Yori's military is very young and, as yet, unproven. This immaturity is reflected in the lack of variation in the organisational structure (only three styles of battalion, four if you count the 'partisan' variation), its choice of equipment, and its lack of trained personnel. COACC (with its 8 Aerospace Groups) is integrated into the Army.

Given the youthfulness of Yori's army it would not be surprising if there were no highly trained personnel. However, some Yorians leave the planet each year and sign up with the Imperial Army. Even so, half the army's personnel are still trainee recruits.

Yorian religious beliefs have led to a greater resolve than might be expected for their experience levels and thus they are not so easily routed. (Players' Manual p85: Yorian soldiers never have worse than "Average" morale. Referee's Companion p13: No "Permanent Modifiers" to morale.)

Yori's surface defense is administered as six military districts, each surrounding one of the major cities: Big Rock Mountain, Devil's Fork, Market, Hemdian, Bon-Fargoa, and Baxter. (Geronemo and the starport are included within Market's district.)

In the desert east of the Claw Mountains is the home of T'Lanha Esh, one of the northern desert tribes. 600 years ago their warriors, the "Holy Slayers", were at the forefront of the force that defeated the fortress city of Bon-Fargoa. Being a relatively small force they could not go up against their opponents purely on numbers alone, instead the perfected guerilla warfare and terrorist tactics.

Today the cultural distinctions between the different tribes and peoples of Yori have blurred and faded. But the heritage of the Holy Slayers has been revived under Advisor Sero (the head of Yori's Intelligence Directorate) as the foundation of the new army's special forces: the "Hand of God". The Hand of God (abbreviated 'Hand' or H.O.G. ... not Hog) is a company of picked men detached from the regular army. It is composed of an HQ (for planning, training, and research) and four independent combat "Sabres" (platoons). A sabre is composed of a command post (8 men) and 4 "Troops" (sections). Each troop is seconded from a different battalion type (Scarland, Desert, and Mountain). The fourth troop (Air Troop) is mixed but all members have previously been seconded to an aerospace group. A troop is composed of 4 "Patrols" (teams) plus a captain and troop sergeant. Its a repeating organizational pattern modeled after a hand: 4 fingers and a thumb ... four and a half patrols make a troop, four and a half troops make a sabre, four and a half sabres make the Hand.

Soldiers enter the Hand for a 4-year term. The first year is spend training, the other 3 years are spent gaining experience (typically as a mercenary on either on Efate or Ruie). They then return to their original unit for a minimum of another 4-year term in which they are expected to impart their skills to the other soldiers.

In keeping with the Holy Slayer heritage there are a number of traditions:

• First, you cannot apply to join the company, the company picks whom it wants to join. Selection is based both on skill and on religious faith and piety.
  
  
• Second is a vow of silence: While it may seem strange given their mentoring role after service to the company, nevertheless a soldier in the Hand will never speak of their time with the company. Swearing the Oath of Silence involves an initiation ceremony and soldiers who have done it refer to themselves as "of the Oath".
  
  
• Third is religion. While the Hand is a modern day military unit it is still modeled on the Holy Slayers. A fanatical belief in what they are doing is paramount. So too is purity of spirit (no drunkenness while on leave). And no distractions from outside allegiances (no marriages or long-term relationships).
  
  
• Finally is Vengeance. The company demands total loyalty of its members up to the point of death. In return members of the company are rewarded with total loyalty to them by the company. Betraying a member of the Hand is like betraying the whole Hand

Although drawn from the regular army and organised along military lines, the Hand do not normally fight on the open field. Their preferred modus operandi is urban warefare ... disguised as civilians, ambushes, hit and run, snipper attacks, surgical strikes, assassinations ... ideally using only one patrol (with a second as backup/reserve but rarely needed).

The main AFVs (Armoured Fighting Vehicles) of Yori's army were all supplied in a single rushed contract, and their designs look more like unfinished prototypes. Because of the time constraints in the contract Baxter Motors (who won the contract) designed a single AFV platform from which a number of variants were produced.

	Chatham MBT
	Grafton/Grafton-2 APC
	Portland ASV (MRLS/SAM)
	Shelburne Utility Vehicle

The Essor recon drone (assigned to each tank platoon and artillery platoon) is an offworld design made under licence by the Alchemy Motor Company. ("TL13 Essor Recon Drone" 101 Vehicles #23) Although assigned one per tank or artillery platoon in practise the recon drones present in a skirmish reform into their own unit to coordinate their activities. (2dtons, StdGrav, Radio, EMMask, ActEMS, PassEMS, Smoke x2, Robot Brain ... INT5, EDU3, Grav Vehicle-4, Recon-4 ... cramped seat with basic environ for optional human observer)

Even where gravetic technology is commonplace, upto TL13 more conventional winged aircraft have the performance edge in an atmosphere. Thus Yori's one and only fighter craft is a triple air-breathing jet engined fixed wing aircraft.

Gull Fighter/Bomber

The Yorian Army also has 1 Dragon class TL15 SDB (the "Mongoose"). For about 6 weeks out of every year the Moongoose transfers to Regina, via warp shuttle for annual maintenance. During those times the Imperial Navy usually supplies a substitute craft (for example a Kinunir class Colonial Cruiser).

Infantry troopers in Scarland-style and Desert-style battalions are equiped with Combat Armor (AR=10, TL12, 10kg, Cr30,000). Infantry troopers in Mountain-style battalions are equiped with lighter Combat Environment Suits (AR=6, TL10, 2kg, Cr1000). Partisan infantry troopers are equiped with Cloth (AR=5, TL6, 2kg, Cr250). Vehicle crews and non-frontline personnel are equiped with Flak Jackets (AR=3, TL7, 1kg, Cr100). All personnel armor regardless of type is produced locally.

Yori's army has decided to make gauss weapons their standard for personal weapons. While ammunition is produced locally, the weapons themselves (with the exception of the Automag) are provided by the megacorporation Delgado LIC ... from their 1102 catalogue.

• Delgado GR-402G (4mm Gauss Rifle): This high-tech slugthrower is the standard issue personal weapon of the Yorian army. It has a battlefield sight, a RAM grenade launcher, gyrostabilisation, and a sling. TL12, 0.7m, 3.5kg, Cr1500, mag=0.4kg, mag=Cr40, GLmag=0.6kg, GLmag=Cr45. (Basic game)
  
  
• Delgado GP-402 (4mm Gauss Pistol): This companion to the gauss rifle is issued as an alternative personal weapon to vehicle crews and as a secondary weapon to officers. TL13, 0.1m, 0.6kg, Cr600, mag=0.2kg, mag=Cr20. (Basic game)
  
  
• Interstellarms Automag Classic (9mm Magnum Autopistol): Some officers (especially those in "partisan" units) prefer this autopistol to the gauss pistol. It is a heavy autopistol chambered for a more powerful round than conventional. It was designed for law enforcement units and it is intended to penetrate ballistic cloth armour. (Based on the Desert Eagle.) TL7, 0.3m, 1kg, Cr400, mag=0.4kg, mag=Cr15. (Challenge #67)
  
  
• Delgado GR-402M (4mm Gauss Light Machinegun): This squad-level support weapon is based on a heavied-up gauss rifle and uses the same ammo. Half the infantry squads have this weapon. It has a 200-round drum magazine with integral batteries and a bipod. TL12, 1m, 5kg, Cr4500, mag=2kg, mag=Cr200. (Challenge #64)
  
  
• Degado GR-402S (4mm Gauss Light Assault Gun): This squad-level support weapon is an enlarged gauss rifle, with twice the muzzle velocity and four times the weight. Those squads that do not have the gauss LMG have this weapon instead. It comes with a bipod. TL13, 1.2m, 14kg, Cr6000, mag=1.5kg, mag=Cr150. (Challenge #67)
  
  
• IMSI-577 "Viper" (Anti-tank Rocket Launcher): The Imperial Military Standard Issue TL13 ATRL (aka "Viper") is made under licenese by both Interstellarms and Ling Standard Products. It is a double tubed (over & under) disposable launcher. Both rockets are launched at the same target in one combat round. The first rocket is unguided, the second homes in on the first so that both strike the same spot on the target in short sequence. (Roll once to hit, if point defense knocks out the first missile the second misses automatically.) TL13, 8kl, 7kg, Cr800. (Designed by Ludowick ... of the TML)

The full set of personal equipment for a trooper is called his Personal Load. The Personal Load for a Desert Trooper masses almost 50 kg.