The Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) is the military alliance of all United Colonial Nations colonies.
Overview
The ISA primarily serves as a planetary defense force for UCN colonies, as the United Colonial Army, while powerful, cannot be everywhere at once. Their primary purpose is to provide security for the colonies and serve as the first line of defense in case of an invasion, to hold the line until UCN Army can arrive. However, to keep any colonies from being able to rebel against the UCN, the ISA branches are intentionally kept weaker than the UCN Army and in a direct confrontation, would likely lose.
History
As new interplanetary colonies grew, the UCN discovered the lack of effective long-range communication caused gaps in the ability for the United Colonial Army to provide efficient defense throughout their vast colonized star systems. To rectify this problem, in 2133, the UCN organized the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance, a military entity that allowed individual colonies the ability to integrate defensive capabilities to their specific requirements as well as enjoy full partnership in a unified defensive alliance of multiple colonies.[1]
Colonial administrations provide funding and manpower whilst the UCN provides the training, equipment, and full political support for all of the interplanetary colonial administrations.[1] The ISA acts as the main policing and defensive body for the citizens, and the main revenue gathering party for the local government.[1] Each ISA command is directly subordinate to local colonial governmental authority, which in turn is subordinate to the UCN interplanetary authority.[1]
Since each ISA Command is an independent unit of each colony, it is not directly linked to the military command of the UCN.[1] As a result, the ISA Command's budget and strength are determined by the funds each local colonial administration provides.[1] In 2133, ISA Altair and ISA Alpha Centauri were the first ISA Commands established.[1]
Organisation
The ISA Navy is the main branch of the ISA, responsible for the defense of Earth Colonies and suppressing any rebellion.
ISA Marines
The ISA Marine Corps is the ground component of the ISA Navy and the main military force of the ISA.
ISA Vekta Shipbuilding Division
ISA Vekta Shipbuilding Division is the branch of the ISA who specializes in the production of the ISA's ships.
ISA Army
Prior to the Second Extrasolar War, the ISA had started to conduct an audit to learn which regiments were most in need of new forces. The ISA forces on Vekta were dominated by the ISA regulars, with the other regiments making up the remainder of the services.
Rapid Reaction Force (RRF)
With skillful and tactical usage of firepower, the RRF is an regiment composed of ISA Regulars and Support Gunners designed to defend the planet of Vekta, serving as its first line of defense against aggressors. Being overall good soldiers, RRF soldiers are particularly skilled when it comes to leadership.[2]
ISA Regulars
ISA Regulars are the basic foot soldiers of the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance. They primarily function as the ground defense forces of the ISA and are assigned as an Army to whichever Colony or planet they inhabit.
ISA Heavy Support Gunners
ISA Support Gunners are the human tanks of the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance and make use of heavy weaponry to defeat the enemy. Being well-armored, Support Gunners with their heavy weapons are a must have for any ISA squads.[2]
ISA Special Forces
The ISA Special Forces consist of two separate divisions in the ISA Army: the Shadow Marshals, who are responsible for assassination and sabotage type duties, and the Covert Field Operatives, who are charged with gathering intelligence and information.
Shadow Marshals
An elite unit of special operatives, relying on cover, athleticism, covert weaponry or their bare hands. The Shadow Marshals are more mobile than the other forces in the ISA, being able to quickly vault through vents, climb ropes and ladders, all while creating minimum disturbance.[2]
Field Operatives
Field Operatives are undercover agents, relying on diplomacy and nerve to get their mission completed. While they receive standard training, they also must maintain a high physical fitness to allow them to vault or climb while in the field. One division of special Field Operatives consists solely of Human/Helghast half-breeds, as a means to bypass Helghast sensors, mines, and sentry bots.[2]
Technology
Since ISA forces vary by the colonies they protect, the quality of technology within them differs. ISA Alpha Centauri for example was heavily relied on static planetary defense systems and localized security. During the start of the Second Extrasolar War, the Helghast overwhelmed the colony of Vekta as a result.
However, as the war progressed and more aid came from the UCN, ISA Alpha Centauri became a more powerful force. Powerful cruisers, such as the Gray Deceiver, indicated a radical swing toward offensive might.
Battles
- First Extrasolar War
- Arcturus insurrection
- First Vektan War
- Beta Hydri campaign
- Procyon campaign
- Delta Pavonis unrest
- Omicron Eridani dispute
- Sorin dispute
- Second Extrasolar War
Branches
- ISA Alpha Centauri is located on planet Vekta in the Alpha Centauri system. They are noted for their ongoing feud with the Helghast, as well as the fact that they have ignored the UCN's direct orders on several occasions without repercussions.
- ISA Altair is located on planet Gyre in the Altair System. Not much is known about them, but it is possible that in 2390 the local ISA was called in to deal with the riots of the Helghast Workers Union Party. Given that the party later replaced the Vektan-backed government, it is unclear what will happen to them or if the new government will last at all.
Gallery
Propaganda posters
Trivia
- The ISA are based on NATO and their soldiers are styled after the Allied forces of World War II.[3]
- In Killzone 2 multiplayer, when playing as an ISA soldier, the HUD is displayed in a light-blue color unlike the campaign.
- The ISA logo is similar to a commonly-used symbol in other games. It most likely represents the relationship between Earth and the colonies, as it resembles to the Moon revolving around the Earth.
- The ISA logo looks highly similar to the logo of the Posten Norge, the Norwegian postal service.
- The ISA logo looks incredibly similar to the logo of the 91st Reconnaissance Corps from the Star Wars franchise, albeit flipped on its side.
- The system of using the UCN Army as the better trained and equipped central army and ISA as a localized defense force is similar to the military system of the Byzantine Empire during the early middle ages, which divided its territory into military-administrative districts called themes to provide defense, while better trained and equipped troops called tagmata, centralized in Constantinople, would serve as the stronger force sent in where needed.