Arshan Military Uniform

Written by Sierra Brown.
Artwork by Sierra Brown and NovaCandy.

The standard-issue uniforms of the Arshanov Federation's military.

The uniforms of the Arshanov Federation's military follow the same functional and simple design philosophy of the Arshan style. There are multiple uniforms provided by the military, with allowances in specific situations for personnel to wear job or task-specific clothing, such as medical scrubs for medical personnel performing sterile operations.

Markings

While each Arshan uniform has some differences in appearance and intended function, they also have common markings and usage of specific colors. Some uniforms, for example, have a colored trim representing the wearer’s branch and an accented shoulder representing the wearer’s command rank tier. The uniforms can also have name, unit, and branch patches; Rank stripes on the sleeves; and rank and command tier insignia on the color. The Combat Duty Uniform is the main exception to the presence of markings and insignia – This uniform is meant to make it as difficult to identify ‘key targets’ for hostile forces as possible.

Branch Trim

Present on all uniforms except the Combat Duty Uniform, the branch trim exists to easily differentiate between members of different branches while in uniform. This trim is typically ¾ inch and follows the seams and/or hem of the uniform, but this can vary between uniform regulations.

A black trim, or lack of trim, indicates a uniform that is worn by an unaffiliated or non-military person. Typically, this is only seen with government officials, political figures, or civilians attending formal government-sponsored events. In such cases, these persons are usually wearing the Service Dress Uniform.

The current list of branches and their respective trim colors is to the right:

Black

No branch/affiliation

Blue

Ekho Intelligence Forces

Red

Fokstrot Ground Forces

Orange

Delta Naval Forces

Green

Tango Aerostar Forces

Yellow

Zulusskiy Defence Forces

Purple

Kilo Logistics Forces

White

Alfa Elite Forces

Command Tier/Shoulder Accent

The shoulder accent is present on all uniforms except the Combat Duty Uniform. This exists as an area of color on the uniform's right shoulder which designates a command tier and exists to easily identify the leadership present in a specific location. The accent is intended to cover the area from the upper chest, upper back, and upper shoulder, to be easily identifiable from all directions. Shown below, from left to right, are the colors used for tiers 0 through 6, respectively:

Arshanov Federation Command Tier Colors by Sierra Brown

Unit & Branch Patches

Fokstrot Ground Forces Patch by Sierra Brown

All uniforms include branch patches on the right shoulder and unit patches on the left shoulder. These circular patches are approximately 7 cm in diameter with a small colored trim matching the branch color on the uniforms. The branch patches consist of the Arshan emblem set in a dark gray-black field, with the only distinction between branches being the trim color. Unit patches consist of a unit, ship, fleet, district, etc. emblem - Whichever is most relevant to the wearer's assigned duties - and, where applicable, a unit number stitched over the emblem in white-gray. 1 cm below these patches are gray rectangular 'name' patches of a width equal to the circular patch that contains the unit, ship, fleet, district, etc. name and, if applicable, the unit number.

On the combat duty uniform, color patches are replaced with black or grayscale outline variants to reduce visibility while keeping the unit designations visible.

Rank Stripes & Insignia

Main article: Arshan Military Ranks

With the exception of combat duty uniforms, which are intended to make it more difficult for enemies to identify high-value targets, all Arshan uniforms include rank markings. These generally take the form of horizontal 'seniority stripes' on both shoulders and 'command insignia' on the collar. The seniority stripes are situated 2 cm below the unit and branch patches and are 1 cm in width. The stripes extend 9 cm in length. On the Utility Duty Uniform, the stripes wrap around the entire arm to make them visible from the front and back. Command insignia take the form of individual 'pips' pinned to the left collar in a row on the general duty uniforms, and a series of vertical bars on the service dress uniforms. Utility uniforms have no collar insignia.

Arshan Rank Insignia - Admiral

Formal Arshan Rank Insignia - Admiral

Shown to the right is a to-scale example of the patch and stripes layout on a uniform sleeve. Note that the patches are centered on the trim for the service dress uniform, or the seam for the general duty uniform which lacks trim along the sleeve. The positioning and spacing of the patches and stripes is the same on both sleeves for the service dress, general duty, and utility uniforms with one exception - The rank stripes wrap all the way around the sleeves on the utility duty uniform.

Arshan Service Dress Coat Left Sleeve Reference by Sierra Brown

Accessories

Hats & Covers

While the Arshan military does not have specific requirements to wear or not wear hats and covers with the military uniforms, such accessories are allowed. Typically, these are in the form of berets that represent membership with a specific division, unit, branch, fleet, or other military sub-organization within the Federation. Specific Arshan regulation states that "While uniform covers are universally optional, a personnel's superior commander may declare specific covers mandatory or banned with certain uniforms." As a common example, a squad commander may decide to require his squad to wear their unit's berets with their service dress uniforms.

Uniforms

The Arshanov Federation fields various uniforms intended for specific uses or functions. The four most common of these uniforms are the Service Dress (SDU), General Duty (GDU), Utility Duty (UDU), and Combat Duty (CDU) uniforms. Generally, all personnel are issued a Service Dress and General Duty uniform, with other uniform variants also being issues if that person’s duties require them.

Service Dress Uniform SDU

Main article: Arshan Service Dress Uniform

The Service Dress Uniform is the formal wear uniform provided to all UASF personnel, both military and non-military, and is only permitted for use during specific occasions or events including drill, inspections, funerals, award and promotion ceremonies, and formal functions. The Service Dress uniform is also typically worn by UASF ambassadors, government officials, and their escorts while performing their duties. The uniform consists of a service dress coat, an undershirt (Typically a t-shirt or tank top), a pair of slacks, and a pair of undecorated, polished black leather shoes. The uniform is typically referred to, unofficially, as the 'Formals'.

General Duty Uniform GDU

Main article: Arshan General Duty Uniform

The General Duty Uniform serves as the 'default' uniform worn by all personnel not operating in a battlefield, combat, or utility role, or not otherwise granted an allowance to wear other clothing due to their duties. The uniform has similar components to the Service Dress Uniform, with the only changes being in the jacket and insignia worn. Common nicknames for the uniform include 'Blacks'.

Utility Duty Uniform UDU

Main article: Arshan Utility Duty Uniform

Worn by engineers, custodians, and other similar workers, the Utility Duty Uniform is designed for utility and safety when working with heavy machinery and is generally very easy to clean. The uniform is intended to have no metal and no loose hanging parts for added safety. Typically, the Utility Dress Uniform is called the 'Yutes'.

Combat Duty Uniform CDU

Main article: Arshan Combat Duty Uniform

While technically not a single uniform, the term Combat Duty Uniform is applied to all variations of active combat wear fielded by the Federation. The exact equipment worn varies widely depending on climate, role, and any special requirements in a combat zone. Combat uniforms are typically solid colors combined with a camouflage pattern utilizing thin stripes of varying colors and shades. Combat assignments that are not concerned with camouflage use a solid neutral gray color with no camouflage pattern. The Combat Duty Uniform is commonly referred to as 'Camos' or 'Cammies'.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

1. Markings
   1. Branch Trim
   2. Command Tier/Shoulder Accent
   3. Unit & Branch Patches
   4. Rank Stripes & Insignia
2. Accessories
   1. Hats & Covers
3. Uniforms
   1. Service Dress Uniform
   2. General Duty Uniform
   3. Utility Duty Uniform
   4. Combat Duty Uniform

Item type

Clothing / Accessory

Used by

• Arshan Combat Duty Uniform
• Arshan General Duty Uniform
• Arshan Service Dress Uniform

Owning Organization

United Arshanov Socialist Federation

Rarity

Standard issue

Related Articles

Military Ranks - Command Tier System