Suhara Villow
The Crimson Flower
"Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that. And know this: the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority, and then there will be one too many."
-Nemik
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a small military unit that functions within The Foundation inspired by the French Resistance and the Warsaw Uprising.
- Image Credit:
- Role: Light Insurgent Battalion
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Unit Name: Bataillon d'Infanterie de Révolutionnaire
- Affiliation: The Foundation and Suhara Villow
- Classification: Light Infantry
- Description:
The Bataillon d'Infanterie de Révolutionnaire (BIR) serves as the Ground Forces for the Chantemer People's Liberation Army (CPLA) as a Light Infantry Battalion. It is a highly diverse formation, comprised of former members of the Chantemer Defense Forces (CDF) who defected during Suhara Villow's uprising and partisans supplemented by an elite core of ex-marines. These former members are often either veterans of a decades-long insurgency campaign or were given high-end training during their time in the CDF. Its commanders are Lieutenant Colonel Simone Jacquemoud and Political Commissar Remi LeMahieu.
The Battalion's equipment is as diverse as its ranks. Most heavy equipment had to be abandoned during the CPLA's flight from Chantemer, forcing the unit to rely on improvised or captured weaponry. However, thanks to the ingenuity of its members and supply officers, the wide range of equipment they possess poses little logistical challenges. While the unit can be considered mechanized, it has no superheavy walkers or tanks to call upon. Instead, it must rely on its elite infantry and air support to carry the day.
While possessing a military hierarchy not too dissimilar from other galactic powers, the Bataillon d'Infanterie de Révolutionnaire follows a more democratic system based on soldier committees and general assemblies. Platoons will vote for a Political Commissar from within their ranks to represent them and their interests, much like a worker's union. These Commissars will also enforce disciplinary rules established by the soldier assemblies. Those who violate these rules are put on trial before a jury of their fellow soldiers. Execution for serious infractions such as looting and rape were not uncommon before the CPLA joined The Foundation.
Central command is federalized, where commanders are held directly accountable by their men, and votes of no confidence can be held. Leaders are seen as decision-makers capable of seeing the greater picture but are not elevated in status. Instead, they are treated just like the common soldiery. Saluting is not common, though terms such as "sir" and "ma'am" can be used by soldiers as a sign of respect for commanders who have proven themselves.
However, Suhara Villow stands as an exception to these rules. The men and women of the CPLA see her as their supreme leader - despite her attempts to dissuade such notions - and stand willing and ready to fight or die in her name.
- Unit Size: Medium - 1,000 Infantrymen
- Unit Availability: Rare
- Unit Experience: Veteran
- Equipment:
- Blaster Carbine
- Blaster Rifles
- Light Repeating Blasters
- Anti-tank weapons
- Explosies
- Thermal imploder
- Sonic Imploder
- Barridium Satchel Charges
- BT X-42 heavy flame projector
- Combat Function:
The BIR functions as the militant wing of the CPLA, enforcing its political doctrine through force. As a Light Infantry Battalion, they are placed into ground combat to seize objectives that the Navy cannot. Their primary tasks include seizing ground installations, raids on enemy positions, sabotaging, assisting in insurgencies, and joint special forces. Their large numbers allow the Battalion's mission profile to be more kinetic but still specialized.
When not in large-scale combat, the BIR is broken up into company or even platoon-level cells that operate behind enemy lines. Here, they perform recon, sabotage, and support uprisings.
- Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A
- Unit Traits:
- Fanatical: This unit is utterly dedicated to the cause and will never surrender or retreat unless an order is given. Fights to the death are the only way to remove this unit from the board.
- Shock: Units possessing this trait do increased damage and take less damage at close range thanks to their close-quarter training. Additionally, they can suppress enemy infantry and emplacements in structures faster.
- Discipline: Those with this designation are either ruthless leaders or inspire others through their example. Units close to them will fight harder, move faster, and never retreat unless told otherwise.
- Light: This unit moves faster than others, thanks to their lightweight equipment and endurance training. They are not impeded by difficult terrain.
- Recon: While standing still, this unit gains increased vision and stealth.
- Raiders: Designed to operate behind enemy lines, this unit is harder to detect by sensor suites and deals with increased suppression when launching ambushes.
- Terrifying: This unit's reputation precedes it. Nearby enemy units, unless possessing the Fanatical Trait or nearby a unit with Discipline, will automatically retreat when suppressed. Units that are Terrifying additionally possess the Fanatical trait.
- Troop/Squad Types:
- Fusiliers
- Traits: Light
- Background:
Considered the Battalions basic line infantry. Formed from former members of the CDF, these men and women are reliable infantrymen who can hold the line, even if considered basic. Their arsenal of light machine guns allows them to lay down withering fire from medium to long while posing a surprising threat at close quarters using their incendiary grenades.
- Strength: 15
- Equipment:
- 4 Blaster Carbines
- 8 Blaster Rifles
- 3 Light Repeating Blasters
- 1 Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
- Incendiary Grenades
- Voltigeurs
- Traits: Raider, Light and Recon
- Background:
Made up of former partisans who operated from the extremely mountainous southern hemisphere of their planet, these hardy soldiers serve as effective scouts and saboteurs operating behind enemy lines. Decades of evasion from the CDF's hunting party have made them ruthless experts in guerrilla warfare. Their ingenuity allows them to lay down improvised traps from captured enemy munitions. On the field of battle they function best as scouts harassing the foe from a distance and probing for weaknesses.
- Strength: 5
- Equipment:
- 2 Blaster Carbines
- 2 Longblasters
- 1 Light Repeating Blaster
- Arditi-Sapeurs
- Traits: Terrifying and Shock
- Background:
The elite shock-troopers of the BIR, they are able to trace their lineage to the partisans who operated in major urban areas. These partisans lived under constant threat of police attacks and retaliated by launching deadly raids on military installations. The Arditi-Sapeurs have a reputation that precedes them, feared for their fierce determination and vibor-daggers.
- Strength: 10
- Equipment:
- 6 Blaster Cabines
- 4 Flamethrowers
- Barridium Satchel Charges or Thermal Imploders
- Montagnards
- Traits: Raider, Shock and Fanatical
- Background:
The elite of the elite. Made up of ex-Marines, these troops are lavishly equipped and well-trained at almost anything that could be demanded of a soldier. Often times they will operate alongside Voltiguers behind enemy lines where they will specialize in leading daring raids on enemy facilities. Their potent arsenal allows them to be extremely lethal at both short and long range while remaining a threat to enemy armour.
- Strength: 12
- Equipment:
- 4 Blaster Carbines
- 4 Battle Rifle Blasters
- 2 Light Repeating Blasters
- 2 Longblasters
- 1 Heavy Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
- Maquisards
- Traits: Discipline and Fanatical
- Background:
Composed almost entirely out of Political Commissars this unit serves the propaganda wing of the CPLA. Charged with ensuring the well-being and discipline of the rank and file, the Commissars that makeup these units are fiercely protective of the common soldier. They question commanders if certain actions that will cost the lives of their men are truly necessary and report to high commands the concerns of the troops. They help organize rebellions and oversee humanitarian aid to civilians. In combat they seek to inspire others through their example. Their advanced Comms-Set allows them to call in orbital bombardments and airstrikes danger close.
- Strength: 5
- Equipment:
- 5 Blaster Carbines
- Advanced Comms-set
- Goumiers
- Traits: Fanatical
- Background:
This unit made up of soldiers who have committed non-serious crimes or fled the battlefield in cowardice, in the process of which they have lost the respect of their comrades. These soldiers are often given the option to leave. However those that wish to be redeemed join the Goumiers where they will partake in extremely dangerous missions with little chance of survival. Through their acts of valor and bravery, those who survive hope to regain the trust of their peers and rejoin their original squads. Many former Goumiers go onto join the Motagnards, considered the Battalion's elite.
- Strength: 20
- Equipment:
- 3 Blaster Carbines
- 13 Blaster Rifles
- 3 Light Automatic Rifles
- Fusiliers
- Veteran: The BIR is able to call upon large numbers of experienced soldiers, most of which are decades-long veterans of gruelling partisan campaigns or are former members of special forces.
- Fanatical: These soldiers are used to fighting in harsh conditions with very little opportunity for resupply against a vastly superior foe. During campaigns units like the Goumiers were noted to maintain discipline and order during combat despite being on the verge of starving to death. The concept of surrender is entirely foreign to them. As exiles and freedom fighters, they will endure anything that the Galaxy will throw at them just for a chance to return home as liberators.
- Ingenuity: Operating at the arse end of supply lines, the BIR has gotten clever with creating improvised weapons and quickly becoming familiar with their foe's arsenal. They are able to do a lot with very little.
- Insurgency: The scions of a century long struggle for freedom, the BIR is very well versed when it comes to partisan campaigns. Before them the enemy's gears of war will turn against them. Their military will be forced to stay in their bases, unable to enter the countryside or urban areas lest the population - inspired and supported by the BIR - overruns them.
- Heavy Equipment: The BIR posses no heavy armored vehicles making them ill-suited for high-intensity open combat with conventional military forces. Though during battles it is not uncommon for soldiers to captured enemy vehicles.
- Limited Numbers: The continued occupation of their homeworld Chantemer by the poutine regime makes it hard for new recruits to join. While they are not opposed to off-world members, the brutal conditions and battles the BIR wage doesn't make them the most attractive unit to join.
- Limited Equipment: Despite being armed and supported by The Foundation, the nature of the BIR's activities mean that resupply is an uncertain thing, forcing them to rely on captured enemy or black market equipment.
"And so long as men die, liberty will never perish…"
-CC
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The origins of the Bataillon d'Infanterie de Révolutionnaire began in 800 ABY on the planet of Chantemer when the fascist dictator Olan Poutine and his Vanguard Party seized power. Almost immediately opposition to his rule began. It began peaceful at first until security forces opened fire on protestors. It quickly became clear that peaceful resistance was impossible. In the fiercely independent Southern Mining Towns partisan groups formed and began harassing occupying soldiers. In the cities, Urban Guerillas waged a campaign of car-bombings, assassinations, and sabotage. However the entrenched Poutine Regime endured this onslaught for a century and cracked down on any resistance with barbaric brutality. The partisan movements were too disparate and disunited to hope to win. So they continued to fight. Adding more and more cracks to the foundation of the cruel Poutine Regime.
The final crack came when naval cadet Suhara Villow seized control of the Frigate Soulèvement, broadcasting a speech of condemnation against the Poutine Regime and revealing the true extent of their crimes. She called for a revolution and she got one. All across the planet uprisings shattered the foundation of the Poutine regime. These resistance movements quickly united around Villow, proclaiming her their supreme leader. Even though the regime managed to smother the raging infernos they were unable to prevent a large amount of these freedom fighters to escape the system.
The survivors would come to form the Bataillon d'Infanterie de Révolutionnaire and join The Foundation, hoping that by assisting other struggles for freedom that they would be able to one day return home.
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