Occupational Survival Guide Part I Cont'd

How their occupation works

The Marì's commanders were ingenious in their invasion of America. While most people would think that the occupation relies on the control of major city centres such as Abbavilla, Cicavo or Detroit, the reality is that the most important footholds of the occupation are the smaller rural cities and towns. From these conduits, the Marì can control huge tracts of agricultural land and they produce that comes from them. This level of control would be impossible to establish from the major metropolitan areas. In fact, only about 25% of tamorans are ever assigned to major urban areas. Most go straight to the countryside, to smaller rural cities.

Marì infantry on MOUT training in the Joliet Army Training Area.

These influential country towns were taken so swiftly due to the Marì's easy access to America's interstate freeway system. By controlling the major veins of the American economy and the reserve military infrastructure, the Marì was able to quickly move men and materiel from one place to another, while also denying the Army Reserves and National Guard that same right.

The idea of the invasion was to take the Interstate and the cities that were situated on their paths, then break divisions into their smaller units -armored columns and infantry brigades/battalions- and send them out along the smaller highways, then establish bases and patrol along state routes. The plan completely defeated the need for navigational training. An officer could tell his men, "Travel this way down the road with the blue and red 57 sign."

The quick distribution of munitions from the Joliet Ammunition Factory is testament to the effectiveness of this system. An ammunition shipment headed for Peoria would head south along the I-55 then north-west along the I-74. This is a guarded route, and the risk of ambush is literally non-existent.

Soldiers of the Talossan-Polish Joint Training Program, 2029.

How they operate

The Marì's countryside patrols all originate from small outposts and bases. A typical outpost can house anywhere from 10 to 200 men, and some are also home to armored vehicles. The idea behind this tactic is twofold. First of all, the sheer number of bases greatly minimizes the risks that have to be taken by the Marì and ensure that if a unit is attacked, reinforcements are never very far away. This tactic also works to isolate would-be guerrillas and freedom fighters. While there will always be resistance in the countryside and in regions far from Abbavilla such as the Talossan-controlled portion of New York or Pennsylvania, the Marì's bases and outposts help to ensure that these dissidents can never properly create links with one another.
Since resistance movements can never gain the critical mass necessary to establish a defensible base, they remain small and easily contained. Properties are raided on a daily basis in searches for contraband like weapons, ammunition, bomb-making materials, communications equipment or "undesirable" literature.

Occupational Survival Guide Part I

Occupational Survival Guide

Part I: El Marì

El Marì, which literally means "the navy" in Talossan, is the collective armed forces of the Kingdom of Talossa. There are currently four service branches of the Marì. Firstly, there is the Marì itself, which is technically a naval force, but as Talossa is, at current, a landlocked country between the United States and Canada, most of the Marì serve either as seaman patrolling the Great Lakes or as a land force guarding Talossa or fighting the ever-dwindling war on the eastern front.
Then there are the Marineux (officially the Corpüs da Marineux), which are almost identical in function to the U.S. Marine Corps. They are the most robust of Talossa's forces and the most well-trained. Their training programs take heavily after their American forerunners and their recruiting is far more selective than that of the Marì or any other branch thereof. The Marineux are typically entrusted with missions of very high importance to the war effort.
The Marì's air force, the Forziun da Luc'ht, is still undeveloped in comparison with other militaries of the western world, with most of its aircraft being either stolen from occupied air bases or bought cheaply from allies whose air forces have no place to discard said aircraft.
Finally, there is the Lándfierd, a popular militia that can be rallied whenever needed to quell some rebellion or other. They are a shabby force of somewhere from 100,000 to 250,000 volunteers spread throughout Talossa. Of all the Marì's service branches, the Lándfierd is the least selective and, unsurprisingly, the least effective, their only real advantage being their numbers.

Marì reservists on maneuvers near the Auglaize River, east of Paulding, OH.

Dealing with the Marì

The branch of the Marì which most significantly affects the average Talossan/American/Cestour is the Occupational Police, often shortened to O.P. or T.G., which stands for the Talossan Terguard del Garnamaintsch. Officers of the Occupational Police can be identified by their light blue berets and/or unit patches seen on their sleeves. They are colloquially referred to as tamorans (literally "warrior").

By now, almost all soldiers of the Marì can speak fluent or semi-fluent Talossan, so when dealing with the Marì, a decent knowledge of el Glhetg is essential. Most tamorans are courteous enough, but occupational police detail is boring and poorly-paid work, so do not be surprised if some soldiers are curt or even abusive. There are countless stories of the abuse of both Talossans and Americans living in the border regions of Talossa, and even worse from the Rochester DMZ. Unfortunately, many of these stories are true, and the disgruntled tamorans in the borderlands know perfectly well that they can, quite literally, get away with murder.

In any case, for those who speak little Talossan, there is not much else you can do besides learn the language. In the case of a search of premises, which are quite common in the countryside, these two phrases can be very helpful.

Éu non sint 'n Cestourat, mas éu non parladréu Talossan.

"I am not a Cestourat, but I might not speak Talossan."
This phrase can be hit and miss, as some tamorans find it humorous, while others may take it as an invitation to label you as a Cestourat.

Éu ladintschiçéu.

"I am learning and using Talossan."
This phrase is something of a mouthful, but is very useful for showing any tamorans that you are assimilating and learning the language, as well as to persuade them to speak slower for your convenience.

Marineux on patrol in southern Michigan. Note the crimson berets.

Joke of the Week

Three men sit imprisoned in PIG headquarters. The first man asks the second why he is in prison. The second man replies, "I spoke out against Éovart Andrinescù."
The first man is shocked, and says, "But I spoke out in favour of Éovart Andrinescù!"
He asks the third man why he is in prison. The third man looks up sadly and says, "I'm Éovart Andrinescù."