The Civil Defence Initiative is a Bretonian civilian militia that falls under the purview of the Bretonian Police Authority.
Following the loss of Planet Leeds in 820 AS, emergency measures were passed by Parliament to ensure the survival of the Bretonian state. The introduction of conscription bolstered the ranks of the Armed Forces by siphoning experienced pilots from the BPA. The grinding attrition of the Northern Fronts saw the backline Great Fleets redeployed or stripped of manpower -- the Norfolk in particular. The task of policing hazardous systems like Dublin or Omega-3 inevitably fell to a now critically undermanned and overstretched BPA. Piracy and smuggling in these dangerous frontiers immediately surged.
The CDI was pushed to fill this gap, with the intention of providing the BPA with an immediate boost in manpower and patrol ships. These newly commissioned Special Constables largely consisted of corporate escort pilots, elderly or wounded veterans, foreigners, malcontents from Sprague, and various others who found themselves ineligible for conventional armed service. While the BPA had a well-deserved reputation as a disciplined, well-drilled and incorruptible police force, the CDI most certainly did not.
Fielding a patchwork of civilian and surplus equipment, CDI constables were as a matter of necessity flung into the worst environments Bretonian policing had to offer, often with minimal training. Facing horrific casualty rates that rivalled the most gruelling Armed Forces assignments, special constables either thrived as weaselly survivors, or immediately died. The CDI were primarily tasked with securing Cambridge and the vital shipping lanes to Rheinland, regularly facing off against brutal Corsair raiders and Hessian pirates they were ill-equipped to manage.
In the post-war, CDI militias remain in active service, carrying out patrols in space and across Planet Sprague. While the CDI is mired in controversy for its almost gang-like behaviour, the BPA remains a hollowed-out and traumatised shell of its pre-war splendour. As a result, Parliament sees the Militia as too necessary (or at least not yet embarrassing enough) to disband. Special constables continue to be used as a policing stop-gap to deter piracy, enforce blockades, manage shipping licenses and more. BPA Chief Inspector Helen Timson has recently been appointed on secondment to oversee the unit, and has vowed to improve professional standards and reduce casualties.
2. Principles:
Create fun: First and foremost, we want to make the game fun to play for both our members and the people interacting with us. We want people to log in because they see we're online and enjoy playing alongside (or against) us. Cherish fun and always keep in mind the players on the other side of the screen.
Champion Roleplay: Remember who your character is and why they're in the CDI. A fleshed out and dynamic character is fun to be around and fun to play, even when there's nothing else going on. Avoid OOC - especially in local or system chat - unless it's to help another player (especially new players). Roleplay in group chat should be the default, as this helps define your characters as individuals and build internal relationships.
Avoid Salt and Drama: Feelings can get heated after PvP, especially when it doesn't go your way. If this happens, take a break. Vent internally for a bit if you need to. Do not succumb to the temptation to shoot a bitchy PM to someone on the other side. Retaliating against poor sportsmanship with more poor sportsmanship doesn't help anything, and can only make things worse for everyone playing. It's a game, we can die. You'll get 'em next time.
Extend Courtesy to Opponents: Closely tied to the above. Good PvP etiquette is important to a healthy community environment. If you find an ongoing fight that looks to be balanced, don't pile in unnecessarily. Stop and assess before you act. Obviously there are some exceptions - if you find a transport / trader under attack by a pirate, jump in to help even if it is already a 1v1! Remember to complement an opponent in the Kudos thread after a fun fight too.
Honestly Dishonest: Many CDI characters are a bit crooked and would consider taking a bribe. Once a bribe has been accepted, the briber should feel assured that we're not going to screw them for it later, i.e. drop an additional fine or submit them to the criminal database. Discretely suggesting a bribe can be a way of offering a smuggler (or whoever) a less drastic 'out' that doesn't involve losing their cargo, and is still fun for all of us.
3. History:
While the CDI in its current form dates to 819 AS, its earliest iterations can be traced to 815 AS and the turmoil of the Tau War between Bretonia and Kusari. Backed heavily by Border World Exports lobbyists, the concept of a civilian militia was initially pushed through parliament to facilitate the transfer of surplus military grade equipment to corporate escort wings. This was conceptually intended to allow Bretonian companies to shoulder more of their own defence against pirates and state-backed privateers while the Armed Forces were distracted. In a practical sense, this was not a militia at all - rather a militarization of private security.
This changed with the revelation of Gallia's existence, and the launch of their imperial invasion of Sirius. Pitched into an existential war of truly dire proportions, Bretonia immediately passed drastic wartime powers that suspended elections and implemented sweeping powers of conscription. The desperation of the Gallic War and occupation of Leeds soon found the BPA's ranks heavily depleted by the draft. Parliament responded with The Special Constable Regulations (Amendment) 819, which formally established the CDI as a separate policing command with law enforcement responsibilities. The Milita received a shoestring budget, and an expectation that it would make do without military equipment or support.
The ill-fated prisoner transfer of Op SCALLYWAG
Chief Inspector Quentin Raleigh was initially assigned to oversee the CDI's formation, with his command staff setting out the doctrines that would inform the organisation's development over the years to come. The early CDI was first stationed on Planets New London and Cambridge where they provided the manpower to police the teeming refugee camps for Leeds' displaced citizens. As the colonization of Sprague progressed, the CDI increasingly found itself responsible for protecting BMM and Bowex pioneer teams around the planet, and securing shipping lanes throughout Omega-3 and Cambridge. Throughout its operation, the CDI's policing mandate has been inextricably tied to the population of Leeds, and has shifted its focus as that population has been transferred.
In 823 AS, the derelict Dunkirk-class hulk Gwent was towed into Sprague orbit and adopted by the CDI and BPA as a local joint headquarters. In this capacity, it housed fighter squadrons, command staff and a brig for segregating Sprague's criminals until out-of-system court hearings could be arranged. This continued until 826 AS and the Aland Crisis. Following the Siege of New London and the loss of Southampton Shipyard, Bretonia attempted to nationalize Aland Shipyard in Omega-3 as vital wartime infrastructure. The IMG -- believing Bretonia's defeat was imminent -- refused to comply, with the resulting diplomatic crisis ending in the station's seizure.
While this action was carried out by the Bretonian Armed Forces, local policing units were entirely caught off-guard by a surprise attack on Planet Sprague orchestrated by sympathetic Red Hessians. The Battleship Kassel itself assaulted the immobile Gwent, destroying it as the personnel aboard attempted to evacuate. In what is considered one of the blackest days of CDI history, Chief Inspector Raleigh, many senior inspectors and several flights of patrol craft were lost. Surviving CDI and BPA rallied to the defence of Sprague's orbit, fighting for several hours until reinforcements from the Norfolk Great Fleet drove the Hessians away.
In the aftermath of the Gwent's loss, the Gallic Royal Navy began their final push to conquer Planet New London. The passage of the Defence of London Act 826 saw the CDI and all other available armed spacecraft conscripted to aid in the defence, adhering to a doctrine of a "decisive clash". The CDI's forces were attached to the Suffolk Great Fleet, with the Armed Forces' Captain Grace Harper serving as Acting Chief Inspector for the deployment. The CDI suffered heavy casualties during the campaign, with the Suffolk itself being destroyed in an attempt to disrupt an orbital bombardment, and Captain Harper killed.
Chief Inspector Alan Packard was appointed in late 826 AS, and oversaw significant efforts to rebuild the CDI as a viable policing force. This saw recruitment standards further drop in the interest of sustaining at minimum a viable deterrence force for Trade Lane patrols. In particular, the CDI began to make far heavier use of "Section 327" recruits, referring to a previously little-used provision of The Special Constable Regulations that permitted the enlistment of foreign citizens. As disorder peaked during the Rheinland Civil War, the CDI was able to poach some disillusioned RFP pilots who had fled their parent House, in addition to a number of Omega residents of "questionable parentage".
Following an alleged bribery scandal, Chief Inspector Packard stepped down from the role in 833 AS. In an attempt to raise standards and reduce casualty rates, the slowly recovering BPA took a more direct hand in the CDI's functioning from that point forward. Chief Inspector Helen Timson was appointed directly from the BPA, bringing with her a hand-picked cadre of inspectors on secondment. While the CDI has seen some incremental improvements across this period, deep seated institutional issues have persistently impeded progress.
HMPS Tayloe transits through Newcastle on its maiden voyage
4. Ranks and Equipment
Special
Constable (SC)
Special
Sergeant (Sgt)
Special
Inspector (Ins)
Chief
Inspector (CIns)
The CDI is a patchwork militia with a variety of gear that represents the disparate nature of its pilots. Rather than a monocrop of Crusaders, we encourage members to fly a ramshackle array of civilian fighters, bombers, freighters and transports to give the squadron a decidedly unprofessional and assorted look. Slap a Bretonian engine on it, and a pair of flashing police lights, and you're good to go!
5. Recruitment:
When joining the CDI, you're first and foremost creating a character, a human being with motivations and history. Not just a ship with guns on it. To help with that, we've listed a few different backgrounds or features that CDI pilots might have in common. You can use these as inspiration or a starting point for your own creation:
Backgrounds
You're a part time corporate escort for BMM, Bowex, Gateway or possibly IMG, only flying for the militia when not doing the 'day job'.
You're a displaced refugee from Leeds who signed up with the CDI to escape from the horrible conditions on Planet Sprague.
You're a patriot who wants to fight, but are ineligible to serve in the BPA or BAF. This could be for medical or age reasons, or because you'd ahem fail the background check.
You're not a patriot, but do like the idea of having power over others and handling funds from fines that might go 'missing'.
You're a foreigner (likely from Rheinland) who came to Omega-3 looking for work, and ended up in the militia as a sort of mercenary.
You're a militia conscript from during the war who survived, made a career of it and decided to stick around.
You're a BPA constable who has faced some "issues" and been presented with the option of dismissal, or a transfer to the CDI.
You're unemployed but have a pilot licence, and your Department of Work Employment Officer sees the CDI as an easy way to get you off their books.
Other things to think about
What was your character doing during the war? Did they serve in some way?
Which planet do they come from? Were they a refugee? How does this affect their view on things?
Would they take a bribe, or do other unscrupulous things? How would they react to seeing a colleague taking a bribe?
What motivates them to fly for a decrepit outfit like the CDI? How do they feel about the current state of Bretonia?
How do they feel about the pretty horrible conditions BMM makes people live and work under?
How do they feel about the horrendous amount of pollution in New London and Leeds?
How do they feel about rationing and various other emergency measures that make life harder for the common people?
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