Otonik Ordnance is the primary arms manufacturer of the Divine Republic of Kresimiria. Based in the industrial city of Novi Otonik, it operates as a “State-Chartered Private Corporation,” a unique legal status that grants it operational independence while subjecting it to direct oversight by the Council for Defence.
The company holds an exclusive government monopoly on the production of small arms for the Kresimirian Army and non-lethal equipment for the Civil Order Force. It is best known for producing the Kres-55, the standard-issue service rifle of the Republic.
History
Foundation and Early Years
Otonik Ordnance was established in 1922, one year after the conclusion of the Kresimirian Unification War. The conflict had left the new Republic’s military with a disorganized arsenal of scavenged Vosti Imperial weaponry and foreign imports.
To standardize the military’s equipment, the government of Chancellor Kresimir Kresimirovic I and Councillor for War Dominik Loncar chartered the company in Novi Otonik to take advantage of the district’s vast iron reserves and skilled labor force. For its first three decades, the company focused on heavy artillery and refitting older Vosti designs.
The Kres-55 and Expansion
In the mid-1950s, as the conflict with the Bosken separatist group BRC-21 escalated into a high-intensity insurgency, the Council for Defence issued a requirement for a modern, rugged automatic rifle capable of functioning in the diverse terrains of Kresimiria.
Otonik Ordnance delivered the Kres-55 in 1955. The rifle proved exceptionally reliable and was immediately adopted. The massive state contracts required to arm every conscript in the Republic turned Otonik Ordnance into a financial juggernaut.
Post-Treaty
In the late 20th century, the company was been chaired by General Kaja Krasz. A former Chief State Councillor who served under Chancellor Kresimirovic II during the harshest crackdowns of the 1950s, Krasz transitioned to the private sector after the Treaty of Brod Moravice. Under his leadership, the company maintained its close, symbiotic relationship with the state security apparatus.
Modern Leadership
Since the 1990s, the company has been chaired by General Borna Kulas, another former Chief State Councillor who served under Chancellor Kresimirovic III during the more liberalising period of the 80s and 90s.
Operations and Products
Small Arms
The company’s flagship product remains the Kres-55. It is produced in several variants, including a carbine version for vehicle crews and a designated marksman version. Otonik also manufactures sidearms for officers and heavy machine guns for vehicle mounting.
Civil Control Equipment
Otonik Ordnance is the sole supplier of equipment for the Civil Order Force, the uniformed branch of the Council for Internal Affairs. This includes:
- “The Black Shell”: The heavy, intimidating riot armor worn by police during civil unrest.
- Tear Gas Canisters: Widely used to disperse crowds, most notably during the “Tear Gas Final” of the 1988 Holy Derby.
- Armored Transport: Modified chassis for urban patrol vehicles.
Corporate Relations
Ties to the State
Otonik Ordnance is inextricably linked to the Kresimirian government. While technically a private corporation, its board includes non-voting observers from the Council for Defence. This relationship ensures the company always receives state contracts, but it also prevents the company from exporting weapons without the direct permission of the Chancellory.
Rivalry with Maj Holdings
The company has a long-standing commercial rivalry with Maj Holdings, specifically its subsidiary Maj Steel. As Otonik Ordnance does not own its own foundries, it must purchase high-grade steel from Maj.
The relationship is acrimonious. Otonik executives frequently accuse Bran Maj of price-gouging on raw materials to squeeze their margins. Conversely, Maj has historically lobbied the government to strip Otonik of its exclusive monopoly, arguing that Maj Manufacturing could produce rifles more efficiently. This corporate feud often spills over into the Assembly, with Blue Dawn senators generally backing Otonik, while Vjetrusa (Maj’s party) attacks the company’s state-protected status.
Controversies
The 1996 Munitions Scandal
In 1996, a major corruption scandal rocked the company. During a raid on a safehouse belonging to the terrorist group AFIM in rural Moraviskameja, security forces discovered crates of brand-new Otonik ammunition and grenades still in their factory packaging.
The discovery that the state’s primary arms manufacturer was inadvertently arming the terrorists it was meant to be fighting caused a national outrage. A subsequent investigation revealed a ring of corrupt warehouse managers at the Novi Otonik distribution center who had been selling rejected or “surplus” stock to black market smugglers.
While Chairman Borna Kulas denied any knowledge of the scheme and several mid-level managers were imprisoned, the scandal tarnished the company’s reputation and led to the imposition of strict new oversight protocols by the Council for Internal Affairs.