Rossan Armed Forces
| Rossan Armed Forces | ||
| Forze Armate della Rossa | ||
| ||
| A Capitano of the Rossan Armed Forces, dressed in uniform. | ||
| Founded | 1-3 13 PC | |
| Country | La Rossa | |
| Roles | Land and naval warfare Enforcing Rossan borders | |
| Size | 3,500 active service members | |
| Engagements | None to date, although a patrol boat was deployed during tensions surrounding the island of Soluga/Sarrhusar, later Lighthouse Island. | |
The Rossan Armed Forces are the military force of the Republic of La Rossa. First organized in 13 PC for the first time by decree of Dux Falcone, their establishment was one of the first adjustments to the existence of a wider world after the Second Calming. The organization's heritage dates back to the Rossan Moschettieri, an armed police which existed before La Denunzia, later reorganized into the Rossan police force. A separation between domestic and international enforcement of government rule was proposed by the Entrance Commission, a committee formed after the Calming with the unsuccessful goal of having La Rossa diplomatically engaged with the rest of the world.
Structure
The supreme commander of the Rossan Armed Forces is the Dux of La Rossa, carrying the title Ammiraglio in military contexts. While La Rossa has not found itself in armed conflict, should it occur, the Dux may delegate acting power of control over the military to a commander of choice.
The Armed Forces distinguish between two sets of officers, those being ones enlisted and leading officers. The leading officers, often university-educated, are hand-picked from the pool of enlisted, and are mostly involved in strategy and planning.
The Rossan Armed Forces make no distinction between the navy and land armies, with soldiers typically primarily trained for small-scale naval combat, in accordance with the environmental conditions of the archipelago. The Rossan Armed Forces employ 3,500 active service members, in part distributed across 8 military vessels. In addition to four small patrol boats, the military employs four warships, consisting of three corvettes and one ironclad steamship.
The Rossan military has accepted female service members since the reign of Ducissa Alessandra DeGaio, whose decrees prohibited discrimination based on sex and identity. However, the presence of female soldiers remains under an eight of the total service members, with little effort by subsequent governments to counter societal attitudes within and outside the Armed Forces.
Ranks
- Ammiraglio - The supreme commander of the Rossan Armed Forces, mostly synonymous with the title of Dux.
- Colonello - The highest rank of leading officer attainable through service, meant to be directly involved in planning with the Ammiraglio in case of conflict.
- Maggiore - The Maggiore coordinates action among several vessels to ensure cohension between them during operations and exercises.
- Capitano - The Capitano leads entire ship crews. Due to the small amount of vessels, the position is often rotated, usually after every journey during peacetime.
- Comandante - The Comandante serves as the second-in-command to the Capitano, a position attained only by promising enlisted officers.
- Alfiere - The lowest rank of leading officer, and the designated flag-bearer. Usually commands groups of up to 50 soldiers on land, and assists with planning on sea.
- Maresciallo - The highest rank of enlisted officer, the Maresciallo's seniority and experience makes them the primary advisor of higher officers.
- Luogotenente - A rank whose meaning translates to "in place of", the Luogotenente takes command when the Maresciallo is not present.
- Sergente - The Sergente leads larger teams of soldiers, overseeing day-to-day operations.
- Caporale - The lowest officer, the Caporale commands small groups of soldiers to execute orders of higher officers.
- Soldato - The lowest rank, attained upon enlistment.
Uniforms and Equipment
The uniform of the Rossan Armed Forces are standardized among its soldiers, with the only difference being the insignia signifying rank, denoted on the shoulder. Reminiscent of the Rossan Moschettieri, from which the modern Forces descended, every soldier is fitted with a uniform consisting of a blue, buttonless jacket, green undershirt and trousers, as well as black leather military boots. A cylindrical blue hat, with a symbolical redbell woven into it, is often fashioned with a feather of Rossan arrowheads for ceremonial occasions. In addition to a firearm, most commonly a rifle, higher officers are outfitted with traditional sabres, mostly decorative in purpose. Enlisted soldiers and officers are usually armed with smaller army knives.