OTU Only: Secondary missions for IISS

[McPerth]

We know the initial primary misión of the IISS was exploration and contact with Pocket Empires and new worlds, in most cases with population left there by the First and Second Imperiums.

With the Imperium expansión, and now bordering mostly already developed political entities, so with litle to explore (any exploration of unknown frontiers would have to cross one of those entieties), its primary missions (acording canon, and if my memory does not forget any of them) changed to:

• Communications (Xboat/courriers)
• Keping the spacelanes maps updated
• Contact and protection of developing cutures (interdict such worlds)
• Navy assistence in war times.

Assuming you use (as seems most of us do) a somewhat customized OTU, what other missions do they have on it?

 

[flykiller]

an excellent list of possibilities, the scout service could be involved in or even run outright any or all of them. likely these assignments would be on an ad-hoc basis - where the local baron/count/marquis sees a need for a function then the scouts would be so funded and equipped and trained. cdc might be a sector-wide permanent office, tech assist might be on a case-by-case basis after naval/corporate/imperial review, etc.

I checked only the one's imtu that I'd already thought of.

(colonization support is unlikely - if a colony can't support itself then it won't happen.)

(diplomacy is unlikely. it will happen in an unplanned ad hoc manner and be carried on by unauthorized junior personnel - how could it not - but deliberate diplomacy would be carried on by authorized, experienced, trained, senior representatives of the imperium, senior retirees and knights at minimum.

 

[mike wightman]

I've been considering this one for a while.

Just what do scouts do in the 3I?

My epiphany was to consider the frontier regions of loose Imperial control and extensive home rule and planetary culture and then it struck me. They are a 'special circumstance' type organisation.

On the face of it they maintain communication - x-boats and scout/couriers to worlds off the x-boat net. They catalogue systems within the Imperium (and yet only complete a census how often? - I smell a rat there). They explore beyond the Imperium - but have to be careful how they do this since the Imperium is surrounded by other empires. They also interdict worlds if necessary.

Their true calling (IMTU) is to be able to go native, blending in with frontier Imperial world cultures and carrying out clandestine Imperial missions on member worlds - intel gathering, counter espionage, even intervention if necessary.

 

[flykiller]

previous discussion here.

 

[kilemall]

They are a different thing IMTU as they are the only actual 'federal/imperial' force, navies and armies being national entities 'federalized' in time of war (which hasn't happened-yet).

As such they aren't 'the light navy', more like a cross between the 'coast guard', game/eco wardens for protected planets/biomes, and exploration, with part-time intel and contact responsibilities that happen as a result of their other activities (in the same way diplomats support intel, but it's not their primary function).

Their unofficial function is to 'fix' issues and incidents before they get out of hand and threaten Pax Confederation.

The one thing they don't do is the X-boat service, but that is due to nationalistic and corporate interest in maintaining privacy from others and the Confederation itself, and the very limited network being served due to the initial Terran expansion phase. Once humanity spreads out beyond 30 parsecs, the expense of maintaining separate comm services will tell and the TC member nations are more likely to see the sense of one service.

 

[McPerth]

They are a different thing IMTU as they are the only actual 'federal/imperial' force, navies and armies being national entities 'federalized' in time of war (which hasn't happened-yet).

As such they aren't 'the light navy', more like a cross between the 'coast guard', game/eco wardens for protected planets/biomes, and exploration, with part-time intel and contact responsibilities that happen as a result of their other activities (in the same way diplomats support intel, but it's not their primary function).

Their unofficial function is to 'fix' issues and incidents before they get out of hand and threaten Pax Confederation.

The one thing they don't do is the X-boat service, but that is due to nationalistic and corporate interest in maintaining privacy from others and the Confederation itself, and the very limited network being served due to the initial Terran expansion phase. Once humanity spreads out beyond 30 parsecs, the expense of maintaining separate comm services will tell and the TC member nations are more likely to see the sense of one service.

So they perform most of what I put as seccondary missions, but not the ones told as primary...

 

[flykiller]

I'm surprised everyone so far has included external intel but not mentioned any pathfinder/udt function.

 

[Quint]

I'm surprised everyone so far has included external intel but not mentioned any pathfinder/udt function.

IMTU the Army and the Navy/Marines have their own Pathfinder/UDT forces. The Scouts would have more of a Coastwatchers function rather than a Pathfinder one. They also tend to be attached to other forces to act as local liaisons, translators, culturally knowledgeable "sophont terrain" experts, etc.

D.

 

[Meteoric Assault]

I'm surprised everyone so far has included external intel but not mentioned any pathfinder/udt function.

Commandos... or LRRP's (Army/Marine function). Thinking about if it some its at a strategic reconnaissance level some it would have to be some kind of SF unit... Like RRD (Ranger Reconnaissance Det)(Oops its now the RRC, things change when you are not around anymore) or the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, 13e RDP (worked with some of those guys). or the Isreali Sayeret Matkal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regimental_Reconnaissance_Company
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Reconnaissance_Regiment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Parachute_Dragoon_Regiment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayeret_Matkal

 

[Spinward Scout]

Mongoose's Book 3: Scout covers a bunch of recall missions, if you have access to that book. I added a bit to those with these threads:

More Missions for Book 3: Scout

Detached Duty - Scout Ship For Hire "Missions"

(I know it's OTU, but I thought it might help)

 

[Reban]

I'm surprised everyone so far has included external intel but not mentioned any pathfinder/udt function.

IMTU I have an Imperial Army unit(s) the Guides Infantry and Guides Cavalry staffed with detached Scouts who act as cultural advisers and interpreters. The units function in a long range recon/pathfinder role, patrolling to contact either civilian populations or enemy forces. Intelligence gathered analysed and is reported back to higher command for action. Attached in company/squadron strength to Corps or higher Headquarters.

Think a combination of the Scouts "contact" function, but for the Imperial Army and Green Berets interacting with local populations providing humanitarian contact or training to friendly forces.

The inspiration is vaguely from the Victorian era British Army Corps of Guides on the Northwest Frontier.

Scouts IMTU interact with all the Imperial Ministries on some level either providing raw data, or practical services like transporting Ministry of Health doctors or agents in the Medical Scout section.

 

[McPerth]

The Scouts would have more of a Coastwatchers function rather than a Pathfinder one. They also tend to be attached to other forces to act as local liaisons, translators, culturally knowledgeable "sophont terrain" experts, etc.

The fact more than one Board user compared them with the Coastwatch in various functions was one of the reasons I started this poll. Most options are taken from ideas I've read here.

(I know it's OTU, but I thought it might help)

And, as stated in the OP, this poll is mostly htought for the basicallu OTU, though somewhat customized, I guess most of us use (though ideas form the various ATUs and IMTUs are wellcome).

 

[McPerth]

IMTU (customized ATU), one of the less commented and known functions the IISS performs (that would fall under options Help Developing Cultures, Help colonization and Medical Support in this poll) is to keep sperm and embryo banks for free share among various planets.

Aside from helping infertile couples (a worthy goal by itself), this is mostly thought (and hence the Imperial involvement) to give a small but steady influx of new DNA to low populations, whose poor genetic pool could lead to endogamy in a few genertions. By providing those services for free, they encourage this genetic pool sharing and enlarging without the need of immigration that could put the low pop planet culture in jeopardy (as, the new DNA has not yet culture).

The fact it is one of their less known functions is not due to any attempt to keep it secret (in fact, being a free service it is quite open), but because this is a sensitive issue for most affected people, and so not too oppenly talked about.

Off course, it is a detail unlikely to have any game effect, colour aside...

 

[flykiller]

it is a detail unlikely to have any game effect

what, are you kidding? "'you're not one of us, get out!', so I joined the scouts since they were my real father ...."

 

[mike wightman]

I'm willing to bet its not just visiting scouts that contribute to the gene pool on low pop. worlds, all those bad boy ethically challenged merchants that drop by from time to time are likely to cause a bit of genetic drift too... :devil:

 

[flykiller]

cause a bit of genetic drift too...

... which might result in pursuit by brothers in defense of an honor culture ....

 

[Limburger59]

I love the Scouts, but I would assume that the higher Social level types in the Imperial Navy are going to insist that diplomacy and intelligence roles are their roles. Also MoJ and Imperial law.

My impression is that most Dukes have naval connections...but if you had a Duke that was tired of the Navy strutting around he may give the Scouts some unofficial duties off the record.

 

[flykiller]

the higher Social level types in the Imperial Navy are going to insist that diplomacy and intelligence roles are their roles. Also MoJ and Imperial law.

officially, and by policy, sure. but the scouts are out there in the field so they influence things (for good or ill) by default no matter what anyone else wants.

 

[kilemall]

So they perform most of what I put as seccondary missions, but not the ones told as primary...

Astrography would be subsumed in exploration, particularly given my take on jump mechanics.

On a practical basis each national navy has it's own astrographic arm charting their own hoarded safe jump points for strategic advantage, but for primary exploration colonization and trade, TC scouts handle it.