A/N: Here you go, a non-standard chapter as promised. I wanted to make it in a different style than the standard Mass Effect Codex, since it doesn't make sense for other species to know so much about the carvin military. Also keep in mind that in the carvin report, carvins use their own terminology to distinguish ship classes (for example they refer to dreadnoughts as battleships or to frigates as corvettes/picket ships). That being said,
Enjoy!
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INSTITUTIONS AND BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE CARVIN EMPIRE
This is an overview of the structure of military institutions of the Carvin Empire based on the information extracted and intercepted from various carvin communication channels. The document is by no means absolute - existence of several institutions or branches of these institutions, as well as their actual position within the carvin state hierarchy is speculation. This document will be updated as new data is acquired.
High General Council - The Highest government body within the Carvin Empire, to which all other state institutions are subordinated. Similarities to Turian Hierarchy's Primarchs are apparent, with each High General ruling a Sector within the Empire, although based on the limited communications chatter intercepted, they seem to have more direct executive power than turian Primarchs, as well as holding overall control over military forces in their respective Sector. From what little the Council delegation managed to learn about the carvins, High Generals are not elected but chosen, although public opinion may have the ability to push for specific candidates to be considered.
Ministry of War - The main institution responsible for waging war of both offensive and defensive nature, planning for such a conflict and managing the military resources of the Carvin Empire. Not enough data is available to determine if it is radically different in nature and structure than its equivalents in governments of other races. Minister of War is likely appointed by the High General Council and subordinated to them.
Imperial Armed Forces - An institution encompassing the entire known military of the Carvin Empire. Commander-in-chief position is always granted to the High General who at the time oversees the Carvistorn Sector, a miniscule subdivision of the Carvin Empire, only encompassing carvin home system, Maarv. As of this moment, the main branches of the carvin armed forces are: Imperial Navy, Imperial Army, Imperial Special Forces (hypothesized, based on covert carvin activity within Terminus Systems) and Frontier Defense Corps.
Imperial Navy - Military branch responsible for naval operations. Neither exact nor approximate size is not known. Carvins themselves have declared to field 32 dreadnought-class vessels. The claim is impossible to verify, due to the closed-off nature of the Carvin Empire, as well as few mass relays located within their borders. Observations of carvin activities within the Terminus Systems suggests that their navy possesses a small, specialized ground operations sub-branch, analogous to Marine units. These formations however have been observed to be at most battalion strength.
Imperial Army - Military branch responsible for ground operations. The Army is a distinct branch that, while heavily dependent on the Navy for transport and support, has its own structure, officer and cadet corps. Despite this, intercepted carvin radio chatter has indicated a deep level of entanglement and integration between both branches. The Army had been observed to temporarily requisition naval vessels for support in ground operations, while the Navy could do the same with specific Army units. A testament to the flexibility of carvin military.
Imperial Special Forces - A hypothetical branch, with no actual proof of its existence. Carvin stealth operatives were reported by our agents on Bekke, Tortuga, and in and around Omega. It is suspected that they have been operating in these regions long before they were detected. Several disappearances and mysterious deaths in all these locations can be linked to their activities.
Frontier Defense Corps - A mixed branch, containing both naval and ground forces. Based exclusively in the Frontier Sector, and especially within the range of Mass Relays and conventional FTL thrusters, the Frontier Defense Corps likely acts as the first line of defense against any potential hostile. Only light and medium-sized ships have been observed to bear the mark of the FDC. Despite its designation as an armed forces branch, it is also subordinated to the Ministry of the Interior, and works very closely with Border Guard. Interestingly, the Chief of Frontier Defense Corps answers not only to the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Armed Forces, but to an individual called Tivennia Va'Xuun. It is hypothesized that Tivennia is one of the yet unidentified High Generals (only one High General was identified by name, Seviros Ra'Taan), however there is no confirmation of that.
Organized Militia (unconfirmed): Carvin transmissions indicate an existence of militia forces on their colonies. As of now it is unclear if it exists as a larger and more organized force, but several intercepted transmissions suggest it to be.
General Inspectorate of Armed Forces - An institution subservient to the Imperial Armed Forces, although highly autonomous, designed to enforce quality standard upon each and every branch. Known sub-branches of the Inspectorate are: Navy Inspectorate, Army Inspectorate, Inspectorate of Weapons and Ordnance. Unconfirmed sub-branches: Inspectorate of Military Education, Inspectorate of Logistics and Military Infrastructure.
Ravashir - The most unclear and confusing of all institutions of the Carvin Empire with significant ties to its Armed Forces. Officially a branch of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ravashir were observed and heard to perform a variety of roles. They perform policing and internal security duties, with their authority exceeding that of the state police (which, like its turian counterpart does not distinguish between its military and civilian branches), as well as perform inspections on every single level of the carvin state, from local civilian courts and governments, to all of the highest ministries. All of our own (mostly unaware) carvin contacts within the Carvin Empire are consistently being detected and eliminated. No countermeasure can be found so far.
End of file.
To: High General Council, Imperial General Staff
From: General Inspectorate of Armed Forces
Subject: Special Status and Readiness Report of the Imperial Military
As per direct request of the High General Council, General Inspectorate of the Armed Forces and all its subservient branches have compiled a special, unscheduled report on the Imperial Military's capabilities and readiness in response to the first contact with non-Grox alien civilizations. Due to the limited time provided for realizing this request, further more detailed reports may follow soon.
Imperial Navy
Section 1: General Observations
Imperial Navy stands as one of the largest formations in the galaxy, with a significant quality to support it. Our independence from Mass Relay network allows for greater local flexibility, however it also magnifies logistical concerns when operating far away from established bases and supply lines. As of this moment, Imperial Navy is unable to capitalize on the advantages of Mass Relays, as it lacks both combat and non-combat vessels to conduct large scale operations with their use.
Total transformation to an element zero-based navy is both impossible and ill-advised, and a large scale hybridization is also not recommended. Nonetheless, creation of dedicated units and formations operating with the use of element zero (which henceforth will be referred to as eezo in this document) as its main method of FTL travel should still be considered.
Section 2: Battleships
Recent exercises conducted with the consideration of Council races vessel specifications reveal a concerning effective range advantage of alien warships. Due to the nature of element zero-based railguns, they do not suffer diffraction over distance, unlike the overwhelming majority of Imperial weaponry. Firing drills have indicated that at the maximum effective range of a turian or human battleship, Main Energy Emitters of the newest Relentless-class battleships retain on average only 27% of their power. Vengeance-class performs significantly worse at only 15%. Meanwhile enemy vessels will always maintain nearly 100% of power at any range (attachment 1).
However the main advantage of Direct Energy Weapons over element zero-based artillery, aside from a total barrier penetration is the effective accuracy. Our long and mid-ranged naval artillery can maintain a 90-100% accuracy at a distance of up to 150% of human Kilimanjaro-class battleship's maximum effective range. This allows for hypothetical sustained harassment at large distances, albeit for minimal damage against any vessel heavier than an armorer cruiser. Only a real combat situation will test the validity of such a tactic.
Inclusion of an electromagnetic firing mode in the Relentless-class battleships has been determined to be the most reliable way to engage enemy battleships at long ranges before closing distance. Even at 27% power, a hit from its MEE in electromagnetic configuration can severely interfere in hostile vessel's internal machinery, and sustained fire from mid-long range can temporarily disable enemy warships or cripple them entirely. Admiral Narik Vu'Zaar, main proponent of radical modernization of our forces, had suggested that all old Vengeance-class battleships should be retrofitted with upgraded dual configuration MEEs similar to Relentless-class. Nevertheless, data from firing exercises indicate that at mid range for battleships, it is mostly preferable to fire in a standard laser configuration.
No combat data could be collected due to the lack of deployment of battleships in active combat scenarios.
Section 3: Cruisers and Frigates
In combat encounters with pirate and mercenary forces using stolen, salvaged, or repurposed vessels of similar size, cruisers of the Imperial Navy perform exceptionally well. Shorter ranges allow for the use of smaller broadside weaponry. Sustained fire from even light anti-ship laser cannons has been observed to rapidly melt or boil away armor of enemy ships which do not have energy shields.
Several reports, in particular from commanders of Lexaant-class cruisers or formations that contained them have stressed the overabundance of point defense emplacements on their warships. Taking into consideration more advanced laser technology, as well as the role of the Lexaant-class as a dedicated ship-to-ship bruiser vessel, Inspectorate of the Navy suggests reducing the number of dedicated point defense lenses from 68 to 52 on the Lexaant-class cruisers and a reduction of 6-12 on vessels of older models. Such a change would allow for better overall energy distribution and a lesser strain on the ships' radiators.
Light Karto-class frigates have been observed to lack heavier firepower, with its two missile launchers deemed inadequate for an engagement against military-grade vessels of slightly larger weight class. Suggest importing or licensing production of the highly effective Javelin missile system (attachment 2) employed by the Systems Alliance. Current conference on Intai'sei can facilitate a mutually beneficial arms deal with the humans. Alternatively Imperial Bureau of Intelligence should focus efforts on obtaining information about the new turian weapon system, named the "Thanix Cannon", based on the main armament of the flagship of the Geth fleet during the Battle of Citadel. The Inspectorate is well aware that due to the increased demand for element zero in all branches of the Armed Forces, as well as in the civilian sector, a mass retrofitting of vessels with either system is impossible, therefore elite and vital formations should take priority in modernization efforts.
Section 4: Corvettes
Weapon systems of corvettes are generally regarded as sufficient. Particular effectiveness was recorded using EMP torpedos, which were observed to severely weaken or even outright neutralize enemy barrier emitters, allowing for conventional warheads to strike unopposed. Proton torpedos have been proven to be less reliable, with parts of the payload being blocked by barriers. Detailed investigation for reasons of these occurrences is ongoing.
While generally superior in point defense and fighter hunting due to superior weapon systems, an overwhelming advantage in speed has been observed in some eezo-based vessels. In a dogfight scenario where turreted weaponry of Raax and Porvis-class corvettes can be utilized, some of the advantage can be neutralized, however none of our ships, besides fighters and bombers, can effectively pursue fleeing enemy corvettes with powerful engines, and even our spacecraft struggle with long-range pursuits. As such, instructions should be given out to corvette commanders to first target the engines of enemy vessels in an attempt to cripple their mobility.
Multiple fleet and flotilla commanders, including Admiral Vu'Zaar, have suggested designing a dedicated "corvette destroyer" vessel, which would use a small element-zero reactor, and more powerful weaponry to provide it with agility and firepower to combat enemy picket vessels. With the approval of the Chief of the Navy, Naval Inspectorate has published tactical requirements for a vessel that would fill this role. As of this moment, Mantaar Drive Yards have submitted a promising work-in-progress design (attachment 3), codenamed "Neutron-class". Once prototypes from various state and private contractors are complete, testing will commence and a design will be submitted for approval by the Naval High Command and High General Council.
Section 5: Light Spacecraft
Based on information gathered during piracy suppression campaigns, as well as acquired from the Shadow Broker, The Inspectorate declares a major superiority in light spacecraft quality. Due to 100% accuracy of laser cannons, and because no Council navy employs shields on their light spacecraft, Vishir-class main fighter is an uncontested leader on the galactic scale. Modern improvements to the engines of the design have managed to equalize it with most of its competitors in space combat, and the armaments are sufficiently powerful. Modularity of its construction for several configurations helps off-set higher cost of manufacturing than that of its competitors. Nonetheless, it still remains more expensive to manufacture than Council races' designs.
While traditional concussion and plasma torpedoes employed by strike fighter configuration of Vishir-class have been proven to be of acceptable effect, electromagnetic torpedoes, scaled down version of warheads used by our corvettes, achieved the most success. They can provide a much cheaper and readily available ship-crippling capability than the MEE of a Relentless-class battleship. Combat encounters have proven that the EMP pulse emitted by their detonation can still affect ships even after being blocked by barriers. A danger still remains that the pulse will hit the fighter that fired it, and pilots should be instructed to launch them with some distance before breaking off immediately afterwards.
Because of shielding equipped on all of our spacecraft, they are much more resistant to point defense weapons used on Council and non-Council military vessels. The GARDIAN system, most widely used type of point defense suite, has been proven to not be 100% lethal against even unshielded spacecraft, giving our fighters an extreme edge in survivability.
The main weakness of our spacecraft is their lack of FTL capabilities, more widely available on alien machines. Despite its modular construction, it is unfeasible to outfit Vishir-class with any sort of FTL drive, whether eezo or warp-based.
Section 6: Carriers
Due to the aforementioned lack of FTL drives on our light spacecraft, it is imperative that an increased number of escort and fleet carriers are constructed in order to maintain adequate power projection and space superiority capabilities. Nebula-class escort carriers have performed well during both recent exercises and deployments to Hourglass Nebula, and their numbers should be greatly expanded.
A suggestion was put forth by the Naval Command that an additional two of our Vengeance-class battleships be retrofitted into proper fleet carriers to supplement the 4 Radiant-class fleet carriers soon to be finished. Doing so would both alleviate the spacecraft transportation issues and help our diplomatic efforts on Intai'sei.
Another suggestion was made by Admiral Rak'Tiir that specially designed "corvette tenders" be designed. These vessels, reaching sizes of fleet carriers, would possess a hybrid FTL drive, being able to both warp jump and use Mass Relays. Their role would be to help transport and supply numerous corvettes, either by docking or hull linking, across large distances in order to allow for harassment deep behind enemy lines. A heated debate over the validity and cost efficiency of such a vessel is ongoing, and the Inspectorate of the Navy refrains from a definitive judgement as of now.
Section 7: Virtual and Artificial Intelligences
The use of Virtual Intelligences on warships has been widespread since the end of the Grox War. Using innovations and advancements acquired from the captured Grox hardware, as well as the study of the Grox themselves, our Virtual Intelligences have been observed to possess between 17-28% greater processing power and performance than those of other alien contemporaries, with the exception of salarians. However, the Ministry of Digitalization has noted the increased frequency of the newer VI models evolving into proper Artificial Intelligences after an average age of 20 (Carvistorn) years, with a higher chance and rate of transformation being amongst the VIs extensively used in military operations, as they collect the most data in the shortest time. Such 'awakenings' can be either very pronounced or extremely subtle. As such it is imperative that the digital departament of the Ravashir constantly monitor developments around such occurrences, and ensure that the newly awoken AIs remain loyal to the Empire.
Dedicated Artificial Intelligences, which were taught and nurtured since creation, do not exhibit signs of disloyalty and rebellious tendencies. Through proper behavioral emulation, they learn to be as disciplined and loyal as our own population. Despite concerns over publicizing information from the extranet to the general public, their loyalty remains unwavering (it was feared that the AIs may start questioning the social order of the Empire after exposure to alien cultures). Nonetheless, they should still be observed.
Because of the paranoia and distrust for AIs amongst Council races, they are extremely rare, even in the military sector. This should give us substantial advantage in cyberwarfare and computation power in the event of a conflict with most Council militaries.
Section 8: Organization
Results from completed pirate suppression campaigns and expeditions to Hourglass Nebula and Styx Theta show that our current patrol flotillas and task forces are significantly overstrength. During numerous engagements it was clear that our forces were overcomitted to threats disproportionally less dangerous than the strength of our response indicated. Reducing corvette numbers in patrol flotillas by 2-5 (depending on the size of the formation) will allow for forming approximately 18 new flotillas if reinforced with cruisers and escort carriers.
Additionally, due to our recent expansion into Nemean Abyss and Hourglass Nebula, two new fleet headquarters should be established to unify command and control over our forces in both regions. The nucleus of the new 30th and 31st Fleets should be either a Relentless-class battleship or a Radiant-class carrier. In order to provide forces to allow for the creation of this new formation, vessels can be withdrawn from the Middle Belt and the Snowy Expanse, as a number of space stations and planetary defense facilities have allowed for a transfer of forces without compromising security of these sectors. These vessels would of course fall under the overall command of High General Tivennia Va'Xuun (who is now in command of forces in the Frontier Sector), and as such any transfer of forces on this scale will await approval from the High General Council.
Pre-first contact expansion of the navy, which still continues right now, is increasingly starting to create issues with reservists. The naval branch of Military Replacement Command warns of a dangerously low level of replacements, especially in the professional junior officer and NCO cadres. They advise to either increase military service period for naval personnel, or to offer incentives for candidates to enroll into naval academies. An expansion of available student slots combined with a minimal reduction in requirements for enrollment would help alleviate these issues. With the approval of the High General Council, Inspectorate of Military Education will begin drafting legislature to accommodate for these changes.
Marine battalion organization is deemed satisfactory. Any planned mergers or absorption of the Imperial Army into the Imperial Navy are deemed unnecessary.
Section 9: Strategy
Any and all conflicts with other alien civilizations, that are not the Grox, will be shaped by Mass Relay network, and it is imperative that the Imperial Navy is capable and ready to wage both a defensive and an offensive war in the regions of space where Mass Relays are a factor.
Eezo FTL systems rely almost exclusively on Mass Relays for long distance travel. While our own warp drives allow for travel several levels of magnitude faster, Mass Relays recontextualize the ability of potential enemy forces to maneuver and supply themselves in the field. Due to these fundamentally different means of interstellar travel, as well as relative location of the Carvin Empire to its potential adversaries, any sort of lightning or high momentum maneuver war is impossible. Any future conflict has to be planned for in terms of years or decades, depending on the level of escalation, combatants, and distance between the Empire and its adversaries.
Our outermost colonies that are within effective range of conventional FTL thrusters of Council races near Mass Relays will inevitably become the most vulnerable in the event of a conflict. As such they should be strengthened to inflict maximum attrition against any aggressor, yet the Empire has to be ready to abandon them once their defense becomes infeasible. Because of the limited speed of eezo-based FTL without Mass Relays, an effective defense in depth can be established in the inner sectors of the Empire, while our fleets are able to disrupt hostile supply lines stretching away from the nearest Relay, bleeding the invading force white and conducting counteroffensives.
In an offensive war, the enemy can be expected to move their forces around their own territory much quicker than our own Navy, given the higher speeds offered by the Mass Relay network. In addition, supplying our forces on far away expeditions will prove difficult, and as such a dedicated eezo-based merchant marine and logistics corps is imperative to effectively supply our forces in occupied or contested areas. Its establishment should be one of the main priorities of the Imperial Military. They would have to operate exclusively along the Relay network, with their headquarters likely situated in the Hourglass Nebula, as it is one of the closest Relays readily available to the Imperial Navy, and the one with the most available connections to important nearby Relays.
A hypothetical solution may be to destroy strategically placed Mass Relays in order to cut off enemy supply lines, however given their extreme size and sturdiness, there are no weapons in the Empire's arsenal to effectively and reliably destroy a Mass Relay. Even if there were, the release of energy from a damaged or destroyed relay would be catastrophic, causing devastation to all settlements and instalations within the system. Therefore, destruction of Mass Relays should be considered only in the case of an unsustainable stalemate, or if the survival of the Empire is threatened.
Section 10: Tactics
One distinctive advantage that our forces possess over eezo-based navies is the choice in the angle of engagement. Because they are bound to Mass Relays, their routes and angles of advance are predictable. Any defending force can mine an exit from a Mass Relay and prepare extensive defensive positions to inflict severe casualties on the enemy, even while conducting a fighting withdrawal.
Warp drives of our vessels allow them to pick routes of attack regardless of the Mass Relay network, thereby forcing the enemy to spread his defenses along a wider area, dilluting their effectiveness. An effective tactic is to split an attacking force into two parts. When the main bulk of the fleet conducts a traditional attack, the detached vessels circle around and enter the system from an advantageous vector, usually the rear of the enemy formation scrambling to intercept. Because most of the more powerful eezo-based weapons are non-rotating, an attack from the rear could hypothetically cripple a hostile force and scatter it, allowing for an effective defeat in detail.
To facilitate effective use of such tactics, Navy-wide exercises should be conducted, with an explicit focus on rapid creation of ad-hoc battlegroups and formations with specific tasks. A breakdown of command and control during a battle is unacceptable, and our commanders need to be able to act independently with both daring and initiative, all while maintaining cohesion within their forces and coordinating with other formations.
Imperial Army
Section 1: General Observations
Taking into consideration its size and the amount of equipment fielded, the Imperial Army is by far the largest in the galaxy, with a possible exception of the geth (on whom scarce intel is available). Next largest army, the Turian Army, while formidable and possessing considerable reserves, simply has too small a population to match the Empire in raw manpower strength.
In addition, our inherent biological advantage means that our ground forces will inevitably perform better. The only race equal or superior in terms of raw biological combat prowess are krogan, who, crippled by the genophage, have been determined to be a no-factor.
However several issues have been noted in relation to our overall weapon systems. While energy-based weaponry has a multitude of advantages in space combat, it suffers greatly during ground combat, with multiple deficiencies having already been identified. Eezo-based innovations for the Army should be rolled out as quickly as possible.
Section 2: Infantry
Whether on foot or using mechanized vehicles, our infantry performs exceptionally well. Formations consisting of regular soldiers have noted overwhelming success against all adversaries during our recent pirate suppression expeditions. Despite major concerns regarding conscripted units, most of the assessed formations have produced acceptable results, with 81st, 110th and 184th independent brigades being classified as capable units that can be confidently employed during offensive operations alongside regular army units.
Several army unit commanders, particularly those of regular troops have stressed a slight underpowered nature of our 9-man infantry squads against heavier opponents, as well as a lack of infantry suppression capabilities. They recommend to include an additional weapons specialist in each squad, bringing up the standard squad strength to 10 infantrymen. However these issues can also be resolved through a significant overhaul of infantry equipment (see section 3).
Intense physical drills and enhanced cybernetic endurance of our troops produced results during the operation on Bekke. A company from the 2nd Assault Division got bogged down in a rocky ravine, impassable for tanks and mechanized vehicles, while chasing local batarian defense forces. Soldiers of the company left their vehicles and pursued the retreating batarians on foot for a straight day without resting, overwhelming the defenders and causing a collapse of the regional defense (attachment 4). Based on this and other similar experiences, Army Inspectorate recommends maintaining high standards for our infantry, as well as keeping the current frequency of regular physical exercises.
Section 3: Infantry equipment
Our infantrymen have been observed to perform poorly when faced with more armored opponents, such as heavier mechanical infantry or light vehicles. The standard issue CAR-16 assault rifle, while extremely effective against light infantry, severely lacks in armor penetration, as evidenced by several encounters with YMIR mechs across the Terminus Systems, as well as a report from our liaison to Normandy Sr-2, detailing an encounter with heavier geth infantry (attachment 5). This may be due to diffraction being a more significant factor in atmospheric engagements.
A solution to a significant amount of issues could be an inclusion of at least 1 eezo-based weapon into our squads. A thorough disassembly of various captured weapons, in particular M-97 Revenant rifle (despite major issues caused by an incredibly complex anti-replication technology of the weapon), have provided valuable insights for our own future R&D efforts in weapons manufacturing. The Ravager shotgun has been almost universally praised by the troops that used it, and most shortcomings of the weapon were determined to be caused either by incorrect use or poor maintenance.
Army Bureau of Arms has put a request for a heavy, rapid-firing personal weapon capable of effectively suppressing enemy infantry, as well as shredding through armor of heavier opponents. The Army Inspectorate is divided on whether the design should be compatible with widely used "thermal clips" and create a need for dedicated production plants for them, or if it should rely on a traditional, yet still relatively advanced heat sink design of our laser rifles at a cost of reduced reliability.
Various combat reports also note stealth problems with our standard CSR-8 laser sniper rifles for our sharpshooters. Both visual and thermal trail produced by the weapon easily compromises the location of the marksman, making them vulnerable to return fire and suppression. While shield penetration capabilities of our infantry armaments are still powerful, Army Inspectorate urges to outfit dedicated recon and sniper teams with eezo-based sniper rifles in order to help maintain concealment.
Personal anti-tank weapons have produced acceptable, if slightly underwhelming results. As with space armaments, EMP warheads for our PR-21 rocket launchers have proved to be the most effective, capable of disabling enemy vehicles, and even causing semi-permament damage to internal machinery. However they lack the explosive power to fight fortifications or actually dealing physical damage to hostile vehicles. Meanwhile our plasma warheads have been shown to perform spectacularly against bunkers and other field positions, but due to the lack of raw kinetic energy, are significantly less threatening to shielded armored vehicles.
Multiple designers have suggested producing a long, hand-held, eezo-based mass accelerator that would fire hardened slugs of large caliber at extreme speeds (concept dubbed by one of the soldiers as a "glorified anti-tank rifle", noting the similarity in principle to the weapons of the Great War). However due to higher demand for element zero from other parts of the Imperial Military, this project is being postponed.
As of writing this report, no commonly available variants of Medi-Gel, a widespread medicinal salve used galaxy-wide, are compatible with carvin biology. Due to its biogenetic nature, and the fact that it uses biological nanites to accelerate healing, it is automatically targeted by carvin immune system, specifically by leukocytes-V. Our inner viruses are extremely dangerous to the salve's nanites. Despite these setbacks, beneficial properties of Medi-Gel are indisputable, and if possible the Empire should pursue cooperation with Sirta Foundation to create a carvin-compatible variant.
Section 4: Infantry vehicles
Due to recent combat being conducted mostly against irregular or badly organized forces, it is difficult to determine the exact deficiencies of mechanized vehicles, as the bulk of combat was carried out by dismounted infantry or tanks. Nonetheless several lessons have been learned.
Our mechanized transports were determined to possess sufficient firepower for their function. The Stormfire Autocannon mounted on the MCT-301 transport chassis has proven to be a highly capable anti-infantry weapon, despite not being based on lasers. A partial redesign of the weapon is suggested with the use of element zero, however the system still adequately performs in its intended role. Two point defense laser emplacements were effective in dealing with the numerous personal rocket launchers employed by hostile forces encountered, and the suggestion to add a third laser should be discarded.
Due to comparatively large physical size of our species in comparison to other races, the MCT-301 has a lower troop capacity than its contemporaries, such as the Turian C77 or the Alliance M-080. This can be somewhat remedied by troops riding both inside and on top of the transports, while dismounting right before or during combat. While such a tactic may expose our infantry to too much enemy fire, especially in ambushes, more extensive drills need to be conducted to test its true viability.
Section 5: Tanks
In the rare instances that our forces came up against enemy armored formations, every single time hostile forces possessed a significant range advantage. While certainly powerful and deadly at short-mid range, the Ibex Main Battle Tank suffers heavily at longer distances. In its laser configuration has somewhat acceptable performance against enemy armored vehicles due to barrier penetration, yet lacks high explosive capabilities for infantry support roles. Meanwhile its plasma variant is highly effective against infantry and field fortifications, yet its main cannon lacks sheer kinetic energy to effectively combat enemy barriers.
Army Inspectorate recommends a total discontinuation of the Ibex-E (laser) variant in favor of the Ibex-P (plasma) variant, before the upcoming Ibex-M variant enters production to replace both models.
Section 6: Artillery
In stark contrast to the performance of direct fire weapon systems of the Imperial Army (which are often underpowered and need significant upgrades or overhauls), its artillery and mortars have performed excellently in recent campaigns. The H-222 self-propelled gun-howitzer produced spectacular results, causing extreme damage to hostile forces both in the field and in fortified positions with its plasma shells. Due to concerns over performance by other weapons systems, it was suggested that an additional number of EMP shells are stocked, however combat experience disproves the need for such a correction.
The T-08 personal mortar system also produced satisfactory results. Its main advantage is its rapid deployment (measured at an average of 8 seconds), and it can also be integrated with a wider battlenet, allowing for more precise fire. Use of omni-tools for assistance in range-finding and networking has also been proven to enhance the performance of this weapon system.
Section 7: Aerial transport vehicles
The Sand Roach Assault Shuttle has performed on par with other alien designs of similar purpose. It provides a reliable way for our forces to be quickly deployed in most terrains without much issue, while at the same time retaining some close air support capabilities. Its chin-mounted Stormfire Autocannon can provide the same level of suppression as a MCT-301 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, while its missile launchers are effective against heavier targets. A shortcoming not exhibited by alien designs is the lack of an FTL drive, however battlefield experiences have shown that an inclusion of one is not necessary. For the foreseeable future they can and will remain the nucleus of our air cavalry formations.
On the other hand, Arachnid-class dropships have shown several issues during deployment. They were observed to be quite vulnerable to SAM sites as well as personal anti-air missile launchers, despite their robust armor and shield generator. Their size of 140 meters further magnifies the problem. Multiple pilots have complained about an insufficient number of point defense emplacements, and after extensive testing, it is clear that Arachnid-class needs to be refitted with additional 2-4 point defense lasers. Despite these issues, the vessel still provides a viable way of transporting heavy equipment and supplies, and its FTL drive helps alleviate the shortcomings of the Sand Roach shuttle.
Section 8: Organization
While our divisions and brigades have proven to be quite capable formations during recent campaigns, their size makes them quite unwieldy in the wide, disparate area of the Terminus Systems. Deploying an entire brigade to a planet or system that possesses little in terms of defensive capabilities has been determined to be extremely wasteful and inefficient. Army General Staff had suggested creation of "combined" or "mixed" regiments to fill the role of rapid response forces where brigade or division-sized formations are too unwieldy, and battalion-sized units too weak or otherwise ill-equipped for their assigned task. Several of such regiments could also be trained to fight together as brigades or divisions if needed.
Suggested unit organization is as follows: Regimental HQ, 2 mechanized/air cavalry battalions, 1 tank battalion, an engineering company and an artillery company. All other specialized units should be incorporated directly into battalions or the regimental HQ (attachment 5 - proposed detailed composition of the unit).
Section 9: Tactics
Improvements in command and control, as well as yearly military drills, bore fruit during our recent raids on pirate and smuggler hideouts, with the greatest measure of success being operation on Bekke. As mentioned in Section 2, our infantry had exceeded most expectations. Impetuosity and initiative of the 2nd Assault Division proved essential in the rapid domination of the battlefield and overwhelming most of serious resistance. Recommendation to allow more freedom of maneuver to junior commanders of other formations and reduce the still prevalent Ravashir oversight that reduces flexibility in critical moments.
The Inspectorate is well aware that parts of the data collected has less actual bearing on reality, given that many engagements were fought against irregular or badly organized forces. Fighting was also done with equipment that was sometimes deemed outdated by modern standards, preventing tests of tactical innovations in a real battlefield scenario. Once the planned modernization of the Imperial Army commences en-masse, further reevaluation of old tactics dictated by equipment limitations will be possible.
Threat Evaluation
DISCLAIMER: General Inspectorate was made aware of the Empire's recent diplomatic developments on the galactic stage, as well as future plans for most races, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nonetheless, this assessment will include all known spacefaring species that could in any capacity reach the borders of the Carvin Empire. Contingency plans against all races are in the process of being drawn.
Turian Hierarchy
Threat level - High
Largest threat to the safety and stability of the Empire. Turian Hierarchy possesses the biggest known fleet located in a position to present an active danger. Several cultural and doctrinal overlaps have been observed between turians and ourselves, militaristic culture, mandatory service, extreme discipline are the most obvious examples. Any conflict between the Hierarchy and the Empire will most likely be a total, unrestricted war.
It can be reasonably assumed that in the event of war, Turian Hierarchy will be supported, either militarily or economically, by other Council races. A doctrine of decisive victory will therefore not be feasible in a war against them, given the greater ability to replace their losses faster. Instead, our independence from Mass Relays should be used to target vital military infrastructure (shipyards, fuel depots, recruitment centers), before escalating to large traditional skirmishes and battles.
Due to their dextro-amino biology, it will be increasingly difficult to supply our forces with food during long offensive campaigns. Logistical considerations of feeding our soldiers should therefore be taken into account.
War on Taetrus indicates that an occupation of any turian world will most likely prove more challenging than its conquest. Lessons from the Varsaai Insurrection should be applied to the turians en masse. The Inspectorate acknowledges that an occupation of a turian planet will likely result in extermination of most of the population, and deems this acceptable. Because of their dextro-amion biology and the necessity to transport our own nourishment for troops, intentional starvation of rebellious population in occupied territories can be used as means of pacification, as local dextro crops would be of no value to our forces.
Asari Republics
Threat level - Medium
The closest and richest neighbor of the Carvin Empire, Asari Republics pose only an average military danger to our state. While their economy is the most powerful in the galaxy, it lacks a strong military industrial complex, and reserve manpower pool to draw from in the event of a longer, unrestricted conflict.
Arguably the strongest part of their military is their navy. It is the second largest of all Council races, with 21 battleships to bear, including the Destiny Ascension. Our new Relentless-class battleships possess enough power to contest the vessel while being more numerous and allowing for greater power projection. Due to the lack of long-term staying power of the asari military, several decisive engagements should be forced upon their fleets to destroy the nucleus of their heavy formations. Luring their forces out could be accomplished by targeting important colonies and civilian infrastructure, and capitalizing on the desire to stop civilian suffering.
Asari have been generally observed to be highly diplomatically-minded. They dislike conflict and are largely uncomfortable when placed in a position of serious confrontation. Any war with the Asari Republics should therefore be preceded by a long period of low-intensity subversive and hybrid operations on their borders, with the aim to weaken their defenses before an eventual assault.
Proximity to our Empire means that asari will have the least logistical issues when conducting operations near our borders. Nevertheless, the main limitations of eezo-based FTL are still applicable to them. Destroying or severely damaging military infrastructure on the borders with Terminus Systems should ensure that asari are unable to mount any deeper counteroffensives.
Newly discovered potential of biotics gives some credence in the capabilities of asari ground forces, with each individual soldier capable of acting as a small heavy weapons platform. However, given the small number of service personnel, as well as the irregular nature of supply and equipment of asari soldiers, their impact is expected to be minimal after several intense ground engagements.
Partisan warfare, whether in space or on the ground is to be expected and dealt with ruthlessly. Natural biotic abilities of the asari could make them difficult to pacify, yet they lack fanaticism of turians, krogan or humans to sustain intensive guerrilla operations.
Salarian Union
Threat level - Low-Medium
A non-factor in traditional military terms, Salarian Union lies too far from the Empire's borders and possesses too small a military, industry and logistical chain to prosecute a war with it on a larger scale. Still, they should be expected to support both Turian Hierarchy and Asari Republics in any potential conflict.
While insignificant in terms of power projection, salarians are adept at espionage, sabotage, and subversion. Both Ministry of Internal Security and the Ravashir have detected 278 separate attempts at cybernetic infiltration. Both private and state organizations should all expand their digital encryption systems, and Artificial Intelligences should be used to scan and search for salarian runtimes placed within the Cyberweb. A drastic increase in breach attempts is expected after the planned connection of the Cyberweb to the wider Extranet.
Military Intelligence and counter-espionage should also beware of sabotage and subversive actions instigated by the salarian government, specifically the Special Task Group. Alien residents who have been allowed to live within the Empire should be constantly monitored for any ties to the STG or its contacts. The greatest risk of such subversive actions taking place lie in the areas that can be viably accessed by eezo FTL engines (especially Hourglass Nebula). Frontier Defense Corps and Ravashir will be instrumental in ensuring that sabotage does not take place.
Preemptive piracy suppression campaigns should be continued and intensified, as the lawless nature of Terminus Systems can easily be used by salarians to instigate various criminal organizations against the Empire.
Systems Alliance
Threat level - Medium
Despite the developing mutual partnership with the Systems Alliance, it is imperative that constant military study and observation of the humans is conducted, due to their unpredictable and expansionist nature, as well as shared interest in (and possible future competition over) Attican Traverse and Terminus Systems.
Alliance controls large swaths of territory for its age and military size. While certainly impressive given the short time their species is in its spacefaring age, the sheer magnitude of human territory makes it difficult to defend. Additionally, numerous colonies have officially seceded, or are independent in all but name from the Systems Alliance. Targeting these worlds first, which universally possess little in terms of significant defenses, should be a priority in preparation for war.
Recent colonial disappearances, now attributed to an enigmatic race known as the Collectors, have proven the unwillingness of the Citadel Council to support the Alliance in any meaningful way in their efforts to pacify the Traverse and Terminus. Should the Empire launch several subversive campaigns and hybrid warfare operations against them, it is suspected that other Council species will NOT assist the humans unless it threatens their interests.
Courts of Dekuuna
Threat level - Insignificant
The elcor have no major capacity to wage war of neither offensive nor defensive nature. They are predicted to stay neutral in any conflict between the Empire and the Council, and can safely be ignored.
Vol Protectorate
Threat level - Very Low
A vassal of the Turian Hierarchy. Can be expected to wage war alongside the turians, regardless of circumstances. Any conflict with the Hierarchy will inevitably draw in Vol Protectorate and vice versa. Vol economy is extremely strong given overall volus numbers. While they do not have a well-developed military industrial complex, their economy and supply chains are deeply integrated into that of the turian state, and is expected to produce a significant quantity of weapons and equipment. Nonetheless, its own military is fairly insignificant and heavily reliant on the Hierarchy.
Illuminated Primacy
Threat level - Insignificant
Much like the elcor, the hanar are incapable of fighting a conventional war in space, let alone on the ground. Drell, whom hanar have extensively integrated into their army units, have been observed to be skilled assassins and infiltrators, however with the distance to the Empire, as well as a near complete absence of aliens within our borders, threats of covert subversive actions are minimal. If however the Intai'sei Conference leads to an increased opening of our civilization to foreign civilizations, this may somewhat alter the danger posed by the hanar military, albeit not much.
Krogan Clans
Threat level - Very Low
Due to the near complete sterility of krogan caused by the Genophage, the Krogan Clans have become irrelevant in the galactic politics. The Krogan Demilitarized Zone enforced by the turians prevents them from any sort of power projection in space, let alone outside of their home system. Despite this, as evidenced by numerous encounters in the Terminus Systems, krogan are formidable soldiers, being one of the few races that can confidently stand up to our own troops in one-on-one combat.
Krogan pose an interesting opportunity for subversion of turian and salarian influence. Recent radical reforms undertaken by clan chief Urdnot Wrex put his clan in the prime position to become the dominant force on the planet. Support of this endeavor and potential assistance in resolving the Genophage issue could grant us a powerful ally for a time. If a united front with the krogan is established, the Empire could assist in reconstruction and rearmament efforts of Urdnot, and gain significant influence and leverage in the region, especially if combined with the Systems Alliance.
Yet krogan have exhibited unpredictable behavior numerous times. Despite Urdnot Wrex's pragmatic approach, it is unclear if a long-term partnership, beyond efforts to undermine turian regional dominance, is possible or even desired.
Batarian Hegemony
Threat level - Very Low
After their withdrawal from the Citadel, Batarian Hegemony has been in a steady decline. A stagnant society riddled with internal corruption and decaying institutions, it nonetheless possesses a government departament similar to the Empire's Ministry of Information, tasked with censorship and information control. If a conflict erupts, batarian populace may prove to be fanatical, yet with few serious means of resistance.
It can be argued that the various batarian-dominated criminal organizations operating in the Terminus Systems pose more significant threat than the Batarian Hegemony. Those should be constantly observed, as the Hegemony has a history of sponsoring and supplying terrorist organizations that fought their rivals. This strategy was most notably used against the Systems Alliance. If the Empire decides to align itself with the humans, greater hostility can be expected from the Hegemony, however with little real danger.
Quarian Migrant Fleet
Threat level - Low
Quarian Migrant Fleet has arguably the least long-term staying power capabilities of all species due to their lack of homeworld or colony of any kind. If one wishes to trap the Migrant Fleet in one place, they need only to block the relay (or relays if multiple) leading out of the cluster and then progressively tighten the noose. Long range scout vessels have managed to discern about 65% of Migrant Fleet's ship composition. All vessels are armed in one way or another, but only about 1-2% of the scanned vessels could be classed as proper military warships.
Migrant Fleet relies on the 3 large "liveships" which produce food for the armada's population. Destroying one of them would cripple the quarians, while destroying two would spell death sentence for the quarian society as it exists right now. A single decisive engagement with the aim of eliminating these vital food producers could end any conflict with the Migrant Fleet if successful.
Because they rely on eezo-based barriers, and the fact that most of the ships are repurposed, reused, junk vessels often meant for scrap, they possess little in the way of ablative armor. This makes our own energy-based weaponry extremely effective against quarian vessels, should they ever become enemies of the Empire.
The Inspectorate is aware of the plans by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage in trade with the Migrant Fleet. The Ravashir have voiced their opposition to this development, but it can be reasoned that any resources and technical innovations we share with the quarians will likely remain within the Migrant Fleet, given the closed off culture of the quarians. Commander of the 78th Patrol Flotilla, his XO, Ravashir liaison, as well as the captains of ships under his command, after receiving due punishment, were all relieved of duty and sent into penal battalions for disobeying the High General Council directive of not provoking the Migrant Fleet.
Geth
Threat level - Medium-High
Recent events, most notably the Battle of Citadel have shown not only the glaring deficiencies of the Council military, but also the capabilities and danger posed by the geth. Multiple instances of geth hiding in freighters and containers have been recorded by other races, as such all cargo flowing from outside into the Empire's borders should be scanned and gone over by the border control and Frontier Defense Corps.
Geth, much like Carvin Empire as of now, are not bound by the Treaty of Farixen. It is hypothesized that the geth navy possesses a similar, if not greater number of battleships (or equivalents) than the Turian Hierarchy, with thousands or tens of thousands of smaller vessels to support.
Intel data regarding the Battle of Citadel purchased from the Shadow Broker indicates that the geth utilize ultraviolet frequency lasers as opposed to more commonly employed infrared systems. They still do not produce the same result as our own x-ray laser systems, but that will change quickly if the geth manage to acquire an intact weapon utilizing our technology. In addition, their surprisingly quick defeat after the destruction of battleship "Sovereign" puts actual combat capabilities and tactics of the geth into question.
Cyber warfare divisions have reported that the Empire's protection against cybernetic intrusion is adequate, especially with the recent deployment of numerous advanced VIs and AIs added to the defense network.
Vorcha
Threat level - Non-factor
Vorcha do not pose any tangible danger to the Empire or its citizens. Extermination can freely commence on vorcha infested worlds, and no repercussions are to be expected from the Council over such a move. Plans of scorching Heshtok to the ground to annihilate a major part of vorcha population should however be abandoned, as vorcha will probably survive, even in the extremely toxic and uninhabitable environment created by the use of WMDs, making the effort a waste of resources.
This concludes the Special Report. More updates will follow in tandem with the ongoing military overhaul and any potential actions taken by other races.
Signed: Arvash Zi'Kaan, General Inspector of the Armed Forces
A/N: Aaaand done. Probably not what most people expected when I said I'd write about the carvin military, but screw you. I'm in charge here. Maybe some day I'll decide to go "full nerd" and make a chapter about standard formations with Order of Battle and everything, you know, the type of thing that makes military history enthusiasts ejaculate all over their monitors. But not today. Anyway, next chapter is already in the works, and it will be a start of a different arc. We'll depart from Virox for a time (he and Shepard need to calm down after what happened last chapter), and move to a different, more shadowy part of both the galaxy, and the Carvin Empire. This new arc will progress once every few chapters, eventually crossing with Shepard's adventures. I hope you'll like it. Carry on!
Bonker out!