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Narn Armed Forces

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The following is based on The Mongoose Publishing RPG books and contradicts canon sources.
The following is based on The Agents of Gaming Strategic Game and contradicts canon sources.


The Narn Armed Forces are the military assets of the Narn Regime. Which rank among the most powerful military forces in the galaxy, outside of the First Ones.

Overview[]

In the Narn Regime, the military is one entity, there is no division of the fleet and ground forces unlike with other races. Soldiers are assigned roles that they are best qualified for after basic training, where they will remain until they are reassigned for other duty. Though their military appears to be delineated along classical lines like those of other militaries, in reality their battlefield organization and system is one in which they use the same basic layout for every purpose that requires the deployment of a military force.

This is partly due to the Narn preference for using a single tool to handle most issues rather than designing a special tool that is optimized for that task, and partly due to the limited amount of experience that the Narn had in warfare before their trial of fire at the hands of the Centauri. Narn prefer to work harder (e.g. using more force than is necessary), than having unnecessary levels of complication (in their eyes). Which is evident in the small number of ranks within their military and their units' modular orientation. This has resulted in an organizational flexibility superior to the other races, with the Narn being able to muster military manpower faster during an emergency and rally troops to handle a situation quicker than a force that needs to bring in specialists.

In the Narn military, the bulk exists in the Assault Force, which is a unified core of ground, aerospace, and space troops which operates via the same chain of command after a certain point. There is a small amount of specialized logistical support for each type but unless battlefield conditions require it, the troops are not kept separately. The Narn organizational chart is very basic, often being altered in the field or even ignored during battle situations. Despite this, the Narn do attempt to adhere the chain of command if possible. Unlike with many other races, a Narn's education level or social structure has no bearing on what that individual Narn will be doing in the military, his duties and responsibilities will be based on what he can prove to others he can handle.

The ships of the fleet are large, bulky, and brimming with weaponry. Narn warships are not subtle and neither are their weaponry, both are straightforward in both design and function. Battleships usually have their best weapons to the fore, thereby focusing massive amounts of firepower on a single target until it's annihilated. Faster ships are full of zealous soldiers whom are ready to board enemy ships and slaughter them all, with their bare hands if necessary. Every third crewman on a Narn ship is likely also a boarding marine, which makes the process of boarding and capturing a Narn vessel an arduous task.

Hierarchy[]

Commander Ranks[]

GSten01

War Leader G'Sten

GeneralNaTok

General Na'Tok

  • War Leader (Dar'Sol): The highest rank in the military (equivalent to a General), which automatically gives the officer a seat within the military liaison Circle of the Kha'Ri. Whenever a new division of troops is needed to accomplish a specific task, a War Leader is appointed and will retain the rank for as long as the assigned task is ongoing. Due to the Regime's expansion and its growing military force, few of the War Leaders are demoted or removed for anything short of battlefield negligence.
  • War Captain (Da'Jareth): Who are the ones that are in charge of making sure that things are done according to the Kha'Ri's specifications. If the War Leader is absent, its the War Captains who keep things moving forward. There are as many War Captains in a section of the military as there are divisions or specialized groups.
  • Cho'Noth: They make up the command staff of a War Captain, which consists of three members. One of which is with the War Captain at all times, serving as both first officer and bodyguard. The other two are usually assigned to the field as messengers and liaisons.
  • Section Leader (Kar'Veth): They are the War Captains who have been specially assigned to a division of vehicles or spacecraft. War veterans with enough experience in a specific type of fighting to be given command of the elite specialized troops in that area of warfare.
  • Cho'Rath: It's the command staff under the Section Leader, like the Cho'Noth, except each member is also specialized.

Tactical Ranks[]

  • War Hunter (Dar'Garoth): They are nominal officers who assume command of individual attack groups during a field operation. They are selected by their War Captain or Section Leader and their position is transitory, resuming their previous rank upon completion of the assignment.
  • Ki'Dath: Who are selected by a War Hunter from a squad within his command, he functions as the War Hunter's relay for both orders and information. The position is a transitory one, but if successful in the field they often earn War Hunter status and if the War Hunter is slain they automatically take over.
  • Wing Master (Sol'Toroth): It's a specialized rank in the Narn military, used only by their fighter pilots. The officer serves the same role that a War Hunter does, except within a flight of Narn fighters. Wing Masters have equal authority in space or atmospheric divisions, as most Narn pilots are trained to handle every aerospace role.
  • War Commander (Dar'Kan): These men answer equally to the War Hunter and to the War Captain or Section Leader above them, making their position a flexible one in the chain of command. A War Commander has control of Narn troops at the platoon level, with field authority over two platoons.
  • Tol'Jak / Tol'Dak: Whom function as sergeants, answering directly to the War Commander and making sure that the unit is fit and read to fight at a moment's notice. A Tol'Jak is a veteran with significant combat experience, while a Tol'Dak has not earned the title.

Troops[]

  • Shorn-nar: The highest rank that a non-officer can have, which is given to distinguished troopers that have at least 20 confirmed kills or the equivalent. If a Tol'Jak is absent, the unit will usually follow orders received from its Shorn-nar over those given by others.
  • Shorn: Career soldiers who have years of combat experience. Troops who can counted to perform any task given to them without question and to the best of their abilities.
  • Turath: A citizen-soldier who is serving his mandatory 10 years of service in the Armed Forces. He receives as much formal training as a Shorn, and is just as well armed and armored.
  • Cho're: Trainees who retain that rank until either a year has passed in service or they have had their first engagement with an enemy.

Organizational Structure[]

Narn Fleet II (Narn Regime Fact Book)

Space Forces[]

When it comes to war, the Narn have three objectives which are defend, harass, and attack. Therefore they don't use fleet formations that have a purpose beyond those three. The Fleet is the primary formation used with the military's space contingent.

Standard practice is the maintenance of four fleets at combat readiness, but there have been up to six fleets at a time. These fleets basically have the same configuration and are scattered across the Regime. Unlike other races which have a sharp dividing line between major assets, among the Narn its not uncommon for two or more fleets to be operating in the same quadrant or star system.

Narn Fleet (Babylon 5 Wars, Coming of the Shadows)

Fleet Formations[]

  • White Fleet: It's the diplomatic and exploration arm, which is seldom used and never kept together beyond the time it takes to achieve the objective for which it was formed. It normally consist of an ambassadorial warship (usually a G'Quan-class heavy cruiser), two defend groups, and a harass group.
  • Black Fleet: It's main mission is heavy assault and planetary dominion, and their War Leaders have historically been among the most violent and destructive Narn commanders in the Regime. With a command dreadnought (normally a Bin'Tak-class dreadnought), 2-4 assault groups, and 1-2 harass groups.
  • Red Fleet: Which is structured for planetary attack and infantry actions. This fleet is assigned to problem sectors, and it normally experiences the highest casualty and success rates of all the fleets. Most garrisons are unable to withstand the forces thrown against them by a Red Fleet. Consisting of up to 6 transports, 1 assault group, and 2-4 harass groups.
  • Blue Fleet: It's mission is to secure conquered worlds and is also assigned to defend both the Homeworld and other important systems in the Regime. The fleet is structured to provide it with enough firepower to hold off a significantly large invasion and is resupplied often enough to operate for long periods. It's the only fleet that has been in continuous existence since the foundation of the Narn Regime. Assets consist of Orbital platforms (one per Narn system), 5-8 defend groups, and 2 harass groups.
  • Green Fleet: It is formed to deal with a specific threat of invasion and therefore only exist until the threat has been dealt with, after which it is disbanded back into the component fleets. Normally a green fleet is made up of as many defend and harass groups as they can be brought to bear on an attacking force.
  • Gold Fleet: It's the elite fleet, which is tasked with defending the homeworld, serving the Kha'Ri, and commanding other fleets. If a Gold Fleet commanding oficer is in a room with other fleet officers of equal rank, he is the one in charge. The fleet consists of the Primary command vessel (G'Tal Command Cruiser), 1-4 assault groups, 1-3 defend groups, and 0-4 harass groups.
  • Silver Fleet: This fleet is formed when Regime operations are far enough from the core systems that logistics and communications are a concern. The fleet operates as the couriers and messengers of the military, with its detachments functioning as escorts for civilian ships and merchant vessels. The fleet consists of various transports, 2-6 harass groups, and 0-2 assault groups.
  • Purple Fleet: It's the one that is usually encountered by the Centauri, as the fleet is structured for space combat against the Centauri. It's staffed with the best crews and pilots in the Armed Forces, and exists for one purpose only, to hunt down and deal with Centauri space contingents. The fleet consists of 2-3 Bin'Tak Dreadnoughts, 5-8 Ka'Toc Battle Destroyers, 4-6 harass groups, and 2-4 assault groups.

Battle Groups[]

  • Assault Groups: Fleet units that possess the heaviest firepower and thickest armor of all the fleet units. The concept is mass firepoower and these groups usually consist of 1 G'Quan Cruiser (Command Vessel), 0-2 more G'Quan Cruisers, 0-1 Bin'Tak Dreadnoughts, 0-2 T'Loth Assault Cruisers, and 0-2 Rongoth Destroyers.
  • Harass Groups: Fleet units with a focus on speed and maneuverability, using fast agile ships. Consisting of a Command Vessel (either a G'Quan Cruiser or a T'Loth Light Carrier), 0-2 Ka'Toc Battle Destroyers, 0-2 Dag'Kar Missile Frigates, 0-1 Sho'Kar Light Scouts, and 0-4 Sho'Kos Police Cutters.
  • Defend Groups: Fleet units designed to keep a Narn system or contested target well-protected, using defense capable ships and support vessels. Consisting of a Command Vessel (either a Bin'Tak Dreadnought or a G'Quan Cruiser), 1-3 G'Karith Patrol Cruisers, 1-2 Ja'Dul Starbase (in-system only), 0-4 Thentus Frigates, and 1-2 Sho'Kar Light Scouts.

Ground Forces[]

In the Narn Armed Forces, there is more specialization in the ground forces than in the space fleet. Narn who spend a lot of time fighting as ground infantry soldiers usually end up specializing in it for the remainder of their lives. Resulting in the unusual phenomenon among the Narn, in which the infantry are more idolized than either the fighter pilots or battleship crews, the opposite of what is the norm with other races. That doesn't mean that Narn citizens don't support and admire those in the space fleet, but the ground pounders are closer to their hearts.

Due to their being far more personal energy going into the formation and operation of the ground forces, they usually end up remaining as units and fighting mates for the remainder of their military careers. Though the Narn philosophy of war states that any soldier can be called upon for any type of duty, infantry units which are successful are rarely assigned to other types of service nor are they separated if it can be avoided.

When the Narn need to create a ground military force to accomplish a specific task, the War Leader that is assigned to the task is given a list of groups that are available. From which he assembles battalions, unless a division has already been created. Most Narn commanders prefer to use the battalions, companies, or platoons which are already in a contested area or near the site of the conflict. If the new battalion is constructed by a Narn commander, it's usually because another force was severely damaged in battle. Narn ground forces are equipped with vehicles armed with gauss cannons, pulse guns, missile launchers, auto-mortars, and proximity mine launchers.

Infantry Formations[]

  • Attack Armies: They are the most common, units whose focus is on offensive operations.
  • Defend Armies: Which are normally reassembled at the completion of a successful campaign for holding and fortifying an objective.
  • Expeditionary Armies: They are only created to function as the first force deployed to an alien planet, with the prospect of scouting and conquest.
  • Garrison Armies: Which are what Defend Armies usually end up becoming once active defense is no longer needed, but a military presence is still required.

Standing Armies[]

The Narn Regime has 3 standing armies, though additional armies may be formed as needed. The three standing armies can be deployed at a moment's notice, if they are needed on a distant world.

  • First Army: It's a Defend Army, which is stationed at and around the Narn Homeworld, and is the Regime's leading force when it comes to defensive tactics and battlefield responsiveness. Though serving in the First Army is not as prestigious as in the Second Army, the War Leaders are mostly chosen from the First Army. Which is due to their proximity to events at the homeworld and receiving a more complete training that covers every aspect of military doctrine. It normally consists of 4 battalions and is equipped with 4 heavy-lift transports, 7-11 gunships, 1 command vehicle, 0-4 main battle tanks, and 3-6 armored fighting vehicles.
  • Second Army: It's an Attack Army, which has been the model for many additional armies that were formed in its image. The force is a very effective unit when it comes to bombardment and assault purposes, and therefore has seen a lot of action and taken a lot of casualties during warfare. It usually consists of 3 battalions and is equipped with 8 heavy-lift transports, 9-12 gunships, 0-2 main battle tanks, 2 armored fighting vehicles, and 3 pulse batteries.
  • Third Army: It's a Garrison Army, it's job is to drop onto "hot" worlds and pacify the local resistance by any means necessary. Usually they are given a pre-determined amount of resources and occasional support by a passing fleet, and are mostly expected to engage that world's defenders on their own. Which is only possible because of the guerrilla warfare training they have received and the fact that their equipment and troop efficiency is usually superior to that of the defenders. If a planet is too hostile, additional battalions are created and placed under the War Leader's direct authority. It usually consists of 2 battalions and is equipped with 4 heavy-lift transports, 6 gunships, 2 command vehicles, 6-12 infantry fighting vehicles, and 0-4 bikes.

Ships and Weapon Platforms of the Space Fleet[]

Orbitals[]

Starbases[]

Satellites[]

  • T'Gan-class Orbital Satellites

Dreadnoughts[]

Bin'Tak Family of Ships[]

Cruisers[]

G'Quan Family of Ships[]

  • G'Quan-class Heavy Cruisers
  • G'Lanc-class Mag Cruisers
  • G'Quonth-class Attack Cruisers
  • G'Tal-class Command Cruisers
  • G'Stor-class Heavy Cruisers

T'Loth Family of Ships[]

G'Karith Family of Ships[]

Miscellaneous Cruisers[]

Destroyers[]

Ka'Toc Family of Ships[]

Rongoth Family of Ships[]

Var'Nic Family of Ships[]

Frigates[]

Dag'Kar Family of Ships[]

Thentus Family of Ships[]

T'Rakk Family of Ships[]

  • T'Rakk-class Frigates
  • T'Norr-class Pulse Frigates

Light Warships[]

Sho'Kos Family of Ships[]

Miscellaneous Ships[]

Fighters[]

Gorith Family of Fighters[]

Miscellaneous Fighters[]

Vehicles and Aircraft of the Ground Forces[]

Armored Fighting Vehicles[]

Tanks[]

  • D'Ka'Sho Main Battle Tank

Self-Propelled Artillery[]

  • D'Ka'Tal Artillery
  • D'Va'Maric Air Defense Artillery

Infantry Fighting Vehicles[]

  • D'Va'Korrac Infantry Fighting Vehicle
  • D'Va'Sten Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Miscellaneous Armored Vehicles[]

  • D'Va'Quan Armoured Fighting Vehicle
  • D'Va'Tren Armoured Fighting Vehicle
  • D'Van'Quonth Command Vehicle

Bikes[]

  • D'Vas'Sto Fast Fire Support Bike
  • D'Vas'To Fast Attack Bike
  • D'Vas'Va Sniper Bike

Aircraft[]

  • K'So'Loth Heavy Lifter
  • K'So'Tal Gunship
  • T'Khar Assault Shuttle

Gallery[]

See Also[]

Sources[]

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