Greater Ecumene Republic Military Organisation

The military has come to encompass not only the Government but also the Justice System, Emergency Services, the Exploratory and Colonisation Systems and the Industrial sectors.

Upon reaching the age of 20, all citizens are required to perform compulsory military service. The minimum service time required is 30 years. This military service includes basic military training followed by specialist training should the individual be placed within a specialist sector.

Since this implementation is new, for the immediate time following the reformation, all individuals between the ages of 20 and 100 will be required to perform this term of duty with exceptions being made dependent on individual circumstances. These terms of service are set to be staggered to have the eldest of this age group serve their terms followed by the next youngest until all have served their service, avoiding an unwieldy influx of recruits all at once.

This mandatory military service doctrine ensures that should a time of war arise, the entire population can be called upon to defend the nation. This also creates a pseudo-national guard out of the citizenry.

==
**Military Organisation: ==**
The GER’s new military structuring has taken a great deal of ideology and influence from an ancient Earth military, known historically for its expertise, prowess and discipline.

### Units:

Contubernium:

A Contubernium is the smallest grouping of troops within the military, consisting of 8 individual troops, who fight, train, work and rest together. These units are commanded by a Decanus, a rank akin to a Sergeant who is responsible for the other 7 members of the group.

Century:

A Century consists of 80 troops, separated into 10 individual Contubernia. These are the smallest divisionary operable military units. Contubernium never operate separately from their representative Century and remain in constant contact with their Century even when operating away from the remainder of that Century. Centuries are commanded by Centurions.

**Cohort:**

**A Cohort is made up of 5 Centuries, totalling in 400 soldiers and operates as the median-division size for operations. They are never detached from their respective Legion even when operations separate them.**

Cohorts have no official commanding rank and are instead lead by the most senior of the Centurions within the Cohort. Each Centurion’s rank is bespoke to their seniority within their Cohort. The two leading Centurions are given extended title, whilst the others below are not, although their position of seniority is still observed.

The extended Centurion ranks are as follows:

* Pilus Prior - Senior Centurion of the Cohort
* Pilus Posterior - Second most senior Centurion and deputy to the Pilus Prior

**Legion:**

**Legions are made up of 10 Cohorts; 9 of which are of standard capacity and 1 (the First Cohort) consists of 5, double-strength Centuries which swells the numbers of the First Cohort to 800 troops rather than the standard 400. The First Cohort is always Commanded by the most senior of the Centurions within the Legion.**

With these 10 Cohorts, the size of a Legion stands at 4400 troops, not counting auxiliary staff. A Legion is commanded by a Legate, which is a rank comparable to a Colonel or Major General.

Legions are classified and defined by the experience levels of the troops that make up their numbers, from the classes of:

* Velites:

Velites are those that have joined the military through national service and are still serving that service. Considered to be the rawest of the military.

Velites Legions and their subsections are often commanded by officers who have served in higher classifications; the only classification to have this trait.

* Hastati:

The Hastati are the least experienced of career military personnel. Any individual joining due to the national service requirements will be placed into a Hastati Legion upon completion of their national service should they decide to remain in the military.

* Principes:

The Principes are the experienced core of the military. Those who have seen combat and/or have served for a significant period of time.

Principes are what can be considered as the true career military personnel.

* Triarii:

The Triarii are veterans, the highest skilled and longest serving of the military. Triarii often are those who have served throughout their lives and have continued to serve past the standard retirement limit - the limit is not age restrictive rather allowed after a certain duration of service. It is not mandatory and is an optional retirement. A Principes who continues to serve past this point is soon placed amongst the Triarii.

The Triarii are those whom the younger troops will often look up to and admire. They are soldiers who have not only served for most of their lives but have also shown outstanding skill both on and off the battlefield.

Division:

A Division consists of anywhere from 2 - 10 Legions and is Commanded by a General.

Every Division has one Legion within which is a double-strength Legion of 8800 men. These are the most experienced and best performing troops of the Division, commanded by the most senior Legate. This Legion is the Legion Prior, commanded by the Legate Prior. Because of this larger Legion, Divisions can contain as many as 48,400 troops.

The number of Legions within a division is representative to the experience, skill and seniority of the General commanding it.

Divisional Army:

A Divisional Army is the largest operational unit size within the military, commanded by a Field Marshall and consisting of at least 4 Divisions. There is no upper limit on how many Divisions can be within a Divisional Army and this number is usually dictated by the size and scope of the theatre of operations. With this, the smallest size of a Divisional Army is 193,600 troops, not counting auxiliary staff.

==
**Military Ranks: ==**

**Gregarius:**

The base rank soldier, equivalent to a private, these are split into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th classes based on experience, skills and performance with 1st being the lowest and 5th being the highest class.

Classicus:

Essentially the Marine equivalent to the Gregarius. Due to the space faring nature of the military, there are many more Classici than Gregarii.

Signifer:

Equivalent of Corporal rank, Signifi also earn the right to have their Legionary emblem upon their uniform alongside that of their Cohort.

Aquilifer:

The official “standard bearer” of the Cohort. This is of the same rank as a Signifer, with the added honour and responsibility of bearing the standard of the Legion for their Cohort. Whilst this is not performed during any active-duty roles, this is done during ceremonial acts and each Aquifer bears a unique insignia to denote their role.

Decanus:

A Sergeant rank that carries command of a Contubernium

Optio:

The second-in-command of a Century, equivalent to a Sergeant Major. They are also often given command of recruit training units.

Centurion:

Lieutenant-grade rank, in command of a Century.

Primi Ordines:

The six most senior Centurions within the Legion. Often holding advisory positions to the Legate

Primus Pilus:

The most senior Centurion of the Legion and commander of the Legion’s First Cohort. Third in command of the Legion and a non-naval Captain rank.

Praefectus Castorium:

The second in command of a Legion, equivalent to a Major.

Navarchus:

A naval Captain rank, commander of a ship.

Praetorian:

A member of the Praetorian Guard.

Praefectus Praetoria:

Commander within the Praetorian Guard

Legate:

Commander of a Legion.

Praefectus:

Commander rank, often second in command of a Division.

Praefectus Classis:

Naval Commander rank, often second in command of a vessel but may also command in-stead of a Navarchus.

Legatus Classis Minor:

A Naval Lieutenant rank. There are various classes of this rank based upon seniority.

Legatus Classis Major:

A Naval Executive Officer rank. The second-hand to the Praefectus Classis of a vessel and third in command of a vessel.

Primus Praefectus Classis:

Admiral rank in command of a naval fleet. Often shortened to Primus Classis.

General:

Commander of a Division.

Field Marshall:

Commander of a Divisional Army.

### Praetor:

Supreme Military Commander, Marshall of the Praetorian Guard and head of state.

### Praetorian Guard:

The old Ecumene ranks of Praetorians have undergone a title change to Praetorian Guard. This is both a throwback to ancient Earth history (as is the naming convention of the entirety of the new structure) but is also a designation of their amended purpose.

The Praetorian guard answers only to the Praetor, and if charged to another individual then also that person temporarily. They act not only as guards to the Praetor, the Praetor’s residence, ship(s) and to the government buildings to which he frequents; but they also serve as the Praetor’s personal elite combat units.

The Praetorian Guard consists of the best of the best of the military, chosen for their skills and capabilities but also for their loyalty to the Praetor. In fact their loyalty to the Praetor supersedes their loyalty to the state. Each and every member of the Guard is prepared and willing to give their life for the Praetor and to follow his commands above all else.

## Naval Structuring:

The GER Navy is split into 10 separate fleets:

* 1st Fleet
* Praetorian Fleet
* 2nd Fleet
* 3rd Fleet
* 4th Fleet
* 5th Fleet
* 6th Fleet
* 7th Fleet
* 8th Fleet
* 9th Fleet

**Each fleet operates independently and the number of ships in each fluctuates, with a trend to increase in number over time.**

**The Praetorian Fleet is smaller than the other fleets of the navy however contains the most experienced crews.**

### Fleet Divisions:

For various reasons, full fleets are divided into smaller sub-groups of varying sizes and composition dependent on task.

* Fleet - The full mass of the fleet
* Division - There are usually 5 divisions per fleet although this is not a strict boundary
* Task group - Task groups are set to handle a specific task, and exist for as long as that task is carried out, after which they are disbanded and the vessels return to their Division
* Patrol - Patrols are usually small groups or even single ships that perform a specified patrol route.

The Ecumene Intelligence Office operates their own vessels that lie outside of the Fleet organisational structure.