Burgoignesc way of war
The Burgoignesc way of war is a modern media concept that is use to generalize the way in which Burgundie conducts military operations across all of its branches in the 21st century. It is not a formal doctrine or policy, but rather an academic observation on how the policies, alliances, strategies, doctrines, and culture/history of The Burgundies coalesce into the actual conduct of warfare by soldiers under the Burgoignesc banner.
It is broken down into 5 phases, each of which carry idiosyncrasies of Burgundie:
Initiation of war
Unlike in previous centuries, Burgundie has taken a less interventionist stance in the world. The government has allowed for much more self determination in the nations that used to make up the Burgoignesc Colonial Empire. It instead follows a strategy closely aligned Urcea's Policy of Authoritative Deference with it's allies, but has not formalized this into a policy as Urcea has done.
Burgundie has given more leverage and funding to other foreign policy avenues and in recognition that "war is the last act of diplomacy", subjugated the Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
When it is determined that military engagement/intervention is needed to pursue the national interest Burgundie now consults with the LUDC before conducting unilateral operations, especially when the operation is expected to become a wider conflict and not just a limited scope mission set.
Opening maneuvers
The phase known as opening maneuvers is where the Navy of Burgundie is king, and is colloquially called the l'Aeronauticalia. The entire of organization of the Navy is designed around this phase through its geographic commands. Carrier Strike Groups to establish initial air superiority, Battle Groups to establish maritime dominance, Rapid Deployment Groups to deliver small packages of elite troops and materiel to emerging conflicts, and Expeditionary Strike Squadrons to deliver the first waves of soldiers to a conflict zone.
Because of its current posture, Burgundie's primary enemies are not it's near peers and as such the initial actions of combat operations are to establish a few key sectors of dominance. Even though the Burgoignesc Security Forces have numerous rapid deployment teams, it still takes time to get them on location. As such the initial phase is communications and signals dominance which can occurred almost immediately. The Royal Air Service of Burgundie and the Navy of Burgundie have large theater-wide communications jamming platforms they are constantly roaming the world waiting to be switched on. These airframes and ships combine their frequency and signal jamming or scrambling capability to create and enforce a communications black out in most developing nations and some smaller developed nations.
While these jamming operations are ongoing, Burgundie moves to establish air space dominance. This is initially embarked upon by Navy of Burgundie carrier-based fighters and fighter bombers and then as a joint operation with Royal Air Service of Burgundie after airfields have been captured or established in the AO. This is achieved because the Navy of Burgundie's air wing maintains a large fleet of air superiority fighters that have been specifically designed to dogfight with fighters 2 or 3 generations behind the most recent advancements in the air forces of the developed world. These air superiority fighters are optimized to operate at lower speeds, are not designed for stealth, and carry fewer missiles on hardpoints in favor of more ammunition for the gun(s). Furthermore, the prevalence of fighter bombers is high in the Navy of Burgundie's air wing as the initial air war must eliminate enemy air defenses, radars, and air strips. These aircraft are typically stealth, prioritize missiles and bombs in internal bomb bays, and have less gun ammunition, primarily as a defensive measure. These aircraft are small as they are carrier based so they carry limited payloads, but those bombs are highly sophisticated and are assigned by target to be a one hit kill. After the Navy of Burgundie's air wing has made safe the initial airspace, the Royal Air Service of Burgundie takes over the mission and maintains that dominance and provides air support to ground troops.
As the air superiority operation unfolds the Navy of Burgundie, in applicable theaters, begins to establish maritime dominance and a blockade. These are designed around the geographic commands of the Navy_of_Burgundie, and their Battle Groups. Battle groups are combinations of surface combatants and submarines that work in concert to fight enemy warships at sea or in port, and to maintain a strict cordon of the maritime corridor while military operations are ongoing. Again, because Burgundie's primary enemies are not it's near peers ships in the battle groups are designed without stealth as a consideration. However, with the prevalence of cheaper and longer ranged missiles across developing nations the investment initially in CIWS and later stealth considerations are underway. Battle group ships are also not particularly large, primarily frigates led by a few destroyers. These ships prioritize deck guns and anti-submarine weapons over VLSs because their job is to fight in the maritime realm, but they do maintain some anti-aircraft and missile defense capabilities as defensive measures. The Navy_of_Burgundie is careful to maintain these operations only with the economic exclusion zones of the countries that they are at war with so as not to impact the global Freedom of the seas Burgundie holds so dear.
Once these missions are underway the Rapid Deployment Groups begin their landings. These groups are small expeditionary units with a focus on engineering and force reconnaissance troops. Most Seabees and naval/marine special operations units are located with the 8 Rapid Deployment Groups. These groups operate like a Expeditionary Strike Squadron, but on a much smaller scale and utilize speed and stealth as their primary weapon. They establish beachheads, seize littoral infrastructure and generally lay the ground work for the larger invasion of the much larger Expeditionary Strike Squadron.
Once these key areas of dominance are initiated the ground war can commence.
Sustained combat
After the amphibious/airborne assault has established a beachhead has been firmly established the Navy of Burgundie's Sealift and Sustainment Command ships join into the fray. They operate powerships, Mulberry harbours, troop ships, Naval trawlers, banana boats (or reffer ships if you are boring), and sundry other ships to establish an entirely independent infrastructure and grid in the adversarial nation.
As the landings of troops commence and the "land war" begins the Army of Burgundie is king, but the Royal Air Service of Burgundie is also key. The Navy of Burgundie becomes a global ferry service and logistics hub for the Army of Burgundie. This phase is colloquially called le cirque du terre.
One of the unique aspects of this phase is the Burgoignesc effort to establish one last area of dominance, narrative dominance. The communications and signals jamming and scrambling doesn't just serve to disrupt the adversarial military but also to shut down internet, phone, or other types of communications to the only narrative about the war, on the global stage, is controlled by Burgundie. Narrative dominance is a function of the Royal Air Service of Burgundie who has developed a strong external affairs cadre through whom all publicly sharable information about the war is filtered. This group focuses not on withholding information, because Burgundie is a free society and in the internet age it is assumed that all information will eventually make its way to the limelight, but to get out ahead of this information and maintain the acceptable accuracy of the discourse. The ultimate aim of this function of dominance is to make the war uninteresting and not of note to the outside world, to draw attention to other conflicts or matters of lesser significance, to give the military a free hand in the theater.
Once the opening phases of the war have occurred and the Navy of Burgundie as paved the way for a full scale invasion, the Army of Burgundie comes into its element. Moved in the massive naval Expeditionary Strike Squadrons, the units of the Army, predominantly the Foreign Legion disembarks and begins group operations. The Army is designed around small unit maneuvers as outlined in its Tactical Approach:
- Le Strates prepares and expects all of its soldiers, at all levels, to take the initiative and take an adaptive approach to complete orders and meet objectives.
- It builds its command structure from the highest level to support all levels of maneuver units down to the battalion level...
- The survivability of the individual soldier is considered the highest priority in achieving the mission and therefore the soldier's experience is the catalyst for changes in doctrine.
This posture allows the Army to center its focus on infantry formations with armor, artillery, close air support, intelligence, and logistics coalescing support on infantry regiments/battalions. This in turn allows field commanders to rabidly pivot in a combat situation to ensure the survivability of their soldiers and to maintain an aggressive battle rhythm.
Societal reconstruction
The Gendarmerie's Observation and Treaty Corps (Burg: Corps d’Observacion e Tractes) operates on the foundational principle that successful and peaceful societal reconstruction ("occupation") necessitates a profound understanding and deliberate revitalization of a occupied nation's intricate cultural, social, and economic framework. This philosophy guides the Corps' approach, emphasizing cultural engagement and collaboration with local communities. The Corps is comprised of a diverse cadre of highly educated and culturally competent professionals: diplomats, legal scholars, administrators, academics, and community planners, who during sustained operations phase, immerse themselves in the cultural, social, governmental, and economic complexities of the adversarial nation. They initiate a comprehensive process of understanding, engaging in dialogue with local leaders, religious figures, artisans, agriculturalists, industrialists, and ordinary citizens to decipher the multifaceted web of societal norms, values, and aspirations. The Corps prioritizes the historical and cultural significance of landmarks and institutions, recognizing their integral role in shaping collective identity. In close partnership with local communities, they facilitate the restoration of these symbols of heritage, ensuring their preservation for posterity. Religious traditions and sensitivities are handled with the utmost respect, fostering an environment of tolerance and interfaith understanding. Economic revitalization is also a core focus. The Corps collaborates with local entrepreneurs, agriculturalists, and manufacturers to analyze the strengths and challenges of their traditional practices, assisting in the development of sustainable models that rejuvenate industries while maintaining the cultural integrity of the nation. It is worth mentioning that, through lessons learned, the Corps also tries to avoid created a false economy by its own presence. Sustainable economic activity is the priority.
Crucially, the Corps engages in open and transparent communication with the populace, actively listening to their expectations and aspirations for the future. They understand that the legitimacy of any governance structure hinges on its alignment with the will of the people. Through town hall meetings, community forums, engagement with community leaders and groups, and individual consultations, the Corps fosters an environment of inclusivity and participation, ensuring that the voices of the people are heard and respected. This culturally informed approach to societal reconstruction exemplifies Burgundie's commitment to sustainable peacebuilding. It recognizes that true peace lies not in the imposition of external models, but in empowering local communities to reclaim their identity, rebuild their institutions, and determine their own path towards self-determination. The Gendarmerie's Observation and Treaty Corps, through its multifaceted expertise and culturally sensitive engagement, serves as a paragon of responsible reconstruction, illuminating a path towards a more just and equitable world.
Criticism
While the Burgoignesc approach to societal reconstruction is lauded in many quarters for its culturally sensitive and comprehensive nature, some observers, particularly those from Oriental and illiberal nations, argue that this approach, while well-intentioned, inherently imposes certain Occidental and liberal ideals onto the societies it seeks to rebuild. Concepts such as equitable and transparent engagement, economic efficiency, and governmental transparency, while widely embraced in the Occident, are not universally accepted norms. Critics contend that such an approach can inadvertently erode traditional structures and values, undermining local customs and practices. They argue that [Burgundie]], in its efforts to promote its own ideals, risks homogenizing diverse cultures and impeding the organic development of self-determination, which plays on the Global Burgieman conspiracy. Burgundie counters these criticisms with a blend of pragmatism and a touch of realpolitik. Burgundie maintains that "to the victors go the spoils," and that as the prevailing power in a conflict, it bears the responsibility – and the right – to shape the reconstruction process. Furthermore, Burgundie argues that its active engagement in rebuilding is far more beneficial to the global community than simply engaging in combat and leaving nations in a state of disarray. Commentators have noted that, irrespective of its intent, Burgundie's reconstruction efforts often create opportunities for Burgoignesc firms, whether through lucrative rebuilding contracts or access to new consumer markets.
Withdrawal
The Burgoignesc military-industrial complex has a long history of hiring it's recent adversaries to develop it's next innovations in military equipment, technologies, tactics, and, in limited cases, strategy. Burgundie is one of the most adaptable "big army" countries with innovation, initiative taking, and an embrace of change being cornerstones of its success in the 21st century.
See also