Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a common, modern Silver Jedi Concord spacetrooper unit
- Image Credit: "Knights of the Rooftops" by Rookiee425 and "Star Wars Hangar Project" by Ruben_Brouns meshed together by yours truly
- Role: Spaceborne assault troopers
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Silver Jedi Concord
- Unit Name: Concord Guard Zero-G Trooper Platoon
- Affiliation: Silver Jedi Concord
- Classification: Spacetrooper platoon
- Description: Far less common than common marines, Concord Zero-G troopers wear advanced power armor that is designed to let them operate independently in deep space for hours at end. In the void, these troops can rocket from ship to ship, explore derelict space structures, or even engage starfighters and other small spaceborne threats by themselves. Because both the training and the equipment needed to accomplish these tasks are expensive, Zero-G recruits tend to be among the finer among the Concord, and are known both for their ferocity and their technical skills related to spacefaring. Deployed typically in platoon sized elements to Concord vessels, Zero-G Troopers typically make up the vanguard of Concord marine forces, whether they're leading assaults on enemy vessels or attempting to withstand of a flood of invaders onto their home vessels.
- Unit Size: Medium
- Unit Availability: Uncommon
- Unit Experience: Trained
- Equipment:
- All troops: Gralloc-class Space Power Armor
- Typical Squad layout with equipment
- Command Element (1 sergeant, 1 L1 Marinus series battle droid)
- Fire Team Aurek (2 riflemen, 1 close quarters specialist, 1 heavy gunner)
- 2 Riflemen: 1 LPD-14 Firebolt Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades each
- 1 Close Quarters Specialist: 1 LPD-20 Hailstorm Flechette Carbine, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades
- 1 Heavy Weapons Specialist: 1 LPD-43 Reckoning Assault Cannon
- Fire Team Besh (2 riflemen, 1 close quarters specialist, 1 heavy gunner)
- 2 Riflemen: 1 LPD-14 Firebolt Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades each
- 1 Close Quarters Specialist: 1 LPD-45 Firespray Shotgun, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades
- 1 Heavy Weapons Specialist: 1 LPD-43 Reckoning Assault Cannon
- Combat Function: Zero-G Troopers are only commonly found in small numbers onboard Concord starships and space stations, where they typically augment much greater numbers of traditional marines by bringing in heavy firepower and the ability to operate without a starship within deep space. By doctrine, this typically places the Zero-G troopers at the forefront of boarding operations, regardless of if they are on the offense or the defense. During boarding assaults, dozens of the troopers rocket their way into deep space before landing on enemy structures, where they typically cut their way through airlocks, viewports, hangars, and other access points using gauntlet-mounted laser cutters or simply rending through plating with their enhanced strength. Once inside their target, they aggressively use their considerable firepower and the vacuum of space itself to overwhelm defenders in the immediate area and secure it as a bridgehead for more traditional marines. When defending a ship, Zero-G troopers tend to be fairly aggressive, using their heavy, short-ranged firepower to try and drive attackers back into their boarding vessels. If the attackers are not quick enough to withdraw, it's not unheard of for Zero-G troopers to exit their spacecraft, and then destroy the boarding vessel with their back-mounted Starbolt-class Missiles. While largely focused on operations near the outer edges of the hull, Zero-G troopers can function in the classic marine role, fighting in close quarters deep inside the bowels of the ship. Additionally, the presence of a Marinus-class Battle Droid within each squad gives the squad the ability to make basic ship repairs and run some starship operations, whether it is restoring life support on a friendly vessel or deactivating enemy starship systems. The droid's inclusion also allows squads to be used as prize crews, maintaining physical control of a vessel while a handful of the droids provide the skeleton crew just able enough to pilot their prize to more powerful, friendly hands.
- Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A
Strengths:
- Heavy Firepower: Individual Zero-G troopers carry quite a lot of firepower at the individual level, with each suit of space armor carrying a pair of anti-vehicle missiles and a laser cutter, let alone the guns and grenades that most carry.
- Space Specialists: As their name suggests, Zero-G Troopers excel at operations within the vacuum of space, with individual troopers being capable of moving around in deep space almost like individual, miniaturized starships. They are exceptionally adept at boarding and counterboarding operations, using techniques and equipment that few others have access to. They are even capable of flying in formation and conducting limited attacks on starfighters and other small craft.
- Fish Out of Water: While they excel in space, Zero-G Troopers have very limited abilities outside of their chosen environments. Their heavy armor tends to limit their mobility in most terrestrial environments, while many of their handheld weapons are too short ranged against conventional infantry in the open.
- Low Agility: Their bulky armor provides them with many benefits, but not one of them is flexibility or ease of movement in confined spaces. This can limit their ability to pursue enemies down things like maintenance passageways or fight in very small rooms.
While the old Galactic Empire pioneered the use power armored Zero-G assault troops, dozens of organizations have adopted the concept and shaped it to their own needs and cultures, including the Silver Jedi Concord. Known colloquially as spacetroopers within the Concord Guard, their expensive armor and zero-G training has made them an infrequent sight to most citizens of the Concord - they are almost entirely stationed onboard Concord starships and space stations, where they augment much larger number of traditional marines, infantry, and battle droids. Despite their relatively small numbers, the Zero-G Troopers have gained an outsized reputation among other members of the Concord military for their ferocity and independent streak. Perhaps their foremost exploit thus far known to the public is the retaking of the passenger liner Tulele Princess, hijacked by a rare consortium of pirates and slavers working hand in hand. A single platoon of Zero-G Troopers off of the corvette Sunlit Marathon managed to overrun several hundred of their opponents, largely due to the surprise of their attack and each individual trooper's heavy firepower. Since then, astute captains of the Concord have sometimes only to threaten a boarding operation by Zero-G troopers in order to obtain compliance and surrender from minor criminals and suspected smugglers.
