Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Dapper Dog]

Imperial Military

The Imperial military is the professional fighting force of the Empire. Service in the Imperial Forces is largely compulsory and discipline is high. Loyalties to the Empire is paramount and sacrifice for the greater cause is a high ideal.

There are primarily Naval Space forces and Ground Military units similar to the Republic and an enlisted force along with an Officer corps composed of primarily upper-class citizens and nobility. Nepotism in the higher ranks is rampant and loyalty to those above you is prized. The Doctrine of the Empire is overwhelming force, destruction of the enemy and completion of the enemy takes priority over any consideration of collateral damage or loss of life.

The Imperial Military unlike the Republic Armed Forces was a planned endeavor that dates back to the formation of the Sith Empire in exile. It was created with the express goal of conquering the core worlds of the Republic in a long-standing plan that if it had been executed as planned would have brought the Republic to its knees.

As noted before a certain percentage of Imperial citizens are groomed for military service from a young age and usually stay enlisted for a considerable time of their adult years, between six to ten years on average. Military personnel and veterans have a more privileged place in society and benefit from improved access to better housing, government positions, and some upward mobility. The core regions tend to provide the bulk of military personnel while those in the fringes tend to have to apply and vie for lottery slots, mostly in due part to feeling some fringe worlds are not truly Imperial holdings or home to nonhuman species seen as less desirable.

The Empire does not utilize slaves for combat purposes or allow criminals, the military as seen as a premier role in society and the society is very Nationalist and pro-military, wit state sponsored media portraying them as heroes of the state.

Sith and the Military

Sith are a privileged class in the Empire and they are the greatest weapons of the military. They add flexibility and power to the Imperial forces, greatly amplifying the destructive capabilities of the Empire. Despite these strengths the Sith do add some serious complications to the Imperial military doctrine.

Despite their strength and power Sith can be just as deadly to their own forces as the enemy often more so. A Sith can usually kill a citizen with little impunity if they have enough power and influence. This extends to members of the military who often suffer when a Sith is displeased. A battle does not go as expected and a twenty year veteran is executed to sate the Sith’s anger. Sith play games of politics with the military and often turning their forces against each other and often countermanding orders with little thought of the military objective.

Sith technically outrank all military but in practice this tends to only work with low ranking soldiers and officers. Higher ranking officers have Sith allies and masters who do not like their assets toyed with. Coupled with the demand for loyalty and obedience and it means that Imperial forces are often subject to the whims of the Sith.

Within the military the Sith play a vital role of field commander, they rarely interface with enlisted soldiers and almost exclusively work with the officers. Most military personnel see the Sith as powerful warriors and weapons to counter the corruption of the Jedi, but they also fear Sith as they stand apart and above them. Military officers in the Sith Empire learn quickly that they need to find powerful Sith patrons if they wish to rise high in the hierarchy, mostly as a shield to protect them from other Sith.

At the same time this reliance on patrons leads to a great deal of factions within the ranks. In recent years the Imperial military has become a sword for varying Sith factions forcing Imperial soldier to kill fellow Imperial soldier. This infighting has weakened the military war machine and made many within the ranks resent Sith interference as it diminishes mission readiness in many cases.

Times Change

With the ascension of the new Empress and her regime, there is a much cleaner and sharper division between the military and Sith. This move was unpopular with many Sith who had grown powerful and reliant on what were essentially personal militaries sworn to the Sith in question more so than the Empire. Those days have past, some still try but now the military has full control of their own assets and Sith can request support but can no longer simply demand it by right of being Sith.

Any Sith seen abusing their station is usually put down by Inquisitors so it keeps them in line but still old habits die hard.