Once I was a middle school nerd reading fanfiction written by adults with taxes and careers and I thought “Damn, you’re still doing this? Don’t people eventually give up this sort of thing for real life grownup stuff?”
And now, as a real ass adult with a career writing fanfiction on my lunch break, I have learned the answer
When a student copies an essay online instead of writing it and then painstakingly changes every word to a synonym until the text no longer makes any sense...
I have been asked to do this post for quite a long while and I finally got around to it. This guide is a basic guide, you may need to do further research into specific armies across the world. Armies are a necessary part to any world building, so what do we need to know about them?
(PS I had planned to include air force and navy but I am just one person and I cut myself, and the read more link, some slack)
Ranks
Field Marshal
(FM) The Field Marshal is the highest rank of within the Army. The rank of Field Marshal was often granted in times of war (a general must have committed an act of valour, i.e. a victory). The rank can sometimes be used as a divisional command rank or brigade command. The UK, Austria-Hungary, Afghanistan, Germany, India, and Pakistan use the rank as a reward for achievement. Spain and Mexico use it for divisional command while countries such as Portugal, France and Brazil for use it for brigade command. The rank of Field Marshal is a "five star" position. The rank does not exist in the US army. They are addressed as Field Marshal Surname. Their insignia is two crossed batons surrounded by yellow leaves set under a crown.
General
(Gen.) A General is the commanding officer of an army or army corps. It is currently the highest rank granted in most armies today, it is a 4 star position. A General is in charge of commanding large units, they are in charge of making strategic decisions for the army, oversee major military operations, manage the needs of the army. They are addressed as General Surname. Their insignia is four stars (US, France, Germany, Russia) and a sword and baton crossed under a crown and a star (UK).
Lieutenant General
(Lt.Gen) Lieutenant General commands an army corps or a division (tens of thousands of soldiers). They are also involved in strategic planning. They also hold positions within the Ministry of Defence/Equivalents. They would often serve as advisers to the government and aid Generals. It is a 3 star position and they addressed as Lieutenant General Surname. Their insignia is three stars (US, Germany, France, Russia) and a crossed sword and baton under a crown (UK)
Major General
(Maj.Gen) Major General is a general officer in the army, responsible for leading and operational roles. They would command divisions of tens of thousands of soldiers. They support the officers above them, helping with strategy, executing the strategy, oversee the training of their units. They are addressed as Major General Surname. They are a 2 star position. Their insignia is a crossed sword and baton with a star (UK) and two stars (US, Germany, Russia, France).
Brigadier General
(Brig.Gen) Brigadier General is a one-star general officer in the army. They command brigades (3,000 to 5,000 soldiers), assisting Major Generals in tactical planning and coordination of operations. They are addressed as Brigadier General Surname. Their insignia is one star (Russia, Germany, US,), two silver stars (France) and s crown and three stars (for the UK, stars are known as pips).
Colonel
(Col) Colonels command brigades of about (3,000 to 5,000 soldiers), they are senior staff officers who both provide leadership to their units which are sometimes specialised agencies, such as task forces. Colonels are addressed as Colonel Surname. A silver eagle (US), a pair of diamond pips under a crown (UK), three silver pips upon shoulder braid with silver braid (Germany), three gold pips on a shoulder board with golden braid (France and Russia).
Major
(Maj) Majors command units of around 120 officers. They are in charge of the training and welfare of their soldiers, administrative duties within the barracks and within their unit. They are the primary staff officer in brigades. They assist superior officers in planning and executing missions and tactical plans. The Major is referred to as Major Surname. Their insignia is 2 gold stars on a shoulder board with golden braid (Russia, France) 2 silver pips on a shoulder board with silver braid (Germany), a crown (UK), a golden oak leaf (US)
Captain
(Cpt) Captains lead companies usually around 50-200 soldiers. They are often the second officer in a company working alongside a superior officer. They are responsible for operations in the field such as ensuring equipment is kept up to date and in good condition, offering logistic support, and managing their troops. Captains are addressed as Captain Surname. Their insignia is two silver bars (US), three pips (UK), three silver pips on a shoulder board with silver braid (Germany), three golden pips on a shoulder board with gold braid (France, Russia)
Lieutenant
(Lt) Lieutenants command a platoon (about 30 odd soldiers). They are in charge of overseeing the training and discipline of their soldiers along with ensuring their welfare. They will participate in missions under the command of a superior. Lieutenants are addressed as Lieutenant Surname. Their insignia is two golden stars on a shoulder board with gold braid (Russia, France), two silver pips on a shoulder board with silver braid (Germany), two pips (UK), one silver bar (US)
Second Lieutenant
(2/Lt) The Second Lieutenant leads smaller units, working with enlisted soldiers. They are crucial in the training of soldiers, they maintaining personnel records and manage the resources needed for a mission or the units welfare. They would be addressed in conversation as Lieutenant but referred to as Second Lieutenant in dispatches and in correspondence. Their insignia is one gold bar (US), one pip (UK), one silver pip on a shoulder board with silver braid (Germany), one gold pip on a shoulder board with gold braid (Russia, France)
Enlisted Men
Warrant Officer 1st Class
(1/WO)This is the most senior non-commissioned rank. They focus on discipline, prisoners, ammunition supplies and various technical and non-combatant services. In the UK, they often hold the rank of Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs) and are appointed by the Secretary of State Defence while in the US, the Secretary of the Army appoints them. They are addressed as Mr/Ms/Mrs Surname or Chief. Their insignia is one silver bar and a black square (US), the royal coat of arms (UK), four silver pips on a shoulder board with silver braid (Germany), three gold chevrons and a gold star (France), two gold stars on a shoulder board with golden braid (Russia)
Warrant Officer 2nd Class
(2/WO) The Warrant Officer Second Class would do similar jobs as the WO1, but they handle the below regimental section. Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1). WO2s can be referred to as Company Sergeant Majors (CSMs) or Squadron Sergeant Majors (SSMs) (depending on their unit). They take roles within training, discipline and aiding the Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1). Addressed as CSMs/SSMs and as Mr./Mrs/Ms. Their insignia is one gold star on a shoulder board with gold braid (Russia), Three golden chevrons (France), three silver pips on a shoulder board with silver braid (Germany), crown (UK), silver bar with two squares (US).
Sergeant
(Sgt)The Sergeant are responsible for the soldiers under their command. They oversee their team, acting as mentors and supervisors to their soldiers. Sergeants are over a squad of 10 soldiers. They are responsible them, from performance, prepare them for combat and their needs. They are addressed as Sergeant Surname. Their insignia is three chevrons (US, UK), two silver pips on a shoulder board with silver pips (Germany), two golden chevrons (France) and three golden chevrons (Russia).
Corporal
(Cpl)Corporals lead small squads of soldiers, no more than . Corporals are in charge of the training of their soldiers and ensuring that they are up to standard. They handle all the paperwork for their squad such as records. Corporals will accompany their soldiers on missions, leading patrols and overseeing their soldiers in the field. They are usually responsible for large pieces of equipment. They are addressed as Corporal Surname. Their insignia two chevrons (US, UK), one silver pips with shoulder board with a silver braid (Germany), two gold chevron (France, Russia).
Lance Corporal
(L.Cpl)Lance Corporals help Corporals lead their teams, acting as their second in command. They are in charge of disciplining, mentoring and leading their squads. They are also in charge of large weapons. They are addressed as Lance Corporal Surname. Their insignia one golden chevron (Russia, France), none/one silver pip (Germany), one chevron (UK) and one chevron with crossed rifles (US)
Private
(Pte)Privates are the lowest rank in the army. They will have just come out of training with the basic skills of a soldier. Privates are given tasks by superior officers, must obey the orders given and are usually given the more hands-on tasks, such as maintenance of weapons and their camp. They are addressed as Private Surname. Their insignia is one chevron/none (US), no insignia (UK, France, Russia, Germany).
Non-Commissioned Officers vs Commissioned Officers
You may have often heard the term "non-commissioned officer" if you have ever watched any war media. The difference is that Commissioned Officers receive their rank via a formal document signed by a high-ranking official, such as the monarch or a political leader. The Commissioned Officers are usually Lieutenants, Colonels, Generals, Captains, Majors. They are responsible for giving orders and making decisions. Non-Commissioned Officers are promoted from the enlisted ranks, gaining their promotion on skills alone. They are in charge of discipline, training and carrying out orders. They are usually ranked among Corporals and Sergeants.
Jobs within the Army
No army is just made up of officers and their soldiers. An army is like a town on the move, there are hundreds of different tasks that must be undertaken to ensure the army is fed, transported, kept in line and kept equipped.
Medic: Medics are the first responders for wounded soldiers, they administer first aid, medication and medical care to the soldiers in their unit. Medics are usually NCOs.
Chaplain: Is a soldier with some religious or spiritual calling that administers last rites, confession, spiritual guidance and solace for soldiers. They will see to soldiers of all creeds and faiths.
Artillery Crew: The Artillery Crew handle the maintenance and inventory of artillery weapons and related equipment. NCOs with training in the handling of artillery.
Military Police: The Military Police are force within the army that keep soldiers in line, maintain order and arrest any soldier caught doing a crime on the job. Always NCOs.
Intelligence: This is the information post, which involves fact gathering, recording and study of information needed by the army to mobilise.
Quartermaster: The quartermaster manages the distribution and gathering of all the things needed for the army from uniforms to equipment for the soldier's packs. Usually NCOs.
Mess Officer: The Mess Officer oversees the Mess Hall, managing the staff as they cook and prepare the army's meals. The Mess Officer would also be in charge of budgeting, inventory, health and safety and providing meals timely. Usually an officer, Captains and Lieutenants.
Adjutant: Is an officer who acts as an assistance to a superior officer taking on secretarial duties such as paperwork and arranging their diary. Usually a Captain or a Major.
Combat Engineer: The Combat Engineer is in charge of maintaining and building fortifications. NCOs with specialised skills in the field.
Logistics: Logistic Specialists handle the supplies, equipment and arranging transportation. NCOs.
Armourer: The armourer is in charge of weapons and ammunition. They handle any repairs needed and see to the safe storing of these valuable items. NCOs.
Communications Specialist: These Specialists handle communications, the communication equipment and its maintenance. NCOs usually with previous experience or training.
Mechanics: Mechanics are in charge of the maintenance of vehicles and machinery. They handle repairs, do check ups, offer support in the field and ensure everything is in good shape. NCOs with training and skills in the area.
Equipment
The soldiers will not be going into any situation without equipment - at least, not at first. Equipment is like gold dust in the field, especially if a unit is within enemy territory or the supply chain cannot be relied upon. Soldiers may often turn to thievery in order to resupply themselves with ammunition, weapons, supplies and even boots. In WWII, the newly formed company the Special Air Service - the SAS - actually raided their allies for supplies.
The soldier would carry essential supplies when they are first deployed. These would include (may vary):
Flasks/Canteen: Or some sort of drinking container. A soldier will need to hydrate if they don't wish to die-dydrate on a long march. They may also carry water purification chemicals such as iodine.
First Aid Kits: All soldiers will carry the basics of a first aid kit. This would include bandages, gauze, burn ointment, tourniquet, pain relief (not the good stuff), scissors and tweezers.
Knife: It is always handy to have something to cut things with.
Gun Cleaning Tools: Soldiers will have the equipment to care for their weapons. An uncared for weapon is an invitation for death.
Ammunition: A soldier would carry ammunition with them.
Entrenching Equipment: Something to dig with, usually a collapsible shovel.
Rations: Soldiers may often carry some sort of food with them, usually of the preserved kind.
Some form of shelter: Soldiers may carry something to shelter themselves such as a sleeping bag, a tent, a blanket.
Signal Mirror: Soldiers carry signal mirrors to send visual signals to communicate with others.
Toiletries: Basic hygiene items.
Weaponry
Soldiers will not only just need equipment to survive on the field. Soldiers will carry all sorts of weapons on them. It was up to the soldier to care for the weapon and ensure it is up to scratch. Ammunition, of course, doesn’t grow on trees and nor do weapons. Weapons and ammunition like supply I mentioned above could often be “liberated” from the enemy or even unwitting allies. Every soldier will carry:
A rifle: This is the long-range weapon carried by almost all soldiers. They will use this in combat, especially if fighting from a fixed position.
A handgun or a pistol: Most soldiers will carry a secondary gun. These guns are useful in tight spaces or close combat.
Bayonet: A knife or blade that is attached to the rifle. This allows a soldier to stab the enemy with their rifle.
Combat Knife: A knife used in combat.
Mortar: This is a short-barrelled artillery piece. It is used to fire shells at steep angles.
Hand Grenades: These are handheld explosives carried by soldiers. They have a delayed fuse, meaning that they are useful as both a long-range weapon and as a close-range weapon – one could leave one behind as a present. They are typically activated by pulling the pin, flinging it away from the body, toward the enemy and denoted.
Uniforms
Above in rankings, we went through the insignia which is the symbols on one's uniform that denotes your rank and place in the hierarchy of things. Soldiers will be inspected every day to ensure their uniforms are up to standard and will face the wrath of superiors if their uniforms are unkempt and their appearance not up to the mark. Every private learns how to shine their own boots, sort out their own uniforms and are responsible for looking their best. There are different kinds of uniform for a soldier.
Casual Uniform: This uniform is comprised of a more casual uniform, made up of a tunic/shirt, trousers and boots. Certain units will wear caps and berets denoting their unit and rank as well.
Combat Uniform: This is worn on the field. It will often reflect the climate the soldier is going into, so will be light and heavy depending on the weather. A soldier would wear a combat jacket, trousers, wear a helmet, wear their identification tags/dog tags. These would be in mute colours, usually khaki or camouflage.
Service Dress Uniform: This is worn during official duties and formal events. It comprises of a dress shirt, tie, peaked cap/beret, creased trousers and a jacket with their insignia, unit symbols and medals.
Dress Uniform: This is worn during very formal ceremonies. A formal jacket pinned with ribbons, embroidered insignia and the medals of their achievements and commendations, creased trousers, dress shirt and tie, polished shoes and a formal hat cap/beret.
Life of a soldier (On Base and in the Field)
Soldiers on active duty will be expected to manage many tasks, not just firing at the enemy or storming enemy beaches. Soldiers are expected to fulfil maintenance work, defence, offence, administrative duties (if needed), engineering and communications.
On Base: A soldier’s day will be planned right down to the second. They will get up at a certain time, have an allotted time to get ready and tidy up their bunk, report to various drills and participate and have a list of duties to undertake within the day. These duties involve maintenance on base, helping with any office work, guarding and patrolling, doing specialised tasks such as helping in the infirmary. Most privates will do the grunt work, anything hands on or labour intensive while officers will see to training soldiers or paperwork or supply management.
In the Field: The life of a soldier in the field wasn’t as regimented as on base – it can’t be, since most soldiers won’t have the exact same day especially in battle or marching from place to place. But every soldier will have certain duties to undertake. Of course, fighting will be included, some soldiers would take it in shifts to man a fixed position or to engage the enemy or to participate in missions into new or enemy territory. Soldiers would take their place “out on the line”, patrolling the edges of their camp to ensure they can’t be crept up on. Soldiers will erect camp every night they aren’t marching which includes the putting up of tents, digging of latrine pits, building fortifications. Soldiers not out on the line or engaging the enemy will spend their time at camp either helping in the mess hall, in the infirmary or keeping the camp ship-shape. Soldiers may often be sent out to “forage” (*cough, cough* steal) whatever they need such as food.
The Realities of the Army
Good vs Evil.
Yes, sometimes the army are the heroes. But in reality, war is a grey area. No army in the world is wholly bad or innocent. Every single army on earth has committed war crimes and every army has had to make decisions which some would find morally reprehensible. The point is that painting an army as the good guys or the bad guys in your narrative can’t work because it isn’t realistic. You can of course highlight these issues by the actions of a few soldiers while still retaining the antagonists and the heroes. You can of course pit the ideals of both sides in a war together, to firmly push your reader toward the good guys vs the bad guys. But the reality is a simple one: all armies kill, all armies steal and all armies destroy.
Civilian vs Soldier: The Reality
Civilians suffer at the hands of their own army as well as the enemy. Civilians often had to deal with soldiers taking their crops, livestock and overtaking their homes in searches for food, shelter and resources. Enemy civilians would also put up with pillaging, looting and in some cases death, assault and sexual abuse. It is of course against protocol to harm civilians but things do happen in theatres of war.
The Army vs the Soldier
While the army expects a lot out of the soldier as an induvial, the army can often fall short of their duties to that soldier. This can be unintentional, for example supplies can get lost or stolen. But there are instances where soldiers and their needs are sacrificed for the greater good. They maybe passed over for supplies or reinforcements for another unit. They may be placed in difficult circumstances without any hope of relief. They may not have the equipment needed to fight their battle or stay alive. Sometimes, armies even shot their own soldiers for insubordination, ex. In WW1, many soldiers on all sides were shot by their own for “cowardice” – this may have been the case, but some cases involved soldiers who were suffering from PTSD.
Choice vs Obligation vs Threat
Why do soldiers fight? What makes somebody join the army? Sometimes it is the search of opportunity, of a place, of rank and a purpose. But sometimes, going to war isn’t the choice of the soldier. Drafts and conscription make military service compulsory for certain age groups and genders. In peacetime, soldiers are enlisted voluntarily in most armies while some countries have compulsory service time even in times of peace. In some wars, criminals in prison were offered the chance to serve in the war as penance for their crimes. There are of course instances when one is threatened or forced into an armed force.
The Effects of War on the Soldier
War changes people. The things soldiers see and have to do within war and training will inevitably change them as people. Sometimes, the change is positive, the army has been named by many people as the thing that straightened them out and have them structure. The army sometimes allows soldiers to travel and gain access to opportunities and education that they may never have had access to before. But undeniably, war has negatives effects on soldiers and civilians. Soldiers may suffer from PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts and feel a disconnect between themselves and their old lives. Soldiers often find it hard to return to their life after the war, especially in radically different settings with people who don’t understand what they have been through. This can lead to substance abuse issues, alcoholism, problems with the law and troubles within relationships among family and romantic partners. Soldiers of course can get injuries while in war or even in training. Loss of limbs, damage to the brain and other organs, broken bones, burns, shrapnel injuries and of course gunshot wounds are all common. Soldiers often get ill while in the field, such illnesses including typhoid, hypothermia, trench foot, dysentery, malaria, pneumonia etc. These are caused by the close living quarters and the often-sub-standard living conditions. Soldiers would often be at risk for pests such as lice and fleas because of their living conditions. Soldiers may often face problems with nutrition, might suffer from dehydration and starvation especially if supplies are scarce.
The Geneva Convention
Your world may not include the Geneva Convention, may pre-date the Geneva Convention or Geneva may not be a place within your WIP, but I include this here so you might have a fair idea about the “rules” of modern warfare. This is just a brief version.
Medical personnel are not to be specifically targeted in operations.
Medical facilities and equipment is not be targeted in operations
Any wounded soldiers or civilians are to be treated, despite allegiance.
Prisoners cannot be tortured or harmed in any way
Prisoners must be fed, well-kept and treated for any injury
Prisoners are not under obligation to tell their captors anything but their name, rank and other personal information – this is so they can be recorded and all information must be recorded and sent to the captured soldier's officers
Prisoners must be allowed to communicate with family and friends.
Prisoners have the right to receive any packages or mail.
Prisoners have the right to access the services of the Red Cross, who cannot be prevented from visiting and inspecting them
Prisoners who are seriously wounded or ill must be released
Any religious figures are to be captured and released as soon as possible
Soldiers cannot take hostages, they cannot pillage, they cannot take slaves.
Soldiers must abstain from humiliating and degrading any captured soldiers or civilians.
Reprisals against civilians and other soldiers are forbidden.
Group punishment is not permitted (Yes, that one teacher did break the Geneva Convention)
Prisoners can be tried by their captors, but they are entitled to a fair trial.
All POWs shall be released at the end of conflict
At sea, hospital ships cannot engage in war.
Any shipwrecked crew on a ship must be rescued despite allegiance.
Children, pregnant women, mothers with very young children, the elderly, the sick and wounded who are imprisoned for a long time, must be released as soon as possible.
Surrendering soldiers, civilians and civilians who participate in acts against an army cannot be harmed and must be taken alive.
The use of weapons to cause suffering, say a non-fatal wound or mutilation is prohibited.
It outlaws indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations and destruction of food, water and other materials needed for survival.
The destruction of resources that could affect the population such as poisoning the water supply is not permitted.
Certain infrastructure cannot be destroyed or targeted. This includes dams and nuclear stations. Cultural landmarks and religious landmarks are also to be spared.
Recruitment of children into the armed forces is prohibited.
The use of certain symbols such as the Red Cross in order to deceive the enemy is prohibited.
Civilians who do not take part in combat are to be treated respectfully. They are protected from violence from soldiers.
Children and vulnerable people are top-priority to be evacuated to safe havens as soon as possible. All efforts will be made to reunite them with family.
The targeting of civilians and anything that sustains their well-being such as food sources is prohibited.
Military Terminology
This is by no means a full list but these are the most commonly used terms.
Boots on the ground – to physically be in a location
Inspection - a superior officer takes formal note of appearance, condition of living area and weapons.
Drill – a practise in various manoeuvres, marches, procedures
Pass - leave to have some free time, sometimes off base.
Off base - away from military barracks
Tour of duty – the period of time which an action is completed in.
Civvies – Civilian clothing
Detail - a specific task undertaken by a unit or soldier
Mess hall - dining facility
Latrine - toilet
Latrine duty - digging a Latrine pit or cleaning the facility
Flanking - Attacking an enemy formation from the sides
Envelopment - surrounding the enemy from multiple sides
Penetration - breaking past the enemy’s front lines
Reconnaissance by Fire - Firing at positions that may be occupied by the enemy to provoke them into returning fire (so you know where they are)
Ambush - Attacking from concealed position
Retreat - go back the way you came (DO NOT COLLECT €200)
Feigned Retreat - Pretending to retreat and then attacking the enemy
Perimeter - boundary of fortified area
No Man's Land - the space between front lines
Contact line - where opposing sides meet to fight
Supply line - the route the supplies get from base to the field.
Front line - the furthest out troops are place on the line, this is where the most intense fighting happens
Barracks - sleeping quarters in base
Foxhole - a dug position in the ground
Combatant: A person actively engaged in fighting.
Non-combatant: A person not engaged in a conflict.
Civilian: Somebody who is not a member of any military unit.
Militia: Civilians who are armed and trained to fight.
Guerrilla: Small, independent units that takes up arms against an armed force. Very effective.
Saboteur: Somebody who deliberately sabotages equipment and supplies.
Spy: Somebody who gathers information about the enemy.
Operative: A soldier who carries out a specific task.
Mercenary: A soldier for hire
Contractor: A person or a group of people who are hired to provide advice, services and additional support to the army and their operations.
Conscription: Compulsory enlistment.
Enlistment: Joining the army.
Exercise: Simulated military practises or manoeuvres for training.
War game: Simulated war fare for training.
Mission: The operation.
Objective/Target: The objective of the mission.
Campaign: Multiple operations.
Down Range – being within the combat zone
In-Country – being within in a war zone
Quarters – can mean one of two things either it is a medic's order to stay in the camp or barracks or military family housing.
Squared away - to fix
Siege: Where one army sits outside a fortified town or position and tries to claim it.
Convoy: A large group of vehicles such as trucks, jeeps and tanks travel together. It is harder to target more than one vehicle.
Escort: More vehicles and soldiers who accompany a convoy.
Strike/Assault: Attacking the enemy.
Counterattack: An attack to respond to a previous attack
Rear: Behind the formation
Front: Before the formation.
Line: The formation.
Column: The formation in a line.
Formation: The arrangement of soldiers
Deployment: Soldiers moving to a position.
Redeployment: Sending soldiers to another position.
Mobilization: Readying soldiers, their supplies and equipment for deployment.
Demobilization: The disbanding of soldiers after an operation.
Reserve: Soldiers and equipment held back. This is usually to conserve soldiers and supplies for emergencies or shortages.
Reinforcement: More soldiers and equipment sent to the soldiers on the line to bulster their efforts.
Casualty: Death, injury, missing.
KIA: Killed in action.
MIA: Missing in action.
Surrender: Yielding to the enemy.
Ceasefire: An agreement to cease hostilities.
Armistice: A temporary stay of fighting.
Battalion: A large unit of soldiers. Usually in the range of 300 upwards to 800 or so soldiers.
Regiment: A unit made up of several battalions.
Division: A military unit (10,000-20,000)
Corps: A unit, (20,000-50,000)
Theatre: The place where military operations are undertaken.
Engagement: A battle or a conflict with the enemy.
Manoeuvre: Planned movement.
Logistics: The planning of moving soldiers and equipment to soldiers.
Ordnance: Supplies.
Artillery: Large-calibre firearms.
Infantry: Soldiers who fight on foot.
Reconnaissance: Gaining information about the enemy and their positions.
Tactical: Planning and implementation the military strategies.
Strategic: Planning and directing strategies.
Operational: The following through of military operations.
Command/Control: The authority to direct military operations.
Communications: The passing of information between units, base and HQ.
HQ: Head Quarters
Intelligence: Information about the enemy
Counterintelligence: Preventing the enemy from gaining information about the army, such as the famous Operation Mincemeat.
Camouflage: The use of material or paint to hide oneself from one’s enemy.
Fortification: Defensive structure
Entrenchment: Digging trenches or foxholes.
Garrison: Military station.
Bivouac: A temporary camp, but this camp is without no cover. This means no tents or shelter.
Dog Tags - Metal identification tags worn by soldiers
Patrol: Soldiers will leave camp or their positions to walk within their boundaries
Raid: Attacking on the enemy’s position.
Zero Dark Thirty - Early as fuck, from 0100 hrs to sunrise.
Copy - I understand
Unit - can mean any organisation in the military
Platoon - a section within a company made up of 30-50 soldiers
Contact - Engaging with the enemy
Tactically Acquired - Stolen
Squad - a smaller faction of a company
CO - Commanding officer
XO - second in command
Hang Fire - wait for the next set of orders
Demilitarized Zone - a place that is no go for military equipment, weapons and soldiers
AWOL - Absent without leave
PT - Physical Training
Skivvies - ones undergarments
Active Duty - Full time duty in active service
As You Were - Go back doing whatever you were doing or standing how you were standing
BOLO - Be on the Lookout
CP - checkpoint
Bunk - Bed
Ruck - backpack
Smoked - physical punishment for an infraction.
Zone of Action - a specific part of the tactical area.
About face - a manoeuvre where a someone or a group turn to face the opposite direction.
POW - Prisoner of War
POW Camp - facility to house POWs
Halt - stop marching/moving
Present Arms - salute, typically by presenting one's weapon or raising the right hand to the forehead
Parade Rest - stand with one's feet shoulder-width apart, hands folded behind their back
Fall out - break formation
Fall in - get into formation
At ease - stand in a more relaxed position
Attention - stand upright, heels together, back straight, shoulders back, arms at the sides.
Books and Media I recommend
Band of Brothers (HBO, Limited Series)
Beyond Band of Brothers by Dick Winters
Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose
M*A*S*H
The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich
Lady Death: The Memoirs of Stalin's Sniper by Lyudmila Pavlichenko
The Six Triple Eight
Some Desperate Glory: The First World War the Poets Knew by Max Egremont
Poems of the Great War 1914-18
Poems of the Great War by Wilfred Owen
Poems of the Great War by Siegfried Sassoon
Poems of the Great War by Robert Graves
Poems of the Great War by Rupert Brooke
Poems of the Great War by David Jones
SAS Rogue Heroes (BBC)
SAS: Rogue Heroes: The Authorised Wartime History by Ben MacIntyre
Saving Private Ryan
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
All Quiet on the Western Front
Private Peaceful by Michael Mupurgo
War Horse by Michael Mupurgo
Road to War by Valerie Wilding
The Trenches by Jim Elderidge
D-Day by Byran Perett
D-Day by Ben MacIntyre
Japan's Pacific War by Peter Williams
Operation Mincemeat by Ben MacIntyre
War Nurse by Sue Reid
Helmet for my Pillow by Robert Leckie
With the Old Breed by Eugene B Sledge
Hacksaw Ridge
D-Day Through German Eyes: How the Wehrmacht Lost France by Jonathan Trigg
Platoon
Britain’s Secret Defences: Civilian saboteurs, spies and assassins during the Second World War by Andrew Chatterton
If You're Reading This...: Last Letters from the Front Line by Sian Price
A Bridge Too Far
Firepower in Limited War by Robert Scales
Storm of Steel by Ernst Jünger
Dunkirk
The Things They Cannot Say: Stories Soldiers Won't Tell You About What They've Seen, Done or Failed to Do in War by Kevin Sites
Accidentally wound up on "hear me out cake" tiktok, and I swear, if another one of these bitches puts down an at-most-unconventionally-attractive human man, Lady Dimitrescu or Nick Wilde/Robin Hood I am going to lose my fucking mind.
Saw one where the first person they named was Disney's Aladdin and I tapped out so hard I entered a fugue state and didn't regain full consciousness for like a solid hour.
Girlies giggling and gasping because they said their 'hear me out' was Gill from Finding Nemo, like
I'm so sorry, babygirl, but that's a hot fish. I know you thought you were being so controversial, but that is one of the most fuckable cartoon fish in existence. This is weaksauce.
i know that the illario/scar lion king speech has been talked about but has anyone brought up the fact that solas’s “people are always dying it is what they do” is almost word for word the same dialogue between moriarty and sherlock from the fucking bbc sherlock back in like 2012. bbc sherlock. you’re taking dialogue cues from fucking bbc sherlock. be so real rn
I recently learned a new defense against dagger attacks that involves grabbing the person's wrist, tripping them, and catching them in a sort of ballroom dancing dip. It's so funny to me. I see you are trying to Stab me, but unfortunately for you, I am going to Hold you in my Strong Arms and make you Uncomfortable
So... everyone pretty much hated Veilguard's "secret ending", right? Beyond speculation about the Executors themselves, I haven't exactly seen anyone excited about its presence, and for that matter, haven't seen many people talking about it at all.
The closest way I can describe my initial reaction to it was an immediate, visceral disgust. I think I remember uttering at my screen something along the lines of "Fuck off! What the fuck?! Are you fucking kidding me???" and ever since then I've wanted to put into words exactly why it made me feel that way.
For the 88% of you (according to Steam achievement statistics) who didn't see this ending due to not picking up three very specific codex entries by complete chance, you can watch it here. In short, the clip depicts a mysterious voice who sounds suspiciously like Matt Mercer talking about how a group of shadowy figures has "balanced, guided, and whispered" over scenes of villains from the previous DA games, implying that these shadowy figures have been at least partially responsible for all of the bad things happening in Thedas, towards some unknown nefarious purpose.
Now obviously, this sucks. This is hamfisted, unimaginative writing that simultaneously retcons and re-contextualizes elements from DA's past that absolutely no one thought needed further explanation, as well as being exactly the kind of irritating sequel-bait tactics that people have largely grown tired of these days. But why does it suck so much? Why did I feel such palpable distaste for this scene?
For starters, it simply reeks of entitlement, and a lack of respect towards Bioware's own past games. Remember those villains you loved and thought were compelling? Well, their own personal, very complex and thought-out motivations were really just the Executors whispering in their ears the whole time! Loghain making a difficult and calculated decision at great personal cost for a greater good he truly believed in? Executors. Bartrand succumbing to his own greed to the point that he betrays his only family and devolves into a tragic husk of himself? Executors. Corypheus and the Magisters breaching the Golden fucking City??? Executors.
Ignore the infuriating lore ramifications for a second and consider: what do all of these things have in common? They're all instances of complex character motivation; of people in this world doing things for their own reasons that ended up having massive ramifications. In short, they're not events that can be explained easily in terms of black and white morality. And from what we've seen in Veilguard, the current dev team has a serious inability to work with any story elements that do not have absolute moral clarity: the Venatori and the Antaam are Evil. The Shadow Dragons and the Crows are Good. Any nuance; any potential questioning of this duality is quickly explained away or snuffed out.
And that's exactly what they're trying to do, retroactively, with the rest of the series. Having a hard time deciding whether Loghain was right or wrong? Well, worry not, the Executors are Evil and if they were guiding him the whole time, then what he did must have been Evil too! Grappling with how the plot of DA2 was about the inevitable tragedy of a series of oppressive systems reaching their natural breaking point? Well, wrestle no further, for if the Executors were involved then Meredith and Bartrand must've been Evil, no question! What the Magisters did was definitely Not Great, and what do you know, there were consequences for it that they and the whole world very much did pay for. But if the Executors were behind it all, then it was someone else's fault, some Evil power reaching in and making them do what they did, rather than their actions being the result of a horrific series of power abuses done by actual people.
Which leads me to where my initial disgust comes in. Because in a world which has always had core themes of power and its many abuses, actions that have consequences, and the idea that there are no true higher beings; every horrible thing that has ever been done was done by people, the simple act of putting shadowy figures behind key moments in history completely debases and neuters all of those themes. The whole point of Dragon Age as a series up until this point has been to illustrate the complex relationships people and societies have with power, choice, and morality. To remove that link - to place an external force between those characters and their choices - is to rob the series of any meaning whatsoever.
There is a staggering difference between the messaging of a game that tells you ordinary people are to blame for society's wrongs and a game that tells you a secret shadowy faction of evil forces are to blame for them. The former invites thought about one's own society; it has the potential to be uncomfortable and difficult to reconcile with. The latter assures its audience of the fantasy it is couched in. It gives the audience a boogeyman to be angry at, and in so doing deflects any potential for introspection. And that, I think, is the real point of the scene in question.
In a time where our media has become inundated with bland, unchallenging liberal politics, the idea of "cozy" stories have become a growing trend. These types of stories often sport a broad rejection of complicated themes, painful emotions, and nuance, preferring instead to provide a "safe" place to escape to. And with that "safe" space comes a directive not to engage in critical thinking about a work, and not to draw any message from that work and apply it to the real world. Yet this is exactly where Bioware seems to be heading nowadays.
Veilguard has already been faced with heavy criticism about playing things overly safe; removing anything that might be potentially uncomfortable for the player. And the end credits scene is no different. Don't think about things too hard, it whispers to you seductively, in Matt Mercer's soothingly Evil voice. See? The Bad Guys were behind everything, all along.
Another storytelling rule I think people should remember is the law of diminishing returns. If you keep on ramping up the stakes higher and higher and higher, after a point it gets to where the audience can’t really care anymore.
The problem here isn’t that large language models hallucinate, lie, or misrepresent the world in some way. It’s that they are not designed to represent the world at all; instead, they are designed to convey convincing lines of text. So when they are provided with a database of some sort, they use this, in one way or another, to make their responses more convincing. But they are not in any real way attempting to convey or transmit the information in the database. As Chirag Shah and Emily Bender put it: “Nothing in the design of language models (whose training task is to predict words given context) is actually designed to handle arithmetic, temporal reasoning, etc. To the extent that they sometimes get the right answer to such questions is only because they happened to synthesize relevant strings out of what was in their training data. No reasoning is involved […] Similarly, language models are prone to making stuff up […] because they are not designed to express some underlying set of information in natural language; they are only manipulating the form of language” (Shah & Bender, 2022). These models aren’t designed to transmit information, so we shouldn’t be too surprised when their assertions turn out to be false.
