Gath-Sako Protectorate

Conflict often selects for the best. Poorly designed weapons systems will be fazed out in the fires of war, and so will tactics, soldiers, and even cultures. Gath-Sako has endured stably, without major disturbance because of outside threats since the wars of secession. Modern Gath-Sako traces its roots to that event.

Gath-Sako is a very religiously diverse place within the Coalition, instead preferring a sort of civic ideology based around Coalition border defense and militarism.

## History

Many know Gath-Sako's history begins prior to the calamity as a world for military foundries within the Ascal Empire. Two of its mountain foundries, Valkrya and Fatri predate the calamity, and are used to manufacture and recycle materials to this day. With the calamity, the House of Cain took the areas around it under its rule and protection, administering local politics and negotiating favorable trade deals in exchange for protection for a wide variety of protections and guarantees. The beleaguered worlds readily agreed, establishing the Gath-Sako Protectorate.

The protectorate would join the League upon its foundation, looking to score weapons contracts and trade deals within it to bolster its economy. It spent most of its time relatively not noteworthy within the League and it wouldn't be until the beginning of the Wars of Secession that Gath-Sako really became a place of note.

Two of Gath-Sako's firms, Saint Terrance Innovations (STI) and Variable Arms Systems (VAS) would begin design of a definitive small arms system in 282 By 300 the newly christened STI-VAS Modular Assault System MK I (or Stivas Mark 1) hit first production. Latheria saw massive utility in the system to arm medium range infantry units, and ordered licensed factory production of the weapon. Other areas followed suit.

When Latheria acted in defiance of the League, Gath-Sako stood by its economic ties to both Latheria, as well as Lati, Heilegeterra and Greater Nikerea, after some deliberation. This allowed them honor their licenses and manufacturing contracts, and the capital inflow from the war mobilization allowed the protectorate to mobilize at an unprecedented rate.

Gath-Sako forces saw fighting out of supply deep in Gallan, with Latheria in the Dead-Zone, with Lati forces against Communitarian and Comgal seperatists and invaders, and against United Hampton. They quickly earned a reputation as tough, resourceful, motivated, and unwilling to back out of a fight. Since these initial conflicts, there has been no major or minor Coalition conflict where Gath-Sakans didn't show up and fight for at least one side. Gath-Sakans will arm and train any one or any group with the money or notoriety.

## Politics

If the normal state utilizes force, the Gath-Sakan state personifies force. All citizens are considered militants, or at least hold a rank of some kind in an army that grew over centuries before encompassing an entire society. Consequently Gath-Sako is controlled by its military, or rather by its generals. Among them, they elect a General Chief, who then executes state function. If no one is decided, candidates are expected to duel, usually by swordplay, to the death for their position. The rest of the society centrally organizes around the central state, with a high level of autonomy given to local authorities, which are considered the lowest rung of the civil officer core.

Gath-Sako retains positive relations with all within the coalition, despite its oddities. These are earned through reliably showing up to fights first when called and bleeding as long as it takes. The Gath-Sakans may show up because they like to fight, but no one really dislikes a reliable friend, even if his motivations are questionable.

## Religion

Gath-Sako is the most religiously free area within the Coalition. The state retains the Alte cult of the Ascal Empire but allows a wide berth of practices. Common among them are cults of Ishta, Carna, belief in the Holistic Church, and even Hayel. Many of these come from Gath-Sakans returning from missions abroad converted, or populations imported for genetic or population reasons (namely Feral Dogians).

Gath-Sako places no religious prohibition on polygamy, allowing it when protracted wars reduce their combat able population. This practice attracts quite a bit of critique from their allies and among many in the Coalition is the most distinctive feature of their state. Many of a more demure or conservative disposition among the Gath resent this.

## Military Disposition

All Gath-Sakan citizens are considered a part of the military in come capacity. They tend to limit combatants to ages 16-36, giving the state a good 20 year window for deploying its men against the enemy. In practical terms, limiting armed forces membership to on par with what other states require, they have a near 2:1 tail to tooth ratio (Support Staff to Frontline Combatants), beating out most every other fighting force. Gath-Sakans are considered man for man the best trained force in the galaxy, even if they can't match larger states like Estra in terms of equipment per capita. Their military deployment philosophy abides by 2 rules, be there first and eat the foe in slices. Their surface forces tend to outstrip their navy's abilities, often to the point that they must borrow void assets from their neighbors.

1:1 Gath-Sakans are assumed to be able to outfight any opponent by most planners, and the best methods devised to beat them generally involve outnumbering them or taking advantage of their weaker space assets. United Hampton has, for example, learned to lure some of their less experienced commanders into committing to long battles on the planet and springing ambushes against void assets.

### Weaponry

The Gath-Sakans currently make use of the state of the art STI-VAS Modular Incursion Model. The rifle has been produced in the trillions.

## Demographics

Gath-Sako, the planet, is nearly an entire Low Ascal world, but the entire protectorate is majority Low Ascal with many Simple Ascal. As with many areas with Low Ascal populations many Devaid can be found. There is overlap between the modern protectorate and an old Elven State, so there are a large number of elves within Gath-Sako, at such a concentration that an Ascal speaking Elf is assumed to be from the protectorate elsewhere in the Coalition.

The state itself manages large scale population genetics by importing small amounts of other groups, namely, Kits, Dogians, some Catians, Nathair, and many others of the so called 'esoteric bloodlines.' Some Kavov and Aran are imported and assimilated occasionally as well.

## Culture

It isn't useful to dwell on Gath-Sako's martial culture. A few points do stand out to observers. Most Gath-Sakans, or Gaths, tend to be a lot more enthusiastic on weapons ownership than their Coalition counterparts. Gath-Sakans also tend more often to identify with the Coalition as a whole, not just their state. They earn dislike and respect for their tendency to attempt to be friendly to other Coalition people they come across. As Gath-Sako lacks a real class system, and any man can theoretically work his way up provided he is smart enough, they tend to see themselves as unrefined compared to others in the Coalition.

Gath food tends to be diverse but simplistic. Most of it tends to be peasant food and a Gath who won't tell lurid tales of his grandmother's stews is hard to find. Cheap beer and coffee form the backbone of their beverage consumption as well.

Gath-Sakan folk music tends to favor pipes, drums, and horns. As Gath-Sakan families tend to be large and state policy incentivizes localism the basic unit of society comprises the large family.