Unreviewed Republic Frontier Ranger Regiment

[Dacian Quee-Paddox]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To provide a standardized infantry unit for the High Republic aimed for fighting in the wilderness environments
• Image Credit: "Equipment of the UNSC Army" combined with "Brown Trees on Brown Soil" by Ajit Singh, edited by yours truly
• Role: The soldiers of the Republic Frontier Rangers Regiments act as traditional infantry trained to fight independently in austere environments.
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: The High Republic

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Unit Name: Republic Frontier Ranger Regiment
• 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: Light Infantry
• Description: Recruited from citizens living on the edges of civilization, Republic Frontier Rangers are trained to fight and thrive in a variety of wilderness environments, from dense woodlands to searing deserts. These soldiers tend to lurk hidden among their surroundings, picking off enemies with precise shots from their rifles before fading back into the environment. Unlike most soldiers who fight en masse and have the benefit of extensive logistical support, Frontier Rangers operate in a much more decentralized fashion, with most combat actions taking place at the squad and platoon level. Unsurprisingly then, Frontier Rangers tend to have very can-do, independent personalities which does not lend to them being easily incorporated into grand armies. But it is harder to find better soldiers for the Republic in the dusty fringes of the Rim.

COMBAT INFORMATION:

• Unit Size: Large
• Unit Availability: Common
• Unit Experience: Trained
• Equipment:

All troops: Chargrek-series Lightweight Plate Armor with SC-1 Hardened Comlink and Tauntaun series Modular Backpack, 1 LPD-60 Thunderer Magnum Revolver, 1 LPD-76 Nova Edge Therm Hatchet

• Typical Squad layout with equipment
  • Command Element (1 sergeant, 1 L4 Aranea Battle Droid )
    • 1 Sergeant: 1 LPD-59 Stormlance Shatter Rifle with Zolta-series Targeting Scope, 2 LPD-35 Shadowcaster Gaseous Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades, 1 EnhanceScan General-purpose scanner in modular backpack
    • 1 L4 Aranea Battle Droid with 1 Juyo-class Ripper Cannon and 1 LPD-19 Shockwave Missile Launcher
  • Fire Team Aurek (4 riflemen)
    • 4 Riflemen: 1 LPD-77 Firestar Heavy Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with Zolta-series Targeting Scope, 2 LPD-35 Shadowcaster Gaseous Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades each
  • Fire Team Besh (2 mortar men, 2 snipers)
    • 2 Mortar Men: 1 LLPD-32 Flamefist Mortar, 2 LPD-35 Shadowcaster Gaseous Grenades, 2 LPD-68 Hammerblast Mines each
    • 2 Snipers: 1LPD-61 FarShot Anti-Material Rifle with Zolta-series Targeting Scope, 2 LPD-35 Shadowcaster Gaseous Grenades, 2 LPD-68 Hammerblast Mines each
• Combat Function: Frontier Rangers aim to be as independent of an infantry force on a small group level as possible, theoretically allowing small autonomous groups to patrol vast stretches of wilderness or conduct raids deep into enemy territory. To that end, the concepts of independent operations and decentralization trickle throughout the organization structure, or lack thereof. While theoretically a colonel or similarly ranked officer is in charge of the regiment, his direct power is often more limited than it is in other military groups, and instead he or she acts more like a mentor and coordinator. Instead, the emphasis is placed on empowering more junior leaders to take the initiative and act on their own authority. This allows Frontier Rangers to act quickly and independently at lower levels across a wide swathe of territory, even if communications aren't technically viable or inadvisable due to the risk of being detected by the enemy. In hand with that, Frontier Rangers are expected to carry most if not all of their supplies with them, a feat they take great pride in and which allows them to operate independently far away from their allies. Similarly, heavy firepower is greatly decentralized, leading to a larger number of heavy weapons being issued to each individual squad along with a single L4 Aranea Battle Droid, a heavy fire support battle droid. Consequently, an individual ranger squad can bring a surprising amount of heavy, long-range firepower to bear on their opponents. With excellent range and good marksmanship, Rangers can often whittle down enemy numbers before their enemies even have the chance to fire on them. But Rangers rely more on fieldcraft and well-honed marksmanship skills than raw firepower to best their opponents. Typically, squads are split up into two fire teams: Aurek, a highly maneuverable rifle team, and Besh, a heavy firepower support element that prefers to be stationary and hidden. Besh will typically dig into a terrain and make a collection of irregularly spaced hiding spots which are partially protected by small scattered minefields. Conversely, the rifle team and the command elements are usually positioned further forward in much more hasty and temporary fighting positions. Aurek will often intentionally use the fact that its blaster rifle fire can be visually tracked back to draw enemy fire. When enemies open fire on Aurek and the command element, Besh can surreptitiously find their opponents and then eliminate them with much more powerful and difficult to tract projectile fire, especially if the mortars are used in an indirect fire role. Both teams can deploy special sensor and blaster dampening smoke grenades, which obscure their movements and positions. Rangers make good use of these gaseous grenades, natural terrain, and hastily constructed trenches and shelters to remain as hidden for as long as possible from enemies. On the offensive, the Rangers typically try to draw out enemies with probing actions with Aurek before the heavy fire from Besh severely attrits the enemy. The weakened enemy is then assaulted directly by Aurek, who then secures the position before Besh moves forward to find new hiding spaces and the action continues. On the defensive, Ranger squads prefer to eliminate their enemies from range from hidden positions. Given enough time, Rangers can use their fieldcraft skills and therm hatchets to construct a network of shelters, trenches, and other fighting positions which provides them with both cover and concealment, making them difficult to dislodge except through costly, directly assaults. As their long-barreled weapons are not easily maneuvered in such close-quarters trench fighting, most rangers switch to using a combination of revolvers and therm hatchets to beat back their enemies in quick, decisive actions.
• Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A

Strengths:

• Gunfighters: Frontier Rangers take great pride in their gunfighting skills, both at a distance and in close quarters. Long-range marksmanship and precise shots are key to maximizing their combat effectiveness with their rifles, and Rangers consequently spend far more time developing and maintaining those skills than most of their counterparts. However, all Rangers are fairly competent at performing quick-draws and snapshots with their hefty revolvers, largely in case they encounter unexpected foes or wildlife in the bush.
• All Terrain: Frontier Rangers are well-trained and equipped to travel in most remote environments. Not only are most rangers recruited from relatively remote settlements which produce tough and independent individuals, but Ranger training itself introduces recruits to a wide variety of environments, from freezing tundra to searing deserts. Similarly, the modular backpacks worn by every ranger can provide the necessary equipment to help a ranger to adapt to a wide variety of environments, whether it's maintaining the right body temperature or carrying special supplies. After serving several seasons as a ranger, most of them can move quietly and quickly through dense woods, scamper up rocky hills, and plod efficiently through shifting sands and snow drifts.
• Frontiersmen: Rangers are recruited from relatively backwater areas where practical survival skills and learning to adapt to the environment are essential. This doesn't only mean learning how to survive through the climate and terrain, but also spotting and using local flora and fauna as well. Fieldcraft skills are highly prized and development of those skills is encouraged within the units. Using their therm hatchets to hew natural materials like wood and stone, Rangers are adept at building hunting blinds, hidden shelters, trenches, and traps that blend well into the environment.

Weaknesses:

• Foot-Sloggers: A Ranger regiment does not have a single vehicle to its name, and all Rangers are reliant on their feet to move. Enemies using vehicles or who have nonstandard biology may well be able to outpace them.
• Individualists: While the individual survivalist mentality found in most Rangers is a great asset in self-motivation and conducting independent operations by small units, it also means that they do not tend to get along well with others or conform to plans made others. It is often difficult to get even small units of the Frontier Rangers to act in a coordinated fashion, which makes a lot of their efforts more attrition based and slower in effect than more centralized military organizations.
• Limited Assets: Frontier Rangers intentionally keep a limited central logistical assets in order to stay mobile and keep small units as self-reliant as possible. While great for a field mobility standpoint, it does mean that the Rangers do not have a lot logistical services and abilities that other units might have, such as field hospitals, forward supply depots, dedicated intelligence units, and so forth. This can make it difficult for the Rangers to remain effective in longer-running, intense engagements.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Most of the High Republic's Frontier Ranger Regiments have existed in some form for hundreds if not thousands of years, typically as planetary militia or paramilitary forces on the Rim worlds. Most of these worlds were too poor and sparsely populated to maintain large standing forces, which led to a highly motley array of equipment and training. While these force's strength and abilities waxed and waned with the changing tides of the galaxy at large, the hardy individuals who made up these forces ever stood ready to defend their home worlds. With the coming of the High Republic, several of these worlds leapt at the opportunity to standardize their equipment and training through that government's relationship with the Lucerne consortium. Colloquially known as frontier rangers, most of these units have kept their original planetary defense force designations, though a small number of worlds looking to expand their influence within the High Republic itself have actually officially adopted the moniker. Most of these units remained untried at a large-scale level, with typical combat actions taking place against pirates and other small numbers of other criminal intruders. However, those worlds looking to expand their influence within the High Republic have lent their Frontier Rangers to jedi, politicians, and other VIPs in order to curry favor.