Vorbemerkungen:

Zeitliche Einordnung:
Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich mit dem imperialen Militär und zitiert Elemente aus den Seiten 116 bis 124 aus der SWTOR Encyclopedia.
Die Inhalte beziehen sich ca. auf das Jahr 12 NVC vor dem Zweiten Großen Galaktischen Krieg.





Imperial Military

Service and dedication to the military are the heart of what it means to be a citizen of the Empire

Compulsory military service is one of the central tenets of Imperial society. Those who are not Force-sensitive are automatically enlisted as soon as they become adults, and remain in the Empire's service until retirement or when death or disability renders them unable to contribute.
There is no advancement through wealth or manipulation and no honor or influence is granted by birth alone - save for those attuned to the Force, who then become Sith.
Those who serve well, advance. Those who fail gain nothing.

As a result of their service, the average Imperial citizen is disciplined, dedicated, and highly invested in the success of the Empire. Though not every citizen acts as a frontline soldier or starship crewman, the military mindset is ingrained in every level of society. No one is poor, and no one is idle. Everyone serves.

Forged from ashes

The rigid militarization of Imperial society began as a matter of grim necessity. The ragged survivors of the Great Hyperspace War seemed to have no hope and no future. But a young officer named Odile Vaiken transformed those survivors into an elite, highly disciplined military force. On Vaiken's command, every able-bodied adult was drafted into service. This was a harsh step, but it unified the survivors and gave them a shared sense of purpose and duty that continues to the present day. Vaiken's innovations and foresight led to his appointmentand the Empire's first Grand Moff, a special honorary rank bestowed on a singular visionary leader in the Imperial military.
Despite his death centuries ago, Vaiken's organization and training methods are still the standard for all Imperial personal. Having developed his own skills through hand-to-hand experience, Vaiken designed the Empire's military training to focus on practical lessons wherever possible. Ground forces begin live-fire exercises in the Dromund Kaas jungles within weeks of enlistment. Naval crew and pilots conduct constant drills and war games. Even those who aren't going to serve in combat units are trained in basic weapon use, survival skills, and first aid. There is no room for laziness or wastefulness - there is only the Empire.

The rewards of dedication

The Sith are, and will always be, the ultimate masters of the Empire.
But this does not mean that people born without an affinity to the Force can never advance to the highest echelons of Imperial society. Those who show merit rise above the rest, whether it´s on the battlefield or in determining the most efficient method for transporting supplies. With constant warfare and expansion, there is always room for promotion, and plently of opportunities to prove one´s worth.
Advancement brings with it influence and prestige, with full dynasties emerging as successive generations continue to bring further honor to the family name. Still, no matter how high a family may rise in stature, their children cannot coast on past success. Only continuous outstanding service can ensure that a powerful family will remain at the top tiers of Imperial society.




Imperial Military Hierarchy

Absolute discipline and respect for the chain of command are key to the ongoing victories of the Imperial armed forces

Given the importance of the military everyday life in the Empire, understanding the military's rank structure and hierarchy are second nature to practically every Imperial citizen. The different branches of the Imperial military are more closely integrated than those of the Republic military, having been formed and developed concurrently after the Empire's settlement of Dromund Kaas. This helps facilitate cooperation and joint strategies, giving the Empire it's well-earned reputation for precise coordination. All servicemen are ultimately under the command of the Minister of War, who reports to the Dark Council and directs the military based on their edicts.

Kriegsministerium











High Command

Above the generals and admirals of the Imperial military, there exists a special class of Imperial officers: the moffs. These highly respected and experienced officers have authority over both infantry and naval forces, commanding massive joint operations in specifically assigned territories or for soecial, high-priority objectives. The most decorated of these officers is known as the Grand Moff, an honorary title bestowed on a moff who has displayed exemplary service to the Empire. Although the Grand Moff officially reports to the Minister of War and possesses no special privileges, Gand Moffs have historically developed close ties to the Sith of the Dark Council, and often pursue objectives entirely of their own initiative. The title was first created to honor the achievements of Odile Vaiken, the man who built up the Imperial military into the disciplined war machine it is today.




Imperial Ground Forces

Dedicated soldiers who devote their lives to the expansion and defense of their Empire.

The Armies of the Sith Empire are a masterpiece of military ingenuity. Their training is as effective as it is efficient. Their equipment is second to none. But most of all, their dedication to serving the Emperor proves that there is more to Imperial society than following the commands of Sith Lords out of fear, as some would argue. These elite soldiers truly believe in the superiority and power of their culture, readily laying down their lives to achieve the Emperor's goals.

Infantry

Few millitary forces in the galaxy can match the coordination, skill, and aggression of the Imperial infantry. Their many victories in battle are a testament to their rigorous training, which uses live-fire exercises in the most brutal environments in the galaxy to transform eager recruits into lethal implements of the Emperor's will. These crack troops form the vanguard of the Empire's conquering forces, battling their foes with unmatched precision and ruthless determination.

War Droids

Putting the Empire's massive industrial base to use, the Imperial military relies heavily on combar-specialized war droids to supplement its infantry and armored forces. Designed primarily to act as shock troops and mobile heavy weapon plattforms, these droids also frequently serve in patrol and escort duties where long hours of constant vigilance are required. Integrated communication systems ensure that the droids obey and cooperate with their human counterpart, though their tactical intelligence is limited when left without supervision.

Armored vehicles

Imperial commanders rely heavily on armored tanks and walkers to deliver their troops into the heart of the galaxy's deadliest battlefields and punch through the toughest Republic defense lines. These nigh-impenetrable engines of destruction are piloted by specially trained crewmen and armed with the heaviest weaponry available. When a full formation of Imperial armor sets out toward an objective, practically nothing can stand in their way.




Imperial Reclemation Service

Unlocking the secrets of the past to strenghten the Empire with the power of ancient Sith and long-lost civilizations.

A specialized Branch of the Imperial military, the Imperial Reclamation Service locates and investigates ancient ruins on planets all over the galaxy. Although it is commonly assumed that Reclemation forces are interested only in Sith ruins, any undocumented structures, technologies, or records from the past fall under the organization's purview. Most Reclemation Service activities are centered on imperial controlled planets, allowing them to undertake their research with cautious precision, but the group will not hesitate to carry out covert missions on neutral or Republic-aligned worlds in order to retrieve items of particular interest.

History of the historians

After the Sith Dark Council was initially formed, each member of the group took on a seperate sphere of influence, one of which dealt primarily with ancient knowledge. In those days, only the Sith themeselves were allowed to explore ancient ruins and unlock the secrets of dark side power within, as non-Force sensitives were thought to be too inferior to examine such cultural treasures appropriately. However, the Dark Council member in charge of the ancient knowledge, Darth Zavakon, soon discovered that his Sith underlings rarely reported or documented their full findings, instead withholding information to empower themselves over their rivals. Such cunning and ambition were admirable, of course, but ultimately detrimental to the knowledge base of the Empire as a whole.

Observing the impressive discipline and accomplishment of the newly formed Imperial military, Darth Zavakon requisitioned a small group of well-educated officers and grouped them with civilian historical experts. After a brief period of cross-training, Zavakon deployed the combined group to examine the same ruins that his predecessors had supposedly picked clean. When Zavakon presented the group's findings to the Dark Council, they were sincerely impressed: Zavakon's experts had found details and made connections that the previous explorers missed entirely, and documented the teachings of ancient Sith lords such as Ajunta Pall and Tulak Hord that had been lost for centuries. With the Dark Council's agreement, Darth Zavakon made his group an official part of the military, tasked with continuing the work they had so admirably started. This, the Imperial Reclemation Service was born.