Verteidigungsstaffel

Vertidigungsstaffel
Flag of the Vertidigungsstaffel
Active	1884 - Present
Country	Rotgeheim
Motto	Mein Kampf ist für mein Vaterland "My fight is for my Fatherland"
Allegiance	Kaiser Rudolf Geske
Commander-in-Chief	Reichsführer-VS Reiner Mäder
Size	798,377 (1914)
Garrison/Headquarters	VS-Führungshauptamt, Köslin, Stettin (VS-FHA)
March	"Die Wacht am Rhein"
Colors	Black, White, Red (ceremonial) Feldgrau
Major engagements	Steinweg-Consolas War War of the Dogs Arata Skirmishes

The Waffen-Verteidigunsstaffel (Armed Protection Squadron) was initially created as a small security force employed in defending members of government from attack, although since its creation it has grown into a multi-ethnic and multi-national quick-reaction military force of Rotgeheim.

The Waffen-VS has grown from a single division to around 38 divisions, 10 air wings, and numerous smaller individual units during its tenure, serving alongside the Heer (regular army) but never becoming formally a part of it.

Initial membership was restricted to citizens of Rotgeheim, but in June of 1901, legislation was passed that allowed any individual within the borders of Rotgeheim to enlist. Kaiser Florian I, during his reign as chief executive power of Rotgeheim, authorized the formation of units composed largely or solely of foreign volunteers. Foreign volunteers have been mostly accepted from Northern Prussia,The Gallant Old Republic, Scheinfeld, Zuluu, The Imperial Republic of the Balkans, Octuagesimo Octavo, Aedruvia, and Republic of Wreptzle.

Soldiers

Numbers

The total number of soldiers serving in the Verteidigungsstaffel at any given time is around 800,000. This accounts for roughly 8.5% of the entire military.

Recruitment

Recruitment for the Verteidigungsstaffel is accomplished through voluntary enlistment. Men aged 18 to 39, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, or sexual orientation can join the Verteidigunsstaffel. Conscription is never implemented.

Foreign Recruits

Prior to the formation of the Verteidigungsstaffel, the Armed Forces of Rotgeheim strove to remain a force made up of purely Rotgeheim citizens. The foundation of the Verteidigungsstaffel allowed foreign individuals to join the Armed Forces of Rotgeheim for the first time in the nation's history.

History

Origins

The Verteidigungsstaffel was first formed as a security detail assigned to protect key figures of the government at rallies, speeches, and other public events. The original group was known as the Stabswache (Staff Guard) and was commanded by Hauptmann-VS (Captain in the VS) Detlef Hildebrand.

The Stabswache was renamed to the Schutzkommando (Protection Command) when it expanded to the size of a brigade. This was only short lived, however, as the large influx of new recruits to the Schutzkommando following a particularly impressive speech by Kaiser Florian I demanded a large unit. The unit was then re-founded as the Verteidigungsstaffel - the armed branch of the group was to be called the Waffen-Verteidigungsstaffel (Waffen-VS; Armed Protection Squadron), while the administrative personnel were to be simply called a part of the Verteidigungsstaffel. The administrative side of the Verteidigungsstaffel was absorbed into the Waffen-VS in late 1903, and as such the term used to describe the organization has become solely "Waffen-VS".

Divisions

All divisions in the Waffen-VS are ordered in a single series as formed, regardless of type. Those tagged with nationalities are recruited partially from those nationalities.

Waffen-VS Ground Divisions

Number	Division Name	Division Type	Nationality	Commander	Divisional Insignia	Manpower
1st	Kaiser Florian von Horn	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Viktor Falkenberg		20,844
2nd	Das Reich	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Josef Hitzig		20,184
3rd	Totenkopf	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Lieutenant General-VS Hellmuth Becker		21,186
4th	Polizei	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim	Lieutenant General-VS Walter Harzer		19,377
5th	Wiking	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Lieutenant General-VS Walter Karl Ulrich		17,347
6th	Preußen	Mountain Division	Northern Prussia	Major General-VS Franz Schreiber		21,247
7th	Tapferkeit	Mountain Division	The Gallant Old Republic	Lieutenant General-VS August Schmidthuber		21,120
8th	Leichte Acht	Cavalry Division	Octuagesimo Octavo	Major General-VS Joachim Rumohr		13,000
9th	Hohenstaufen	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Sylvester Stadler		19,611
10th	Fuerstenburg	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Franz Roestel		19,313
11th	Selbstständigkeit	Panzergrenadier Division	Aedruvia	Major General-VS Gerhard Krukenbergl		11,749
12th	Strahlfeld	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Hugo Kraas		21,482
13th	Dinslaken	Mountain Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Fedor Hampel		21,065
14th	Balkan	Panzergrenadier Division	The Imperial Republic of the Balkans	Major General-VS Friedrich Schulz		22,384
15th	Einheit	Air Assault Division	Rotgeheim, Northern Prussia, The Imperial Republic of the Balkans	Major General-VS Waldemar Fenstermacher		22,117
16th	Sturm	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Karl Bochmann		14,223
17th	Furtwängler	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Dagmar Mäher		18,354
18th	Nordland	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Otto Baum		11,749
19th	Die Goten	Panzergrenadier Division	Wreptzle	Major General-VS Heinrich Petersen		11,198
20th	Die Westgoten	Mountain Division	Wreptzle	Major General-VS Berthold Maack		14,928
21st	Wüstensand	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Werner Moßburger		32,364
22nd	Raben	Air Assault Division	Zuluu	Major General-VS Rüdiger Kreuz		18,926
23rd	Kaiser Wilhelm Mielke	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Otto Finke		16,331
22th	Fuerstenburg	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Franz Roestel		19,313
24th	Maria Theresia	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim, Northern Prussia	Major General-VS August Zehender		15,382
25th	Südland	Cavalry Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Josef Wagner		15,222
26th	Langemarck	Mountain Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Jürgen Siegling		22,101
27th	Finnmarck	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Karl Gesele		12,334
28th	Dirlewanger	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Fritz Schmedes		17,203
29th	Nibelungen	Cavalry Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Martin Kohlroser		14,020
30th	Ramcke	Airborne Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke		16,248
31st	Karl der Große	Airborne Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Eren von Stange		15,358
32nd	Januar	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Erich Manstein		17,424
33rd	Westland	Panzergrenadier Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Dante Humm		19,830
34th	Schwarzwald	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Kayetan Silberschmidt		19,496
35th	Donner	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Reinhard Halle		16,403
36th	Ostland	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Helmuth von Pannwitz		17,566
37th	Rote Teufel	Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Hans Huegel		22,384
38th	Die Lehrer (unofficial)	Field-Testing Panzer Division	Rotgeheim	Major General-VS Fritz Bayerlein		14,699

Waffen-VS Air Divisions