Dyre Redwave
Member
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a troop type to serve as 'contractors' (a rather generous term) for Dyre Redwave's business interests.
- Image Credit: Klaus Wittman
- Role: This unit represents the general forces of the Old Empire Holding Groups Silent 'Military Contractor' Holdings
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: [TBA]
- Unit Name: Heathen Troopers
- Affiliation: Old Empire Holding Group, though more specifically their 'Military Contractor' companies
- Classification: Raiders / Pirates
- Equipment:
Armor
Heathen Trooper Armor
Personal Energy Shields
Primary Arms
E-11 Blaster Rifle
E-11s Sniper Rifle
E-11D Carbine
Scatter Gun
Melee Weapons
Vibroknifes
Stun Batons
Vibro Axe
Heavy Vibro Axe (two handed variant)
Thrown Weapons
Concussion Grenades (Physical, Sonic, Armor)
Fragmentation Grenades
CryoBan Grenades
Flash-Bang Grenades
Smoke Grenades
Throwing Axes
Heavy Weapons
Z-6 Rotary Blaster Cannon
Smart Rockets
Flamethrowers
Breaching Charges
Explosive Charges
Plasticene Thermite Gel
Vehicles/Transport
Varries dependent upon company assignment
Misc. Gear
Macrobinoculars
Electrobinoculars
Grappling Hooks
Stun Collars
Stun Cuffs
- Description: Donned in their patchworked armor and armed as an assortment of weapons, Heathen Troopers make a rather terrifying force in a combat situation. Their ‘uniform’ if one could even call it that, appears to be a sick parody of those of 'proper armies' as soldiers are free to (and in some cases even encouraged to) ‘expand’ upon their armor making themselves more intimidating. Frequently bones and blood stains are applied to their armor to make them more intimidating. An enemy who surrenders quickly means there is more pillaging to be done.
- Unit Size: Medium (typically 45-55 per unit, though units do frequently work together in a variety of situations)
- Unit Availability: Common
- Unit Experience: Veteran,
- Combat Function: The Heathen Troopers are ‘Soldiers’ in much the same way that the guy selling Deathsticks on a street corner is a ‘Pharmacist’. Though they participate in battles when it suits their needs or when they are paid extensively to do so, they are more frequently paid simply to go away and will gladly do so if it suits them financially. They tend to disregard greater battle plans finding unprotected settlements, taking whatever has value and isn’t nailed down, along with any of the local population who would be valuable as slaves (and in some cases even those who aren’t particularly valuable. Their primary targets in conflicts tend to be small but wealthy where they can easily fill their ships with loot without interference, this further makes them embrace getting involved in major conflicts simply because it allows them to greater time period to operate while any who might protect the citizenry are fighting 'greater threats'.
We Do Not Sow: Best described as experienced ‘Raiders and Marauders’ with a standardized military education rather than ‘proper soldiers’, Heathen Troopers are far from a typical military unit. They are not motivated to take strategic landmarks, they care only for what they can plunder. These men are experts at both finding what they want and taking it from the rightful owners.
Space Kings: For most soldier, even marines, boarding operations are regularly practiced but seldom used. In the case of the Heathen Troopers it is an average Saturday night trying to jump a cargo ship on the Hyperlanes.
Fearsome Warriors: A fearsome presence in combat is truly an asset to a raider. When people surrender it leaves more time for raiding, taking slaves and general mistreatment of the locals. This intimidating presence allows them to frequently threaten the locals into submission instead of having to fight them. In some cases governments might even be inclined to bribe them to leave them alone, or pay them considerably and provide them information to attack other pirates in the area.
Alternative Recruitment Practices: Whereas most nations recruit young men and women into their military organizations, train them and then give them their first taste of battle; the experience for the majority of Heathen Troopers is very much the opposite. Recruited from bands of who were captured and given a chance to join or came forward to offer their services, these men tend to come to the table with ample pre-existing combat experience. Resulting in a battle-hardened force.
Lightning Strike Warfare: The Heathen Troopers excel at coming out of nowhere to strike their foe when they least expect it. Delivering a crippling blow to local guard forces, taking what they want and then withdrawing with their ill-gotten gains. In virtually all cases they are able to seize what they want and be gone long before planetary forces can arrive to deal with them.
Shield Wall: Though pirates and raiders, Heathen Troopers are well disciplined and understand the importance of working with their peers in military operations. Their use of personal deflector shields allows them the use a variety of defensive formations to rapidly, and safely close the distance between them and their targets.
Weaknesses:
Raiders: Though experienced combatants, the Heathen Troopers are not regular soldiers, generally thinking of themselves more as pirates and raiders than a professional army. Their primary goal being not to win wars but to completely devastate the region and take anything not nailed to the ground. For this reason, they will not offer aid defenders and would be more inclined to attack simply them, simply to extort payment to leave.
Gold, Not Glory: The Heathen Troopers do not care about winning wars. They are in a combat situation for only one reason, that being, the procurement of wealth. For this reason, when participating in Dominions or Invasions they care little about ‘greater plans’ and are more inclined simply to take what they want from the local population.
No Greater Cause: The Heathen Troopers care about money, loot and little else. They are indifferent to the politics of ‘civilized folk’. For this reason, they have no sense of loyalty to nations beyond what their coin can pay for or the opportunities they provide them.
Leave them to their Fate: In virually all cases, Heathen Troopers prefer their own survival and wealth to sacrificing themselves for a 'greater ideal'. Where some soldiers are willing to die for high minded goals or ideals, the heathen troopers will not fight without something of monetary worth to fight for. If they see that a battle is going ill they will willingly remove themselves from the situation or worse join yet their enemy forces.
Short Winded Assault: Heathen troopers are best suited to combat where they can defeat an enemy quickly and be gone. Extended periods of combat are time wasted. Should a fight prove too costly for what is to be gained they will invariably withdraw and attempt to seek a new target which is more 'ripe' for exploiting.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Dyre Redwave and his men cut a bloody path across a number of worlds, raiding and pillaging as they went. During the course of these adventures they took on numerous prisoners. While not opposed to the practice of slavery, which enabled him to sell them as slaves, he did not have the heart to sell his human prisoners into slavery, instead merely keeping them fed and contained until an opportunity to offload them presented itself. With the acquisition of Old Empire Arms & Armour Manufacturing and Old Empire Military Institute on Scintilla, he finally discovered a purpose for them.
He sympathized with the men, because much like himself, they were merely trying to make a living in a galaxy that had left them behind. Dyre offered to secure the men military grade ships, arms, armor, training and supplies if they would work for him, giving them free reign to do as they wished provided a percentage of their profits were given to he and his men monthly. A deal was struck and the first and soon the first platoons of Heathen Troopers graduated from the Old Empire Military Institute ready to face the world and utterly despoil it.
They operate across the stars, seizing vessels and attacking planetary settlements. Before them lies a galaxy ripe for the taking, behind them, a wake of destruction.
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