KungsArmé

The Royal Rasalhague Army, or KungsArmé, is the military arm of the Free Rasalhague Republic.

Composition

The BattleMechs that populate these Regiments is a unique mixture of equipment. Due to the history of the FRR and trade agreements with their neighboring states, an eclectic mix of Draconis and Lyran signature 'Mechs are fielded in the same units. Nowhere else in the Inner Sphere would one commonly see Zeus and Dragon 'Mechs fighting in the same ranks, or see a Panther supporting a Commandos advance in battle. Recently due to agreements with ComStar a few of their unique 'Mech designs have been seen within the KungsArmé frontline units.[1]

After the Clan Invasion and the loss of Terra to the Word of Blake, ComStar assisted in bolstering Rasalhague military manufacturing, resulting in co-production agreements to produce a number of classic Star League designs and as well as new designs such as the Beowulf and Viking BattleMechs, the Huscarl OmniFighter and Kobold Battle Armor which appeared in equal numbers in both the Com Guard and KungsArmé.

The Armor assets of the KungsArmé consist of 32 Regiments, primarily composed of Hunter and Manticore tanks. Due to an arrangement with Aldis Industries of Terra there are also a number of Demolisher, Behemoth and Schrek PPC Carriers added to the KungsArmé in recent years. This arrangement benefits both parties, with the Republic receiving modern equipment at bargain prices while Aldis gains the information gathered under battle conditions to test and improve their signature designs.[1]

A total of 97 Infantry Regiments are directly under the KungsArmé, with more than half of the units mechanized. The primary troop carrier for mechanized Infantry is the hovercraft, making this force fairly mobile in nature and capable of relatively fast response in response to battlefield conditions.[1]

The militia of the FRR consists of 62 Regiments from poor to average quality. This is due to a lack of concentrated training and limited resources and time. The KungsArmé Command has concentrated on the improvement and upgrade of frontline units, but hopes to address the issues facing the militia units when they have adequate time and resources available.[1]

The equipment composition of the KungsArmé only became more eclectic after the annexation of the Republic into the Ghost Bear Dominion, with both large numbers of second-line Clan 'Mech designs and Word of Blake machines taken as battle salvage during the Jihad appearing in their ranks.

Performance

The KungsArmé has shown a remarkable level of competence, considering its short history as an active national force. Their ability to face the renegade DCMS units during the Ronin Wars as well as their ongoing campaign against raiders and periphery pirates has forged them into an impressive and cohesive fighting force.[1]

The assistance of both the LCAF and DCMS in the process of forging this fighting force cannot and should not be discounted. The LCAF committed resources, in the form of the Tyr Regiment,[2] and personnel to guide, advise and help lead the nascent national army during their initial conflicts,[3] while the DCMS sent units to support as well as personnel to advise and command during this same period.[3] Though several incidents have occurred between the KungsArmé and the forces allied with them, few were of any consequence and relations between the KungsArmé and the forces of the Draconis Combine and the Lyran Commonwealth are openly respectful if not expressly congenial. With the withdrawal of the supporting forces from Steiner and Kurita, the duties of defense and protection fall squarely on the KungsArmé, and they have consistently risen to the challenge. [1]

Since the Ronin Wars the most serious threat came not from the Inner Sphere but rather from the Periphery. From the date of their independence the Free Rasalhague Republic became a target for the less reputable of the Periphery's denizens. They viewed the Republic as a fat target simply waiting to be taken. As these raids continued so has the KungsArmé's ability to counter the preferred tactics of these pirate bands and raiding parties. In fact the KungsArmé has become the equal to any military within the Inner Sphere as far as small unit tactics are concerned. It is only in the fielding and management of larger operations, such as multi-Regimental and larger combined arms actions, that the lack of experience of the KungsArmé Command is truly exposed.[1]

To counter this lack General Mansdotter has scheduled and proceeded with military exercises with allied forces. This allows the KungsArmé to train against foes that do have these capabilities and, hopefully, learn the lessons needed to further mature without the cost in blood that would occur in actual battle. The most recent of these exercises was against the Com Guard led by Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht.[1]

Another problem that faces the KungsArmé is in their relationship with the Mercenaries they employ. This is due to initial poor contract management and problems with command structure when the Mercenaries were first hired during the Ronin Wars period.[2] These hired units stuck to the letter of the law and did not act as their FRR handlers wished or expected, often leaving the KungsArmé forces exposed and unsupported. These Mercenaries were found to have lived up to the letter if not intent of their contracts, but in doing so did not endear themselves to either the KungsArmé nor to the people of the Republic.[2] Due to these issues as well as the attitudes they inherited regarding Mercenary forces from being part of the Draconis Combine, there is a general distrust of mercenaries within the Republic.[1]

Though they would prefer not to, the recent increase in raids along the Periphery border[3] has forced the Republic to hire mercenary units, though this time the contracts are much better thought out and all the standard clauses have been stipulated. In fact some of the aspects of the contracts currently being offered do much to make the lives of the hired forces as difficult as possible, possibly in revenge for the perceived and real slights which have occurred in the past.[1]

Command Structure

Thanks to the large number of LCAF officers who assisted in its formation, the organization of the KungsArmé is patterned after the pre-FedCom LCAF. [4] The KungsArmé consists of twelve departments, previously headquartered in the Citadel on Rasalhague, an Rasalhague Principality military complex expanded to serve at the headquarters of the Rasalhague Military District, [5] now located on the Orestes Province capital of Orestes. These are:

Administration

The largest of the twelve, Administration is the home of the massive bureaucracy required to run the KungsArmé. [4]

Command Council

Serving to provide advice and information for the Överbefälhavare, the Command Council consists of the heads of the other eleven departments, the Överbefälhavare, his chief of staff and the commander of each of Republic's provinces. Ultimately the council is merely an advisory board, the Överbefälhavare having the final say. [4]

ComStar/Mercenary Relations

Originally the department which oversaw the coordination of mercenary units operating within the Republic, the department was expanded to include ComStar's military. [6]

Intelligence

Separate from Mimir, the military intelligence department is focused on gathering information about the motivations and troop strength of the Republic's Inner Sphere and Clan neighbors.[6]

Justice

This department handles legal complaints from civilians against KungsArmé personnel, ensuring fair and unbiased representation for accused soldiers. [6]

Medical Corps

This department is charged with providing medical care for the members of the KungsArmé[6]

Military Education

As well as being responsible for maintaining the Republic's military academies, the Military Education department also oversees the training of the Republic's planetary militia trainees. [6]

Quartermaster

The Quartermaster department has the vital task of proving the KungsArmé with the proper material and supplies, dealing with the myiad companies that provide the Republic is military hardware. [6]

Reservist Readiness

This department oversees the elements of the KungsArmé held in reserve, primarily outdated hardware maned by retired soldiers. The department was all but guttered by the horrific losses of such reserve units during the Clan Invasion. [6]

Strategy and Tactics

The KungsArmé's think-tank, the Strategy and Tactics department utilized sophisticated computers to study the information provided by the Intelligence develop tactics to use against the Republic's enemies.[6]

Transport

Controlling the bulk of KungsArmé's non-combat JumpShips, the Transport department oversees the transfer of soldiers and supplies between postings. [6]

Warrior's Ombudsmen

The military counterpart to the Justice department, the Warrior's Ombudsmen deals with complaints between soldiers, formed to ensure soldiers would have legal recourse against superiors. [6]

Units of the KungsArmé

The KungsArme fielded at its height a total of two hundred and six Regiments, sixteen of these where BattleMech units. These Regiments are organized along lines of size and designed purpose for ease in deployment and command. [4][5]

Current Formations

Current units as of 3079. The KungsArmé unit structure was reformed with the merger with Clan Ghost Bear.[7]

Tundra Galaxy

Taiga Galaxy

Polar Galaxy

Former Formations

Drakøns

The Drakon are Heavy 'Mech Regiments. There are 4 Regiments of Drakon in the Republic army and they are the backbone of the KungsArmé 'Mech forces.[5]

Freemen

The Freemen are three Regiments of medium weight class BattleMechs. These units are the jack-of-all-trades of the Republic, being used where a force of lighter weight units would not be effective but a heavier unit would be a waste of the limited KungsArmé assets.[5]

Hussars

The Hussars 'Mechs are a mix of light and medium 'Mechs that are used primarily as the fast strike offensive force of the KungsArmé.[5]

Kavalleri

The Kavalleri are 4 Regiments that are made up of light 'Mechs. The doctrinal use of these forces is scouting and screening of the heavier 'Mech units of the KungsArmé.[5]

Gunzburg Eagles

The only Assault weight regiment operational after the dissolution of the 1st Tyr[5], the Gunzburg Eagles was destroyed during the Clan Invasion but ultimately rebuilt after the integration into the Ghost Bear Touman.

1st Tyr Regiment

Unique among the KungsArmé for existing prior to the formation of the Free Rasalhague Republic, the 1st Tyr was originally a Lyran Commonwealth funded Assault BattleMech regiment manned by Tyr freedom fighters which saw action during the Fourth Succession War before being disbanded after the Ronin Wars, only to be revived as a symbol of rebirth after the Clan Invasion.

Planet Militias

Many planets deployed planetary militias, most of them composed of conventional Armor and Infantry forces. A list of these commands can be found here.

Military Academies


Uniforms

3054

Military Ranks

The ranks of the KungsArmé are roughly equivalent to those of the old SLDF, save for the fact they are in Swedish. Ranks are listed below in Swedish first, English second.

KungsArmé Military Ranks And Insignia
Rank Insignia
Menig (Private) FreeRasalhague-Menig.png
Korpral (Corporal) FreeRasalhague-Korpral.png
Sergeant (Sergeant) FreeRasalhague-Sergeant.png
Fanjunkare (Sergeant Major) FreeRasalhague-SergeantMajor.png
Löjtnant (Lieutenant) FreeRasalhague-Lieutenant.png
Kapten (Captain) FreeRasalhague-Captain.png
Major (Major) FreeRasalhague-Major.png
Överste-Löjtnant (Lieutenant-Colonel) FreeRasalhague-LtCol.png
Överste (Colonel) FreeRasalhague-Colonel.png
Generalmajor (Major General) FreeRasalhague-MajorGeneral.png
General (General) FreeRasalhague-General.png
Överbefälhavare (Commander in Chief) FreeRasalhague-CINC.png

Pilots of 'Mechs are called Kavallerister, ancient Swedish for cavalry soldier. The Swedish word for Regiment is Regemente, Battalion is Bataljon, and Company is Kompani.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 20 Year Update p.49
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 20 Year Update p.45
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 20 Year Update p.46
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 63
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 20 Year Update p.48
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 64
  7. Field Report: Clans, p. 26

Bibliography