TO&E for the Vilani Army aka Gisadia Ziru Sirka (Army of the Grand Empire of the Stars)

[BackworldTraveller]

What was the Vilani army's mission? Mostly police actions backed by orbital firepower. Why do you need heavy armour for that kind of operation? And they are high-tech. Lots of computer support in logistics and deployment. I'd bet many of the operational tasks in those intervening layers are taken by over-worked, computer supported divisional staff.

What was their doctrine? Treat anything as police support or (if that doesn't work) flatten the town. Much like the IM's later approach.

 

[Condottiere]

If that were the case, they'd only need their Foreign Legion as cannon fodder, or canaries, and military police to garrison the planets.

 

[BackworldTraveller]

There is still the occasional situation where the problem is with Vilani not the rest! And those Vargr Nomads. And...

 

[Condottiere]

I'll speculate that most divisions are light infantry, plus support, plus a tank battalion.

The tank battalion might not have most of it's authorized strength in working order.

 

[coliver988]

As I have no reason to discuss the name, if trying to adapt to what MT:V&V it would be:

• A platoon is (as told) about 50 men
• A company (however they call it) would be about 250 men (4 platoons + command one)
• A Nadshemi four companies + command unit (so about 1200-1250 men, not too different from what Coliver says)
• An Ishkaaim (I understand the tank equivalent to an infantry Nadshemi) would be four tank platoons and a command unit
• And so on

Of course, according what Coliver says, there is no equivalent to brigade/regiment (unit between Nadshemi and Lurkug)m making their Divisions (Lurkugi), as he also says, quite small...

unless there is another coliver, pretty sure not me as I have no clue about almost anything that deals with the military, real or imagined. Think my only thing on this thread is the shocked (I'm shocked, I tell you) that there are contradictory sources in the Traveller corpus.

 

[BackworldTraveller]

Contradictory? Surely not!

 

[kilemall]

What was the Vilani army's mission? Mostly police actions backed by orbital firepower. Why do you need heavy armour for that kind of operation? And they are high-tech. Lots of computer support in logistics and deployment. I'd bet many of the operational tasks in those intervening layers are taken by over-worked, computer supported divisional staff.

What was their doctrine? Treat anything as police support or (if that doesn't work) flatten the town. Much like the IM's later approach.

My thought about the difference in Imperium infantry was Terrans had firepower, either artillery or air/grav tanks, and that the Vilani Imperium army units were light inf hence the lower combat values.

 

[warstar]

What was the Vilani army's mission? Mostly police actions backed by orbital firepower. Why do you need heavy armour for that kind of operation? And they are high-tech. Lots of computer support in logistics and deployment. I'd bet many of the operational tasks in those intervening layers are taken by over-worked, computer supported divisional staff.

What was their doctrine? Treat anything as police support or (if that doesn't work) flatten the town. Much like the IM's later approach.

A couple of quotes from GURPS Traveller Star Merc book pg. 25
1) "Vilani warfare has been characterized as being ruthless, with any means acceptable to conclude a war successfully."
2) "Traditionally, the Vilani have regarded nuclear weapons as being highly cost effective."

Why be concerned about heavy armor assets for your military when you can nuke your opponents into submission or oblivion.

 

[warstar]

Then it seems we have two contradictory sources, GURPS Interstellar Wars and MT:V&V...

GURPS Traveller Star Merc on pg 25 does mention Vilani military units follow a "square" pattern.
"The Vilani also place great emphasis on teamwork and their military structures lend to follow a "square" pattern (combat units tend to be in fours)."

 

[Condottiere]

You're going to need a brigade equivalent.

If all the officers in a unit are more or less on the same page, you can extend the span of control.

Which arguably is more efficient, until the enemy snipers start taking pot shots.

 

[McPerth]

unless there is another coliver, pretty sure not me as I have no clue about almost anything that deals with the military, real or imagined. Think my only thing on this thread is the shocked (I'm shocked, I tell you) that there are contradictory sources in the Traveller corpus.

Sorry, I meant Condottiere.

I'll edit right now to fix it...

 

[Condottiere]

1. You could reorganize the division into two infantry brigades, nut would require an additional two infantry battalions.

2. One combat support brigade, which we'll assume includes tanks and artillery.

3. One combat service support, for everything else.

 

[Condottiere]

Something was a bit off, so I looked it up.

The last update had nuclear dampers at technological level twelve, so meson weapon systems weren't the only thing that surprised the Vilani.

 

[Condottiere]

Which reminds me.

After I got hold of Field Guide, I tried reverse engineering the advanced combat rifle, and came to the conclusion it's ancient alien [Vilani] technology, which the Terrans copied.

The sum of it's parts are way too cheap.

And couldn't figure out how to achieve that range.

 

[mike wightman]

Or the design system in Field Guide had not been playtested thoroughly or designed to produce outcomes that match existing tech in the first place...

 

[Meteoric Assault]

I wouldn't be surprised about Soviet Union as an inspiration for the Vilani army since the army ranks mirror the ranks of the early Red Army.

You should read the TO&E on the Zhodani it is almost the spitting image of the motor rifle and tank divisions of the red Army in the 80s

 

[warstar]

You should read the TO&E on the Zhodani it is almost the spitting image of the motor rifle and tank divisions of the red Army in the 80s

The only thing I think missing from the Zhodani TO&E compared to the Soviets were an extra tank or rifle regiment depending if the division being a Rifle division or Tank division.

 

[Condottiere]

If we're at Cold War Soviet, the infantry should be mostly mechanized, if not motorized.

At least, in the minds of the Soviet General Staff.

If we take it at face value, I'd say current Russian doctrine, though with trained troops.