Database: The Gai'Shian

Like all other major powers, the Romulan Star Empire sometimes finds that its military objectives require more than just powerful starship. Some situations call for the presence of troops on the ground to deal with situations too difficult or too delicate for the brute force of a starship. In such circumstances, the Star Empire assigns the forces of the Planetary Command to deal with the problem.

Although they amount to a very small percentage of the Romulan military when compared to the navy, ground forces nevertheless play many important roles. When the navy wants a planet pacified without significant damage, it sends in the Planetary Command troops. When terrorists or insurrectionists begin a campaign on a Romulan world, the ground forces get the call to go into the hills, caverns, and cities to root the criminals out and bring them to justice. If the Taurhai capture Romulan territory, the ground forces recapture it.

The Planetary Command has its own rank structure and table of organization separate from that of the Romulan navy. Most soldiers hold the rank of "Trooper." Above that basic rank one finds, from lowest to highest, sergeants, sub lieutenants, lieutenants, captains, majors, and generals. The supreme commander of the Planetary Command, Korel Terik, holds the rank of Major-General.

The basic unit of the ground forces is the ter’val ("squad"), consisting of 5-13 troopers typically commanded by one sergeant and one sub lieutenant. Two to three squads form a rost’val ("platoon") of 20-50 troops commanded by a lieutenant or captain. Al’gess’val ("companies") consist of 3-4 platoons with a total of 80-175 men; captains and majors command them. Above the al’gess’val level one finds unsha’val ("brigades"), tresh’val ("battalions"), and finally lagor’val ("regiments"). At any given time the entire Planetary Command usually has 100-150 regiments of men stations on various worlds, though the size of the force may increase drastically in times of prolonged war.

Planetary Command recruits participate in a Serona like all other young Romulans, but instead of proceeding to the Romulan Academy after completing their mandatory service, they attend the Korath Tanar Military Training College on the planet Derassa IV. Their basic training includes weapons use, Romulan tactical doctrines, small unit tactics, fitness and survival courses, and escape and evasion. Also included as part of the basic training regimen is a program designed to develop a high pain threshold in the recruit. This results in the soldier’s near-legendary ability to keep functioning efficiently even when experiencing intense pain.

Basic training lasts twelve weeks, after which the recruits, now referred to by the semi-derogatory term of korvash ("provisional"), attend specialized training schools. For example, korvash who show leadership potential attend the Officer’s Training Academy (from which they graduate with the rank of sergeant [provisional]), while one whose talents lie in the area of stealth might learn scouting or forward observation.

Ground troops wear a uniform similar to that of the Romulan navy, but dark forest green in color instead of steel gray. As in the navy, the shape and style of the uniform’s harness indicates rank. Troopers currently use the Type R-7 disruptor rifle as their primary weapon. Support weapons include the standard disruptor pistol, disruptor grenades, and a multifunctional knife.

Perhaps ironically, considering its total lack of political power and military authority, the Gai`Shian has more ranks than the Galae. Still, the Corps’ highest rank, Dais`Enriov, is only roughly equal to the Navy’s 8th highest.

Rank	Translation	Description
Dais`Enarrain	Colonel	Commands a regiment or a battalion and may command a brigade.
Enarrain	Lt Colonel	Commands a regiment or a battalion, may sub-command a brigade, and may run a war college.
Dais`Arrain	Major	Commands a company and may command a regiment. This is a field rank most often issued to a regiment’s sub-commander.
Arrain	Captain	Commands a company.
Dais`erie`Arrain	1st Lieutenant	Commands a platoon, sub-commands a company, and may command a company in the place of a full Arrain. This is a field rank, only issued to highly decorated soldiers, and only when a full promotion is not possible.
erie`Arrain	2nd Lieutenant	Commands a platoon and sub-commands a company.
Erien	3rd Lt / Sergeant Major	The first commissioned rank, or the last non-commissioned rank, depending on the practices of a regiment. Commands a platoon, and may sub-command a company. May also serve as a senior-grade instructor at a war college.
Dais`Ullhan	Sergeant 1st class	Commands platoons, may lead the Security department of a Naval vessel, and serves as an instructor at a War College.
Ullhan	Sergeant	May command a platoon, may be in charge of logistical duties (loading, transportation, munitions), and may be a junior-grade instructor at a war college.
Dais`erie`Ullhan	Lance-Corporal	A field rank which may be earned by a Corporal in a platoon for recognition of service warranting a promotion, but when a full Ullhan rank may not be issued.
erie`Ullhan	Corporal	A respected soldier of the Corps, either serving as high level specialist or as a Squad commander.
Dais`Gehka	Private 1st Class	Specialists, pilots, and more seasoned soldier of the Corps. Usualy sub-commands a squad, though they may lead a squad.
Gehka	Private	A soldier in training, or a soldier with basic training, Gehka make up the bulk of the Gai`Shian. No Authority.

As an Erien is the 6th standard rank in the corps, and only the 2nd rank in the navy, it is not surprising that there is a large amount of animosity between these two forces. Also, as the corps has no ‘officer school’, these officers have often served 9 or 10 times as long in the service when they are promoted than their fellows in the Galae. .

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