The CRETAN Royal Task Force

[Rachel Ascot]

Scutum filiis nostris
A shield for our children

Plumbum pro invasores
Lead for the invaders

It is unknown who originally provided that quote, but it sums up a new attitude bubbling in Creta.

Creta is a sizeable nation, situated to the Southwest of Amestris. It shares borders with Drachma to the North, and Aerugo to the East, and has open sea to the West and South. It is an old culture, still abiding by its seafaring roots, and is currently known for its wealth and strong industry. The ruling government is a democratic parliament, and power is distributed between the two houses of Parliament, the Supreme Justices, and the Prime Minister. There is a monarchy, and in times when the Prime Minister is indisposed, the royal monarch has taken up a role of leadership. Currently Queen Rachel I is the highest authority in Creta, though with the Prime Minister Dietrich von Vermont awake once more, this power may shift.

The landscape of Creta is varied, but much of the population is concentrated on the coasts. Plains and rolling hills make up much of central Creta, with the land getting rocky along the northern border by Drachma, and particularly the Northeast. Like the landscape, Creta’s people are also very varied. Centuries of trading along the sea routes have brought together different people of different cultures and origins, and thus the coastal cities tend to be melting pots, with little concern given to race, ethnicity, or cultural background. Landlocked cities, like London, are where the Cretan stereotype comes from, and tend to be less varied in the makeup of people inhabiting them.

Creta is a country that has been forced to be reborn. After a very destructive world war, the country was left without a leader and with only rubble. From this rubble, however, the country has gotten running at optimum capacity once again. This shift has bred a great shift in ideals for the common man, who have become defiant and revolutionary by nature. Upon her coronation, the Queen spoke of Creta spearheading a charge into a new world, and while the practicality of this is up for debate, the spirit of Creta was captured in essence. These are a people who see themselves as survivors reborn, hoping to mould an entirely new, better world. The political landscape currently favours the left wing schools of thinking, particularly socialism, positive liberty and even some more moderate branches of communism.

Diplomatically, this attitude has manifested in somewhat of a blank slate of which to start again; ties to Amestris have strengthened, and relationships between the Ceil Dominion, Carraig and Aerugo are very friendly. Formally, Xing is a country that Creta considers itself neutral to, though recent events may impact this balance. RIOTE is seen as an enemy of Creta, and Drachma is officially recognised as a country under a tyrant's rule, but as of now no aggressive action is planned on Creta's part, at least until their own country is secure. Foreign policy is overall friendly, with immigrants from all corners of the globe welcomed (particularly because of their unique skills, crafts and resources to be added to Creta's crown) and currently any military plans are (for the most part) precautionary and defensive by nature.

In terms of military strength, Creta is not a force to be underestimated. Recently, it has been revamped, the armies marching into large pitched battles of old becoming increasingly unsuited to the threats of the modern age. Now it has a huge emphasis on urban guerilla warfare, with the army emphasising a small, tight network of defensive pockets, making any attack made by an invader very slow and costly to the enemy in both resources and blood, and any counter-attack by Creta itself both silent and brutal. Though as small as ever, the military has spread to be more prevalent in Creta, trained to turn a simple house into a fortress and make the entire country a web of defence. The navy still patrols the seas and trade routes, a centuries old tradition, and the entire military makes use of advanced communications and information technology to field a numerically smaller force to great effect. However, its real power behind Creta is in the Royal Task Forces – triphibious groupings of the military that offer the combined powers of Creta’s Army, Navy, and Air Force – that makes it a force to be reckoned with. Well-equipped, well-trained, and well-rounded, the RTF is hand-crafted to take on whatever threat is looming over the prosperous people of Creta.

If you wish to serve as part of the Cretan Military, you have several options. In terms of active military service, you can join the Royal Task Force (RTF), Royal Guards, or the Spectres. Support roles, such as scouts, spies, and internal affairs officers, should look no further than Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence and Communications (IC-IC). These departments are still a work in progress, the new system of military having essentially rewritten the army manual, so new departments may crop up at any time.

Contacting Sponge:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Positions in the Cretan Military

Rachel Ascot – Duchess of Kent, Queen of Creta, Head of the Royal Task Force, Co-Head of Tactical Deployment and Administration.

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Royal Task Force - currently headed by Rachel Ascot
"Brave men are a city's strongest tower of defence."
- Alcaeus

The backbone of Cretan might, the Royal Task Force are combinations of land, air, and naval forces, designed for specific tasks presented to them. Generally small but elite in skill, and well-rounded in abilities and varied in equipment, all deployed RTF units are prepared for almost any foe they meet in the field.
→ Clive Holiday
→ Brother Seven
→ Andric Stryker
→ Open
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Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence, and Communications Department - currently headed by Aaron Hartmen and Jackyll Marques (IC-IC)
"In war, numbers alone confer no advantage. Do not advance relying on sheer military power."
- Sun Tzu

Using cutting-edge intelligence and communications technology, this is what would be referred to as the brains of the Cretan military. While most think that soldiers win wars, it’s often forgotten that there need to be people keeping tabs on the enemy, allowing the soldiers to do their job. Running the gambit from espionage to reconnaissance to internal affairs, IC-IC handles it all. The head of the department, known as the Blind Man, is in charge of ultimately sorting through all the information, and giving recommendations to Rachel Ascot and the other Generals. Due to the nature of the Blind Man’s position, he is to be treated as Creta’s second-in-command for all military affairs.
→ William Tuck
→ Mitchell Way
CURRENTLY CLOSED

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Royal Guards
"Few men are born brave, many become so through training and force of discipline."
- Vegetius

Royal Guards are the elite of the elite, and are simply the best soldiers that Creta has to offer. Hand-picked form every branch of the military, they are not actually part of the military and instead act as the personal guard to the current reigning royalty. However, it is not uncommon for them to be used as frontline soldiers or special forces, and are used at the discretion of whoever they pledge their loyalty to. Currently, the Royal Guard pledges their loyalty to Duchess Rachel Ascot, current Queen of Creta. The Royal Guards have old traditions, and although alchemists are not barred from entering into this service, they are rarely accepted. ((OOC: Royal Guards will be limited in number, and their selection will not be taken lightly. Talk to Sponge directly, either in the Cbox or via PM, about becoming a Royal Guard.))

→ Elastor Ito
→ Vivian Duchamp
→ Gavin Wolfe
CURRENTLY CLOSED

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Spectres
"The gods favour the bold."
- Ovid

Officially, this is a group that doesn’t exist except in hushed tones and whispers. The Spectres are a paramilitary force, and have no set specialty. Each Spectre is his own, and receives generous backing from a rather illusive man known as ███████. Some Spectres work alone, and others in groups. Each one works outside the government, and ignores most of the chain of command. When the going gets rough, the Spectres usually appear unannounced, get the job done, and leave as mysteriously as they appeared. Although some point out that they answer to no one, they have, in the past, policed themselves, and are expected to do so in the future if necessary.

→ Rebecca
→ Lucas Rosario
→ Trevor Zolt
→ Samuel Hartmann III
CURRENTLY CLOSED

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Tactical Deployment and Administration - currently headed by Rachel Ascot and Csilla Angelis
"The proper arts of a general are judgement and prudence."
- Tacitus

An army without a head is just a rabble. Creta's current army is simplistic in principle; in defence it will turn a city and its surrounding countryside into a web of defence and wear an invader down over a period of weeks. However, there is a lot of planning that needs to be done; civilian evacuations need to take place, the city and countryside would need fortifying, important positions identified. This is the purpose of the TDAA; it could be considered the captaincy of the Royal Task Force in this respect. In peacetime, the duties of the TDAA consists of maintaining the physical and emotional fitness of the troops, keeps equipment at full functionality and prepares any precautionary measures to be enacted in the unlikely event of an invasion. In wartime, they evacuate civilians to safe areas of Creta and co-ordinate the military to impose their will on the battlefield, and handle the overall tactics. Highly recommended is the ability to deal with other people and an extensive understanding of military tactics and administration.
→ Open
→ Open
→ Open

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IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A NEW DEPARTMENT, PM RACHEL ASCOT. OTHERWISE, REPLY TO THIS THREAD TO APPLY FOR A POSITION IN ANY DEPARTMENT.

[Dai]

Samuel Hartmann III, for the Spectres!

[Rachel Ascot]

Done

[Guest]

Mitchell for IC-IC standard ( Not IA )

[Guest]

Jack is occasionally a spy and is able to obtain any and all information that goes through satellites. I think we should make a slot for him somewhere. Him working under Aaron would be weird. He's also CEO of a corporation call Labrose Industries wherein he makes an alchemy resistant metal called Labrose Alloy. 8D

[Brother Seven]

Brother Seven for the Royal Task Force, or other position Rachael feels most appropriate for him

[Guest]

Andric Stryker for Royal Task Force.

[Rachel Ascot]

You're both in. Sorry about the delay, but I was in Liverpool and forgot to tell anyone ^^

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