Chapter 1: Overview

A/N: This document started as a few notes I wrote up for internal reference for my fanfic, and ended up more like a small book. When I began expanding on it, I slowly became aware it needed a SERIOUS expansion. The first stab was … okayish, but inconsistent.

I am re-writing this to update it.

Updated March 2020

THE SYSTEMS ALLIANCE ORDER OF BATTLE

(With Addenda Regarding Citizenship Tiers and Your Government)

Prepared by the Systems Alliance Commissariat, Office of Public Information and Regulation (OPI Subsection II-A)

Distribution limited by the Manswell State Security Act

OFFICER EDITION : DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OR ENLISTED PERSONNEL

Welcome, fresh warrior of Humanity! You should be proud to have achieved what less than eight percent of applicants achieve - commissioning as a O1 officer! to assist you as a recently graduated officer of our glorious Marine Corps, the SAOB is your guide to the Blue, both the military and government aspects.

The bulk of this guide, including report templates, order manifests, uniform allowance regulations, TAC-1-0 SA Regulations Guide, and other digital-only documents may be found on your issued Info-Pad under the 'INBRIEF' tab. Required forms, legal documentation, as well as uniform omni-print templates and comm designations, can be found in the 'MATERIALS' tab, and your specific subordinates will be in the 'PERSONNEL' tab.

This guide will have been issued to you via omni-tool distribution on channel SA-EIGHT, the official comms channel of the Systems Alliance Information Control Office. Additionally, hard-cover copies are available from your unit Commissar or your divisional commissariat office at a small charge.

This guide contains political information and commentary inappropriate for personnel who have not been screened via the Commissariat Political Reliability Index for Direct Evaluation (PRIDE) and as such should not be shared with NCO's, enlisted personnel or civilians.

The Systems Alliance : Mankind's Crowning Achievement, and You!

"It is with a sense of both awe and pride that I wake up every day to don the Blue. Defying both the darkness of our past and the struggles that marked our emergence into the greater galaxy, Mankind has transcended racism, sexism, nationalism and religious schism to stand whole and united in the dawn of our future." – Major Preston Kyle

The Systems Alliance is the unified government of the Sol System and many of her associated colonies. Established in the wake of the Days of Iron, the SA acts as the focal center of humanity's military, economic, scientific and cultural efforts. While we will not claim the Systems Alliance is perfect - no human system can be - it could be argued that our current government is the most fair, just, equitable, and stable of any form of human governance in the past six thousand years.

As such, ultimately, your primary goal as a member of the military is to defend the Systems Alliance. And as a defender of the Systems Alliance, you must understand the following aspects of the structure of the SA:

The structure of the SA : its colonies and Earth, and the responsibilities of the SA to them.

The nature of the SA's Strategic Defense Blueprint, including the A-D-To-E Alert System.

The structure of the Command Districts, and the chain of command of your military superiors in such.

Additionally, all military personnel should know (and will be informed of) the following:

The Government itself : The President, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Parliament, and the Court of Justice.

The Military : The Naval Marine Corps, the Planetary Militia Marine Corps, the Reactionary Forces, the Special Forces, and the Penal Legions

The Enforcement : The Commissariat Legions, the Commissars, the Alliance Intelligence Service, and the Guard of Iron.

The Ranks, Rates, and Organization of personnel

The specifics of infantry forces, including organization and structure

The specifics of armor forces, including organization and structure

The specifics of space forces, including organization and structure

Tactical and strategic concerns for space and ground forces.

The weapons, armor, equipment, and accessories used by the Corps.

Legal Organs of the State that may impact your orders: The Court of Lords, the Corporate Court, and the Court of independent Colonial Affairs

Our relations with our alien neighbors

Your citizenship rights as a military member, and how those rights elevate you above the average civilian or alien immigrant.

An overview of relevant laws

A complete package of benefits, grants, loans, and educational opportunities is attached to this document, along with forms NIN-C-3 (Educational Commissariat Approval Form) and CMS-443 (Waiver of Rights , Manswell State Security Act Addenda). This can be found in the 'LEGAL' tab.

Additional information can be found in your Alliance Infantryman's Uplifting Primer. (SAP-0101)

Structure of the Systems Alliance – Earth and its proud sisters, the colonies

At its most basic, the Systems Alliance is a supranational and interstellar organization built on the framework of the original Solar System Alliance founded by Lord Manswell in the aftermath of the Days of Iron. The SA comprises some 87% of all humanity, including many nations on Earth and many of our oldest colonies. A handful of colonies have become independent, such as Horizon and Freedom's Progress, but the majority of humans not under SA control actually reside within Asari space.

Membership in the SA at the system or planetary level is broken down into Membership Tiers. A tier is defined by the length of time a member state (be that a nation or a colony world) has agreed with and submitted to the entire Charter of the Systems Alliance, including all tax obligations, legal considerations, and commissariat oversight.

As of this printing, the charter member nations that form the SA include : USA, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, Russia, England, France, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Argentina, South Africa, Thailand, India, Germany, and Italy. Combined, the member nations on Earth provide thirty five percent of the minimum tax funding required to support the SA on a yearly basis.

The full roster of member colonies as of this printing includes: Setras, Terra Nova, Mindoir, Bekenstein, Hostins V, Watson, Benning and Arcturus Station. The charter member colonies collectively provide 40% of the funding to the Systems Alliance.

Colonies outside of those who have adhered to the full charter pay lesser tax rates in return for the services they receive from the SA Military and Government. Class III colonies are equal partners in the SA, each one expected to provide at least 2% of the funding required over the minimum offered by the charter nations and colonies. Class III colonies are often some of the most developed colonies in the SA, on occasion being more developed than Member Colonies. Each one has the right to the development of their solar system. Class 3 colonies also have the right to establish their own sub-colonies, form semi-autonomous regional governments of said colonies, and levy taxes. The SA boasts sixteen Class III colonies, including worlds such as New Tokyo, Manhattan Again, Elysium and Tetran.

Class II colonies are less developed but still of a size to warrant at least one seat in the SA Congress. Class II colonies are fully self-sufficient and pay full taxes. As a result, the colony receives the right and proceeds from all development in the system. They own the HE3 rights to any gas giants, mineral deposits, and the like. They can levy taxes on any operating corporate entity in the system. Each Class II colony must be able to support .5% of the funding required over the minimum offered by the charter nations and colonies. The SA has twenty seven Class II colonies, including Victory, Dirth, Eden Prime and Akuze.

Class I colonies tend to be lightly populated and on the fringes of human space. They cannot afford the tax burden that would enable them more robust SA support, so the hand of the SA is by necessity very light in these systems. A Class I world loses all rights to harvest the resources of it's solar system until it becomes Class II, so social services, defense costs, and any other assistance requested must be paid for by allowing the SA to perform HE3 mining, asteroid mining, or ceding land or planets in the system for SA military bases. Class I colonies pay taxes on a sliding scale based on colonial adjusted GDP. The SA has thirty nine Class I colonies, including worlds such as New Berlin, Ferris Fields, and New Edo.

Of course, the SA is devoted to liberty and freedom, so many human colonies are only loosely associated with the SA. Some thirty eight colonies fall under Associated Colony status, including corporate worlds, religious retreat planets, private investment colonies, and tourist locales. They do not pay SA taxes, they did not and will not sign the SA charter, and as a result they are considered to be at the lowest priority level for SA assistance. Standard military doctrine is that independent colonies will be issued an SA emergency beacon if they require aid, but that the SA will charge the colony for expended munitions, fuel, eezo and other expenses. Horizon, Freedom's Progress, Anata and other such worlds fall into this category.

Sub-colonies, such as those established by a Class III colony, are classified as Class I colonies until they grow.

The SA Defense Blueprint : defending our homes

The basic premise of the Systems Alliance is in its very name: an alliance of systems, unified against all hardships, threats, and challenges. The Systems Alliance is the sole representative body of humanity as a whole, but does not incorporate all aspects of humanity under its jurisdiction. While certainly recognized as the only voice that can claim to speak for most of humanity, it's control over human space is neither absolute nor dictatorial. As a result, the SA in turn will not take ultimate responsibilities for all human worlds, but only those that choose to freely answer it's call and follow its laws and guidance.

The SA order of battle is built around a tiered-response concept of overlapping response reactions. Rather than station heavy forces at all possible locations, the SA assigns values to certain areas, and doles out garrison forces as needed. In the event of invasions or attacks, it responds with increasingly heavier reinforcements until the enemy is defeated or forced to retreat. These values correspond closely with the level of investment, interest, and cooperation the SA receives from the colony or worlds in question.

In practice, every colonized region (star system, group of star systems, etc) is assigned a Priority Rating. The Priority rating defines a preset amount of dedicated military might attached to patrol and pacify the region. This is augmented by the Threat Rating, which is a scale defining the level of danger in the region or area. Finally, regions under SA control are assigned dedicated garrison and patrol units, independent of Priority and Threat.

In case of attack, RIU and RRU units , scout wolf packs, and fighters backed by heavy frigates and carrier-cruisers are the first to respond, along with system forces already present. Once backup determines threat rating, the allocated support forces jump in system. The threat is either suppressed , or the threat rating is raised and even more support jumps in system.

As seen in the battle of Dirth, SA can rapidly mobilize hundreds of thousands of soldiers and dozens upon dozens of ships in a remarkably short amount of time due to pre-issued , pre-tested orders, clear flight paths, and a clear line of operations even if all senior officers are killed.

ALL human colonies, even those who chose to be governed under alien dominions, are issued one superluminal distress beacon that will, when dispatched, make its way using it's VI to the nearest SA dominated area via mass relay and summon aid. The same is true of independent colonies and corporate worlds who chose not to sign the SA charter. Collectively, this group is given the designation of Priority Gamma. There is a rotating group of naval vessels that provide over watch, backed up by a carrier for emergencies. Two RIU teams are also included in this force. Given the wide spread of colonies in the Verge that fit this description, the units described above often operate in very disassociated fashion, broken down into single ship and patrol groups.

Class I colonies are each provided with multiple emergency beacons, and at least one garrison regiment, preferably two. One light fighter patrol and at least three system defense boats are also issued to the colony. Priority Epsilon is the designation for these colonies. A squadron is usually assigned to several of these in a given area, sometimes with an extra flotilla as reinforcement. Local systems have a single fighter squadron for local support. Every Epsilon priority area has its own dedicated RIU team.

Class II systems are of more importance, and as such are given heavier defenses. Each colony is issued a reinforced garrison battalion, and usually at least light armor support. Three ground-based fighter squadrons and fifteen to twenty system defense boats provide customs and police defense, while a battle group secures the system. At least fifty emergency comm buoys are provided. Additionally, the SA Corps of Engineers will erect five GARDIAN defense clusters of between two and three towers a piece and provide computer support and training in their operations. Priority Delta is the designation for these colonies, and several class II colonies will be under the protection of at least two squadrons of ships.

As befits Class III colonies, they are treated identically to Member Colonies. Each one usually possesses its own police and space security force, but this is augmented by at least one army group, often heavily reinforced. Additional space defenses include three to five fighter divisions and over three hundred system defense boats, backed by four battle groups used for system patrols. At least a thousand emergency comm buoys and fifty to sixty GARDIAN tower defense clusters are also maintained by the Systems Alliance. The member colonies and Class III colonies are grouped under Priority Beta, as well as the Fleet Anchorages at Bekenstein and Terra Nova. The second highest priority, it devotes a squadron to the protection of the area, and an additional squadron on patrolling defense (which overlaps with many class II areas), as well as two fighter squadrons. At least one RRU and two RIU teams are assigned.

Earth itself is defended by the SolGuard, a dedicated and heavily reinforced fleet and army with additional heavy frigates, carriers and two additional fighter divisions. Priority Alpha is assigned to Sol. Each world in the Sol System will have a full squadron assigned to them for defense, as well as a fighter division. There will always be a full Fleet available, for rapid response. At least 1 RRU and 5 RIU teams are assigned to the region.

Threat Alert Ratings : Answering the call, to battle and glory

While initial defending forces are determined solely by priority , the amount of response to a given threat is determined solely on a system called Threat Rating. Threat Rating is a qualified validation of the amount of property damage and tangible harm a foreign force can cause. The ratings are in Latin

Placidus : defined as no state of alarm whatsoever, the basic response state when nothing bad is occurring. TR Placidus can be defined as "no alarms whatsoever". In peacetime, this is the normal default alert state.

Vigilax: A low alert state when incidents have occurred near by or are rumored to be happening. Examples include pirate raids within three jumps, recent news of unidentified armed ships, local pirate activity in the past month, etc. Typically speaking , Vigilax is the common alert response when trouble rears it's head on the outlying colonies and the like. On more populated worlds, Vigilax is declared on regional or even a city-wide level.

Consterno: A low level alert to minor actual dangers. Small pirate raids, sightings of batarian military vessels, and other easily dispatched threats are given this rating. In a more populated setting, Consterno is a "general alert" status for a system, or the response on a regional area to high-level terrorist activity.

Discrimen: Defined as the "serious" alert level, Discrimen results in immediate dispatch of an armed strike force to the site. Usually this is a battle group, along with fighter support, and a pair of troop ships carrying a pair of reinforced regiments. Discrimen level alerts are for large pirate rates or direct pirate attacks on the colony itself, confirmed sightings of enemy vessels, or any sighting of unidentified alien vessels that do not return hails within 3 jumps from Sol.

In the case of the Member Colonies or Sol system itself, a Discrimen alert is a full battle alert. The local defense fleet will jump in system en masse, led by a scout flotilla. Multiple battalions will be mobilized, and at least RRU will be put on hot-standby. All available RIU's will be deployed.

Exitialis : known as "going E", Exitialis is a regional alert. Sounded when serious battle looms, it results in an entire flotilla being dispatched, along with a battalion of troops and heavy support. Nearby fleets are put on high alert and all adjacent areas are bumped up to Consterno. In the case of the Sol Region being the one to sound the alert, the local fleet will be deployed immediately in-system and nearby fleets routed towards Earth. Every available military unit will go to full battle readiness.

Adorior : Full battle alert for critical targets. The "big A" is only used for full scale military invasions and lethal threats. In the history of the SA, Adorior was only sounded once: during the First Contact War. Adorior scrambles every available fleet to the problem side, and declares Exitialis to Sol and all Member Colonies. Smaller forces stiffen all other nearby systems to 500% of garrison baseline , if possible. Every RRU is put on ready status, and reserve units are activated.

Command Districts and the Chain of Command

For the purposes of military control as well as governance, the Systems Alliance is broken into five broad 'districts'. The five districts are covered in more detail in the governmental section of this booklet, but from a military standpoint, the chain of command is as follows:

The Supreme Commander of all SA military forces is the President, in terms of general political-strategic decision-making, such as the choice to declare war. The Cabinet Government headed by the Prime Minister and constructed by Parliament seats the Minister of Defense.

The Minister of Defense and the Armed Forces Committee together vote on the position of the Admiralty of the High Command. There are three such seats, all of which must be admirals of the Red in good standing. The three members of the High Command appoint the Fleet Master as the supreme military oversight for operational command.

From the Fleet Master, each district has a single Command Fleet Admiral. Admirals split their fleets into smaller segments that cover Divisions, and are organized by Priority. Your divisional commander will split his or her authority between Space Command, Marine Ground Command, and Special Services.

Your unit commander will delegate responsibility to sub-unit commanders as they see fit. A marine corporal answers to his gunnery sergeant, who answers to a Marine Master Chief. The master chief reports to a BDO, usually a lieutenant, who in turns reports to a marine captain. The marine captains will report to a Major of Marines, who liaisons with generals or admirals, and who answer to the Divisional and District Admiralty for orders.

The AIS, the Penal Legions, Knights of the Court of Lords, and above all else the Commissariat are outside and beyond the chain of command. Remember this! The most junior Commissar, the most humble knight and the most baby-faced of AIS operatives have complete and total authority over your unit and outrank your commanding officer, regardless of whether that is a major or the Fleet Master.