Eridani Federation Military
The armed forces of the Eridani Corporate Federation are split into two branches, the Federal Navy and the Federal Army. The armed forces of the Federation are composed of private military companies, which when not required by the state are contracted out across the Orion Spur. If a threat to Federation sovereignty arises, the Board of Five has the power to cancel these contracts. These contracted soldiers can be found in any situation ranging from active war zones to mere private security. While the Federal Army is composed of native contractors often sent abroad, the Federal Navy is made up of majority foreign-contracted vessels and crew, with few native Eridanian companies specializing in naval contracting.
The Federal Army
Eridani private military contractors are recruited primarily from the Federation itself, with higher ranks being more immediately available to those able to pay. Five major companies make up the private side of the Eridani military, with different specializations and backgrounds, though some smaller companies do exist. These five companies are often referred to colloquially as the Golden Fist. Each seat on the Board of Five has a degree of control over one of these companies. Equipment used by these private companies varies, though across all of them is a strong and fervent focus on the most modern technology, especially in the realm of combat augments and electronics. Contractors are often trained in using both lethal and non-lethal weaponry due to being employed both privately and publicly. Specialized combat augments include eyes with built in FoF (Friend or Foe) indicators, implanted drug injectors, and thermal vision. Contractors who are employed by megacorporations are rarely sent with proprietary combat augments in order to preserve their secrecy.
The Golden Fist
These companies are the oldest and most influential military contractors in Eridani, tracing their history back to the Solarian military contracting companies employed during the Interstellar War. The traditions and structures of these companies were forged in that conflict, with this foundation of experience being instrumental to their continued dominance in Eridani.
Ringspire: A company known for working with anyone with enough funding, Ringspire contractors can be seen on any side of a conflict or job with enough credits to pay them. This has given them a reputation as being little more than hired guns, leaving higher than usual casualties in their wake.
Ringspire’s most notable engagement was their involvement in the S'rend'marr Coalition upon Adhomai. There, they were hired by the People’s Republic of Adhomai to guard officials, flush out liberation army cells, and participated in the failed attempts to break through ALA lines on the Ras’nrr fronts. With one of the highest casualty rates in Ringspire’s history, Adhomai has gone down as the worst assignment any member of the Golden Fist has taken.
However, for an enterprising commander, Adhomai’s peace led to a far more profitable venture. A small faction of Ringspire remains in the DPRA city of Crevus, where they are tolerated among the locals. From the EPMC office there this group contracts smugglers and “archeologists” to venture across Adhomai, rob tombs and castle ruins, and sell the curios they find back in Eridani. The warlord Alexei K'marr is one of their biggest sources of artifacts, even at the cost of his own reputation among other warlords.
Eagle Corp: With enlisted ranks being filled with lower class citizens drawn across human space, this company has a hammer-meets-nail reputation. One of the more merit-based companies for promotion within the ranks, many officer positions are occupied by people from lower backgrounds.
Phalanx Incorporated: Known for their dedicated and prolonged training with heavy weapons and armament, these contractors are famous for providing fire support in their conflicts. They are notable for their abundant use of any form of artillery, even when not strictly necessary.
N4NL Incorporated: Specializing in technological warfare, these specially augmented contractors are employed in guarding and operating high-tech equipment. They are also known for contracting civilian employees out as telecommunications engineers, or server network maintainers. Contractors from this company can be found in the back line of many conflicts operating and maintaining electronic warfare equipment.
Index Security Solutions: One of the few military contractors to employ IPCs, which make up the majority of its employees. They are known for their top-notch security contracting, both for public and private facilities. IPCs owned by this company receive high quality maintenance and conditions, but operate under a permanent ownership contract, with freedom or transfer to another owner being impossible.
The Eridani Federal Navy varies wildly in size and composition, with vessels and personnel being contracted as need arises from various internal and foreign sources. On average, it has about two fleets’ worth of craft employed at any given moment in peacetime. Unlike the Federal Army, the navy has a semi-permanent command structure which answers to the Board of Five as a whole.