SITS2 SB2: The Silesian Confederacy - Setting Book

THE ANDERMANI EMPIRE

The Andermani Empire is an interstellar polity founded by The Imperial Civil Service is dedicated to supporting the Gustav Anderman, with its capital at Potsdam in the New Emperor by solving problems before they come to his Berlin system. Consisting of 21 star systems, the Andermani attention, and has an almost religious zeal for staying within Empire has been blessed over the centuries with highly proven best practices. The success of the Empire rests upon competent rulers (with a few exceptions) and a stable its stability, and that stability is entrusted to the Civil Service, foreign policy based on self-interest. The early years of the and regarded by them as their sacred charge. More than Andermani Empire were dominated by Gustav’s benevolent one outside observer has commented on how Confucian despotism, represented in microcosm by his treatment of the Empire seems to be, in the oddest of places, and several Kuan Yin. academic articles and scholarly works on the Empire have tried to figure out how the mix of Prussian and other In 1512 P.D. Anderman, in command of a fleet of ships and traditions have reinforced each other to make a government a sizable contingent of mercenaries, took possession of the that has lasted for close to half a millennium with next to no world Kuan Yin (eventually renaming it Potsdam in keeping upheaval. with his belief that he was the King of Prussia reborn). The settlers of Kuan Yin were predominantly ethnic Chinese, Military and form a sizable portion of the Andermani military forces The Andermani military is built off of several traditions, to this day. In the early days of the Empire, Potsdam was ranging from pragmatic mercenary sensibilities to Prussian effectively a factory for soldiers, much like the nations of and Chinese customs. These have been synthesized into Prussia and Nepal were to earlier empires on ancient Terra. the guiding doctrines of a highly flexible and innovative force, one that places a high premium on intelligence - both The Empire expanded slowly, subsequent Emperors taking operational and personal - and initiative. Gustav’s example and making sure each acquisition was fully absorbed and stable before moving onward. Each Imperial Andermani Navy (Kaiserliche acquisition was planned carefully, and the Empire did not ) make a move unless it could be reasonably sure of success. The Emperor is commander-in-chief of the Imperial Andermani Navy, working through the Imperial Naval Government Staff. The IAN is the senior service of the Empire, and The Empire is administered by the Emperor directly, assisted its Academy is widely regarded as one of the most gruelling by the Imperial Chancellor (appointed by the Emperor and in its part of space. usually a close relative or trusted associate), and advisedSample file by the nine-member Imperial Council, which also has the Andermani Merchant Marine (Kaiserliche power to confirm or deny the Imperial succession. The Handelsmarine) Chancellor and Councilors are appointed for life by the The Andermani merchant marine is a civilian regulatory Emperor, and serve at his discretion. The Emperor personally agency rather than a military one, and is run by a board of approves promotions to the ranks of Field Marshal and regulators. The main duties of the board are to set standards Grand , and appoints members of the Imperial of training and professionalism for mercantile officers (by General Staff. The Emperor also appoints the Ministers of operating the Imperial Merchant Marine Academy), oversee State, Finance, the Interior, War, and Industry, who serve at training and certification of starship crew, operate the the pleasure of the Emperor. network of health and safety inspectors within Imperial space, and inspect shipyards and drydocks to maintain Each member world is allowed considerable autonomy, minimal standards of construction and performance in and is ruled by a local governor, appointed by the Imperial merchant ships. Directors serve for life, and are appointed by Council (the position is not hereditary, but tends to be given the Imperial Chancellor. to the same family over the years -- the one inflexible criteria is that the governor must be a citizen of the world). The sole Imperial Andermani Army (Kaiserliches Heer) exception is Potsdam itself, which is the personal possession The Emperor is the commander-in-chief of the Imperial of the Emperor. Traditionally, the governor of Potsdam is the Andermani Army, through the Minister of War and the heir to the imperial throne -- the governorship serving as a Imperial General Staff. Local planetary defense militias kind of on-the-job-training for the Emperor-to-be. (known as Landwehr) also exist, serving as a reserve force to the IAA, but are not as well-trained or equipped as main While governance ultimately rests with the Emperor, day force IAA units. to day administration is the purview of the Imperial Civil Service, which gains new members by competitive exam.

2 JAYNE’S Intelligence Review SITS2 SB2: The Silesian Confederacy - Setting Book

While the Imperial Army has the usual assortment of task Interest in the Silesian Confederacy and mission specific groupings, with cross attachment of With the opening of the Gregor terminus of the Manticore units to meet specific aims, perhaps its most remarkable Wormhole junction, and the annexation of Gregor by the aspect lies in the degree of training that all troopers get in Andermani Empire, the interstellar traffic in the Empire constabulary and disaster relief work; more than half the grew by leaps and bounds, and eventually extended to battalions in the Army have at least an Engineer platoon for the western edge of the Silesian Confederacy. The real building bridges and repairing road and basic infrastructure; boom in Andermani traffic for the Confederacy came most regiments have a full Engineer company for larger with the opening of the Basilisk Terminus. Much like projects and civic duties. This is in keeping with the Empire’s their Manticoran counterparts do, Andermani merchant modus of investing themselves to restore order, with the cartels route freighters across the Confederacy to Basilisk, eventual aim of assimilation. using Basilisk to get to the Manticoran market, offloading the Silesian consumer goods picked up in crossing the Founding of the Empire Confederacy, then using the Gregor terminus to bring high Little is known of Gustav Anderman prior to 1500 P.D. end Manticoran goods back to the Empire. Andermani histories usually describe his previous career as “soldier and politician,” and leave it at that. What is known is Between the Empire’s expansion, and the cross-Confederacy that Anderman was a mercenary and soldier of fortune, and trade route to Manticore, Andermani merchant traffic has highly successful at that career. increased within the borders of Silesia. This has put pressure on the IAN perform patrols and escort convoys to secure Gustav, believing himself to be the reincarnation of King merchant shipping. Ultimately, this has caused the Empire Frederick the Great of Prussia, often held court in authentic to designate Silesia as its own Wehrkreis, or Fleet District. 5th century Ante-Diaspora costume, including knee pants While currently a Flotilla in strength, this designation opens and a powdered wig. While he clearly had Frederick’s the door for the Andermani naval presence to be expanded military and administrative talents, Gustav did not have on in the future. the latter’s musical proclivities (reincarnation was evidently not perfect). He did, however, share the Prussian monarch’s This burst of trade has also resulted in basing and repair passion for “collecting” savants and scholars. This enabled deals at some of the more stable planetary governments, him to adapt Terran-norm lifeforms to the Kuan Yin/Potsdam giving the Empire a vested interest in specific systems on eco-system, and made the planet a viable (if inhospitable) the western front of Silesia, much as the Star Kingdom has world for human habitation. similar basing interests and vested interests on the eastern front. One such example is the IAN naval station on the third The initial survey of the Kuan Yin had been flawed in a small moon of Sachsen. but vitally important detail -- the local microorganisms were especially fond of chlorophyll and nearly every Terran Competing against these interests is the reputation of food crop the colonists had brought was susceptible.Sample The Andermanifile vessels of being high handed and downright local microfauna left Terran animal life untouched, but no reckless in isolated systems, most notably the Brinkman terrestrial animal could thrive on the local vegetation, and Massacre, where the Dolch-class destroyer took out an entire the initial years of the Kuan Yin colony were characterized orbital platform with 2000 personnel onboard, after an by back-breaking agricultural labor, dismal crop yields and organized crime syndicate had the CO killed. a dwindling population (neither people nor animals do very well on a diet of yeast and mushrooms). Gustav brought in It is arguable that, had the Manticoran Navy not gotten biologists and genetic engineers, and imported food for the there first, the Andermani Empire would’ve continued locals for the twenty T-years it took to rework and stabilize its gradual expansion into Silesian space, grabbing the local ecosystem. distressed systems here and there as time went on. With the Manticoran Navy already there, and with plenty of other star In return for this assistance, the inhabitants of Kuan Yin/ systems to assimilate, the Andermani Empire waited for the Potsdam embraced Gustav as Emperor by acclamation, and Star Kingdom to do the natural thing, and absorb systems ceded him ownership of the world. Gustav renamed most from the Confederacy. The utter lack of this course of action of the existing cities, and founded a number of new ones -- has baffled the Andermani. While the Andermani want to most notably Kopenick, where he began construction of an assimilate Silesia, they don’t wish to do so at the expense enormous palace complex. of cordial relations with the Star Kingdom, who act as the principal bulwark between the Empire and the People’s Gustav I ruled six systems by the time of his death in 1545. Republic of Haven. He is buried in the Anderman family mausoleum complex, which takes up several hundred hectares of the state Gustav XI has asked his Naval Staff to prepare operational cemetery adjoining the palace at Kopenick. plans for conquering the Confederacy in the eventuality that Manticore and Haven fight an open war. The expectations are that a Manticoran war with the larger Republic

JAYNE’S Intelligence Review 3 SITS2 SB2: The Silesian Confederacy - Setting Book would result in a severe draw down of lighter units in the governments. On top of this complexity is the question of Confederacy, resulting in more chaos and confusion, and an whether or not the small Manticoran Navy can hold off the opportunity to expand. Gustav XI has more than territorial Havenite war machine; the loss of Manticore puts the Empire acquisition on his mind with the conquest of Silesia; his itself in danger, as the Havenites could send a massive distaste for Mesa and genetic slave trading dates back assault through the Gregor terminus, and have a fleet in several decades, and the slipshod ways the Confederacy position to strike at Potsdam before the Andermani forces government adheres to actual enforcement of the Cherwell assimilating Silesia could respond. Thus, the Empire wants Conventions is said to offend him on a deeply personal level. a war that will remove or reduce the Manticoran presence in Silesia, that the Manticorans will eventually win, but not Taking the entire Confederacy would more than quadruple so quickly that Andermani designs on Silesia cannot be the size of the Empire, and is several orders of magnitude realized. more complicated than assimilating single planet

THE IMPERIAL NAVY

The Imperial Andermani Navy is divided into five Fleet Districts (Wehrkreis). Wehrkreis I is Home Fleet, tasked both with the defense of the capital as well as acting as a strategic reserve for the Empire. Wehrkreis II through IV cover the three primary defensive arcs of the Empire. Wehrkreis V is the Silesia Fleet District, the smallest of the five by far and the only district without any ships of the wall. Districts I though IV are home to Fleets bearing the same number, while District V is technically a Flotilla.

Historically, the IAN is a border and interior defense fleet, Pro ria with few concessions to long term, large scale operations; Gloria et Pat this has resulted in some differences in doctrine and deployment from the RMN, and some peculiar parallels to the PRH Navy in force deployments. consist of six fast transports, plus their organic support, each squadron allowing a full division to deploy planetside Overall command of the Navy falls to the Chef des Grossen-Samplein a matter file of weeks. To avoid telegraphing their next Admiralstabes, who directly oversees each Fleet District as expansionist move, the Andermani keep this transport fleet well as the administrative support of the Navy. active on exercises between annexations.

The Imperial Navy uses an administrative organization Wehrkreis V (the Silesian Fleet District) has been established similar to that of the RMN. A fleet is subdivided into several to have in place a trained Naval Headquarters for the Flotillas (a concept similar to RMN Task Forces and Task eventual annexation of Silesia. Due to the presence of Groups). Ships are organized into Squadrons (Geschwader) the RMN, and diplomatic pressure brought to bear by the on both an administrative and tactical level. Administrative Cromarty Government, the Empire has been circumspect Squadrons are very rigid, with four Divisions each, with the in how it approaches Silesia. Despite its formal designation number of ships in each Division varying by rate. Tactical as a Fleet District, it operates at any time in no better than sqaudrons are ad hoc formations created by the commander Flotilla strength (and sometimes less than that), and has on the spot. nothing larger than a battlecruiser. Several battlecruiser squadrons form the core of the Flotilla, for rapid response The Imperial Navy has kept a fair number of light attack to flare-ups on the Silesian border, and responses within the craft in service for system defense. While they are weaker Confederacy itself. The remainder of the Flotilla consists of than starships, they provide an inexpensive way to maintain cruiser and destroyer squadrons, usually split by divisions, or system defense. even individual ships, for convoy escorts. The IAN maintains a large transport fleet. Working in close Officers Corps and Rank Structure conjunction with the Imperial Army, they have a tremendous Like the RMN, Andermani officers are highly professional lift capability of fast transports. Given the nature of most and motivated. They stem from a warrior aristocracy with of the Empire’s conquests, the Army immediately moves in a military tradition which almost requires them to be as a pacification and rebuilding force. Transport squadrons courageous and determined. At the same time, they are

4 JAYNE’S Intelligence Review SITS2 SB2: The Silesian Confederacy - Setting Book

Officer’s Rank Insignia Enlisted / NCO Insignia

Kadett Flotillenadmiral Gefraiter

Obergefreiter der Sterne

Hauptgefreiter

Oberleutnant der Sterne

Oberstabsbootsmann

Kapitainleutnant Admiral

heavy losses may destroy their ruler’s ability to shift and weave about the perimeter while fishing in troubled waters. Once committed to an operation or a campaign, they will Korvettenkapitain Großadmiral carry it through unflinchingly, but if an Andermani Admiral has room to maneuver, he will do his best to avoid getting Sample lockedfile into such a situation. The Imperial Naval Academy on Potsdam offers one of the most physically and intellectually grueling courses of training in known space, and uses an especially rigorous Fregattenkapitain Großadmiral der Flotte examination for admission. Graduates are given the rank of Kadett, which is roughly equivalent to the Manticoran Navy’s Midshipman rank.

The bulk of the IANs enlisted ranks serve 4 T-year stints; culturally, the IAN (and the Imperial Army) serve as outlets for the more adventurous members of society, and it’s Kapitain der Sterne encouraged to join the Navy or Army, sate your desire to see strange new worlds and have adventures, come home, settle down and join the family business.

Because of the widely disparate levels of education that new recruits come in with, the IAN and the Imperial Army take great pains to drill solid technical skills into their recruits, and the Andermani Navy takes justifiable pride in its enlisted aware that their Emperor is deeply involved in “the Great training programs. Game,” and that they represent his investment capital. To encourage those enlisted personnel with the mentality Compared to the RMN, the Andermani Navy has a mildly to stay in for longer periods of time, the Andermani Navy “mercenary” taint, springing from its officers’ realization that provides mentorship programs, intensive technical training

JAYNE’S Intelligence Review 5 SITS2 SB2: The Silesian Confederacy - Setting Book tracks, and financial wearer’s current ship. rewards for perfect scores Directly below the on ratings board exams. nametags are the medal ribbons. Senior NCOs get large financial incentives to stay The cap is white with red on in the service once trim and a black visor. they make grade. The The Andermani eagle, Unteroffiziere are, as a surrounded by laurel rule, professional and well wreaths, is embroidered in motivated. gold thread on the front of the cap. Flag officers have Uniforms a gold braid affixed to the The Imperial Navy officer’s face of the visor. undress uniform consists of a white, long-skirted The enlisted and non- tunic, a blouse, trousers commissioned officers and boots. The trousers are undress uniforms have straight cut, supported by many features in common. a black belt and fall over Both consist of a light low topped white boots. grey tunic worn over The blouse has a low, open a red turtleneck. For collar, cut to fall below the enlisted personnel, light neckline of the tunic. The grey trousers and boots wearer’s name and rank complete the uniform. For insignia are embroidered NCOs, the trousers are a on the left chest. darker gray, with piping down the outer leg to The tunic has red trim indicate which division running along the rounded they belong to. (This color collar and down the center, coded information is on either side of the seal. shown on the cuffs of the Tailoring is wasp-waisted and long, falling well below the red undershirt for enlisted personnel.) beltline. The cuffs are inward rolled, trimmed with red, with decorative buttons, above which are the bands of goldSample braid The tunic file has a low cut collar and black trim with shallow followed by a star. The shoulder braids are supported on a pockets. Rating insignia is worn high on both arms, just red back piece, with gold or silver pips indicating rank. below the shoulder. A nametag is on the left side.

Collar insignia are worn on either side of the tunic’s collar, The cap is soft, and lower than that of the officers, grey with running from the center outwards. A nametag is worn on red trim on the band. An Andermani eagle is embroidered the left breast of the tunic, followed by the name of the on the face.

Skinsuits Imperial Navy Organization Andermani skinsuits use much the same basic RMN Equiv. Formation Ships Command Rank technology as their BatRon Schlachtgeschwader WSG 8x SD or DN Vizeadmiral Manticoran counterparts, BatDiv Schlachtdivision WSD 2x SD or DN Flottillenadmiral a layer of ballistic smart BatCruRon Schlachtkreuzergeschwader SG 8x BC Konteradmiral fabric covering a mesh of BatCruDiv Schlachtkreuzerdivision SD 2x BC Flottillenadmiral storage vacuoles and an CruRon (CA) Schweres Kreuzergeschwader SKG 8x CA Flottillenadmiral inner temperature and CruDiv (CA) Schwere Kreuzerdivision SKD 2x CA Kapitain der Sterne pressure control grid. CruRon (CL) Leichtes Kreuzergeschwader LKG 8x CL Flottillenadmiral As with the RMN, much CruDiv (CL) Leichte Kreuzerdivision LKD 2x CL Kapitain der Sterne attention has been paid DesRon Zerstörergeschwader ZG 12x DD Kapitain der Sterne to long term comfort - DesDiv Zerstörerdivision ZD 3x DD Fregattenkapitain using a sprayed on mist LAC Wing Schnellbootstaffel SBS 64x LAC Kapitain der Sterne of dermal sensors to feed LACRon Schnellbootrotte SBR 8x LAC Fregattenkapitain into the electronics of the

6 JAYNE’S Intelligence Review SITS2 SB2: The Silesian Confederacy - Setting Book suit, which devotes more Typ IV, which has several computing resources enhanced medical to precisely managing features, including an temperature, internal autonomous tourniquet moisture and CO2 system and stress regulation. monitoring system.

Tactile transfer sensors in The helmet offers a wider the gloves give a decent field of view that that of simulacrum of the sense of the RMN, but lacks the touch for the front surface flip-down faceplate and of the hand. Like the quick seal features. The Manticoran skinsuits, this Andermani focus instead allows the user to perform on “Condition Zulu” drills most keyboarding or for all personnel, and stylus input tasks without working while helmeted is problem, even in complete more commonly practiced. vacuum. Communications circuits reside in the chin piece, The basic skinsuit consists along with a retractable of a one-piece bodysuit, straw to access the suit’s helmet, gloves and boots. water reservoir. The Pressure cuffs at the wrists primary electronics and and ankles ensure a solid display driver are housed seal with the gloves and on either side of the boots, while a flexible helmet, as well as lights for neckpiece attaches to search and rescue work. the helmet. The integral belt contains umbilical The Officer’s skinsuit attachment points on both has styling similar to the the left and right sides, uniform, red and gold trim running leads to both down the front, across the the waste management shoulders and at the wrists system and the environmental system. The thrusterSample system andfile ankles. Rank insignia is worn on the cuffs much like the on the back of the skinsuit is an integral part of the bodysuit, undress uniform, and rank pips are displayed above the but designed more like a backpack than the thrusters on nametag on the left breast. The imperial eagle is displayed the RMN skinsuits. Shock frames and other seating on IAN on the right side of the helmet, and usually the crest of the warships are designed to accommodate both a skinsuited duty station on the left. and non-skinsuited occupant, with an adjustable seat back that conforms to the backpack when necessary. The Enlisted and Non Commissioned Officer’s skinsuits are light grey in color, with black and gold trim, with the cuffs Standard controls are located on the left arm panel (shifted color coded to indicate sectional duties (reinforced with to the right for left-handed users), with a supplemental leg piping for the NCOs). Rating insignia is displayed on the display inside the helmet’s faceplate. A simplified medical shoulders and the helmet is unadorned. Functionally they panel to dispense emergency stimulants and painkillers is are identical to the officer’s skinsuits, with the exception of a located on the right side of the chest. The Imperial Navy more limited communication suite. has just started to field the newest model of skinsuits, the

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