Imperial Despot
Special Task Force 110 - "Death Mask"
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create an elite paramilitary and bodyguard force for the personal use of the House of Korvan
- Image Credit: Main image | Ornate divider underneath main image made by
Avelion
| Black Mask Icon referenced under ‘Description’ is taken from this site - Role: Bodyguard/Elite Paramilitary force
- Permissions: HAMWAGON/Gat Tambor Perms | Avelion Divider Use Permissions
- Links: Death Trooper Corps | Sons of the Empire - Imperial faction thread serving as the main IC motivation for Ignacious’ formation of this force. | Death of Ignacious Korvan. | Operation Nightfall | SCAR Squadron | ‘Death Mask’ image
GENERAL INFORMATION- Unit Name: Formal Name: Special Task Force 110 | Code Name “Death Mask” | Abbreviation: “STF-110”
- Affiliation: Ignacious Korvan (Formerly) | Tiberius Korvan | Future members of the Korvan family written by the writer
Fyremage
- Classification: Elite Bodyguard; Elite Black Ops/Spec Ops unit
- Description: Special Task Force 110 is composed exclusively of Death Troopers who all wear distinct black armor. On their left shoulder pauldron, the typical ‘Imperial’ insignia is emblazoned in both black and white, but on their right pauldron (where the extended shoulder cover is shown), a distinctive ‘mask’ is embossed in the same black color as the armor itself. This image is known as the ‘Death Mask’.
The general mindset of this unit is that of absolute loyalty to their patrons within the House of Korvan. Their behavior could be characterized as that of an elite commando unit that is trained and honed on a proverbial knife’s edge; ready and waiting for whatever situation is thrown their way.
COMBAT INFORMATION: - Unit Size: Small
- Unit Availability: Rare - Organized into (20) squads of twelve soldiers each at any given time, for a total force strength of precisely 240 operators.
- Unit Experience: Elite
- Equipment:
- Hellion-class Commando Armor Mk. I
- BKM-62x Particle Beam Rifle | TF
- CSR-50i Slugthrower Sniper Rifle
- KXR SFP-60x Particle Beam Pistol
- KXG 'Stopilka' IDR-854-01A Rifle (When Applicable)
- RPS-6 Rocket Launchers (When applicable)
- Vibroblades
- Grenades
- Medkits and basic survival supplies
- Combat Function: Since its inception, STF-110 primarily functions as an elite bodyguard unit. Their role has since evolved in the wake of Ignacious Korvan’s death, to encompass the protection of his subsequent heirs. Death Mask units are occasionally deployed on special assignments at the discretion of their patron. Such missions are considered to be highly sensitive, of the utmost importance, and requiring a tier-one level skillset. Their combat doctrine is a combination of special forces, counter-insurgency, black ops, and unconventional warfare tactics wrapped up within a unique brand of efficiency that elevates this unit to a top-tier status. Front line deployments are rare on all accounts given how precious and hard to replace these units are. They are trained to operate with minimal support and supervision. Given the specialized nature of this outfit, they function as a self-contained paramilitary force; operating outside the confines of state-military command structures, and instead reporting directly to their patron(s).
- Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A
Strengths:- Elite Commandos: The men and women within Special Task Force 110 are among the best the galaxy has to offer, standing quite capable of going toe to toe with any other special forces outfit both within and without the Imperial Military.
- Top of the Line Equipment: As one would expect, given their status as both a special forces outfit and a paramilitary force for the House of Korvan, Special Task Force 110 has access to some of the best weapons and defensive technologies the galaxy has to offer.
- Versatile: Each soldier is trained to be as versatile as possible, with all eight of the force’s units possessing operators within that are capable of filling multiple roles in a pinch, whether that means demolitions, air/voidcraft piloting, slicing, etc. Further, their training encompasses operating in some of the most exotic environments possible.
- Loyal: Each member of the “Death Mask” is hand picked by Korvan himself, and is conditioned from the start to place their loyalty to their patron above nearly all else. If saving him meant tearing off one of their own limbs, the only question they would ask is ‘which one?’
- Enhanced: True to the roots of the original Death Trooper program, members of Special Task Force 110 undergo a gamut of physical and mental evaluations, and cap off their induction with a series of genetic enhancements that make them “somewhat beyond human”.
- Clone Supplemented: Most of the original members of STF-110 have either ‘aged out’ of service, or have died in action. Several current members of the unit are cloned subjects, born and trained within hidden cloning facilities scattered on remote worlds, from the DNA of the original 96. Advancements in cloning technology have sped up the process considerably.
Weaknesses:- Rare: “Death Mask” units are specialized and rare. They are far too precious to be used as a front-line fighting force. While they can hold their own in any engagement, they cannot sustain losses of attrition for any length of time. Even with advancements in cloning technology, the gene enhancement and training required to replace lost assets can take many months.
- Infamous: At first, Death Mask troopers were enigmatic, and for a reason. Their original patron wanted the Death Mask to be able to act with some level of plausible deniability. But ever since the death of Ignacious Korvan, the Death Mask men who died alongside him immortalized the unit amongst those in Imperial circles. While they may not be public knowledge to everyone, their current reputation is a far-cry from the mystery it used to be. While some notoriety can be a strength, their newfound reputation can undermine their anonymity - identifying who they are working for, which could draw unwanted attention in certain circumstances.
- Clone Reliant: Given the current state of the galaxy, along with the secretive and calculating nature of the Korvan family - cloning has become a key component to the supplement the replenishment of the unit. Because of this, cloning facilities need to be hidden and protected from incursion; otherwise the supply chain of fresh recruits would be severely compromised. While third party recruitment is still the primary means of such replacement, cloning is an inescapable necessity.
- Paramilitary: Given the paramilitary nature of this unit, they are often viewed with distrust amongst Imperial-state forces, and for good reason. While Death Mask units almost always are ordered to operate in concert with friendly forces, there are times when their orders will conflict with those of such allies, and thus potentially compromise the strategic goals of their theater. It is because of this that they may well lack the support of those allies when it's needed the most.
- Experimentation: While the gene-enhancements intrinsic to Death Troopers is a net-boon and force multiplier, the reality is the process remains experimental, and therefore carries drawbacks along with the advantages. Subjects acquire enhanced strength, yet often experience heightened levels of aggression coupled with it. With enhanced stamina, comes the increased need for caloric intake; resulting in increased supply demand for troop deployment. Long term side effects weighed against physical improvements are a lingering matter for debate amongst experts.
Special Task Force 110 was initially founded as a guard force for Grand Moff Ignacious Korvan after a failed assassination attempt, and served as a pilot program to revitalize the Death Trooper program. After becoming operational, the task force adopted the unofficial name of ‘Death Mask’, due to the insignia etched on their pauldrons; which in turn enhanced their reputation throughout Imperial forces. While the unit focused on their primary role with a distinct fanaticism, they would be used more extensively as paramilitary special forces to supplement the growing war effort until the Empire’s eventual collapse.
In the years to follow, the Death Mask would be used even more extensively to secure their patron’s influence during the chaos surrounding the Empire’s demise; taking the form of clandestine operations on the worlds of Cademimu V, Dantooine, Kuat, and several remote worlds in the Outer Rim. This would give rise to the expansion of covert cloning and training facilities, which in turn saw the unit grow in number despite the collapse of the Imperial state.
With the dawn of the Dark Empire, the unit would serve with distinction during Operation Nightfall - a brutal raid of Onderon by Imperial Remnant forces. But their reputation for dogged loyalty would be cemented by the events surrounding the death of their patron, who chose heroic sacrifice during the Invasion of Empress Teta.
After another set of years, their numbers recovered as they continued to serve the House of Korvan; their brutal, uncompromising arm ready to shield them, and strike out when required.
- Updated broken image links 2/24/2024
- Added ‘Dark Empire’ Affiliation
- Replaced the ‘Empire’ permissions with the ‘Dark Empire’ permissions
- Removed the Rotary Cannon and Warhead launcher.
- Updated intent section.
- Updated permissions for artwork and tech.
- Added ‘Death of Ignacious Korvan’ thread link.
- Updated affiliations, adding Tiberius and future members of the Korvan Family made by Fyremage, and removed faction specific affiliations.
- Updated description section, for clarity and to reflect current affiliations.
- Updated Unit Availability from a total full force strength of 96 to 240 operators. IC reason listed under strengths and weaknesses and historical information.
- Overhauled Combat Function to make it more concise.
- Updated ‘Top of the Line Equipment’ strength.
- Added the ‘Clone Supplemented’ strength.
- Updated the ‘Rare’ weakness.
- Replaced the ‘Engimatic’ weakness with ‘Infamous’
- Replaced ‘Intimidating’ weakness with ‘Clone Reliant’
- Replaced ‘Undivided Loyalties’ weakness with ‘Paramilitary’
- Updated ‘Experimentation’ weakness.
- Complete rework of the historical information section.
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