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- Mar 31, 2008
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Soldiers drilled in contemplative silence and with calculated discipline in the naval barracks in the Imperial Palace. The Crimson King watched from the balcony of his study near the top of the dark-marble tower erected on site following the success of his grandfather's civil war and defense of the crown. When he looked up, he could see the orbital fighters dancing their deadly dance at low-altitudes in preparation for the coming dogfight to the north.
"Your Majesty, I have finished today's mobilization report." Ram Abbalah turned toward the general sitting in the chair in front of his desk. The general squirm, but only because the chair was decidedly uncomfortable. The steel in the general's spine, even in the presence of the most powerful man in the South Pacific, was the reason the man rose in the ranks while his predecessor is now filing paperwork in Ceylon for unemployment.
"Give me the short of it."
General Farson cleared his throat and began. "With the recent expansion of the armed forces, we can field a hundred thousand troops, twice that many in sailors, and a hundred ships. The ships include four floating fortresses, two of which finished construction a few weeks ago. There are also seventeen battleships with appropriate magnetic weaponry."
"Quartermasters have dug up enough scatter rifles and biter rifles to arm all the newcomers, but only a quarter of the army can be fielded in exoskeletons. The other three-quarters will have to make due with last-generation armor, which should be good enough for the conflict."
"I have also taken the liberty of calculating the number of auxiliaries we potentially have. The number we've arrived to is 280,000, but this estimate is based on numbers now a few years old. If we dip into reserve forces, that is four hundred thousand Court troops and anywhere between three hundred thousand and one million auxiliary forces. We can potentially squeeze eighty thousand troops from slave volunteers as well as another 140,000 volunteers from the coming Brunei shipment."
"None of this factors in the number of volunteer companies that will be recruited from overseas. Therefore, at the most conservative estimate, we can have 680,000 troops in the coming years, and at the most liberal estimate, nearly two million ground troops and six hundred thousand sailors and three hundred ships once production ramps up. However, supplying two million troops, or even just one million troops, overseas will be a risky proposition and I have no idea where the money will come from for such a move."
The Crimson King waved his hand dismissively. "Der krieg ernährt den krieg. I assure you that food and pay will be forthcoming by any means necessary in the event of war. You unfortunately neglected to alert me to the status of the air force."
Farson smiled, "Well, this is what we have on the books..."
"Your Majesty, I have finished today's mobilization report." Ram Abbalah turned toward the general sitting in the chair in front of his desk. The general squirm, but only because the chair was decidedly uncomfortable. The steel in the general's spine, even in the presence of the most powerful man in the South Pacific, was the reason the man rose in the ranks while his predecessor is now filing paperwork in Ceylon for unemployment.
"Give me the short of it."
General Farson cleared his throat and began. "With the recent expansion of the armed forces, we can field a hundred thousand troops, twice that many in sailors, and a hundred ships. The ships include four floating fortresses, two of which finished construction a few weeks ago. There are also seventeen battleships with appropriate magnetic weaponry."
"Quartermasters have dug up enough scatter rifles and biter rifles to arm all the newcomers, but only a quarter of the army can be fielded in exoskeletons. The other three-quarters will have to make due with last-generation armor, which should be good enough for the conflict."
"I have also taken the liberty of calculating the number of auxiliaries we potentially have. The number we've arrived to is 280,000, but this estimate is based on numbers now a few years old. If we dip into reserve forces, that is four hundred thousand Court troops and anywhere between three hundred thousand and one million auxiliary forces. We can potentially squeeze eighty thousand troops from slave volunteers as well as another 140,000 volunteers from the coming Brunei shipment."
"None of this factors in the number of volunteer companies that will be recruited from overseas. Therefore, at the most conservative estimate, we can have 680,000 troops in the coming years, and at the most liberal estimate, nearly two million ground troops and six hundred thousand sailors and three hundred ships once production ramps up. However, supplying two million troops, or even just one million troops, overseas will be a risky proposition and I have no idea where the money will come from for such a move."
The Crimson King waved his hand dismissively. "Der krieg ernährt den krieg. I assure you that food and pay will be forthcoming by any means necessary in the event of war. You unfortunately neglected to alert me to the status of the air force."
Farson smiled, "Well, this is what we have on the books..."
