Solar Union forces: Rank and Military Organization

[aimforthetop]

So I just nailed a nice drawing of a prime character of my System Melocoton setting- but before I draw rank and unit insigina on her TEM uniform, I'd like to get some thought- from the devs or from anyone- on how the SU divides and ranks its soldiers. Let's have some open discussion!

Here's what I've been able to glean so far from canon sources and discussion:

TEM
Company (3-8 frames and support?)

TTM
Company (Transit gate level, 3-8 Frames and support?)

UMFL
Regiment (Colony level?)
Company (3-8 Frames and support, commanded by Captain)

The Company has been established as the primary tactical unit of the SU (or any other force, in the SC setting), a force of 3-8 Frames and presumably support commanded by a Captain. It's the unit we operate with at on the game level. Companies have such an importance in MF0 that they gain numeric designation and nicknames (both something typically given to units above company level in recent eras.)

Traditionally in Earth history of recent centuries a Company totals roughly 100-200 soldiers, commanded by a Captain. The downscaling of a Company in Solar Calendar times to <9 pilots and their support fits very well with the concept of Frames making humans much more able, and also the small scale of many colonies.

In recent history Companies work as part of larger units- a few for example:
Battalion - roughly 500-1200, commanded typically by a Lieutenant Colonel.
Regiment- roughly 3000 (20th/21st cent), 1000 (18th/19th cent), commanded typically by a Colonel.
Division- roughly 10000, commanded typically by a Major General

My character in question, Neler Stirling, is a commander of about a little less than 80 Frames with a TEM unit assigned to operate at colony-scale, specifically on a well-populated planet that has been inhabited since the early 100s SC. Given what I know of the scale of conflict from other threads, this level of force commitment sounds about right- with the combined SU Frame park at the start of the Triangular War numbering about 220 in total when adding the TTM Shining Heroes (another Battalion-size unit) and the local Residential Authority forces that were fighting alongside them at the start of the conflict.

With full-strength companies at about 7-8 frames each, a Battalion sounds about right for this scale- 10 Companies or so. So I'm thinking to pin Lieutenant Commander rank on her lapel. Or whatever they're calling a Lieutenant Commander in 246.

I'm of course very open to correction.

[spacemonkey]

Great topic. This is something I've been thinking about for awhile.

Regarding company sizes, I'm doubtful that the game limit of 8 frames is necessarily the true size cap on a company. Personally I think tank companies are probably a better analog than infantry companies. So a typical tank company (for the US Military) seems to consist of 3 tank platoons of 4 tanks with a command element of 2 tanks plus 4 support vehicles. So 14 fighting elements which seems like a good size for a Frame Company to me; a large battle would potentially see the majority of a Company engaged (one could assume the rest are guarding the base, on patrol, under repair, or fighting in another section of the city). Following this idea, a Battalion consisting of 3-4 Companies would have upwards of 60 frames with the Battalion's command element and a Regiment (or Brigade) consisting of 3 Battalions would have upwards of 190 frames with the Regiment's command element. I'm thinking a Regiment is likely the largest operational unit we would see deployed in a combat theater; I'm thinking any planet wealthy/populated enough to support more than one Regiment would likely see the Regiments reporting directly to the army's/military's commander-and-chief, and sending even this size of a force through a transit gate would probably be so costly that it could only indicate the Solar Union entering a state of total war instead of just enforcing "police actions."

Now all that said, I'm thinking only the TEMs would follow these organizational limits strictly as they are the most military active and a clear and precise command and support structure would be key to their constant operations. Since the UMFL operates as formalized colonial militia, the general organizational structure being would remain the same but UMFL units might see variations in size from colony to colony. I mean I could see individual Companies varying depending the size of the geographic region they patrol/defend, size of the region's population, length of mobilization, and general discipline/influence level of the particular UMFL unit. So a small backwater planet might see under- or half-sized Companies stationed only in or near "major" population centers with total planetary force not even being considered Battalion strength; yet a thriving colony might have reinforced companies stationed near major cities and transit hubs and at regional bases that also act as Battalion or Regiment headquarters. TTMs would probably have the loosest organizational limits given that each Company seems to act as an autonomous unit answerable solely/primarily to whichever corporation controls the transit gate. I'm actually somewhat doubtful of a greater organizational structure for the TTMs despite their militarized nature; I could see Companies reporting to and receiving support from sort of regional administrative command all without any sort of formalized Battalion or Regimental level mobilization capabilities. I imagine the typical TTM Company is made up of around 21 frames with some variation based around actual gate size/activity level/importance. I also see the possibility of a bloated Company (probably not exceeding 40 frames) or an additional Company being deployed where the transit gate's owning corporation has the added need of security beyond normal gate defense (like guarding an intra-system or planet based transportation hub).

As for ranks, my thinking and the information is less clear. Captain does seem to be the proper rank for being in charge of a Frame Company based on the traditional command rank for this size force and that Captain Esthar commands her own Company (page 30 in the rulebook). Contrary to this though assumption is the presence of Commander Abacan Foss of the Red Knights TTM Frame Company (page 28). It's possible "Commander" is only his title (versus a formal rank) as he is the commanding officer of the unit; alternatively, TTMs could use a different rank system than the other military branches and/or it is indicative Foss commanding a larger than usual sized Company. Unfortunately, the rank for Zora Mennit, who leads a TEM Company, (page 29) isn't given; though given her decorated status/appearance it's possible she may have obtained an advanced command rank like Major and still command the Company. Regardless, I would think it safe to assume that a Battalion is probably lead by a Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel and a Regiment is lead by a Colonel or Brigadier General.

The real murky point for me is what are the ranks for the frame pilots under Captain? A Lieutenant is typically a platoon leader and this holds true for both infantry and tank platoons. Beyond that I think the analogs break down since as both units have further internal divisions and rank hierarchies where as frames simply have the pilot. So I have two different fields of thought on this and in both I'm thinking that frame Companies instead of breaking into Platoons simply break into Squads of 4 frames and a Lieutenant would then take the spot of Company XO: on one side I can see each squad leader is a 2nd Lieutenant with a team made of simply "Pilots" (a nominal junior officer rank) and on the other side I see each squad led by a Sergeant with a team of Corporals or Specialists.

So anyways in my scheme your character commanding of a little less than 80 Frames would still leave Neler Stirling leading a reinforced Battalion (say 5 full sized companies plus the command element). While I would say you would probably be better off making her a Lieutenant Colonel (or a full Commander for the naval equivalent) for a unit this size, I can see a Major/Lieutenant Commander rank working if was sort of a battlefield/impromptu promotion to allow her to coordinate all the Companies; this assumes those Companies are only led by Captains of course.

Well now that I've completed my treatise on the formal structure and organization of several fictional interplanetary militaries, I await Soren or Joshua to waltz in and destroy all my wonderful theories.

Edit: Fixed a few typos.

[aimforthetop]

Excellent post, Monkey.

Regarding company sizes, I'm doubtful that the game limit of 8 frames is necessarily the true size cap on a company. Personally I think tank companies are probably a better analog than infantry companies. So a typical tank company (for the US Military) seems to consist of 3 tank platoons of 4 tanks with a command element of 2 tanks plus 4 support vehicles. So 14 fighting elements which seems like a good size for a frame company to me; a large battle would potentially see the majority of a company engaged (one could assume the rest are guarding the base, on patrol, under repair, or fighting in another section of the city).

I noticed a post by Soren somewhere in this section of the Forum where he said something to the effect of a Company may be more than what's represented on the table, and that estimation of yours would go along well with that.

So anyways in my scheme your character commanding of a little less than 80 Frames would still leave Neler Stirling leading a reinforced Battalion (say 5 full sized companies plus the command element). While I would say your would probably be better off making her a Lieutenant Colonel (or a full Commander for the naval equivalent) for a unit this size, I can see a Major/Lieutenant Commander rank working if was sort of a battlefield/impromptu promotion to allow her to coordinate all the Companies; this assumes those Companies are only led by Captains of course.

Yes, that idea of a Battalion command fits very well with the amount of forces I wanted to place under Neler Stirling's command, although I could give her a Regimental command and not really change the scale of Triangular War conflict too much. Since Transit-Gating Frames is expensive, I have an idea of her 119th Royal Blues operating mostly out of Chubs from the local TTM(Shining Heroes)'s spare inventory (leftover after those TTMs 'upgraded' to fancier Frames) and ones hastily put together in the Gate's machine shops, all in a hurry to get the unit down in the action on planet Melocoton's surface.

Lt. Col Stirling would have some amount of battle experience, but quickly desk promoted from that to her Battalion command post before this war. She finds herself behind the controls of a Frame again, though- as the situation goes FUBAR (HUBAR?) for the 119th down on Melocoton.

Well now that I've completed my treatise on the formal structure and organization of several fictional interplanetary militarizes, I await Soren or Joshua to waltz in a destroy all my wonderful theories.

You and I both await. I do like your thoughts on the organization of the UMFL (and regimental scale) and the TTM as well. I was thinking along those same lines.

[spacemonkey]

...I'm thinking that frame Companies instead of breaking into Platoons simply break into Squads of 4 frames and a Lieutenant would then take the spot of Company XO: on one side I can see each squad leader is a 2nd Lieutenant with a team made of simply "Pilots" (a nominal junior officer rank) and on the other side I see each squad led by a Sergeant with a team of Corporals or Specialists.

So I was talking to an ex-Army buddy of mine and he enlightened me about Warrant Officers. Warrant Officers are sort of in a rank cadre of their own between non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers. In the Army, the rank is often used in the aviation branch for helicopter pilots; a Captain or Lieutenant is often in command of a helicopter unit while Warrant Officers pilot the remaining aircraft. It feels like the perfect rank to fill that "nominal junior officer rank" I was looking for, so I'm going to say Frame Squads are 4 man/frame units consisting of 3 Warrant Officers led by a 2nd Lieutenant and I'll leave the NCO ranks for the infantry or hardsuit units that invariably also exist in the Solar Calendar setting.

[aimforthetop]

I'll leave the NCO ranks for the infantry or hardsuit units that invariably also exist in the Solar Calendar setting.

Also the support roles that a Frame unit may require, that would require a number of both officers and enlisted men.

For many units outside the TEM, the reality may indeed be a single small group of pilots living in their frames, operating with no or little support or higher-level command in practice. I could see distant UMFL colonial Companies fighting like this.

An historical note: The US in the Second World War did have NCO pilots due to a need for fliers that exceeded the rate they could graduate officers. I suppose it wouldn't be impossible should some perhaps semi-autonomous force with few officially SU-commisioned officers but seeking to keep within the rank structure of the total Union simply do what's practical and put pilots in frame without an officer distinction.

It's a big, big chunk of universe the SU has expanded across, and surely there's wrinkles in the organization, even within the TEM.

Speaking of that scale- wow, a Division-level command would probably encompass several star systems.

[spacemonkey]

Also the support roles that a Frame unit may require, that would require a number of both officers and enlisted men.

True, each Company would likely be supported by a gang of frame technicians that would facilitate the repair, rearming, and refueling of frames between engagement/operations; additionally there could be a quartermaster, a chaplain, a training sergeant, a medical team, a food service crew, a communications section, a security detail and/or a transportation/recovery team (plus others I'm sure).

It's a big, big chunk of universe the SU has expanded across, and surely there's wrinkles in the organization, even within the TEM.

Oh undoubtedly. There are probably several special formations (say a squad of light salvage frames piloted by NCOs) that exist as part of larger support teams but furthermore, emergencies and attrition could lead to any number of special circumstances for a unit deployed in the field.

Speaking of that scale- wow, a Division-level command would probably encompass several star systems.

Well probably even more than that if you're thinking about the Terran Expeditionary Marines. In the rulebook, it says: "When the Solar Union fights a war in earnest, it votes to send a company of TEMs to make first contact with the enemy." So the SU is regularly counting on a single TEM Company to take care of business; obviously they're coordinating with local SU forces and this isn't to say they couldn't/wouldn't be reinforced (especially if things turn really hairy) but reinforcement isn't something the typical Company would rely on as gate transit is expensive and can take a significant amount of time to coordinate. Anyways, given this fact, I would say it's not unusual to see a TEM Battalion operating amongst several planetary or star systems (probably with individual Companies leap-frogging each other to the next combat theater and having no established headquarters), a TEM Regiment might be spread out over a sector or cluster (probably with a semi-permanent headquarters to use a staging and training ground), and a TEM Division would oversee an even larger region, perhaps even a quadrant (probably operating on a largely administrative level from a fixed headquarters).

Edit: Fixed typo

[Soren]

It's intentionally vague. I forget if we even had a more involved conversation than 'what should we call a team of robots?' So, feel free to make up a more precise system that suits your needs and tastes.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

We did! We chose "Company" because it's the "You guys go achieve this strategically meaningful, concrete objective" scale; smaller is all tactical, larger is "foreign policy" scale.

Estar is a captain, so apparently the UMFL has captains in charge of a company. I can't remember if that was based on research or, more likely, the highest rank she can get before she gets Peter Principled, and doesn't want that. I'm pretty sure I researched the ranks of the other two SU characters in the book, though, so...

well, you can see how much I care about this. If you find a reason to determine who's got one rank instead of another, I'd love to see it!

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Oh, and remember: most of the colonial populations in SC 0245 are very small. Labor frames make them six times as effective as humans for most labor purposes, and if they had the resources to support a large population, they're probably churning out materials or goods fast enough that they're gettin' paid by the TTA.

[aimforthetop]

Oh, and remember: most of the colonial populations in SC 0245 are very small. Labor frames make them six times as effective as humans for most labor purposes, and if they had the resources to support a large population, they're probably churning out materials or goods fast enough that they're gettin' paid by the TTA.

This is very useful information (and a good topic for its own discussion) and I'll scale appropriately with that in mind.

[spacemonkey]

Thanks for the responses, Soren and Joshua! A company is a good tactical sized unit and, as I mentioned to Josh in a PM, comparing a Mobile Frame company with a modern Tank Company works for a few reasons: mobile frames are already described as "standing tanks" in the rulebook (page 21); tanks offer the most comparable real world example for the armor, mobility, and damage output we might expect from a mobile frame; with Esthar being a Captain the general rank structure just seems to fit; and a tank company already fits the mold of units that are six times as effective as humans - 14 tanks in an average US tank company compared to 60-200 soldiers in an infantry company (which of course would become an even better ratio when you go from 4 tank crew members to one frame pilot).

Estar is a captain, so apparently the UMFL has captains in charge of a company. I can't remember if that was based on research or, more likely, the highest rank she can get before she gets Peter Principled, and doesn't want that.

Well the Army rank of Captain does historically correspond to the command of a company of soldiers and quoting from the Captain (armed forces) wikipedia page: "The rank of captain is generally considered to be the highest rank a soldier can achieve while remaining in the field." So if Estar was the type to prefer field service instead of becoming a paper pusher, Captain would probably be the highest rank she would seek. Also I don't remember someone else speculating that it was typically a UMFL Major (with a suitcase full of cash) sent directly from Mars that was tasked with building up the each colony's UMFL force. If that's true, it would make a certain amount of sense for a Captain to be the highest rank a Colonial might typically reach which would also allow the Martian officer remain in command while overseeing multiple companies if necessary.

I'm pretty sure I researched the ranks of the other two SU characters in the book, though, so... well, you can see how much I care about this. If you find a reason to determine who's got one rank instead of another, I'd love to see it!

So regarding Zora Mennit, after a few PMs with you, Joshua, it was determined she was meant to have the rank of First Sergeant. A First Sergeant is typically the company commander's principal non-commissioned assistant and handles a lot of the training for the company's NCOs, supervises administrative issues, and takes care of non-judicial disciplinary actions. So having Zora as First Sergeant still places her an important leadership position in (if not necessarily directly commanding) the company and since the wording is vague enough this doesn't go against the brief information blurb about her in the rulebook.

As for Abacan Foss, if "Commander" is indeed his rank (versus a merely his title as the commanding officer of the unit), I'm going to infer that the Terran Transit Marines use a different rank system than the other military branches and is indicative of Foss commanding a larger than usual sized Company. Based on the rank and that TTMs are largely space based, I thinking the TTMs are using a naval ranking system where the rank of Commander is equal to that of a Lt. Colonel which by my previous estimations would put him in charge of a Battalion level frame force. Of course, I've also already speculated that TTMs would operate in larger than usual companies and might not be part of higher command/unit structure, so higher relative rank wouldn't necessarily equal a higher unit posting. Interestingly looking at wikipedia, a naval Commander may command a frigate, destroyer, submarine, aviation squadron or shore installation (and the same holds true for a Lt. Commander but for a smaller ship/installation). While being an aviation squadron commander holds a certain parallel given TTM frame pilots are probably pretty versed in zero atmosphere/gravity combat, I think being that TTM commander being the military leader of the installation (the gate) certainly makes sense; additionally looking at some of the information from this post in another thread, if the TTMs are also acting as the regular police/security of a transit gate then there is likely a "ground" element (maybe few platoons of troops) that TTM Commander would also supervise. So I'm going with TTM frame companies tend to be more naval officer rank based (I can go back to my Warrant Officer pilots idea here) and their leaders are typically Commander or Lt. Commander rank based on relative Company and transit gate size and/or experience.

Of course, both of these positions have caused me to reevaluate some of my thoughts concerning frame company sizes and rank structures.

So here's my breakdown of what I imagine a typical TEM Frame Company would look like:

Company Headquarters
*Company Commander (Commanding Officer/CO) - Captain
*Executive Officer (XO) - First Lieutenant
*First Sergeant
*Staff or Gunnery Sergeant
^Supplies Sergeant
^Armorer
+Communications Technician
+Medic
+Staff Cook
+Carrier Driver
(Total: 2 Officers and 8 Enlisted personnel in 4 fighting frames[*], one APC[+] and one cargo vehicle with trailer[^])
Frame Squads x3
*Squad Leader - Second Lieutenant
*3 Frame Pilots - Specialist or Sergeant
(Total: 3 Officers and 9 Enlisted personnel in 12 fighting frames[*])
Attached Maintenance Detail
+A maintenance section or platoon from the Battalion's maintenance company would normally be attached to each deployed Frame Company.
(Total: 8-26 enlisted personnel transported in one or two APCs, one heavy recovery vehicle/frame, and one utility vehicle with trailer carrying spare parts)

So in this example a frame company would have slightly larger number of fighting units than my tank company reference (16 frames to 14 tanks) but about 1/3 the number of personnel (not counting the maintenance section). Cascading from these changes, a Battalion would consist of 3-4 Companies with upwards of 70 total fighting frames plus a Maintenance Company and a Regiment (or Brigade) would constitute upwards of 220 fighting frames. On separate but related note, I've also reevaluated my assumption that TEM Companies sort of "go it alone" when deployed. While I still think it TEM Battalions may have units operating simultaneously among different systems, I think it's likely that each time a TEM Company transits into a new combat zone there is a reserve TEM Company awaiting rapid redeployment to assist if necessary; further reserves could be coordinated from the Regiment level if the Battalion elements were tied up but would obviously taken longer to respond.

I envision a UMFL Frame Company would be based largely on the TEM model but would probably operate lighter on the mobile support staff likely relying on returning to established static facilities on the planet. Additionally an under-manned UMFL company might operate with only one or two Frame Squads and without a position/frame for either the First or Staff/Gunnery Sergeant. On the other hand, a reinforced UMFL company might tack on an extra frame to each Frame Squad or an entire additional squad if they had another Lieutenant. So I expect UMFL Frame Companies might frequently range anywhere between 7-20 frames.

And here's my breakdown of for a typical TTM Frame Company:
Company Headquarters
*Company Commander (Commanding Officer/CO) - Lt. Commander or Commander
*Executive Officer (XO) - Lieutenant
*Chief Warrant Officer - Chief Warrant Officer (CWO3)
+Requisitions Officer - Chief Warrant Officer (CWO2)
Frame Squads x5
*Squad Leader - Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
*3 Frame Pilots - Warrant Officer (WO1)
(Total: 9 Officers and 15 Warrant Officers in 23 fighting frames[*]. Note: Chief Warrant Officers count as commissioned officers.)

I only included one member of support staff in this example as I suspect the TTA might employ civilian contractors to fill some roles (maintenance staff) or otherwise set up service contracts with personnel already present on transit gate (medical and food services). I imagine the squads would operate on 8 hour rotations 24/7 with one or two squads on active patrol and another on standby; the others would be available as reserves but might also be active when dealing with events like actual gate transits.

Oh, and remember: most of the colonial populations in SC 0245 are very small ... if they had the resources to support a large population, they're probably churning out materials or goods fast enough that they're gettin' paid by the TTA.

This is largely off-topic but what do you consider very small? A few thousand or hundred thousand? A few million? Less than a hundred million? I mean the US currently has a population of 317 million people making it the world's 3rd most populous country but if that same population was spread across the planet, Earth might be considered to have a very small population (when compared to the current world population of 7 billion people).

Also what does "that they're gettin' paid by the TTA" imply? Are you saying that such colonies would reasonably prosperous and happy (thus not need of large military forces to keep them safe or stable) or something else?

Edit: Fixed some typos and added a couple additional thoughts

[Dukayn]

I found watching Band of Brothers gave me a good idea of US military rank and structure, at least in WW2 in an infantry sense. I'm not assuming everyone's seen it, so forgive me if you have and already know this, but the main character Richard Winters was a Captain and in charge of Easy Company. He later got bumped to 2nd Battalion XO and while still a Captain at the time, was given the rank of Major later in the war. So that pretty much fits in with Captain being the head of a Frame Company.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

An answer to the questions about Commander Foss and Captain Estar can neatly be answered with this article.

That is, a "Captain" is the head of a company. In some forces, the captain in charge of a company is a "Company Commander".

This fits so well that I'm wondering if we maybe actually looked it up.

[spacemonkey]

So Foss is using the title Commander (probably because it sounds more posh) but would hold the rank of Captain, right? Does this mean the TTMs would use a rank system identical to TEMs and UMFL?

Regarding my previous question:

Oh, and remember: most of the colonial populations in SC 0245 are very small ... if they had the resources to support a large population, they're probably churning out materials or goods fast enough that they're gettin' paid by the TTA.

...what does "that they're gettin' paid by the TTA" imply? Are you saying that such colonies would reasonably prosperous and happy (thus not need of large military forces to keep them safe or stable) or something else?

Any answers?

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

As in, no one bothers to pick up a gun unless a) they're getting hungry, or b) someone offers them a better deal.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

Oh, and I'm sure they each have slightly different ranking systems and they blame each other for the confusion.

[spacemonkey]

Thanks for the responses, Joshua. I know you're pretty busy putting Alpha Bandit together at the moment.

Oh, and I'm sure they each have slightly different ranking systems and they blame each other for the confusion.

Good to know. For my purposes, I'll keep the TTM breakdown the same except swapping the Company Commander ranks out for a Captain or Major; at least until if/when you guys decide to release something more official in the future.

[spacemonkey]

A little bit of thread necromancy but I was digging through Joshua's Flickr stream and noticed this little tidbit posted alongside his picture of Legionnaire Mokrani's ST-07:

Mokrani is one of three dozen Legionnaires who have gone into battle behind Captain Estar.

In regards to this thread I'm curious if this is a statement of the total number of Legionnaries currently in Estar's company (and whether this would an atypically large number) or more of summarizing statement of how many Legionnaries have served under her command over the years?

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

That's over time. It's not a job known for its security. Estar is good at getting the mission done, but is pretty serious about leaving no Legionnaire behind. She's largely able to pull off that balance, which is why she's worth shipping around the galaxy with her dudes.

That thing in the story, where a Legionnaire is using a fallen frame for their rifle rest is actually from a game where I'd forgotten a station at home and so was using a fallen comrade as a station.

[SeraphimKnight]

This thread is really pleasing my lore-junkie brain. I'm gonna have to keep all of this in mind while I structure my faction. :)