Infantryman
"Ah, yes, mere infantry - poor beggars"
-Plautus
Book I | Book II | Book III | Book IV |
---|---|---|---|
Fall of Roku San |
Earth Landing |
Sohocan Rising |
Ultima Vuelta |
What is?
The Infantryman series of novellas is military science fiction written in the first and third person, and explores themes of societal manipulation, psychic communication and control, military violence and human interaction amidst the downfall of the species.
Series chronology
- Book I: Fall of Roku San
- Book II: Earth Landing
- Book III: Sohocan Rising
- Book IV: Ultima Vuelta
- Book V: Earth Conquest
- Book VI: Sanctuary
Information
Difference between Citizens & Civilians
The Terran Federation is a limited democracy with aspects of a meritocracy based on willingness to sacrifice in the common interest. Suffrage belongs only to those willing to serve their society by at least two years of volunteer Federal Service. Democracy is therefore limited to discharged veterans, rendering the Terran Federation an entity governed exclusively by a reactionary praetorian class. The Federation is required to find a place for anyone who desires to serve, regardless of his skill or aptitude (this also includes service ranging from teaching to dangerous non-military work such as serving as experimental medical test subjects).
As in Ancient Rome, civilians are allowed to hold wealth and as such can, by way of industrial monopoly and lobbying, also sway the decisions of government. Although the highest level of control is beyond such corruption (at least in theory), state policies often aren't carried out at the lowest levels due to loyalty to a regional governor, or even landowner; it must be explicitly stated that although slavery is technically illegal, in reality there is no longer a distinction between a slave and a civilian. Civilians are forbidden to own land.
What is the FedNet?
The FedNet, or Federal Network is simply the information system of the late Terran Empire. It includes all audio-visual broadcast and is very much abused by central government for the dissemination of propaganda.
What is the Replacement Army?
During the course of the First Arachnid War the Replacement Navy of the Terran Federation proved to be a decisive factor in the domination of Fleet. Desiring such a formidable system for themselves, a similar operation was initiated within Mobile Infantry. Formed in the various military districts across all remaining colonies, these divisions were tasked with "conscription, training and replacement of personnel including control of mobilization policies and the actual call-up and induction of men; all types of military training, including the selection and schooling of officers and non-commissioned officers; the dispatch of personnel replacements to field units in response to their requisitions; and the organization of new units."
List of characters [incomplete]
- Schenck, W. descended from Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg.
- Merryfield first name and family origins unknown.
- Kerensky, K. named Kaitlyn in honour of her ancestor's role in the revolution of 2017.
- Enola Phid presumably a namesake of the plane which dropped the first atomic bomb.
- Knappe, S. descended from and named in honour of Siegfried Knappe, Major in the LVI Panzer Corps.
- Achima, D. named Dakota in honour of a noble ancestor.
- LaJoie, T. first name and family origins unknown.
Rank structure
The military of the Terran Federation is divided into two services: Mobile Infantry and Fleet. Marines are elite infantry trained to operate within Fleet, but are organised akin to regular infantry. The list of ranks within the MI is as follows:
- Medic: non-combatants attached to every regiment.
- Trooper: entry level rank for all Mobile Infantry.
- Corporal: in command of a squad.
- Sergeant: in command of a section.
- Lieutenant: in command of a platoon.
- Captain: in command of a company.
- Colonel: in command of a regiment.
- General: in command of a division.
- Field Marshal: in command of an army.
- Sky Marshal: supreme military commander.
Field structure
The field structure of the Mobile Infantry is simplified. There is no longer a "batallion". All administration is done at divisional level and the main fighting unit is the regiment.
- Squad: up to ten troopers.
- Section: up to twenty five troopers.
- Platoon: up to fifty troopers.
- Company: up to one hundred troopers.
- Regiment: up to one thousand troopers.
- Division: any number of regiments.
- Army: any number of divisions.
- Army Group: any number of armies.
Bugs
The Arachnid Race fields many different species in combat:
- Bombardier: "Kamikaze Bombardiers", small, football-sized bugs which are launched into the lines of human infantry to stun and disable. They can be guided by unknown means to their desired location and once they land they lock, expand and let loose a fierce explosion, thought to be based on principles of electro-magnetism. Well trained troopers can follow their path by recognising the pitch and urgency of sounds they emit. Diving to the ground is the only defence against bombardiers.
- Brain: command units, able to telepathically control all local forces. Highly intelligent, far in advance of individual human intelligence. Most aspects of their command system are as yet unknown. Higher class brains can control bugs from satellite planets.
- Keetos: a fast and nimble arachnid capable of flight. They cannot fight on the ground, but they can fire small bursts of plasma. Most of their offensive capability is simply due to swiping at humans with their sharpened limbs. They can easily deprive a human of any limb, or his head. They also emit a variety of noises, both low and high in pitch, to further demoralise and disable human formations.
- Plasma: arachnid artillery and anti-aircraft support. They fire a powerful and highly accurate blast of plasma. Target information is relayed to them via frontline bugs. It is unknown whether they can form independent commands, but evidence suggests they possess higher intelligence. When not in combat, a Plasma Bug is responsible for colonising the surrounding planets by blasting reproductive spores into space. These spores have hyperspace capability and seek out the most suited planet for arachnid needs.
- Queen: simply a production facility for all arachnids with the exception of its own species and brains. Production rates are unknown but a single queen is thought to be able to produce an entire platoon of warriors within a matter of days. Unarmed and highly vulnerable, they seem to lack advanced communication and are assumed to be subservient in the command structure to brains.
- Scorpion: "Scorpion Class Pulse Warriors", immense creatures brought in to smash through human fortifications with ease. Heavily armoured, slow moving and highly intelligent. Their tail forms an immense plasma cannon. Guaranteed to inspire dread in even highly trained and disciplined human formations, it often takes several sorties of Fleet bombers to take one down. The tail is the only unarmoured part, yet presents a difficult target as it can be moved at great speed.
- Tanker: Heaviest form of bug armour. "Tankers" are giant beetles, slow and somewhat unintelligent by arachnid standards. They fire a lava-like substance from their mouths which can melt human beings within seconds. A well trained regiment can easily take down a tanker if properly led.
- Warrior: grunt infantry of the arachnid forces. Come in many different castes. Have rudimentary individual intelligence but are led centrally from command brains. Persistent, extremely aggressive, loyal and very fast. Warriors are produced in the millions and are born fully operational. It is not known if they can learn from combat experience, but research indicates the different patterns found on their heads represent a form of "regimental system" hitherto unknown in arachnid society.
- Worker: non-combatants tasked with tunneling and logistics. Rarely seen on the front lines.
Field structure
The bugs do not organise their forces upon conventional lines. So far, only the following distinctions have been observed and named:
- Swarm: up to one thousand warriors.
- Horde: multiple swarms.
- Myriad: ten thousand warriors.
Key
Here is a list of some abbrevations and terms used in Infantryman:
- A-D-C: aide-de-camp. An officer selected to act as assistant to a general officer.
- Archie: abbreviation for arachnid, but used exclusively when referring to warriors.
- Bug: any arachnid lifeform.
- C-I-C: commander-in-chief. In charge of all forces within the local human sector.
- Ersatz: synthetic tea or coffee offered to frontline troopers when natural supplies are exhausted.
- MP: Military Police.
- NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer. A somewhat archaic term still in use in the Terran Federation. It refers only to two ranks, those of Corporal and Sergeant.
- Novelty: that which is new, and represents a further complexifying of reality through increased density of connection (the opposite of habit).
- OP: observation point.
- QTP: Q-Bomb Target Practice. Planets not deemed worthy of settlement or even resource extraction are marked with self-replicating solar flares. The three letters 'QTP' spell the end of the planet: an almighty Q-Bomb will be used to destroy it. The Outer Colonies contain many QTPs; it is a defiant show of force offered to the arachnids. By such aggressive action the human race hopes to convey the message: "We have the means to destroy entire planets at our whim. Take one step closer and we will." The fact that even the most barren planets are highly valuable to the arachnids offers further offence.
- Ruse de guerre (or ruse of war): Action taken by a belligerent in warfare to fool the enemy in order to gain intelligence or a military advantage against an enemy.
- Sidearm: a console issued and attached to all troopers. Basic lifesigns can be monitored and controlled, and the computer terminal within also offers basic military intelligence.
- Terraform: Terraforming (literally, Earth-shaping) of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to the biosphere of Earth, in order to make it habitable by humans.
Addendum
Career postings
Schenck, W. Trooper, 316 / 'F' Company / 17th Regiment 6th Mobile Infantry Division / Army Group Outer Colonies Military Assistance Command / Roku San Additional: -Assigned as Runner to Divisional HQ Staff / 6th MI Division -Seconded to 24th MI Regiment Lieutenant Schenck A-D-C to General Alayas General Staff / Army Group Outer Colonies Military Assistance Command / Roxoth Captain Schenck Intelligence Officer Seconded to 'E' Company / 242nd Marines Planet OM-3 / Arachnid Quarantine Zone Captain Schenck Acting Marine Officer 'E' Company / 242nd Marines / Army of OM-3 Planet OM-3 / Arachnid Quarantine Zone Acting General Schenck Temporary C-I-C Army of OM-3 Planet OM-3 / Arachnid Quarantine Zone Captain Schenck Intelligence Officer Officer Commanding 'A' Company / Earth Relief Force Planet Earth / Sol System Additional: -Assigned to Pomerania Defence Force Captain Schenck Adjutant to General Knappe General Staff / Pomerania Defence Force Planet Earth / Sol System
Schenck's Battle Honours
- Battle of Roku San
- First Battle of Roxoth
- Second Battle of Roxoth
- First Battle of OM-3
- Second Battle of OM-3
- Battle of Tirana
- Second Battle of Vienna
- Fourth Battle of Gdansk
- First Battle of the Danube