Semper Fi - Forces of the Nguessa ReigimeWhile the National Alliance has been able to co-opt many former Merinan Armed Forces members to its side, the core of the old armed forces has remained loyal to the former President Nguessa, especially amongst the ranks of the navy and air force, whose conscript soldiers typically enjoyed better pay and conditions then they could have expected receive in civilian life, with technical specialists having been particularly prized. Therefore, where desertions from amongst the ranks of the MNA's conscript soldiers have been made good with reorganization and the incorporation of loyalist militia units into the ranks, the Nguessa Regime has retained the in the main its capability to field heavy and complex weapon systems, including tanks and aircraft, which the rebels of the National Alliance cannot really match.
Merinan National Army Despite being driven from the capital, and the defection or dissolution of several formations wholesale, including the much-vaunted Impera Brigade, the Nguessa Regime retains a large if unwieldy fighting force in the field. From the seven divisions of the pre-war National Army, three 'new army' divisions have been created through reorganization; oftentimes this has required the incorporation of loyalist militia forces into regular army formations, therefore giving many MNA formations a rather less professional appearance and mixed equipment, though many are no less effective for it.
A Merinan National Army Brigade typically fields three 'line' battalions, one 'light' battalion - the 'light' troops typically being regarded as a cut above the 'line' infantrymen - in addition to a headquarters company, artillery battery, air defence battery and other ancillaries. The three full strength divisions remaining under Nguessa's banner constitute the bulk of the available government manpower, although IOG Mbeku is in all likelihood the most powerful formation still available to the former president, being almost wholly composed of career soldiers and having the pick of the foreign mercenaries still on Nguessa's payroll.
2nd Division100 Brigade
101 Brigade
102 Brigade3rd Division103 Brigade
104 Brigade
105 Brigade7th Division106 Brigade
107 Brigade
108 BrigadeIndependent Operational Group MbekuParacommando Brigade
109 (Light) BrigadeBrigade Group West110 Brigade
Naval Demi-BrigadeArmoured Battle Group Katamba111 Brigade
Independent Armoured Battalion KatambaArmoured Battle Group Qarkhoi112 Brigade
Independent Armoured Battalion QarkhoiEquipment Includes:
AKM Assault Rifles
RPK Light Machine Guns
RP-46 General-Purpose Machine Guns
KPV Heavy Machine Guns
AGS-17 Automatic Grenade Launchers
RPG-18 Disposable Rocket Launchers
RPG-7 Rocket Launchers
SPG-9 Recoilless Rifles
Malyutka Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Igla Man-Portable Air Defence System
82-BM Mortars
D-30 Howitzers
BM-21 Grad Multiple Rocket Launchers
M151 Light Utility Vehicle'Technical' Armed Trucks (Various)
Ural 4320 General Purpose Truck
ABC-79M Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle and Personnel Carrier
BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles
BMD-2 Air-Mobile Infantry Fighting Vehicles (Paracomando Brigade Only)
T55 Main Battle Tanks
Merinan National Army Reserve ForcesThe reserve component of the Merinan National Army,
activated as an emergency measure in March 2020, the Reserve Forces consists of part-time soldiers who undertake periodic training in peacetime, but can be called up to serve in times of war, or sometimes to assist the civil authorities in times of need. Merinan Army Reservists are something of an intermediate force on the battlefields of the Merinan Crisis, being better trained and equipped than the various militia and volunteer units that have sprung up since the war began, but generally less effective than the full-time professionals.
Many pre-Crisis reservists have, indeed, found themselves living in areas no longer under government control, with some even enlisting to fight for other causes, though in the main they have remained true. Some have even undertaken great feats to join their units for mobilization, crossing many miles and even frontiers to answer the call to arms. One complete reserve division has been formed, along with three smaller formations, utilizing the same organisational structure as the regular Merinan National Army:
20th (Reserve) Division201 Brigade
202 Brigade
203 Brigade
Reserve Mountain Command Qast204 (Mountain) Brigade
205 (Mountain) Brigade
Reserve Armoured Battle Group Kholda206 Brigade
Independent Armoured Battalion
KholdaReserve Armoured Battle Group Makasa207 Brigade
Independent Armoured Battalion
MakasaIn terms of equipment, the Reserve units are generally similarly equipped to their regular counterparts, albeit with a lower priority for modernization programmes. In activating the reserve armoured units, the Merinan National Army has put its last reserves of T-55 tanks into service, though does retain a good number of possibly serviceable T-34-85M medium tanks (and similar equipment phased out of service over the decades), which may be bought into service to make good losses until an appropriate foreign supplier may be found.
Merinan National Air ForceWith their higher pay, better conditions and lesser proportion of conscripts, the MNAF has retained much of its effective fighting strength thus far. Two aviation groups - III and V - have been dissolved due to losses, though these have mostly been incurred on the ground as airbases have been overrun. In addition to flight crew, the MNAF fields a full compliment of ground crew - including foreign technical experts (some of whom are rumoured to be 'ground' crew in name only) - service and support personnel.
The basic administrative unit of the MNAF is the Squadron, each consisting of three Wings of three aircraft each, giving one Squadron nine aircraft in nominal strength, although true availability rates can be lower, particularly for units engaged in heavy or prolonged combat duties. So long as the MNAF is able to retain its technical personnel and supplies of spare parts - the latter being no mean feat, given the variety of airframes in MNAF inventory - however, this should be no greater issue than it is for any other of Mundus' air forces.
Air Group I (Fighter) - Three Squadrons with
L-39 AlbatrossAir Group II (Fighter) - Two Squadrons with
F-7 AirguardAir Group IV (Attack) - Two Squadrons with
A-5 Fantan, one with
BAC 167 StrikemasterAir Group VI (Attack) - Three Squadrons with
EMB 314 Super TucanoAir Group VII (Attack) - Three Squadrons with
EMB 314 Super TucanoAir Transport Command - Two Squadrons with
C-119 Flying Boxcar, one with
An-26 CurlRotary Aviation Command - Three Squadrons with
Mi-8 Bee, three with
UH-1 Huey, two with
Mi-24 HindMerinan National NavyWhile the MNN has long languished in terms of equipment, the vast majority have remained loyal to the former president. An unintended consequence of the obsolescence of much of the MNN's fleet is the capability of many of the low-tonnage vessels, particularly among the Navy Escort Group, to navigate relatively far upstream on Merina's inland waterways, allowing their obsolescent naval artillery to be brought to bear in support of ground operations. Further to this, many MNN vessels have received substantial modifications over the course of their long service lives, and now sport guided weapons systems and helicopter handling equipment.
Destroyer FlotillaMNS Anansi
MNS Kwaku Ananse
MNS Nyame
MNS Asase Ya
MNS Chiwara (
Lost in action against
FSS Hotspur off Urhano, 12/04/2020)
Navy Escort GroupMNS Aha Njoko
MNS Ahmadohia
MNS Ikenga
MNS Ekwensu
MNS Onyeaja
MNS AgwuSubmarine FlotillaMNS Roog
MNS Koox
MNS Kope
MNS Kogh Kox
MNS Takhar
MNS Tiuragh
MNS Pangool
MNS JenguRiverine Patrol ForceA mixed force of light riverine patrol craft and marine infantrymen approximately battalion-sized utilized in operations on and around Merina's complex network of inland waterways. Available watercraft include:
PBR
PACV
Hurricane Aircat