ARMY MISC. LORE

While the deep wintertide encroached and the union was in its early stages, many of the larger trading guilds that had been puppeteering coalition settlements and overextending their influence on these towns began to fall to the effects of the wintertide and the newly formed union, being met with harsh regulation and environmental challenges. But a few of these guilds would take a step back and observe as the changes took place, and businessmen waited eagerly as the dust settled, planning and waiting for the end of the deep wintertide. However one of these trading guilds within the town of summer-view would leave with their large sums of wealth, dragging along any assets they had with them to the newly formed union, including their family members. 

One of the families in this guild known as the Millers, were rather famous in Summerview for their quality meal kits they sold locally, although not as prominent as other sellers in the area they were known for their consistency in quality, and with the union drafting recruits and building its “New Model Army” the head of the Millers family, Leroy Galloway Miller would see opportunity. As the trading guild moved throughout the union's territories, the Millers would slowly take head of the guild and establish themselves as simply “THE MILLER COMPANY” slowly snowballing more members, mostly farmers, and shoddy artisans throughout their journey. The company would eventually settle down in Marathon making use of what little farmland was left, relying on getting ingredients for their ration meal kits through trade, which often made the once renowned meal kits left in poor and shoddy quality.

Meal kits served to the 25th Naval Infantry currently include a small piece of cornbread, three large round crackers, and precooked salted canned beef chunks, and GramGram Millers Mac & Cheese. However the Mac & Cheese has been praised by infantrymen, as the rest of the kits food tastes stale, the Mac & Cheese is held to a godly standard - mostly in respects to GramGram Millers secret recipe.

Written by ThePress

As part of an effort for the New Model Army to quickly manufacture camaraderie among soldiers unfamiliar with each other, the Bureau of War requires all military formations to possess special flags that represent the unit. These “regiment colors” symbolize the honor and loyalty to the Union of the regiment. The colors are to follow the regiment wherever it may be deployed. If the colors are captured or destroyed, it means the unit has lost its honor and failed in its duty to ensure victory for the Union. 

Tradition 

When the colors are being raised or lowered, the entire regiment must stop and pay compliments (a salute) to the colors. This process is handled by a handful of veteran soldiers selected at random, and is accompanied by a bugler. It is considered a great honor to handle the colors. The 25th Naval Infantry Brigade has its own regiment colors, unique from all the other regiments. Here’s what all the symbols mean:

The Star of Progress

• The Star of Progress, one large white star surrounded by six smaller stars, represents the presence of the Midwestern Union, and the New Model Army’s subservience to the nation. Every regiment colors has the Star of Progress in the top left-hand side of the flag. The six smaller stars represent all six states in the Midwestern Union, while the central star represents the government.

The Crown of the Union

• The Crown of the Union represents the supremacy of the Great Lakes Congress over all of the Great Lakes, as well as the ultimate righteousness of the federalist movement. It is placed above the anchor and motto to symbolize the regiment’s loyalty to the nation, as well as its purpose of defending the interests of the Union.

The Anchor, Trident, and Saber

• The Anchor, Trident, and Saber represent the three types of combat the 25th specializes in - sea combat (the anchor), sea to land engagements (the trident) and land engagements (the saber). These three symbols combined represent the 25th’s unique ability to fight on practically any terrain.

The Motto

• The motto of the 25th is Formas Admonito, which translates from latin to “Without Warning.”

The Garrison Banner

• The Garrison Banner is the text above the crown which displays the name of the regiment’s garrison or headquarters. Not all colors bear the Garrison Banner, but those that do are usually larger regiments. Since the 25th’s headquarters is Fort Navsta, the Garrison Banner reads such.

The Actual Colors of the Flag

• The background of the flag also has meaning. Dark blue represents the lakes the Midwestern Union relies on, while the lighter blue represents the conquering of such lakes.

No one really knows who came up with this rather peculiar looking caricature of a New Model Army trooper, but it goes without saying that he has reached a legendary status. First seen at the very beginning of the War in the West, "Midwest Milton's" fame grew fast, even being featured back home in political cartoons and newspaper comic strips. His iconic original design has been lent to drawings and graffiti all across the Midwest, most commonly in former Western Coalition territories, acting as a childish calling card for the New Model Army's infantrymen.

Midwest Milton may be spotted around the Sunrise Islands, where NMA troops have visited. 

It's common knowledge in almost every major army across the world that the 'Fog of War' is something to fear; It's even more common that every army in the world has some story about this mysterious Fog. As soldiers lose their sense of sight, unable to see their fellow man next to them, the fog leads to mass confusion; causing brother to turn on brother, friend against friend, comrade against comrade. The NMA has their own folktale about this Fog known as the 'Midwestern Mist'. 

The first time the NMA would encounter the horrors of the 'Midwestern Mist' was during the siege of Hancock to the West. Soldiers of the 4th Expeditionary Regiment would be being briefed 1 hour before their initial assault on Hancock; as the brief occurred, a deep mist began to crawl towards them, slowly creating low visibility. During the battle, the fog would creep in and out on and on as the smoke of the siege and the blazing fires raged alongside the battle. Soldiers would report that during the battle, they could see shadowy figures watching them; Some reports even claimed that these figures had been engulfed in flames. Other reports claim that the shadowy figures looked like NMA soldiers calling the reporter to join them or Huronis from the Huron war, out for vengeance. 

After the battle, when the smog and fog finally finished, Standing Officers would disregard these reports as nothing important but soldiers continue to report sightings of shadowy men wherever the fog rolls.

Written by BlueFires0

Bakersville was a medium-sized town in the Northwestern Huron region, with a population of around three hundred citizens. The town's main source of income came from extensive agriculture on the rich, fertile lands they had settled. Prior to the Coalition Civil War, Bakersville's primary export partner was Mackerel. Initially, the town had sided with the Midwestern Union, but an internal coup led to a pro-Coalition militia council taking control. 

After the formal declaration of hostilities between the Midwestern Union and the Eastern Coalition, the 21st Naval Infantry, stationed at Mackerel, quickly launched a landing operation on the supposedly less-defended shoreline of "Forty Bay" around 4PM on August 7th. However, the Bakersville Self Defense Force had set up basic pillboxes and fortifications along the shore, and the landing forces met heavy fire upon arrival. Fearing extreme casualties, Captain Frank Davis ordered his support ships to begin shelling the settlement directly. The bombardment prompted a surrender from Bakersville, but fighting continued for 30 minutes as neither side had been informed of the surrender until the BVSDF ran out of ammunition. The 21st then swiftly occupied the town, which remained under Midwestern Union control for the time being. It was not until five months later, on November 17th, that Coalition forces finally retaliated against the Midwestern Union's hold on Bakersville. Ultimately, Coalition forces were repelled. Solidifying the NMA's grasp over the town, for now.

Written by Dogewarzzs

"Throw down your weaver, Leafer! Your government has betrayed you."

Battles are usually fought with shells and bullets, though the mind is an often untapped market. Demoralization brings the fight to the average Joe's psyche. It could mean the difference between fighting ten devoted soldiers or ten demoralized ones, shifting the tides of whole operations if successful. The Midwestern Union saw great value in an efficient propaganda engine, and pursued its own methods. 

The Midwest has always had its fair share of propaganda endeavors; primarily in the form of posters and flyers, though nothing resonates more with the average man than the human voice. Many infantrymen spend much of their downtime by the radio, listening to dramas and music in an attempt to satiate their boredom, a distraction from the brutal slugfest that is fighting on the lakes. The Midwest knew that the holdout Great Lakes Coalition's many troops also shared this trait. With this, Midwest Martha was born.

Midwest Martha (sometimes referred to as Midwest Matthew) is a term used to describe a whole suite of radio personalities used to demoralize the average foot soldier by transmitting over popular radio frequencies. Its routes can be traced back to the Huron War, when various militias utilized radio in an attempt to attack the psyche of Huron militants. During the start of the conflict with the Coalition, the Midwestern Union decided to revive the concept. Men and women all over the Union were chosen on the merit of their voice, as those with radio-worthy tones were invited into the program; which consists mainly of people who formerly worked in radio, jazz, or theater. 

The program saw some success in the Western Theater, with reports of men defecting and throwing down their arms or even running for the hills by the time a battle was upon them. Using intel gathered by Internal Affairs, Midwest Martha would often announce the names of men fallen in battle, successfully predict the outcomes of operations before they even started, and spout overall demoralizing phrases. When Coalition servicemen who are already worn down by the brutal Tidal Warfare hear those all-too-familiar radio voices in their foxholes, most cannot help but feel defeated. 

With the ongoing fighting in the Eastern Theater, it is not all too uncommon for servicemen's radios to start broadcasting those oddly comforting but haunting voices, grinding down the average man's last nerve. 

A common piece of graffiti found across the Midwestern Union's forces, Sue's Storm appears on everything from the helmets of motorized infantry to the sides of the AAC's limited VTOLs. The most common depictions show Sue as a blond-haired woman adorned in a laurel wreath. She is often portrayed looking to the side, one hand pointing forward and the other wrapped around the patch of the unit that chose to depict her. Despite her widespread presence, the origins of Sue remain unclear, with various theories circulating amongst soldiers. 

One theory ties her to the Huron Wars, where folklore tells of a farmer named Sue who took up arms after her cow was killed by Huroni fire. Armed with an old hunting rifle, she allegedly took down an entire platoon of belligerents on her own. The story, whether true or exaggerated, became a rallying cry for the Midwest. 

Another theory suggests Sue is based on Susan Briarwood, a famous opera singer from Lakeview. Briarwood is known not just for her talents but also for her tireless efforts to support the troops of the MWU. She traveled to the frontlines of the war against the Western Coalition to perform for soldiers, giving them a much-needed reminder of home earning their admiration and respect. 

For some, Sue is seen as a protective figure, believed to offer safety in battle. Others view her as a vengeful spirit, capable of brewing up "storms" within the hearts of Midwestern citizens, granting strength and courage in battle; and some simply find comfort in her image, as it helps give the Union they fight for a more readily-identifiable "human" image.