Population and percentage in military

[BackworldTraveller]

Any population that feels itself threatened and surrounded and outnumbered can easily find itself feeling that it needs such a military reserve. Balkanised planets could easily have a cold-war atmosphere - but a cluster with a series of balkanised worlds, each including inter-world colonies from across many shared worlds wouldn't be too dissimilar to earth's colonial models...and that would almost never result in militarisation!??!

 

[BackworldTraveller]

Also, Aslan and Vargr seem to hold very high reserve strengths. More Steppe Nomad type of levels than City State. And some of those Ancient City States were not as un-militarised as all that. Towton saw nearly 1% of the entire population dead in one battle assuming the population at the time to be 1,000,000 and the 10,000 upper estimate of the casualty toll to be true.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr regimes have got to feel that they are in constant crisis.

Aslan probably use potential levy numbers as bargaining chips.

It really depends, as ongoing current events indicate that socio political economic factors balance out how militarized a society you actually want.

 

[whartung]

1. Not everyone is okay with getting conscripted, short of a national existential crisis.

Well, there's always prison.

 

[Condottiere]

There's a contingency for that, penal battalions.

Though I hear they're smuggling out the eligible candidates across the border, and essentially into another jurisdiction.

 

[aramis]

Or shorter...My father was exempt because he built submarines (then hovercraft); His brothers, because they were already Naval Officers!

Technically, they're not immune from the draft... the selective service also applies the "... little known, seldom used, reserve activation clause, Captain, Sir..." when particular needs call for skilled personnel who are past the 8-years from last enlistment.
At least while not on active duty. The US hasn't conscripted any non-prior-service since the 1970s... Germany since 2011...

1. Not everyone is okay with getting conscripted, short of a national existential crisis.

In most of the world (by population), they put up or get locked up. Or get shot.

2. Considering interstellar population sizes, not really necessary, and probably counter productive.

There are many reasons for universal conscription outside of wartime... very few of them are based upon "Military Efficiency"...
Geopolitical identity and cultural indoctrination to the mainsteam culture are both very valid (if currently unpopular in the Western World) reasons.

Any population that feels itself threatened and surrounded and outnumbered can easily find itself feeling that it needs such a military reserve. Balkanised planets could easily have a cold-war atmosphere - but a cluster with a series of balkanised worlds, each including inter-world colonies from across many shared worlds wouldn't be too dissimilar to earth's colonial models...and that would almost never result in militarisation!??!

Some of them are even hot war... just no CBR allowed.

 

[Condottiere]

1. Social engineering, though I'd say you usually already have conditions on the ground favouring universal conscription.

2. Cheap labour, for non combat roles during peacetime.

 

[Rigel Stardin]

There is a race I design in my universe based on a Military doctrine. When the switch in the culture took place, the military believe they were there to defend and serve the people. Mandatory service is require for everyone. When there is no armed conflict, they work on civil projects, act as police and as the government. And everyone, is in the reserves just in case the need arises. Culture indoctrination is there as well.

In the story, I'm writing right now. Between military service and being a scout, it spreads the core value of the fledgling interstellar community. So it's not a bad thing per se but, it can be used for evil as well. A militant race who see enemies everywhere will naturally indoctrinate their people to hated offworlder. In that case, it is my belief, they do it to maintain power over the people and give them something to fear and hate rather see the short comings of such a government. Wars have been started because of it. Religion can be a double edge sword as well, but that way to close to real life for this forum.

 

[Enoki]

Well, in a militarized society, there can be various reasons it came about.

Conquest and expansion

Fear of an 'other.' For example, I deal more with the 'other' side of the map from the Spinward Marches. The boogieman there are the K'kree and Thundering Herd.

Authoritarian or dictatorial control over a society.

Societies that make extensive use of reserves or militia as their military really aren't militarized in the true sense of the word.

A (I think) more interesting variant would be a world that exports their military as a commodity in the form of mercenaries. That is, they have developed a reputation for being ferocious fighters, dispassionately loyal, willing to do just about anything, etc. This makes them desirable to other worlds who's citizens don't want to do their own fighting, or a world where the government doesn't trust its own military to protect it, that sort of thing.

 

[Condottiere]

Sparta being the most famous example, though remote tribal cultures would expect all their mature male members to be prepared to fight at anytime.

Speaking of which, point d'argent, point de Suisse.

 

[Dragoner]

I think in a lot of ways, conscription is a weird idea when one has a automated labor force, then again the machines would likely do the fighting as well. Fundamentally, same as battle is about physics, war is about economics.

 

[BlackBat242]

Well, in a militarized society, there can be various reasons it came about.

Conquest and expansion

Fear of an 'other.' For example, I deal more with the 'other' side of the map from the Spinward Marches. The boogieman there are the K'kree and Thundering Herd.

Authoritarian or dictatorial control over a society.

Societies that make extensive use of reserves or militia as their military really aren't militarized in the true sense of the word.

A (I think) more interesting variant would be a world that exports their military as a commodity in the form of mercenaries. That is, they have developed a reputation for being ferocious fighters, dispassionately loyal, willing to do just about anything, etc. This makes them desirable to other worlds who's citizens don't want to do their own fighting, or a world where the government doesn't trust its own military to protect it, that sort of thing.

Dorsai!

Thank you Gordon R. Dickson.

 

[Davik]

This is my take on the approximate number of persons a planet / system would have in military service. It's a rough guide for those doing larger scale campaigns and such within Traveller.

Peacetime with few or no threats: .001 to .05%
Peacetime with a potential threat: .01 to 1%
Peacetime with internal strife, guerrilla war, or a serious threat to peace .05 to 2%
Immediate threat of war (mobilization): 1 to 4%
Wartime, full mobilization: 3 to 10%

The percentages tend toward the lower end for larger populations (> 6), open / freer governments, and open economies. They tend towards the higher end for authoritarian (high law level of 9+), totalitarian governments, smaller populations (<6), and closed / centralized economies.

I'm updating the home-grown Sector I use when I run convention games, and this will really help! I'll post later on what I end up doing!

 

[Condottiere]

Conscription could be general, or rather targetted - someone has to operate those drones.

Also, when it becomes existential, or you run out of drones.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

In most of the world (by population), they put up or get locked up. Or get shot.

Or they just leave. Get out of the jurisdiction.

That's one of the main reasons that my great-grandfather left Sweden. There were a few others he always cited, but flipping the finger at their universal conscription rule was definitely a big one.

I also went to university with a Korean guy who managed to avoid his compulsory service until some few years after his graduation, which was at least in part due to the fact that he was over here instead of over there. He also came from a pretty well placed political family, which might have helped, although it also made his lack of service a festering problem for his dad, and thus for him, too.

 

[Condottiere]

 

[whartung]

Or they just leave. Get out of the jurisdiction.

Not all jurisdictions are easy to leave. Leaving can have other consequences, such as leaving your family behind.

 

[Condottiere]

In ancient times, they probably would have been hostages from the more powerful nobles to ensure cooperation.

 

[Enoki]

Not all jurisdictions are easy to leave. Leaving can have other consequences, such as leaving your family behind.

Or worse, knowing that your family will be punished when the authorities find out you fled. Other jurisdictions might not be welcoming either seeing you as a sort of deserter and making things difficult or impossible for you as well. One way this was handled in the past was you could pay for someone else to take your place when conscripted. I kind of like that option in a Traveller universe.

The third illegitimate son of a minor noble pays for a commission. The fourth son by the second wife of a businessman who has a 'trust fund' buys someone to take his place when drafted...

Nothing makes for good scenarios more than secrets one is keeping and NPC's who are complete and utterly untrustworthy weasels...

 

[Condottiere]

The 1863 New York City Draft Riots

In this week in military history, we explore the New York City draft riots of the summer of 1863.

During the American Civil War, the need for more soldiers led to the enforcement of the Conscription Act of March 3, 1863. This was a call for male citizens between the ages of 20 and 35 and all unmarried men between the ages of 35 and 45. A lottery system was used for this draft. However, for $300 an individual could buy a substitute to serve in his place. The working classes, who in New York were mainly Irish or Irish American, could not afford substitutes and were angered by a draft which did not include African American men.

The first lottery was held on July 11, 1863 and was followed by five days of riots. At first, the protesters attacked government and military buildings and only assaulted individuals who opposed them. As the riots grew, those attacked began to include African Americans who were not included in the lottery because they were not citizens. A large crowd set the Colored Orphan Asylum on Fifth Avenue near 42nd Street on fire. New York City Mayor George Opdyke requested that the War Department send federal troops to help keep the peace. By July 15, the violence had spread to Brooklyn and Staten Island. On July 16th, 4,000 federal troops from New York regiments arrived and were able to halt the rioting.

Racial tensions in New York continued during the period. However, in 1864, a New York volunteer all African American regiment marched through the streets before leaving for duty in the American Civil War.