Intel Report 002
Time in field: 48 hours.
Subject: Initial evaluation and threat analysis of target area: Feldemaine.
Team inserted at the Starport located in Giidersi City, capital of Celier Free States and made rendezvous with client contact without incident. Team rested 8 hours while making arrangements for transport and insertion into Feldemaine as per opord. Team operated in Cellier Free States for one week, and proceeded into Liminariu via private rented transport as well as rail transportation, Inserting into Feldemaine under the cover of traveling workers subcontracting construction.
Team undertook detailed evaluation while in transit. Overview in this report will be followed with more detailed and complete current data via burst and secured transmission as per previously arranged contact times upon mother units arrival.
Current Political/Military Situation, Cellier Free States: Overview.
Command is advised that of the three main countries besides Feldemaine on the large continent, Cellier is perhaps the largest in population base as well as industrial capacity as well as overall Tech Level. Current political situation is of note as Cellier Free States (CFS) is a republic- this year is an election year, and several candidates are vying for lesser offices, although the position for Prime Minister is not up for another two years. As a result, foreign policy is of particular interest. CFS has upon research proved to actively involve itself in foreign policy and maintains extensive trade with its eastern neighbor Liminariu, much less with the less developed Uteguaya.
NOTE TO COMMAND: all three countries (Feldemaine, Liminariu and Uteguaya are to all purposes what may be regarded “third world” nations, both in their overall standard of living and capacity as well as their political stability)
CFS is fully TL 6 and is to all intents a local superpower as is the Keriinguusa Republic, (KR) both are heavily allied and share mutual interest, and as a result both are the major military powers. However, neither is expansionistic although they aggressively defend their borders. Demaine, a large island but with a smaller population almost entirely of Luriani has been engaged in a series of brushfire wars over resources in their local ocean area: this is not anticipated to be a factor in the operation.
CFS operates an effective jet powered air force and has limited naval assets.
Currently the political climate precludes CFS involvement in the Feldemaine region, as it is generally regarded as too distant to be at issue, but indications are the CFS assets are watching the developments. Public support precludes CFS involvement, and statements from Government house as well as assets contacted covertly support this.
Overall Climate: In CFS, the weather ranges from temperate to cooled in the northern climes, and CFS is generally cool even in the summer months. Snow is common, and the coastlines see considerable above average precipitation.
Transportation: CFS has an extensive rail system in place and well maintained via private ownership and the vast bulk of heavy transport is via these railways. Roadways are extensive and well maintained and see considerable traffic and are capable of sustaining heavy vehicles. There is a fair number of airfields plus several “tarmac” star ports, though the only true star port boasting facilities is in Giidersi City. Public transport is common, again via private company operation, and all major cities boast mass transit systems.
Analysis: While the data supports no hard conclusions at this time regarding CFS intent, due to internal factors, research and trends analysis the following speculation lends itself to postulation:
1. CFS policy in external affairs has been to engage in trade and aggressive market economy tactics but very little military involvement- trends analysis concludes that unless CFS interests are directly involved or her borders invaded CFS will not intervene or support any action regarding Feldemaine.
2. CFS may and has involved itself in political affairs outside its borders in diplomatic functions and interventions and trends analysis leads this officer to believe that the CFS, if it does involve itself, would be via this venue. However, the political events (election year, several incumbents and a series of platforms all stressing less aggressive foreign policy) indicate that this is highly unlikely unless the operation spills over into CFS territory.
3. NOTE TO COMMAND: this current policy on the part of CFS may lend it to functioning as a neutral state, especially as it has the only realistically feasible down port.
4. An Imperial consulate is in the Capital of CFS, Giidersi City. It is poorly manned and is more to the order of an economic affairs office, however light contact indicates that they may prove a point of Imperial interference. The Charge D’affairs is a career bureaucrat slated for retirement in two years and has evinced a history of marginal performance, however the Imperial Military Liaison is a young Naval Commander, ambitious, and has twice passed chain of command to flag incidents in other countries. As a result his credibility may be marginal, but this officer believes that he may prove to be difficult should questions of conduct arise.
5. CFS military is almost exclusively TL 6, and while they field a formidable force in country, they rely on locally produced armaments. They are stiffened by externally imported higher tech milgear, but this seems almost exclusively in the area of communications and control and is not commonly encountered in the field.
Current Political/Military Situation, Liminariu: Overview.
Liminariu is a socialized Representative Monarchy, based on six founding families acting as a stump government through nepotism and developing into at best moderately effective nobility. Each family controls a province and governs each according, thus while politically stable Liminariu tends to be economically \weak as the nobles locally appear very fractious. Industrial capacity is fairly light with the bulk of the Liminariu economy being based on agrarian products; Liminariu is in fact a breadbasket for the continent and does considerable trade with both CFS as well as Feldemaine supplying both with nearly 60 percent of their mutual grain and other agricultural products.
NOTE TO COMMAND: while CFS would not likely involve itself in matters regarding Feldemaine, it would certainly react were Liminariu threatened as Liminariu is a major source of food supply; CFS has traditionally regarded Liminariu as its primary interest in the region and has aided the Families in assuring their governance in the interests of stability to assure its grain shipments.
In southern Liminariu are two shallow inland salt seas connected via a large waterway to the ocean on the coast. There is a significant population of Luriani living in water based cities in the oceans, and both are heavily aqua cultured. Also notable is a large population in the several tens of thousands of Luriani refugees from Feldemaine, and many others who have relatives there; these expatriates fled the country on Julian’s rise to power from the bay based aqua domes in Feldemaine before they were secured and many harbor strong resentment. While Julian did not target any particular ethnicity, the Luriani enclaves were the last to be secured, as a result the bulk of expatriates are Luriani.
Liminariu is on the whole a TL 5 country, with about half its population operating at TL 4. The bulk of the population is centered in three urban centers on the coasts of the inland seas, and the rest are village based in the various provinces.
Militarily Liminariu has no effective military to speak of – each family operates its own private army and secures their provinces individually, all using their military as police forces as well. Most are equipped to no better than TL 5, and almost all small arms at that. This is a factor that Julian has made note of, refer to notes below. Trends analysis based on humint observation and populace contact indicates that the Families squabble among them selves almost constantly, and the populace regards them as realistic non-entities, most content to pay their taxes and let such matters go. Of late there as been disaffection, however, prompted by threats from Feldemaine and a of late serious case of neglect on several of the ruling nobles regarding their subjects. As a result this officer cannot regard Liminariu as especially stable, but given the overall lack of either leadership or military capability they are no real threat to the operation.
Climate: Liminariu has a variety of climes, but is predominately warm and humid throughout. There is extensive surface growth, and temperate ranges are moderate. Precipitation is moderate, with the greatest being along the inner plains.
Transportation: Roads in Liminariu are extensive; however beyond major highways they are often poorly maintained as such falls under the purview of the local noble, as a result they can range from quite good to nearly impassable. There are railways in place, but these are all extensions of privately owned railways from companies based in CFS and as a result though well kept they are limited in scope. Airfields are many if rudimentary, there being a large number of private aircraft used largely in crop dusting.
Analysis: Data indicates some interesting points of note for command, which are enumerated here. Liminariu could prove a significant variable in operational considerations depending on the operations flow.
1. Due to the divided nature of Liminariu’s leadership, Liminariu will not likely intervene in the operation unless the unit crosses the borders, at which point the Noble of those provinces would react. They are unpredictable, as their actions would as likely be predicated as much on self-interest as on military issues.
2. Julian has on several occasions intimated that had he the opportunity he would invade Liminariu in the interests of securing Feldemaine’s primary food supply, something Feldemaine is certainly capable of doing. Thus far he has been stymied by the CFS, who have made it plain that were he to do so they would intervene militarily, as a result Feldemaine has not moved on Liminariu, but Intel, humint and research point out a heavy concentration of troops along the Liminariu border. This has resulted in considerable tension along this border with incidents as recently as four weeks ago and as a result Liminariu has some military presence along this border as well on alert, although they are much outclassed by Feldemaine forces in equipage and quality. This officer speculates that only CFS involvement has prevented a brush war in this region.
3. Luriani refugees are a very real presence in Liminariu, and have been vocal in local affairs regarding Feldemaine. The client has maintained a number of contacts through this community, and many still maintain contact with their Feldemaine counterparts. It should be noted that the Luriani travel extensively underwater via submersibles, and that Feldemaine had little success in monitoring their movements until recently, this being the primary reason for building their small navy but to date Feldemaine naval forces have proved largely ineffectual.
Current Political/Military Situation, Uteguaya: Overview.
Uteguaya is a large country with a comparatively small population base, heavily forested and boasting a mountain range. The team did not travel through this region, but research and contact information has yielded the following:
Uteguaya is country of a multitude of villages and towns all acting as what amounts to tiny city-states. There is a loose confederation and the village and town representatives meet yearly on matters of law and policy. The country is effectively led by a commissioner, and the government is for all purposes non existent, what government there is seems centered on public services such as maintaining medical clinics, road and transportation maintenance, and the like. There is little police force, the whole country is evidently law 2 or 3, and the citizenry are all highly individualistic.
Heavy industry in non existent in any sense, most of Uteguaya’s wealth being mineral resources obtained by sink mining or strip mining: principle resources being petrochemicals, coal, and extensive copper and iron ores.
Uteguaya has virtually no military at all; small militias in place acting for common defense but indications are they are less than a battalion, however nearly every citizen routinely goes armed. Although Julian has made political statements indicating he could expand into Uteguaya, one attempt to do so was aborted, While Uteguaya had no military presence, the six months of ongoing guerilla style attacks resulted in Feldemaine withdrawing, and Julian has not indicated any desire to expand northward in spite of the mineral wealth above the border.
The climate is bitterly cold as a rule and heavy precipitation is common, in the winter heavy snows and ice routinely make the roads impassible. There is one rail line, that services all the mines, but most heavy transport is via truck. Barring the one highway, the roads are uniformly bad and the highway is in need of extensive repair.
Analysis: The team was unable to make any qualitative analysis, as we did not go there, however this officer feels that Uteguaya will not affect operational issues at all.
