Cyclopedia of Austrasia

=Austrasia= A republic in Artemia. Formally referred to as the Austrasian Riche.

Sortition
Decision making by councils of citizens selected by lot is the primary organizing principle of the Austrasian Riche.

Altermann
In the context of councils chosen by sortition, a member who has served in such capacity previously. Aldermen are essential to the smooth functioning of such bodies.

Freiland
The great majority of land in Austrasia is formally the property of the state and is leased to private individuals and corporations. The revenue from these leases forms a major component of state revenue.

=Kreis= Circle, common name for corporatist bodies in Austrasia which bring together representatives from the state, private enterprise and labour. Kreis are an essential part of economic and business planning in Austrasia because while they lack overt regulatory authority agreements made in Kreis are traditionally interpreted by courts as binding on the parties involved. Reflecting their industrial roots kreis are typically organized according to specific products (e.g. Eisenkreis, responsible for the management of the iron and steel industry) though through subsequent evolution kreis organized for more abstract purposes have appeared (e.g. Ausfuhrkreis, the export circle, which co-ordinates between the state and industry and across sectors to promote Austrasian exports).

Kreis have a special place in Austrasian law. The creation of Kreis predates the current Austrasian state and the bulk of the law relating to their creation and activity is customary. Individuals are not directly represented in a Kreis except as sole proprietors. A completely new Kreis can only be created through a Senate decree conferring the articles of incorporation, existing Kreis are permitted to fission or fusion with a vote of the members subject to state ratification, which is generally obtained; most existing Kreis were formed this way. There is no limit to the number of Kreis an organization may be involved in.

=Reichswehr= The Armed forces of Austrasia. It is composed of the Reichsheer, Luftwehr and Reichsflotilla with responsibility for military forces on land, air/space and sea respectively.

The War Against Teutonland
The basic assumptions about modern combat against Teutonland which are taught to officers Austrasian Reichsheer are:
 * 1) At the tactical level defence is stronger than offence.
 * 2) Success in offence rests on surprise and superior concentration of firepower and numbers.
 * 3) Speed of operational movement is the key to achieving surprise and superior concentration.

From these axioms, it is concluded that if an army achieves superiority in operational movement, it can deny an opponent the opportunity to achieve a superior concentration or surprise. By denying the opponent the possibility of superiority or surprise, the possibility of a successful attack is closed to them. Against a superior opponent, an inferior force can move swiftly, seize the vital ground and dig in to receive the attack. Denied the prerequisites of a successful offence, the opponent's attack will impale itself on the defences, dissipating their strength without gain. Its strength dissipated locally the superior force will trade places with the inferior, and the formerly inferior force will transition to the offence to achieve a decision. Through repeated iterations of this formula, a force with superior numbers and firepower can be progressively broken down and eliminated piecemeal in time.

To these ends the training exercises of the Reichsheer emphasize:
 * March discipline, including the rapid transition to and from march columns.
 * Accurate and effective fire with all weapons.
 * Consistent and rapid construction of defensive positions.
 * Absolute observance of camouflage discipline.

OKL
The Oberste Kriegsleitung (Supreme War Command) is the general staff of the Reichswehr.

III Abteilung
The Third Department of the OKL, Austrasian military intelligence.

Legionen XIX
The 19th Legion is a special operations force under the Third Department trained and organized to infiltrate behind Teutonic lines during a war in the guise of Teutonic soldiers or civilians to support the battlefield operations of the Reichswehr.

707. Division
Human intelligence, open source intelligence, linguistics.

114. Division
Counter intelligence & political intelligence.

Hocsten Regiment
Counter intelligence against League of Free Nations espionage in Austrasia.

888. Division
Economic intelligence & counter-intelligence, foreign technology acquisition.

101. Division
Electronic intelligence, signals intelligence, cyber-intelligence.

Reichsheer
Austrasia's ground forces.

Legionen
Level of organization in the Reichsheer comparable to a corps or division composed of 3-4 maneuver brigades and supporting assets.

=Senate= The highest legislature in Austrasia. Composed of 40 men & women elected by the Volksding (People's Assembly) for life term.

Reichsdirektorum
The Riche Directory is the executive council of the Senate of Austrasia and by extension the Riche of Austrasia, composed of seven senators elected for six-year terms by the plenary of the senate.

=Volksding= The People's Assembly is a council of 500 Austrasian citizens selected by sortition annually for four-month terms. Functionally it serves as a lower house to the Senate.