Unreviewed Trailing Sectors Mechanized Infantry Regiment

[Dacian Quee-Paddox]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To provide a standardized mechanized infantry unit for the High Republic
• Image Credit: Spartan APC promotional screenshot from Star Citizen
• Role: The soldiers of the act like the traditional Imperial Army repulsorlift regiment, except repulsorlift vehicles have been replaced with wheeled and tracked vehicles
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: The High Republic, Trailing Sectors Infantry Regiment, Trailing Sectors Armor Regiment

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Unit Name: Trailing Sectors Mechanized Infantry Regiment (TSMIR)
• 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: Mechanized Infantry Regiment
• Description: Among the massed ranks of common infantry of the TSIRs and the clanging, massive walkers of the TSARs, TSMIRs provide the High Republic with a highly flexible, middle ground option: heavy infantry carried in fast, well defended vehicles. TSMIRs frequently act as so-called "fire-fighting units", moving quickly to suddenly fill up gaps in faltering defenses, or rushing ahead with quick-moving vehicle units when a breakthrough is made through enemy defenses. In combat, the infantry work in close conjunction with their fighting vehicles, proving the classic synergy concept that things can be larger than the mere sum of the parts: vehicles eliminate high level threats and provide covering fire while the classic utility of infantry is shown true by performing a nearly an endless number of missions. TSMIRs stand out from many of their counterparts in the methodical, almost academic, nature of their type of fighting, frequently fighting in coordinated ranks protected by gauntlet carried energy shields and utilizing variable charge blaster weaponry backed by grenades and chemical weapons. While fewer in number than their foot borne comrades in TSIRs, TSMIR soldiers have high hopes that they will provide the High Republic with a needed tactical edge on the battlefield.

COMBAT INFORMATION:

• Unit Size: Large
• Unit Availability: Common
• Unit Experience: Trained
• Equipment:
  • 120 Panthac-class Compact Assault Vehicles (typically equipped with 1 Reaper Mag Cannon or 1 MM-s3 Grenade Launcher)
  • 150 Huurton-class Infantry Fighting Vehicles (typically equipped with Twin Vaapad-class Laser Cannons or twin LLT-7 General Purpose Warhead Launchers)
  • 90 Kaadu-class Mobile Defense Units (typically equipped with Mobile Shield Generator or Munitions Launcher modules)
  • 30 Capricorn-class Rail Guns (Towed Artillery)
  • 10 Sonus-class Sonic Cannons (Towed Artillery)
  • All troops: Anakkona II-series Heavy Armor with LPD-42 ParticleJet Miniaturized Maser or LPD-49 Astrapi Miniaturized Static Blaster weapon gauntlet, and Arqet-class Personal Security Shield or Liquid Cable Launcher utility gauntlet
• Typical TSMIR Squad layout with equipment
  • Command Element
    • 1 Sergeant: 1 LPD-66 Flashfire Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sights, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades
    • 1 Breacher: 1 LPD-14 Firebolt Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight, 2 LPD-36 Fire Pillar Detonation Charges, 1 X5R Demolitions Kit
  • Fire Team Aurek
    • 2 Riflemen: 1 LPD-66 Flashfire Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sights, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades each
    • 1 Grenadier: 1 LPD-14 Firebolt Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight and underbarrel LPD-53 Crasher Underbarrel Grenade Launcher (LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades, LPD-56 Firewrecker Anti-Armor Grenades, LPD-48 Fire Rain Incendiary Grenades, LPD-54 Neutroburst Radiation Grenades, LPD-39 Coldblast CryoBan Grenades)
    • 1 Designated Marksman: 1 LPD-77 Firestar Heavy Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with Zolta-series Targeting Scope, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades
  • Fire Team Besh
    • 2 Riflemen: 1 LPD-66 Flashfire Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sights, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades each
    • 1 Grenadier: 1 LPD-14 Firebolt Variable Charge Blaster Rifle with TruSight-series Multi-Optic Sight and underbarrel LPD-53 Crasher Underbarrel Grenade Launcher (LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades, LPD-56 Firewrecker Anti-Armor Grenades, LPD-48 Fire Rain Incendiary Grenades, LPD-54 Neutroburst Radiation Grenades, LPD-39 Coldblast CryoBan Grenades)
    • 1 Chemical Warfare Specialist: 1 LPD-67 OmniStorm Chemical Thrower with Zolta-series Targeting Scope, 2 7-PrG Proton Grenades, 2 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades
• Combat Function: TSMIRs were designed from the ground up to act as highly mobile infantry, typically to act as a mobile ready reserve when fighting defensive battles, and to act as the spearhead accompanying armored vehicles when on the offensive. To that end, great emphasis has been placed in ensuring that the vehicles and the infantry they carry work in a well-planned, synergistic fashion, especially at the higher operational levels. This requires careful planning and logistical preparation, which has lead to the officer corps being known to pay very careful attention to details and envision likely scenarios and outcomes. This in turn allows them to act quickly in an organized manner when significant events occur, marshalling forces to wherever they are needed. Logistically, vehicles are outfitted to fight against specific foes and circumstances whenever possible, but otherwise vehicles are equipped with default, general purpose weapons. Typically, the weapons on Panthacs and Huurtons are designed to provide close fire support to nearby troops, with some general purpose warhead launchers used to provide heavy firepower against nearby tanks, heavy vehicles, and aircraft. Kaadu-class Mobile Defense Units equipped with more warhead launchers act both as precision artillery and as anti-air units while other Kaadus typically provide additional shield coverage to the other vehicles. A number of towed artillery pieces provide excellent if static firepower against enemy vehicles or long-range targets. Once engaged in close combat, soldiers dismount from their carriers and fight in squad-sized elements. Initial squad movements are often marked by soldiers fighting together in close ranks and protected by gauntlet energy shields to form phalanxes, shield walls, and other defensive formations. After that, the two fire teams largely work interchangeably, with riflemen acting as maneuver elements while the grenadiers, marksmen, and chemical warfare specialist provide heavy, supporting firepower. The large use of variable charge blaster weaponry means that squads can vary their fire output considerably, whether spewing out a large volume of low power blaster bolts to deal with swarming threats, regular blaster fire for use against most humanoid sized threats, or slower high-damage bolts to replicate heavy weapons like blaster cannons. Somewhat unusually, each squad incorporates a chemical warfare specialist who typically uses his weapon like a flamethrower, but it can be changed out for mission specific payloads, which can provide some unusual effects such as dissolving acid sprays, cryoban to freeze targets or put out fires, or shockstun mist with spraynets to physically ensnare and capture targets unharmed. Each squad also has a demolition's expert who works closely with the squad leader to shape the battlefield to their liking, whether its demolishing a barrier in their way or setting up a booby traps against invaders. Many of them are quite creative in using explosives to troubleshoot problems on the battlefield.
• Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A

Strengths:

• Adaptive Force: The vehicles used by TSMIRs were in part chosen because they are highly modular in their armaments and other equipment. This allows TSMIRs to very easily adapt to different situations or opponents - a facet of their organization that both military commanders and the budgetary analysts appreciate.
• Well Defended: TSMIR soldiers wear heavy battle armor, which provides more protection than many of their opponents. Additionally, most infantry are transported on the battlefield in very highly shielded Huurton-class Infantry Fighting Vehicles, which enhances the odds of their survival against heavy weapons.
• Close Ranks Fighters: Troopers in TSMIRs are taught how to fight in close formations, which is useful when exiting their vehicles en mass or when fighting within buildings and other confined spaces. Typically this shows in the well-coordinated use of gauntlet-mounted shields to form phalanxes and other defensive formations as well as well coordinated attacks, such as simultaneously firing on single targets to overwhelm their enemies's defenses.
• Scientific Warfare: Formed and trained by the same academies that produced the TSIRs, TSMIRs share a very similar, almost academic bent to warfare. Much of this is centered on making the most use of their battle armor's abilities, such as using liquid cable launchers to quickly scale buildings or to find enemies. However, this academic bent is not wholly focused on just that one system. The Huurton-class Infantry Fighting Vehicles which transport the bulk of the infantry all come with advanced Chronos MedSurge Capsules manned by a L1 Medicus Surgical Droid, which provides extremely capable medical care right on the front lines. Lastly, the inclusion of a breacher in each squad allows the TSMIRS to theoretically shape entire battlefields to their liking, whether it is demolishing entire buildings as traps against approaching enemies or breaking down obstacles to allow their vehicles to quickly roll into and pass enemy forfifications.

Weaknesses:

• Paranoid: Being trained by the same institutions which produced their footborne counterparts, TSMIR soldiers remain very security conscious. TSMIR soldiers tend to be fairly wary about and conservative with those that they do not know well, tending to keep these "allies" at a distance and not fully informed about TSMIR plans or actions.
• Vehicle Dependent: While the bulk of the force is made out of infantry, TSMIR soldiers are actually very dependent on their vehicles for significant firepower and ancillary services like medical support. Due to their need to eventually dismount and eventually fight where their vehicles cannot follow, these infantry often have to fight away from these prized assets.
• Easily Detected: While vehicles provide the TSMIRS with more mobility and firepower than traditional infantry, they also make them easier to detect, especially at a distance.
• Burst Fighting: While wearing heavy battle armor does provide good protection against many threats, its heft means that soldiers can grow very fatigued by continual movement. Consequently, TSMIR soldiers tend to fight very heavily for a small amount of time before having to rest.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Mechanized infantry fill the gap between the traditional infantryman who are needed to hold ground, and the armored tanks and other combat vehicles, who while quite powerful and mobile, frequently have problems keeping ground against infiltrating infantry. Mechanized infantry can keep up with armored vehicles and then dismount as needed to clear out pockets of enemy resistance or dig in to protect heavy vehicles from small threats. TSMIRs have their origins in many of the same worlds that produced TSIRs, and were an offshoot development of that work. With their foot-slogging infantry standardized, the academies turned to refining their mechanized infantry, who rode an almost every type of propulsion imaginable, from older wheeled and tracked vehicles to more high tech walkers and repulsorlift craft. Looking to standardize this menagerie of vehicles, they worked with the Lucerne Labs consortium to pick out a trio of modular, adaptable vehicles. With this initial task down, the academies focused on specializing some of their existing TSIR pipelines into mechanized infantry. This involved forming vehicle operator and maintenance programs, as well as training individual infantry in mechanized warfare, with a focus on quick burst fighting in close rank formations enabled by quick transport to the battlefield and advanced battle armor technology. Since their formation, TSMIRs tend to operate in smaller numbers around their more traditional TSIR and TSARs, forming a bridge between the abilities of both. Like those same units, TSMIRs are relatively untested in large, pitched battles yet, but their participation in simulated battles seems promising so far, and looks like it will be put to the practical test soon as the Sith Order and Galactic Empire continue their marches against the free worlds of the galaxy.