Renegade Rodian
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To flesh out the assault forces of the Helix Syndicate.
- Image: Bomb Explosion by Flaticon
- Links: [Enforcers]
- Unit Name: Helix Syndicate Shock Troopers
- Affiliation: Helix Syndicate
- Classification: Paramilitary
- Equipment: [Link to Armory] - Armory Clearance B
- Deployment: Mass
- Availability: Uncommon
- [Strength] Tried and True - There are two types of Shock Troopers: former Enforcers who demonstrated merit, skill, and got through a grueling training regimen, or those who already had combat experience, be it as a mercenary, bounty hunter, or as a member of a conventional military. Shock Troopers are skilled and reliable soldiers through and through, and can either make quick work of enemies who don't have military training and experience or stand toe to toe with those who do.
- [Strength] Minor Augments - Shock Troopers benefit from cybernetic enhancements, giving modest but noticeable increases to their physical strength, endurance, and reaction time. These are not very expensive or powerful augments, but enough to give them a minor edge over those who don't enjoy any cybernetic boons.
- [Weakness] Looters - Restraint is ultimately where Shock Troopers differ from conventional military personnel. Garrisoning them in a conquered settlement or structure will inevitably produce bad results. These are soldiers of fortune, and so naturally find that they are entitled to all the spoils of war they wish. Shock Troopers will ignore standing orders and attempt to plunder if given the opportunity. They loot corpses, hold people ransom, steal valuables, and engage in other acts of petty thuggery.
- [Weakness] Discount Cyborgs - Disabling a Shock Trooper's cybernetic enhancements won't just reduce combat effectiveness, but it will temporarily incapacitate them entirely as a short but severe bout of nausea overtakes them.
Shock Troopers are far fewer in number when compared to the Enforcers, and so their backgrounds prior to joining the Syndicate are more consistent.
Former military personnel – whether they were working for planetary militaries, intergalactic militaries, or simply as mercenaries or defense contractors – are prime candidates for employment as Shock Troopers and contribute to a healthy percentage to the total number employed by the Syndicate. Bounty Hunters looking to do less legwork and receive more consistent pay are also targeted for recruitment, but contribute a smaller percentage. Most Shock Troopers, however, are simply Enforcers who have demonstrated enough merit to warrant a promotion and access to higher quality equipment.
The Syndicate prioritizes previous military experience over anything else when selecting outside candidates for employment as Shock Troopers. Many of these recruits come from outside of the Alignment. The Shock Trooper division is much more diverse in terms of species and gender as a result.
The training received by Enforcers before they are placed in the field mirrors that of a well-funded, well-equipped planetary military. Like the Enforcers, Shock Troopers are trained to work in teams and squads – though they are far more capable of operating as individuals than their counterparts as a result of their rigorous training and experience.
Select Shock Troopers will be selected for roles outside of mere grunt work. They will be trained as combat medics, sappers, pilots, slicers and so forth to support their colleagues in any given environment. Shock Troopers enjoy a much higher caliber of supplemental training than the Enforcers, and the results they get are much improved as a result.
Shock Troopers are given Class B clearance in the Helix Syndicate’s extensive armory, giving them access to an assortment of military-grade weapons, armor, munitions, and vehicles. Shock Troopers typically wear a full kit of armor at all times – generally HSAS Tactical, though they are occasionally equipped with the other variants available to them. All Shock Troopers undergo cybernetic modification upon recruitment in the form of a physical boost implant. This implant provides all Shock Troopers with a modest boost in strength, endurance, and stamina. This implant is pervasive enough that any disruption of it through ion attacks will produce short but severe bouts of nausea among afflicted Shock Troopers.
There was a time when the Helix Syndicate was not the preeminent criminal force in the Pentastar Alignment, a time where the Syndicate was forced to contend with things like “rivals” or “equals” in the quest for regional dominance. The Shock Troopers are the primary cause of death among those who once stood toe to toe with the Helix Syndicate, waging open war where subterfuge failed. Shock Troopers can be found in small numbers, generally no more than a handful of fireteams, at some Syndicate properties. They generally don’t do much when functioning as security, intended only as rapid response units to sudden attacks launched by more-organized enemies instead of kicking out every rabble-rouser who comes along.
Other than that, encounters with Shock Troopers are generally rare. They are the sort of weapon the Helix Syndicate holds in reserve for only the most stubborn of foes – when a few skilled assassins or a small gang of Enforcers is deemed insufficient. Shock Troopers are for large-scale battles, sieges, and the like. Compared to the Enforcers, there are not many of them, but there are enough of them that they are deployed to battle in large quantities.
Since the Helix Syndicate rarely needs to commit to direct battles these days, Shock Troopers can be more frequently found hired out to other parties as mercenaries. Shock Troopers are organized into battalions in order to facilitate this service, the Mandalorian-supplemented Hell’s Heralds being the most famous among them.
