Ascendant Army

The Ascendant Army is the ground combat arm of the Ascendant military. The Army is the youngest of the three armed services, formally established a full three decades after the War of Self-Determination - thirty years after the Starfleet‘s official creation and seventeen after the Fortress Command was given authority over system defense installations. Prior to the advent of the Army as a centrally-organized service, planetary combat was handled by sectorial defense forces and the private troops of high aristocrats; many of these were integrated directly into the federal Army, leading to formations with more history than the entire nation. Notably, the 12th Division of the Lady’s Guard can trace its unit history back through service as the household troops of the ruling Seagrace family of New Baerne to French Imperial service, and beyond to its origins as a colonial security force drawn from the regular Baernish Ducal Army on Nova Terra, over a millenium ago.The Army, despite its markedly junior status, takes pride in being one of the best-equipped forces in the Galactic North-East. The 390 million offensive troops of the Ascendant Army are carried to battle on top-of-the-line troopships, and fight with the best weapons Ascendant industry can produce. While the Starfleet remains the choice of most of the children of the nobility, there are those who argue that this is a good thing: the Army is free to promote and assign based almost entirely on merit.
The Army’s emblem is, like all the armed services, a variant on the national flag: A sword surrounded by planets, instead of the Starfleet’s sword-and-stars, Fortress Command’s shield-and-stars, or the tree-and-stars they’re all based on.
　
==Organization==
Army formations are organized at the sectorial, planetary, and continental levels. A sector army will have detachments on each planet in the sector, as part of the planetary defense forces, while the offensive personnel and troopships are likely to be concentrated at the sector capitol, allowing for rapid redeployment for defensive, offensive, or disaster-relief operations - Ascendant Army units are expected to offer aid to the civilian population in times of crisis. Sector armies number in the hundreds of millions at the very least, and administering that many personnel spread across so many lightyears requires a certain amount of autonomy for commanders. Planetary commanders are expected to act on their own competence whenever possible, as are detached or otherwise incommunicado units.
===Ranks===
The Army’s rank system is based on that of the French Imperial Army. In descending order, Army ranks are as follows:
General Officers
*Maréchal de l’Ascendance - A title rather than a rank, granted to commanders of armies that achieve noteworthy victories.
*Maréchal de terre - Commanding general of a sector army, roughly translated as ‘Surface Marshal.’
*Général d'armée - Commanding general of an army. This is an appointment, rather than a formal rank.
*Général de corps d'armée - Commanding general of a corps. This is an appointment, rather than a formal rank.
*Général de division - Commanding general of a division.
*Général de brigade - Commanding general of a brigade.
　
Senior Officers
*Colonel - Commands a regiment of infantry, armor, or atmospheric craft.
*Lieutenant-Colonel - Shares the same responsibilities as a colonel.
*Major - Acts as second-in-command to a colonel or lieutenant-colonel.
*Commandant - Commands an infantry battalion, army squadron, or atmospheric craft squadron.
　
Junior Officers
*Capitaine - Commands an infantry company, armor platoon, or artillery battery.
*Lieutenant - Commands an infantry platoon, an armored vehicle, or an artillery piece.
*Sous-Lieutenant - Shares the same responsibilities as a lieutenant.
　
Sous-Officiers
*Sergent-chef - Commands a squad, and provides leadership and morale services to NCOs and enlisted personnel.
*Sergent - Commands a squad.
===Formations===
Firmament Sector Army
*2,500 divisions of the Lady’s Guard (40 million troops)
*2,500 divisions of regular army troops (40 million troops)
Inception Sector Army
*2,500 divisions of regular army troops (55 million troops)
Isabella Sector Army
*3,500 divisions of regular army troops (40 million troops)
Zephyr Sector Army
*3,500 divisions of regular army troops (55 million troops)
Windmill Sector Army
*2,500 divisions of regular army troops (40 million troops)
Sleighbell Sector Army
*2,500 divisions of regular army troops (40 million troops)
Lorica Sector Army
*1,750 divisions of regular army troops (20 million troops)
James Sector Army
*1,750 divisions of regular army troops (20 million troops)
　
==Equipment==
===Infantry Weapons===
Fabrications Nationaux FN-70 SGR (Standard Graser Rifle)
The FN-70 is the standard infantry weapon of the Army, as well as the Fortress Command, the Marines, and naval security troops. Its bullpup design places the lasing rods that generate the powerful graser beams the weapon fires behind the magazine. As an energy weapon, the magazine does not contain bullets, but rather focusing crystals - the beam passes through the crystal at the top of the magazine, which focuses it into a damaging, accurate ray. Each magazine contains enough crystals for roughly five minutes continuous firing.
Fabrications Nationaux FN-18 SGS (Standard Graser Sidearm)
The FN-18 Standard Graser Sidearm is a rugged, medium-weight energy pistol developed by Fabrications Nationaux for the Ascendant Army. It was the second hand weapon designed using graser technology, and is widely considered one of the most successful - two centuries after its design, the weapon is still the standard sidearm for the Ascendant military. A ten-crystal magazine provides a minute’s firing time.
Fabrications Nationaux FN-79 GPAG (General-Purpose Automatic Graser)
Essentially an FN-70 with a larger magazine, a fold-out bipod, and a heat-resistant quick-change barrel for extended firing, the FN-79 has served the Army for almost acentury and a half. Noted for its high damage potential, it shares the same problems as all graser weapons - relative expense of production and high visibility in low-light fighting. The Army so far views the ammunition commonality and continous-beam capabilities of graser weapons as a fair trade. The standard overbarrel FN-79 magazine holds sufficient focusing crystals for fifteen minutes continous firing while allowing easier reloading while prone, and double-drum magazines provide nearly triple that.
Bureau d'Armes et Recherche BAeR Sniper's Rifle
The BAeR was designed by the Arms Research Bureau, a private corporation formed by ex-members of the Army's Ordnance Bureau. Drawing on their experience with the Army, the designers set out to create an all-purpose weapon to meet the needs of snipers, scouts, and other personnel with a need for long-range attack capability. Unusually for an Ascendant weapon, the rifle does not work on graser technology; rather, it fires 15mm rounds with a variety of payloads - common rounds include armor-piercing high-explosive, incendiary, and targeted EMP rounds for use against sensitive electronics. The massive rifle makes use of lightweight composite materials and a bullpup design to keep weight manageable.
Bureau d'Armes et Recherche HPF-17
The HPF-17 (Homme-Portable Fusee; Man-Portable Rocket) is another production of the Arms Research Bureau. Designed to increase commonality between different rocket systems (namely RPGs, anti-tank missiles, and similar weapons), the HPF fires smart projectiles that can carry many sorts of warheads. The standard load for an HPF-carrying soldier is ten rounds, including five high explosive, three beehive, and two EMP.
===Land Vehicles===
To be continued…
===Atmospheric Craft===
To be continued…
　
　
Category:Ground Forces