Work In Progress Ironside's Irregulars

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To create a small, tight-knit elite unit of ex-Antarian Rangers.
• Image Credit: Unknown artist, found here: https://imgbin.com/png/qWpdSgvh/weapon-concept-art-science-fiction-soldier-png
• Role: Irregular tactics specialists; strike team, pathfinders, infiltrators, and saboteurs.
• Permissions: N/A
• Links:
  • Jaeger Battalion, the "Bloody 88th"
  • Storm-Crows, Elite Ranger Unit
  • Invasion of Sev Tok

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Unit Name: Ironside's Irregulars
• Affiliation: Thirdas Heavenshield
• Classification: Freelance Special Forces
• Description: Ironside's Irregulars (AKA The Ironsides) is a small but effective combat unit led by their Chief Ironside, named after his cybernetic prosthetics on his right side. They are all former Antarian Rangers, each a hardened veteran of a hundred battles - arguably the most elite Rangers still on active duty. They are expert marksmen, pathfinders, guerilla warfighters, shock troops, and infiltrators, and their knowledge of firearms is second to none. The Ironsides go where they are needed, unbound by politics or loyalties other than to each other, ever led from the front by Chief Ironside himself.

COMBAT INFORMATION

• Unit Size: Small
• Unit Availability: Unique
• Unit Experience: Elite
• Equipment:
  • Weapons:
    • Ironside's Battleaxe
    • Ironside's Longbow
    • Ironside's Dagger
    • Ironside's Warmace
    • Ironside's Greatsword
    • Ironside's Lance
  • Armour:
    • Ironside's Panoply
  • Explosives:
    • Concussion Grenade
    • Flashbang Grenade
    • Incendiary Grenade
    • Fragmentation Grenade
    • Ion Grenade
    • Plasma Grenade
    • Shock Grenade
    • Stun Grenade
    • Smoke Grenade
• Combat Function: The Ironsides is a small but elite band of freelancers, which means they do not swear allegiance to any faction or higher power. They know the intricate workings of vast armies well and will happily work alongside supporting militaries to achieve a common goal, able to fill any role on the battlefield, from taking up sniper duty to assaulting/infiltrating enemy strongholds. They possess vast knowledge of Sith, Imperial, Mandalorian, and Bryn'adûl tactics, having fought them on countless occasions over the last decade or so, and may therefore fill an advisory role as well. Though they sometimes may split off into even smaller teams, they always deploy together as one. Having served together since Anvil, they are more akin to brothers and sisters than fellow soldiers, with Chief Ironside himself being the eldest brother, and their banter reflects this.
• Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A

Strengths:

• They are unpredictable combatants due to an extensive and varied arsenal of battle tactics.
• They are an elite, battle-hardened band of veterans of countless conflicts.
• They are staunchly loyal to their commander and their comrades.
• They swear no allegiance to any galactic power, ensuring freedom of deployment.
• Each member is an expert marksman, martial artist, tactician, and explosives expert.

Weaknesses:

• There are only twelve unique members in total, limiting the amount of firepower.
• Strong bonds of brotherhood make any casualty affect the unit twice as hard.
• They heavily rely on the element of surprise for the greatest impact.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The long and devastating war against the Bryn'adûl was finally over. Entire star systems had fallen, gobbled up by the unrelenting horde as they devoured all life and terraformed each world conquered into underground hives from which more of their ilk spilt forth. Colonel Heavenshield had lived through it all, from its initial shots right to the end as the last hive was set aflame and the Bryn were driven from the galaxy. He knew then that everything was about to change.

The Silvers had been bled white by the ordeal, having acted as the galaxy's bulwark and thus been made to suffer for it. The Rangers had been depleted of their experienced veterans save a lucky few, including Thirdas, greatly reducing the once-great military power as young boys took their place. The Jedi had become increasingly reclusive, with the light in their eyes fading as they withdrew to their temples and traditions. There were mentions of "peace" as if his troopers could ever achieve peace after the atrocities they've witnessed. A pat on the back and their great and terrible sacrifice was forgotten.

It came as quite a shock for Ranger Command to see the seasoned colonel turn in his resignation. They tried to dissuade their prized poster boy with a cushy station in the executive branch but could only offer their sympathies regarding the rest of the Bloody 88th.

"Remember Anvil," he'd recalled the famous rallying cry to their faces with a disappointed scowl. He tore the rank insignia from his uniform and threw it on the floor before walking away from the life he'd known since he was a bright-eyed teenager looking to make a difference.

In the wake of his resignation, Chief Ironside would speak to several of his officers and NCOs behind closed doors. These eleven men and women were the last surviving veterans of the Battle of Anvil, the birthplace of his battalion during the height of the Bryn War. They were his closest confidants, his last remaining companions, each an elite soldier in their own right with the scars to prove it. Together, they each swore loyalty to one another and their commander, vowing to lend their considerable talents and shared experience only to those deserving.

His Ironsides would go where needed, no longer bound by politics or faction loyalties. They would continue the eternal struggle to defend the trod-upon and oppose the tyrant to the last drop of blood. They fight out of a sense of duty and compassion for their fellow man, not fanatic zeal or love of war. They fight because they feel they must.

Battle cries:
Bound by Iron, Bound by Blood
Iron Within, Iron Without
Unto the Anvil of War