The Weirdo Zone Military Services (WZMS) are one of the three main branches of the Weirdo Zone military structure and are directly responsible for all active combat units and strategic planning of the Weirdo Zone. From the highest fleet admiral strategist to the lowest private second-class trooper, the WZMS is a highly regimented structure tasked with the surgical application of military force for the protection of the Weirdo Zone.
BASIC OFFENSE POLICY
The WZMS is made up of the Weirdo Zone Navy and the Weirdo Zone Army. The Navy is responsible for the warships that ply the void between the stars and is therefore concerned with 'universal' strategy. They consider what worlds to hit and when, set up basic operation timelines, and ferry around the Army. The Weirdo Zone Army is usually considered as a strategic subunit of the Navy. Army commanders advise Navy strategists, plan the actual operations and fill in the basic operation structure given to them by the Navy. Both divisions of the WZMS are vitally important--the Navy is required for transportation and the Army actually takes ground and eliminates the enemy "on their turf."
EXAMPLE OFFENSE SITUATION
I. Naval strategists determine that a certain sector is
of vital importance in an ongoing conflict due to its strategic position. (Operation
Level)
A. A task force of warships and troop transports is
designed, the size of which is determined by the level of enemy resistance expected plus a
certain reserve force.
B. The task force is assembled from local sector
ships as well as reinforcements from other sectors as required.
C. Task force command is transferred to the lead
starship and its strategic staff.
II. The strategic staff, in association with the lead
starship's commanding officer, comes up with a general plan of attack in the sector.
Attacks, feints, and invasions are planned using the resources availiable.
(Aspect Level)
A. Commands of these various aspects of the operation
are given to the lead starships in each aspect.
B. The lead starship will often act in the most
important aspect, stand back to oversee the entire operation (not preferred), or act in a
less important aspect to draw away enemy forces.
III. The commanders of each aspect brief their crews and
attached Army commanders about the situation.
A. Timelines for Army operations are created based on
the Naval operations timeline and Army tactical evaluations.
B. Once all aspects are fully assembled, attack
preparations commence.
IV. The attack commences, with many aspects occuring
simultaneously. (This situation assumes a total invasion)
A. Enemy fleets are engaged and destroyed or drawn
from strategic targets until space superiority is attained.
B. Planetary defenses are engaged and nullified to
achieve air superiority. (Often MI squads on commando missions are dropped now)
C. MI and elite Weirdtrooper platoons/battalions are
dropped to take strategic locations and form a beachhead.
D. The bulk of Army forces are dropped to take the
target.
V. Aspect command reverts to the Army command structure as most fighting
is now surface-based.
A. Naval assets act as fire support and maintain
space and air superiority.
B. Objectives and surface/Naval fire support assets
are assigned by Army commanders.
C. Local situation Army personnel achieve mission
objectives.
D. The operation is complete.
VI. Naval strategists assign Naval fleet strength and Army garrisons (which are often brought from the rear echelons or reserves) to defend newly acquired territory. Whatever is not needed for defense is released for reassignment.
BASIC DEFENSE POLICY
Both divisions are concerned with the defense of the Weirdo Zone. The Navy acts as the first line of defense, holding the line and intercepting enemy fleets before troops can be landed. However, if enemy troops are landed, the defense of territory is the Army's priority as the WZMS is loathe to use capital ship-class fire support on populated worlds (friendly populated worlds especially!). Defensive policy is often locally controlled as local defenders know "the lay of the land" better than strategists back on Weirdonia or Earth or such. Sector assets may (and often are) reassigned from planned offensive operations to assist in the defense of the area, as are rearguard and reserve units. The defense of Weirdo Zone territory takes precedence over the conquering of enemy territory. This makes WZ strategy in case of a fluctuating line somewhat predictable, but commanders may (but are not expected nor encouraged) exercise their initiative to counter-attack.
Obviously, fighting an enemy in your own backyard is not always the brightest thing to do. If the enemy forces are acting independently, it is practically your only option (except for attempting a risky counterattack into weakened enemy territory in the hope that the enemy forces will be withdrawn to defend their turf). However, most invasions, especially those that are strongly resisted for extended periods of time, require constant supply. The supply lines required by most bulk invasions are easily cut by the allocation of Naval forces to reverse-blockade the world. Also, the severing of surface supply lines is a priority for Army forces. In addition to the obvious food, ammunition, and fuel shortages caused by severing supply lines, the paranoia caused by such strategies is quite useful: Every soldier the enemy uses to protect its supplies is another soldier who is not fighting on the front lines making himself difficult for the opponent.
HUMANITARIAN POLICY
Unfortunately, the WZMS does not have separate humanitarian operations. Such humanitarian operations are usually carried out by the Exploratory Services. Despite that, the WZMS does have a significant presence in the aid of humanitarian concerns. Such a presence is almost always on a local need basis and usually unofficial. Army (regular and reserve) garrisons stationed on worlds with social or resource problems are expected and encouraged to assist the locals with emergency shelter, food distribution, disaster relief, disaster prevention (such as building dikes to combat flooding), medical aid, and the like. Naval vessels are expected encouraged to assist in such ways as well as rescue disabled ships, stop local piracy, evacuate civilians from emergency situations, provide hospital ships for emergency disaster care, and so on. Even without expectation and encouragement, most observers believe that WZMS personnel would go ahead and help anyway due to their personal moralities and the cultures they were brought up in.
While popular belief holds that it is this unofficial dedication to humanitarianism that puts our military services on a higher moral pedestal than those of other nations (of course assuming that other nations are not humanitarian), this is not truly the case. Although most stories of Thaurian oppression and callousness are true, those of Reaver inhumanity are greatly exaggerated. The WZISS has evidence of unofficial humanitarian efforts by Reavers, especi