High Guard
The High Guard is a fictional military organization in the TV series Andromeda.
History
Its origins can be traced back to a legendary Vedran male warrior, General Huascar Nax Yoweri, whose campaign of conquest across the three Galaxies produced the Vedran Empire. The general's personal guard, lieutenants and other retainers and assistants formed the nucleus of the High Guard, which quickly grew to be the Empire's official military force.
Initially open to only male and female Vedran members, the High Guard admitted recruits from other races when enlistment began to decrease. This move was seen as the first step towards the Vedran Empire becoming the Systems Commonwealth.
Organization
The High Guard is divided into two branches: the Argosy (navy) and Lancer Corps (space marines). It operates a massive space fleet, consisting of every type of starship known to military science: deep standoff attack ships, frigates, destroyers, science vessels, couriers, corvettes, Lancer Corps troop transports, and so on.
Complementing the High Guard is the Home Guard, a type of National Guard planetary defense force. Each Systems Commonwealth member world has its own contingent of Home Guard personnel.
Restored High Guard
After the Nietzschean rebellion which laid waste to the Commonwealth, Captain Dylan Hunt attempted to rebuild his government, and a new High Guard was formed. Initially composed of standing navies and marines from the restored Systems Commonwealth's member worlds, the new High Guard is gradually inching its way up to the level of the old, though it is expected to take decades (if not centuries) to reach such levels.
Ships
- Glorious Heritage Class Heavy Cruiser
- Triumvirate Heavy Cruiser
- Deep Stand-Off Attack Ship (DSA) I Righteous Fist of Heaven Class
- Deep Stand-Off Attack Ship (DSA) II Wrath of Achilles Class
- Group Defense Frigate (GDF) Pride of Kaldera Class
- Atmospheric Attack Carrier (AAC) Siege Perilous Class
- Long Range Surveillance Ship (LRS) Eternal Vigilance Class
- Drop Ship Carrier (DSC) Victory's Crucible Class
- High Endurance Research Cruiser (HRC) To Seek, To Find Class
- Low Observable Scout (LOS) Major Tom Class
- Supply and Maintenance Ship (SAM) Fingers of Dawn Class
- Interplanetary Mine Hunter (IMH) Seven Pillars Class
- Low Observable Special Warfare Ship (LSW) Asceticism of Action Class
- Light Patrol Craft (LPC)
- Heavy Patrol Craft (HPC)
- Systems Courier Ship (SCU) Alactritous Missive Class
Ranks
The rank structure of the Argosy is modelled on the United States Navy:
Officers
- O1-Ensign
- O2-Lieutenant Junior Grade
- O3-Lieutenant
- O4-Lieutenant Commander
- O5-Commander
- O6-Captain
- O7-Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
- O8-Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
- O9-Vice Admiral
- O10-Admiral
- O11-Fleet Admiral
Enlisted
- E1-Spacer
- E2-Spacer First Class
- E3-Senior Spacer
- E4-Master Spacer
- E5-Petty Officer
- E6-Chief Petty Officer (CPO)
- E7-Senior CPO
- E8-Master CPO
- E9-Argosy CPO
The Lancer Corps ranks are based on the United States Marine Corps (but with some differences to avoid confusion with similarly named Argosy ranks):
Officers
- O1-Second Signifer
- O2-First Signifer
- O3-Brevet Major
- O4-Major
- O5-Lieutenant Colonel
- O6-Colonel
- O7-Brigadier General
- O8-Major General
- O9-Lieutenant General
- O10–General
Enlisted
- E1-Lancer
- E2-Lancer First Class
- E3-Sergeant
- E4-Staff Sergeant
- E5-Gunnery Sergeant
- E6-Master Sergeant
- E7-First Sergeant
- E8-Sergeant Major
- E9-Sergeant Major of the Lancers