Tuesday 11 February 2014

Another Light Goes Out

"Here we see a long forgotten starport on a long forgotten backwater planet in a forlorn system, deep into the Long Night. The ghosts of the once great Imperium, now long gone can be seen here, in the skeletons and rotting hulks of once proud starships.

"Here, under the light of a distant binary star the planet never truly has a night - in light brighter than an earthly full moon, the dim night light reveals the last vestiges of a star spanning civilization brought to ruin and leather flyers wing over it all in unconcerned ease.

"How melancholy indeed to see mans achievements brought so low, here on the Derelict planet."
- Bryan Gibson
I learned today that Bryan Gibson had finally lost his battle with Double Pneumonia and has passed on.

A well-known craftsman associated with the Society of Creative Anachronism, Bryan was also an artist and has contributed to several editions of Traveller, as well as to numerous adventure books and supplements over the last thirty years. A selection of his art - the picture, above, a melancholic piece that reflects my mood this evening, is taken from the collection - is currently hosted on deviantART. Bryan was also the author of Field Manual for Spica Publishing.

I never met Bryan in person, but I did have the privilege of taking part in a couple of mIRC Traveller games he ran, as well as chatting with him, off and on, via IM. I understand that he was a man of fairly firm views, and could be rather prickly to deal with on occasion, but I always found him immensely creative and interesting to talk to.

"Stand easy, soldier, ere the setting of the sun.
Stand easy, soldier. Job well done."



Sunday 2 February 2014

Armed Forces of the Outrim Alliance

The Outrim Alliance is a collection of at least seven small, non-Imperial Interstellar Polities lying to Spinward of Gamelea and Miazan Subsectors in Per Vulia, Entorth, Lymethius and Cabria Subsectors. Coalescing as an alliance during the late 8th Century, the disparate states were united in their opposition to Imperial expansion to Spinward. While membership has fluctuated over the course of two and a half centuries, the current alliance consists of: the Geithurian Republic; Huiha Esoyatre; Hand of Ssra'Ka Aissr; Khedivate of Nutharal; Huiha Khysokhou; Hunt of Rronurl; and the Johdari Association.

Initial skirmishes along the Spinward-Rimward frontier of Daltharmai Subsector led to a state of undeclared war as Imperial colonists moved into the Trailing end of the Tallu Cluster in Lymethius Subsector. During the 2nd Rimward War of 793 - 794, Sector Duke Liarb I launched a series of reprisal raids against the Geithurian Republic which galvanized that state to ally with the neighboring Aslan of the Huiha Esoyatre. Following the end of the Rimward War, Sector Duke Liarb II sought to pacify the Geithurians with a rapid campaign of deep Cruiser strikes against their trade and starport facilities. Unfortunately for Liarb II, the Ko of Huiha Esoyatre had been actively recruiting allies from amongst the scattered minor polities to Spinward and these responded to the Imperial raids with overwhelming force. Duke Liarb II's death in a skirmish in the outer system of Anar in 810 resulted in a temporary peace that lasted for over a century as the Imperial Sector Government became distracted by its own internal upheavals.

By the early 10th Century, the Imperium began to push into Lymethius Subsector again, only to find that the Outrim Alliance was still firmly opposed to their expansion. A series of four wars fought between 925 and 1085 have resulted in stalemate, with the political borders essentially unchanged. A Black War run against the Geithurian Republic by Siridar-Lord Elmar Hendrian, Head of Imperial Intelligence under Sector Duke Kanus II, during the decade prior to the outbreak of the 4th Outrim War in 1080, effectively paralyzed the Republic politically for nearly twenty years after the Battle of Anthorann and the end of the war in 1085.

Since the end of the Kalar-Wi War in 1105, and the accession of Konzevr Ashtebr Edlchtel of Appaer/Lymethius as President of the Geithurian Republic, the Outrim Alliance has shown increasing signs of a resurgence. This development is beginning to worry Imperial Officials, especially as relationships with the Kalar-Wi, who were instrumental in the military defeat of the Outrim Alliance at the end of the 4th Outrim War, are still at a low ebb.

It is against this background that I take a look at the Ground Forces of the Outrim Alliance.



As before, I am using GURPsTraveller: Ground Forces by Douglas Berry as my guide. As with the development of figures for Imperial armed forces, it seems logical that non-Imperial planets above a certain population and Tech Level will produce "Battalion Equivalents" from a percentage of their population. These "Battalion Equivalents" can either be grouped into Battalions and higher formations at the producing planet's tech level, or traded-in/amalgamated into Elite formations, or higher Tech Level formations. In the latter case, the assumption is that the planetary Government imports higher Tech equipment, which makes individual formations more efficient, and permits the Government to enlist fewer soldiers.

In the case of non-Imperial planets and polities, it would seem unlikely that they would be able to import Tech Level 15 equipment as I have yet to generate a non-Imperial Tech Level 15 planet. This indicates that the degree to which local armed forces may be upgraded is more limited than with the Imperial Unified Army.

As previously, to determine the number of Battalion Equivalents each planet produces, the Battalion Equivalent Table is used. This table is my adaption of the original Classic Traveller table that appeared in Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society Issue 10, rather than the one from Ground Forces as I find it easier to use.

Defence Battalions or Battalion Equivalents (BEs)
Population
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
A
TL
3
-
1
10
1C
1K
10K
50K
100K
4
-
1
10
1C
1K
2K
20K
200K
5
1
2
3
30
3C
3K
30K
300K
6
1
2
3
30
3C
3K
30K
300K
7
-
1
2
20
2C
2K
20K
200K
8
-
1
2
20
2C
2K
20K
200K
9
-
-
1
15
150
15C
15K
150K
A
-
-
1
15
150
15C
15K
150K
B
-
-
1
12
120
12C
12K
120K
C
-
-
1
12
120
12C
12K
120K
D
-
-
1
10
1C
1K
10K
100K
E
-
-
7
7
70
7C
7K
70K
F
-
-
-
5
50
5C
5K
50K

Working with these figures and applying them to Lymethius Subsector, we begin to see the following emerge:


Lymethius Subsector Worlds
Planet
Port
Pop
TL
BEs
Reserve
Raw BE
Units
Bilas
C
2
A
-
-
-
Nil
Geithur
A
9
A
15C
24C
8C
1 TL12 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL12 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL12 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Brigade, 2 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 2 TL12 Infantry Corps, 1 TL12 Infantry Brigade, 1 TL12 Regiment (overstrength)
Evvikkim
D
4
6
1
2
1
1 TL6 Infantry Battalion 
Welthor
C
4
9
-
-
-
Nil
Lysarnor
B
8
8
2C
3C
1C
1 TL12 Elite Armoured Regiment, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Regiment, 1 TL12 Infantry Regiment, 1 TL12 understrength Regiment (4 battalions)
Tian
C
6
A
1
-
1
1 TL10 Infantry Battalion
Vermorzol
A
6
7
20
30
10
1 TL7 Brigade
Appaer
B
A
C
120K
180K
60K
1 TL14 Elite Armoured Field Army, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Regimrnt - the Konzevr's Guard, 2 TL 14 Infantry Field Armies, 2 TL 14 Infantry Corps, 2 TL14 Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Infantry Brigade, 27 TL12 Armoured Field Armies, 54 TL12 Infantry Field Armies.
Hiona
C
5
B
-
-
-
Nil
Yuwe
A
5
C
-
-
-
Nil
Atlasiykh
C
5
A
-
-
-
Nil
Jul'ni
B
8
9
14C
21C
7C
1 TL14 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Elite Infantry Brigade, 4 TL14 Infantry Divisions 
Faiwawhwe
C
5
A
-
-
-
Nil
Yuakteisye
A
A
A
150K
225K
75K
5 TL13 Elite Armoured Field Armies, 10 TL13 Elite Infantry Field Armies, 10 TL13 Armoured Field Armies, 50 TL13 Infantry Field Armies
Dysa Metharoth
B
4
9
-
-
-
Nil
Fiona
A
4
9
-
-
-
Nil
Coroson
C
6
8
2
3
1
1 TL8 Infantry Battalion
Tallu
A
5
C
1
-
1
1 TL12 Infantry Battalion
Auru
C
3
B
-
-
-
Nil
Kidan/Yaitlaorail
C
4
7
-
-
-
Nil
Kalar-Wi Empire
Masaad
B
3
8
-
-
-
Nil
Kalar-Wi/Gamelea
A
7
C
120
180
60
1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 2 TL12 Infantry Divisions
Loa-Wi/Cabria
A
8
B
120
18
60
1 TL12 Armoured Regiment, 1 TL12 Infantry Division
Gaidon/Cabria
B
9
9
15K
24K
8K
1 TL12 Armoured Corp, 2 TL12 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Brigade, 2 TL12 Infantry Corps, 2 TL9 Elite Armoured Corps, 2 TL9 Elite Armoured Divisions, 1 TL9 Elite Armoured Brigade, 1 TL9 Elite Infantry Field Army, 10 TL9 Infantry Field Armies, 2 TL9 Infantry Corps, 1 TL9 Infantry Division, 1 TL9 Infantry Regiment  
Yolurlund/Cabri
A
5
C
-
-
-
Nil
Geithurian Republic Expeditionary Force - Ingeki Kargesu
Personnel for the Geithurian Republic Expeditionary Force are recruited from all member worlds of the Republic
3060
TL12
2 TL14 Elite Infantry Corps, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Elite Infantry Brigade - Geithurian Republican Marines, 2 TL14 Armoured Corps, 2 TL14 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL14 Armoured Brigade, 5 TL14 Infantry Corps, 1 TL12 Armoured Corp, 3 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Regiment, 3 TL12 Infantry Corps, 1 TL12 Infantry Division, 1 TL12 Infantry Brigade
Huiha Esoyatre Expeditionary Force
Personnel for the Huiha Esoyatre Expeditionary Force are primarily recruited from E'kho Oakhwohkyal of Yuakteisye
3000
TL12
1 TL14 Elite Armoured Corps, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Division, 1 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Corps, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Elite Infantry Regiment, 3 TL12 Armoured Corps, 2 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 7 TL12 Infantry Corps
Kalar-Wi Empire Mobile Force - JKW/Orsh
Personnel for the Kalar-Wi Empire Mobile Force are recruited from all member worlds of the Empire
286
TL12
1 TL14 Elite Infantry Brigade, 1 TL14 Infantry Division, TL14 Infantry Brigade - Kalar-Wi Marines, 2 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 1 TL12 Infantry Corps, 3 TL12 Elite Infantry Battalions

Since the end of the 4th Outrim War in 1085, both the Huiha Esoyatre and the Geithurian Republic have been upgrading the equipment and training of their respective Ground Force Lift Formations as well as Planetary Defense units. Much of the High Tech equipment is being sourced from the Hand of Ssra'Ka Aissr and the Johdari Association to Spinward.

Website Update #27

After a surprisingly successful painting month, I managed to both finish off some fun figures and start to sketch out a ground force conflict in my Traveller campaign to game with, initially, 5150: Star Army.

Website is here.