Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Further flesh out Firemane's ranks.
Image Credit: Here. 'Scifi drop troops moving to drop' by DarkDragoon619.
Role: Assault troops.
Links: Firemane.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Unit Name: Firemane Scimitar Drop Troops
Affiliation: Siobhan Kerrigan, Firemane.
Classification: Close assault troops, drop/jump infantry.
Equipment: They can use Abregado-Rae Guild of Hammers equipment due to Firemane gaining access to ARGH tech in this thread. Firemane obtained a supply contract that allows it to use Fire for Effect gear here.
Armour:
- ACS-004 Olympian Battle Armor (Permission requested here, obtained here)
- Reaper Plasma Shotgun (CQC)
- Boltgun (can use APE rounds)
- ACS-205 Advanced Dual Weapon System (storefront request here, permission here)
- ACS-202 Vanquisher Light Repeating Blaster (storefront request here, permission here.)
- Magnetic Repeater
- ACS-205 Blackblade Modular Rifle (storefront request here, permission here).
- Icebreaker
Underbarrel and Wrist Weapons:
- ACS-208 Wrist Ion Beamer (storefront request here, permission here)
- Under-Barrel Sonic Blaster (storefront request here, permission here).
- ACS-207 Cryoban Gun (storefront request here, permission here)
- ACS-207 Aerosolblaster (purchase request here, approved here).
- Wrist Bolter
- MGL-1
- ARGH flamethrower
- Lance Missile Launcher. One for every ten-man squad.
- Equaliser
Melee Weapons:
- Garotte
- Vac Blade,
- Molecular stilettohttp://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Molecular_stiletto, Monofilament Wire.
- Talon Vibrodagger.
- Vibrosword.
- Grenades.
- Access to ACS Modular Drop Pods (purchase request here, approved here)
- Misc equipment such as wedding, climbing and digging tools, military rations, medkits, lifeform scanners and demolition sensors, det charges.
- Devastator mines.
- Often have vibro-bayonets for their rifles.
- Access to ACS-602 High Explosive Specialty Ammunition for slugthrowers (request here, permission here).
- ACS-301 YVH Probe Droids (purchase request here, permission here).
It is not uncommon for the Drop Troopers to be deployed on top of their target. By deploying in such a manner they can help break stalemates or sieges. Alternatively they can land behind enemy lines, enabling them to reach targets that would be out of range for conventional forces. On a tactical level, they make use of weapons such as plasma shotguns, boltguns, light repeating blasters and flamethrowers to try and overwhelm their opponents before they can react. Flamethrowers, cryo and carbonite rifles also make useful area denial weapons.
It is not uncommon for them to combine this with use of their jump packs. These help them get close enough to enemy forces to unleash a volley of bolter or shotgun fire or toss a hand grenade before evading. Their weapons are ideal for crowd control, clearing out a trench or a building. Use of their jump packs allows them to rapidly cover significant distances and gain an aerial edge over their enemies. The agility of the jump trooper also makes him more difficult to hit and means he can ambush enemies from behind.
However, they are obviously vulnerable to flak or concentrated enemy fire in such a state. The jump pack also only has limited fuel. Hand grenades and bolters represent their main source of heavy firepower, as they do not have vehicles or artillery of their own. However, they can act as spotters, marking targets for aerial, orbital or artillery strikes. It must also be kept in mind that once deployed, their drop pods only allow minor course corrections. While they have armaments and defences, they are very vulnerable to enemy starfighters while in transit.
The Scimitars are ideal for seizing bridgeheads and establishing a foothold in enemy territory. These soldiers' true advantage lies in their speed, unpredictability and the ability to attack anywhere on the battlefield, at any time. But while they can seize a target, they are poor at holding it without further support. They would be unable to hold an objective for long in the face of dedicated enemy resistance, especially if their adversaries deploy heavy armour. In such a situation they would need to be reinforced. The Scimitars can act as shock troops in head-on assaults on enemy positions. Detached from the main line, they are charged with slipping through enemy lines and attack the enemy's vulnerable rear areas, supported by short and sharp artillery barrages.
They bypass and avoid enemy strongpoints as far as feasible, engaging to their best advantage while leaving engagements against bypassed units to following heavy infantry. When paired with heavy infantry such as the Ironsides or Granite Guard, the Scimitars shield their slower, but more heavily armed and armoured comrades from light infantry and skirmishers, while their power armoured sisters and brothers in arms crack bunkers, enemy vehicles and walkers.
Many of the Drop Troopers are Dahomians. These hardy, tough natives of the tropical world of Dahomey are more used to irregular forms of combat. However, there are no racial or gender barriers. The Scimitars have also recruited some independent Mandalorians, as their style of fighting makes them a good fit. Recruits go through months of intense training to prepare themselves for their duties mentally and physically. This included an emphasis on squad tactics and teamwork. Training is tied strongly to the concept of mission orientated orders. This concept also calls for each soldier to be able to do the job of the comrade who is a level or two above him in rank. A subordinate officer is not just expected to follow orders, but be able to improvise and seize the initiative. Firemane officers are given an objective to accomplish, a time frame within which it must be accomplished and the resources needed. The subordinate leader is given, to a large extent, the planning initiative and a freedom in execution which allows a high degree of flexibility at the operational and tactical levels of command. Mission-type orders free the higher leadership from tactical details.
This is of particular importance for the Drop Troopers because, depending on the mission, they might get deployed into a combat zone with little initial support. As a result, ability to improvise and adjust to sudden and unexpected changes on the battlefield is crucial to success. They also receive more extensive melee combat training than regular soldiers, so that they become proficient in the use of vibroblades and other common melee weapons. The Drop Troopers have a somewhat idiosyncratic tendency to carry vibro-bayonets. While bayonet charges are obviously very impractical and often downright suicidal at range, a bayonet can be a useful tool in close quarters, especially if you have run out of ammo and have no time to reload.
COMBAT INFORMATION:
Unit Size: Medium
Unit Availability: Rare
Unit Experience: Elite.
Combat Function: They are disciplined, tenacious, well-trained and equipped assault troops. They are trained ito utilise the Olympian armour's integrated jump packs to enhance speed and manoeuvrability on the battlefield. This can grant them an element of surprise in combat. It allows them to quickly traverse battlefields and access multiple story buildings. Moreover, they have access to drop pods, which allow rapid insertion into a combat zone on the ground. It also enables them to conduct operations against targets that more conventional forces cannot approach directly. They can also operate in conjunction with regulars to breach enemy positions.
Equipped with plasma shotguns, bolters, flamethrowers, hand grenades and so on, they can cause a lot of damage in a short amount of time. Their training and gear makes them particularly skilled in close quarters combat. Compared to regulars, they receive more extensive training in melee combat, which includes becoming proficient in the use of vibroblades and other melee weapons. This can give them an edge when engaging enemies up close.
By dropping into a combat zone via airborne insertion or drop pods, they can cause devastation and sow confusion among the enemy as a result of their sudden arrival, especially if dropped behind enemy lines. In small engagements such as direct assaults of a fixed target, they are capable of carrying out rapid assaults. In such a situation, they are most effective if backed up by regulars and artillery strikes. Teräs Käsi martial arts training allows them to close their minds to hostile Force-users, thus protecting themselves from mental attacks.
However, their focus lies on speed and on overwhelming an opponent within a short span of time. Compared to regulars or heavy infantry units, they have few heavy weapons and will thus require support against heavy armour or entrenched fortifications. Their tactical doctrine emphasises combat at close range. This makes them vulnerable to long range, bombardment, snipers and aerial strikes. While jump packs enhance their mobility on the battlefield, they also make them obvious targets while in flight. It is obviously extremely difficult to hide from snipers or flak in such a state. They must rely on speed and surprise in that case.
Likewise they are very vulnerable to flak if deployed in drop pods. These are particularly weak against starfighters and only have minimal guidance. While minor course corrections can be made, it is like turning around a Star Destroyer. Finally, the lightsabre resistance of their suits is minor. You gotta put force into a blow since it can withstand glancing strikes and lazy sweeps. But while it is better than standard Stormtrooper armour, it is inferior to a truly lightsabre-resistant suit.
In short, while they have the ability to rapidly overwhelm the enemy and seize an objective, they must be reinforced by other Firemane forces that possess heavier weapons, as they are unable to hold their objectives for a long time in the face of determined enemy resistance. Especially if the enemy deploys armoured units. In such situations they are best partnered with units that compliment their strengths and weaknesses, such as heavy infantry equipped with anti-tank weapons and/or e-webs, heavy repeating blasters and so on.
Strengths:
- Elite infantry.
- Highly mobile and versatile. Use of drop pods allows them to deploy rapidly into a combat zone, even behind enemy lines. They integrate jump packs into their combat doctrine, emphasising speed, discipline and firepower. They can quickly overwhelm enemy forces and seize tactical objectives.
- Lack of support forces.
- Their doctrine stresses speed and surprise over numbers and heavy firepower. This is a disadvantage in protracted combat or if they end up facing heavy armour formations.
Historical Information:
Speed, mobility and firepower. These are the hallmarks of the Firemane Scimitar Drop Troops. As a megacorporation, Firemane is able to field rather large forces. However, these are widely dispersed. The corporation has manifold interests, but obviously does not deploy armies as large as those of a galactic power. That would not be cost-effective. So instead Firemane troops rely on training, skill and state-of-the art equipment.
In many ways, Firemane's combat doctrine was influenced by that of Omega Pyre, particularly in its early days. This is no surprise since Siobhan Kerrigan and Tegaea Alcori were among the founding members of the paramilitary megacorporation, which later evolved into the Omega Protectorate. The Pyre started out as a mercenary corporation on Fondor, bring order and security to worlds such as Dahomey, Abregado-Rae, Vandelhelm and Denon. Lacking large numbers, it focused on small elite groups of soldiers, which it hired out to governments in return for political or economic concessions. To give its mercenaries an edge against foes, especially hostile Force-Users, it developed cutting-edge technology, such as the infamous Bolters.
Over time the territory it administrated grew too large and its duties too complex for a corporate body, and it evolved into a government, the Omega Protectorate. In terms of ideology, it was a Republican Dictatorship, ruled by a Lady or Lord Protector elected for life, with the assistance of a varying number of super-governors called Exarchs. The Pyre became its elite strike force. Siobhan started her career as an officer in the Pyre and eventually rose to Colonel. She commanded Pyre forces in several bloody battles, making her mark on battlefields such as Roche, Metalorn and Gehenna. For a while, she and Tegaea ruled the Protectorate as Exarch and Lady Protector, until near-fatal injuries sustained during an attempt on her life forced Tegaea to step down.
When Firemane was founded, it adapted a lot of the Pyre's doctrine. Once it had become a megacorporation, the company was able to field large forces and equip them well, but it was not economical to try and match the forces of an instellar government in terms of size or fleet meterage. That would have been ruinous and probably left even the biggest corporation bankrupt. Instead it focused on gaining an edge through advanced technology, discipline, mobility and skill of its soldiers.
The Scimitar Drop Troops were one of the fruits of this. They were conceived as a rapid response force that could be deployed on short notice, hit targets behind enemy lines or quickly establish a beachhead by seizing key tactical objectives. Once they had achieved their aims, they would be reinforced by regulars and heavy infantry. In the early days they saw action against Bando Gora raiders and Dark Eldorai insurgents.
In the aftermath of the assassination of Star Queen Silaqui III, Firemane and Eldorai intelligence operatives tracked allies of the Dark Eldorai rebels who had done the deed to a fortified terrorist camp in a mountainous area of Kaeshana. Until now the insurgents had been tolerated by the local noblelady. A joint operation was launched to flush out the terrorists. The Scimitars played an important role in the operation. The terrain and traps laid by the rebels made it difficult to approach the base directly. Under the cover of darkness, the Scimitars were deployed from the sky to force an entry into the base and enable allied forces to enter. Moving rapidly, they overcame defenders and took sabotaged the base's shield. The fighting was intense, for the Dark Eldorai were dedicated insurgents and had Force-Users in their ranks. But the Scimitars had the element of surprise on their side. As Eldorai reinforcements spilled into the base, the rebels retreated underground, using terramancers to block pursuit, but sappers and Angelii elementalists were able to clear away the obstructions. Many rebels fought to the death, but the Scimitars were able to take prisoners.
The Netherworld Event hit the Scimitars. Trillions of beings from across the Galaxy vanished into the Nether. Obviously neither Firemane nor the Eldorai were left untouched. With so many senior officers missing, Sergeant Freya Solveig was temporarily the highest-ranking official at Firemane headquarters. The Scimitars that happened to be on the planet had been performing joint drills with Eldorai soldiers when all hell broke loose. Kaeshana was hit by a wave of politically and religiously motivated violence, for many natives interpreted the disappearances as a sign that the end of days was at hand. Some Scimitars were captured by Ashiran fanatics and lynched, with their bodies being left to dangle from lamp posts. The Firemane soldiers took revenge for their murders.
The Scimitars that could be reached were organised into a quick reaction force. First they fought Eldorai insurgents, then they were deployed hot spots to put out whatever fires might arise. When Bespin was attacked by Bando Gora fanatics and Archangel took advantage of Firemane's weakness to raid its mining outpost, the Scimitars pulled off a rescue operation to evacuate surviving Firemane employees. They would also see action during the Exodus from Kaeshana as well as in the Tingel Arm while Firemane was allied with the Silver Sanctum Coalition.
When Firemane found itself embroiled in conflict with the Jedi-led Dominion of Light, a totalitarian theocracy on Tephrike, it deployed a large task force to punish the Dominion for its attack on Firemane diplomats. A small contingent of Scimitars was part of the task force. They were supposed to be deployed to seize enemy strong points after Firemane conducted an intense aerial and artillery bombardment. However, the Dominion was an unexpectedly tenacious foe. The bombardment caused terrible damage, but the Dominion countered by first deploying kamikaze fighters and then activating a weather control machine.
This negated Firemane's air power in the theatre of operations and made the airspace above Fortress Purity hazadous for transports. The weather also made it difficult to contact the Firemane command ship in orbit or the commander of Firemane's ground forces. Harassed by the elements and knocked off course, the Scimitars had to land in hostile territory far away from their targets. They soon came under heavy assault. Adapting to the situation, the Scimitars linked up with soldiers of the Republican Guard, Firemane's unwieldy ally on Tephrike, who prevented them from being overrun by Dominion waves. They were able to free some Firemane regulars who had been swarmed by the Dominion. The Republican Guard's partisans were more numerous and knew the terrain, but their tech was primitive. The Scimitars aided them in the assault on a Dominion stronghold, using their bolters, jump packs and flamethrowers as force multipliers. Ultimately, Firemane was able to prevail in the battle, but the cost was high
