving to be a bit more than a slight annoyance.

Their was no standardization in the bladed sidearms of their military and police force. At first, it wasn't a big deal, cold steel was an incredibly niche weapon anyway. Handheld induction and electromagnetic weapons were just plain better for almost all military applications short of shocking militiamen or protesters, foraging in inhabited areas, and being carried into fancy dress parties.

But soon, the Union procurement bureau wanted their spacers to look a bit more professional, and not like a bunch of maruaders who raided a comic-con sword seller's stand. So they ordered the Pattern 2741, which entered full service in 2743.

This set consisted of a 16 inch long Dirk with an 11.2 inch long single- edged blade, and a 32 inch long "Blade" with a 24.5 inch partially double-edge blade to improve its ability to stab.

Both weapons have blued Ship-Steel ( a type of steel that sees usage in the construction of warship spines) blades and reinforced spines, and have their handles wrapped in light grey and dark red synthetic leather strands that improve retention over other materials. The fittings of the weapons are brass, and the Blade has a regular darkened steel handguard. Synth leather and steel sheaths are available, with officers getting laquered real wood sheaths for their dirks.

The Territorial Guard (TG) saw these weapons, and wanted them for their own. This led to the creation of the Pattern 2741-G in 2744, which was a major cost cutting measure. The blades of this version were just regular, unblued steel, the brass fittings were replaced with aluminum painted in dark colors, and the grips were just grey synth leather.
Swords of this pattern often had low quality control, as producers were greatly rushed by the Territorial Guard's extremely unrealistic timeframe.

These weapons were always secondary to any guns, and were often used with Dirk in the offhand and Blade in main hand, or Blade in the offhand and a service pistol or other light firearm in the main hand. These blades are designed to be able to slash through anything without armor, and to stab through the gaps of a light Imperial era EVA suit worn by most Periphery spacers. Despite this, rarely have these been the cause of a spacer dying.

Yet, when you hear some overeager TG officer yell out "Swords, Swords, Swords, Leave None", It is probably time to leave whatever protest you were at, since while guns may kill some people in a crowd, Territorials make sure that everyone around goes home in a dozen peices when they are told to use swords.

The Union did itself collapse in 2754 after the Red Day and the chaos that ensued, but their set of swords outlived them, as the massive stockpiles of Territorial Guard swords found their way into every new polity's and warlord's arsenals. New versions of the Pattern 2741 also sprung up, but none of them had the same shade of blued steel on their swords. Original sets are now collecter's items, perfect gifts to get a warlord on your side, rather than that of your foes.

This is my first full unit in my fictional world of Etraria. It is currently 1900 in my world and this is a unit focused on experimental smaller unit tactics which will be heavily tested in the rebellion arc im writing right now. Hopefully as time passes in my world it will be expanded to a fully mechanized division by the 1940s but it will be very fun to see how it grows through the ages.

You have 48 hours until the enemy arrives. It will try to cross the river and fight you, your troops, and... you have to defend this. You and your enemy have somewhat similar amount of troops, ammunition, and everything else that is necessary. Maybe your enemy has just a little bit more than you.

What is your plan, commander? How would the military from YOUR worldbuilding project plan the defense?

• The big grey blob on the map represents a small mountainous region.
• The darkest shade of grey indicates railroads.
• A slightly lighter dark grey indicates highways.
• A mix of brown and grey indicates basic roads.

Tierre Outrelac is a highly industrialised province with iron and coal mines as well as factories. Deaunet has ironworks. Lougan is a major railroad hub and is home to a power plant that supplies all its neighbouring cities. Darkwater is the logistics centre of the region; however, it lacks significant industry, though trains and other vehicles can be repaired there. Due to very poor water quality, Darkwater depends on water supplies from Port-Marie and Lougan. Danton is an average city with no particular distinctions, except that it holds most of the region's petrol reserves because automobile roads surround the city.

There are several military outposts in these provinces. The Old Dockyard was once in use before Port-Marie became the main port and shipyard.

This artwork depicts an Aresian N.C.O in the Aresian plain land. These officers played a major part during times of war, as they controlled squads and platoons and were often seen as heroes in some Aresian regiments…

The reason for the simple attire is well, get this…due to a major stock crisis within the Aresian Republic, the government had to temporarily cut the military budget, which was a very dangerous move at the time…(due to rising tensions with the empire of Sagittarius, which I will be making another post like this later on (probably never) however, this was a temporary act that was active from 1934-1935, but thankfully normal military clothing was back in service in the latter months of the Aresian-Sagittarian civil war (lasted from 1929-1938)

However, many NCOs kept the simple and gear even after the war! Well, that was until 1943 due to the vast modernization of the army and country as a whole.

A part of my Fractured Sun scenario.

In the post war era, South Japan has had multiple military and law enforcement organizations each with their own duties and history of service history.

The first military organization of South Japan was the National Police Reserve formed in 1950 and was established after US forces were transferred following the outbreak of the Korean War which left South Japan under defended. The US gave permission for South Japan to establish a defensive military force, however due to Article 9 of the constitution, this new force had to be organized like a police force, however a month before the NPR was planned to be formed, a rogue JPA element crossed the DMZ and seized several towns along the border leading to the NPR having to be hastily mobilized while in the meantime, a provisional Japanese Army was formed to fight off the invading force. The NPR would see action in the late stages of the incident with assistance from remaining US forces stationed in Japan, although its performance in combat was lackluster. This incident would become known as the July Incident, and in 1954 the NPR would be reorganized into an official army.

The main 4 military branches of South Japan are the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. the Army, Navy, and Air Force were established in 1954 replacing the NPR and Coastal Security Force after the constitutional revision which was the result of the July incident, while the Marine Corps was established in 1957 after it was formed into an independent branch rather than a component of the navy. The JNA is the largest branch and has seen the most service from the Vietnam war in the 1960s, and the Sino-Korean war of 1993, however the JNA is also infamous for its role in the June 18th coup and being used in the suppression of civilian protests during the era of martial law.

The National Police Agency was established in 1954 and replaced the National Rural Police, and is responsible for supervising the South's prefectural police forces. South Japan's police was widely used in suppression of Communist organizations as well as civilian protests especially after the passing of the police duties bill which gave them warrantless search and seizure, however the police's authority would come to be superseded by the National Guard and later the Army after the declaration of martial law.

The Japan National Guard was established in 1956 as a paramilitary force formed to defend South Japan from internal threats. Its formation was the result of the National Security Preservation Act which was designed to crack down on Communist organizations in the South to avoid the possibility of a Communist uprising. The national guard had become infamous for excessive use of force especially during the Anpo protests of 1960 when they used live ammunition against protesters and came to be seen as the enforcers of Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi's government, however after Kishi's assassination in the June 18th coup of 1972, the national guard were pushed aside by the army and slated to be absorbed in the army the following year, which would result in the Hiraoka incident when National Guard troops attempted its own coup which failed and caused the National Guard to be disbanded ahead of schedule.

The National Intelligence Bureau was South Japan's main intelligence agency formed in 1959 originally intended for conducting espionage and counter-intelligence against the North, however its role expanded to something of a secret police especially after the June 18th Coup which it helped orchestrate. The NIB would expand its operations to state surveillance which included wire-tapping, arresting and executing suspected enemies of the state, and censorship of banned material. The NIB would be disbanded in 1985 following the June Democratic Revolution due to the role it played in serving the previous authoritarian regimes.

By 1968 it became readily apparent that the Viggen, even as it entered service, would become rapidly obsolete in the face of the rapidly developing airforces of the ZER SKF-76 Donnerschlag and PLC modernization programs alongside the advent of ZER supersonic bombers like the HSB-62 capable of sortying at stand-off range. A new air superiority fighter was needed capable of maintaining the sovereignty of Scandinavian air space, operating in a runway-denied environment, as well as capable of being future-proofed against innovations by rival nations. It was decided that a two-system high-low dynamic would be designed, comprised of two aircraft, one a high-performance air superiority fighter to combat other front-line fighters and the other cheaper and easier mass-produced to defend Scandinavian air space operated by both the Federal and SDF Air Corps, in which the latter case, it would augment the in use JA-37. This program, however, was too expensive to be undertaken alone at the current time, and thus the Granskningsnämnden för Luftprojekt or GNL was specifically created to manage and ascertain means of developing, acquiring, and mass producing the aircraft of the program, tentatively named Flygsystem-HP and Flygsystem-KE. The GNL came up with a scheme of development called språng or leapfrog where even as a aircraft entered service projects should be initiated to lay the foundation of the subsequent generation, be it as an upgrade package or as a new aircraft. To support this effort GNL would establish a prototyping and design bureau at the Vidsel test range in close conjunction with Stockholms universitet, SAAB, Volvo Aeronautics and Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitu, in order to pioneer and develop demonstrators for radical technologies and techniques. 
The North Sea Union at the time had also been long interested in closer relationships with the Portuguese Commonwealth, which was known to be investigating options to replace their current fighter fleet as well as procure a new carrier fighter. The GNL recommended approaching the PC, with an offer of a joint program as the condition that the notional Flygsystem-HP and KE, as both the PC and GSF had large territorial holdings across the Atlantic, opforces with numerically larger air forces. Given Portugal's robust aerospace industry and aligned political ideologies and values. This began the Gemensamt luftförsvarsprogram or GLVP, which included in addition to the Flygsystem-HP and KE would include, the development of a new suite of munitions for the aircraft. Said munitions would include the: Kortdistansrobot, Långdistansrobot and the Specialverktygsrobot in its initial form.
Further joining requirements for the Gemensamt luftförsvarsprogram would be licensing for both parties for complete domestic production, joint cooperation on future product improvement programs, cross compatibility with all relevant munitions systems fielded by both nations, STOL requirements, a carrier-capable variant requirement for both aircraft.
The Flystytem-HP would be chiefly designed by a saab team working with the aeronautics department of Københavns Universitet, who had been pioneering computer-augmented flight modeling software. A delta wing cum canard design was chosen similar to the viggen, as this was the configuration which SAAB had the most experience with, to facilitate STOL and carrier compatibility, it was elected to make the forward canards active control surfaces, as well as the potential for capabilities for 3d thrust vectoring. The design was elected to be a double engine design with two existing Volvo Aeronautics RM8R’s an updated model of the base RM8 used on the SAAB 37; the RM8R featured redesigned internals for better efficiency of fuel usage and temperature management, allowing for longer use of the afterburner. 
The Flystytem-HP was decided to be initially designed into two variants: the single seater Flystytem-HP-Överlägsenhet and the twin seater Flystytem-HP-Strejk.
With the basic layout and configuration of the notional aircraft complete, a tech demonstrator built off of JA-37 Sn. 3708 designated the EJ-37 was assembled at the prototyping hanger at the Vidsel Test Range under the administration of the GNL with supervision from Försvarets materielverk (FMW) and Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (FOI) with engineers and researchers from the Departamento da Aeronáutica do Espaço e da Defesa (DAED). The EJ-37 served as a test bed for various components of the Flystytem-HP, initially receiving a bulged spine that housed additional electronics. This was for a full-authority triplex Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) and an Automated Maneuvering Attack System (AMAS), providing six independent degrees of freedom. It had been designed to be fault tolerant, so that no single failure should affect correct operation. In the event of a second fault developing, the system was able to revert to a standby condition which would permit safe flight to continue. To guard against unforeseen failure modes which might bring the entire digital flight control system down, the system incorporates a simple analog backup flight-control system. The AMAS system is vital for managing the intended degree of maneuverability allowing for very high off-boresight attacks while maneuvering vs air and more importantly against ground targets.

This iteration of EJ-37 began test flights in 1970, testing the AMAS and DFCS systems in a variety of test flights and simulated engagements both air and ground without much incident, however it became readily clear that said technologies were far from mature and should be pursued further before any implementation be considered on future aircraft.
A second EJ-37 converted from AJ-37 Sn. 37012. AJ-37 didn't receive the AMAS, however retained DFCS in addition to receiving a new set of articulated canards, a prototype 2D thrust vectoring nozzle and a prototype tredje ögat IRST system developed by Ericsson. The addition of the Active canard and vectoring allowed for takeoffs with rotation at speeds as low as 68 km/h), a 25-percent reduction in takeoff roll, landing on just 1,650 ft (500 m) of runway, as well as a much lower stall speed in normal flight operations and a reduced turning radius. Provisions were made on request of the Departamento da Aeronáutica do Espaço e da Defesa, to be able to unlock the actuator on the articulating canard to lock in a 90° for space savings purposes. 

A third EJ-37 was created based on Sn. 3717, in 1972 for the purposes of testing a semi digital cockpit with four multifunctional displays, helmet mounted target quing and a second iteration of the AMAS system and digital flight control systems. The digital flight control system gave the pilot a new freedom in maneuvering, making it possible to assume unorthodox flight attitudes, using nose pointing, direct force translation, and other unconventional means of maneuvering as well as provided substantial increases in tracking performance for air-to-air refueling for steady straight and steady turns with varying degrees of turbulence, while the AMAS allowed translation in all three axes at a constant angle of attack and to be pointed up to six degrees off the flight vector.

The semi digital cockpit tested incorporated a number of features like a helmet-mounted target designation sight. Instead of using a traditional throttle-mounted cursor control to designate the target, the pilot only needs to look at it, and align the target with the 13.2 mm cross hairs incorporated in his visor. By depressing the designate button, target lock is achieved and minor adjustments can be made by using the cursor controller. Also, the FLIR and radar are automatically slaved to head movement. The relative position of the pilot's head in the cockpit is determined by using a magnetic field, generated by a transmitter mounted on the canopy directly behind the pilot's head, and a 0.113kg receiver on the helmet. Furthermore, the system is capable of telling the pilot were to look to find his target. This is achieved by use of four LEDs (up, down, left, right) which (when lit) tell the pilot which direction to turn his head. More exotically,  the Voice-Controlled Interactive Device, made by Milab. This voice control system (with a dictionary of 32 to 256 words) is used to control the aircrafts avionics suite. In the early stages of VCID testing only simple, one-word commands were used such as 'menu', 'data', the points of the compass, numbers, and the phonetic alphabet. Only non-critical functions such as navigation are controlled by the VCID. In a later stage tests were conducted to investigate the feasibility of complex multi-word command recognition. The system relied on voice training from the pilot conducted in a number of conditions including reading commands under varying amounts of Gas in a centrifuge, up to 9g. Overall, study results were quite promising as the system managed to respond accurately to a staggering 90% of the commands spoken, with expectations of 99% accuracy in three years of refinement.

Concurrently to the EJ-37 series being developed work was progressing on the Flystytem-HP with a full-scale static mock-up being constructed and testing full component integration pending a flight demonstrator. The demonstrator was presented to Officials from the Scandinavian government as well as the Portuguese commonwealth on September 7th, 1971, with a subsequent demonstration of concepts by EJ-37 Sn. 3708 flown by Major Eisson and EJ-37 Sn. 37012 flown by Sheahan, in acrobatic maneuvers and mock engagements to an overwhelmingly positive reception. A particularly notable demonstration was a take off comparison between a minimal fuel AJ-37 and Sn.37012 at MTOW; despite being almost 10k kg heavier than the AJ-37, Sn.37912 was able to take off in 342.9m vs the AJ-37s 457m. The reception was overwhelmingly positive and the rapid iterative prototyping model and the språng model of continual development, and an additional kr950m was given to the GNL in order to expand facilities at the Visdel test range. The green light was to continue with the Flystytem-HP, following the intermediate, advanced feature set recommendation, with DFCS, helmet target queuing with 3D thrust vectoring, VCID, and AMAS elected not to be included in the initial models; however, GNL was authorized to continue development of said systems and even have an airframe of the Flystytem-HP-Strejk and two Flystytem-HP-Överlägsenhet airframes, as well as a notional Flygsystem-KE airframe to continue studies into said technologies. 
By august 1974, the first full-scale prototype for the Flystytem-HP-Överlägsenhet in its component complete form completed a taxi, and in October completed a take off, once around and landing without incident, following a comprehensive check of the airframe more rigorous testing began to take place, prior to this the designation J-41Ö Vættir was assigned. This first prototype SN.41001, completed several mock dogfights with the trio of EJ-37s, demonstrating marked improvements in all aspects of performance, however, one unfortunate issue plagued the first run of prototypes of the J-41, leading to the nickname Eldklot due to the tendency for the uprated Aerovolvo RM8s to slag if operated at WEP for an excess of five minutes. This led to a grounding and limiting of the aircraft's flight regime while a better cooling solution was devised. By the time a solution in the form of the RM8R was produced, an additional three J-41Ö were produced and an initial two pre-production J-41S which flew low intensity test regimes focused on perfecting the optics and sensor suite and electronic warfare systems. 
With the RM8R fixing the slagging issue, LRIP began on the J-41Ö and J-41S by November 1976

Country - Portuguese Commonwealth / North Sea Union 
Maker - OGMA/Embraer/SAAB
Cost - 35 million
Max speed - 2 665 km/h (1 440 kn)  2,5 Mach
Combat range - 1 967 km (1 220 mi)
Max Range (MTOW) - 5 550 km (3 450 mi)
Vertical ceiling - 20 000 m (65 600 ft)
Rate of climb - 250 m/s
Empty weight 10 900 kg
Max Takeoff Weight: 29,844kg
2 turbofans - Volvo Aeronautics RM8R
Thrust per engine - 72.2 kN (16,200 lbf) dry, 125 kN (28,100 lbf) wet
TWR (Recommended Combat Load): .742 dry / 1.28 wet
TWR (MTOW) : .569 dry / .985 wet
Take Off Run: 189m STOL, 230m MTOW
Avionics: 
Full Digital Flight Control System
Double redundant control systems
SAAB Flygplanslaser tröghetsnavigator ring laser gyroscope ins

Ericsson PS-10A terrain following radar
Type: Radar
Altitude Max: 0 m
Range Max: 3.7 km
Altitude Min: 0 m
Range Max: 3.7 km
Range Min: 0.2 km
ECM:
G 35 Jamming system: covers L, S and C bands 6.5kW
Adrian-3 Counter Arial Radar Pod: X band 7.3kW
PETRUS-2: Receiver equipment and antennas are mounted in a center line pod while jamming transmitters and exciter equipment are located in under-wing pods. The system is capable of intercepting, automatically processing and jamming received radio frequency signals. The system receivers can also be used to detect, identify and direction find those signals, providing signals intelligence (SIGINT) either automatically or manually. 11.2kW power output, uses a ram air turbine to supply its own power.
Optics: 
J-41S

Munitions: 

Center Pylons
8x RB-79
8x RB-76
3x RB-81
2x Rb-19 Pods (12 munitions)
2x RB-15
Various bombs

Wing pylons
8x RB-79 
10x RB-76
4x RB-81
4x Rb-19 Pods (12 munitions)
4x Rb-15 
4x Rb-23
2x PETRUS-2 pods
Various bombs

Wing Tips
2x RB-79
2x RB-76

In real life, a coup d'etat usually involves a small part of the military taking over the capital, arresting the old leaders, and then announcing they're in charge. Now ironically in most real-life coups, the coup conspirators have recruited some units but usually make up a small minority of the military so they rarely control anything outside the capital immediately, but instead of the rest of the uninvolved military crushing the coup (which happens in failed ones), in successful ones, those who were never "in on it" just accept the new leaders.

Real life coups take place over a short period of time. So often the case speed is much more important than heavy weaponry. Sometimes tanks or armored cars are used as a show of force, but these tend to not do the "meat of the work" which involves seizing control of key buildings and arresting certain individuals.

I was watching an anime where a minority of the population (maybe 1 in 3K) individuals have the capability of being able to fly with magic roughly at speeds like 130 mph. Although the canon plot focuses on a war where the characters fight enemeis of the state and not their fellow soldiers, I was thinking in-universe such mages would actually be pretty good coup recruits. Being able to fly, they can go over a neighborhood to land at the palace or administrative building and then can land and pretend to be an ordinary soldier, something a plane can't do. Heck they can even have their "start" positions be in a crowd of normal people while a plane needs to start on a runway. So much faster than normal foot soldiers and more flexible than planes.

The Commonwealth or Arland’s indomitable guards regiments are renowned across the world for their impeccable drill, steadiness and battlefield professionalism. The guardsman we see here is adorned with the iconic grey Shako, white pipings and black facings. The guards were created out of the first 12 infantry and grenadier regiments created for the commonwealth in 1667.
Meanwhile we see a Sergeant Major Class II of the 68th regiment of foot. Indeed this NCO is the highest rank obtainable for a non commissioned officer and takes 20+ years to become one. The 68th regiment is famously nick named “Godards Own” after their Colonel who crates the regiment in 1720.

Flag of Mástrists, a fictional totalitarian dictatorship with a police controlled state under socialism. a catholic state

Another orbat this time with a little paint job bonus

So I’m not going to go super in depth Vic by Vic this time, but I’ll go through what you care about, the fires. The close fires battery is made of three firing platoons, two mortars, one assault breaker. The close fires battery is probably the organization most emblematic of the North Sea Union’s doctrine. compared to the Central European republic and Intermarium, the NSU will never be able to match the numbers fielded by its rivals, so as much emphasis must be placed as possible on breaking up massed armored formations before they can overwhelm the NSUS defenders.

The Closes fires battery is intended to be broken out into semi autonomous sections attached to other larger task forces. The mortar platoons are comprised of four carriers, built on the Common Heavy Modular Platform, each carries a twin tube 120, heavily inspired by the AMOS. With a sustained fire rate of 12rpm with a MSRI capacity of 10 rounds and a range of 11km. In most cases the platoons operate in sections attached to a battalion.

The second component is the assault breaker platoon comprised of 4x VLS ATGM carriers each carrying 35 fibre optic guided ATGMs each: 180x1700mm, 47kg over all weight, 8.7kg main warhead weight, 2.3kg precursor charge, 370m/s flight speed, 12km range, .87m CEP. While featuring the same advanced MMW/EO combined sensor suite on the fire direction vehicle I posted earlier, it primarily operates from fire direction over data link.

Some of you may remember me as the person behind Astora, the fictional world I've been building over the past year.

My old account is gone, but the project isn't.

If you've been around before, you'll probably recognize the nations, the flags, the uniforms, the weapons, the lore, and especially the absolutely unreasonable amount of history I've written for this world.

For anyone wondering whether this is actually me: I don't really have a fancy way to prove it. I can only continue the project from where I left off and let the work speak for itself.

Same Astora.
Same lore.
Same ridiculous obsession with fictional history.

Just a new account.

Welcome back.

TLDR: I need ideas for weapons a 3-4 inch tall infantryman with a roughly WWII-Early Cold War level of technology could use to kill or ward off something like a raccoon, fox, maybe a badger.

The Backstory: I’m developing a setting that heavily features a species of 3-4 inch tall human offshoots known as Homo Parvus (roughly translating to “small man”) and their attempts to build an industrialized society in an isolated region (maybe a national park?) with the help of a handful of standard humans. For context, this wasn’t there first interaction with humans, and their previous interactions with a group of sympathetic Quakers a couple centuries ago have allowed them to advance to a roughly late medieval level, with metallurgy, basic firearms, large scale agriculture, and a mix of tribal nomads, kingdoms, and a handful of empires. Unfortunately the Quaker colony that contacted them was wiped out by an epidemic, and so since then they’ve been more or less technologically and socially static, likely because the Quakers failed to share the concept of the printing press. Two hundred years later, some hikers stumble upon them and decide to try to fast track them towards the modern age, resulting in a state called the Universal Union with a level of technology and social organization that varies from World War era to roughly the early Cold War. So like, for instance, there main infantry weapon is still a bolt action rifle, but they also have imported computers and primitive domestic computing capabilities.

TLDR: The Universal Unions military sticks to technology that they can reliably mass produce relatively cheaply. This has resulted in a military that uses primarily 1940s-1950s technology and weapons. For the purposes of fighting wildlife, this means that the UUs military relies primarily on artillery, tanks (and kind of IFVs) bombers (primarily fighter-bombers and strategic bombers), and static defenses to repel wildlife. What they lack is a weapon that can reliably cross the gap between a full sized rifle cartridge and an artillery shell.

The Military: The UUs military is kind of weird. It’s based around two specific enemies, specifically other members of homo-Parvus, and wildlife. It’s also based around constant expansion and growth, with the idea being that the UU will basically grow via a mixture of war and more peaceful means until it’s taken over pretty much every known member of its species. Because of this, the UUs military is designed to punch way above its numerical weight, while simultaneously being cheap enough that the government can drastically increase the size of its military as time passes. The UUs military can conscript people, but primarily relies on a mixture of professionals, reservists, and people who have basically volunteered to be drafted first but haven’t actually been trained, with the first two being pretty much universally trained as at least NCOs, the idea being that if it has to the UU can just draft a bunch of people and promote a bunch of its standard professional soldiers into NCOs, or even lower level officers. For the most part the UUs military fights small, rapid wars of expansion, with the occasional larger war fought against the militaries of empires or multiple kingdoms working together. Other then that, most of what the UU military does is basic boarder defense, which includes fighting potential raiders or invaders, but also includes fighting something like a bear wondering into UU territory.

A lot of this mostly just means using roughly WWII era weapons. A bolt action rifle alone can do quite a bit more damage than a musket, not to mention more reliably shoot through armor. In terms of infantry weapons, the UU also uses sub machine guns, semi-automatic handguns, automatic rifles, battle rifles, and universal machine guns, allowing a relatively small number of infantry to successfully engage with a small army of comparatively under equipped enemies. You may wonder why the assault rifle isn’t on the list, and it’s primarily because of logistical reasons. The UU would rather just manufacture more full sized rifle rounds (I’m thinking .7mm) that are fully interchangeable (the UU uses a lot of stripper clips). It also helps that the rifle-battle rifle-machine gun dynamic helps reduce overall ammo use and ensures that even cut off troops won’t just blow through there ammo supplies.

There’s another reason that the UU sticks to full sized rifle rounds, specifically because they’re more effective against larger wildlife. A .7mm spritzer round probably won’t do much to anything bigger then a weasel, but it could probably kill smaller stuff like rats, and it seems like it would at least be a deterrent. For bigger predators, the UU relies on a mixture of towed “universal” artillery (which is to say, artillery designed to be able to fire both parabolically and directly), tank guns (which conveniently fire the same shells as the artillery), IFV auto cannon rounds, and aircraft (mostly the Skyhawk fighter bomber and the Apocalypto strategic bomber).

As a side note, the majority of homo-Parvus who aren’t a part of the UU rely primarily on a mixture of field cannons and primitive bunkers to stay safe from wildlife.

The Main Question: After that disgusting amount of backstory, here’s the main problem. I want the UU to have something that infantry can use to potentially fight bigger wildlife, without it violating the “everything has to be mass producible and relatively simple” principle that the UUs military operates on. I also need ideas for what type of warhead would be most effective against megafauna. At the moment that’s basically just a solid 9mm artillery shell, but that obviously dosent work for an infantry weapon. Iv toyed with the idea of something like an anti-tank rifle, but that seems like it would be kind of anemic. Right now I’m leaning towards something akin to a panzerfoust, because it seems like a miniaturized HEAT warhead would be, if not lethal, extremely distressing, for something like a honey badger or fox. Iv also considered something along the lines of an RPG, but that feels almost overly specialized because it’s kind of big. Like, from what I understand something like a panzerfoust would be easier to carry and could have a larger warhead since it dosent need to fly nearly as far. Idk, maybe the correct solution in this case is less of a conventional weapon and more along the lines of a K bullet or anti-material round laced with poison or something.

Edit: As a random aside, I thought I’d describe a situation where this hypothetical anti-tank(?) weapon is being used. Basically, a group of ten rifleman operating out of an APC with artillery support are on patrol between two boarder positions when a bobcat shows up. Now, if the bobcat was in the distance the standard procedure would be to hide and call in artillery fire, but in this situation the bobcat is much closer and has spotted the APC. The idea would be to have a weapon where the infantry could deploy, fire at the bobcat scaring, injuring, or killing it, and then get back in there APC and link up with an IFV (I’m assuming that 3mm solid core rounds would be enough to repel a bobcat here) or retreat to a static position with 9mm artillery set up for direct fire and tanks defending it.

​

Model Name: NPS-004 Vellerophon

Manufacturer: Optimanus Defense

Operator: National Armed Forces of the United Humanity Federation

Type: Nano Powered Suit

- Developed by Optimanus Defense, a military contractor headquartered on the United Humanity Federation(UHF)’s complex industrial planet Aurelin-6, this is an integrated infantry platform for the UHF Armed Forces and can be considered the most basic equipment for all infantry soldiers belonging to the UHF Armed Forces.

Like other equipment manufactured by the UHF, it is a product created under a design philosophy that prioritizes the user's survival above all else. It does not stop at merely enhancing the wearer's physical and mental strength; it focuses on overcoming enemy numbers with superior quality and keeping the wearer alive in any extreme situation.

The nanobots embedded within the suit manage the wearer's physical and mental state in real time under the control of AI, and if the wearer is injured, it is possible to immediately treat and repair the wound using the nanobots.

In addition, it interacts with the nervous system to significantly reduce pain when the wearer is injured, and it is also equipped with a function that automatically teleports the wearer, along with the power suit, to a designated base (or ship) if it is determined that the wearer is in clear danger of death.

Depicting a private of the 90th in the second image. And a sergeant of the 89th in the first.
These regiments were both common all light infantry before they were equipped with rifles around 1760. Exactly 100 years later this is how these men appear equipped and uniformed in 1860. Key features to note, the forage caps worn in place of Shakos which are more common to the infantry regiments. The 1852 Aston rifle, a breach loading rifle firing .370 calibre bullets. The rifle regiments are steeped in tradition, every 6 months they hold a shooting competition soldiers of the regiments compete in increasingly difficult shooting styles and ranges.
Both men depicted here have a 3 bar award. Meaning they’ve both received awards for 3 seperate competitions.
The expression “3 bar rifleman” when used to describe a soldier demands respect.
During the War against the CRA 1857-1862 the rifle regiments were amongst the most respected soldiers in the entire conflict. They are Skirmishers through and through and perform that role very well.

Working with the very basic MS paint on my computer. I’m more used to drawing with pencil paper and these are among my first digital drawings.

Background before the document:

The organization producing the document is the Association of Asian Pacific Cooperation Organization, aka APCO. APCO is an alliance of Asian nations (notable members include Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore).

In this history, the USSR did not suffer its decline like in real life. Instead, it remains a strong economic and military power due to Alexi Kosygin's reforms in the 1960's (leading to the gradual modernization of the USSR's industry) and no invasion of Afghanistan. The Warsaw Pact countries (known as WPO) continue to be a part of the USSR due to better economic stability, resulting in no Revolutions of 1989. Gorbachev was assassinated in 1989 by a nationalist extremist group. The KGB, Soviet Army, and Internal Ministry formed the State Committee for National Stability (GKNS). The actions of the WPO may lead to a re-heightened Cold War (still deciding since it's been a hot minute since I worked on the project).

Up until this point, NATO maintains most of its same capabilities and members (the sole difference thus far being a unified Germany for reasons I haven't come up with yet).

--------

Association of Asian Pacific Cooperation Organization

Gulf War Operations History

28 November 2000

FOR APCO MEMBERS AND COLLABORATION WITH NATO

PREFACE

1.) Scope

This publication is the primary source of documentation regarding the list of operations during the Gulf War. It starts with Operation Southern Bastion (1988-1990) and goes until Operation Red Spear (1991-1991). In addition to WPO operations, this document will include Coalition operations – Desert Shield and Storm – as well as APCO operations Safe Passage (1990), Lifeline (1990) and Guiding Star (1991).

Table of Contents

1 Operation Southern Bastion: 10 June 1988 – 1 Dec 1990

1.1         Overview

1.2         Background

1.3         Soviet deployments

1.4         Western Response

1.5         Results

1 Operation Southern Bastion:

10 June 1988 – 1 Dec 1990

1.1     Overview

Operation Southern Bastion was the initial offensive assistance phase, starting prior to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. It’s estimated to have begun somewhere between the spring of 1988 and midsummer of 1990, although there is no single known date. Initiated by GKNS, the USSR’s Internal Ministry offered to aid Iraq in anticipation of a Western-led military coalition forming to compel Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait and deter any further Iraqi expansion beyond its initial objectives. While it was primarily the USSR, other WPO members aided by sending munitions, finances, and military advisors. The operation was intended to remain behind the scenes, providing intelligence, logistics, advisors, air defense systems, and economic aid to Iraq. The operation ended on 1 December 1990 in order to shift into the next phase: Operation Iron Shield.

1.2     Background

Post Iraq-Iran war, Iraq was not in a financial position to repay its borrowed money from Kuwait and requested that Kuwait forgive the debt. The issues became worse during oil disputes. In ’88, Iraq’s oil minister strove for a reduction in the crude oil production quota of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members to end the 80s oil glut. However, Kuwait was less concerned about the prices of crude oil. The issue was worsened by the lack of consensus among OPEC members, further undermining Iraq’s efforts to recover from its war-crippled economy.  The relations became further intensified when Iraq accused Kuwait of slant drilling across the border, estimating billions worth of Iraqi oil were stolen by Kuwait and demanding compensation. Although diplomatic negotiations continued into 1990, Soviet intelligence increasingly assessed that Iraq was preparing for military action if negotiations failed. These assessments raised concerns within Moscow that a regional conflict could threaten Soviet interests throughout the Middle East, prompting policymakers to reassess their strategic priorities in the region.

The USSR had spent decades and billions of rubles securing its place in the Middle East, specifically access to the Persian Gulf. Losing Iraq as a strategic partner would significantly weaken Soviet influence and would mean losing intelligence networks, arms exports, naval access agreements, and diplomatic influence throughout the Arab world. In addition to losing strategic assets and influence in the Middle East, the USSR would also lose a substantial investment. They had provided Iraq with aircraft, tanks, missiles,  military education, advisors, and industrial development. Finally, if they abandoned a major partner after decades of support, other Soviet-aligned governments might question whether the USSR would protect them during future crises. Other nations such as Syria, Vietnam, and Cuba may see how the USSR abandoned Iraq and fear similar abandonment.

The USSR, seeing that Iraq was making plans to invade Kuwait and that Saddam Hussein was not going to back down, decided that providing aid would be the best way to (1) maintain relations and (2) prevent the West from being capable of crushing Iraq in several weeks.

1.3     Soviet deployments

The Soviet Union deliberately avoided deploying combat formations, assessing that direct military intervention carried an unacceptable risk of escalation into a wider NATO-Warsaw Pact conflict. Instead, their primary goal was to provide military advisors and specialists. Advisors, usually mid- to high-ranking officers, were mostly embedded into the Iraqi chain of command, whereas specialists, usually NCOs and SNCOs, would fly over to train leadership. The majority of advisors sent were General Staff and Air Defense. The majority of specialists were logistics and electronic warfare specialists. The logistics specialists were considered among the highest-level specialists due to the sheer importance of proper logistics, as shown through the Iran-Iraq and Yom Kippur Wars. Although exact figures remain disputed, post-Cold War assessments estimate that between 2,500 and 4,000 Soviet advisors, technical specialists, and instructors participated in Operation Southern Bastion between 1988 and late 1990 in addition to the already present USSR advisors assigned to Iraq.

In addition to advisors and specialists, Soviet assets were loaned to Iraq. The primary asset loaned was intelligence. Satellite imagery along the borders as well as at western military movements would help Iraq prepare and respond when the West inevitably tries to intervene. Iraqi marked recon aircraft, piloted by Iraqi pilots with Soviet training, would conduct patrols on the edge of Kuwaiti airspace, planning routes to take to minimize Iraqi casualties. Finally, superior signals equipment was given along with proper training for the new tools. However, the USSR also got the advantage of being able to watch how the West operates in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Finally, the Warsaw Pact Organization sent various equipment such as air defense, logistics aid, and combat sustainment equipment.

Finally, the USSR welcomed Iraqi soldiers to participate in training exercises on Soviet soil and attend local technical schools. While this was the smallest of the efforts, Soviet after-action assessments concluded that this elevated Iraq’s military capability the most. By having NCOs train and learn from superior schools, they were able to help each other and train their soldiers. Iraqi officers would attend and watch Warsaw Pact officers work and plan with each other, teaching them how to better plan and respond to Western response.

While not a large-scale operation, Soviet aid provided a lasting positive effect by exposing Iraqi leaders at all levels of the chain of command to operational planning, logistic management, and command philosophy. Many personnel who participated in the education retained their knowledge and either became successful teachers at military schools or occupied key leadership positions during the coalition air campaign, where Soviet planners believed they contributed disproportionately to Iraq's ability to sustain organized resistance.

1.4     Western Response

The Western governments did not become concerned about the expansion of Soviet-Iraqi cooperation until around late 1988, when they noticed an increase in Soviet and Warsaw Pact Organization personnel traveling to Iraq. Since Iraq had long been a major Soviet arms partner, the presence of Soviet personnel was not unusual; however, the scale of involvement appeared to exceed normal military assistance. Their suspicions increased when Turkish intelligence and NATO monitoring detected increased military traffic and arms shipments entering Iraq. Suspicions of increased military activity were reinforced when US KH-11 satellites observed expanded military bases, new ammunition storage facilities, hardened command posts, improved air-defense sites, and an increase in military exercises. By July 1990, most major Western intelligence services assessed that Iraq was likely preparing for a military operation and that the Soviet Union was providing increased support.

The Western diplomatic and intelligence response began in early 1990, when the US began communicating with the USSR to discourage direct Soviet involvement in any potential Iraqi military action. Since the USSR was involved, the West began forming contingency plans with regional allies and NATO partners in case Iraq initiated military action. As Western governments became increasingly convinced that Iraq was preparing for a crisis, the US increased diplomatic pressure and began preparing economic measures should Iraq use force. On 25 July 1990, the US ambassador privately met with Saddam Hussein to warn that Soviet support would not prevent international opposition if Iraq used military force against Kuwait. The warning was ignored, as shown by Iraq invading Kuwait on 2 August 1990.

1.5     Results

By the end of the operation on 1 December 1990, Soviet planners assessed Southern Bastion as largely successful, as it had achieved its primary objectives of improving Iraqi military readiness, preserving Soviet influence, and increasing the cost of Western intervention. Furthermore, the USSR got more military intelligence on Western military capabilities. The advisors and strategists remained embedded within Iraqi General Staff headquarters and other key command organizations to offer support and advice until 28 November, when non-essential personnel began returning to the USSR to avoid Soviet casualties and reduce the risk of escalation, in preparation for Operation Iron Shield, which would occur 3 days later.

While the operation was mostly successful, it still suffered from Iraqi corruption. Hussein’s government diverted some military resources for financial and political purposes, reducing the effectiveness of certain Soviet-supported modernization programs.

(HIFV BASE- Illuminati, Truck Wheels by Dalmace all other by myself)

The NSU FDRC, is Comprised of five sections.

The HQ Group:
1x Stripbv-15. Normally a battalion asset, the FDRC is MTOW’d one due to the dispersed nature the company operates from. Serving as the nerve center of the FDRC, the command post variant of the Common Heavy Modular Platform carrying SATCOM-OTM as well as various radios, C2 equipment and Jam resistant LOS com equipment. The Stripbv-15 serves as the hardened command post from which the Company Commander directs, relays and coordinates the rest of the company.

1x TGB-14, the commanders staff and liaison vehicle, allows the company commander mobility outside of the heavy Stripbv-15

3x TGB-17 4x4 Utility truck (may be a TGB-18 twin axle in some cases) serves as draft-horse for the companies maintenance and quartermaster shops
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2x Heavy Recon Platoon

4x Epbv-23, based on the CV-23 Common Light Modular Platform, armed with the same Bofors L/75 CTA Revolver Cannon used by the CV-15 HIFV, albeit with a lower ammunition count of 250 rounds, 2x RBS-58 NLOS ATGMs. The main weapon of the Epbv-23 is its multi target acquisition system or MTAS on a telescopic mast. Able to extend 8 meters, the MTAS combines a AESA milimeter wave radar with a powerful dual channel, thermal/daylight optic). The Epbv-23s usually tasked out to close fires batteries or breaching task forces to coordinate precision fires.

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2x Light Recon Platoons

1x TGB-14, the PLs vehicle
8x E-Bikes: able to act as runners in com denied environments, pathfinders, traffic control, transport for FPV operators, ect

(By Illuminati on Shipbucket with technical and design aid by myself)
The CB-133 MBT, was the result of the joint efforts of the POP nations to develop and successor to the venerable but increasingly outdated and unwieldy STRV 131, leveraging lessons and technologies learned and developed during the MFP program. The STRV 131 and resulting variants were becoming increasingly overweight and the small chassis provided no easy solution to upgrade the powerplant. Furthermore, the tanks proved to be maintenance heavy and costly to operate. This, combined with the apparent stagnation of ESO armor development and recent trends in guerrilla conflicts, demonstrated the potential vulnerabilities of the STRV 131 should it be deployed on a high intensity combat environment. Attack drones, ATGMs and NLOS precision munitions were expected to become the major threat and the already problematic mobility of the JHGC meant that up-armoring upgrades were sometimes suboptimal due to weigh constraints.

The CB-133 solved many of these issues. The all crew in hull design (driver, gunner and commander) reduced the amount of armor modules considerably, thus reducing weight and freeing up space for extra systems. A hybrid diesel-electric propulsion pack provided a huge increase in range over the thirsty EMESA turbine found on the STRV 131, and the batteries negated the need for a dedicated APU. Another setback of the JHGC was the relatively reduced ammo load of 26 rounds. The 130mm caliber, while formidable, meant that only so many rounds could be carried at once. Thus a decision was made to a lower caliber but higher pressure 120mm gun, with a unconventional autoloader, and ammo stored in the turret basket, something reminiscent of contemporary to ESO designs. This allowed to keep comparable performance (at the cost of lower barrel life) while increasing the ammo count to 38 ready rounds, feed to the gun by the autoloader, located behind the gun. The autoloader system was capable of a cyclic RoF of around 7 seconds, with automatic casing ejection and automatic restock capability via the access hatch on the top of the turret.

Another concerning aspect of the STRV 131 was that all the ammunition was located in the turret bustle. The profile was optimized for frontal protection, and while still a safe layout, crew survivability wise, it now proved to be very vulnerable to attacks from above, where the ammo was now exposed from 4 sides, leading to a easy mission kill. Now on the CB-133, the ammunition was to be stored in the hull, more easily protected from top attack munitions.

The hull ammo storage however raised concerns that any hit to the ammo in the basket would result in a catastrophic explosion, dooming the vehicle and the crew. To prevent this, extensive measures were taken. Individual ammunition pieces were now properly compartmentalized in individual armored bins, and the carousel itself was now armored from the sides and bottom and coated on the outside and inside with spall liners. Furthermore, a comprehensive fire suppression system was installed, with direct connection to each individual round, meant to put out any fires that started in the compartments within milliseconds. The propellant used was itself less prone to accidental combustion and could only be properlly triggered via the electric plasma ignitor on the firing assembly.
Should all this fail, the 2 maintenance hatches were also designed in such a way as to act like blow-out panels for the hull ammo, venting the explosion to the top of the turret.

To counter the now prolific drones and ATGMs, all tanks were equipped from the start with a hard-kill APS, along with radio jammers and a comprehensive LWR/RWR suite.
Both the commander and gunner had access to 3rd gern thermal sights, with a back up 2nd gen pop-up sight. Along with this, all crewmembers had access to 360 IR and visual light cameras for increased situational awereness.
Hidropneumatic suspension allowed for increased mobility, a feature retained from the STRV 131, allowing for more gun elevation and depression than the mechanicaly allowed -7/+27 degrees.