The squad is the basic ground force unit. This is where, as they say, the rubber meets the road. If the squad doesn't fight well, the corps or army won't win.
Each infantry squad is composed of eight soldiers, with a sergeant in command. Five of the eight soldiers are armed with laser rifles, two with light rail guns, and one with a missile launcher. The two light rail guns are capable of fully automatic fire, which is useful for keeping opponents' heads down, even if modern armor can stand up to a few slugs. The missile launcher is primarily used to harass and annoy tanks and giant robots, but it can also do double-duty as a "shell cracker" for heavily armored infantry.
A power armor squad is composed of four pilots. While this is only half as many as an infantry squad, the firepower of the armor means that power armor squads have much more firepower than infantry squads, while sacrificing little of the maneuverability of the infantry.
Each infantry and power armor squad also has an IFV attached for transport and fire support, with a two-person crew. The squad leader is the titular commander of the IFV, since it exists to support his or her squad. The crew is officially part of the squad, but they rarely dismount, fighting from the relative safety of their vehicle.
A rocket bike squad is composed of four troopers. Like aircraft, they usually operate as two pairs, each composed of a leader and a wing. Rocket bike troopers consider themselves "true" cavalry, as opposed to the flying robots they work with. To bike troopers, nothing compares to flying along, hanging on the outside of a high-performance aircraft and daring people to shoot at you. While many other soldiers consider cav troopers to be nuts, no one argues with their death-defying antics when they are flying to one's rescue.
Special Operations squads are also eight strong, but they have little in the way of standard equipment. While they are nominally issued the same equipment as a line squad, special operations troops can requisition anything in the Imperium arsenal to help them do their jobs, and they often do just that. While logistics officers groan, commanders realize that they frequently ask special operations to do the impossible or suicidal, so any concession that could increase the odds of mission success is given. Special Operations squads frequently break down on a mission, with individual soldiers or small teams working in concert to accomplish the squad's objective. The fact that most line soldiers wouldn't be caught dead away from their squad mates in a fight is the source of many a special operations joke.
Four squads make up a platoon, with a lieutenant in command and a platoon sergeant second in command added on. This is also the first level where vehicle units come into the game.
An infantry platoon consists of four squads, plus the lieutenant and platoon sergeant. This brings the total strength of an infantry platoon to forty-two soldiers. The lieutenant and sergeant major are attached to one of the line platoons for transport, rather than having their own IFV. The only line troops in the Stellar guard who aren't mechanized are special operations. Power armor troops are also organized along the same lines, with their strength at eighteen, carried in two Stallion IFVs. Power armor are some of the most versatile troops in the Guard, with platoon serving both as heavy support for infantry units and as infantry cover for robot and armored forces.
Armor and robot platoons consist of four units, one commanded by the lieutenant and another by the platoon sergeant. These platoons usually fight as two-vehicle teams of leader and "wingman", with the lieutenant leading one section and the platoon sergeant the other. A robot platoon will be composed of only one type of robot, either Broadswords or Dragoons.
Rocket bike platoons are organized along similar lines, with four squads and the two platoon leaders. Platoons rarely operate together in a coherent fashion, since the high speeds of rocket bike combat preclude complicated operations on the fly. As such, cav lieutenants are usually considered to be just another pilot in the unit. While this is fine for morale most of the time, it can be troublesome when the lieutenant has to carry out his duty as an officer and order his troops to do something that the enlisted troopers don't like.
Special operations platoons are the basic unit for special missions. In many cases, this is the highest special operations force that ever operates together. Special operations platoons are often attached to other units that will be operating independently in highly fluid situations. Thus, companies or battalions on independent postings will often end up with a special operations platoon attached for "unforeseen contingencies." Special operations troops don't like these missions, since they often don't involve any action, and those situations that do happen spring up unexpectedly and negate the detailed planning most special operations units live by. Still, some special operations units relish the opportunity to test their skills in these situations. A unit like this can be a company or battalion commander's best friend.
The company is the largest tactical unit, and is also the smallest unit that operates on its own to any degree. However, since most of the logistical tail for the unit is at the battalion level, company-level operations only happen when a battalion is around, but the battalion has to be in a number of places at once.
An infantry company consists of four platoons, plus two IFVs for the company commander (a captain) and the first lieutenant. However, the two company command officers don't lead platoons, so their IFVs are used to carry supplies for the unit and to carry wounded until proper ambulance evacuation can be arranged. The total strength of an infantry company is 170 combat personnel and 14 IFVs. This is raised on occasion by support personnel being attached directly to the company, but this is rarely the case. Companies are, in general, lean and mean. The tail comes in at battalion.
Power armor companies are organized similarly to infantry companies, with a strength of 106 and 9 IFVs. Power armor companies only operate together when supporting an armored attack. In support of infantry, power armor units are broken down into platoons or squads and mixed in with the infantry.
Armor companies also have four platoons to a company, plus two units for the captain and first lieutenant. This brings a full-strength tank or robot company to eighteen units, with fifty-four to ninety men, depending on vehicle type. While armor and robot companies depend on mobility in operations, they can't get very far from battalion HQ, since battalion has the maintenance units and these companies are even more dependent on logistical support than mechanized infantry. Still, armor companies can cover a great deal of territory before they need resupply, and giant robot units are used primarily to bash through fixed defenses. Only rarely does an opponent have enough defenses in depth to hold up a concerted armored attack long enough for resupply to be a problem.
Unlike most units, cavalry troops are mixed force, with two platoons of flying robots and two platoons of rocket bikes. The troop commander and first lieutenant are robot pilots, so that they can coordinate a fight without trying to fly a rocket bike at the same time. The full strength of a cavalry troop is forty-six, ten Dragoons and thirty-six rocket cycles. The component platoons of a cavalry troop intermingle in combat, with the robots providing fire support and the ability to occupy ground, while the rocket bikes provide quick strike capability and high-speed reactions. Cavalry troops often are assigned to support out-of-the-way units, providing a base with a quick-response force for recon or search and destroy operations.
A special operations company consists of four platoons plus a company command team, for a total of 146 operators. A special operations company is little more than an administrative formality for most operations. However, occasionally an operation is big enough to require a full company or more of special operators to pull off. The aftermath of a company-size special operation is not pleasant to look at, since only very heavily defended targets will call down such firepower.
The battalion is the first level with attached support units. This makes battalions the unit of choice for outposts, since they can support themselves in the field for protracted periods, as long as the supplies keep flowing. Also, battalions in the field often diverge significantly from the models below. Ground Force commanders are expected to improvise when necessary to complete a mission, and this improvisation usually means reorganizing battalions to get the best mix of forces for an operation. Often referred to as task forces or kampfgruppes (a word from an obscure Terran language that means the same thing), as opposed to battalions, these units can include just about any mix of forces the regimental commander orders. This same practice continues at regiment level as well.
An infantry battalion consists of four companies, plus a headquarters company. The headquarters company includes the Major in command of the battalion, plus a four-person staff. One staff officer (S1) is in charge of personnel matters, another (S2) is in charge of intelligence, S3 is in charge of operations and S4 is in charge of logistics. In addition to this staff, the battalion has between fifty and one hundred technical officers in support. This includes medical, communications, mechanical and electrical support for the battalion. The higher numbers represent add-ons from regiment and division for when battalions operate far afield. If battalions will be operating close to regimental and division HQ, then the numbers are smaller. An infantry battalion has a strength of 680 combat soldiers in 65 IFVs (including headquarters units), with a total strength of between 750 and 800.
Power Armor battalions are structured similarly to infantry battalions, with four line companies and a headquarters unit. This bring the total strength up to 424 combat soldiers, with a total strength of 490 to 540, with 42 IFVs. The support for this unit is proportionately more engineers and fewer medics, to take care of the power armor suits. A power armor battalion rarely deploys into battle as a unit, since its primary task is to support other units. This is also the largest power armor unit.
Armor battalions also consist of four companies and a headquarters company. The headquarters company attached to an armored battalion is itself mobile and relatively light, since it needs to follow the hard-charging tanks fairly closely in order to support them. Armor battalions are designed to exploit breaches in enemy lines and to wreak havoc once behind the enemy. The major and his executive officer have tanks assigned to them, bringing the strength of an armor battalion up to 74 tanks, 6 IFVs (headquarters unit), and between 250 and 300 men, including support staff.
Robot battalions are organized similarly to armor battalions. This brings the strength of the battalion to 74 units, 6 IFVS (headquarters), 222 combat crew and between 340 and 390 total personnel. Robot battalions attack to break through an opponent's line of defense and allow the armored units to penetrate the line and exploit the breakthrough. The robot battalions then follow the advance, ready to make another assault against any positions too strong for the tanks to roll over and too important to bypass. Robots work closely with power armor, infantry, and cavalry during these breakthrough attacks, since the opponent often throws all available resources forward to prevent a breakthrough.
Cavalry battalions, called squadrons, have four troops plus a headquarters troop, for a strength of 40 Dragoons, 134 cycles, 184 combat troopers, 5 IFVs (headquarers), and between 240 and 270 total personnel. Cavalry squadrons are leaner than most battalion staffs, in keeping with cavalry tradition. Squadrons range across a wide area during operations, concentrating only against pockets of resistance that they can eliminate. Squadrons are often used to either screen an advance or to reconnoiter ahead of the main force, to find and fix the main enemy units. Squadrons also draw air superiority duty, since the Dragoon and Starhawk are excellent dogfighters. The one thing cavalry squadrons don't do is try to hold territory. The Dragoon is an excellent quick-strike mecha, but it doesn't have the armor or armaments to stand its ground in a position against determined attack. That goes double for the Starhawk, which is a poor substitute for power armor on defense.
Special Operations battalions, called groups, are the largest special operations units. Consisting of four companies plus a headquarters company, the group has a strength of 634 operators. All of the support staff are special operators, making the headquarters unit a dangerous force in its own right. A group is usually deployed to support an army -level operation, but it rarely takes the field at once. Rather, the companies and platoons that comprise the group are dispersed throughout the theater of operations, doing a variety of tasks at once. Only the most vital and heavily defended targets will draw the attention of an entire special operations group.
At regiment level and above, the variety of unit types diminishes considerably. There are only three types of regiments: infantry, armor, and cavalry. These regiments, however, all have considerable flexibility, since all incorporate some form of combined arms. Thus, the reduction in the types of regiments simplifies upper level organization without sacrificing the variety of units that some have called, "the spice of battle." All regiments are commanded by a Colonel. Regiments in the field are often recombined into combined-arms forces called "brigades." A regimental commander will command the brigade where most of his regiment is. In most front-line divisions, the First Brigade is fairly static and consists of units specially trained for assault drop operations.
A line infantry regiment contains three infantry battalions, a power armor battalion and a headquarters unit, for a combat strength of 2,040 infantry, 424 power armor troops, 250 IFVs, and total strength of between 3000 and 3200. Again, regiments operating away from division HQ have more support, which is attached from division, while those operating with the division have less. Infantry regiments are deployed when the enemy is unknown or in difficult terrain, including cities. If the Stellar Guard needs to hold territory, then infantry regiments get the job. The lack of robot or armor support leaves infantry regiments unable to conduct effective offensive operations against heavily fortified enemy units. Some high-ranking officers have proposed modifying some infantry regiments by replacing one infantry battalion with a power armor battalion, thus increasing the firepower of the regiment. However, the increase in support costs has overshadowed this, for the most part. Some regiments, classified as assault infantry, are testing this new configuration in combat. How this will work out is as yet uncertain, since none of the regiments has faced an opponent with enough firepower to really worry about yet.
An armor regiment consists of two armor battalions, one robot battalion and one power armor battalion. A regiment has 74 giant robots, 424 power armor troopers, 75 IFVs, and 148 tanks, for a total combat crew of 1138 and a total strength of between 1550 and 1730 personnel. Armor regiments are deployed when an enemy is dug in and needs to be removed, especially if the enemy is deployed over a considerable expanse of terrain. Armor regiments are designed to break through an enemy line and exploit the breach, thus collapsing the entire enemy position. This form of mobile warfare is the basis for all Stellar Guard doctrine, and thus armor regiments are one of the prime assignments for ambitious officers looking to prove their mettle.
The other choice assignment for the ambitious and daring is the cavalry regiment. Composed of four cavalry squadrons and a headquarters squadron, the regiment fields 120 Dragoons, 536 cycles, 35 IFVs, 736 combat personnel and between 1260 and 1300 total personnel. The regiment is the largest pure cavalry organization, although some have argued for a cavalry division. However, cav units are still rather specialized, and divisions have to deploy independently too much for a cavalry division to be of much use. Cavalry regiments do basically the same things that squadrons do, only over a larger area. Occasionally, cavalry regiments will assist breakthrough operations with armored forces or conduct them on their own. While cavalry units can cover much more ground than armored forces, they can't hold out for long if hit by a serious counterattack. Thus, such operations are only carried out if the higher commanders are desperate or believe that the foe is unable to mount such a counterattack.
Some mecha force officers have argued for the creation of a mecha regiment, with one or two battalions of robots supported by power armor, without any vehicular or infantry units. The regiment has considerable combat power, but it lacks the ability to penetrate enemy lines quickly and the large number of mecha would be a maintenance nightmare. Some armies have been given permission from the Stellar Guard High Command to experiment with such regiments, but the regiments are still forming and training, and are not yet ready for deployment.
There are two basic types of Guard divisions: infantry and armor. While there are occasional variations on the theme, the two divisional organizations are balanced, combined arms forces capable of doing a wide range of tasks, although each is slightly better at certain things. The two experimental regiment types mentioned above (assault infantry and mecha) can work with either infantry or armor divisions. The experimental regiments provide more firepower and offensive ability to a division, at the cost of some staying power. To some officers, Guard doctrine makes such a tradeoff acceptable, maybe even desirable. Line Generals command divisions.
An infantry division has two infantry regiments, one armor regiment and one cavalry regiment, plus a headquarters unit, for a line strength of 4,080 infantry, 1,272 power armor, 148 tanks, 74 giant robots, 610 IFVs, and 736 cavalry troopers. With support elements, the division is 10,000 strong. Even with all regiments dispersed, the division headquarters retains a strong support force. Infantry divisions tend to be deployed in areas where the opposition is primarily in rough terrain, employs guerilla tactics, or where the mission is primarily defensive. While the last is rare, it does occur. The armor and cavalry regiments give the division commander the opportunity to conduct limited offensive operations, even with an infantry division. Infantry divisions are the most common division.
Armored divisions have two armor regiments, one infantry regiment and one cavalry regiment, plus headquarters. This brings the division's strength to 296 tanks, 148 giant robots, 1272 power armor, 435 IFVs, 736 cavalry troopers and 2040 infantry. Support elements bring the division's strength to 9,000. Armor divisions are deployed against know enemy positions, since they don't have the infantry strength to hold territory. Once an enemy position is known, the division goes in and smashes the enemy. With the firepower of the division, no other outcome is really open.
The organizations above Division are fairly simple: with only two types of divisions, how complex can they be? Corps are composed of four divisions, plus a command staff, led by a Major General. Usually, a corps has one or two armored divisions, with the rest infantry. If a corps has more than two armored divisions, it is designated an armored corps. Armored corps are rare, usually formed only when an entire army is active on a single planet's surface.
A corps is the standard strategic unit. A transport task force is designed to carry a corps, plus attendant supplies. Few enemies can stand up to a corps dropping on their planet, and those that can merit the full attention of an Army or Army Group.
Corps draw their divisions from their Army. A standard Army consists of four Corps headquarters, six armored divisions and ten infantry divisions. The Army commander, a General, parcels out those divisions as needed to the various Corps. Most Armies are never on one planet at one time. Instead, they are spread across space.
An Army Group is primarily an organizational tool, used to group the Armies in a given sector. An Army Group commander is a Field Marshall. Only in the most desperate situations does an entire Army Group take the field on a given planet. In many sectors, an Army Group is the sum total of all Stellar Guard Ground Forces for the sector. Army Groups have between two and four armies under them.
A System Army is a bit of a misnomer-only the Terra system has an entire System Army there. Otherwise, this is the Ground Force command for all forces in a sector. A System General commands the force, although oversees might be a better term. A system Army contains between two and four army groups, with more possible if a sector is involved in a major war.