Note: This Article makes use of ^{[note 1]}, don't forget to check them!

The Imperial Defence Force (IDF), also known as Iconian Defence Forces or Imperial Armed Forces, are the military services responsible for defending the Empire of Iconia and its overseas territories. They also promote the broader interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid on behalf of Iconia.

The armed forces have seen action or deployment in several major wars, including the Great War, Icarian War and Second Barko-Kolonian War. The predecessors to the IDF have also participated in wars emerging on the Iconian archipelago throughout history. Today, the Imperial Defence Force consists of the Imperial Navy, a blue-water navy with a fleet of 92 commissioned ships; the Imperial Air Force consists of both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft; the Iconian Army a specialised mobile force and Iconian Coast Guard consisting of 92 vessels.

The Supreme Commander of the IDF is the Iconian monarch, to whom members of the forces swear an oath of allegiance. However, the central executive authority of the forces is the Consul and Minister of Defence. The Defence Council also manages the armed forces, and its tasks are executed by the Imperial High Command consisting of the General's staff.

History

Imperial Defence Force
	Exercitus Iconicus
	Logos of the Imperial Armed Forces
Motto	"Aliis Vivere"; "Live for others"
Founded	1805
Current form	1826
Service branches	Imperial Navy; Imperial Air Force; Iconian Army;
Headquarters	City of Aurelia
Leadership
Imperator Augustus	Theodorus Vitus III
Consul	Sosicles Superbus
Magister Equitum	Albanus Haterius
Comes Rei Classis	Plesidippus Triferus
Principes Heredis	Theodorus Vitus III
Manpower
Military age	18 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service;
Conscription	18–34 years of age (males only); 36 for subaltern officers, 52 for staff officers and higher;
Available for; military service	18,568,452, age 18 - 52 (2020 est.)
Fit for; military service	14,558,789, age 18 - 52 (2020 est.)
Reaching military; age annually	(2020 est.)
Active personnel	141,000 (ranked TBD)
Reserve personnel	38,250
Expenditures
Budget	54.324 billion
Percent of GDP	2.7% (2020)
Industry
Domestic suppliers	IKZ, NRP
Foreign suppliers	IKAC; Verrani S.p.A; Rendo; Taiyo Industries; Kenko Chemical; Samuel & Walther; Template:Country data AgiosAgia Gun Company; Klathu;

The Imperial Defence Force of the newly established Empire of Aquilia has been initially a struggle. The militaries of Aquilia, Lucia and Viridia have been merged during the Fifth reformation between 1805 and 1807, following a chaotic Fifth Aquilian War into the disorderly military. The first several years have been very problematic, as no one knew his jurisdiction and clearance. Nonetheless, as the commanding hierarchical structure formed, it became a scarcer problem. The military of the Thessolakian Kingdom has been effectively non-existent after the Fifth Aquilian War, and therefore it has been decided that it would be abolished and a new Thessolakian division of the armed forces would be created. The state of building the Imperial military has lasted for a decade, after which the vast majority of the military has been re-equipped in standardised iconian issued equipment instead of their national versions.

The transformation of the Aquilian Empire into the Empire of Iconia has marked the removal of the last connection to the Aquilian people's nationalism and the Iconian archipelago united into one nation. The force has undergone several organisational and structural changes, such as creating passive and active reserves. As time progressed, the force has seen only limited combat until the beginning of a Great War. The only major deployment was the uprising on the Isle of Thessolakia and the Serthenian revolutionaries' aid against their overlord, the Dolfik Empire.

Following the Great War, the armed forces have shifted their goals towards the defensive doctrines and protection of the Iconian archipelago and naval operations concerning Iconian interests' protection. The government has also pursued an increase of international role for the armed forces. This entailed the armed forces, often constituting a significant component in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

Personnel

The Imperial Defence Forces are professional forces with a strength of 141,000 professional soldiers, 38,250 active reservists and 14,558,789 passive reservists. There are less than one thousand troops stationed outside of the Iconian Empire currently. All citizens of the Empire retain a legal "statutory liability for service" and are liable to be recalled under the Act of Parliament to serve the country under a fixed-term contract. The armed forces are organised into four layers: the professional core; the active reserves participating in several military exercises and manoeuvres annually; the passive reserves who have undergone a mandatory introductory military training course after reaching maturity; and the conscripts who could be formed from the rest of able population in an emergency.

Medical Roles

Role 1 First Response
- Self aid
- Buddy aid
Combat Medic / Lifesaver
- Battalion Aid Station
Role 2 Forward Resuscitative Care (trauma life support, initial stabilisation, no surgery without surgical team)
- Forward Surgical / Resuscitative Team
- Surgical Company
- Medical Company
Role 3 Theatre Hospitalisation
- Theatre hospital
- Expeditionary Hospital Facility
- Hospital Ship
Role 4 Definitive Care
- Military hospitals
- Civilian hospitals

Organisation and service branches

As Sovereign and head of state, Theodorus III is Head of the Armed Forces and their Commander-in-Chief. However, the long-standing constitutional convention has vested de facto executive authority, by the exercise of Imperial Prerogative powers, in the Consul and the Minister for Defence, and the Prime Minister (acting with the support of the Cabinet) makes the critical decisions on the use of the armed forces. The monarch, however, remains the ultimate authority of the military, with officers and personnel swearing allegiance to the monarch. It has been claimed that this includes the power to prevent unconstitutional use of the armed forces, including its nuclear weapons.

The Ministry of Defence is the Government department and highest level of military headquarters charged with formulating and executing defence policy for the armed forces. The department is controlled by the Magister Equitum and contains two deputy appointments: Minister of State for the Armed Forces and Minister for Defence Procurement, who is heading the Commission for Acquisitions. Responsibility for the management of the forces is delegated to several committees: the Defence Council, Chiefs of Staff Committee and four single-service boards. The Defence Council, composed of senior representatives of the services and the Ministry of Defence, provides the "formal legal basis for the conduct of defence".

The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the armed forces and is an appointment held by a Comes. Those appointed to the position of service professional Chiefs had been elevated to the most senior rank in their respective service (a 4-star rank). The CDS are the principal advisers to the departmental minister.

Imperial Navy

The Imperial Navy is a technologically sophisticated naval force, and as of January 2021, it consists of 172 commissioned ships of various types. The Comes rei Classis exercise command of all deployable assets. Personnel matters are the responsibility of the Second Tribune, an appointment usually held by a Procuratore Ducenarii.

The Surface Fleet consists of amphibious warfare ships, destroyers, frigates, patrol vessels, mine-countermeasure vessels, and other miscellaneous vessels. The Surface Fleet has been structured around the usage of several fleets to fulfil the armed service's tasks and duties. The recently built Therion-class frigates are technologically advanced submarine warfare destroyers. The Imperial Navy will also commission a Nestion-class submarine in the following years.

The five enduring functions of the Navy are:

Sea control and denial
Maintenance of Sea Lines of Communication
Deterrence
Expeditionary Deployment
Maritime security
Sealift

The Imperial Navy's unit structure is broken into several subdivisions under the type command structure:

Imperial Navy: Marks the whole Imperial Navy.

Copiis Opus: Consists of several Fleets and marks the specialisation of the large portion of the Imperial Navy.

Classis: A fleet consists of individual ships, Task Groups or Elements.

Ducenarii: Squadron consisting of several Task Elements or individual ships.

Centinarii: Task unit consisting of individual ships.

Imperial Air Force

The Imperial Air Force has a large operational fleet that fulfils various roles, consisting of both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. Frontline aircraft are controlled by Air Command, which is organised into two groups defined by function: Aerospace Control Division Concessus and Support Division of the Armed Forces tasked to support all branches. Deployable formations consist of Expeditionary Air Wings and Squadrons—being the basic unit of the Air Force.

The Imperial Air Force operates multi-role and single-role fighters, reconnaissance and patrol aircraft, tankers, transports, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and various training aircraft types. The Imperial Air Force also maintains ground units, most prominently the 8th Missile Brigade Tasius tasked with the Iconian Archipelago's missile defence. The Air Force also includes the 23rd Regiment specialising in the ground and special operations of the IAF. Regiment is performing this specialist role of fighting on and around airfields, as well as airborne maneuver and fires unit.

The five enduring functions of the Air Force are:

Support of the Imperial Navy's operations
Air superiority
Integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
Command and control
Space domain awareness

The Imperial Air Force's field structure is broken into several subdivisions under its major commands:

Imperial Air Force: Marks the whole Imperial Air Force.

Air Brigade: Consists of several Air Wings or Squadrons and marks a singular Base or Command.

Aerial Wing: Consists of several Squadrons and is the largest manoeuvrable unit of the Air Force.

Squadron: Consist of individual aircraft or flights deployed.

Flight: The most basic organisational unit. Used only when the aircrafts are deployed.

Iconian Army

The Iconian Army is made up of the Iconian Army and the Army Active Reserve. The Army has a single command structure based at Aquilia. Deployable combat formations consist of two Divisions and a Brigade.

The Army has 62 Cohorts (12 regular and 50 reserve), organised into 4 Brigades, a Division and a Battalion coming with one Cohort per county. There are four operational roles that infantry battalions can fulfil: air assault, armoured infantry, mechanised infantry, and light role infantry. Special regiments and battalions, e.g., the 21st Air Assault Brigade. Only a minor part of the Army's utilizes mechanised units.

The six enduring functions of the Army are:

Combined arms operations
Special operations
Set and sustain the theatre for the joint force
Integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
Humanitarian and peacekeeping management
Command and control

Integrate national, multinational, and joint power on land

The Iconian Army's field structure is broken into several subdivisions under its commands:

Exercitus Coetus: Symbolises the whole Iconian Army. Commanded by Comes Rei Militaris

Exercitus: Symbolizes the whole Iconian Army soldiers commanded by a Legatus Augustus pro Praetore.

Corpus: Consists of two to five divisions and 20,000 to 60,000 soldiers commanded by a Legatus Augustus. A corps is the highest level of command that provides operational direction for combat operations, with higher levels concerned with administration rather than operations.^{[note 2]}

Divisio: Highest manoeuvre element. Consists of three to six Legions and 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers commanded by a Legatus.

Legio: Consists of three to six Cohorts and 3,000 to 10,000 soldiers commanded by a Praepositus. Legions are main maneuverer units of the Iconian Army.

Cohors Millaria: Consist of four to six manipuls and consist of up to 1000 soldiers commanded by a Tribunus Laticlavius.

Cohors: Consist of four to three manipuls and consist of up to 500 soldiers commanded by a Tribunus.

Manipul: Consist of two Centuries and around 100 commanded by a Pilus Priod

Centuriae: Consists of two turmae and up to 60 soldiers led by a Pilus Posterior.

Turmae: Consists of up to six fireteams and up to 40 soldiers led by Optio.

Contuberium: Consists of up to three fireteams with up to 16 soldiers and is led by a Optio.

Quadriga: Consists of up to 5 soldiers led by a Decanus or Tesserarius.

‏‏‎ ‎

Praesidio: Consists of two soldiers and functions as a sentry.

Iconian Coast Guard

The Iconian Coast Guard (ICG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the Imperial Navy. The Coast Guard was founded as a military service sub-branch in 1826, during the transformation of the Empire of Iconia. The branch consists of vessels ranging from small motorboats to the Therion-class Imperial Frigates including Coast Guard's flagship HIMS Caliphus.

The eleven missions of the Coast Guard are:[42]

Port and waterway security

Marine safety
Law enforcement
Search and rescue
Marine environmental protection
Ice operations
Drug interdiction
Aids to navigation
Living marine resources
Migrant interdiction
Defence readiness

Equipment

Ranks, insignia and uniforms of the Armed Forces

Ranks chart

Rank	Imperial Navy Iconian Coast Guard	Imperial Air Force Iconian Army
OF-11	Imperator Augustus
	Principes Heredis
	Magister Equitum
OF-10	Comes rei Classis	Comes rei Militaris
OF-9	Procuratores Ducenarii	Legatus Augustus pro Praetore
OF-8	Procuratures Centenarii	Legatus Augustus
OF-7	Procuratures Sexagenarii	Legatus
OF-6	Nauarchus	Praepositus Legionis
OF-5	Primus Pilus	Tribunus Laticlavius
OF-4	Primus Ordines	Tribunus Angusticlavius
OF-3	Pilus Prior	Tribunus Rufulus
OF-2	Pilus Posterior	Pilus Prior
OF-1	Princeps Prior	Pilus Posterior
OF-1	Princeps Posterior	Princeps Prior
OR-9	Phlax	Princeps Posterior
OR-8	Hastatus Prior
OR-7	Hastatus Posterior
OR-6	Optio Centuriae	Optio
OR-5	Optio Navaliorum	Tesserarius
OR-4	Natuae	Decanus
OR-3	Beneficiaries Classici	Evocatus
OR-2	Milites Classiarius	Miles
OR-1	Remiges	Tirones

Imperial Guard

Imperial Guard Regiment of six Guard Companies, each belonging to one federal state of Iconia and one to the federation as a whole. The companies being the Imperial Guard, Royal Guard of Aquilia, Lucia, Thessolakia, Ducal Guard of Viridia and Pansan Yeomenry. Their tasks are performing ceremonial duties at state visits, guarding the state and governmental estates and assets as well as guarding governmental figureheads as personal bodyguards.

First three Guard ranks are specific in their nationality as each part of the federation uses their own state symbol. Overall, the commissioned (enlisted) royal guard ranks are of OR-5/6 lower NCO ranks, while the commissioned officers are normally Tribunes. The requirement for the Imperial Guard is a University-level education, and as such, the ranks of commissioned imperial guard is also Tribunal, while the officers hold the ranks of high Tribunes.

Guard and Palace uniforms.

Insignia	Combat Insignia	Rank	Collar	Sleeve
		Custos Imperium
		Stipator
		Custos
		Custodis Regis
		Custodis
		Tirones Custodis

Various differences in IDF Rank insignia colours, shapes and styles

Iconian Army has combat (optionally shoulder) insignia in the colour of currently worn camouflage combined with the military service colour.
The difference between normal and parade uniform rank insignias in the Air Force. Note also that the air force has blue rank insignias as opposed to the army. Navy uses red insignia.
The difference between normal, coat and parade uniform rank insignias of the Navy.

Uniforms

There is a further different variations and versions not shown in the general chart.

Service Uniform Every individual is issued a standard uniform of this type. It is used as a standard service uniform. Accessories worn with this uniform are not mandatory.

Combat and Utility Uniform

Uniforms of various ranks from each branch.

The combat uniforms use only the combat insignia and were seen in various camouflage schemes. They are used as the primary utility and combat uniform for casual usage.

Winter Uniform Winter uniforms are composed of any of the individual uniforms appended with a coat. The coats of the Imperial Navy ignores service branch colour and shows all services in white instead of their specific colours while showing individual rank on the sleeve. The Imperial Air Force and Army use collar and shoulder insignia instead. The Air Force also have a unique blue coat which is rarely seen and used primarily with banquet or parade uniform.

Parade Uniform The parade uniforms are traditionally white by the majority. Air force adds to the brown trousers, while the army wears a green cap. The parade uniforms are unique mainly due to a different colour scheme used for the rank insignia.

In the Imperial Navy, all silver ranks are shown in gold, while white ranks are shown in red and dark blue. Navy also has special parade sleeve ranks abstracting their regular sleeve insignia. The Imperial Air Force changes their general white branch colour for blue.

Accessories worn with this uniform are mandatory.

Civilian Uniform The civilian suit offered by the army can be issued on request. It is composed of a blue suit and blue or white cap with white trousers. There is no difference between branches except for the branch insignia on the chest and branch-specific cap. Ranks are shown on the collar.

Civilian suits usage is not regulated by any directive and can be used on any occasion by the soldier discretion.

Civilian uniforms includes a summer uniform for each branch composed of a beige shorts and polo shirt with a possible usage of a white shirt for more formal occasions. This summer uniform also comes with a beige cap.

Banquet Mess Uniform The banquet dress uniform shares the same design between the Air Force and Army, excluding their respective service and branch-specific colouring and insignia. This type of uniform is issued only on special occasion request by the individual soldier. The dress is made automatically only for generals because they are pretty often attending ceremonies and special occasions.

Banquet uniforms do not show any individual rank for Air Force and Army versions of the dress. The only distinction is between the main groups: enlisted, non-commissioned officers, company officers, field officers and generals. None of the uniforms has any rank insignias except shoulder strap and collar insignia. The Air Force dress is coloured in light blue, while the army is in red.

The Imperial Navy banquet dress is missing shoulder straps completely and uses only collar and sleeve insignia. Opposed to the army and the air force, it shows individual ranks with the regular navy sleeve insignia. Naval dress is coloured in dark blue.

Uniforms are as following, Imperial Navy, Imperial Army, Iconian Army.

Service uniforms of various ranks from each branch.
Winted uniforms of various ranks from each branch.
Parade uniforms of various ranks from each branch.
Civilian uniforms of various ranks from each branch.
Banquet uniforms of various ranks from each branch.

Service colors

Colour	Typical Use
	Imperial Government
	Imperial Guard
	Imperial Guard Officers
	Royal Guard


	Imperial Navy
	Imperial Navy Winter
	Imperial Air Force
	Imperial Air Force General's Staff
	Imperial Air Force Ceremonial


	Imperial Army General's Staff
	Imperial Army Infantry
	Imperial Army Reconnaissance
	Imperial Army Support
	Imperial Army Communications
	Imperial Army Medical
	Imperial Army Engineering
	Imperial Army Artillery
	Imperial Army Armor
	Imperial Army NBC Protection

Notes

↑ Notes.
↑ Preceding and during the Great War was the operational level at Army Group level split between Army Group Aquilia, Army Group Viridia and Army Group West.
↑ Each service branch uses different colour of banquet uniforms. Shown collar ranks are of Air Force Banquet Uniform.

References

↑ The general's staff can use black camouflaged stars while in combat. Yellow/Beige coloured stars are used in civilian use.
↑ The general's ranks shown are of Air Force white branch colour while the Field Officers and NCOs uses army service colours.

[1] Notes.

[2] Preceding and during the Great War was the operational level at Army Group level split between Army Group Aquilia, Army Group Viridia and Army Group West.

[5] Each service branch uses different colour of banquet uniforms. Shown collar ranks are of Air Force Banquet Uniform.

[3] The general's staff can use black camouflaged stars while in combat. Yellow/Beige coloured stars are used in civilian use.

[4] The general's ranks shown are of Air Force white branch colour while the Field Officers and NCOs uses army service colours.

[note 1]

[note 2]

[1]

[2]

[note 3]

Imperial Defence Force

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