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.