Military: Limaria

The Limarian military finds itself heavily influenced by the region’s history of irregular and regular warfare. Donovia’s influence is significant, and it currently deploys advisors and border guards to Limaria. Limaria will most likely remain neutral if Ariana becomes involved in any conflict. Limaria will probably use any regional conflict to expand its territory at the expense of Atropia.

Military Forces

Because Limaria possesses no ocean or sea outlet, the Limarian military consist of only an army and an air force. In addition to Limaria’s own military forces, the Lower Janga region maintains a separate army of an estimated 68,400 soldiers and a very small air force heavily influenced by the Limarian military, with numerous Limarian and Donovian advisors collocated on the ground.

Military Strategy

National Command Authority

Gorgan National Command Authority

All countries share a similar National Command Authority (NCA) construct including Gorgas, who refers to it as a National Council. Limaria’s NCA exercises overall control of the application of all instruments of national power to plan and carry out the country’s national security strategy. The NCA includes the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Public Information, Finance and Economic Affairs, Interior, and Defense, along with other members selected by Limaria’s president, who chairs the NCA.

The president appoints the Minister of National Security, who exercises responsibility for the NCA’s Strategic Integration Department (SID). The SID serves as the overarching agency responsible to integrate all the instruments of national power under one cohesive national security strategy. The SID coordinates the plans and actions of all Limaria’s ministries, but particularly those associated with the instruments of national power. (See TC 7-100.2: Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 1, Strategic and Operational Framework.)

Strategic Operational Framework

Gorgan Supreme High Command

The strategic operational framework for all countries in the region is similar in construct and application. This is primarily the result of historic influences transcending the region.

The NCAs and the NC for all five countries exercise command and control (C2) of the Armed Forces via the Supreme High Command (SHC) that includes the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and a General Staff drawn from all the service components. In peacetime, the MOD and General Staff operate closely but separately. The MOD assumes the responsibility for policy, acquisitions, and financing the Armed  Forces.

The General Staff promulgates policy and supervises the service components, while its functional directorates assume responsibility for key aspects of defense planning. In wartime, the MOD and General Staff merge to form the SHC, which functions as a unified headquarters.

All five countries currently configure their militaries in an administrative force structure (AFS) that manages its military forces in peacetime. This AFS contains the aggregate of various military facilities, and installations designed to man, train, and equip the forces. In peacetime, the various militaries group their forces into a corps for administrative purposes. In some cases, the militaries may group their forces administratively under geographical commands designated as military regions or military districts. If the SHC elects to create more than one theater headquarters, it may allocate parts of the AFS to each of the theaters,

normally along geographic lines. Typically, these administrative groupings differ from the country’s go-to-war (fighting) force structure. Other parts of the administrative force structure consist of assets centrally controlled at the national level. (See FM 7-100.4 Opposing Force Organization Guide: Chapter 3, Task Organizing.)

National Strategic Goals

Limaria forms its strategic goals from its history that involved the seizure and occupation  of disputed territory by Atropia and Kalaria, the maintenance of Limaria’s sovereignty, and the suppression of small insurgent groups. Limaria’s strategic mission includes the expansion of regional dominance. Limaria may formulate one or more specific short-term goals, each based on a particular threat or opportunity. Examples of specific strategic goals include:

• Defense of Limaria’s sovereignty
• Protection of a Limarian population in a neighboring country, causing tensions over disputed territory
• Annexation of territory, especially the disputed territory with Atropia  that  contains many ethnic Limarians
• Economic expansion
• Destruction of insurgent groups fighting against the government

Implementing National Security Goals

All five countries share similar strategies to achieve their national goals. Strategic operations for all five countries remain a continuous process not limited to wartime or preparation for war. Once war begins, strategic operations continue during regional, transition, and adaptive operations and complement those operations. Each of the latter three types of operations occurs only during war and only under certain conditions. Transition operations can overlap regional and adaptive operations.

In pursuit of its national security strategy, all five countries find themselves prepared to conduct four basic types of strategic-level courses of action. The four types of operations include:

• Strategic operations use all instruments of power in peace and war to achieve a country’s national security strategy goals through attacks against the enemy’s strategic centers of gravity.
• Regional operations include conventional, force-on-force military operations against overmatched opponents, such as regional adversaries and internal threats.
• Transition operations bridge the gap between regional and adaptive operations and contain some elements of both. The country continues to pursue its regional goals while dealing with developing outside intervention that has the potential to overmatch its military.
• Adaptive operations preserve the country’s power and apply it in adaptive ways against opponents that overmatch the country’s military.

National Security Strategy

Although Donovia, Ariana, Atropia, Gorgas, and Limaria may refer to them as “operations,” each of these courses of action is actually a subcategory of strategy. Each type of operation aggregates the effects of tactical, operational, and strategic actions in conjunction with instruments of national power to achieve each country’s strategic goals. The types of operations employed at a given time will depend on the types of threats, opportunities, and other conditions present.

Each country’s strategy typically starts with actions directed at a regional opponent that the government overmatches in conventional military power, as well as other instruments of power. If possible, each government will attempt to achieve its ends without armed conflict. Accordingly, these governments do not limit strategic operations to military means and usually do not  begin with  armed conflict. They may achieve the desired goal through pressure applied by nonmilitary instruments of power, perhaps by merely threatening to use superior military power against the opponent. These actions fall under the general framework of “strategic operations.”

The government may resort to armed conflict to achieve its desired end state when nonmilitary means prove insufficient or not expedient. Strategic operations, however, continue even if a particular regional threat or opportunity causes the country to undertake “regional operations” that may include military means. Prior to the initiation of hostilities and throughout the course of armed conflict with its regional opponent, the government will continue to conduct strategic operations to preclude intervention by outside players, other regional neighbors, or an extra-regional power that could overmatch its forces. Such operations, however, always include branches and sequels to deal with the possibility of intervention by an extra-regional power.

Military Forces Overview

Military Strategy

Limarian military strategy revolves around the Lower Janga region and remains focused against Atropia. The military doctrine published by the Minister of Defense specifically states that Limaria serves as the guarantor of security for the Lower Janga region’s populace. Other important parts of the doctrine state that the military must prevent any acts that may cause an invasion of Limarian territory, ensure that the Lower Janga region can self-determine its political ties, and that the Limarian strategy remains defensive in nature.

Army Overview

The Limarian army fields approximately 68,400 soldiers, but short-term draftees for 24 months compose approximately 75% of this force. Limarian ground forces, primarily armor and mechanized infantry units, are pretty equal to the Atropian military, and thus the two sides remain in a stalemate over the disputed Lower Janga region. While a ceasefire has reigned over the region, both sides continually claim the other side violates the ceasefire agreement. The Limarian army’s primary purpose remains the maintenance of the status quo over the Lower Janga region and defense of its ethnic Limarian population.

Army Size and Structure

The maneuver brigade serves as Limaria’s basic combined arms unit. In the AFS, some maneuver brigades are constituent, or organic, to the base structure such as divisions. The NCA calls them divisional brigades. These armies, however, organize some units as separate brigades, designed to possess greater ability to accomplish independent missions without further allocation of forces from   a higher tactical-level headquarters. Separate brigades possess some subordinate units with the  same force structure as a divisional brigade of the same type (for example, the headquarters); some units that are especially tailored to the needs of a separate brigade, marked “(Sep)” in the organizational directories; and some that are the same as units of this type found at division level, marked “(Div).”

The Limarian army designs its maneuver brigades to serve as the basis to form a brigade tactical group (BTG) if necessary. A brigade, separate or as part of a BTG, can fight as part of a division or division tactical group (DTG), a separate unit in an operational-strategic command (OSC), an organization of the AFS (such as army, corps, or military district), or as part of a field group (FG). (See TC 7-100.2: Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 2, Command and Control.)

The Limarian army has an estimated 68,400 ground troops and contains no permanent maneuver command structure over the brigade level. The one army headquarters directs the actions of four motorized and mechanized brigades, two tank brigades, one artillery brigade, one multiple rocket launcher (MRL) brigade, one anti-tank brigade, one special forces battalion, and one helicopter brigade. (See diagram on page 2E-2-3 and the Order of Battle (OB) at the end of this country’s variable.)

Army Doctrine and Tactics

Donovia’s influence over and cooperation with Limaria has driven its military to use mostly  Donovian tactics. Donovia maintains a military presence in Limaria, and many Limarian officers travel to Donovia to attend military schools.

Army Training and Readiness

For the most part, the Limarian army relies on short-term conscription to field the majority of its army. Each year, almost 32,000 of those Limarians reaching the draft age of 18 must serve for 24 months. About 48% of the university students, however, find ways to avoid the draft. Most middle and senior officers and many noncommissioned officers received their training in Donovia. Due to its inability to find volunteers to serve as officers, the Limarian army still recalls reserve officers to active duty. Some of these officers last served on active duty over 15 years ago. Donovia trains  almost all of the Limarian helicopter crews because of Limaria’s lack of facilities and training experience.

Limaria maintains a small, but reasonably competent, special purpose force (SPF) that cross- trains with Donovian SPF. The Limarian SPF most likely serves actively in the Lower Janga region and  probably reports  directly  to the  Supreme  High Command  for  national-level  missions. The intelligence organizations will likely maintain the SPF, and most maneuver elements will contain “special purpose” type units primarily for reconnaissance purposes. In addition to constant cross- training with the Donovians, the Limarians also send officers to NATO and the US for training.

Army Equipment and Weapons

The Limarian army operates primarily tier 2 equipment throughout its force structure. Recently, Donovia provided the country with some more modern systems, so the Limarian army does possess the potential for selected tier 1 niche capabilities. The Limarian military forces can operate in all terrain types and can successfully conduct 24-hour operations. (For further information see Section 4: Appendix C or the Worldwide Equipment Guide (WEG), Vol. 1, Chapter 1, OPFOR Tier Tables.)

Air Force Overview

Gorgan Air Force

The Limarian air force’s missions include the protection of the country’s borders, troop transport, close air support for ground forces, and protection of key infrastructure, primarily focused  on political and economic targets. The Limarian air force operates primarily tier 2 equipment and planes. Limarian pilots possess a respectable reputation for their flying skills.

Air Force Size and Structure

Limaria operates a small air force that consists of a headquarters, two regiments, and five squadrons. Assets that the Limarian air force can use on the battlefield include one fighter regiment and one helicopter regiment. In addition to its maintenance units, the Limarian air force fields an aviation transport squadron. (See the OB at the end of this country’s variable.)

Air Force Doctrine and Tactics

Donovian aviation doctrine heavily influences Limarian air force operations. Despite the heavy Donovian influence, the Limarian air force still demonstrates the ability to adapt its tactics based on the constraints of a conscript-heavy force and limited new equipment procurement.

Air Force Training and Readiness

Limaria maintains a well-trained air force with a 93% operational readiness rate.

Air Force Equipment and Weapons

The Donovians also maintain a significant air defense presence in Limaria, as they man a large radar site and forward-deployed interceptor aircraft. Most likely, the Limarians and Donovians integrate their air defense assets located in Limaria. By regional standards, the Limarians also maintain a robust anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) and surface-to-air missile (SAM) capability likely supported by Donovian contingents, in addition to the forward-deployed Donovian military forces described later.

Government Parliamentary Forces

The Limarian Ministry of the Interior (MOI) controls about 1,000 personnel who use military-style light weapons. The security force’s original mission was the prevention of guerilla attacks on military installations, and now the force performs police duties. The MOI is also the likely riot control formation, and is probably tasked with rear-area security for military forces in wartime. It maintains an SPF-like capability for anti-terrorism and crime fighting.

The Limarian MOI operates a border guard unit to enforce the country’s importation laws. Donovia trained the MOI border guard unit, which operates out of Yerevan. Tasked with anti-smuggling and border control, the border guard is thinly stretched between the borders of Ariana, Gorgas, and Kalaria.

Non-state Paramilitary Forces

Insurgent/Guerrilla Forces

The Lower Janga region previously seceded from Atropia and declared its independence. This action has created friction and violence within the mixed population. Depending on one’s point of view, this tension spawned two major terrorist groups or guerilla forces in the Lower Janga region—the Limarian Liberation Front (LLF) and the Free Lower Janga Movement (FLJM). Violent attacks are sporadic and unappreciable, with relatively low casualties. However, reporting indicates that one of these radical groups is attempting and in an unknown stage of smuggling “dirty bomb(s)” into the region. The dirty bomb “wild card” has the potential to create mass casualty attacks and seriously harm the psychological well-being of the population within the region.

FLJM conducts military activities in the Lower Janga region general focused against Limarians in hopes of intimidating the population into leaving the region. FLJM’s ultimate objectives are to re- establish Lower Janga as an Islamic territory under the control of the government of Atropia, and displace the Limarian population in the region. Reporting indicates (with high confidence) that Atropia may assist the FLJM in a clandestine fashion with regard to military support. Members of FLJM are active in local business and politics, providing legitimate cover for FLJM activity. FLJM clashes frequently with LLF elements, with both sides blaming the other for assorted acts  of banditry and random violence.

LLF consists of a number of independent radical Limarian threat groups that are fused together by ideology and the common enemy found in the FLJM. The driving motivation for this assorted federation is to deny the FLJM Lower Janga and keep the region for Limarians. Reporting indicates that LLF will cooperate with Arianian SPF when it is in the group’s best interest. However, most in the LLF do not want a permanent relationship with Arianian forces. Most violent attacks are against FLJM members and Atropian civilians. The group can conduct small cross-border attacks and has links to other global radical groups.

Criminal Organizations

Limarian crime syndicates permeate the current government to such a level that the criminals provide an easy enemy for new political movements to unify against.

Private Security Organizations

In the Lower Janga region and other troubled spots in Limaria, small groups of local civilians band together to provide security for their businesses, homes, and families, as these people feel that the police and military cannot arrive in time when trouble does occur. Additionally, Donovian VIPs hire local Limarians to provide protection for them as they travel throughout the country.

Foreign Military Presence

Donovia maintains a significant military presence in Limaria and recently signed an agreement to remain in the country. Donovian soldiers of all types operate primarily out of the Donovian military base in Kanaker. The Donovian military force includes tanks, armored infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and artillery pieces. Any military action in Limaria will likely draw Donovia into the conflict.

The Donovians are apt to maintain their military presence in Limaria, a traditional Donovian political sphere of influence, to protect critical bases and sites and to gain the benefit of operations in a deployed environment. Donovia views its deployment to Limaria as a critical public statement of  its ability to conduct operations in what Donovia sees as its rightful sphere of influence.

Nonmilitary Armed Combatants

The insurgent and guerrilla forces that operate primarily in the runaway republics and the adjacent Gorgan areas are predominately hostile to the US, as they fear a return of Gorgan control to their areas. The criminal organizations in Gorgas are generally neutral to any US presence in their country as long as it does not interfere with their enterprises. Most private security organizations that provide protection to the hydrocarbon pipelines that cross the country support US presence in Gorgas. Pro-Zabzimek irregular forces operate freely within Zabzimek and occasionally conduct cross-border operations into Gorgas. These forces coordinate with and receive support from the Donovian and Zabzimeki regular and SPF units. Their primary goal is to ensure an independent Zabzimek and regularly harass and intimidate ethnic Gorgan civilians. These small irregular units are capable of conducting small unit operations, dependent largely on support from the SPF or Donovian regular units. Capabilities of these units include disruption, fixing, physical destruction, intimidation, and reconnaissance, intelligence, surveillance, and target acquisition (RISTA).

Military Functions

Command and Control

The Limarian military will likely use Donovian C2 procedures due to the historical ties between Limaria and Donovia, Limarian officers receiving training in Donovia, and the presence of Donovian troops at Kanaker. This will mean that most leaders will take little initiative because of fear of failure, and will wait for orders from above before they execute any action.

Maneuver

The Limarian army possesses the ability to move most of its maneuver force in combat vehicles. The country’s mountainous terrain, however, may force these armored and motorized units to remain road-bound.

Air Defense

The Limarian military possesses limited air defense capability and most of it resides in one air defense brigade. Limaria recognizes that air defense is an all-arms effort. Thus, all ground units possess some type of an organic air defense capability to differing degrees, depending on the type and size of the unit. Many weapons not designed as air defense weapons will also damage and/or destroy tactical aircraft when within range.

Throughout maneuver units, there are a number of systems designed for air defense and other systems that can be used in an air defense role. The heavy antiaircraft machineguns on tanks are specifically designed for air defense. Machineguns on armored personnel carriers and automatic cannon on infantry fighting vehicles can engage both ground and air targets. Most antitank guided missiles (ATGMs) are extremely effective against low-flying helicopters. Several ATGM manufacturers offer antihelicopter missiles and compatible fire control, which are especially effective against low-flying rotary-wing aircraft. Field artillery and small arms can also be integral parts of the air defense scheme. All these weapons can be extremely lethal when used in this role.

Limaria considers every soldier with a man-portable air defense system to be an air defense firing unit. These weapons are readily available at a relatively low cost and are widely proliferated. The small size and easy portability of these systems provides the opportunity for ambush of enemy airframes operating in any area near Limarian units. Ground units also employ them to set ambushes for enemy helicopters, especially those on routine logistics missions. (For more  information, see TC 7-100.2: Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 11, Air Defense.)

INFOWAR

Limaria conducts an excellent Information Warfare (INFOWAR) campaign when it comes to its relationship with Atropia. Limaria continues to define the Lower Janga conflict as one of ethnic cleansing against Limarians. Most of the published Limarian military doctrine focuses on the protection of ethnic Limarians in Lower Janga and the country’s concern about another invasion against its territory.

RISTA

The Limarian military possesses reconnaissance, intelligence, surveillance, and target acquisition (RISTA) capabilities, with most in elements organic to its motorized brigades. If the Donovian forces that operate in Limaria decide to assist the Limarian military, however, the Donovians could provide reports from their RISTA assets to the Limarian military. The table above summarizes the effective ranges for reconnaissance assets that can support Limaria’s tactical commanders.

File:Effective Ranges of Gorgan Reconnaissance Assets.PNG

Effective Ranges of Gorgan Reconnaissance Assets

Fire Support

Limaria emphasizes artillery and fire support for its ground forces. The Limarian army operates a variety of towed and self-propelled artillery systems. All of the Limarian air defense force fixed-wing aviation assets possess the ability to provide close-air support.

Protection

The Limarian army maintains some protection from small arms fire as much as its ground forces operate from tanks, armored infantry fighting vehicles, or armored personnel carriers. The  Donovians who patrol the Arianian, Kalarian, and Gorgan borders may provide an early warning capability that may allow the Limarians to deploy their forces against an incursion into their country. (See TC 7-100.2: Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 12, Engineer Support and Chapter 7, Information Warfare.)

Logistics

Like many non-Western armies, Limaria concentrates on its combat units and often neglects the logistics infrastructure necessary to support modern warfare. Unless Donovia provides supplies, it remains likely that Limaria could not sustain a long war against any enemy.

Research & Development Goals

Due to limited industrial capacity, Limaria will likely continue to purchase its military equipment and arms from outsiders, primarily from Donovia. Limaria will focus R&D on its traditional strength in INFOWAR capabilities.

Special Considerations

Limaria’s entire military policy evolves from its relationship with Atropia over the Lower Janga region. Limaria would like to incorporate Lower Janga into Limaria, but will settle for the current situation. Limaria will oppose any action that improves Atropia’s chances of forcibly returning the Lower Janga region to Atropian control. As such, Limaria places most of its forces in areas bordering the Lower Janga region instead of on its borders with Kalaria or Ariana.

Donovia’s special relationship with Limaria also plays a role in any military action in the area. Since Donovian troops will remain in Limaria for the next three decades, Donovia will most likely want a say in what happens there militarily and politically. Donovia will use its soldiers stationed at Kanaker as a “tripwire” to justify its military intervention in the Caucasus region.

Limaria will also attempt to maintain a defensive posture against Kalarian involvement in a future Lower Janga conflict or spillover from future violence in Ariana or Gorgas. Surrounded by potential or real adversaries on all borders, Limaria will likely maintain its close relationship with its security protector in Donovia and continue to field a robust military force.

Open source reporting has indicated that Limaria possesses two to five functioning nuclear weapons. The Limarian government strenuously denies the claim. Limaria has denied inspection access by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or other watchdog organizations, based on the absence of a Limarian nuclear energy or weapons program.

Summary

Limaria maintains a relatively small military that is approximately the same size as the Atropian military except that, as a landlocked country, Limaria does not field any naval forces. Limaria’s military focuses on the security of the Lower Janga region and the defeat of any insurgent groups, and its aims include the creation of an independent Lower Janga state. Due to Limaria’s close relationship with Donovia and the presence of Donovian military personnel in the country, Donovia would likely intervene in any conflict if it appeared that Limaria’s place in the current status quo situation would drastically change.