Southern Balkan Republic Security Forces

Emblem of the SBRSF

Special Forces

Transport Brigade

Medical Brigade

Engineer Corps

Southern Balkan Air Force

Southern Balkan Navy

Coast Guard

Southern Balkan Gendarmerie

Republican Guard

Rapid Response Battalion

Peacekeeping Forces

Intelligence Service

The **Southern Balkan Security Forces,** otherwise known as the **SBRSF**, are the unofficial military forces of the unrecognized Southern Balkan Republic and the largest volunteer military of the wasteland. The military falls under the command of the Ministry of Defence. The armed forces were created in 2085 for defence of the borders and to protect the sovereignty and independence of the nation in accordance to Article 24 of the Republic's constitution.

## History

The military's history can be traced back to 2075, after the end of World War III, when groups of surviving soldiers and scientists had gone underground to protect themselves from the nuclear blasts which left most of Europe uninhabitable. After the war, the remaining soldiers and scientists seeked to rebuild civilization and turned the nuclear bunkers and underground airfields into small cities and sanctuaries for any survivors. Until 2085, the military forces consisted of small squads of former soldiers who would provide armed escort for transport vehicles that would have to cross the dangerous areas to get from one city to another. These squads normally consisted of 15 soldiers and volunteers who were lightly armed and equipped with bulletproof vests and gas masks while the vehicles they drove were mostly old military Humvees and armored civilian pickup trucks.

On 10th of May 2084, ten days after the foundation of the Republic, the council of 15 voted for a resolution which would allow the creation of a military force for border defence. As a result, the Southern Balkan Republican Guard was formed which consisted of two infantry platoons, three mechanized companies, and two anti-tank divisions. By July of the same year, when the Border War broke out, the Volunteer militia was also created, consisting of civilian volunteers who were willing to defend the sovereignty of the newly created nation. In its first and last conflict, the Republican Guard and the Voulnteer Militia managed to push back all renegade forces from Brajše, Selište, Nikšić and Pljevlja and began their own military campaign, marching for miles into enemy territory. They took over one third of Serbia and Bosnia and the whole of Albania, crossing the border into Greece, they eventually took over South Epirus and Corfu island.

As of 2098, most of the Southern Balkan military is mostly organized in infantry divisions as there is no fuel to power any gas burning vehicles while all mechanized forces consist of mostly electrical and solar vehicles which are very rare. Right now, the Ministry of Defence is looking to convert old military vehicles and civilian pickup trucks to electric as well as solar while it relies on wind power for its naval vessels. The SBR has its own rocket industry, producing the ZX-18 and ZX-19 for its MLRS launchers and anti-aircraft batteries which have been stationed at the border and the capital. The Republic also has a small drone industry, which has been producing small reconnaisance and combat drones for the air force and navy, all of which use solar power. There is also a small industry which produces combat helmets, goggles, gas masks, hazmat suits and bulletproof vests for the ground forces and the Republican Guard.

## Structure

The Security Forces consist of 100,000-120,000 active duty soldiers and Non Commissioned Officers.

Currently, the military leadership is compsed of the following:

Commander-In-Chief of the Security Forces

Minister of Defence

Chief of General Staff

## Units

The Security Forces consist of the following units:

### National Guard

The main unit of the Security Forces and one of the two newest units of the Southern Balkan Republic. It currently consists of three infantry brigades, four artillery regiments, eight missile brigades and one reconnaisance platoon. Its personnel is seen wearing a green armband with the NG letters on it and yellow boonie hats with a green pentagon. They are equipped with M-16 and AK-74 assault rifles, all with bayonets mounted on them, FN minimi and PKT light machine guns, BGM-71 TOW missiles, 81mm mortars and ZX-18 rockets.

#### Bicycle Infantry

The main transport unit of the Security Forces, distinctive for the grey polyester caps with neck flaps and black jackets worn by its personnel. The unit's main mission is to transport supplies and weapons to the front line troops using bicycles and tricycles as there is no fuel for gas burning vehicle and the electric vehicles are very rare. The unit's personnel is armed with an FN automatic pistol and a Benelli M1014 shotgun in case they come under attack from bandit groups or other mutants.

#### Special Forces

The Special Forces are the most elite units in the Security Forces of the Souther Balkan Republic and are responsible for the defence of the nation's borders. The Special Forces were created 2086 when the bordering town in South Epirus came under a sneak attack by a bandit group of unknown origin which resulted in the destruction of the Republican Guard's barracks and the death of most of its personnel as well as 150 civilians.

Despite all the training, the Rapid Response Battalion arrived too late and the bandits escaped. This resulted in the re-evaluation of the security forces by the Ministry of Defence in order to improve the training of all military personnel. The results were rather disappointing as it proved that the Rapid Response Battalion was outnumbered and outgunned, despite being the most successful military force in the Republic. A few months later, a small squad of 15 men was created and was given its first mission outside the border, the destruction of a bandit camp 20 kilometers away from the nation. The mission porved rather successful as the unit not only managed to completely wipe out the camp, but managed to do so without suffering any casualties. After that, it was decided that an independent elite unit would be created to deal with the threats on the outside of the border.

As of today, the Special Forces consist of 20,000 men and women from all over the country, all of whom have volunteered to join the units. In comarison to the rest of the security forces, they are better equipped and armed, with more advanced gear and weapons for long range missions in the contaminated zones and the outside of the borders.

The Special Forces consist of the following units:

##### Special Airborne Brigade

The Special Airborne Brigade, otherwise known as SAB, is the oldest of the two branches in the special forces. It is the main unit tasked with ground and airborne operations outside the nation's border. Modeled after Cuba's Black Wasps, this unit is the most elite and the most capable unit in the security forces, tasked with missions such as infiltration, the destruction or the capture of enemy camps and bases, the protection of survivor camps outside the border, the cleanup of contaminated zones from mutants and hostage rescue missions.

The S.A.B. is organized into three battalions of 1,000 personnel which are divided into squads of either 10 or 20 men and women who have been trained to handle all types of weapons and drive any type of vehicles. They have also been trained to survive in the hardest conditions in case of an all out war.

In comparison to the rest of the security forces, the unit is better equipeed and armed with its personnel being issued multicam paratrooper hats, GX20 hazmat suits, gas masks, submachine guns, light machine guns and ZX-23 homemade anti-tank missiles.

Despite being an 'airborne' unit, its personnel is mostly moved by land as all aircraft and helicopters have been grounded due to the lack of fuel. Nevertheless, the unit's personnel still receives parachute and paradrop training, jumping out of 35 metre parachute towers and mockup planes and helicopters. It is also part of the tradition as paratroopers hold a great sentimental value among the soldiers and officers of the security forces.

Due to the constant aggression of other rival factions, the S.A.B. has found itself involved in armed conflicts against troops from Olympus who are seeking to expand their territories and have unsuccessfully attacked the SBR many times before. Despite being iutnumbered and outgunned, the S.A.B. has proved its fighting capabilities many times as its personnel has managed to inflict heavy casualties on Olympus' troops.

##### Special Marine Brigade

The Special Marine Brigade is the second branch of the special forces and the only unit responsible for amphibious operations. It is divided into two groups, one belonging to the navy and the other one belonging to the coast guard, of which both are given similar duties to the ones of the Special AIrborne Brigade.

It's not exactly clear when the unit came into existence, but it is assumed it was probably created around the early 2090s, when a joint group of 20 S.A.B. paratroopers and 10 Rapid Resonse Battalion operators attempted to board a pirate vessel that had crossed the line and entered SBR territorial waters. The operation proved rather successful as the pirates surrendered without attempting to put up a fight. While the teamwork between the two groups led to the success of the operation, the lack of training proved to be a major issue for the personnel and this lead to the decision of the creation of a separate unit from the rest of the special forces which would be responsible for exclusively maritime operations. At first, the unit constisted of the 30 personnel who had taken part in the anti-piracy operation and were responsible for the training of the new recruits. Soon, the unit's size grew to 120 men and women, who came mainly from Corfu island and the coastal cities and regions.

To join the S.M.B., the individual must either serve in the navy or the coast guard for about two years or join as a reserve volunteer. After attending weekly seminars, the person has to undergo training for about three years which includes piloting patrol boats of all types and sizes, handling all weapons, and scuba diving in full combat gear.

Modeled after Myanmar's Naval Infantry and Navy SEAL Teams, the navy's unit is responsible for amphibious landing operations, anti-piracy operations, the capture and the destruction of enemy ships, and the escorting of unarmed transport vessels that are sent on expeditionary missions while the coast guard's unit is responsible for anti-terrorist operations, guarding the nation's harbors, providing armed security during national sporting events, patrollong the borders near the coast and the rivers and conducting underwater demolitions.

Despite being a marine unit, the SMB's personnel is also involved in ground and anti-air operations, having shot down many helicopters sent by Olympus' government that have entered the nation's airspace many times before. They also act as a harbor police force, arresting any trespassers trying to enter the ports without permission.

In comparison to the Special Airborne Brigade, the SMB is much better equipped and armed than the former unit with its personnel being issued RCRH polyethylene helmets (which are copies of the Lazer Armor 2.0 bicycle helmets), RCX goggles (copies of the Smith MTB cycling goggles), GX-30 hazmat suits, and bulletproof vests. During combat operations, the unit's personnel is armed with Tavor X95 bullpup rifles and Zastava M56 sniper rifles which are the main weapons for special operations. They are also armed with FN Minimi light machine guns and ZX-23 anti-tank missiles.

As of recently, the SMB has conducted over 40 missions, having disarmed over 70 abandoned mines, sinking over 40 pirate ships and smaller boats, conducting over 130 arrests of insurgents and spies and winning over 20 battles both in the sea and land.

##### Special Anti Terrorist Unit

Though they have yet to see any action, the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit is the most elite unit in the BSR's special forces. True to its name, the S.A.T.U. consists of operators who have been trained exclusively for anti terrorist operations, both inside and outside the SBR. Unlike the S.A.B. and the S.M.B., the S.A.T.U. is organized into small squads of around ten to twelve operators, making it a much smaller unit than its other two counterparts. Despite this, the unit has been successful in eliminating terrorist threat while cooperating with the military forces of other nations.

The unit was formed in response to the Corfu massacre when a terrorist group of unknown origin stormed the local government building and killed the governor along with every member inside the building. The incident lead to the re-evaluation of the SBR's military capabilities and to the consideration of creating a new unit that would be solely focused on anti-terrorist operations. Hence, the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit was created. At first, the unit consisted of 12 men, both from the S.A.B. and the S.M.B. who would act as instructors for teh new recruits. About seven months later, the first twelve recruits were nominated and promoted, effectively forming the first official squad. Ever since, the S.A.T.U. has been proven successful in every form of anti-terrorist and anti-bioterrorist operations. At most times, the unit acts as an anti-drug agency, arresting drug smugglers and uncovering secret laboratories withing the nation, most of them being near the SBR's borders.

Unlike the two previous unit, the gear of S.A.T.U. personnel is mostly painted grey and light blue which are the main colors symbolizing the unit's role. The gear consists of blue RCRH helmets made of polythylene with RCX goggles mounted on them, bulletproof vests, and they are armed with Tavor X95 and MP5 submachine guns, flashbang grenades, Zastava M56 sniper rifles, and stun guns.

According to uncertified information, S.A.T.U. operators have been spotted in training exercises with the People's Liberation Front and the Fourth Hungarian Republic's military forces.

### Southern Balkan Air Force

The SBR has no separate air force. Instead, air defence is falls under the aviation elements of the ground and naval forces. After the nuclear war, most aircraft and helicopters were wiped out in the attacks, and any aircraft that survived were deemed not airworthy. The aircraft that did survive were stored in nuclear or underground hangars which kept them safe during the nuclear apocalypse. Unfortunately, after the war ended, none of the aircraft could be taken out of their hangars, either due to the lack of spare parts or because there was no more jet fuel or kerosene to power them. As a result, the SBR has focused mostly on producing solar powered drones which are much more environmentally friendly and can fly longer. The SBR security forces also have various air defence forces which are equipped with anti-aircraft guns and Surface-to-Air (SAM) missiles such as the FIM-92 Stinger and the OSA-AKM.

The air defence falls under the responsibility of the following units

#### **Republican Guard Air Defence Force**

The **RGADF** is a sub-unit of the SBR's Republican Guard and consists of the most experienced members of the Republican Guard who have been trained for every form of tasks. At first, the unit consisted of individual RG members who were equipped with portable MANPADS missiles and used to escort vehicle convoys and RG infantry. While the unit did not see any action, it was clear that an air defence force was needed to cover the absence of combat aircraft and helicopters as it was deemed that the UCAV drones would not be enough. After discovering an abandoned base near the former Bosnian/Serbian border full of anti-aircraft guns and missiles, the Republican Guard's air defence capabilities increased dramatically, and while most of the self propelled air defence weapons lacked the spare parts, the technicians could fix that problem easily. As of 2098, the RGADF possesses around 60 Surface to Air Missile batteries, 90 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Guns, and a dozen more portable MANPADS missiles such as the FIM-92 Stinger and the 9K38 Igla.

Unlike the other Republican Guard Units, the RGADF personnel are distinctive by their red helmets and a triangle on their uniforms and vests with a sword and a pair of wings on it.

#### **Naval Air Squadron**

The **Naval Air Squadron**, or **NAS** for short, is the second largest and most powerful air defence force. While referred as a squadron, it actually consists of drones, mostly based on the Iranian Mohajer-2 drone, launched by sppedboats while the squadron's personnel are speedboat crews who have been trained in piloting drones. The squadron is the only one that has aircraft in its arsenal. Unlike the **RGDAF**, which is responsible for anti-aircraft defence, the **NAS** is primarily responsible for patrolling and defending the skies of the SBR, with its drones conducting numerous patrols at the borders and the seas of the nation, intercepting, and if necessary, shooting down any unidentified aircraft or helicopters that attempt to infiltrate SBR airspace. Though most aircraft to have been downed are surveillance drones, there have been cases of helicopters, attack and transport, having come under attack by **NAS** drones, resulitng in either being shot down or forced to land. So far, the **NAS** is the only unit in the SBR aviation forces to have the largest and most powerful drone fleet. In the last few years, it has been the most successful and the most effective aviation unit in the SBR's branches and has received the highest recognition along with the navy and coast guard. The unit's professional holiday is celebrated in the same day as the SBR navy.

### Coast Guard

The Southern Balkan Coast Guard is a paramilitary unit of the Southern Balkan Navy and is responsible for the defence of the nation's coastline and the enforcement of maritime law. While the navy has been responsible for the defence of the SBR's territorial waters, the SBCG has been responsible for mostly internal affairs, acting like a maritime police force. The SBCG has been tasked with various missions such as anti-piracy operations, border patrols, harbor patrols, tracking down drug smuggling vessels, and anti-submarine defence, and Search-and-Rescue missions. As of 2098, the SBCG has successfully captured or sunk over 150 narco-submarines, 15 fishing trawlers, 25 pirate vessels without a single loss. They have also been tasked with training the maritime units of the People's Liberation Front and supplying them with weapons and small boats for their raids at coastal cities and naval bases.

Due to the increasing aggression of the Hellenic Hegemony's military forces and the National Resistance Army, the SBCG has found itself in combat situations against the Hegemony's navy and the NRA's maritime elements. While most confronations are peaceful, there have been various occasions where SBCG patrol boats have come under fire from the NRA's gunboats which has resulted in various SBCG personnel killed or wounded. To counter those threats, the SBCG has created its own combat task force, called the Rapid Deployable Squad. Primary mission of the squad is to board hostile ships and either capture them or scuttle them. Unlike other special forces units, the RDS is very lightly equipped, with its personnel being armed with only stun guns, sidearms, and have been wearing light bulletproof vests while some members are carrying ballistic shields during boarding and anti-piracy missions to protect themselves from bullets and shrapnel. The unit's logo is the former logo of the now disbanded State Service of Emergency Situations of the former Republic of Artsakh, and is often seen on the squad's caps and vests.

The fleet of the SBCG consists of mostly patrol boats and gunboats, all domestically produced, though there are also a few sailing ships serving as ceremonial vessels on the republic's Foundation Day, Security Forces Day, and Navy Day, while the coast guard's sports team takes part in boat races with blue and white rowboats and sailing boats. While Founding Day, Security Forces Day, and Navy Day are celebrated on February 1st and June 14th, the SBCG has its own professional holiday called Coast Guard Day, and is celebrated on August 31st.

### Republican Guard

Founded in 2084, the Republican Guard is the oldest branch of the SBR's Security Forces. Its primary objective is to protect the council members and enforce the civilian law within the Republic. When it was first formed, the Guard's primary mission was to guard the borders and the contaminated zones. It is the only uniformed and official unit of the Southern Balkan Security Forces with its personnel wearing brown vests and black berets with either a red star or a blue pentagon on them. They also wear pistol belts and are armed with a Beretta M9 pistol.

At first, the unit composed of former soldiers and survivors who had taken refuge in the nuclear bunkers and underground airfields. Once the border War broke out, the guard had expanded to three regiments which were restricted to defensve roles, pushing back any hostile forces that were trying to cross the borders of the nation. By July of the same year, the Republican Guard was reorganized into various squads that would perform sneak attacks on enemy forces, catching the enemy by surprise and giving the Volunteer Militia time to regroup and organize the counterattacks. The last action of the unit occured in October when a small squad of renegade soldiers of the Bosnian Military attacked a Republican Guard patrol squad outside of Sarajevo. While the Republican Guard suffered no casualties, the renegade squad lost all of its soldiers except three who retreated back to Bosnian territory.

#### Rapid Response Battalion

The Rapid Response Battalion is a sub-unit of the Republican Guard which was created in 2086 for the purpose of combating terrorism and clearing the conaminated zones from mutants and other insurgent groups. The RRB is under control of the Central Security Directorate and is in charge of protecting the council members, the governors, historical sites, and the capital. It is also tasked with combating insurgent groups, organized crime, anti-terrorism, hostage rescues and special operations.

The RRB is organized into squads and platoons which are stationed in different parts of each region. Depending on how widly populated each region is, the RRB can consist from five to fifty men and women of different age. To join the RRB, the person must serve in the Republican Guard for about seven months or one year in the National Guard and then attend weekly seminars for another four months. After that, each person has to undergo training for about one year which includes running and obstacle courses in full combat gear, hostage rescues and learning to handle all arsenal weapons.

RRB personnel are issued M880 polyethylene helmets, which are copies of the American PASGT helmet, M881 goggles (copies of the Bollé pilot goggles), GX10 hazmat suits, and tactical vests. They are also issued rubber battons and rubber bullets for riot operations. The unit is equipped with MP5 submachine guns, hand grenades, flashbang grenades, M-16 and M-70 assault rifles, rifle grenades, FN minimi and FN MAG light machine guns, M2 and DShK heavy machine guns, Zastava sniper rifles, Barrett M82 anti-materiel rifles, ZX-23 anti-tank missiles and ZX-79 MANPADS missiles for anti-air operations.

For regular patrols, the RRB uses armored civilian pickup trucks and jeeps, all of which run on solar and electrical power. During anti-terrorist operations, the unit is equipped with Humvees, BOV riot vehicles, Miloš 4x4, Despot, BTR-70, BTR-80 and VAB armored personnel carriers, which are all equipped with water cannons for firefighting and anti-riot operations.