Strathcan Militia - Part 1 - Canadian Military Evolution

Born from the ashes of a broken Canada and tempered in the fires of the Hodgepocalypse, the Strathcan Militia is more than a military—it's a doctrine, a culture, and a survival mechanism. Evolving from decades of underfunded defense policy, experimental augmentation, and post-collapse necessity, the Militia is now the backbone of reclaimed civilization across the central Wastes. Built on grit, ingenuity, and a code of discipline sharper than any bayonet, the Strathcans fuse old-world tactics with jury-rigged pragmatism and psionic readiness. Whether holding the line against aberrations, enforcing fragile order, or training the next generation of fighters, they embody the mantra: Uniforms may fray, but the order holds.

Canadian Military Evolution

In the years before the cataclysm, Canada’s armed forces were already a study in perseverance amid adversity. Hindered by chronic underfunding and hampered by procurement delays that stretched into the absurd, the Canadian Forces adapted not through might of numbers, but through ingenuity and adaptation. With limited tools and fewer luxuries, they leaned heavily on their international partnerships, operating shoulder to shoulder with NATO allies in hot zones abroad and frigid frontiers at home.

The pride of the Forces lay in its elite units—Joint Task Force 2 and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment—who carried not just the burden of warfighting, but the weight of reputation. Simultaneously, a quiet revolution unfolded across the prairies. In unremarkable sheds and low-slung research facilities of rural Saskatchewan, the first whispers of a new breed of soldier—genetically enhanced, surgically precise—began to emerge. These were the earliest forays into what would eventually become the GAHAS: Genetically Augmented Human Advanced Soldiers.

As the world edged closer to collapse through climate calamities and digital warfare, Canada turned inward, reassessing its defense strategy. It was an age of the Smart Soldier. Doctrine shifted toward decentralization, a decision born not from hubris but necessity. Command structures were flattened. Autonomous regional bases dotted the map like lighthouses in a storm. Tiny, deadly, and nimble, these installations became the backbone of the new Canadian military—watched over by drones, supplied by AI-assisted logistics, and increasingly manned by soldiers with subtle augmentations: retinal implants, reflex boosters, and gene-edited stamina.

The first deployment of GAHAS units was in the highlands of northern British Columbia, a campaign against eco-anarchist enclaves who sought to fracture what little order remained. Their success was quiet, clinical, and complete. A message was sent, not with a roar but a whisper.

In time, Canada would rebrand itself once more—not as a global power, nor a junior partner, but as a buffer state of reason, diplomacy, and resilience. The old command structure was reshaped into three great bastions: Edmonton in the west, Winnipeg in the center, and Halifax in the east. It was from these hubs that the Strathcan Military Compact was born—a brotherhood of commands charged with maintaining civil order amid a storm of rising instability. They trained for the new threats: insurgents wielding mysticism, rogue AI enclaves, and the subtle psychic warfare that had begun to surface in whispered rumors.

Then came the Hodgepocalypse. It arrived not as one singular event but as a cavalcade of horrors—dimensional rifts yawning open in cornfields, undead legions marching through oil sands, the very laws of reality unraveling like old yarn. Within seventy-two hours, the federal command had vanished into static. It was Edmonton that endured. From its battered but resolute heart, Protocol Mooseguard was enacted—a last-ditch effort to retreat into the spine of the Rockies, to hold the line.

It was from this chaos that Fortress Edmonton rose. The last true bastion of coordinated resistance, it activated every remaining GAHAS unit, deployed every drone with functioning optics, and re-established contact through ancient uplinks and jury-rigged satellites. In its shadow, the Strathcona Mounted Police emerged, not as a resurrection of the old RCMP but as something entirely new: a rolling engine of government, military, and emergency response, crawling across the post-apocalyptic Canadian landscape in search of order.

The western redoubt—stretching from the burned edges of British Columbia through the shattered plains of Alberta and into the rewilded farmlands of Saskatchewan—was secured in blood and steel. Calgary, drowned and reborn, was rechristened Prairie Oasis: a city of canals, geothermal reactors, and floating markets. Edmonton, ever strange, transformed into Ed-Town, a haven of psychic broadcasting and surreal governance under its dragon-king and the mystic signals of WyrmNet.

Why were these cities spared direct annexation by the Strathcan forces? The answer lies not in weakness, but strength of a different sort. Ed-Town, saturated with psychic feedback and warped by its myths, became too volatile to control—but too valuable to ignore. Jargon’s rule, erratic though it may be, created a strange sort of order that the military chose to partner with, rather than topple. Prairie Oasis, for its part, had evolved into a cyber-mercantile juggernaut, one foot in trade and the other in techno-faith. It was easier to treat it as an ally than an enemy.

Strathcan shifted from conqueror to coordinator. Outposts like the Garrison of Gore, Fort Vermin, and Coal Creek Watchpost became self-sufficient bastions, producing food, screening for psychic threats, and keeping a wary eye on the occult. The doctrine became clear: defend, sustain, and seed. Former soldiers became trainers and tacticians in allied towns. Trade in knowledge became the new currency. Where Strathcan could not dominate, it would inspire.

Today, the Strathcan Militarized Zone stretches like a spine across the continent. Its rule is firm but adaptable, enforced not only through iron but also through conviction and precedent. It is a memory of the old world and a scaffold for the new. And it stands, still, because it remembers why it was built—not to rule, but to hold the line against the dark.

And so they hold.

Strathcan Militia Field Doctrine Manual

Post-Collapse Tactical Framework
Document Code: SMP-BGL-001-HODGE
Issued by Authority of the Strathcan Military Compact Command (SMCC)
For Internal Distribution Only — Clearance Level A3 or Higher

1. Mission Directive

In the aftermath of national collapse, the Strathcan Militia is hereby tasked with sustaining regional security operations under autonomous command. Our doctrine ensures:

• Preservation of territorial integrity across the Northern Shield.
• Protection and transmission of critical pre-Collapse knowledge.
• Active engagement and containment of anomalous, arcane, and psionic threats.
• Restoration of public confidence through consistent military professionalism.

2. Operational Context and Assumptions

• Federal command and unified national logistics are presumed inoperative.
• Regional command structures operate under the Strathcan Military Compact (SMC).
• Conventional military operations now intersect with arcane, ecological, and memetic threats.
• Traditional supply lines are unreliable; units must sustain operations through salvage, repurposing, and local asset acquisition.
• Magical and psychic threats constitute high-frequency engagement scenarios and must be integrated into all tactical considerations.

3. Core Operational Principles

A. Mobility as Force Projection

• Static positions are discouraged unless tactically essential (e.g., settlement defense).
• Standard transportation platforms: light strike vehicles, hoverbikes, retrofitted all-terrain transports.
• Mobile Reaction Forces (MRFs) are prioritized over heavy mechanized deployments.

B. Precision Sniper Doctrine

• All fire teams incorporate certified sharpshooters.
• High-value target disruption (e.g., aberrant casters, enemy command elements) is the primary objective.
• Motto: “One round, one result.”

C. Improvised Warfare & Combat Engineering

• All personnel trained in adaptive combat engineering, including IED rigging, improvised defenses, and emergency repairs.
• Non-conventional weapons (e.g., retooled agricultural implements) are standard issue in Zone Red deployments.
• Each squad must include a minimum of one Combat Engineer (CE) or field-rated Technician.

D. Psychic and Anomalous Defense Protocols

• All leadership candidates undergo mandatory mindscreening at NCO selection stage.
• Routine field assessments for possession, delusion, and aberrant infection.
• Protocol SPECTRE enforced: “Isolate, confirm, incinerate.”

E. Conduct, Bearing, and Civilian Interface

• Uniformity of conduct is non-negotiable. Military decorum is a weapon against collapse.
• Uniforms, code words, saluting protocols, and regimented call signs enforced across all branches.
• SMP must present as defenders, not despots. All personnel act as visible symbols of lawful order.

4. Organizational Components

• Strathcan Military Command (SMC): Central coordination cell, operating from reconditioned pre-Collapse infrastructure.
• Mounted Police Divisions: Enforce military law, maintain checkpoints, and defend psionic sanctums.
• GAHAS Training Corps: Lead combat readiness and bioengineered unit support operations.
• Psychic Sanitation Teams (PSTs): Deploy to zones of high Id Eater resonance for cleansing operations and memetic countermeasures.

Strathcan Militia Rank Structure

“Uniforms may fray, but the order holds.” – SMP Doctrine Primer

Command Tier

These are your decision-makers, planners, and rallying points. Most live in bunkers or command APCs, not barracks.

Rank	Title	Call Sign Tradition	Role
Marshal	Supreme Commander of a theater (rare)	“High [Name]”	Only a handful exist; they coordinate entire regions. Answer only to the Confederated Council (if it still exists).
Brigadier	Base or city garrison commander	“The [Nickname]” (e.g. The Princess, The Shield)	Leads a whole base or critical operation. Often a legend.
Major	Strategic overseer or logistics czar	“Quartermaster [Name]” or “Hammer [Name]”	Oversees supply chains, inter-base protocols, and specialist deployments.
Captain	Officer-in-command for units or zones	“Boss [Name]”	Typically runs recon squads, rapid-response groups, or forward operating camps.

Operations Tier

The real grinders. Veterans, specialists, and field leaders.

Rank	Title	Call Sign Tradition	Role
Lieutenant	Field Officer / Tactical Coordinator	“Postmaster,” “Euclidia,” “Overwatch”	Leads fireteams, commands drills, runs squads, and coordinates missions.
Warrant Officer	Technical & combat expert	“Doc,” “Grinder,” “Fixit”	Specialist in demolitions, medicine, vehicles, or GAHAS systems. Equivalent to a hybrid of NCO and subject expert.
Sergeant	Squad leader / discipline enforcer	“Line Dancer,” “Time Zone,” “Prairie Oyster”	Manages units of 5–10 troopers. Often has personal nicknames used more than rank.
Corporal	Assistant squad leader/apprentice instructor	“Tag,” “Grub,” “Keen”	Trains rookies, handles grunt logistics, or pilots light recon. Promoted after first field survival op.

Enlisted Tier

The backbone. They're the militia that became the machine.

Rank	Title	Notes
Private First Class	Senior soldier	Often develops a reputation or gets a semi-official nickname. Eligible for special training.
Private	General infantry	Performs patrols, guard duty, and grunt labor. Gets assigned training rotations.
Cadet / Recruit	Greenhorn	In training or undergoing psychic clearance. Often lacks uniform or proper equipment.

Special Status Tags

Additional titles and identifiers layered over the rank:

• Psychically Cleared – Has undergone mental screening. Required for internal security.
• Tinker-Class – Recognized as a qualified engineer or fabricator.
• Scout-Marked – Trained in long-range recon or wilderness survival.
• Black Patch – Denotes personnel exposed to aberrant contamination (may require periodic scans).
• G.A.H.A.S. Designation – Augmented operatives are marked by generation: Gen 1–4 (or “Wild Batches” for failed experiments).

Nicknames & Codenames

A cultural feature as much as a functional tool. Every SMP member acquires a call sign once they’ve seen real action. It is:

• Used in the field to maintain morale and identity.
• Often tied to their personality, role, or first successful op.
• May override real names entirely.

Typical Unit Breakdown

Unit Type	Composition	Command Rank
Fireteam	4–6	Sergeant or Corporal
Squad	10–12	Lieutenant
Platoon	30–40	Captain
Garrison	50–150	Brigadier

Tiered Recruitment Streams of the Strathcan Militia

The Strathcan Militia is always in need of personnel—but not just anyone will do. Loyalty, discipline, and mental resilience are prized above raw strength or skill. To maintain order in a fractured world, the Militia sorts its recruits early, drawing from every corner of the wasteland and forging them through rigorous training, harsh trials, and psychic conditioning.

1.     Tag Kids – “The Batch-Born”

The Militia has a policy: no child left to rot. Orphans, war waifs, and children found in cursed zones or among wandering caravans are “tagged” and brought to Garrison Academies—hardened boarding schools hidden behind fortified walls. There, names are replaced with designations like Batch Theta or monikers such as Little Howlers.

Raised from youth to survive the wastes, wield firearms, and resist psychic intrusion, these children grow up inside the system. Some ascend the ranks with grim determination, driven by trauma and a craving for purpose. Others become legends—cult heroes among the troops. But there’s always a tension beneath the surface. Indoctrinated, yet indebted. Loyal, yet haunted. Some desert. Some burn out. Others become zealots.

Character Origin Note: Use the Army Brat background to reflect this path.

2.     Contract Recruits – “The Willing Blades”

Not everyone is raised under the Militia’s eye. Adventurers, ex-mercenaries, or capable defenders of isolated towns may sign a Field Compact—a temporary agreement allowing them to operate as Contract Auxiliaries alongside Militia forces.

It’s a chance to prove themselves… or hang themselves. If successful, they may be offered full ranks and permanent positions. If not, they’re dismissed—sometimes with a handshake, sometimes with a memory wipe, and sometimes with a shallow grave.

3.     Civic Levies – “The Quota-Bound”

Villages under Militia protection are expected to contribute. Under the ancient Frankpledge Doctrine, each settlement must send a yearly quota of able-bodied trainees. For many, this is national service. For others, it's a death sentence.

Few rise to prominence, but it’s the most accessible path for ordinary civilians who want to make a difference—or escape their past.

Character Origin Note: This background fits any "reluctant conscript" or "volunteer patriot" archetype.

4.     Salvaged Operatives – “The Tainted Redeemed”

Not all threats are destroyed. Some are repurposed.

Psychics, mutants, undead, and those warped by the Wastes are sometimes spared execution—salvaged for special operations. With the help of rite-sealing rituals, psychic dampeners, and heavy pharmaceutical cocktails, they are pressed into service as containment troopers, shock units, or trackers.

These individuals are closely monitored and visibly marked. Most wear Black Patches or carry glowing psychic tags, signaling their conditionally safe status to others. The unspoken rule: trust, but verify—and never turn your back.

Mind-Resilience Drills (Psionic Conditioning)

Every recruit, no matter their origin, must pass through the crucible of Mindwall Training—a series of mental resilience trials designed to detect cracks before they can become liabilities. These include:

• Exposure to high-intensity psychic illusions
• Induced nightmare scenarios
• Team-based hallucination simulations

Survival of the body is not enough. Only those who can preserve identity, memory, and command presence under psychic assault are promoted beyond Private.

Those destined for leadership—NCOs and officers—must undergo Possession Lockdown Tests, combining chemical resistance trials and sacred rites to ensure they cannot be puppeted by hostile forces.

Strathcan Militia – Species Composition

While the Strathcan will accept any recruits who can pass the training, there are a few who are particularly noteworthy:

Beaverfolk

They are the militia’s bedrock—literally and figuratively. These stout, small-statured rodent-folk excel in defensive warfare, engineering, and demolition. Hailing from fortified waterside lodges carved into canyons and wetlands, they build with instinct, reinforce with precision, and defend with a stubbornness that borders on mythic. Their love of traps, bunkers, and "sweet rides" makes them a natural fit for Strathcan outposts where lines need to be held and infrastructure must survive the unthinkable.

Dwarves

Dwarves thrive within the Strathcan Militia thanks to their natural discipline, mechanical aptitude, and deep-seated respect for structure and efficiency. Their problem-solving mindset and methodical work ethic make them indispensable in engineering corps, logistics hubs, and artillery detachments. Whether maintaining armored vehicles, fine-tuning field fortifications, or operating heavy gun emplacements, dwarves provide the technical backbone that keeps the militia’s war machine functional and formidable in the chaos of the post-Hodgepocalypse world.

Garter Folk

Garter Folk may seem like unlikely soldiers—sensual, overly friendly, and prone to crowding personal space—but their agility, awareness, and communal instincts make them ideal scouts, saboteurs, and infiltration specialists in the Strathcan Militia. These brightly adorned, snake-like beings thrive in tunnels, ruins, and tight terrain, often serving as “tunnel snakes” who slither behind enemy lines to gather intel or plant explosives. Though their social quirks can unnerve mammalian comrades, their honesty, coordination, and unwavering enthusiasm earn them respect on the battlefield. Whether cracking psionic locks or setting clever traps, a Garterfolk in the field is a wriggling force of nature—and usually the first to tell you exactly how extraordinary their mission was.

Gnomes

Gnomes are the Strathcan Militia’s wildcard intellects—curious, quick-thinking, and indispensable in roles that demand innovation under pressure. Whether coordinating drone strikes, decoding psi-signals, or jury-rigging field upgrades mid-combat, gnomes bring a blend of creativity and precision that keeps the militia ahead of its enemies. Their adaptability makes them ideal comms officers, recon techs, and field artificers, seamlessly filling specialist positions that require both brainpower and bravado in equal measure.

Haraak

Haraak serve as the muscle and grit of the Strathcan Militia—formidable, challenge-driven warriors whose cultural reverence for strength and discipline fits seamlessly into the demands of military life. Their matrilineal society values earned rank through physical trial, making them natural shock troops, vehicle crews, and riot enforcers. Bastion-Class G.A.H.A.S. Haraak, in particular, exemplify the ideal super-soldier: resilient, relentless, and loyal. Whether storming fortifications or anchoring convoys, Haraak are the hard edge of Strathcan's might.

Humans

Humans form the backbone of the Strathcan Militia, leveraging their adaptability, sheer numbers, and deep institutional memory from the pre-Hodgepocalypse era. Often found in command roles, logistics, and front-line infantry, they embody the old-guard traditions and evolving tactics of post-collapse warfare. Their presence ensures continuity, discipline, and structure within the militia, making them the most represented species across officer ranks, veteran units, and technical support divisions.

Little Bear

Little Bears are polite, primal, and fiercely loyal—small bear-like folk who’ve become beloved oddballs within the Strathcan Militia. Though their origins are mysterious, their value is clear: they serve as scouts, medics, supply runners, and morale boosters, often operating in tight-knit “honey hive” teams. Equal parts cuddly and combat-capable, they can gut a mutant with their claws and then throw a surprise jam-and-mead party afterward. Their quirky habits—fur dyeing, sweet trading, and confusing Bear Speak—hide a deep dedication to their squad, whom they treat as family. In a world scarred by the Hodgepocalypse, Little Bears remind even the hardest soldiers that warmth, humor, and stubborn kindness still matter.

Mechanical Life Forms (MLF)

Mechanical Life Forms (MLFs) serve as the Strathcan Militia’s most tireless and unflinching assets—machines forged for war and duty without hesitation. Immune to mutation and emotion, they excel in hazardous zones, long-duration deployments, and precision support roles. Often treated more like equipment than personnel, MLFs are deployed as forward sensors, vehicle AI cores, or remote-controlled firebases, sometimes even in unofficial suicide missions. Their loyalty is unquestioned, their performance consistent, and their presence a chilling reminder that Strathcan’s war never truly sleeps.

Ungo

Ungo join the Strathcan Militia out of a deep sense of duty, often seeking to protect their communities, uphold ancient bonds with humanity, or find purpose in a fractured world. Their immense strength and quiet resolve make them ideal for shock deployments, wilderness patrols, and siege operations. Often serving as rangers, breachers, or silent sentinels on remote fronts, Ungo are valued for their endurance, cold resistance, and ability to strike with overwhelming force. Though they speak little, their loyalty runs deep—once bonded to a squad, an Ungo becomes its unshakable guardian. Their presence inspires allies, unnerves enemies, and stands as a living reminder that some legends walk among us for a reason.