Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Minutemen Strategies And Tactics

From The General to All Forces of the Minutemen Army
IMPORTANT!

'''This document is vital to the continued operations of the Minutemen Restoration Movement, and all actions must be taken to prevent it from falling into the hands of any enemy. Any member of the Minutemen Army who, though no false pretense hands this document to any enemy will face immediate court martial.'''

From the desk of The General, Leader Of The Minutemen

Soldiers of the Minutemen Army,

We are engaged in a great struggle. Our proud nation, Embry, has been devastated by a weapon that can shatter nations, the nuke, and now we stand, looking upon the shattered lands of our home. It was thanks to the Voshkod AND the Aquilan, and by proxy the Guardians and Destroyers, who did this to us, having turned our brothers and sisters against each other for the value of our home, while pretending otherwise by claiming they'll make our nation better under the Guardians and Destroyers, but the truth is that they had dehumanized us, make a man into a set of numbers and equations to throw around in a think tank, not caring a lick whether or not we're actually happy with things. To them, freedom of the individual is just as dead as a Texas armadillo on Route 66. As shown when they had abandoned us when our homeland became a hellhole because of their meddling!

Three times before we have fought in our own nation. The first, we established our claim as a nation. The second, we solidified that claim with force. The third, we showed to ourselves that, even in turmoil, we would not abandon the ideas of our founding, and that our democratic process would survive even in great conflict.

Now is the time to, as George Washington said, "determine whether Embry are to be freemen or slaves". Do we lay down in the face of a hostile night, overwhelmed in a sea of blue that threatens to drown out our individual lives? No, we fight. Embry is a nation of fighters, and in our anger, we will unite. White or negro, Sigmarite or Lunafreyan, North or South, the Embry Archipelagos stands united again, to force back a power that would hold from us that which we hold most dear; a free and transparent government of the people.

You have answered the call to action if you are reading this, and the information inside, while helpful, is not all there is to be. You will be forced to make decisions in this coming conflict that you cannot find the answers to here. You must fight on not as unthinking automatons like the Aquilan or Voshkod soldiers, but instead as humans. This will not be easy. It is, however, right.

Sincerely,

The General

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR MINUTEMEN ARMY FORCES
- No member of the Minutemen will target any civilians, whether for political or military purposes, native or otherwise. Any member of the Minutemen who do so will be sent to court-martial, the maximum penalty being death.

- Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and other public buildings are not to be targeted for demolition, sabotage, or other malicious intentions.

- Aquilan or Voshkod civilian personnel are not to be targeted in any attacks, and must be accorded the same status as non-combatants as other civilians.

- Aquilan or Voshkod military personnel are to be shown quarter if they surrender, and treated as POWs for the remainder of the Embry Restoration. Any captured enemy is to be shown fair treatment, with no undue physical harm made to their persons.

- Those suspected of firing on friendly forces will face court martial and investigation, and if found guilty, will be expelled from the Minutemen, or even executed.

- Any criminal actions, including theft, prostitution of others, assault, rape, and murder will be considered capital crimes, with the maximum punishment being death.

- If fired on, personnel have permission to return fire in kind, remembering the concept of gradual escalation of force.

- Psychological warfare is acceptable. Psychological torture is not. Any member of the Minutemen utilizing "New Age" music as a form of torture will be charged with war crimes.

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS IN A GUERRILLA WAR
Guerrilla, from Spanish, means "Little War". This concept is based on the idea of utilizing armed citizenry to strike quickly at an enemy force, before using its greater mobility to retreat, slowly dismantling the enemy piece by piece. While the Minutemen have more conventional forces at their disposal, the large number of irregular forces untrained in war and combat has led to the printing of this document. Remember, these are merely guidelines. In the field, irregular units are expected to make their own decisions, but also must live with the consequences of their actions.

High Mobility: For a guerrilla force to be effective, it must be able to move from one position to another rapidly to escape enemy forces that may target them. Forces must be able to navigate terrain in a way that leaves pursuit difficult, if not impossible. This can be accomplished through any number of means, whether it be foot or vehicular, though the latter comes with the added risk of logistical support being a necessity.

Avoid Direct Combat: If engaged with conventional enemy forces, it is advised that guerrilla forces retreat and make no action against the main force, instead choosing its battles by taking the enemy apart piecemeal. Remember though that numerical superiority can be subverted through deception, illusion, and simple misdirection.

Utilize Political Objectives: In our current struggle, the Aquilans and Voshkod attempt to subject us through social and civic programs not wanted or needed by the American people. To prove that we do not need these social programs, supply the Embry people with whatever needs that can be mustered, be it through food, medical, or even transportation needs.

Use Psychological Warfare: While being able to defeat the enemy through force of arms is vital, the ability to undermine the enemy's morale is also an essential part of a guerrilla war. Target Aquilan/Voshkod commanders and support personnel. Destroy enemy supply convoys. Target seemingly unimportant areas of the enemy's control. By forcing the enemy to question themselves, they lose valuable chances to make vital decisions.

Gain the Trust of the Local Population: Any guerrilla force that expects to have any chance of survival must cultivate good relations with the local populace, or risk being betrayed to the enemy forces. When practical, provide food, shelter, and even medical aid if possible. Do not attempt to act as a police force without their permission or request, however, as this may give the appearance of seizing power. This can provide a steady recruiting base as well.

Asymmetrical Warfare: Asymmetry is the concept of taking fewer losses than the enemy despite having smaller numbers. If a local militia has one hundred people against a thousand peacekeepers, then asymmetrically, for every one dead militiaman there should be at least eleven dead peacekeepers.

Live to Fight Another Day: Though popular entertainment may have it appear glorious and heroic to die for a cause, in reality, a dead soldier means one less person fighting for said cause. If a situation becomes unwinnable, retreat and hide until another vulnerable area of the enemy's force can be exploited.

INNOVATIONS IN GUERRILLA WARFARE
Vehicular Assault: In previous conflicts, vehicles were rarely used except in cases of transportation of VIPs and vital supplies or improvised explosive platforms. In recent years, however, professional military-grade vehicles have slowly become vital lynchpins to many underground movements, the Minutemen being no exception. Ensure that vehicles are well-maintained at all times to prevent breakdowns at vital moments. Note that vehicular warfare requires a great amount of material. If logistical concerns become too difficult, cease vehicular operations immediately.

Tunnel Networks: Though natural topography has been utilized before, recent months have shown the value of man-made tunnel systems to move men and supplies rapidly through enemy territory. Note that proper methods must be utilized, including support beams, proper knowledge of local soil, and extreme safety regarding explosive material inside tunnel systems.

Non-violent Protest: Though most resistances are fought with weapons, against the Guardians more subtle tactics must be employed. Spearheaded by Dr. King and Malcolm Little, the idea of non-violent protest is to enact peaceful and lawful demonstrations to show not only to possible supporters, but to the world, that the opposing cause is unjust. Should the opposing force use force to break up a lawful and non-violent demonstration, scatter all involved parties and rendezvous at a predetermined meeting point to regroup and plan.

ADVICE ON BEING CAPTURED
The reality of guerrilla war is that a time may come when members of the guerrilla forces are captured by the enemy. Should this occur, members of the Minutemen and militia forces should remember the following to prevent vital information from being retrieved by enemy forces.

- Repeat the following: Name, rank (if applicable), serial number (if applicable), date of birth

- Purposefully mislead the enemy interrogators: If asked for the position of fellow Minutemen, give incorrect information. If told that your family will be shown leniency for your cooperation, inform interrogators that your family and yourself are not on speaking terms. Inform them that you are an ACIN agent, and provide nonsensical information that may cause them to question such actions.

- Silence: Say absolutely nothing. Accept only food and medical aid. Make no deals, and continue to stonewall all attempts by Aquilan/Voshkod personnel to gain information.

- Make All Attempts to Escape: Escaped POWs create a crisis for Aquilan/Voshkod prison keepers, in tying up resources and time to hunting down any escaped prisoners, both which could be used to combat the Minutemen and militia forces. Note that escape should not be confused with needlessly throwing away one's life. Place priority over your continued existence rather than killing yourself trying to escape.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VARIOUS TERRAIN
- Urban: In urban areas, the risk of civilian casualties is extremely high. Be cautious of civilians in your operating area and remember they are non-combatants at all times. It is suggested that all operations be based out of the poor sections of the urban area, away from high police and Allied presences. Be aware of, and possibly utilize, criminal elements.

- Woodland: Able to provide limited food resources to Minutemen cells with knowledge of how to subsist in such areas, the heavy cover of trees and brush can hinder Aquilan/Voshkod reconnaissance operations. With proper logistical operations established, presence in area could theoretically be maintained indefinitely.

- Coastal: Dangerous due to sea patrols and the radiation-ladened ocean, establish friendly contacts with local boatmen and communities in order to have a ready base to hide from Aquilan/Voshkod patrols.

- Desert: Difficult to provide logistics for, desert operations also hinder Aquilan/Voshkod operations in terms of supply and distance. Use the wide expanses of desert in order to set up hidden positions to lure Aquilan/Voshkod forces into for ambushes.