The Legion Command Group(LCG) is arguably the most important formation in the Rikugun Expeditionary Force structure. Not only are they the leadership core of their Army’s expeditionary capabilities, they are also responsible for training Brigade Task Groups. Each of the five armies that comprise the 1st Expeditionary Area Army is responsible for maintaining a single Legion Command Group.
A Legion Command Group functions as both a command and training structure for a temporary expeditionary legion sized formation and an organic fleet support capability. A Legion Command Group is commanded by a Taisa who has proved that they can command a complex set of sub units and duties.
The fleet element is structured around a Heitan-Class (1B) Carrier and a small group of escorts, support ships, and special mission crafts. Unlike the Fleet Elements of the BTG and RTG which serve escort, scout, carrier, strike, and fire support functions along with a variety of other direct combat roles, the ships of the LCG primary function as logistics, training, and command ships. It is commanded by the Captain of the Heitan-class Carrier who is generally a Chusa.
Legion Command Groups are responsible for generating and maintaining two fully functional Brigade Task Groups. This is done by forming entire Rikugun brigades1) from the brigades of the respective Army and the appropriate support ships into BTGs. The Deployment Cycle is structured so that when one BTG is arriving on station the other has already completed half of its deployment and once it is leaving to be released back to its component units there is already a fresh BTG stepping in to fill their position. This has many benefits including preventing the entire LCG from reaching mission fatigue at the same time and allowing more experience to be retained and transferred to new units.
The Deployment Cycle is broken down into five phases: Interim/Drawdown Phase, Workup/Pre-Deployment Phase, Deployment Phase, Elevated Readiness/Post-Deployment Phase, and Normal-High Readiness condition. Under this system in any month an Expeditionary army has one Brigade in the Interim/Drawdown Phase, two on deployment to an LCG, two in the Workup phase training to join the LGC, two recently deployed brigades considered to be at high readiness, and three brigades that are in Normal-High Readiness condition.2)
Subordinate units are released to their permanent command structure. Cadre form the previous deployment cycle stays on station to debrief and finish up paperwork. This allows them to translate lessons learned into a new training program for the “Crawl” portion of the Workup Phase, beginning next month. During this time, most soldiers will take leave after doing their part for report generation and preparing the next brigade.
During the interim phase, new cadre for the next cycle are chosen and instructors are assigned. Additionally fleet assets are identified and tasked.
Structured in a “Crawl, Walk, Run” training style, the Workup Phase is designed to ready Rikugun and Fleet personnel for their deployment. During this time, any last minute administrative or medical concerns are handled.
This first month of training overlaps with the Interim Phase. During this time, soldiers are all brought together to learn individual skills and small unit tactics. During this phase, soldiers are mixed together without regard for MOS, branch, or rank into brand new training battalions3) to drill basic skills. These classes are meant to be refresher courses in basic combat skills while introducing new skills for the deployment. The Walk period includes but is not limited to the following courses:
Expeditionary brigades are reconstituted (typically in the form of the original unit they came from), from this point forward these will be the formations that the expeditionary soldiers will train and deploy with. This stage of the training is focused around century or battalion level skills and capabilities. During this portion of the training Rikugun and fleet elements of the BTG train together for a wide variety of combat and non combat scenarios. BTG sub-units train to do their specific parts in common expeditionary tasks. An important aspect of this leg of the training is that it prepares officers and NCOs to organize more complex operations. This leg also gives the LCG a chance to pass on lessons learned from previous deployments.
During the final two months of training, the entire RTGs engage in exercises preparing them to act as independent combined arms units. Additionally, during this stage, the RTGs may participate in exercises targeted towards the specific nature of their deployment. These exercises may include, but are not limited to, the following:
The newly generated BTG sets out to rotate out an exhausted BTG. During this time, the other active BTG should be at the halfway point of their deployment. The BTGs might operate separately or together depending on the size of the area they need to cover or the scale of the task they are being asked to handle. Additionally, each BTG can separately deploy their RTGs depending on the mission. The specifics of a deployment can vary wildly depending on the destination, whether or not Yamatai is at war, or wide variety of other factors. The Legion Command Group structure is designed to create an on call formation of self sustaining generalists. A deployment could see a BTG sent to engage in humanitarian aid, to act as peacekeepers in a colonial brush war, project power during a dispute with a neighboring star empire, or to be the vanguard in a planetary assault.
After returning from a deployment, the Brigade Task Group's subordinate units are released to their permanent command structures. During this time, the BTG begins its Drawdown Phase. A lot of soldiers use this time to go on leave. After the month is over, for the remaining four months, the former BTG units are considered to be at a state of Elevated Readiness. Even though they no longer have the organic support and spacelift capabilities of a true BTG, but they are generally the first units on call when a BTG needs support or for other 1st Expeditionary Army operations. Commanders are careful however not to overtax these units.
Any brigade within the 1st Expeditionary Area Army not training, deployed, or in the post deployment Elevated Readiness period is considered Normal-High Readiness. These are normal brigades who train to participate in operations across the empire and beyond, but don't have the same level of independence and snap of the finger deployment capabilities of an BTG.
Locked 0ut created this article on 2022/11/26 09:35. Edited by Demibear.
This article was approved by Andrew on 2023/08/258). Faction Manager Approval was also by Andrew.
