- The Confederate Soldiers' Oath(src)
The Confederate Armed Forces,[1] also known as the Confederate Military was the military arm of the Terran Confederacy. While not as corrupt as other Confederate institutions like the Council or Senate, the military was generally regarded as unreliable when it came to defending the colonies.[2] It was willing to engage in morally questionable acts to satisfy its political masters.[3][4] It had its own code of justice.[5]
The majority of the Confederate military was stationed at Tarsonis.[2] Its most potent defenses were in orbit. Three primary orbital platforms served as staging areas for the Confederate fleet. The central platform was defended by Omega and Delta Squadron troops. Over time, these defenses were engaged in over thirty major battles.[6]
History[]
The armed forces were engaged regularly by the time of the Guild Wars.[4]
The Guild Wars[]
The Heaven's Devils
During the conflict, the Confederate Armed Forces attempted to secure Char, resulting in some of the most bitterly fought battles of the war.[7] On Sonyan, the 33rd Ground Assault Division waged a closely fought battle against the Kel-Morian Combine in the South Kreen Mines.[8] Confederate forces on Artesia Prime were ambushed by spider mines and rippers.[9] Toward the end of the war,[10] the 321st Colonial Rangers Battalion was tasked with high-priority missions on Turaxis II.[11]
After the Guild Wars, the Confederate forces were banned from prosecuting the KMC for any potentially criminal action.[1]
The Rebellion of Korhal[]
- Main article: Rebellion of Korhal
Confederate forces were pulled from Korhal after all of their outposts there were captured by Senator Angus Mengsk. After he was assassinated, various bases and installations were attacked by Arcturus Mengsk. In response, Korhal was bombarded by nuclear weapons. Their full-scale use on habitable worlds was subsequently banned.[1]
In the Sara system, Lieutenant Colonel Horace Warfield called in his resignation the very minute he heard of the attack. The Iron Justice cut off all contact with the surrounding military network and went silent. Confederate forces labeled Warfield a deserter and hunted him throughout the Sara system and beyond.[8]
During the conflict with the Sons of Korhal, Confederate forces were reinforced by mercenaries provided by Graven Hill and Remy Harris. This came to an end after they captured a group of mercenary-backed rebels and discovered their source, then raided their business headquarters.[12]
The forces continued to engage regularly with other colonial powers and pirate militias right up to the end of the 25th century.[13]
First Contact[]
The zerg invasion of the sector was initially met with very little resistance. Conductive to prevailing political needs the military was dispatched to suppress knowledge of the aliens, notably on Chau Sara[14] and Mar Sara.[15] A clumsy counterattack was launched against the Koprulu Expeditionary Force after it incinerated Chau Sara from orbit on December 8, 2499, but the Confederates never engaged the protoss.[1]
General Edmund Duke
On Mar Sara, General Edmund Duke arrested Marshal Jim Raynor and the local militia forces on the pretext of violating standing colonial law by destroying a vital Confederate command center at Backwater Station.[16] The Confederates continued to avoid action against the zerg.[17]
The Antigan Revolt[]
A large detachment of Alpha Squadron troops was stationed on Antiga Prime when the Confederacy became aware that the colony was ready to begin open revolt against them. The officer in the Antigan command center was killed by Lieutenant Sarah Kerrigan, resulting in a full-scale revolt that Confederate forces were unable to suppress.[18]
The Norad II crash-landed on Antiga Prime when it was attacked by the zerg.[19] Duke was convinced to join forces with Mengsk after being saved by Raynor.[20]
After the Sons of Korhal position was discovered, a large strike force establish a base camp within their defensive perimeter. They were annihilated by zerg lured there by a psi emitter that Kerrigan planted in their base camp.[21]
The Fall of Tarsonis[]
The central platform above Tarsonis fell to Alpha Squadron.[6] Despite bitter fighting, the Confederacy's best defenses were subsequently overrun by the zerg.[22] As resistance collapsed units began deserting and defecting to the rebels.[2]
With the collapse of the Confederacy, the surviving armed forces were forcibly conscripted into the Dominion Armed Forces,[23] while others set up the Confederate Resistance Forces,[4][24] or joined Raynor's Raiders after being saved by Jim Raynor and Michael Liberty following the Battle of New Gettysburg.[2][25]
Even after the Brood War, pockets of former Confederate military units still remained.[26] A group of ex-Confederate firebats became the Devil Dogs while a group of siege tank pilots became the Siege Breakers.[27]
Command[]
Confederate headquarters was on Tarsonis[16] though had branches on other planets.[15] Known aspects include;
- Confederate Command (general command)
Ground Units[]
Confederate ground units, despite their different fields of expertise, all followed a similar set of doctrines. Among them was the need to keep their bases tight and efficient, the ingrained doctrine being that the smaller the area, the less terrain one has to guard. The result was often a crowded series of structures, with just enough room so that personnel and vehicles could move between them, the visual result akin to an anthill.[15]
Known ground units include;
- Colonial Militia (numerous sub branches as per planet)
- Confederate Army
- Colonial Rangers
- Confederate Armored Vehicle Corps (possibly non-canon)
- Confederate Marine Corps
Special Forces[]
The Confederacy maintained a number of special forces units, including:
Air/Space Units[]
A Confederate fleet
Intelligence/Espionage[]
- Center for State Security
- Confederate Intelligence Corps
- Confederate Research and Development Division
Squadrons[]
The Confederacy featured a number of military wings called Squadrons, which consisted of conscripts and ex-criminals from all over the Koprulu sector. Many were forced to undergo neural resocialization.[1] Some of the Squadrons' fate have not be revealed since the downfall of the Confederacy.[28]
Known Squadrons and roles include:
- Alpha Squadron (advanced tactical strike operations)
- Delta Squadron
- Epsilon Squadron (border surveillance, armored corps)
- Gamma Squadron
- Nova Squadron (black ops/espionage)
- Omega Squadron (heavy assault)
Other Forces[]
References[]
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