Si_Valael
New Member
Intro
The year is 2253 and mankind once again finds itself at war. Following the Age of Expansion and the Great Exodus, the scarcity of resources in the outer colonies of the Prominence Federation prompted them to launch a surprise attack on the inner colonies of the Union. The initial attack took the Union off guard; the overwhelming numbers of the Federation swiftly conquered the resource colonies inside the asteroid belt. Yet when they finally reached Mars, the technologically superior Union was able to halt the attack and push their assailants back. What followed could best be described as a thirty year stale mate, with the Federation unable to pierce the Union's inner defense system while the Union has only been able to retake a handful of asteroid resource colonies. The Union's top brass has been anything but idle, setting in motion numerous initiatives to break the stalemate and push the Federation back. One of these initiatives, code named Project Polearm, assembles the best the Union's military have to offer into a handful of commando units. Their purpose to carry out high risk missions that will break the enemies back and disrupt their lines to allow the main Union forces to deliver the crushing blow.
Among the many brave men and women of Project Polearm one group stands out among the rest, Halberd Unit; equipped with the very latest weapons and gear that the Union has to offer. They have taken on the role of primary shock troops and covert operations, making them the very tip of the spear in this war.
History
2078: Joint venture between Japan, United North America and Russia produces the first man made colonies on the moon.
2103: Significant advances in science and technology leads to the terraforming of Mars, producing the first destination that humanity can freely colonize.
2105: terraforming technology is shown to be a reliable and flexible technology when the moon is successfully terraformed, eliminating the need for enclosed colonies.
2110: Differences in ideologies over the use of this new technology causes a fracture among the Earth's populous. On one side, those that believed in a kind of manifest destiny wherein every planetoid capable of being terraformed should be in order to expand the human race and provide a way for people to pursue new bastions of wealth. On the other, those that believe that the resources of the solar system should be spread equally and terraforming should only be used when necessary. While these factions do not see eye to eye, the short term need for resources begins the Age of Expansion
2111: Age of Expansion begins, seeing long term investment in inter planetary travel, terraforming and settling technologies. More than twenty major resource colonies are founded in the asteroid belt and several of the moons around Jupiter are settled.
2194: As certain companies and countries press ever harder for increased expansion in the outer solar system, their ideological counter parts form the Union. This economic super power forced their opponents to control themselves or depart Earth forever. Those that refused departed Earth for the outer colonies in what is now called the Great Exodus.
2206: Colonies of Jupiter and Saturn combine to form the Prominence Federation, pooling their resources to further the goal of colonial expansion.
2228: Vessels from the Prominence Empire initiate landings on the major resource colonies in the asteroid belt, beginning the first inter-planetary war.
2229: Vessels of the Union’s 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th Fleets engage the Federation invasion fleet outside the outer orbit of Mars. The battle rages on and off for 2 months before the Federation fleet is turned back.
2230: The Union High Command approves several top secret initiatives to improve their military strength. The aims of these initiatives varied from developing a new super carrier which could lay siege to an entire colony by itself, to various super soldier programs using cybernetics and gene manipulation.
2250: Project Polearm is approved, assembling the most skilled soldiers in the Union to form several teams of specialists. Gaining acceptance into these units is incredibly difficult, and the training afterward even more so.
2253: Project Polearm launches on its first mission to retake the Askani Prime Resource Asteroid in the asteroid belt.
Halberd Squad
Halberd Squad is one of 10 Special Forces squads under the umbrella of the Polearm program. It’s members are selected from the top ranks of all three branches of the Union armed forces, from veteran soldiers, to combat engineers, hackers, medics, pilots and spies. The members of each unit are handpicked to form the most potent teams, those that can do what no other force can. Strike where the enemy won’t see them coming, and turn the tide of war.
The following are some of the specialties that a member of the Halberd Commando Unit must fulfill. For a character you must combine at least two of these specialties into your character's role on the team. (ex, combining scouting and marksman could yield sniper). Please don't hesitate to ask me for advice or opinion. Also please note that these specialties are just what your character excels at, not limiting them from having other skills such as the obvious how to fight a battle. The specialties are as follows (I'll be striking them off as they're taken):
-Pilot
-Medic
-Hacker/Cyberwarfare
-Demolitions
-Marksman
-Federation weapon and tactics expert
-Heavy weapons
-Communications
-Scouting
-Close Quarters Combat
-Mechanic
Finally, here are some basic technology standards at this point in the future:
-The Union uses rail gun based fire arms while the Federation still uses traditional gunpowder weapons. The main difference being that Union clips contain metal slugs and a battery pack to power their weapon instead of bullets with casings.
-The Union favours biological engineering and nano-technology over the federations Cybernetics.
-Laser weaponry is still in its infancy, so weapons in both space and land are still solid shell (bullets and artillery) and missiles.
-Standard issue commando gear:
-Tac 3 commando armour: consists of a jump suit under layer lined with a gel layer that absorbs kinetic impact with a nano carbon-titanium alloy plates for protection against projectiles and shrapnel, the positioning of which can be customized by the individual. Magnets in the feet, back and other locations can allow for zero G maneuvers and to hold items such as weapons without the use of straps and belts.
-Mac 3 Gauss Assult rifle, medium power and range rifle useful against infantry and light armour. Magnets powered by a battery pack allow for firing of solid shell rounds without gunpowder or bullet casings. Clips contain a compliment of bullets and an energy cell that will power the weapon enough to fire the full clip. Can be heavily customized with extended magazines, scopes, etc.
Space Travel
Interplanetary ships are common, with both military and merchant ships making the transit between planets, moons and resource satellites. However, even with the powerful ion drives necessary to make these trips it still takes weeks or even months to get from one planet to the other. This creates a unique dynamic to the war as supply chains can easily be cut off and outposts exposed when Union or Empire bases are pushed far apart by their orbits. On the other hand, when bases orbit close to one other, it provides an opportunity to make several shorter trips to transport supplies or military resources.
Space ship types:
· Freighter: Transport vessels, vary in size depending on design. Usually limited weaponry in favour of maximum carrying capacity and engines powerful enough to move large amounts of cargo. Most are capable of making planetfall
· Fighter: Fast attack vessel, usually supporting 1-3 crew members. Can be armed with a mix of light weapons for fighter-to-fighter combat, or heavy projectiles or missiles for anti-ship warfare. Most models have limited range and depend on a larger ship for interplanetary missions
· Bombers: A heaver and slower fighter type craft, they are geared towards toughness and hitting power over speed. Heavier shields, armour and heavier payload make them ideal for attacking bigger ships and stationary ground or orbital facilities
· Shuttles: People carriers, usually around as tough as bombers but bigger in scale. Usually have a crew between 2-6 and able to carry between 6-36 people plus cargo, depending on size. Weaponry is comparable to fighters and bombers, but they favour shielding to get their load to where it’s going in one piece.
· Frigate: The most common military and mercenary vessels. Several times larger than a shuttle, they support anti-fighter and light anti-ship guns. The shields and armour are often superior to those found on Freighters and Shuttles but weaker than the heavier ships of the fleet. The upside being with only 25-50 crew required to operate and their smaller size make them easy to mass produce and man, allowing for greater coverage of area. Combined with their speed makes them an ideal light patrol and escort ship. Frigates can also make landfall given good atmosphere conditions.
· Cruisers: Cruisers are a specialized ship of the fleet designed for anti-fighter and shuttle combat, ranging in size equal to a large Frigate to a few times larger. Armed with a large number of anti-fighter weaponry, they are dependent on bigger ships of the fleet to engage enemy fleets that contain Frigates and heavier vessels. They are nimble for their size, allowing them to get in between fighters and their targets before putting out a wall of anti-fighter firepower. With a crew ranging from 40-80, they are slightly more demanding to build, especially given the number of weapons emplacements needed, but they can be valuable defenders for larger fleets or remote areas like resource asteroids that cannot devote enough resources to fighter defence. Some Cruisers are equipped with hangers large enough to carry a 6-12 fighters or a handful of shuttles. Some cruisers can make landfall, but only in favourable conditions.
· Destroyers: Destroyers, easily 2-4 times bigger than Cruisers are the backbone of the fleet, with a reliable mix of anti-fighter and heavy anti-ship weaponry, strong shields and armour plating. A few Destroyers are even equipped with devastating anti-ship artillery, massive weapons that can devastate ships and fixed targets. Their bulk means that they cannot keep up with faster ships, but if they catch a lighter ship in their crosshairs they can pummel them into submission in a matter of minutes. They often have hangers sufficient to carry a mix of a few fighter squadrons and shuttles. Destroyers also carry a range of specialized scanning and cyber warfare equipment, allowing them to detect and interfere with enemies at distance, giving the fleet an opportunity to array for a proper defense. With a crew compliment of 100-250, a Destroyer is a significant investment. As such they are often deployed to protect active war zones, high value resource bases, important convoys and planetary defence. Most Destroyers are incapable of making planet fall due to their bulk, but a few successful cases have been documented, with many more documented failures.
· Battleships: Battleships are the juggernauts of the fleet. These behemoths dwarf even the biggest Destroyer and support an impressive array of anti-fighter and anti-ship weaponry. Their most notable feature is their ability to support multiple anti-ship artillery pieces, making them not only significant game changers in fleet battles but a significant presence near a planet, moon or asteroid as they can easily bombard ground targets from orbit. They often have several hangers, some supporting up to 6 fighter squadrons plus shuttles. Some models are designed as planetary assault craft, housing ground troops, vehicles and specialized landing craft type shuttles. Even the smallest Battleship houses over 400 crew members, while the bigger ships of the line can house as many as 900 crew plus ground attack troops. No battleship has ever made landfall successfully due to their incredible size, and some tactics have even evolved that try to force Battleships in orbit down into atmosphere in an attempt to force a crash. Building and manning these vessels is such an undertaking that they are deployed very carefully, often held in reserve for planetary defence and for large scale attacks.
· Carriers: Carriers have the greatest range in size of all ships, with the smallest ship being around the same size as a large Frigate or Cruiser, while some are built even bigger than Battleships. The main function of a carrier is to transport, deploy and support fighters, shuttles and ground attack troops. They are usually lightly armed but with heavy shields in order to protect the forces they carry, as they are vulnerable until launched.
· Super Vessels: There are a special class of vessel which resemble other ships in relative to their armament and design, but are built on a massive scale. These are often unique constructions. Some examples are the Union Super Battleship USCS (Union Space Command Ship) Phalanx, a massive battleship with unparalleled shield strength, and the USCS Hurricane a carrier that houses one massive hanger that runs the length of the ship and a prototype fighter launch system that allows scores of fighters to be launched in a matter of minutes.
Terraforming and Colonization
Terraforming and colonization happens in several stages. A space station is established in orbit around the planet or moon. From there ships and supplies are sent down to the surface via shuttles and freighters. Terraforming platforms are constructed on the surface, along with small workforce villages made up of vacuum sealed buildings. For long term Terraforming projects these towns will often develop into fully encased domes to allow a better quality of living while the terraforming occurs. Once the atmosphere becomes breathable and the temperature regulated, these towns flourish into the first major cities.
When asteroids are colonized for mining purposes, most are not terraformed, as they often do not have the gravity to maintain an atmosphere. Some of the larger asteroids and comets will have several colonies on it with vacuum sealed tunnels connecting them as well as aiding with the mining.
Branches of the Union Military
Union Space Command: The U.S.C consists of three major divisions. The primary arm is Fleet Command, which oversees all fleet movement from Capital Ships to fighter squadrons. Most all pilots, ship crew, mechanics, engineers, etc fall under the jurisdiction of Fleet Command. Parallel to Fleet Command is the Marine Corps, a division specializing in joint ship and ground combat. They carry out missions on their own and in conjunction with Fleet Command, but they own few ships wholly and often rely on fleet command for transport and support. Most of the U.S.C.’s special forces are part of the Marine Corps. The last division is the Dry-docks Division, a group of scientists, engineers and mechanics responsible for designing, building and upgrading the ships and equipment of the Fleet and Marines. They rarely see service away from the Dry-docks facilities located on Earth, Mars, their moons and space stations.
USC Rank system:
Non-Commissioned officers (ascending order):
· Crewman
· Able Crewman
· Leading Crewman
· Master Crewman
· Petty Officer 2nd Class
· Petty Officer 1st Class
· Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class
· Chief Petty Officer 1st Class
Commissioned Officers (ascending order):
· Fleet Cadet
· Sub-Lieutenant
· Lieutenant
· Lieutenant-Commander
· Commander
· Captain
· Commodore
· Rear-Admiral
· Vice-Admiral
· Admiral
Union Combined Terra Command: The UCTC, like the USC, is divided up into several divisions. The first being Planetary Command, which makes up the bulk of the Union’s ground forces, is a combination of standard planetary armies, orbital drop troops, space station and resource facility security forces. They are further divided into Infantry, Armored, Artillery and Security. The armored division handles most of the tanks, transports, fast attack vehicles, mobile fortresses and the lumbering battle mechs. The second is the clandestine Special Forces division, a small group of Commandos and Intelligence gathering units. While they lack the numbers and heavy hardware of Planetary Command, they have highly specialized equipment and training that makes them incredibly effective when deployed correctly. Finally, is Planetary R&D Division, nicknamed The War factory, they are responsible for producing all of the UCTC’s hardware.
UCTC Ranks:
Non-Commissioned officers (ascending order):
· Recruit
· Private
· Corporal
· Master Corporal
· Sergeant
· Warrant Officer
· Master Warrant Officer
· Chief Warrant Officer
Commissioned Officers (ascending order):
· Planetary Cadet
· Second Lieutenant
· Lieutenant
· Captain (Equivalent to a Fleet Lieutenant)
· Major
· Lieutenant-Colonel
· Colonel
· Brigadier-General
· Major-General
· Lieutenant-General
· General
Union Intelligence Bureau: Often referred to as the Shadow Division, the UIB is responsible for all matter of heavy clandestine and deep cover intelligence gathering activities. Most of their actions are concealed to all but those with top secret or eyes only security clearance. There is little known about the official rank structure within the Bureau, as its agents are issued equivalent rank by the leadership of the USC or the UCTC whenever the agents will be interacting with units of the USC or UCTC. However, the agents rarely submit to an officer’s command unless it suits their objectives.
