Grand Admiral, First Order Central Command
Name: Helldiver Air Cavalry Company
Intent: I'd like to expand this corporation I made up so long ago, and figured a baseline military unit would be a good place to start.
Affiliation: Shadowline
Availability: Uncommon / Borderline rare-ish
Type: Infantry/Air Cavalry
Strength: A Helldiver company numbers about 120 troops, with associated vehicles and transport. Typically this is 1-2 UA-50 'Thunderbird' Dropships and 4-8 UA-101 “Hellhawk” Airspeeder's.
Description: The 'Company' is the standard operational unit size for the Helldiver Light Infantry, and represents the most common 'unit' Shadowline is able to deploy to the battlefield. Incidentally, it is also the smallest independent unit that Shadowline contracts out. This an organization designed to supplement the armies of the nations or larger corporations, your private goon squad, they are not (unless your name happens to end with Tregessar).
The Helldiver concept was created in the days of Akio Kahoshi's failed bid at Empire. While Stormtrooper legions provided a superb striking and holding force, they sometimes suffered in highly mobile offensives. Using Atrisian technology as the backbone, Admiral Cyrus Tregessar designed the 'Imperial Force Recon' to provide that first strike capability to the stormtrooper legions. When the Empire fell to the Fringe Confederacy, they were integrated into the Fringe military system. Later, when Cyrus defected to the One Sith, the First Recon went with him. The Sith, however, appeared mostly uninterested in their training and skills (much of which was dedicated to anti-force tactics) and the unit was relegated to being Cyrus' personal guard.
The creation of Shadowline by Cyrus' younger sister Katharine was the next step. The technology and concepts behind the Imperial Force Recon were modified and carried over, and the nickname 'Helldivers' was made the official moniker of what would be the backbone of Shadowline's mercenary offerings.
Helldiver infantry are recruited from Axxilan military and other professional and semi-professional forces around the galaxy (but mostly in and around Axxila). They do not take new recruits, and several years at a minimum of combat experience is required to enlist in their ranks. Additionally, a willingness to follow orders, obey the chain of command, and potentially take absurd risks is also required. Lastly, of course, absolute loyalty is to be shown to House Tregessar.
The selection process is harsh and unforgiving, but the pay is good (better than good) and the final result, being part of an elite mercenary unit, is a reward all its own. Besides the above considerations, the Helldivers do not discriminate. Any race, gender, social class, and background is accepted, assuming you can pass. There are former pirates, smugglers, criminals, exiles, and traitors in the ranks of the Helldivers. Their pasts are considered irrelevant, they are part of a band of brothers, elite soldiers all.
All Helldiver's wear a suit of ARA-09D armor, which gives them a serious edge-up when pitted against most professional soldiery, at least for the opening stages of a fight. Weaponry is standard, and currently acquired from open-market, but there is an emphasis on backup projectile weapons with unconventional munitions to facilitate combat against force users and in shield-heavy environments. Future developments will likely include the widespread distribution of shatterguns, masers, and other more uncommon weapons.
The backbone of Helldiver operations are the UA-50 Thunderbird and UA-101 Hellhawk. The Helldivers are built around the concept of combat mobility, and nothing emphasizes this more than the degree to which they are mechanized and airborne. Both craft have transport and gunships roles, and typically operate by dropping troops and then providing air an fire support. Typically part of the terms of employment include the employer providing for air control, as neither the Thunderbird or Hellhawk are particularly great at air-to-air combat.
This has the end result of making the Helldivers a veteran mercenary unit. They are experts at close quarters combat, and seizing key facilities, landing zones, and critical objectives. Helldiver companies are designed to be the tip of the spear, hit hard and hit fast with coordinated air and ground support, and then withdraw or move on. They are NOT designed to hold and objective or garrison, and though they do well because of their veteran status, they tend to lack the support and equipment necessary to really dig in.
At present Shadowline is able to field roughly a single full brigade of Helldiver Infantry (approx. 4000 troops and associated vehicles, which comes out to about 20 Thunderbirds and 100 Hellhawks).
Equipment:
Threads:
Intent: I'd like to expand this corporation I made up so long ago, and figured a baseline military unit would be a good place to start.
Affiliation: Shadowline
Availability: Uncommon / Borderline rare-ish
Type: Infantry/Air Cavalry
Strength: A Helldiver company numbers about 120 troops, with associated vehicles and transport. Typically this is 1-2 UA-50 'Thunderbird' Dropships and 4-8 UA-101 “Hellhawk” Airspeeder's.
Description: The 'Company' is the standard operational unit size for the Helldiver Light Infantry, and represents the most common 'unit' Shadowline is able to deploy to the battlefield. Incidentally, it is also the smallest independent unit that Shadowline contracts out. This an organization designed to supplement the armies of the nations or larger corporations, your private goon squad, they are not (unless your name happens to end with Tregessar).
The Helldiver concept was created in the days of Akio Kahoshi's failed bid at Empire. While Stormtrooper legions provided a superb striking and holding force, they sometimes suffered in highly mobile offensives. Using Atrisian technology as the backbone, Admiral Cyrus Tregessar designed the 'Imperial Force Recon' to provide that first strike capability to the stormtrooper legions. When the Empire fell to the Fringe Confederacy, they were integrated into the Fringe military system. Later, when Cyrus defected to the One Sith, the First Recon went with him. The Sith, however, appeared mostly uninterested in their training and skills (much of which was dedicated to anti-force tactics) and the unit was relegated to being Cyrus' personal guard.
The creation of Shadowline by Cyrus' younger sister Katharine was the next step. The technology and concepts behind the Imperial Force Recon were modified and carried over, and the nickname 'Helldivers' was made the official moniker of what would be the backbone of Shadowline's mercenary offerings.
Helldiver infantry are recruited from Axxilan military and other professional and semi-professional forces around the galaxy (but mostly in and around Axxila). They do not take new recruits, and several years at a minimum of combat experience is required to enlist in their ranks. Additionally, a willingness to follow orders, obey the chain of command, and potentially take absurd risks is also required. Lastly, of course, absolute loyalty is to be shown to House Tregessar.
The selection process is harsh and unforgiving, but the pay is good (better than good) and the final result, being part of an elite mercenary unit, is a reward all its own. Besides the above considerations, the Helldivers do not discriminate. Any race, gender, social class, and background is accepted, assuming you can pass. There are former pirates, smugglers, criminals, exiles, and traitors in the ranks of the Helldivers. Their pasts are considered irrelevant, they are part of a band of brothers, elite soldiers all.
All Helldiver's wear a suit of ARA-09D armor, which gives them a serious edge-up when pitted against most professional soldiery, at least for the opening stages of a fight. Weaponry is standard, and currently acquired from open-market, but there is an emphasis on backup projectile weapons with unconventional munitions to facilitate combat against force users and in shield-heavy environments. Future developments will likely include the widespread distribution of shatterguns, masers, and other more uncommon weapons.
The backbone of Helldiver operations are the UA-50 Thunderbird and UA-101 Hellhawk. The Helldivers are built around the concept of combat mobility, and nothing emphasizes this more than the degree to which they are mechanized and airborne. Both craft have transport and gunships roles, and typically operate by dropping troops and then providing air an fire support. Typically part of the terms of employment include the employer providing for air control, as neither the Thunderbird or Hellhawk are particularly great at air-to-air combat.
This has the end result of making the Helldivers a veteran mercenary unit. They are experts at close quarters combat, and seizing key facilities, landing zones, and critical objectives. Helldiver companies are designed to be the tip of the spear, hit hard and hit fast with coordinated air and ground support, and then withdraw or move on. They are NOT designed to hold and objective or garrison, and though they do well because of their veteran status, they tend to lack the support and equipment necessary to really dig in.
At present Shadowline is able to field roughly a single full brigade of Helldiver Infantry (approx. 4000 troops and associated vehicles, which comes out to about 20 Thunderbirds and 100 Hellhawks).
Equipment:
Threads:
