L'Armée d'Aurore

Introduction

The Armée d'Aurore is the unified defence command structure for the colonial world of Aurore. This world has long been the front-line of the Kafer War, assaulted first in April of 2298 the world has had a long and bitter fight. The Ukrainian colony was overrun, Tanstaafl badly pressed and even the might of the French Empire could only just hold onto Aurore Français. Nevertheless humanity fought on, slowly reducing the Kafer presence, although Novoya Kiyev is still occupied. The Armée d'Aurore: French, Tanstaaflians and Ukrainians reinforced with troops from other nations is the most battle hardened counter-Kafer force humanity possesses. It is still contesting the surface of Aurore, yet may provide a spearhead for assaults against the Kafers in their own back yard.

Narrative

Caporal-Chef Reynolds of the 2e REC stood in the open away from his camouflaged and entrenched AC-12. He glanced at his watch, it was nearly 3 hours since the bombardment had started. From the low hill south of the Cité d'Aurore he watched the kinetic kill weapons lash down onto the city and its suburbs. The return fire from the ASAT defences was slackening off, the last volley of missiles had risen over 15 minutes ago and the burning wreckage of a fighter aircraft fluttered down from the upper atmosphere.

The CAF had been dispersed to its combat positions since the start of the latest Kafer push a week earlier. The deep patrols in the Bled had reported a massing of the Remnants, they were on their last legs but still organised enough to play a role in the next invasion of Aurore. Now the assault they all feared was on the verge of occurring. The last time Aurore had been defended by the Milice and a handful of regular soldiers. This time they were an entire multi-national army of veteran troops. However they expected that the Kafers had also moved on, the clash would be spectacular and very dangerous.

Reynolds drew on his cigarette. He'd been fighting on Aurore now for nearly 3 years. 2e REC, unlike the Métropolitaine units, had not been rotated off-world and was exceptionally experienced in fighting the aliens. Reynolds didn't resent the service politics that kept them in action; he'd joined the Légion to fight in the war with Germany, deserting his staid British regiment of Hussars. He had no complaints about killing these aliens, he was a légionnaire after all.

The light show changed, the darkening sky glowing with the bow shock of a wave of heavy assault landers beginning their descent. He tossed the cigarette away and strode back to the AC-12, already data would be flowing in through the array of subterranean comms cables that criss-crossed Aurore Français. The AC-12 roared into life as he settled into the command chair, they would soon be racing to assault the nearest Drop Zone.

Index

Brief History
Order of Battle
Armée d'Aurore
14e Corps (Corps d'Aurore Français)
Tanstaafl Defence Force
Novoya Kiyev Military District
Force Aérienne d'Aurore
Personalities

Brief History

Colonial Defence

Aurore, with its three colonies has been armed for self-defence since it was first settled by humans. The Ukrainian colony conscripted its citizens for two years into a paramilitary and civil defence organisation and in 2295 no fewer than 35000 citizens became eligible for service every year. Tanstaafl created its own Regional Defence Paramilitary Militia on independence as a guarantor of her sovereignty, although by 2297 it was relatively poorly trained and equipped and suffered from the institutional corruption that blighted much of the colony's public life. Lastly the French had a small regular garrison of Légion Étrangère and Coloniale troops bolstered by a well trained militia force revamped after the wars with Germany and Manchuria.

Where the colonies fell down was in the lack of mutual co-operation as most defence contingency planning was focused on the possible actions of each other. Tanstaafl in particular was concerned about maintaining full control over all her internal and external affairs and formed links with the German Kolonie Zwei in the nearby Hochbaden system, something that aroused the suspicion of the French. The Ukrainians maintained better relations with the French but due to their geographical isolation saw little need for close ties.

Kafer Assault

When the Kafer attack on the surface came on 29 April 2298 the colonies were not taken completely unawares. The French, acutely aware of the problems at Arcturus, had bolstered their garrison and increased readiness and local supply levels. The Ukrainians and Tanstaaflians had less notice but were still able to fully mobilise when the Kafers first entered the system with hostile intent at the start of April. However the massive Kafer bombardment from orbit which lasted three weeks caused untold damage to the colonies and killed thousands of colonists. This forced many of the troops into disaster relief operations.

Ironically it was the well prepared Ukrainians who took the brunt of the initial attacks and the Ochrona was destroyed in battle at Novoya Kiyev and Stavyansk, with the Kafers launching a pitiless pursuit of the broken force. Aurore Français fared better with her forces engaging the smaller Kafer landing force in a war of manoeuvre away from her main cities. The Tanstaaflians were fortunate to engage the smallest landing force but still struggled to survive. The stalwart but poorly prepared militia were forced to fight from fixed positions and only the aid of a German marine kampfgruppe and the use of nuclear weapons saved the colony.

When the human space forces returned in July to defeat the Kafers they brought with them substantial reinforcements including an ad-hoc French division from the colonies, which was soon joined by another from the core. It soon became obvious that there were too many forces present for the existing command arrangements and early in 2299 a corps HQ was established originally as the Corps d'Aurore Français but soon numbered as the 14e Corps. The French system soon became a very efficient one and while operations against the Kafers guerrillas or 'remnants' continued the French had clearly regained the initiative.

The Ukrainians had more serious problems as they lacked a colonial response force anything like as capable as that of the French, but a regiment of troops was soon dispatched an infiltrated into the colony by sea. However the resistance in Novoya Kiyev was very much in the hands of local guerrillas of the Novoa Ochrona and the limited aid the Ukrainian government could get through to them. Tanstaafl started hiring large numbers of mercenary soldiers for its Tanstaafl Free Legion, initially to train the militia but also increasingly as combat troops. Combined with the militia these started to peg back the Kafer force but lacked the combat power to do much more than contain them without the aid of the French.

Help was also forthcoming from other nations, in the form of equipment, training teams and fighting troops. Most high profile of these were the Germans, but several other nations were also involved. By the end of 2300 the last major combat force operating in the west was destroyed by a joint operation on either side of La Gouffre. Yet problems of large numbers of remnants in addition to the still occupied Novoya Kiyev remained. Added to this was the concern about a renewed Kafer offensive and fresh landings on Aurore.

By now all of the colonial authorities were well aware of the need for a co-ordinating body for the defence of Aurore. Indeed an unofficial committee had been fulfilling such a role for sometime, but finally the political mood in Tanstaafl was ready to accept a formally organised body. This was to be a multinational, inevitably French dominated force, known as the Armée d'Aurore. The Ukrainians felt they had little choice but to come under the French umbrella as they would need French resources if they were ever to liberate Novoya Kiyev. The Tanstaaflians signed up only after a serious internal debate was eventually settled by the support of the military.

Armée d'Aurore

The Armée d'Aurore was created in January 2301. The core of the Armée was to be provided by the 14e Corps but it was to also include the Tanstaafl Defence Force and the Ukrainian Novoya Kiyev Military District. These two forces would come under strategic Armée d'Aurore control but be responsible for their own administration. Both these contingents are able to 'red card' any order from the Armée they find unacceptable for national political reasons.

From June 2301 to January 2302 the Armée was an almost constant state of alert as the Kafer invasion bypassed and surrounded Eta Bootis. Counter-invasion plans were prepared and exercises undertaken in addition to the diminishing counter-Kafer operations in Aurore Français and Tanstaafl. Plans for large scale operations against Novoya Kiyev fell by the wayside as resources were concentrated on the survival of the western colonies.

On 15 January 2302 the Kafers finally returned in force above Aurore. A three hour bombardment proceeded the first waves of landers dropping from orbit. But then the human fleet under Borodin launched an attack on the vulnerable Kafer warships inflicting a severe defeat. However the vanguard of the Kafer force was already on the ground and marrying up with the much reduced remnants of the initial invasion in the west. On Novoya Kiyev reinforcements and supplies were landed to bolster the situation there.

The Armée responded with well rehearsed alacrity. 14e Corps massed and struck the enemy to the east of Lumière d'Aube, rapidly throwing them onto the defensive. A further three days fighting completed the victory but the wily remnants were able to escape with many of the new arrivals. In Tanstaafl the fighting was longer and with heavier human casualties but the outcome the same, with the Kafers retreating into the broadtop south of Tanstaafl City. A renewed counter-Kafer campaign was launched in both colonies which still continues.

The final defeat of the Kafer fleet at Beowulf and the launch of the Liberation eventually brought respite to Aurore. New contingents of troops were brought into replace and reinforce the garrison. Especially noticeable was the influx of fresh Ukrainians and their Polish allies. American Marines were also arriving to support Tanstaafl.

Aurore is now a formidable redoubt, massively better defended than when first attacked in 2298. A fact recognised by the Kafer bypass of the planet in the early days of the Invasion. The world and its Armée may yet be used as a springboard for further action deeper into Kafer space, or it may be called upon to defend the Kafer War's Verdun.

INDEX

Order of Battle, 2303

Armée d'Aurore

Troupes d'Armée d'Aurore

14e Corps

102e Division Aéromobile
22e Division de Marche Métropolitaine
1e Division de Marche Coloniale
208e Division d'Infanterie
214e Division d'Infanterie

Tanstaafl Defence Force

Tanstaafl Free Legion
Tanstaafl Regional Defence Paramilitary Militia
1st US Marine Brigade
Kampfgruppe Hochbaden

Ukrainian Expeditionary Force

66th Rifle Division
23rd Assault Landing Brigade
16th Motor Rifle Brigade
7th 'Lujcyka' Naval Assault Division (Poland)

Force Aérienne d' Aurore

Zone Aérienne de Défense Orbitale d'Aurore
Commandement Aérienne Tactique

INDEX

Armée d'Aurore

The Armée d'Aurore is headquartered in the Cité d'Aurore, the capital of Aurore Français. It is commanded by Général d'Armée Pascal Lassan, a veteran Légion Étrangère general. He has two deputies, a Ukrainian General-Mayor and a Tanstaaflian Colonel. The bulk of his small HQ is French, but with a noticeable Ukrainian contingent. Tanstaafl is under-represented at present but several of the more able Tanstaaflian militia officers have been sent to the Ecole de Guerre Coloniale on Nouvelle Europe and will take up positions in the HQ on their return.

The Armée is composed of three main components from the main nations, French, Tanstaafl and Ukraine. A major omission is the Novoya Kiyevian partisans of the Novoa Ochrona who refuse to acknowledge the Armée's command although an Ochrona observer is present at the Armée HQ. It also co-ordinates the mainly French air and ASAT assets deployed on-planet. In total it is responsible for over 80 000 soldiers, airmen and a few sailors under arms.

Aurore is also host to a fluctuating number of foreign units that are usually subordinated to other forces. The Armée directly controls only a small number of forces of a strategic nature. Général Lassan keeps close links with the star forces located in the Eta Bootis system. He sometimes falls prey to the politics surrounding the MSIF's distrust of the Ukrainian Admiral Borodin's command of the Eta Bootis Fleet. However Lassan himself has good relations with Borodin.

Troupes d'Armée d'Aurore

The Army has a number of units directly subordinate to it. These are usually French units as specialist troops from other nations usually report direct to their own contingents. These forces include a recently organised dedicated special forces formation, a CW battalion, a heavy tank battalion and a penal battalion of 'Joyeaux'. Other elements include heavy strategic artillery. These formations can be committed to any formation or operation within the Armée but still answer ultimately to Général Lassan. The commitment of any of these units will generally be part of any operational main effort.

12e Régiment de Choc (12e CHOC) (SF)
1e Régiment Blindé Coloniale (1e RBC) (ground tank)
II/1e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (II/1e RIMa) (CW)
3e Bataillon d'Afrique (3e Bat d'Af) (inf)

14e Corps (Corps d' Aurore Français)

The 14e Corps has been in existence since 2299 to co-ordinate the defence of the French colony. Originally an ad-hoc force it has grown into a permanent and highly professional body. It used to control a mixture of forces drawn from across French territories and included units seconded from the Armée de Manoeuvre on Earth. Today only a small force of Metropolitan Army troops are present, most are colonial or locally raised militia forces.

More commonly referred to as the 'CAF', 14e Corps is the 'big stick' of the Armée, and can be used to reinforce other parts of Aurore when required. The 14e Corps has just over 30 000 personnel. It is the most professional, cohesive and well equipped of the ground components of the Armée.

102e Division Aéromobile

102e DAM is the Corps' fireforce. Composed of crack light infantry battalions it is kept on high levels of readiness to respond to Kafer assaults in Aurore Français or elsewhere. 102e DAM is a small, 'African' style formation and is the only French formation to have taken part in operations in Novoa Kiyev. It also frequently has elite foreign units attached to it and has been involved in joint training and operations with Tanstaaflian airmobile and commando units.

II/4e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutiste (II/4e RCP)
I/1e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie (I/1e REI)
I/5e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie (I/5e REI)
I/8e Régiment d' Infanterie Coloniale (I/8e RIC)

22e Division de Marche Métropolitaine

The 22e DMM is a permanent force manned by regiments and battalions drawn from French Core worlds. The division is a standing formation to avoid the problems of rotation experienced earlier in the campaign. 22e DMM is a polyglot of European, African and Néo-Provençal French units and is a visible symbol of France's commitment to the colony. The division is organised as a conventional DM. It should be noted that the 1e RCC is the senior Nouvelle Provençal cavalry regiment, and hence a metropolitan unit, but retains its old Coloniale nomenclature.

3e Régiment de Chasseurs (3e RCh) (recce)
1e Régiment de Cavalerie Coloniale (1e RBT) (armd)
11e Chasseurs d'Afrique (11e ChA) (armd)
27e Régiment d'Aero-Cuirassiers de Tirane (27e RBT) (armd)
1e Régiment de Grenadiers (1e RGB) (inf)
3e Régiment de Tirailleurs Sénégalaise (3e RTS) (inf)
5e Régiment de Tirailleurs de Katanga (5e RTK)(inf)

1e Division de Marche Coloniale

1e DMC was formed late in 2300 to replace one of the Métropolitaine DM's previously deployed to Aurore. The 1e DMC was completely re-equipped with modern French equipment, such as AC-12bis and ACVI-4s and has excellent combat power and is the strongest unit on Aurore. Its component units are drawn from Coloniale, Légion and Marine units. It also contains some newly organised Auroran colonial units drawn from the cream of the militia but regularised under the auspices of the Coloniale.

1e Régiment de Cavalerie d'Aurore (1e RCA) (recce)
Régiment de Cavalerie de Marche d' Aurore (RCMA) (armd)
2e Regiment Étranger de Cavalerie (2e REC) (armd)
4e Régiment de Cavalerie Coloniale (4e RCC) (armd)
I/13e Demi-Brigade de la Légion Étrangère (I/13e DBLE) (inf)
I/12e Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale 'Vedettes' (I/12e RIC) (inf)
III/12e Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale 'Vedettes' (III/12e RIC) (inf)

208e Division d'Infanterie

The 208e DI is the territorial division based in the area around Lumière d' Aube. It's militiamen saw heavy fighting in 2298 and were largely responsible for the survival of the colony. With the reduction of the Kafer threat these units are now on reduced readiness, typically with soldiers serving 1/3 of each Auroran day on security or patrol duty. The division has received much 'hand-me-down' equipment as the other units of the Corps have re-equipped.

2e Régiment de Cavalerie d'Aurore (2e RCA)
I/1e Régiment des Vedettes d'Aurore (I/1e RVA)
III/1e Régiment des Vedettes d'Aurore (III/1e RVA)
II/1e Régiment de Tirailleurs d'Aurore (II/1e RTAu)
III/1e Régiment de Tirailleurs d'Aurore (III/1e RTAu)
IV/1e Régiment de Ligne d'Aurore (IV/1e RLA)

214e Division d'Infanterie

The 214e DI is the sister division of the 208e DI, based around the Cité d'Aurore. The division is seen as a reserve force and has a much lower routine patrolling burden than the 208e DI. However battalions are routinely dispatched to hot spots across Aurore Français when trouble arises.

3e Régiment de Cavalerie d'Aurore (3e RCA)
II/1e Régiment des Vedettes d'Aurore (II/1e RVA)
I/1e Régiment de Tirailleurs d'Aurore (I/1e RTAu)
I/1e Régiment de Ligne d'Aurore (I/1e RLA)
II/1e Régiment de Ligne d'Aurore (II/1e RLA)
III/1e Régiment de Ligne d'Aurore (III/1e RLA)
I/1e Régiment des Réservistes d'Aurore (I/1e RRA)

Tanstaafl Defence Force

The small independent colony of Tanstaafl has faced a severe struggle to survive, and has only done so through the largesse of larger nations such as America, Germany and Texas. However the spirit of the local population combined with the skill of the mercenary TFL should not be overlooked. The pluck of the Tanstaaflians has brought many human nations into the Kafer War who would have otherwise turned their back on 'France's Problem.'

The TDF is an infantry-heavy division sized formation. The backbone of the force are the part-time battalion sized Militia Regiments. However the mercenary Free Legion and the foreign regulars from Texas and America (under the command of the 1st US Marine Brigade) as well as a small German force provide much of the fighting power. The force also lacks much in the way of artillery and other combat support and rarely acts as an entire formation but more often in ad-hoc columns or Task Forces. The Tanstaafl part of the force is around 14 000 strong.

Overall the TDF has a strong reputation for its stalwart resistance against the Kafers. However it is incapable of large scale co-ordinated operations and is administratively and logistically weak. In addition there is strong ill-feeling between the military and civilian leadership.

Tanstaafl Free Legion

The TFL is the mercenary cornerstone of Tanstaafl's defences. Manned by a mixture of off-worlders and natives it is one of humanity's most famous fighting forces. It comprises over twenty company sized units, most of which operate under the command of one of three regional HQs. There are also a number of independent Commandos which provide rapid reaction forces, including the famous Ramrods, across Tanstaafl.

Central Region HQ
Northern Region HQ
Southern Region HQ

Tanstaafl Regional Defence Paramilitary Militia

The Tanstaafl RDPM comprises the Tanstaafl militia and police forces. It was the RDPM who bore the brunt of the early fighting against the Kafers and still provide the bulk of the colony's fighting forces. The force is organised into company groups which come under the command of regional Regimental HQs. Most of the Militia are part-timers who can be called out at short notice, however there are also Commandos assigned to each regiment who are held at higher readiness.

1st Militia Regiment
2nd Militia Regiment
3rd Militia Regiment
4th Militia Regiment
5th Militia Regiment
6th Militia Regiment

1st US Marine Brigade

The 1st US Marine Brigade is the main USMC combat force on the French Arm which saw significant action in both the invasion and liberation of Kimanjano. Most of its component battalions have been assigned to independent Marine Interface Units and for its service on Aurore it has been reinforced by US Army and Texan formations. The brigade is used as a reserve for the TDF but its battalions are often deployed to areas of the colony under threat. The brigade is never used simply to hold ground, rather to operate against Kafer formations.

1-6th Marines
Troop L, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, US Army
Task Force Alamo, Republic of Texas Army

Kampfgruppe Hochbaden

Kampfgruppe Hochbaden is a tragic remnant of a once thriving colony. A company strength light infantry force drawn from the garrison of Kolonie Zwei deployed to Tanstaafl it avoided the destruction of the colony by its presence on Aurore. Already a highly trained force the Kampfgruppe is implacable in its hatred of the Kafers and fights with a steely fanaticism. Operationally it is frequently linked with the marines of the Bismarck and Guderian when they are deployed on Aurore or more usually it has an independent role. There is much debate in the German high command as to the fate of the Kampfgruppe.

1 Kompanie, Jäger Bataillon 342

Novoya Kiyev Military District

The Novoya Kiyev Military District, sometimes referred to as the Ukrainian Expeditionary Force, is the Cinderella of the Armée. The isolation of Novoya Kiyev and the paucity of naval, air or interface assault capability has limited the capability of the Ukraine to reinforce its forces fighting a bitter guerrilla war in the colony. To make things worse many of the guerrillas now refuse to recognise the authority of the Ukrainian commander General Dovhan and relations between Ukrainian regulars and the Aurore-born partisans are at a very low ebb.

French support for the NKMD has been limited to logistics and some raiding units, the large scale use of French ground forces is seen as unlikely. However the Polish have recently done a deal to back up the Ukrainians with their naval assault specialists in return for a future stake in the colony. The Ukrainian and Polish commanders have been planning a spectacular return to the colony in the coming months and have secured vital French and American assets to aid them. It is expected that the forces assigned to the NKMD will undergo a significant re-organisation to produce the required Task Organisation for the forthcoming operations.

Currently the bulk of the NKMD is deployed at bases on the western coast of Aurore Français around Port d'Or with the remainder near Port Loubert. Elements of it have been attached to the 14e Corps to maintain their skills and gain experience against the Kafers. The total force includes some 25 000 Ukrainian and Polish soldiers. The NKVD has a Ukrainian division, two independent Ukrainian Brigades and a Polish division under command. It directly controls a composite battalion of Ukrainian and Polish special forces.

1st Allied Special Operations Battalion (Provisional)

66th Rifle Division

The 66th Rifle Division is the main element of the regular Ukrainian Army deployed with the NKMD. When the Kafers invaded Novoya Kiyev colonial defence was in the hands of the Ochrona and a few marines from the space naval squadron. The Ukrainian Army concentrated on defending the territory of Ukraine proper and was composed almost entirely of Tank and Motor Rifle divisions. In the aftermath of the loss of Novoya Kiyev the 66th Division was converted to the dismounted infantry role, with the first regiment converted dispatched to Aurore as soon as possible and was subsequently infiltrated into Novoya Kiyev. The remainder of the division has taken much longer to arrive, being cut off first by the invasion and then by the scarcity of Ukrainian starlift. Elements have been arriving since the autumn of 2302.

The division includes one semi-independent mechanised brigade and two light role rifle regiments. It also has the full range of supporting arms. Except for the 15th Brigade the division is lightly equipped, well balanced for operations in the swamps or streets of the colony but less prepared for a mobile manoeuvre battle.

26th Reconnaissance Battalion
4th Rifle Regiment (deployed Novoya Kiyev)
200th Mountain Regiment
15th Enavieko-Dunaiska Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade (-)

23rd Assault Landing Brigade

The 23rd Assault Landing Brigade is the elite of the NKMD. The 'desantniki' are well up to the standards of other nation's crack airborne forces. Newly arrived on Aurore they are lightly equipped and superbly trained, the desantniki but lack only for the assault capacity to deploy them into Novoa Kiyev. General Dovhan, however has been in discussions with his allies to obtain this capability if only for a short time period.

230th Airmobile Rifle Battalion
423rd Airmobile Rifle Battalion
23rd Independent Tank Company

16th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade (-)

The 16th Brigade is the last component of the 66th Division to be deployed and it is still in transit along the French Arm. The chronic shortage of Ukrainian starlift continues to hamper their efforts to recover their colony. Although a part of the 66th Division it is expected that the brigade will have an independent role directly under General Dovhan.

7th Lujcyka Naval Assault Division

The 7th Naval Assault Division is Poland's premier amphibious formation. It has trained for generations using hover AFVs on the Baltic to turn the flanks of any enemy and is highly skilled in such operations. The division has deployed to Aurore to aid the Ukrainian effort to recover their colony and it is assumed any plans will make use of their unique skills. The division is complete with its HQ and division troops but has only one of its Battle Groups present, however it has been reinforced by a Battle Group from the 6th Air Assault Division.

Divisional HQ
7th Attack Regiment
4th Lusatian Uhlans (Reconnaissance)
Battle Group 'Jan Sobieski'
I Battalion, 34th Assault Regiment
II Battalion, 34th Assault Regiment
10th 'Skorpion' Hussars
Battle Group 'Piotrowski,' 6th Czestochowa Air Assault Division
III Battalion, 6th Parachute Regiment
IV Battalion, 6th Parachute Regiment

Force Aérienne d'Aurore

As well as the ground forces the Armée also has a co-ordinating role over air defence and air support which is provided by the almost entirely French Force Aérienne d'Aurore or FAA. The FAA is manned and supplied by the French air force the Armée de l'Air and has two elements; the ground based air defence/ASAT controlling ZADOA and the aircraft of the Commandement Aérien Tactique. It should be noted that much of the Armée's tactical airlift capability is organic to ground force units.

Zone Aérienne de Défense Orbitale d' Aurore

The ZADOA is a combination of mobile SAM and ASAT systems from the Armée de l'Air that provides air and orbital defence for Aurore Français. Neither Tanstaafl nor the Ukrainians have the resources to contribute to these defences, although some ZADOA assets are deployed south of le Gouffre giving rudimentary protection to Tanstaafl City. Atmospheric condition and communications difficulties hamper the effectiveness of the ZADOA a problem that has been slowly eased with the installation of landline to supplement the microwave network.

The ZADOA has been called into action on several occasions including most successfully co-operating with Borodin's 15th January attack on the Kafers deploying landers in Aurore orbit. Each EDSA is equipped with eight mobile Aero-27 missile systems. Each EDCO has four ASAT launchers.

Air Defence

EDSA 2/950 (Cité d' Aurore)
EDSA 4/952 (Tanstaafl City)
EDSA 6/952 (Lumière d' Aube)
EDSA 7/952 (Cite d' Aurore)

ASAT

EDCO 3/951 (Cité d' Aurore)
EDCO 1/955 (Lumière d' Aube)
EDCO 4/955 (Tanstaafl City) #9;

Commandement Aérien Tactique d'Aurore

The CATA commands the bulk of Aurore's airpower. This has been slowly built up since the first invasion and heavily reinforced since the Battle of Beowulf. The Snapfire menace is one that has largely been overcome but can still pose a threat to aircraft delivering close air support. The CATA is composed mainly of robust multi-role aircraft, mostly from the Armée de l'Air but also has administrative control of squadrons from Tanstaafl and Ukraine.

135e Escadre de Chasse

EC 1/135 'Aurore Français' - Strike - (15)
EC 2/135 'Pays du Lac' - Recce/Fighter - (15)
EC 3/135 'Calanques' - Strike - (15)
EC 2/30 'Normandie-Niemen' - Fighter - (15)

191e Escadre Stratégique

EB 1/191 - recce/bomber - (12)
EDA 2/191 - AEW - (6)
ERV 3/191 - Drone AAR - (6)

192e Escadre de Transport

ET 1/192 - tactical transport - (20)
ET 2/192 - strategic transport - (8)

61st Noyova Kiyev Air Regiment, Ukraine Air Force

Fighter/strike - (24)
Strategic transport - (12)

Tanstaafl Air Group

Air Squadron, Tanstaafl Free Legion - Strike - (7)
VMFA-231, US Marine Corps - Fighter/Strike - (12)

INDEX

Personalities

Général d'Armée Pascale Lassan
Commander Armée d'Aurore

Pascal Lassan is the commander of the Armée d'Aurore and the senior military figure on the planet. He comes from a European family with a long and proud tradition of service in the military. He is a graduate of St Cyr and has served most of his career with the Légion Étrangère. He served several tours in the Central Asian War but was serving on Beta Canum during the war with Germany.

Lassan was a tacit but not passionate supporter of the Junta believing that the French Army was the soul of France. Although increasingly disillusioned with the antics of the Junta he did little to oppose them deciding not to rock the boat. Professionally he has a reputation as a martinet, a bon vivant and as a soldier of no little moral and physical courage. He has sometimes struggled with the collegiate nature of the Armée d'Aurore but has done his best to impose his own standards upon it. He is also not above bullying his subordinate commanders or applying pressure to politicians, especially Governor Deschanel.

Lassan is a bluff but not unsophisticated man. He has brought his family and four children to live in his Cité d'Aurore villa as an outward sign of his confidence in the survival of Aurore. He regularly holds court here for a range of dignitaries and people of influence.

Général de Corps d'Armée Jean-Franck Sellal
Commander 14e Corps

Jean-Franck Sellal is the commander of the 14e Corps. He is of mixed Franco-Algerian parentage and grew up in one of the poor northern suburbs of Paris. Something of a rarity in the higher echelons of the modern French Army, Sellal started as a conscript soldat in the 9e Zouaves and worked his way up. Sellal had a very good war in Central Asia commanding conscript units which performed well above average. He then commanded the 41e Division d'Infanterie in the Rhineland against Germany. An opponent of the Junta and enthusiastic supporter of Ruffin and the Empire he has been promoted to command the 14e Corps.

The now portly Sellal is a relaxed and easy going commander who excels in bolstering the morale of troops. He is very popular with the Aurorans in the army and respected by the other soldiers. However many of officers see him as an under-achieving amateur, promoted through his political links who should have a better 'grip' on his Corps. Général Lassan is more than happy with his performance and Sallal is far the novice strategist his opponents make out. He is married to the daughter of a wealthy Algerian industrialist and has several children who have remained on Earth.

General Aleksandr Dovhan
Commander Novoya Kiyev Military District

Aleksandr Dovhan is the commander of the Ukrainian contingent, known as the Novoya Kiyev Military District, although Dovhan has yet to step foot on the colony. Dovhan is a professional commander with a background in armour and mechanised infantry. He rose to prominence commanding Ukrainian contingents in the Central Asian War. He has reached the pinnacle of the Ukrainian military having previously served as the Chief of General Staff but been brought out of semi-retirement to lead the previously lacklustre Ukrainian effort on Aurore.

Dovhan is politically, bureaucratically and diplomatically adept and maintains good relations with the other senior commanders of the Armée. He has clashed repeatedly with the partisan commanders of the Novoa Ochrona however and this ardent nationalist distrusts their motives. He has been working hard to bring together assets required for the liberation of Noyova Kiyev and has very good relations with his Polish counterpart. Dovhan is widowed with two sons, one of whom is an officer serving with the 4th Rifle Regiment.

Brigadier-General Abel Schuster-Brisman
Commander Tanstaafl Defence Force

Abel Schuster-Brisman is the commander of the Tanstaafl Defence Force, although the First Citizen is also nominally Commander-in-Chief. A scion of an influential Tanstaafl extended family of Bavarian-Texan origin, he is a political appointee to the position. Shuster-Brisman combined working in the family firm with service in the Militia, with whom he rose swiftly thanks in part to the extra finances he brought to his unit. Before the war he had a reputation as a dilettante more interested in wearing his uniform to parties than soldiering, a not uncommon attitude in the militia at the time. During the invasion he commanded the 1st Militia Regiment raised from Tanstaafl City and by all accounts was fortunate, thanks largely to Major Heilbronn his very competent ex-Bavarian Army deputy commander, not to lead his men into disaster.

Political pressure from civilians and military alike forced the formation of the TDF to co-ordinate the TFL and TRPDM and remove day-to-day command from the hands of the First Citizen. Schuster-Brisman, an ally of the First Citizen, was promoted to fill the position much to the chagrin of the more professional Tanstaaflian officers. Since then Schuster-Brisman has proved relatively adept at keeping the TDF running, mainly by letting his commanders get on with the job without too much interference. However he has been actively feathering his own nest and those of his associates and corruption in procurement and supply is rampant. Général Lassan despairs of Schuster-Brisman's antics and instead prefers to deal with Heilbronn who is now a Colonel and the Tanstaaflian Deputy Commander of the Armée.

Schuster-Brisman is tall, good looking and by far the youngest of the senior commanders. He likes the good things in life and knows how to run an business organisation, however he is entirely lacking in military leadership and knowledge of staff procedures. He is married with three children and is carrying on a range of indiscreet affairs across Aurore's major cities.

INDEX


5 July 2003

Copyright D Hebditch and James Boschma, 2003

Thanks to Laurent Esmiol and David Gillon for feedback and to Laurent for French corrections!