Special Operations Forces in Traveller

[Murph]

IMTU you have the Imperial Marine Commandos. They are like the SAS (Special Air Service)/Delta of the Imperium. They get the Impossible Missions, the deniable missions, and the missions you just really don't want to know about.

BUT: How are they delivered? IMTU, The Imperial Navy has Special Operations Squadrons which are larger than a regular squadron, are assigned to a Commando regiment, and operate all sorts of vessels.

Typical- 1071st SO Sqdn
Commander: Commodore
4 Destroyers (large destroyers) converted to Spec Ops role
10 Spec Ops converted Broadsword class ships
4 Fat Traders (400 Tons)
6 Scouts- Spec Ops sensor package
4 Yachts- Spec Ops equipped
2 Hunting Ships- Spec Ops equipped
1 Uhlan class (Regimental) transport- Spec Ops modified as a base ship
2 tankers
2 large cargo ships (Type TJ)
2 Type TI ships
8 Fast couriers (J-6)

Marine Commando Regiment: Colonel commanding
4 Operational squadrons (Battalions)
each Squadron with 4 operational companies

Each squadron has the following taskings:
"A" Troop- Anti-Terror operations
"B" Troop- Vacuum Operations
"C" Troop- LRRP/Class "M" world operations
"D" Troop- Strike Force Operations

"D" Troop is larger than the other ones, and more closely resembles a modern day Ranger company or Royal Marine Commando.

All troops are rotated through each squadron in turn.

Lets see your organizations.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I always assumed the Marine Commandos were optimized for raiding, i.e. UK Royal Marine Commandos, USA Rangers or USMC Raiders. They were organized as seperate battalion-sized "Commandos".

Each Commando would have a Reconnaisance troop, much as a USMC Marine Expeditionary Force has Reconnaisance and Force Recon components.

The SAS/Delta operations would be carries out by Covert Action troops of Fleet Naval Intelligence Detatchments. CA troops are staffed with volunteers from the Commando Recon troops. The exact number, composition and organization of these units is classified.
http://www.specialoperations.com/

 

[eclipse]

There are a couple of good examples sprinkled about in addition to Imperial Marine Commandos.
The Imperial Army has the Sylean Rangers (Gurps:T, Ground Forces) and the IISS has the Special Security Service(S-3) (Gurps:T, First In/Star Mercs).

It's also a fair bet that every quasi-independent unit in the Imperial Army (i.e. planetary units subject to call up) will have their own "Elite" forces. Much the same way every small city/large town feels the need to have a SWAT unit, regardless of actual need.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Eclipse has a good point. Hostage rescue specialists will be local, most likely planetary army.

 

[trader jim]

hhhmmmnnn...Special ops against Cleon The Mad?....
hhhmmmnnn...could work???...

 

[Cleon the Mad]

Originally posted by trader jim:
hhhmmmnnn...Special ops against Cleon The Mad?....
hhhmmmnnn...could work???...

My good Grand Poobah Trader Jim, I'm amazed! I get the feeling that you perhaps didn't wish the title of "Grand Poobah of the Spinward Marches". And just think, I was going to have a 60,000 ton Strike Cruiser with a special Coffee Juice perculator spinal mount comissioned in your honor!

Oh well, if you don't want the ship....just let me know, my good Grand Poobah Trader Jim.

 

[trader jim]

all you special ops guys...come with me down to Random Static....work to do...

 

[Cleon the Mad]

Capital/Core 014-245

His most benevolent and wise majesty, Emperor of the Imperium Cleon III announced today that the creation of a new special operations force within the ranks of the Imperial Marines will soon be implimented

Although not many details were given, the name of this soon to be force is the "Ice Screamers".

Apparently said force will be trained in arctic survival and combat, including issue of non-standard arms and armor not normally found among standard Imperial Marine troopers

"Although much of the equipment for this new force is in development and/or is of a top secret nature", explained Dr. Benjerry Baskin-Robins, Ice Screamers armament R&D project head, "I can divulge limited information on the uniform being developed for the new force".

"The new uniform will be made from the "Magic Shell" polymer, a substance that although liquid at room temprature for most sophants, almost instantly hardens when brought down to the freezing temprature of water! This will encourage the troopers to constantly train in arctic conditions, lest their uniforms simply melt off!"

"Also, said polymer comes in many delicious flavors" Dr. Baskin-Robins continued to explain, "with the Enlisted clad in chocolate, NCO's Buttertoffee and Officers in Cherry. Due to this extra feature, a Ice Screamer Marine need not want for rations if supplies are lacking! He or she simply need to eat one's own uniform, or at worst the uniform of a comrade!"

Further details regarding this new unit, along with the unexpected resignation of every member of the Imperial Joint Chiefs of Staff will be announced at a later date.

 

[Liam Devlin]

(edited in the mindless pursuit of civility) Live, laugh, lighten up! beats cryin, it does, aye.

 

[Jame]

That's some wonderful cold storage!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Another helpless thread trampled in the heedless pursuit of SOC-15.

 

[Cleon the Mad]

Originally posted by Uncle Bob:


Another helpless thread trampled in the heedless pursuit of SOC-15.

:::Breaks the Cleon the Mad character to step upon a soapbox:::

Well, I do apologize if I did disrupt the thread, my intent was to provide comedy relief, not thread disruption. But, having said that, I do NOT appricate the assumption that I am posting such in some "heedless pursuit" of some status like "SOC-15". My intent was not to tally up posts just to bump up some message board rating, it was simply as I stated, for comedy relief. Please DO NOT assume that I am simply posting for some need to see my name in print, or to see my message board SOC rating increase, if that is what your statement means. I DO NOT appricate that assumption. I do see it as possible to inject humor into a message board thread without disrupting the thread itself, but perhaps at least with this thread, I am wrong.

I do sincerely apologize to anyone who was irritated and annoyed by my previous post in this thread. If a board administrator wishes to contact me to ask me to remove it, or if they wish to do so on their own, then feel free, I will not be offended and be more then happy to comply if asked to remove it by someone with authority regarding this board.

:::steps down from soapbox, resumes "Cleon the Mad" persona::::

 

[Liam Devlin]

Breaks in wee Liam:::

Uncle Bob, I'll say this once(and in all due respect, nothing personal at all!). I was moved to ROFL. I'll admit I over did it with seven (the legal limit, is 8). I'll edit myself, on yer behalf (because I know of, and respect you, SCA-wise).

As for the allegation of "heedless pursuit of SOC-15", your excellency. If in jest, so taken. if in any other context:
I post and make comment. Same as all do here. I work swing shifts, so I get to see the end of the day's and beginnings posts thru a given week.
I am not(A) heedless, nor (b) in pursuit of this goal.

:::Exits wee Liam,
heretically, and humorously yours!

 

[lightsenshi]

*back on topic, sorta*
That kind of cold weather gear does give a whole new meaning to the term "looting the bodies".

But I was also wondering if anyone has done any serious (i.e. in depth) work on this topic.

 

[kafka47]

Getting back to the original thread...

With all the Intelligence Agencies at work in the Imperium, Merc. Companies, well equipped armies who could slip in and out using a black globe generator, plus the lag in communication time and effective dictatorship of the Emperor over the worlds of the Imperium. Why would the Imperium really need Special Forces?

 

[kafka47]

Getting back to the original thread...

With all the Intelligence Agencies at work in the Imperium, Merc. Companies, well equipped armies who could slip in and out using a black globe generator, plus the lag in communication time and effective dictatorship of the Emperor over the worlds of the Imperium. Why would the Imperium really need Special Forces?

 

[lightsenshi]

Because a) Black grobe generators are frightfully rare and worth their weight in anything. b) Highly specialized, well trained, and well equiped troops will always be needed to deal with certain situations.

 

[kafka47]

Black Globes are only rare before the cache was found by the Imperial Navy sometime around 1000. And, I don't dispute the need for specialized forces, but, I think the Imperium for dirty tricks jobs could always provide training for a Merc Unit up to and beyond TL F that would be the same as the Imperial Forces training, abeit through front companies...

The real life example could be the contras or Mujadeen. They were fully stocked against taking out the rival global power. So unless, you want to knock off an entire world's government, a low intensity war seems to be recourse that the Imperium usually takes. And, then the Imperium can always declare Imperial interests are at stake and still send in the regular troops. And, what is one world going to do against the full might of the 3I...unless the Imperium is in decline a la prequel to MT...

 

[Uncle Bob]

Sorry guys, I did not mean to be offenive. I do get a little annoyed when a thread gets bumped and I find the new posts are just humorous references to events and personalities on Random Static(?) which I have (deliberately) not been following.

I need to lighten up.

As to spec forces, current units do a variety of missions. Some (like the traditional "Green Beret" job of advising insurgents) can be done by Mercs. Some jobs (like counter-terrorist and hostage rescue) are best done by planetary or subsector units.

But two jobs the Imperials will want to do themselves: Operational Reconnaisance (USMC Force Recon, and the principle job of SEALs, SAS, and SBS) and strategic reconnaisance (working with and for Intelligence).

 

[Cleon the Mad]

Originally posted by kafka47:
Black Globes are only rare before the cache was found by the Imperial Navy sometime around 1000. .

Maybe this is only my take on it, but I always assumed, and used IMTU that the cache was more of a find for researchers, it let them have a good number of working examples to base development of a working TL 15 Black Globe upon. Even if thousands were found, their use, as a finite resource at least until the Imperium itself can make their own if nothing else, will be carefully monitored. Okay, I'm also somewhat ignoring their use on a fairly small ship like the Kuniner class, but that almost seems to be the exception to the rule (and present canon seems to override some statements in that adventure anyway, like the "four of these defend the Spinward Marches" comment). Even if the cache is let's say a few hundred or a few thousand (can't remember how many were stated to be in it, if there was one), that's a few thousand to spread across all of the Imperium, with everyone and their second cousin trying for a claim on one that isn't already being used for research.

Otherwise, in short I think the cache made them go from "absurdly rare and something that we wish we had" to "rare, but not completly unheard of, for great expense we can equip a class of large capital ships with them".

Just my take, though.