National Volksarmee

The National Volksarmee is the military force of the German Democratic Republic and is under the administration of the Reichkommissariat of Armed Forces. It is divided between the Landstreitkräfte (Ground Forces), the Luftstreitkräfte (Air Forces) and the Volksmarine (People's Navy). It is estimated at around 250'000 personnel and is widely considered to be very well trained and equipped.

Framework and Training
The National Volksarmee is in large parts a professional army with a significant proportion of volunteer. This is in part due to a cultural and ideological movement within East Germany that service in the military is both an honorable cause in and of itself, but also a stepping stone for advancement. Conscription is not in effect, as young people of age are allowed to choose between military service or civil service, but the education system and youth organization largely promote military service as a patriotic and beneficial endeavor. Service in the military is also seen as respectable and gives one extra consideration for advancement in their civilian life later on.

Units in the NVA are divided between Regular units and Reservist units, but it handles its reserve differently. Rather than have occasional training as is the case in most militaries, reservist units go through a three year rotation system, where they are put on full active duty for one year, then spend two years in civilian employment while other reservist units are active in their stead. Active reservist units will usually act as second line reserves to Regular units, but may need to serve as frontline formations in a pinch and will go through full maneuver and exercises if no conflict is ongoing. The result of this cycling method is that there is much less of a gap between regular and reserve units, as the latter are much more thoroughly drilled and trained during their active time.

The National Volksarmee is an equal opportunity employer open to people of all genders and ethnicity. Women are permitted in combat roles, though are usually encouraged towards positions in which physical strength are less strongly solicited, such as drivers, pilots, and crews of armored fighting vehicles. Given that Soviet armored fighting vehicles and their derivatives are designed with smaller compartments and maximum height restriction, the slightly smaller stature of female soldiers serves to their advantage rather than their detriment in this case.

Overall, the amount of training and the intensity of these trainings far exceeds that of their contemporary, with Wargames regularly organized in the controlled area in Eastern Saxony/Northwestern Silesia, where the many abandoned villages and towns serve as perfect environments. Soldiers are pitted against one another using non-lethal paint pellets in otherwise 'live-like' exercises. Paintball is preferred over laser alternatives due to its sting, which teaches soldiers that 'it's not just a game' and that getting shot does, in fact, hurt. These exercises are not restricted to only infantry, and similar exercises are also organized for vehicle crews. Fully Live exercises are also sometimes organized within the Charlie Exclusion Zone.

Organization
The Landstreitkräfte is organized in three Armies, each constituted of two Corps, or six line Divisions and six supporting brigades. The primary building group of the land forces is the Panzerdivision, which despite its name is a combined arms force of tanks, mechanized infantry and self-propelled artillery. Each division is intended to be a wholly self-sufficient force capable of independent operations and of being a significant threat on its own. These sizable formations are significantly larger in term of manpower than contemporary equivalent due to its use of large brigades rather than smaller regiments. They however require equally sizable logistical trails to function properly. Supplementing these are artillery brigades airmobile brigades, and security brigades.

1st Army:

HQ: Neuruppin

Territory: Northern Germany

Components:

1st Corp: 1st Panzer Division, 2nd Panzer Division, 3rd Panzer Division, 1st Artillery Brigade, 1st Airmobile Brigade, 1st Security Brigade

4th Corp: 10th Panzer Division, 11th Panzer Division, 12th Panzer Division, 4th Artillery Brigade, 4th Airmobile Brigade, 4th Security Brigade

2nd Army:

HQ: Weimar

Territory: Southern Germany

Components:

2nd Corp: 4th Panzer Division, 5th Panzer Division, 6th Panzer Division, 2nd Artillery Brigade, 2nd Airmobile Brigade, 2nd Security Brigade

5th Corp: 13th Panzer Division, 14th Panzer Division, 15th Panzer Division, 5th Artillery Brigade, 5th Airmobile Brigade, 5th Security Brigade

3rd Army:

HQ: Prague

Territory: Bohemia

Components:

3rd Corp: 7th Panzer Division, 8th Panzer Division, 9th Panzer Division, 3rd Artillery Brigade, 3rd Airmobile Brigade, 3rd Security Brigade

6th Corp: 16th Panzer Division, 17th Panzer Division, 18th Panzer Division, 6th Artillery Brigade, 6th Airmobile Brigade, 6th Security Brigade

Equipment
The typical NVA's infantryman's equipment centers on either the KampfGewher-96 7.92x57mm battle rifle or the MaschinenPistole-94 9x25mm submachinegun, depending on whether they are a panzergrenadier section or a sturmtruppen section. Panzergrenadiers are equipped for longer-range engagements and heavy firepower supported by a complement of handheld and rifle-fired grenades while Sturmtruppen are equipped for close-ranged urban and indoor engagements, supplemented by KampfFlinte-94 combat shotguns and handheld grenades. Both type of infantrymen are also equipped with body armor composed of overlapping ceramics and combat helmets which featured integrated communications, polarized lens, noise cancellation and light attachment slots. Rear echelon personnel and vehicle crews are also equipped with the MP-94.

There are two frontline tanks in active service with the NVA: The Soviet-designed T-80 and the locally designed Pz.IX Jaguar. These are both modern vehicles and compose the bulk of panzer brigades. They are invariably fitted with reactive armor and active protection systems. The modern battle tanks are supplemented by a number of modernized T-55Ds in auxiliary and support or reserve roles. The mechanized brigades meanwhile make use of the StP.II Ocelot as their primary infantry fighting vehicles, with a number of older BMP series platforms still seen in second line reserve units.

As for self-propelled artillery, the most common platform is the RB-12-50 multiple launch rocket system based on the Soviet BM-21 grad, which equips all frontline divisions. Corps-level artillery brigades feature the MotorisiertKanone-15/21 variants of 152 and 210mm self-propelled guns, which are often reserved for counter-battery and hard targets. Finally, 2K22 Tunguska and ZSU-23 Shilka, both of Soviet design, make up the air defense contingent and often advance closely behind the AFVs to protect from air attacks.

Appearance
The main color of the NVA's uniforms as well as the factory finish of new vehicles with no camouflage paint is the Charcoal Gray, which is reminiscent to but darker than the Wehrmacht Feldgrau somewhat. Uniforms are unisex with no variation even for Parade dress. Enlisted men wear black berets when not donning their combat helmets, while officers don traditional peaked caps. The Parade uniform is matte, while the service uniform has printed camouflage pattern. Winter uniforms feature white instead.

Organization
The Luftstreitkräfte is organized in five Air Groups. Out of these, three are frontline fighter groups, one is a rearline fighter group covering areas further from the border from attacks, and the last is a support air group. The Air Forces' doctrine focuses entirely on air superiority warfare through a network of dedicated fighters complemented by SAMs and ground and airborne large radars. The typical formation is the Wing, composed of 3 Squadrons, each broken down into 3 Flights, each of 3 Elements, totaling 54 aircraft per Wing.

1st Air Group:

HQ: Neuruppin

Territory: Northern Germany

Components: 1st Fighter Wing, 5th Fighter Wing, 1st C3 Element, 1st Strategic Air Defense Regiment, 1st Local Air Defense Regiment

2nd Air Group:

HQ: Weimar

Territory: Southern Germany

Components: 2nd Fighter Wing, 6th Fighter Wing, 9th Fighter Wing, 2nd C3 Element, 5th C3 Flight, 2nd Strategic Air Defense Regiment, 2nd Local Air Defense Regiment

3rd Air Group:

HQ: Prague

Territory: Bohemia, Lower Silesia

Components: 3rd Fighter Wing, 7th Fighter Wing, 3rd C3 Element, 3rd Strategic Air Defense Regiment, 3rd Local Air Defense Regiment

4th Air Group:

HQ: Zilina

Territory: Moravia, Slovakia, Upper Silesia

Components: 4th Fighter Wing, 8th Fighter Wing, 4th C3 Element, 4th Strategic Air Defense Regiment, 4th Local Air Defense Regiment

5th Air Group:

HQ: Berlin

Territory: All

Components: 1st Transport wing, 2nd Transport Wing, 1st Tanker Squadron, 1st Mobile Command Element, 1st Mobile Hospital Element

Equipment
The East German aviation' primarily operates MiG-29M that are either recent production MiGs, or older MiG-29 that were upgraded and refitted, with remaining non upgraded models relegated to rearline service. Starting in early 2002 the Luftstreitkräfte received its first operational deliveries of StJ-1 fighters, a more modern local design based on the older MiG. R-77 medium range missiles and R-73M short range missiles constitute the core of their weapon systems, while AESA radars are starting to enter in large-scale use on the most modern aircrafts.

Supporting aircraft are almost all Il-76 and derivative variants with the exception of the newly designed UF-1 AWAC, which combines design elements of the Il-76 and Il-62 liners. Ground support elements are themselves composed of S-300PMU mobile SAM batteries with some MU-1 and MU-2 upgraded models. The typical loadout includes 5V55U missiles with a range of 150km and the 9M96E2 high-maneuvering missile with a range of 120km

Appearance
The uniforms of the air forces are similar to those of the ground forces and feature the same charcoal gray fatigues of unisex design. Differences include a light blue beret instead of black, and light blue overcoats and jackets.

Organization
By contrast with the other branch, the Volksmarine is rather small and young owing to its historical neglect. It currently only numbers a single battle fleet complemented by a number of auxiliary elements operating in support roles that do not see direct combat, such as mine countermeasures, anti-submarine and coastal patrols. Battlefleets are not permanent formations and are named operationally after the admiral in command at the time.

Kampflotte Reinhard:

HQ: Rostock

Zone of Operations: On deployment to the Southern Ocean

Components: VKS Leviathan (BBGN-01), VKS Bradenburg (CVHN-01), VKS Dresden (CGN-01), VKS Kattowitz (CGN-02), VKS Nesseldorf (CGN-03)

Equipment
The Volksmarine operate almost exclusively surface vessels and focuses primarily on surface combatants, with a small number of light carriers. The Battlefleet is composed of modern vessels powered by fast-neutron marine nuclear reactors derived from Soviet designs and fielding License-produced missiles and counter-measure systems of the same origin. The primary attack weapon fielded is the P-800 Oniks, while Kashtan, S-300F and RPK-8 defense systems are ubiquitous. The carriers field Soviet-built helicopters, and are stocked with ASW models, or attack models depending if their role is to support blue water or amphibious operations respectively. Marines aboard Volksmarine vessels carry MP-94 submachineguns and KF-94 shotguns like their land-based equivalents.

Appearance
The uniforms of the naval crews are similar to those of other branches in their unisex charcoal gray, with the difference that their berets are of a darker blue shade compared to those of the air force. The paint scheme for the vessels feature a sanguine red on the sides of the hull, with a dark gray on the deck and superstructure. Cannon barrels and turret tops as well as other elements have a matte black finish instead.