Unreviewed High Republic Jump Trooper Company

[Dacian Quee-Paddox]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To provide the High Republic with a unit similar to the classic Old Republic's Rocket-Jumper Elite Advance Unit
• Image Credit: Image generated through Grok
• Role: Jump Troopers are used to rapidly deploy from the air on the battlefield, allowing them to quickly attack or seize enemy assets with an element of surprise, or to act as an immediate rapid response group while on the defensive
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: The High Republic

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Unit Name: High Republic Jump Trooper Company
• Affiliation: The High Republic (sponsored by Lucerne Labs, Lucerne Personal Defense, and Lucerne Biological Systems - Unit bought from company, and decided to sponsor them afterwards)
• Classification: Airborne Infantry Line Company
• Description: Trained for conducting rapid strikes from airborne transports or orbiting starships, High Republic Jump Troopers are an elite force known for their surprise attacks and daring operations deep behind enemy lines. Each soldier is equipped with a flight pack, which is a combination of a jetpack and repulsorlift, which allows soldiers to fly and glide for long distances in the air. But Jump Troopers do not simply fly to their targets, they can fight while airborne too, lashing out with unusual static blasters, miniature rockets, shotguns, and even assault cannons. They are formidable opponents on the ground too, which Jump Trooper being a hardened fighter who excels at nimbly approaching enemies and quickly dispatching them in close combat with either gunfire or precise K'tara strikes using a stiletto. While held in deep respect by many other High Republic soldiers for their skills, Jump Troopers are a largely insular group due to their tendency to operate by themselves on the battlefield. Despite this social divide, few High Republic troopers doubt the contribution that a well-timed assault drop can have on the battlefield.

COMBAT INFORMATION:

• Unit Size: Medium
• Unit Availability: Uncommon
• Unit Experience: Veteran
• Equipment:
• 2 Avril Aurek-class Aerial Cruisers (when garrisoning friendly worlds)
• 2 Avril Cresh-class Aerial Missile Cruisers (when garrisoning friendly worlds)
• All troops: 1 LPD-78 Survivor "Six-Shooter" Heavy Blaster Pistol, 1 LPD-50 Silverthorn Stiletto, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades, 2 LPD-35 Shadowcaster Gaseous Grenades, 1 FastMed Emergency Medpac
• Typical TSMIR Squad layout with equipment
  • Command Element (Both equipped with Raptoran-class Aerial Combat Armor)
    • 1 Sergeant: 1 LPD-45 Firespray Shotgun with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight
    • 1 Heavy Gunner: 1 LPD-43 Reckoning Assault Cannon
  • Fire Team Aurek (Each soldier equipped with Llwelkyn-series Battle Armor with Drexl Flightpack)
    • 2 Riflemen: 1 LPD-79 Thunderbolt Static Blaster Rifle with TacWeb-series Midrange Macroscope
    • 1 Rocketeer: 1 LPD-63 Hellfire Rocket Carbine with Zolta-series Targeting Scope
    • 1 Close Quarter Combat Specialist: 1 LPD-45 Firespray Shotgun with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight
  • Fire Team Besh (Each soldier equipped with Llwelkyn-series Battle Armor with Drexl Flightpack)
    • 2 Riflemen: 1 LPD-79 Thunderbolt Static Blaster Rifle with TacWeb-series Midrange Macroscope
    • 1 Rocketeer: 1 LPD-63 Hellfire Rocket Carbine with Zolta-series Targeting Scope
    • 1 Close Quarter Combat Specialist: 1 LPD-45 Firespray Shotgun with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight
• Combat Function: Despite public stereotypes of bravado, Jump Troopers are an almost melancholic preoccupation with planning their airborne operations. Much can go wrong with such operations, and there is little room for error when it comes to both surprise and the small numbers that Jump Troopers work in. Operations then are very carefully whenever possible, and complications are partially compensated for by Jump Troopers being specifically trained and encouraged to use their own initiative and leadership to solve problems as they arise at the lowest levels possible. This can make Jump Trooper operations very unpredictable to friends and foes alike, as few Jump Troopers feel any sort of obligation to follow doctrine or standard operating procedures when in the thick of battle or deep behind enemy lines. Most Jump Trooper operations start by the soldiers launching from high-flying aerial cruisers and transports or starships just entering orbit. After passively gliding to near their targets and using gaseous grenades to help mask their approach, Jump Troopers can either infiltrate by quietly landing on the ground to engage in stealth operations or take active flight measures using repuslorlifts and jet propulsion to begin attacks from above. When engaged in stealth operations to seize vital points or landing zones for more conventional troops, Jump Troopers use K'tara, a martial art designed to quickly maximize damage with a minimum of noise which uses short, quick motions to hit an enemy's vital points, typically with a Silverthorn Stiletto. In more pitched and open fighting, Jump Troopers usually strafe their targets while flying, using hit and fade attacks or precisely dropping grenades to wear down their enemies before the Jump Troopers land to engage in more conventional, close quarters gun fights in identical fire teams aided by their command element. Static blaster rifles used by most of the Jump Troopers provide the squad with versatile firepower with the flick of a switch, while rocket carbines provide explosive long-range firepower and a number of shotguns provide excellent short-range stopping power. A heavy gunner wielding an assault cannon provides the squad with heavy firepower, with the assault cannon typically being used in an anti-vehicle role or to provide suppressive firepower for the other Jump Troopers as they move.
• Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A

Strengths:

• Sky Warriors: Jump Troopers are airborne soldiers not only capable of descending directly from orbiting starships or high-flying vehicles, but they are also capable of independently flying through a combination of repulsorlifts and jet propulsion found in their flightpacks. Jump Troopers are fully capable of fighting while in flight due to a careful choice of personal weaponry and extensive training.
• Stealthy Entry: Jump Troopers can simply glide without power using their flightpacks, which combined with the careful use of gaseous grenades and precise mission planning can allow them to enter their area of operations undetected.
• Martial Artists (K'tara): All Jump Troopers are extensively trained in K'tara, theoretically allowing them to surprise and quickly take out enemies before they are aware that the Jump Troopers are even present. The form of K'tara used by the Jump Troopers emphasizes using their stilettos to quickly silence and subdue their foes by striking targets in the neck, head, and other vital organs in that order, augmented by frequently by the stiletto injecting their target with acid or poison.
• Bringer of Thunder: Jump Troopers use their HUD feed from their helmets as well as data provided by their TacWeb scopes to provide detailed tactical information to the starships or aerial cruisers that act as their home base. These vehicles can then typically bring a considerable amount of heavy, precise firepower against the Jump Troopers' foes.

Weaknesses:

• Small Numbers: The companies each comprise less than two hundred men, which means that they are often outnumbered by more common units who are no less well armed, meaning that they are frequently outgunned when operating alone.
• Limited Logistics: Jump Troopers largely only have to work with what they can carry on their flight into the combat zone. This means that they typically do not have the supplies for sustained fighting nor the support services for extended operations.
• Lack of Heavy Weapons: While Jump Troopers are fairly well-armed for infantry and are even quite capable of taking on smaller combat vehicles, the jump troopers really lack the weaponry to efficiently take on heavily armored vehicles.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Airborne infantry have existed since powered flight has been a possibility for organics because of their ability to simply bypass ground defenses, with the first airborne infantry arriving on the battlefield from simple parachutes and gliders. These simple means of descent have changed over thousands of years as new technology came to the galactic forefront. While the Mandalorians have a well-earned reputation for using jetpack-equipped warriors as airborne soldiers, they are hardly the only culture to do so. The Old Republic had its clone jet troopers and the even more ancient Rocket-Jumper Elite Advance Units. A number of worlds which were once part of the Old Republic have kept some of these martial traditions, which were once more reborn with the rise of the High Republic. As with many other planetary defense forces, these units underwent some standardization with training and equipment as worlds cooperated together to mutually defend themselves. Known as High Republic Jump Troopers, these soldiers are a relatively rare sight in the High Republic's defense forces due to the expense of their training and equipment - most are typically deployed only at the company level. Despite only being several hundred strong in a unit, High Republic Jump Trooper Companies can have outsized impact on the battlefield. Each jump trooper is a veteran soldier extensively trained in not only airborne operations, but also in K'tara and infiltration tactics. This has allowed them to descend quickly and silently onto the battlefield, hitting key targets and securing valuable landing zones in several notable battles.