Storm War: Military Doctrine of the Eternal Empire

[Kainan Wolfe]

"Every great power in the galaxy has soldiers and warriors of renown, those who possess a certain defining quality which sets them apart from all the rest. The Jedi are known for their special forces. The Sith practically wrote the book on shock and awe. And the Confederacy's massed waves of droids need no further explanation. As for the Eternal Empire, we are known as one of the most disciplined military forces the galaxy has ever seen. And we have one more defining quality. The soldiers of the Eternal Empire are the undisputed masters of artillery."

- Introduction to the Children's Manual on Military Tactics, 2nd Edition​

Sturm'krig, literally meaning Storm War in High Nelvaanian, is the official military doctrine of the Eternal Empire's formidable armies and navies. It is, essentially, a combined arms doctrine that brings together all of the branches of the armed forces into a single, cohesive force, placing heavy emphasis on various units working together to take down the enemy with overwhelming firepower.

The Navy is built around specialized ships, which work together as a whole, some providing long-range, heavy firepower, while others providing support and anti-starfighter coverage to the slower, lumbering heavy hitters. A number of elements also exist to harass and engage enemy flanks, disrupting the enemy's formation and gaining control of the battlespace.

Unlike more commonly used doctrine, Storm War does not favor the use of starfighters as the main offensive weapon in space, reserving them for capital ship defense and surgical strikes, however the orbiting fleet does serve the role of mobile carriers for the ground troops, deploying starfighters and dedicated close air support strike craft to accompany the ground troops.

In regard to ground forces, the Storm War doctrine is quite unlike those of most galactic powers, as it does not place emphasis on infantry, but rather on powerful artillery that can utterly devastate enemy armies and strongholds. As such, the proportion of artillery to infantry is much higher, roughly one artillery piece for every ten infantrymen and thus, the Empire favors a slow and steady advance, deploying layered fortifications and trenches, a role in which combat engineers play a key part.

Supporting the artillery, are layers upon layers of anti-air and anti-orbital weaponry, heavy armored columns of tanks and other vehicles and infantry equipped with numerous heavy weapons, ranging from powerful sniper rifles, to heavy repeating blasters, machineguns, and rocket launchers, usually stationed in trench lines situated behind minefields and protected by mortars.

Complementing these, are shock troops and other special forces which are deployed in key positions, to breach enemy lines and take down key targets of strategic value. Imperial armies advance by establishing interconnected networks of fortifications, inching forward one pillbox and one trench line at a time, always within range of their artillery and air support.

A defining and well-known quality of the Eternal Empire's military forces, both on the ground and in space, is their discipline, which makes them capable to keep fighting even when suffering attrition rates that would break the will of other armies. Indoctrinated into an all-pervasive cult of sacrifice and militarism, the Empire's citizens make some of the best, most fanatical soldiers in the galaxy.