Styrkene

The Styrkene is the military of Aedeland. The Stykene consists of six uniformed services: the Ríkes Sjøstyrkene, Ríkes Hæren, Valkyrja, Væringet, and the Styðja. Aedeland spends approximately 3% of GDP on national defense. Most of that spending is on high dollar assets of the Valkyrja and Ríkes Sjøstyrkene. In addition to the high command at Rik Øverste and a detachment at the Gimlé, the Strykene operates only five installations: two submarine pens, two airbases, and one garrison. Regiments, numbering in the hundreds, are locally funding unless called into active service. Two permanent facilities and several dozen temporary encampments of the Styðja are funded by the Home Office.

Etymology

Styrkene comes from Aedelish styrkr word meaning "strength" or "military force".

History

Independent local and regional military forces were consolidated under the Styrkene into the Hæren and Sjøstyrkene shortly following the Aedelish unification in 7305. The Pan-Anarian War brought about standardization and the development of a professional officer corps. The decentralized structure of local units called into service to form temporary armies persisted until a standing army was raised for the Hanniyyahs expedition. At the collapse of the Aedelish Empire, the Strykene was among the largest militaries in the world with a global area of operations. This structure was retained by the Technate though it progressively lost strength over time. Dissolution of the Technate brought about military reforms that dissolved the standing army and restored the Styrkene's historic and greatly reduced organization.

Structure

Aedeland's military is constitutionally under the authority of the Fører and all officer's swear oaths of allegiance to the Aedelish constitution and the Fører. The senior military official of the Styrkene is the Lord Martial.

The Rík Øverste is the Styrkene's ancient headquarters and is the central command and control node of the Lord Martial's War Office. The historical building houses high command staff and is home to the officer's training academy while the main administrative cadre are stationed in the underground bunker Himinbjörg which is connected to the Valhreiðr air base in the Auðigrháls.

Although the six branches of the Stykene are independent, they are an integrated whole operating in coordination.

Valkyrja

Aedeland's Air Force, called the Valkryja ( lit. 'chooser of the slain') is the dominant branch of Aedeland's military holding the majority of positons on the Styrkene's high command and receiving the majority of military funding. Long range, high altitude, high speed nuclear-powered bombers, fighters, and interceptors form the primary strike capability of the Aedelish military. Only members of the Valkryja are authorized to wear distinctive goatskin leather jackets. Valhreiðr is a hardened base in the Auðigrháls that serves as headquarters for the Valkryja and is home of Aedeland's secret black programs. Its underground hangers can accommodate two hundred fighter aircraft. The underground complex has ten blast doors which exit to multiple runways. It also has its own hospital as well as multiple munitions depots and underground fuel tanks. A second base, Fjarrihreiðr, is a base on Maleficarion, the southernmost isle of the Aereyjar chain. The Valkyrja operates several auxiliary fields throughout Vesturland, Cykeria, and the Aereyjar.

Ríkes Sjøstyrkene

Aedeland largely abandoned the surface fleet model of naval warfare and since the 7560s has utilized submarines exclusively. Aedeland's u-boat fleet is organized into four flotillas called Jægeráða. Jægeráða-Norðan and Jægeráða-Eystri operate in the Nordsjøen and Stolvic Ocean from a shared u-boat base at Jægerból-Ålesund. Jægeráða-Suðr and Jægeráða-Vestri operate in the Zeeängten and Vestsjøen from a shared sub base at Jægerból-Ærilar. Each secret u-boat base is built into hardened subterranean sea caves and are undetectable from the surface.

Ríkes Hæren

Aedeland's army, called the Hæren, is a decentralized regimental militia and gendarmerie. A large degree of independence is allowed by the Fører in exchange for the support of powerful Ætts. However, the ancient ties are no longer respected and commands are awarded at the discretion of the Fører.

The Hæren is organized into four functional commands. Most regiments operate as gendarme providing for internal security and are primarily responsible for policing for "asocial behavior". The Jægerkorps are the foundational infantry units specializing in vertical envelopment who work in close cooperation with the Valkyrja. Likewise, Kommandos are a specialized in maritime operations and work in close cooperation with Aedeland's navy. Finally, the herklæði are armored and mechanized units which are largely being phased out.

Væringet

The Væringet is an elite corps of the Styrkene created in 7518 to allow foreign nationals into the Aedelish army. Under the Sørtarnland Company the Væringet dwarfed the Styrkene in both size and capability. However, the collapse of Aedeland's foreign empire greatly reduced the Væringet which now only survives as a single unit fully subordinate to yet distinct from the Hæren. As such it has a unique, but equivalent, rank names and a dress uniform heavily influenced by historical uniform of the Ithrieni military.

Styðja

The Styðja is a paramilitary non-combat service organization providing primarily work relief through public works programs. Operating under the same rank structure and wearing the same uniform of the regular Styrkene. Styðja camps have a dual-authority supervisory staff operating under War Office command while staffed primarily by Styðja officers under the Home Office. Each camp has a command staff drawn from the officer corps of the regular Styrkene including a camp commander, typically a captain, and several company commanders, typically lieutenants, who are responsible for discipline and administration. Technical training, work supervision, and specialist roles are provided by officers of the Styðja.

Styðja-skilja camps perform technical work encompassing a wide variety of public projects and internal improvements with the purpose of developing and enriching the lives of young Aedelmen. Furthermore, the Styðja-skilja's medical corps operates regional birthing and wellness centers throughout Aedeland. Styðja-kulī camps are operated and overseen by the Styðja but are manned by various asocial elements that includes alcoholics, beggars, homeless people, and nonconformists who perform menial and hard labor. Styðja-kulī conscripts are obligated to work for four years, though early release is available to those who agree to be chemically sterilized.

Personnel

By law, all males are required a minimum of two years national service upon their 18th birthday in a local regimental militia or four years of alternative service in a non-combat Styðja or Free Corps. The regimental militias are not considered a standing army though this is exactly what it is. At any given time, approximately 3% of Aedeland's population is in national service and about 20% of Aedelish men could be recalled into emergency service.

Volunteers may join as young as fifteen and early enrollment reflects positively on a soldier's service record. Only volunteers are selected from within the Hæren for service in the Valkyrja and Ríkes Sjøstyrkene. While service is mandatory, conscientious objectors may refuse service for any reason. However, failure to serve severely restricts political and social rights. Women are prohibited from national service except for the non-deployable positions in the medical corps and secretarial staff.

Rank Structure

Rank in the Strykene is divided into two distinct categories: officer and other ranks. All members enter service as a conscript or volunteer. Only volunteers are eligible for commission as officers. Officers serve in positions of executive leadership by commissioned authority of the Fører. Other ranks constitute the majority of Styrkene personnel and are non-professionals who have either volunteered or been conscripted as well as professionals who serve in positions of managerial leadership by warrant authority of their officers.

Officer Ranks

Officers represent the top 5% of the Styrkene. Løjtnant are junior officers and the equivalent to the rank lieutenant in most militaries. Typically they are staff officers or heads of subordinate departments within a command and rarely serve as commanders. Løjtnants are numbered according to seniority as a post or appointment within a unit. The senior most is designated the premierløjtnant and typically acts as second-in-command and executive officer. Løjtnants wear no rank. Kapitäns are equivalent to field officers in most militaries. They are senior officers of the Styrkene typically in command of company or battery in the Hæren, a squadron in the Valkryja, or ships of cruiser size or larger in the Sjøstyrkene. Kapitäns are identified by a star insignia on their collar. Ofursti in the Hæren and Valkryja or Kommandørs in the Sjøstyrkene are equivalent to flag officers in most militaries and are identified by laurels worn on their collar. They typically command regiments in the Hæren, air wings in the Valkryja, and a squadron of vessels in the Sjøstyrkene. This is generally the highest rank in the Styrkene with the exception of the temporary wartime rank of Stratárchis - a title that originated in the Pan-Anarian War - a rank equivalent to a Field Marshall in most militaries. The rank insignia of the Stratárchis is identical to that of a Ofursti or Kommandørs. However, the Stratárchis carries a baton as a ceremonial symbol of his rank.

Other Ranks

Those selected for career service are issued a warrant from their commanding officer making them a serjant in the Hæren and Valkryja or a batsveinn in the Sjøstyrkene. These "regulars" serve as the backbone of the Styrkene. They are equivalent to non-commissioned officers in most militaries and wear the silver chevron insignia. The number of chevrons signifies seniority of service with each chevron representing four years of service with no breaks in good conduct. A number of specialized posts have been created and when held are prefixed to the rank. These positions are usually assigned by seniority. For example, the senior most serjant typically serves as premiersergent and is responsible for unit discipline and reports directly to the unit commander. A serjant assigned to staff duties is a stabssersjant and an oberbatsveinn is a senior non-commissioned officer of a ship.

Volunteers and conscripts hold no rank and are given no insignia.

Uniform

Each branch has its own distinctive variations of a standard minimalist khaki utility uniform. Only officers and members of the Valkyrja and Ríkes Sjøstyrkene are issued more formal black dress uniforms. Staff officers wear wire aiguillettes. Red is worn by members of the Valkryja, black by members of the Sjøstyrkene, gold by members of the Riks Hæren, and white by members of the Styðja. This is in contrast to the laurel collar insignia worn by commanding officers.

The Stykene awards and decorations are limited and rarely awarded. The Blóð Ære, Aedeland's most ancient decoration, is awarded to servicemen wounded in combat. The circular medallion is struck from iron salvaged from the flagship Sørland and is stamped with the image of a wounded ancient Achilleionian warrior and is suspended from a red ribbon. The Ríkgeir, almost equally ancient as the Blóð Ære, is a black iron cross medallion forged from ancient swords supported by a band that is in the Aedelish tricolor that is awarded for exceptional merit and bravery in combat. The Ríkgeir is Aedeland's highest decoration. Several campaign medals are authorized including the Crisis Medal awarded to supporters of the Valfǫðr-sonr during the civil crisis of the 7640s and the Fører's Medal awarded to supporters of Guðfrøðr the Younger in the succession crisis.