Imperial Armed Forces of Caphiria: Difference between revisions

The Imperial Armed Forces is the center-point of a military-industrial complex with immense power and international authority. With military expenditure consuming approximately a tenth of Caphiria's GDP and a mandatory conscription service, the military of Caphiria is the largest in terms of personnel and the largest in terms of the military spending. The IAF has maintains an active military personnel nearing 13 million with its reserve force almost the same, making it the largest and second-largest in personnel respectively.

In the Constitution, the IAF is tasked with two functions: defending the citizens of the Imperium and enforcing the sovereign will of Caphiria on foreign powers. Far from excluding one another, these are perfectly consistent goals and accomplishing one will often entail the success of the other.

Modern military policy is somewhat more reserved and more completely focused on defending the Imperium rather than extending its reach. Although the memory of the Legion's strength is far from gone, foreign powers no longer express absolute disdain for this military force. It is genuinely viewed by some foreigners as being a guardian for their interests as well as those of the Caphirian citizens.

From the time of its inception, the Imperial Armed Forces played a decisive role in the history of Caphiria. The Legion has been in continuous operation for well over three centuries, making it one of the world's oldest military units in continuous operation.

This was accompanied by a trend in the late Pontificate era of an increasing predominance of cavalry rather than infantry troops, as well as a requirement for more mobile operations. In this period there was more focus (on all frontiers but the south) on smaller units of independently-operating troops, engaging less in set-piece battles and more in low-intensity, guerilla actions.

The IAF has by far the world's largest military budget. As of 2026, the Imperial government allots $5.05 trillion to fund its Ministry of Defense annually. Of this, 74%, or approximately $3.7 trillion directly funds the military through the Department of Military Defense. Military spending in Caphiria is the highest in the world, accounting for roughly 25% of global military spending. Because of this, Caphiria has significant capabilities in both defense and power projection due to its large budget, resulting in advanced and powerful equipment and its widespread deployment of force around the world, including about 700 military bases outside the Imperium.

By military department: $1.3 trillion is allocated for the Legion, $748 billion to the navy, and $935 billion to the air force. The Praetorian Guard is allocated $336 billion, with $99.5 billion funding the Imperial Police Force. An additional $138 billion is allocated for 'miscellaneous expenditures'. By function, XXX billion was requested for personnel, XXX billion for operations and maintenance, XXX billion for procurement, XXX billion for research and development, XXX billion for military construction, and XXX billion for family housing.

Organization chart of the Ministry of Defense

The state confers absolute command over the entire armed forces to the reigning Imperator, Caphiria's chief executive officer and first citizen. As the top of the pyramid of command (''pyramidis imperia''), his orders must be followed without exception. Due to the separation of most imperators from military life, their orders are typically vague with a great deal of strategic flexibility. Management of military affairs works is split between the two departments of the Ministry of Defense: the Department of Military Defense (DMD) and Department of Civilian Defense (DCD).