The military existed at the heart of Cardassian life for centuries, and at the center of conflicts involving the Cardassian Union in recent years, such as the war with the Federation and the devastating Dominion War with the rest of the Alpha Quadrant. These events called the military's domination of Cardassian life into question in recent years. With the end of the Dominion War, the role of the military in the future of Cardassia is one of the greatest questions looming over the leadership of the Union.

 

CENTRAL COMMAND

Technically, the Central Command is the formal name of the leadership of the Cardassian military, but in practice the term has come to refer to the entire military. For centuries, Central Command effectively ruled the Cardassian Union, placing supreme power in the hands of the military commanders. The Union's resources were devoted to the continued support and maintenance of Cardassia's military might, with all other concerns secondary. The Central Command protected the Union and made Cardassians a force to be reckoned with in the Alpha Quadrant.

For the most part, authority in Central Command was split evenly among the heads of the military Orders. In practice, the leaders of the older Orders held more power through the extent of their vasala and the power of their reputations. Considerable political infighting took place between the military leaders as they struggled to decide how to allocate Cardassia's thin resources among their Orders. In times of crisis, however, the Central Command quickly unified against any outside threat. Some officers of the Central Command served on the Detapa Council, but the Council held little real power in comparison to the military leadership.

The alliance with the Dominion, and later the Breen, weakened Central Command's control over the Cardassian Union. Since the end of the war, Central Command retains considerable influence over most aspects of Cardassian life. It remains to be seen if the military will regain the power it once held

The true leadership of the military consists of the commanders of the Orders in a council that dictates policy for the military and much of the Cardassian Union. At the height of their power, the officers of Central Command were the de facto rulers of the Cardassian Union. Now they share their power (somewhat uneasily) with the Detapa Council and the Obsidian Order.

Central Command has always been rife with political maneuvering and infighting, as different officers push their personal agendas for the Central Command and the Union as a whole. During the Dominion War, the commanders of Central Command united against their common enemies. Since the war's end, political maneuvering for positions of power resumed. With the fate of the Cardassian government up in the air, there are many opportunities for officers bold enough to seize them.

 

THE ORDERS

The Cardassian military is divided into Orders, each of which serves or patrols a specific region of space and includes both space and militia troops assigned to that region. A soldier's Order is one of the most important factors in identifying him and his duties, and most Cardassian officers use their Order as part of their title, such as "Gul Jasad, Seventh Order." The highest ranked Orders are the oldest and most prominent, wielding the greatest influence in Cardassian affairs, and holding correspondingly greater responsibilities. This section describes the most prominent Orders and their areas of responsibility in the Union.

 

VITAL STATISTICS

The Cardassian Central Command consists of millions of troops and officers, supplied with hundreds of ships. Each Order has between 500,000 and a million personnel, and there are well over a dozen Orders throughout the entire Cardassian Union. Of an Order's personnel, approximately one-percent (5,000-10,000) are Gul-level officers, generally starship and unit commanders. Approximately five percent (25,000-50,000) are Glinn-level officers, serving as adjuncts to the Guls and commanders of smaller units. A Ri'en-Gul (or higher) ranked officer commands each Order, and holds a position in the Central Command.

Although Cardassia's military forces appear vast, the millions in the ranks of Central Command are still small compared to the trillions of individuals in the Cardassian Union. There is also a considerable turnover in the lower-ranks of the Central Command, as troops conscripted for mandatory military service leave for civilian life, with new recruits entering the ranks and a few choosing to move up the ladder through promotion and continued service. The restriction of military service to Cardassians only also limits the Central Command's numbers.

 

FIRST ORDER

The First Order is the most distinguished of all, but it has lost some of the glory of its past in recent years. Stationed throughout the central sectors, the First Order serves to protect vital worlds of the Union. They hearken back to the Cardassian ideal of the military as protectors of the Union and the Cardassian people, and maintain a certain romantic attitude towards their duties.

With Cardassia Prime located so close to the border of the Union, the First Order has many opportunities to distinguish itself in battle, most often against the forces of the Klingon Empire in various border disputes and during the Klingon invasion of Cardassia. First Order soldiers are none too fond of Klingons, and some have Klingon d'ktahgs and other ornaments as trophies of their kills.

Apart from their border conflicts with Klingon warriors, soldiers of the First Order saw little action for years. The brief Federation-Cardassian War never truly endangered the core worlds of the Union, so the First Order spent most of it in drills and training exercises. This led to their eclipse by the Second Order, which saw considerable action against the Federation.

The First Order is best known for their Third Battalion, which trains specialized commandos for difficult, often suicidal missions. Their motto is "Death to All," and commandos of the Third Battalion do their very best to make it so. They are renowned for their ruthlessness and their skill in combat.

 

Project Guardian

Following the signing of the Cardassian-Federation Treaty and the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor, Central Command was forced to abandon or mothball several facilities along the Federation border and inside the new Demilitarized Zone. Rather than destroy the facilities entirely, Central Command chose to strip them of their useful components, leaving the rest intact in case the Cardassian Union should ever need them again (the resource-poor nature of their homeworld makes Cardassians quite frugal).

In order to protect these facilities from foreign powers, pirates, or others, Central Command chose certain members of the First Order and placed them in cryogenic suspension within the facility. Sensor systems could revive the soldiers to deal with any threats to the security of the facility.

A series of psychotropic drugs enhanced the already fearsome abilities of the commandos. These drugs heightened feelings of xenophobia and caused extreme paranoia in Cardassians, making the soldiers into cunning and efficient killing machines while dealing with non-Cardassian invaders, but did not make them dangerous (or at least did not make them more dangerous) to their fellow Cardassians.

Federation personnel encountered Cardassian commandos from the First Order in cryogenic freeze on the abandoned space station Empok Nor. It is a virtual certainty the Cardassian Union has similar soldiers stationed throughout the Union, particularly in border areas like Bajor Sector. After the Dominion War, Central Command lost track of where they station some of these commandos, providing potential threats for Cardassian and Federation personnel alike.

 

SECOND ORDER

The Second Order is widely considered the most influential in the Cardassian Union. It was once led by Gul Dukat, and later by Dukat's protégé Gul Damar. The Second Order exercised considerable power in Central Command and in Cardassian Space.

The Second Order's rise traces back to the start of the Federation/Cardassian conflict. Members of the Second Order made first contact with the Federation, and determined that the Federation Starfleet posed a potential threat to Cardassia. The Second Order also conducted the raid against the Federation outpost at Setlik III, believed to be a staging point for an attack against the Union. Although this proved incorrect, the Second Order considered its actions vindicated by the Federation's aggressive response, and became strong proponents of war against the Federation.

The Second Order also controlled the Bajor system, and oversaw the Bajoran occupation. Gul Dukat was the military prefect of Bajor at that time. The resources mined from Bajor gave the Second Order considerable vasala throughout Central Command.

When Central Command chose to negotiate a peace treaty with the Federation, and withdraw from Bajoran space, officers of the Second Order (including Gul Dukat) strongly protested. The Second Order remained hostile towards the Federation, and agitated for a continued re-arming and preparation for a new offensive against both the Federation and Bajor, particularly after the discovery of the Bajoran wormhole. Other leaders in Central Command remained skeptical about Cardassia's ability to sustain a new conflict, and preferred to bide their time using the peace negotiations while continuing to rebuild the Union's military strength.

The Dominion alliance placed the Second Order back at the top of things in Central Command, although still secondary to the will of the Dominion. Damar's rebellion against the Dominion drew many soldiers of the Second Order with him, and some of these men once again hold positions of power within the Central Command. Damar’s leadership and sacrifice changed the character of the Second Order somewhat. It now advocates the rebuilding of Cardassia more strongly than continued aggression against foreign powers like the Federation.

 

THIRD ORDER

The Third Order serves as the rapid response fleet of the Cardassian Union, stationed on bases and outposts at strategic locations throughout Cardassian space. The soldiers and officers of the Third Order are trained to carry out quick hit-and-run strikes against enemy targets, and to provide support to other Orders, reinforcing their position, or providing distractions and covering their flanks to allow them to retreat.

Soldiers of the Third Order saw action in nearly every military conflict undertaken by the Cardassian Union, including the war with the Federation, and the Klingon invasion of Cardassia. Third Order troops helped reinforce the lines against the Klingon invaders, and allowed vital elements of other Orders, along with members of the Detapa Council, to retreat from the advancing Klingons. The Third Order reputation for "coming to the rescue" of other Orders gave them a certain cachet, as well as a measure of arrogance.

The Third Order suffered heavy casualties during the Dominion War, since they often supported Jem'Hadar forces operating along the front lines. At first proud of their prominent position in the war effort, the soldiers of the Third Order quickly realized the Jem'Hadar and the Dominion thought of them as little more than cannon fodder and secondary support personnel to the true soldiers of the Dominion. This led to a weakening of morale within the Order. Harsh punishments for dereliction of duty only served to strengthen the Order's resentment towards the Dominion.

Some Third Order units turned against the Dominion and supported the Cardassian rebellion movement, although most of the Third Order continued to fight against Federation, Klingon, and Romulan forces until the final invasion of Cardassia, when they turned against the Dominion en masse.

The Third Order remains a rapid-response and support unit, although its resources are considerably depleted. It is in the process of strengthening its ranks, although the Cardassian "regular" units have taken precedence in the rebuilding effort, a sore point for members of the Order.

 

FOURTH ORDER

The Fourth Order patrols and protects the space near Cardassia Prime itself, including, when needed, the Bajor system. They suffered some of the heaviest losses during the Dominion War, although not at the hands of their enemies.

Along with the Second and Third Orders, the Fourth Order saw the most action in and around Bajor, both during and after the Bajoran occupation. The Fourth Order is often known as the "Home Guard" of the Cardassian Union, since they are entrusted with the protection of the homeworld, the heart and soul of the Union.

Following the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor and the establishment of the Demilitarized Zone with the Federation, the Fourth Order reinforced positions in and around Cardassia Prime and along the DMZ. With Cardassia located so close to the border itself, the Order could not afford to relax its vigilance in the wake of the treaty. Fourth Order ships and soldiers helped to blunt the Klingon thrust towards Cardassia Prime during their invasion of the Union, although they suffered heavy casualties in return.

The Dominion alliance built up the Fourth Order again to protect Cardassia when the Dominion went to war with the Federation and their Klingon allies. The Fourth saw action during the war, but mostly through the rotation of Fourth Order units to the border to reinforce the depleted ranks of other Orders. Cardassia itself remained inviolate until the very end of the war.

The Cardassian rebellion presented a serious problem for the Fourth Order, which was charged by the Dominion with maintaining order on Cardassia Prime. Fourth Order soldiers found themselves faced with fighting their own people. Many chose to turn against the Dominion and join the rebellion, while some continued to serve and obey their oaths of loyalty. Fourth Order soldiers were stationed, along with Cardassian civilians, around Dominion bases to help protect them against terrorist attacks from the rebellion.

When the rebellion provoked the ire of the Dominion, and they began to mass-destruction of Cardassian cities, the Fourth Order turned entirely against their former allies, but too late. Thousands of members of the Order died along with Cardassian civilians in the Dominion's slaughter. Many valiantly sacrificed their lives in an effort to stop the Dominion forces, but to no avail.

Currently, the Fourth Order retains its role as the "Home Guard" of Cardassia Prime, it's ranks somewhat depleted. It is recruiting heavily, but many on Cardassia are tired of war. The Fourth Order focuses on its assistance in rebuilding Cardassia Prime, encouraging citizens to join in the rebuilding effort. Its leadership is outspoken about the need to protect and rebuild the homeworld, and its respect towards the Union's former enemies, who might prove to be useful allies in the rebuilding process.

 

FIFTH ORDER

The Fifth Order patrols the "Iron Path," the series of systems with significant industrial capabilities that runs from the Cardassia/Bajor area rimward through the Union. The ships and soldiers of the Fifth Order guard these vital worlds, and help protect shipping convoys of much-needed materials from pirates and raiders. Their involvement in the manufacturing and shipping capabilities of the Union gives the Fifth Order most of their influence in Central Command.

Some consider them bureaucrats or "military merchants," more concerned with logistics and supply lines than military matters, but the Fifth Order is as capable a military force as any other in the Union. In addition to its quartermasters and logistics officers, the Fifth Order is well known for its engineers, who often assist disabled vessels and set up and maintain new industrial facilities for the Union. Often forced to work with limited resources and outdated equipment, Fifth Order engineers are masters of improvisation and unorthodox technique.

The Fifth Order was vital in protecting the Iron Path from attack and keeping Cardassia's industry operating during various conflicts. The Dominion established a number of cloning and construction facilities along the Iron Path, with the Fifth Order responsible for protecting and maintaining them. These sites were tempting targets for Federation and Klingon forces striking at the Dominion's industrial capabilities. A number of them were destroyed or badly damaged during the war.

Since the Dominion withdrawal, the Fifth Order's primary work has been repairing and rebuilding the Union's industrial base, while working with the Eighth Order to protect the Iron Path from raiders, smugglers, and pirates. The Order is a strong supporter of the new government, with a focus on industrial capacity to support further reconstruction throughout the Cardassian Union.

 

SIXTH ORDER

The Sixth Order makes up part of the deep space fleets of the Union, stationed in sectors throughout explored Cardassian space. The Sixth Order undertakes the majority of military deep space exploration and observation duties for the Union, along with the Ninth Order.

Most of the Sixth Order's exploration missions take it spinward and coreward of the Cardassian Union, away from many of the conflicts the rest of the Central Command became involved in over the years. Although the officers of the Sixth Order are as military as any in Cardassia, they are also explorers, seeking new worlds and new resources for the Union, making contact with new species, and studying unknown phenomena in the depths of space.

The Dominion War brought the exploration work of the Sixth Order to a halt (much as it did with Starfleet exploration duties). Ships and personnel were diverted back into the heart of Cardassian space, particularly to deal with Romulan incursions along the Union's anti-spinward and coreward borders. Most of the Sixth Order's battles have been with Romulans and some Federation vessels, concentrating more on clever maneuvers, and hit-and-run tactics, than the sort of all-out battles fought near Bajor Sector.

Overall, the Sixth Order suffered fewer casualties than Orders like the First or Third. With the war over, the leaders of the Sixth Order are eager to return to their work of exploring the frontiers of Cardassian space. These officers break into roughly two camps. The first advocates continued exploration to find and conquer new worlds with resources useful in rebuilding Cardassian infrastructure. The other, more vocal, faction claims the Cardassian Union has had enough conflict. They advocate peaceful contact with new species along the frontier; using trade and technological exchange to strengthen the Union, while finding uninhabited worlds Cardassia can mine for much needed resources.

For the time being, the Detapa Council and Central Command focus on the needs of the core worlds, but the call for more exploration is generally supported. It is likely the Cardassians will begin looking towards the frontiers of their space soon enough.

 

SEVENTH ORDER

The Seventh Order patrols and maintains bases along the Cardassian Union's coreward frontier. More than any other, the Seventh Order saw conflict with the Romulan Empire, in addition to Federation forces.

The coreward border of the Cardassian Union saw the occasional terrorist attack by Bajoran freedom fighters, along with its share of raids and piracy (often carried out by Ferengi), but otherwise it remained quiet. The Seventh Order protected Cardassian colonies and subjugated worlds in the area, dealt with piracy, and aided exploration and settlement, following in the path of the Sixth Order.

Occasionally, the Seventh Order encountered evidence of Romulan incursion into Cardassian space, most likely small, cloaked vessels performing reconnaissance missions. The Cardassians never proved the existence of Romulan spies in their territory, and the Romulan Empire denied any such allegations, so little ever came of the incidents. The Seventh Order was one of several involved in the war between Cardassia and the Federation, although it did not see the most action.

During the Dominion War, the Seventh Order reinforced the positions of the other Orders, at first assured of no trouble from the Romulan Empire, which signed a non-aggression treaty with the Dominion, or the Ferengi Alliance, which remained carefully neutral. Elements of the Seventh Order deployed along the Federation/Cardassian Border and went on missions inside Federation space.

When the Romulan Empire unexpectedly entered the war on the side of the Federation, the Cardassians quickly reassigned the Seventh Order, backed up by Jem'Hadar troops, to protect the coreward border against Romulan invasion. Although the Romulan cloaking device was a formidable advantage, superior Dominion technology all but neutralized it. Seventh Order ships fitted with Dominion sensor pallets detected Romulan warbirds and engaged them as soon as they tried to cross the border.

The Seventh Order still found the Romulans formidable adversaries and a complex strategic game of move and countermove locked up the Order and a large portion of the Romulan Star Navy in the coreward sectors. This kept the Seventh out of most of the other action in the war, although some units were still assigned to support the other Orders against Federation and Klingon forces.

Since the end of the war, the Seventh Order returned to its duty of patrolling the coreward sectors. They have seen greatly increased attempts to enter the Union from the Ferengi Alliance, with a number of DaiMons looking for business opportunities in the Union. The Seventh Order strongly suspects some of these attempted "trading missions" conceal Romulan Tal Shiar agents eager to gather intelligence on the state of Cardassia following the war.

 

EIGHTH ORDER

Like the Fifth Order, the Eighth protects and patrols the "Iron Path" through Cardassian space, focused on the far end of the path from Cardassia Prime. This highly defensible position kept the Eighth Order out of most border conflicts with the Federation, the Klingons, and other powers, and generally kept them behind the lines during the Dominion War. As the war took its toll on the forces of the Central Command, more and more units from the Eighth Order were moved up to the front lines, or assigned to protect the Iron Path closer to Cardassia. Eighth Order ships and soldiers still saw considerable action during the war, particularly the final battles.

Previous to their involvement in the Dominion War, the Eighth Order was best known for dealing with pirates and raiders along the far end of the Iron Path. Guls and starship personnel from the Eighth Order are quite skilled in dealing with smaller, faster starships, like most pirate ships, and often found themselves out of their element going up against large Federation, Klingon, and Romulan vessels. The Order's tactics focus on the use of superior size and firepower, although they know a few tricks for dealing with enemy ships as well, particularly using asteroid fields and other space debris to their advantage.

The Eighth Order continues to protect the Iron Path, although more of their units shifted to assisting elements of the Fifth Order after the war. They also deal with increased piracy along the Path and in the inner reaches of the Union. The Eighth Order strongly supports the reconstruction-ist government on Cardassia Prime, and believes the Union must restore its industrial capacity in order to recover from the damage done by the Dominion War.

 

NINTH ORDER

Like the Sixth Order, the Ninth is a deep space patrol and exploration group, focusing on the frontier regions rimward and spinward of the Cardassian Union in the Alpha Quadrant. The Ninth Order's missions took it into sectors often sparse in stars and Class M planets, but which still contains thousands of systems of interest to Cardassia. Its prime mission is finding sources of valuable minerals and other materials needed by Cardassian industry. This is even more important since the end of the Dominion War, with the Union in need of materials to rebuild its infrastructure, construct new ships, and so forth.

The Ninth Order's secondary missions include mapping and exploring new start systems, and making contact with new forms of life. Mapping and survey missions expand the Cardassian Union's knowledge of nearby space, leading them to systems containing valuable resources, or new life forms or civilizations. Promising systems are more thoroughly explored and surveyed by Cardassian vessels. Once a system comes under the rule of the Cardassian Union, elements of the Seventh Order patrol and protect it, while the Ninth Order moves further out into the frontier.

Unlike the Federation, the Cardassian Union does not place restrictions on its interactions with new life forms and civilizations in encounters out in space. Cardassian explorers are free to take whatever steps they feel necessary to protect the interests of the Union when dealing with new life forms. This includes outright conquest of primitive worlds with potentially useful resources, as well as supplying advanced technology and other materials to less-advanced civilizations.

Since the end of the Dominion War, the Ninth Order concentrates on finding new worlds with the resources the Union requires. The Central Command prefers to avoid conflict with indigenous life forms for the time being, so inhabited worlds have a lower priority, unless they happen to have particularly valuable resources. In that case, commanding officers are empowered to negotiate treaties and make first contact. Although the Detapa Council discourages outright conquest, hoping to bring new members into the Union by diplomacy instead, the habits of the guls of the Ninth Order are slow to change.

 

TENTH ORDER

The Tenth Order, also known as the "Eagle Order," is a military intelligence unit. Central Command maintains the Tenth Order so they do not have to depend entirely on the Obsidian Order for their military intelligence. The Eagle Order is far smaller than the Obsidian Order, and has a fierce rivalry with its larger "civilian" competitor.

The Tenth Order makes the most of its resources by focusing almost exclusively on military intelligence. While the Obsidian Order maintains internal security for the Cardassian Union by watching nearly everyone, the Eagle Order concentrates on targets of military and strategic significance. The Tenth Order saw considerable activity during the Dominion War, when the Central Command was in desperate need of accurate military information, and the Obsidian Order was both weakened by the Omarion Incident, and mistrusted by many in Central Command. Agents of the Eagle Order worked to infiltrate and spy on Federation and Klingon facilities and bases, collect information on ship and troop movements, and ferret out the Federation alliance's strategic plans.

Officers of the Eagle Order are military personnel first, and intelligence operatives second. They share the same fierce devotion to Cardassia and their fellow soldiers as the other Orders, and lack the cold disdain Obsidian Order agents hold for the military. To the agents of the Eagle Order, their work is vital because it saves the lives of fellow soldiers, and because it aids the Cardassian people. There are certainly agents more concerned with personal power and influence, or merely playing "the game" of espionage, but for the most part, Eagle Order agents are more honest and forthright than their Obsidian Order counterparts.

The Eagle Order uses most of the same methods as the Obsidian Order, and takes on many of the same missions. Tenth Order missions focus on military operations inside and outside the borders of the Union.

Agents of the Tenth Order are often found in the company of officers of other Orders, acting as intelligence liaisons, and keeping a close watch for any signs of trouble within the unit, along with opportunities for gathering information. While they are not overly popular with regular troops and officers, Eagle Order agents are regarded better than agents of the Obsidian Order, who are considered underhanded and untrustworthy by most Cardassian soldiers. Eagle Order agents are, at least, fellow soldiers for the Cardassian cause.

The Eagle Order, along with the First Order, often performs surgical strikes and commando raids on enemy targets. The Order specializes in sneak-attacks rigged to look like random raids, pirates, or accidents. Tenth Order personnel are also often the first to enter a potentially hostile situation, acting as scouts and forward observers, gathering information, then bringing it back to the other Orders so they can act with full knowledge of the situation. Tenth Order scouts performed many dangerous missions during the Dominion War, and many of them were killed by enemy troops or vessels.

 

ELEVENTH ORDER

For the past several decades, the Eleventh Order found itself increasingly replaced by the Second, Third, and Fourth Orders. Originally charged to protect Cardassian colonies and client worlds along the Union's anti-spinward border, the Eleventh diminished as Cardassia's attention focused more and more on Bajor Sector and its borders with the United Federation of Planets. The Order's responsibilities were assumed by the other Orders, and the Eleventh became a reserve unit, its duties largely ceremonial. It performed support functions for other Orders in the area, and handled routine missions involving colonies and other peacetime activities.

As conflicts with the Federation continued to increase, even reserve units like the Eleventh Order were called upon to serve the Union. After the start of the Dominion War, all able-bodied Orders were expected to serve, and the ranks of the Eleventh swelled as the Cardassian Union called upon every reservist and volunteer in its ranks. As the soldiers fought and died, the ranks of the Eleventh were increasingly filled with fewer and fewer fully trained and able-bodied soldiers. The Eleventh Order went from a support and reserve unit to an entire Order of "old men, young boys, and the walking wounded" during the Dominion War.

Near the end of the war, the Eleventh Order was assigned to protect Septimus III in Cardassian space. The Order was poorly manned, and just as poorly equipped. The Dominion withdrew its own troops and support from Septimus, and charged the Cardassian soldiers with holding it. Despite promises of reinforcements from Central Command, the Eleventh Order received no help whatsoever. A Klingon attack force wiped out the entire Order, which fought to the last man. It was later revealed the Dominion chose to sacrifice the Cardassian soldiers to provide a distraction for Alpha Quadrant forces and further its own withdrawal plans.

The destruction of the Eleventh Order inspired many Cardassians, including Legate Damar, to turn against the Dominion. Their sacrifice fanned the first sparks of rebellion and all Cardassians consider them heroes. The Detapa Council and the Central Command have agreed to name a medal "the Star of the Eleventh Order," in their honor, awarded to Cardassian military personnel who make great sacrifices to protect the people of the Union. There are no current plans to rebuild the Eleventh Order, with so many other matters weighing more heavily on Cardassia.

 

TWELFTH ORDER

Like the Eleventh Order, the Twelfth Order began with a charter to protect Cardassian colonies and client worlds, this time along the Union's rimward border. For the most part, the Twelfth Order performed its duties with distinction, earning the respect of the Central Command and the Cardassian people, and the fear of enemies of the Union. The Order's headquarters is on the Cardassian planet Sarpedion V, one of the most fortified and well-protected military installations in Cardassian space.

More than any other, the Twelfth Order has seen conflict with the Klingon Empire when Klingon forces chose to attack Cardassia. This includes numerous border skirmishes over the years, leading up to the Klingon invasion of Cardassia, where the Twelfth Order took the brunt of the Klingon assault, suffering a number of casualties. During the Dominion War, the Twelfth Order against found itself up against Klingon forces, but this time the Cardassians had the aid of the Jem'Hadar, and won a number of early victories against the Klingons.

Early victories in the Dominion War spurred the Twelfth Order on to bolder strikes against the Klingons, but the fierce nature of their opponents, coupled with dissent in the ranks from working with the arrogant Jem'Hadar, led to rifts in the Twelfth's discipline and tactics. As the war continued, the Twelfth Order took considerable damage from Klingon offensives, and more units from the Twelfth were diverted from the rim areas of the Union to protect the front lines. Fallen Cardassian soldiers were replaced with retirees called back into service or young, raw recruits, or replaced altogether with more Jem'Hadar. This further weakened morale in the Twelfth Order.

Some soldiers of the Twelfth joined in the rebellion against the Dominion, and many of them were killed for their defiance. Since the end of the war, the Twelfth Order has returned to patrolling to rimward sectors of the Union, but their ranks were greatly depleted, and were not likely to be replenished any time soon, so Cardassian patrols along the rim remain sparse. This had given the rimward sectors a reputation as a haven for smugglers, pirates, and raiders. Even a few former Cardassian ships have gone rogue, striking out on their own, this began the civil war.

When Legate Toran, the then leader, had used the rogue-ish Twelfth Order to futher his own plans for the Union. Much of the Order was destroyed or executed during and after the civil war. The Twelfth Order has been disbanded. And the Sixth and Ninth orders have temporarily taken up the duties of protection the outward systems.

 

FORCES

The Cardassian Central Command divides the Union's military forces into two main branches: the Space Force, and the Militia. Both branches use the same system of ranks, uniforms, and technology, operating under the direction of Central Command. Central Command encourages troops and officers to think of themselves as part of the Cardassian military as a whole, rather than members of an individual service, and each of the Orders as members of both branches in it, although the proportions vary depending on the Order's duties.

For centuries, Central Command has portrayed the military as the protectors and guides of the Cardassian people. There was no greater calling than to serve Central Command for the greater glory of Cardassia. Military personnel (and their families) also benefited from the very best of Cardassian society and economics, with good pay and special privileges.

Since the overthrow of the Central Command and the events of the Dominion War, the military's role in Cardassian society remains somewhat in doubt. Many of the heroes of the rebellion and the war are military officers, but the Cardassian people as a whole are tired of war, and much of the blame for the suffering and death of so many Cardassians fell on the shoulders of the military.

 

Cardassian Space Forces

Of all the branches of the Cardassian military, the Space Force is by far the best known and most influential. Space Force personnel crew the ships and stations of the Cardassian Union, patrolling border and trade routes, exploring deep space, and making contact with new worlds and species in peacetime. In times of war, the might of the Cardassian Fleet is brought against the Union's enemies, such as during the Dominion War.

 

Cardassian Militia

Cardassian ground forces make up the Militia organized into units of some 50,000 troops. The Militia handles planetary invasions, garrison duties, manning and protection of Cardassian facilities, and similar ground-based activities. It is somewhat less glamorous than the Space Force, but easier to get into and, sometimes, easier for an ambitious officer to advance quickly through the ranks. Cardassian Militia units saw considerable action during the Dominion War, defending planets within the Union from invasion by enemy forces, and helping hold captured worlds along the border. Most of the exploration vessels of the Sixth and Ninth Orders carry a small contingent of Militia. This has led to some tension among the crew of those vessels but nothing serious.

 

Miscellaneous Branches

The other branches of the Central Command include Health, Engineering, Supply, and so forth. These branches work primarily to support the Space Force and the Militia, and are considered far less glamorous, with few opportunities for advancement other than heading up a department. During peacetime, branches like Science and Engineering do considerable research, analysis of scientific data, and so on. During wartime all their efforts are devoted to the development of new ships and weapons for the Central Command, and the analysis for enemy technology and information.

The Health branch of the military, similar to Starfleet's Medical Division, is responsible for maintaining the health and well being of military personnel. Cardassian medicine is similar to Federation medical technology, although the Cardassians place little emphasis on counselling and other "personnel engineering" techniques. Officers of the Health branch often have a somewhat sinister reputation, since Cardassian medicine has so often advanced using studies conducted on other life forms, often sentient, and usually without their consent.

 

LIFE IN THE CARDASSIAN MILITARY

A high degree of regimentation and discipline characterize the Central Command. Soldiers are expected to follow orders immediately and to the letter. Disobedience and shirking of duty are not tolerated; commanders mete out severe punishments, often involving the infliction of pain (or even execution), in the event of a violation. Soldiers and officers are also under the near-constant surveillance of the Obsidian Orders and intelligence officers from the Eagle Order, who report any infractions or concerns. A black mark on a soldier's record may be enough to deny him promotion; enough of them can end his career altogether.

The Cardassian Central Command values obedience and devotion to duty over qualities like personal initiative, imagination, and creativity. Soldier who disobeys orders is punished, even if his disobedience resulted in a great success. A soldier has to achieve a great deal in order to gather the vasala necessary to escape punishment from his superiors. Those who manage it usually rise quickly through the ranks. Cardassian culture stresses the importance of duty over all things: duty to family, duty to friends and fellow citizens, and duty to the state. This makes it far less likely for Cardassians to disobey orders than, say, individualistic humans.

The Central Command trains its soldiers to be ruthless in battle. The Cardassian military does not embrace Federation concepts of "minimum force" and avoiding needless killing; in fact, most Cardassian soldiers sneer at the Federation's pacifist ideals, believing it clearly shows their weakness as a civilization. The Cardassian credo is "fight to win at any cost." Cardassians only take prisoners to torture them for information or use them as political leverage against their enemies. They do not hesitate to kill their opponents in battle, and Cardassian soldiers keep their weapons on a lethal setting, rather than a "stun" level. (Cardassian troops guarding installations in peacetime keep their weapons set on "stun" primarily to avoid accidents and to leave prisoners alive for interrogation.)

Part of a soldier's training for ruthlessness comes early in the military services. Cardassian military training is swift, efficient, and often brutal, especially by Federation standards. Training officers put recruits in situations intended to harden them, foster obedience, and encourage them to learn ruthless behaviour. For example, privileges in the military barracks are assigned to soldiers who can earn them; promoting competition, but squads of soldiers are often rewarded and punished as a group, encouraging responsibility to ones fellow troops. A Cardassian soldier who earns a punishment for his squad is likely to suffer more at their hands than any official punishment. Commanding officers are aware of this and quietly encourage it to maintain discipline.

 

RECRUITMENT

All able Cardassians in the Union are required to enter military service at the age of 18 for two years. They receive basic training and education, and are indoctrinated into the Central Command's way of thinking. Most Cardassians perform their required years of service and return to civilian life, although they can be recalled into the military whenever the Central Command deems it necessary. During the Dominion War, millions of reservists were recalled to duty by Central Command to replace soldiers lost in battle. Most Cardassians gladly answered the Union's call to service.

Some Cardassians choose to remain in the military after their required two years. These soldiers can participate in additional training, or attend any of the several military academies in the Cardassian Union to train to become an officer. Training to become an officer is particularly difficult, and many prospective candidates wash out before completing their training. Most return to the ranks, while some choose to leave the military altogether. There is no disgrace to being a soldier in Cardassian society; it is an honorable position. Some Cardassians (especially soldiers) look down on those who washed out of military training.

 

RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Cardassian Central Command is an organization that takes its rules and regulations quite seriously. Ironically, although the military does not encourage individual initiative, it does grant commanding officers wide discretion in making decisions and in disciplining troops who violate regulations. Even with subspace communications, there is no way for Central Command to oversee and approve every decision made by a Cardassian commander in the field. Instead, Central Command grants commanders enough latitude to allow them to respond to changing conditions quickly and decisively. Of course, they still have to answer for their decisions to their superior officers at a later time.

Like most military organizations, Central Command's rules and regulations primarily define how personnel deal with certain situations, and what behaviour is acceptable. Unlike Starfleet, Central Command does not have a non-interference directive. Their "prime directive," if any, is the protection of the Cardassian Union from any and all potential threats, following by securing potential resources for the Union. The Cardassians can and have interfered in the affairs of less-advanced societies when it suited their needs. They conquered a number of worlds to exploit their resources, and they patrol their borders with great vigilance.

Military personnel on duty are expected to maintain a level of decorum, avoid using drugs such as alcohol, and so forth. These rules tend to get bent, especially in frontier regions or on client worlds, where Cardassian soldiers are largely free to do as they please. Soldiers are also not restricted in their off-hours activities, even while in uniform. They can gamble, visit pleasure houses, or whatever else they want, so long as it is not illegal.

Although minor violations of regulations are often overlooked, punishment for infractions is severe. A commanding officer that fails to maintain discipline and military readiness can find himself quickly replaced by Central Command.

 

CHAIN OF COMMAND

The Cardassian military has a strong respect for the chain of command. This is drilled into new recruits from the very first day, reinforcing the Cardassian cultural respect for authority. Cardassian troops are loyal to their superior officers, often devoted to the point of fanaticism. This reflects the Cardassian idea of vasala; a popular officer gains considerable influence from the support of his or her troops.

The Cardassian Central Command uses a system of hierarchical ranks, which is the same for all branches of the service. The hierarchy is split into two groups; the ones who don’t further their military study after they join, and those that do.

The ones who don’t further their studies are the equivalent of Starfleet’s Non-Commissioned Officers. In Central Command they are simply called soliders.

The ranks of the soldiers are: (with equivalent SF rank)

 

Ja	Master Chief Petty Officer
Ja'ral	Senior Chief Petty Officer
Ja'rel	Chief Petty Officer
Chi	Petty Officer 1st Class
Chi'ral	Petty Officer 2nd Class
Chi'rel	Petty Officer 3rd Class
Iral	Crewman & Cadet/Trainee

 

The ones that do further their studies, are called Officers, and are much the same as most SF officers.

Their ranks are as follows: (with SF equivalent)

 

Gul	Captain
Glinn	Commander
Gil	Lietunant Commander
Glen	Lieutenant
Kara	Lieutentant JG
D'ja	Ensign

 

Officers must generally hold a rank of at least Glinn to be given command of a starship or a unit. Guls are the rough equivalent of Starfleet captains. They are the majority of the commanding officers in Central Command, controlling starships and bases, and serving as prefects and planetary governors throughout the client worlds of the Union. Many Guls are quite influential, building up extensive vasala networks.

There is another step on the hierarchy, Order Command, these are the command officers of an Order, most will retain command of a starship but will have jurisdiction over his (or her) lower ranked commanders.

Here are their ranks and their average duties for that rank: (with SF equivalent)

 

Fi'ta Gul	Represents the Order in Central Command	Fleet Admiral
Vi'ria Gul	Represents the Order in Central Command	Admiral
Vi'kar Gul	Placed in Command of or a group of starships or a Station (Can represent the Order in Central Command)	Vice Admiral
Ri'en Gul	Placed in Command of a group of starships or a Station (Can represent the Order in Central Command)	Rear Admiral
Ri'ta Gul	Command of a Starship, jurisdiction over other Guls	Commodore

 

 

RANK HATH ITS PRIVILEGES

Advancement in rank means more than just additional duties and responsibilities for Cardassian officers. It also means increased opportunities and privileges. In the military-dominated society of the Union, high-ranking officers gain great vasala from their position and the contacts it provides them. Loyal troops can support a commander's personal bids for power and influence within the Central Command, and military academy friends, and former colleagues all become valuable contacts.

Central Command also takes no small amount of resources for the use of its own personnel. Cardassian officers are assured of receiving the best that the Union has to offer in terms of housing and various luxuries. Even in frontier regions, Cardassian Guls often live like kings. While Gul Dukat was Prefect of Bajor, he ruled the planet like a virtual king, able to take whatever he wanted from the Bajorans. Dukat's troops received discounts and gifts from the local merchants, Bajoran "pleasure slaves," and other incentives. Other Prefects and high-ranking Cardassian officers receive similar treatment.

The Dominion War opened the eyes of many in the Cardassian Union regarding the excesses of the military. It's questionable whether or not Central Command will be able to justify some of its more lavish spending in light of the resources needed to rebuild Cardassia's shattered cities.

 

UNIFORMS

All Cardassian military personnel, soldiers and officers, space and ground forces alike, wear the same uniform. The uniform of the Central Command is a symbol of Cardassian pride and strength to those in the Union, a symbol of fear and respect to foreign powers. It reflects the Union's emphasis on the military, and the Cardassian concern with protection and military might.

The Cardassian uniform is a complete bodysuit that covers all but the hands, the neck, and head. It has wide shoulders to accommodate the Cardassian neck ridges. The uniform is covered with armor made of molded carbonitirium fibres in a style that evolved from ancient Cardassian ceremonial armor, dating back to the First Hebitian civilization.

A flared clamshell cuirass covers the torso, affording protection against melee weapons and some limited protection from energy weapons. Flexible molded armor covers the arms and legs, with armor often sandwiched inside pockets of polymer cloth. In non-combat duty situations, the armor is trimmed back to just the ceremonial cuirass and shoulder armor over a standard duty uniform.