OOC Writer Account
Ryksmacht War Flag and Naval Ensign.
Source (x)
"And then climbs up the slender mast. Is our flag, there it waves red as blood." -Ryksmacht Naval Shanty.
- Intent: Flesh out the unified armed forces of the Grutter Norr Ryk, identifying their hierarchy structure and the typical responsibilities of each rank. The goals of the organisation, some of its customs and internal rules/laws.
- Image Credit: Source.
- Canon: N/A.
- Permissions: N/A.
- Links: Grutter Norr Ryk, Kabal IV - Frysk, Nórrmen | Homo Sapiens Augeus.
- Organization Name: Ryksmacht (Norr: Realm Forces).
- Classification: Armed Forces - State Military.
- Affiliation: Grutter Norr Ryk.
- Organization Symbol: The Ryksmacht's War Flag and Naval Ensign consists of a left-of-centre black barbed sword laid on a horizontal white cross that rises from a stem that tapers into an arrowhead; its' barbs reach along the blade's length. The sword is laid over an ancient Norr rune with a loose modern translation of "the unconquerable". The bone-white horizontal cross contains black bolting, and a crimson-red field surrounds the horizontal black cross. In the War flag, the charcoal black represents servitude; the white represents the unity resulting from service, borne of the bloody crimson battles fought for the Ryk. The cross shape comes from a traditional practice continuing to this day where the Ryksmacht crucifies pirates and criminals in their bases and homes on a horizontal cross before raising it into a vertical position.
- Description: The Ryksmacht are the unified armed forces of the Grutter Norr Ryk. 'Ryksmacht' translates loosely to "Realm Forces" or "State Forces" in Galactic Basic Standard. The Ryksmacht forms the beating heart of the Ryk's society and politics, military life is deeply ingrained into the society, and many members of the judiciary, legislature, and executive are reserve members of the Ryksmacht. Full-time service for such persons is prohibited by law to retain 'civil' control of the Ryksmacht. As a result, the Ryk is often characterised as a military with a state as opposed to a state's military.
- Motto: "Foarâlden mei ús" (Norr: Ancestors with us).
- Headquarters: Northstar.
- Domain: Kabal System.
- Notable Assets:
- Branches:
- Ryks Feiligensmacht (Norr: Realm Security Force).
- Description: The Realm Security Forces is a volunteer-only full-time professional Gendarmerie responsible for exercising civil and military law enforcement powers and responsibilities throughout the Grutter Norr Ryk, such as: Preventing, detecting and investigating crime, upholding the rule of law, maintaining order and providing police service. Service with the Realm Security Force is highly competitive, and they receive some of the most physically fit and astute candidates for their ranks, as Konstabels of the Realm Security Force not only need to be competent Infantry combatants but also excellent public order and riot control operators and be familiar with their law enforcement powers and the relevant legislation. Generally, a single Realm Security Force Konstabel, at a minimum, will be stationed at each military base and Navy warships to perform criminal investigations. The Security Force maintains its' own unconventional special warfare strategic tactical resources.
- Ryksleger (Norr: Realm Army).
- Description: The "Ryksleger" or "Realm Army", commonly referred to simply as "De Leger", is the primary land-based expeditionary amphibious and airborne combat operations. Soldiers of the Army are also responsible for the terrestrial defence of the Navy's bases and their warships and cooperate with the Konstabels of the Security Force to protect military property. The largest permanent operational and administrative units in the Army's active and reserve component are division-sized units called "Legions", which contain air defence, artillery, infantry, engineer, motorised, mechanised and airborne units. The Army field special operations forces known as "Wolven".
- Ryksmarine (Norr: Realm Navy).
- Description: The realm's Navy is responsible for void warfare and operations; they maintain a terrestrial and maritime arm, although maritime prominence is diminished. Its usual roles and responsibilities include void warfare, orbital bombardment, and fighter and army deployment. Their mission is to "Provide for unmolested freedom of access to aerospace and maritime navigation". The Navy transports the Ryksmacht's assets through interstellar space. It is responsible for establishing an emergency military government in designated locations, such as remote colonies where an officer of rank grade OF-5 may exercise the powers of a Military Governor.
- Ryks Feiligensmacht (Norr: Realm Security Force).
- Hierarchy:
- Commissioned Officer(s): Army/SecForce/Navy
- OF-9: General/General/Admiral.
- OF-8: Lieutenant General/Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral.
- OF-7: Major General/Major General/Rear Admiral.
- OF-6: Brigadier General/Brigadier General/Kommodore.
- OF-5: Kolonel/Kolonel/Kaptain.
- OF-4: Lieutenant-Kolonel/Lieutenant-Kolonel/Lieutenant-Kaptain.
- OF-3: Major/Major/Lieutenant.
- OF-2: Kaptain/Kaptain/Junior Lieutenant.
- OF-1: Lieutenant/(NONE)/Midshipman.
- OF(D): Kornet/Kadet/Kadet.
- Non-Commissioned Officer(s): Army/SecForce/Navy
- OR-7: Under Offizer/Staff Sergeant/Chief Petty Officer.
- OR-6: First Sergeant/Senior Sergeant/Leading Petty Officer.
- OR-5: Sergeant/Sergeant/Petty Officer.
- OR-4: Korporal/Konstabel/Master Sailor.
- Other Rank(s): Army/SecForce/Navy
- OR-3: Soldier/(NONE)/Sailor.
- OR-2: Soldier/(NONE)/Sailor.
- OR-1: Soldier/(NONE)/Sailor.
- Commissioned Officer(s): Army/SecForce/Navy
- Membership: ~5,350,500
- Personnel:
- Active Personnel: Ryksmacht (Norr: Realm Forces)
- Army: ~665,000.
- Navy: ~194,600.
- Security Force/Gendarmerie: ~91,500.
- Reserve Personnel: Ryksmacht Reservearje (Norr: Realm Forces Reserve)
- Army: ~4,000,000.
- Navy: ~400,000.
- Active Personnel: Ryksmacht (Norr: Realm Forces)
- Recruitment: The Grutter Norr Ryk fills the ranks of its fighting force, the Ryksmacht, with conscription. All adults must serve; although their service can be a mixture of full-time and reserve service according to the needs of the Ryksmacht and the Ryk's government as determined by the Minister of Defence, reservists can also be activated full-time at the minister's discretion. Typically, all adults are legally required to serve in the Ryksmacht for not less than twenty-five years. Males typically serve a majority of that time in a full-time capacity, while females serve a majority of that time in a part-time capacity. Individuals with education or skills vital to the civil economy are typically granted waivers to serve out their period of service substantially or wholly in the reserve. Reservists, by law, must drill and train between 20 to 100 working days per standard year as determined by the Defence Minister. Conscripts may self-nominate for Officer Candidacy; the process is highly competitive. Additionally, conscripts may self-nominate to serve in the Realm Security Forces. Still, again service with the RSF is strictly merit-based and highly competitive as commissioned officers and personnel of the RSF receive substantially better pay and conditions; conservatives traditionally see service as a commissioned officer or an RSF Konstabel as a career path that should only be taken once the twenty-five-year obligation has been completed. Only Citizens are eligible to be conscripted, and only Norr is eligible for citizenship in the Ryk, so the whole Ryksmacht staff comprises Homo Sapiens Augeus.
- Training: Leveraged by the Norr's lifespans, the depth of full-time training for the Ryk's conscript soldiers is without parallel. Each other-rank conscript soldier is given the leadership training of an OR-4 Junior Non-Commissioned Officer so that command losses at the Fireteam and Squad-level, common in combat, are readily replaced. Each Commissioned Officer candidate is given administrative and leadership training to act up to OF-2 so that any trained officer in the unit can fill all company-level commissioned officer positions.
- Army:
- Officer-Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Officer Candidate Training: ~72-208 Standard Weeks.
- Officer Occupational Training: ~24-72 Standard Weeks.
- Other-Ranks Entry: Conscription.
- Recruit Training: ~24 Standard Weeks.
- Occupational Training: ~16-24 Standard Weeks.
- Officer-Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Navy:
- Officer-Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Officer Candidate Training: ~72-208 Standard Weeks.
- Officer Occupational Training: ~24-72 Standard Weeks.
- Other-Ranks Entry: Conscription.
- Recruit Training: ~24 Standard Weeks.
- Occupational Training: ~16-24 Standard Weeks.
- Officer-Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Security Force:
- Officer-Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Officer Candidate Training: ~208 Weeks.
- Officer Occupational Training: ~80 Standard Weeks.
- Non-Commissioned Officer Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Recruit Training: ~32 Standard Weeks.
- Occupational Training: ~48 Standard Weeks.
- Officer-Entry: Merit-assessed volunteer.
- Army:
- Personnel:
- Climate: The Ryksmacht is where lifelong social friendships and political alliances are formed; it is a highly disciplined organisation by its' Norr members who, without exception, have a ferociously brutal upbringing. The Ryksmacht, at its' core, is a sort of fraternity of peer warriors, with each rank grade and occupation having its' own community. At the fireteam and squad level, Ryksmacht soldiers, sailors, and Konstabels refer to one another affectionately as 'Brother', 'Sister' or 'Comrade', depending on the depth of the affection. Promotion is based upon merit, although it becomes increasingly political and nepotistic at the upper echelons of the Ryksmacht's chain of command, as martial accomplishments and military status are often used as the springboard for a civil political career.
- Reputation: Among the Norr, the Ryksmacht is highly respected and one of the most trusted and beloved public institutions. It's where friendships and lifelong political alliances are forged and drive political life. In foreign lands, the Ryksmacht is known as a brutal and ferociously disciplined military force known for providing material support to Rurik Fel's Empire. Many academics beyond Ryk's borders consider the organisation abhorrent for what is perceived as morally and ethnically repulsive practices. Some consider that the Ryksmacht and its' apparatus are the real power behind the Grutter Norr Ryk's civil government; it gets characterised as a military with a state as opposed to a state's military.
- Curios:
- Koarte Dea: The Koarte is issued to each member of the Ryksmacht and is expected to be carried at all times when in uniform; it is expected that as warriors, each member be at all times armed, if not with ranged weapons than at the very least the ancestral sword of their race.
- Rules:
- Law Enforcement Powers Act: The Law Enforcement Powers Act endows the officers of the State Security Force and recognised law enforcement officers as per that act with extraordinary powers inaccessible to ordinary soldiers. For example, it permits its' officers to "Stop, detain and search any person and seize anything that the officer suspects is connected to a relevant offence, may be stolen or lawfully obtained, a dangerous or prohibited article, or a prohibited or restricted drug." There is no requirement for the officer to "suspect on reasonable grounds" the detainee has any of those things on their person. The power may be exercised at an officer's discretion. Likewise, the act empowers law enforcement officers to arrest people without a warrant if they suspect they have committed an offence. They may discontinue the arrest at any time after the arrest is made without affecting the lawfulness of the arrest itself. Additionally, the act provides law enforcement officers 48 hours to investigate the offence for which the person is under arrest. The Law Enforcement Powers Act requires an officer to inform a person subject to a power of their name, place of duty and reason for the power's exercise. However, suppose the officer fails to do these things. In that case, it does not affect the validity of the power except if the officer is challenged and, when reasonably practicable, does not comply with those safeguards. The Law Enforcement Powers Act provides civil indemnity for any injury or damage occasioned in the execution of any power or function conferred on law enforcement by any act made by a law enforcement officer. The Law Enforcement Powers Act empowers Law Enforcement Officers and persons assisting them to "Use as much force as is suspected to be necessary, to exercise any power or function conferred on them by this or any other act."
- Ryk Defence Act: The Ryk defence act sets out the administrative and procedural processes of the Ryksmacht, making several behaviours an offence at law. For example, it creates an offence if a member of the Ryksmacht is discharging their official responsibilities and powers if they are also not wearing their uniform, punishable by a fixed penalty fine. On the more serious end of offending, it creates a severe offence to any Ryksmacht member or civilian who assaults a member on guard duty; there are additional indictable offences for resisting, hindering, assaulting or intimidating a member of the Security Force for the execution of their duty. There is also an offence for non-members of the Ryksmacht to wear a Ryksmacht uniform or an emblem of the Ryksmacht or an emblem that has an appearance that closely matches that of a Ryksmacht emblem. The Ryk Defence Act also creates serious offences for aiding an enemy of the state or aiding or abetting prisoners to escape. Also, it creates a summary offence for Ryk members who permit themselves to be taken as a prisoner of war and do not rejoin the Ryksmacht upon release or escape from captivity in a reasonable time. The Ryk Defence Act creates a summary offence for failing to obey a lawful order. It creates an indictable offence for a member of the Ryk to assault a superior or subordinate. There are also associated intelligence offences, such as failing to report on enemy movements. Interestingly, there are indictable offences for defence contractors and suppliers, such as supplying material, goods or services of inferior volume or quality than specified in a contract. The maximum penalty a military court can impose for severe offences against the Ryk Defence Act is execution by the sword, where the sentencing judge believes the convicted person worthy of an honourable death where their blood will flow or drowning for the condemned character.
- Way of the Strong: The Striderwei or "Way of the Strong", as translated into Galactic Basic Standard, forms the rock-solid core of conduct and ethics expected of all Ryksmacht personnel. The Striderwei's conduct and ethics are codified in the Ryk defence act, which invariably creates offences for failing to do things expected of an adherent to the Striderwei, for example. The Ryk Defence Act has a summary offence for refusing to aid a severely wounded member in ending their life. Under the way of the strong, it is considered offensive to kill non-combatants willingly. As such, there is a summary and indictable offence in the Ryk Defence Act for a member to without order to intentionally kill a non-combatant; the exception to this is a severely wounded enemy warrior who, with that warrior's consent, may be killed. Members of the Ryksmacht respect competition, the Army's legions and the Navy's warships often field sporting teams, including teams of academic fencers.
- Goals:
- Conduct operations and provide material support for the Ryk's community and relevant civil authorities at the order of the Government.
- Defend the Ryk and its' state interest to advance and enhance the Ryk's security and prosperity.
Founded: ~426 ABY.
Current Form: ~874 ABY.
Commander-In-Chief: Archon Thelir Blackcrown.
Defence Minister: Occupied.
Chiefs of Ryksmacht:
- Heinir Stonehail - Chief of Army.
- Mieke Balefire - Chief of Navy.
- Unnamed Male Norr General - Chief of Security.
- Domestic Suppliers:
- Foreign Suppliers:
- Heinir Stonehail - OF-9: General, Chief of Army (Army Regular).
- Mieke Balefire - OF-9: Admiral, Chief of Navy (Navy Regular).
- Anneke Cinderstar - OF-1: Lieutenant (Army Reserve).
- 426 ABY: The Norr Workers Union reorganises the Ryk's military into its' current form, the Ryksmacht.
- 874 ABY: To permit enhanced economic and civil population growth with a view toward the upcoming colonisation of Frysk's planets. The Ryksmacht completes a dramatic restructure where most of its personnel serve on a part-time reserve basis by changing the structure of the 25 years minimum period of service and expanding the exemptions offered from full-time service for persons with critical skills and education.
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