A War for the Stars

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2403.6:

Captain Stran led Seeker II into a new system containing one fully colonizable planet, three partially colonizable planets and one rocky moon. We called this system Tachung.

The Interstellar Alliance proposed a treaty of mutual defence and protection. Under this treaty, each power agrees to send military aid to the other power if such aid is requested. This means that if we accept the Alliance can bring us into their war against the Yakrin at any time. If we refuse, on the other hand, we may ruin the good relations we have been trying to build with our fellow humans and it will not make the Yakrin hate us less. Tomorrow I will send our answer, accepting their proposal.

War draws closer with every passing day. We knew this was likely to happen and we are not unprepared, but I still feel we are being overtaken by external events faster than we can deal with them. Our strategy has been chosen, our tactics are sound, our sailors, soldiers and pilots are capable. That should be enough.

But the price to pay if it is not is terrible.

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2403.7:

Syned IV has been colonized. Seeker I will begin to explore the hyperconduit web beyond Gesaril; Captain Veren has been ordered to exercise extreme caution, since the Yakrin home system lies somewhere in that direction.

Speaking of the Yakrin, they cancelled their trade treaty with us. Black Sword I was rushed into production on Gesaril V, Fyrine I having been launched earlier this tenth.

The Andarr have become quite friendly with us. It seems there is some sort of rivalry between them and the Hutt; we can have a treaty with one or the other but not both. Knowing the Hutt as we do, it is better to take our chances with the Andarr. Ambassador Reima has sent them a message suggesting we forget our previous disagreements and establish a new trade treaty.

Our Stormtrooper program has been launched; our first bLaster rifles and DurapLast armor suits will be coming off the production lines any day now. Some of the Army bases will be handed over to the new Stormtrooper combat arm so they can begin to train their first recruits. It will take some time and we won't see our first Stormtrooper units until next year, but they should be well worth the wait.

Brigadier General Sheer has petitioned me for the creation of an Army invasion force as a quick substitute for the yet-to-be-created Stormtroopers. Given the velocity with which we are being drawn into war, I believe I will authorize it.

[Raging Deadstar]

I like this story because it gives you ideas on how the empire expanded and grew to it's size and i like the idea of the tie fighters and storm troopers coming into the story! This is going to get interesting

[Erax]

Hi everyone. I'd like to take a break from the story to show the system I'm using for Imperial ranks. My two main sources are the Star Wars Technical Commentaries site and the Star Wars Miniatures Battles game. Comments are welcome (getting the ranks in here also makes it easier for me to reference them when writing).

Imperial Army Ranks

Unit - Commander rank - # SEIV inf units - # SEIV vehicle units
Sector Army - High General - (4 armies) - x
Army - General - (4 corps) - x
Corps - Lt. General - (4 battleGroups) - x
Battlegroup - Brigadier General - 1280 - 256
Regiment - Colonel - 320 - 64
Battalion - Major - 80 - 16
Company - Captain - 20 - 4
Platoon - Lieutenant - 5 - 1

2nd Lieutenant, Lt. Colonel, High Colonel and Major General are staff ranks.

Sizes for the upper echelons are not given because they usually contain units of differing types.

[Erax]

Now the stormtroopers:

Imperial Stormtrooper Ranks

Unit - Commander rank - # SEIV inf units - # SEIV vehicle units
Corps - General - 3840 - 768
Division - Brigadier - 960 - 192
Brigade - Lieutenant Brigadier - 240 - 48
Battalion - Commander - 60 - 12
Company - Captain - 20 - 4
Platoon - Lieutenant - 5 - 1

Ranks are equivalent to Army ranks for the same unit size (a Stormtrooper General, for example, is equivalent to an Army Lt. General).

Stormtroopers have no 'staff' ranks. Their organization above the Corps level is not well known.

I'll do the starfighter ranks tomorrow.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

so, is that slight hint of compassion there going to be developed?

[Erax]

It will have to be developed one way or the other when the war begins.