Armed Forces of the Dorvish Republic

The Armed Forces of Dorvish Republic (Dundorfian: Streitkräfte der Dorvische Republik, Lorman: Wūlinsnas spārtis der Dōrviska Republīki) also known as the Armed Forces of Dorvik (Dundorfian: Streitkräfte der Dorvik, Lorman: Wūlinsnas spārtis der Dōrviska) are the unified defensive and offensive forces of the Dorvish Republic. The Armed Forces of Dorvik had it's foundation in the 2000 popular revolution which saw the old royalist military replaced. The Armed Forces of Dorvik are administratively controlled by the Dorvish Ministry of Defense while the day-to-day operation falls to the Supreme General Staff, which is situated in the Dorvish General Staff building formerly known as the Dorvish General Staff Headquarters. The President of the Dorvish Republic is considered the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Dorvik (Dundorfian: Oberbefehlshaber), a position given to him by state law.

The Dorvish military was rarely involved in conflict in the immediate years following the popular revolution in 2000, however the more internationalist stance of Raymond Petrov and the Communist Party of Dorvik saw the rise in Dorvish military involvement throughout the world, namely on Artania in the Narik Wars. Prior to the internationalist stance of the CPD, the Dorvish were involved in regional conflicts in Rutania and the Dorvish-Uwakah. Dorvik entered a period of isolationism and the rise of the CPD saw the need for a modernization of the Dorvish military as a whole, rated as one of the worst militarys by Terran Defense Statistics and Gath Defense Collective. The program which Petrov embarked on saw the Dorvish rise to become considered one of the worlds "new military powers" according to Gath Defense Collective. The continued pro-military stance of the Dorvish government has saw the Dorvish continue to be an international player on the world stage. Dorvik, underneath the Dorvish Conservative Party and it's successor the Dorvish Social Nationalist Party saw the military participate in the Southern Hemisphere War and numerous other actions including the violence in the former Dorvish protectorate of Statrica.

The Dorvish military continues to be involved throughout the world today. It operates bases in Kafuristan (Pravnova Naval Installation) and Statrica (Petrov Military Base). It recently was involved in ending the Imperial government of Quintilius Sibilia in the Cildanian Civil War (3870) and the operations against the Ahmadi State in Cildania.

The Dorvish have a proud and sometimes boastful military tradition, dating back to the constant warfare of the Dundorfic tribes throughout central and northern Artania. Foreigners have described the Dorvish as a "hyper-militarized" society. In Dorvik, on September 6th the nation celebrates Armed Forces Day which is a huge celebration which draws crowds of millions to see the annual military parade which the Dorvish government and Armed Forces put on for the people and the world. The tradition started at the end of the modernization program of the CPD. It is broadcast throughout Dorvik and throughout Northern Artania, drawing a number of tourist and foreign observers. It is meant as a symbol of both national pride and as a showcase to the world that the Dorvish military stands prepared to defend its homeland at all cost.

The Armed Forces of Dorvik is controlled by the Ministry of Defense and the civilian appointed Minister of Defense, currently Generaloberst Askan Adelmar zu Völksau. The Ministry of Defense acts as the administrative and financial backer of the Supreme General Staff and the Inspector-General of the Supreme General Staff of the Armed Forces of Dorvik. The Supreme General Staff and the Inspector-General are responsible for the operational and logistical management of the Dorvish military. The Armed Forces of Dorvik consists of 5 branches, each with their own command underneath the Supreme General Staff, the branches are as follows: the Dorvish Landwehr, the Dorvish Marine, the Dorvish Fliegertruppe, the Dorvish Jäger and the Dorvish Feldjäger. The Armed Forces of Dorvik maintains the Military Security Service which acts as the military intelligence and counter-intelligence service of the Dorvish military.

The Dorvish Armed Forces cooperates with the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Dorvish Police, the State Security Service, the State Criminal Police and several other agencies and organizations.

The Ministry of Defense of Dorvik had nominally played a civilian administrative role in Dorvik, however when Radko Mihaylov was chosen as Minister of Defense in 3205 he was the first Minister of Defense to hold a rank in the Dorvish Armed Forces, being a General in the Dorvish Army. Radko Mihaylov was never a member of the Communist Party of Dorvik but selected to be their man when they got into government. This new style of appointing Ministers of Defense begun with Radko Mihaylov. Gregor Becker, was the first Colonel-General of the Dorvish Federal Police to be appointed Minister of Defense. The precedent which was set in 3205 has continued mainly by the Dorvish Conservative Party and the Social Nationalist.

In the early 3500s the Dorvish president called upon the Committee on Federal Security to create a task for which drew from all branches of the armed forces, the Dorvish security services and the Dorvish government to assist in "promoting stability and security throughout the world". Eventually the Dorvish Stability and Security Group was created and became an official independent government agency dedicated to assisting nations in the world in their quest for "Stability and Security". The Committee on Federal Security eventually evolved into the Federal Security and Defense Council and is currently the State Security and Defense Council which operates as the de facto advisory board to the President and State Chancellor.

History
The first Dorvish military was organized around the late 12th century, prior to that the individual Dorvish fiefdoms had maintained their own armies based off of the feudal system. The Dorvish military was apart of the Dundorfian Kingdom where the King of Dundorf was the head of the military and the lords underneath him were required to raise troops for military conflicts. The Dorvish military took much of its tradition from the Lorman culture, it idolized the warrior and later on the culture would be applied to its government and its idea of service to the country. Dorvik's military capability developed two-fold, the Dorvish had a strong land tradition as they continually sent troops to fight for the Dundorfian Kings but they also developed a proud maritime tradition where they became known as some of the best sailors in the world. The Dorvish continue their tradition today. Artania would go on to gain gunpowder and musket technology in the late 14th century and it proved to be a game changer for the Dorvish military, when the Dorvish Army received the musket it cemented their place as some of the finest soldiers in the world.

Command and control
The Armed Forces of Dorvik are commanded by the Supreme General Staff (Dundorfian: Oberste Generalstab) which is headed by the Inspector General of the Dorvische Streitkräfte (Dundorfian: Generalinspekteur der Dorvische Streitkräfte) it is charged with the overall day to day administration, logistics and planning of the Armed Forces of Dorvik. The Dorvish Ministry of Defense is the civilian-side of management of the Armed Forces of Dorvik. The two work in cooperation to make policy and carry out the wishes of the people of the Dorvish state. The Supreme General Staff, also known as the Higher General Staff works closely with the Dorvish government to create and craft policy for the government. It includes various departments and branches which manage the vast military of Dorvik, it includes the commands of the Dorvish Army, the Dorvish Air Force, the Dorvish Navy, the Dorvish Jäger Command and Military Security Service.

The Ministry of Defense is a nominally controlled by a civilian appointed Minister of Defense, however within the past several decades the Dorvish Ministry of Defense has had a senior member of the Dorvish Supreme General Staff appointed as its commander. Bonifaz Voll, a Social Nationalist Party politician re-created this trend after decades of civilian leadership when he was appointed as a General Field Marshal of the Dorvish Army. Voll worked closely with the Inspector General Colonel-General Freimut von Strassmair to reform the entire Supreme General Staff, the two were able to work out a much more effective, cost reducing model and it enabled the Dorvish military to save on personnel cost.

The President of the Dorvish Republic as well as the State Chancellor meets weekly or as needed with the State Security and Defense Council, this council serves as the national defense and security advisory council to the executive branch of the Dorvish government. The State Security and Defense Council is headed by a State Secretary for Defense (equivalent to a deputy minister or junior minister in other governments) who acts as the Secretary of the council.

Branches
The Armed Forces of Dorvik are divided into three primary branches: the Dorvish Army (Dundorfian: Dorvische Landwehr) lead by the Inspector of the Dorvish Army (Dundorfian: Inspekteur der Dorvische Landwehr) and the Dorvish Army Staff (Dundorfian: Führungsstab der Dorvische Landwehr), the Dorvish Navy (Dundorfian: Dorvische Marine) lead by the Inspector of the Dorvish Navy (Dundorfian: Inspekteur der Dorvische Marine) and the Dorvish Navy Staff (Dundorfian: Führungsstab der Dorvische Marine) and the Dorvish Air Force (Dundorfian: Dorvische Fliegertruppe) lead by the Inspector of the Dorvish Air Force (Dundorfian: Inspekteur der Dorvische Fliegertruppe) and the Dorvish Air Force Staff (Dundorfian: (Führungsstab der Dorvische Fliegertruppe).

These are the primary commands and branches of the Armed Forces of Dorvik. Underneath the Supreme General Staff there are several other "branches" which are not full independent branches such as the Dorvish Army, Navy and Air Force but considered to be major integral components of the Armed Forces of Dorvik. These are the Dorvish Jäger Command (Dundorfian: Dorvische Jägerkommando) (special forces), the Military Security Service (Dundorfian: Militärische Sicherheitsdienst) (military intelligence) and the the Dorvish Feldjäger Command (Dundorfian: Dorvische Feldjägerkommando) (military police).

Personnel
In Dorvik conscription is instituted for each male and female when they turn 18 (by current legislation). They select their preferred branch of service (for conscripts they are limited to the selection of the Dorvish Army, Air Force or Navy) and serve a term of 3 years. These conscripts are placed in what is known as Volksersatzabteilung (Luthoran: People's replacement battalions) and assigned to rotate both professional and conscript soldiers in and out of service. Dorvish citizens can forego military service by serving in the Dorvish civil service in the vast Dorvish bureaucracy, as of a recent report of the General-Plenopitary of State Administration the leaning it towards military service for men and civilian service for women.

Currently there are nearly 350,000 active military personnel within the Dorvish Armed Forces with another 500,000 in available reserves. Those who are conscripted are offered professional contracts or discharged honorably from service and are pushed to either join the Dorvish civil service or other public affairs fields, including offers from Dorvish ministries for non-civil service jobs. Those who listed as "reserve" personnel offered such status and are grouped in Ersatzabteilung (Luthoran: Replacement battalions) within assigned government districts. Conscription is handled by the Haupttruppenamt (Dundorfian: Head Troop Office) where the Quartermaster General (Dundorfian: Generalquartiermeister) is charged with all issues involving personnel.

Conscription in Dorvik is handled differently than in other countries, conscripted personnel are not tallied into the total count of active troops; they are considered a separate class of soldier in the Dorvish Ministry of Defenses eyes. They are organized into Volksgrenadier divisions or "Peoples grenadier" divisions, this is to denote that they are conscripts doing their service to the Dorvish state. These Volksgrenadier divisions are given basic training and training at basic speciality positions, they are not meant as front line troops but rather to augment the Dorvish professional forces who are better trained, supplied and specialized further.

Underneath former Minister of Defense Generalfeldmarschall Bonifaz Voll and State Chancellor Regismund von Petrov, the Landsturm decree was issued, the Landsturm decree prepared a national mobilization plan for all Dorvish citizens to come to defense as a form of national militia. The Landsturm would be used to mobilize 1/3 of the Dorivsh population in 72 hours or less, the Landsturm would be underneath the control of the Supreme General Staff underneath the Chief of the Landsturmarmee. They would be organized into battalion, company, platoon and squads based on geographic locations. This would enable local leadership to use what defensive resources they could in times of emergency.

Military academies
When Bonifaz Voll assumed the mantle of Defense Minister he set out to close a number of military academies and lower the cost of the operating nearly 50 military academies throughout Dorvik, this drew some attention from critics especially older officers who had been educated at these institutes. Voll, however, as Minister of Defense and newly appointed General Field Marshal had the authority and the rank do so, he also had the backing of most heads of the Supreme General Staff.

The academies were folded into several academies, the primary being the Dorvish War Academy (Dundorfian: Dorvische Kriegsakademie) located at Ordernsburg Wolfsfeld in the Wolfsfeld forest which is where all officers are trained for all branches of the Dorvish Armed Forces, with the exception of the Dorvish Navy. The Dorvish Navy runs its own academy at the Dorvish Naval Academy (Dundorfian: Dorvische Marineschule). The Dorvish kept a single police academy for the newly reformed Dorvish Police known as the Dorvish Police Academy (Dundorfian: Dorvische Polizeiakademie) where both the civilian and military police attend the same academy though go through vastly different training.

All conscripts and non-officers undergo training at three separate schools. The Dorvish Army trains at the Army School (Dundorfian: Armeeschule), the Dorvish Navy trains at the Navy School (Dundorfian: Marineschule) and the Dorvish Air Force trains at the Air Force School (Dundorfian: Fliegertruppeschule). These schools are located on the massive grounds of Ordernsburg Kerkeneik, located outside Haldor and serves as a reserve to the Haldorian law enforcement in the event of a national emergency.

Characteristics
The Dorvish Armed Forces is a bastion of conservative and traditional ideals for both Dorvish and Lorman citizens, the Dorvish Armed Forces has a close relationship with the Dorvish people and pride themselves on being protectors of the Dorvish constitution and Dorvish homeland. The Dorvish Armed Forces is a very nationalistic force and from such nationalistic ideals, they are considered to have high morale as they see that they are doing a duty for the Fatherland (Dundorfian: Vaterland), this relates back to the concept of the Dundorfian Empire as the progenitor of the Dundorfic tribes and Dundorfian people as a whole. The Dorvish Armed Forces would go on to believe in Sacred Dorvik (Dundorfian: Heilige Dorvik), this concept was similar to that of the the fatherland. Dorvik at the time of the Dundorfian Empire committed thousands of troops and some of the leading military strategist to the General Staff of the Reichsheer and the Dorvish troops became incredibly important, the Dundorfian Emperor Augustus I stated that the "...Dorvish troops uphold their duty to their sacred homeland and their Emperor."

The Dorvish Armed Forces has always emphasized a war of movement, where Dorvish troops are flanking the enemy or attacking the rear. This concept has developed as the modern strategy of the Dorvish Armed Forces and applies to all branches, but namely the Dorvish Army where the tactics are the most applicable. The concepts of a war of movement have permitted the Dorvish to develop what was called mission-type tactics, where commanders will issue overall objectives and the field commanders will have the ability to complete the objective how they see fit. Dorvish NCOs and field officers are taught this in their military academy training. This concept has produced highly effective officers in the field, allowing them to operate on their feet and adopt to rapidly changing situations. The concept of a war of movement drove the Dorvish to develop a strong intelligence and logistics structure to support rapid movements, the Dorvish only recently developed their intelligence and logistics capabilities as they were defeat several times throughout their history because of their lack of intelligence and logistics.

Many politicians have said "Whereas some states possess an army, the Dorvish army possess a state."

The Dorvish place great emphasis on the development of their non-comissioned and junior officers as capable individuals. Most Dorvish military failure has been on the strategic scale with fewer defeats or failures coming on a tactical scale, the emphasis on mission-type tactics as well as allowing non-commissioned and junior officers greater authority and autonomy has allowed for platoon, company, battalion and regiment commanders to be highly successful without the rigid oversight of other armies.

Group of Forces in Kafuristan
The Group of Forces in Kafuristan (Dundorfian: Gruppe der Truppen in Kafuristan) is the collective name of the military deployments at the Pravnova Naval Installation located near Nekkah, Kafuristan. The Group of Forces in Kafuristan includes rotating ships of the Dorvish Navy and permanently includes the 43rd Independent Naval Infantry Brigade of the Dorvish Naval Infantry, the 43rd is uniquely configured to ensure that they can support the mission of the Dorvish military in Kafuristan. The Chief of the Group of Forces in Kafuristan is a post appointed by the General Staff and is the overall commander of the mission in Kafuristan.

Group of Forces in Statrica
The Group of Forces in Statrica (Dundorfian: Gruppe der Truppen in Statrikien) is the name of the Dorvish military forces in Statrica, they are responsible for training and re-building the Statrican forces, namely the Statrican Volunteer Guard. The once enemies found themselves on the same side during a series of conflicts throughout the world in the late 3500s. The precise composition of units is kept secret but it is known that the Federal Security Service and the Dorvish Stability and Security Group are there. The Chief of the Group of Forces in Statrica is appointed by the Chief of Staff of the Dorvish General Staff and is responsible for the overall management of the group in Statrica.