The Art of eWar

Day 752, 17:07 • Published in Canada Canada • by William Duncan
-~-~-The Art of eWar-~-~-
Caption: Canadian Soldier in Afghanistan.


-~-~-{ See Part II: War Chests, and Part III: Super Fortresses of this Series on eRepublik Warfare }-~-~-



Kits.

"A wise man in times of peace prepares for war."
- Horace


What's a Kit?

Backgroun😛
A kit (as we used to refer to it in the CAF days under Presidents Zanalan and Bruck) is your basic, standard set of supplies. It expanded in usage to include your readiness kit; the concept of always having at least 2 moving tickets in your inventory at all times. This idea of being always prepared for action; always ready to answer the call, has taken form in many ways and in many places in eRepublik; for example, in eMalaysia, they speak of Personal Survival Kits, which is a soldier's Organization stocked with weapons.

eHistorical Context
During WWIII, eCanada suffered from supply shortages. It was alleged our enemies were purposely purchasing supplies from our market during or leading up to important battles to deprive citizens of the weapons they needed to defend. This strategy, if used correctly and in conjunction with a crucial attack (such as on a fortress region) can be deadly and decisive. Major battles are always close, and depriving your enemy of even a small percentage of their overall damage (due to fighting barehanded by some) can often translate into the initiative that leads to an overwhelming victory.

So how does a nation combat this? How do we prepare for it? There are two principle means of combating and being prepared for this form of warfare: kits and stockpiles. The first method I shall discuss now, as it concerns civilians, and then as it concerns soldiers, in which case the benefit of a dedicated organization for weapons becomes all the more prudent and useful. The second method, stockpiles, I shall discuss on a later date.

Civilian Survival Kits
Encouraging active citizens to use their first 5 gold to purchase an Organization for the immediate purpose of stockpiling a personal cache of weapons and tickets ought to be a public ordinance of government, regularly communicated, encouraged and explained. As it is, weapons are automatically consumed if they are stored in a citizen's personal inventory: there is no way for citizens to stockpile weapons without storing them in an org. In a decisive battle, such as Ontario was (in the defensive case) or Manitoba (in the offensive case) a full compliment of weapons for use in two days of heavy fighting, concluding with a kamikaze attack, can mean the difference between victory or defeat, especially if the market is under attack or weapons' prices have skyrocketed due to shortages or war profiteering. All citizens ought to be directed to stockpile 16 Q1 weapons and 4 Moving Tickets; even to fight barehanded until they have fulfilled the requirement. The purpose? If the nation is invaded, and we are once again down to a single region, citizens can be ordered to use their stockpiles to fight at full damage on the first day (5 fights/5 weapons); kamikaze on the second (10 to 11 fights/weapons) for a total of 16 fights/weapons. They still have tickets to evacuate (-2) should the region fall into enemy hands, and enough tickets to return home (-1) should the nation be liberated.

Eh! What's that 4th ticket for?
The fourth ticket is crucial to ensure citizens (and all citizens) can be ordered to move to a single, super-fortress region at the beginning of an invasion. The importance and value of super-fortresses I shall discuss at a later date.


Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum (If you wish for peace, prepare for war)
- Gaius Julius, eUS President; Motto of the Brolliance


Soldiers' Kits

A soldier is always ready for war, and is expected and counted upon to be so. Civilians, being free to do as they please, cannot reasonably be counted upon to do much of anything, though the character and quality of some nations' citizens may surprise, especially during times of difficulty and adversity; however, this is often too little, too late. Because civilians are free, a responsible government cannot assume how they will act or what they will do. It cannot justifiably hope that the citizenry has educated and prepared itself for a war of annihilation. A wise government, then, considering its nation's defense, can make demands of its soldiers, as soldiers receive benefits from being members of the nation's army, which creates a logical interest for compliance.

A civilian can be asked, admonished, directed and ordered to do things; however, there is no penalty that can be applied for non-compliance. A soldier, however, can be reprimanded, discharged, deprived of benefits, etc. So a prudent government will demand things of their soldiers, insomuch as those things are for the common good. It can be reasonably expected soldiers will follow these directives, especially if it can be demonstrated to be for the good of the country. I therefore recommend government make, as a requirement for Regular service (the Canadian Armed Forces' branch that receives the most benefits) the prerequisite for entry of a personal, dedicated Org; that is, a kit, for storing weapons and tickets, using a slightly modified ratio from the civilian version:
- 18 Q2 (or higher) weapons
- 2 MTs,
- 2.5 gold, and
- 4 Moving tickets (stored in personal inventory).

Note: By making this an army requirement, it would give an incentive for civilians to purchase their own Org (kit), as it gives a possible benefit: eligibility for Regular army service.

A Soldier's kit removes any excuse for not following orders due to supply issues, and should an emergency or last minute action be ordered (and in war the only thing to be expected is the unexpected), soldiers can consume their personal stock, and then request the appropriate replacement. In short, soldier's kit means the soldier is always ready for war, and if the soldiery is ready for war, then so is their country.


So...


I'm ready for war!

Are you??




-~-~-{ See Part II: War Chests, and Part III: Super Fortresses of this Series on eRepublik Warfare }-~-~-




Take care,
WD
The 13th | e† | FFFF! 😃