another one for the military buffs

[springs]

In a large double star system wide army you are in charge of the division/section that is seeking a particular person who has gone to ground. You are responsible for both finding them and bringing them in and have resources under your command to do so.

What division would this fall under: intelligence? Security? State security? Something else?

Oh and does General sound a high enough rank for this remit? General with five colonels under him and with a direct reporting line to the Commander in chief?

[Jake Reynolds]

Hey Springs, I think it depends largely on what the person is wanted for. Treason, it would probably be a 'federal' (i.e. system-wide) force such as the FBI. Murder would be much more likely to be local. If the person was wanted for having dangerous information, it would much more likely be a smaller, clandestine group or operative, a la Serenity.

Most often, I would say that the commander of the pursuit group would likely be someone of much lower rank (sergeant, lieutenant, captain), but authorised by a general/ admiral etc to commandeer local law enforcement for support.

[springs]

I think looking at this its probably federal - so intelligence would be the division then? And a general heading the intelligence department sounds okay.... Cheers, Jake.

[reiver33]

Depends on how militarised your society is – from the brief you state this is an army problem, so no civilian agencies either exist or are involved?

The closest example of a quasi-civilian establishment I can offer would be the old USSR Militia – a paramilitary police force but with state prosecutors (investigators and detectives) in a parallel branch of service. If you want hard-core then go with the tried and trusted KGB model.

If your fugitive is being hunted by military intelligence then, again, it depends on whether there is any degree of civilian oversight and/or involvement. Purely military organisations tend to co-opt less formal (and thus deniable) resources for ‘squishy’ problems (i.e. one that isn’t simply point-and-shoot).

[Arkose]

Depends on the why the person is being sought after. If the guy is like Osama than you have everyone searching but the lead would be like the (CIA). If you character is just a common deserter, than it would be more like military police, state police maybe some FBI help.

The person leading the investigation depends also in the individual. The higher the importance of looking for individual is, the higher rank is in charge of it. A general though would very unlikely be on the ground searching, more of the man in charge. Most generals are too old, but you can technically have a younger general that is ambitious and wants to do it himself. I am guessing the person is very important to the story, so I would say that a Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel (US Airforce ranks) would be the "ground man."

[springs]

These things always have more to them than I anticipate! The person being sought is wanted by the coomander in chief, is technically a civilian, non criminal but central to the future continuation of the empire and must be taken alive - presumed dead for a long period and has re emerged and gone to ground - probably with the rebels. The general wouldn't be hands on in the field but would report to comm in chief.

[Arkose]

Ever think of having the Commander and Chief create a "task force." He tells the general what he wants, and the general selects individuals for the mission. The general can pick overzealous coronals, attack ships, ect. without the limitations a division might have. Slap the guy with a type of warrant so that if he is ran across he is kept in custody, and military/division operations won't be held up looking for one guy. I generally like "task forces," because it gives you leeway on what happens in the story.

[Jammill Khursheed]

From what it sounds like pretty much EVERY division would be looking for him, with the guy on point being some sort of crazy-loyal right hand man come super spy that the commander-in-chief trusted enough to do the mission and would report directly back to him...

If someone's that important you don't want some power-hungry general finding out about it and using his own loyal troops to do something with that knowledge or make a play for control on his own with it...


Jammill

[geordie bob]

If the fella wos that important i'de go for one highly specialised operative tracking him down, Its low key ,discreet and from personnal experiance ( 6 years army 2 years sniper) far more succesfull. Maybe have a large man hunt to distract the target from the real threat.

[reiver33]

I'd go with Geordie Bob

[geordie bob]

Also in these type of operations chain of command is very loose orders are usually given to majors in a very vague way and it is left up to the major/captain and operative to work out the finer details.

[Jammill Khursheed]

I'd mainly ago with what Geordie Bob says... Sounds like reason AND experience wrapped up in one as for how the system usually works...

But I'm assuming he was in OUR army, and not one run by a military dictatorship, and wouldn't have had the paranoid power-hungry emperor fearful of his own equally power-hungry generals and majors trying to wrest power for themselves...

Let's not forget, when the Libyan army turned against Gadaffi they weren't THAT much help because outside of his own family and tribal allies they were only left with small amounts of bullets/artillery/jet-fuel because he was always fearful that they would turn against him, or a general would lead coup, if they had enough ammunition to achieve anything...

So basically go with what he says in principal, but with a bit more intrigue and distrust amongst the ranks than you think you would actually need given the situation...


Jammill

[springs]

This was really helpful, guys, thanks, not least because it is the way I've taken it later - that in the end one specialist (general in this case - the prey is verrryyy important to the c-i-c) - takes on the responsibility for finding him and bringing him in. Interesting ref Libya, too, I'll have to think how that might impact on it all.... ty.