Silvan's Troopers
Initially called up by the Nikhasha Diisarirga Duke of Sabine for the Fourth Frontier War (1083) Silvan's Troopers have developed an excellent reputation as an elite unit. This is a direct result of the high level of initial capitalization costs that have gone into both the training and equipage of this unit. The Troopers were formed from a core of the Duke of Sabines's Own Huscarles, which themselves were trained and manned by retired members of the Sylean Rangers.
The duke invested a large amount of both Imperial taxes and personal wealth in outfitting the unit. They have a mixture of TL11 and TL12 equipment and a very high level of training. After the war the duke decided to hire the Troopers out as a mercenary unit. His intention was to offset the maintenance cost of the unit, not to make a profit. Indeed the unit has never been profitable in a strait monetary sense. They have proven, on occasion, to be a very useful tool of Imperial policy. The duke has also used them to aid other Imperial Nobles, often trading services for favors, to his own advantage.
Mercenary Units
Investigation found that there was more need of small mercenary troops than larger company size units, so the duke invested in a number of Broadsword Merc Cruisers. The company was split into six troops and a training unit. New recruits were used to staff up the six troops to about 30 troopers per ship. Ship crews were primarily hired from the colonial navy fleet, as the duke preferred the space hands be more freewheeling than typically engendered by Imperial Navy trained spacers.
The company's training facilities are now located on Magash (Deneb/Sabine). Magash is the sector capital. The duke, as heir of the Diisarirga caverns on Magash, was head of a major faction on this balkanized vac world. Local conditions provide a ready training environment for the unit.
The Fifth Frontier War Period
During the interbellum period the Troopers made a name for themselves conducting high-risk precision missions in hostage rescue, involuntary extraction and recovery. During the Fifth Frontier War the Troopers were Imperialized as a Colonial Unit and saw action in special warfare. The dearth of Imperial Marine units available for hard vac missions forced the Troopers to pick up expertise in this area. The duke fulfilled this need by hiring the best elite retired Imperial Marine instructors to "train-up" the Troopers. The Troopers entered the war as a scout and recon unit with some hard vac combat experience and finished it as elite protected force (profors) company. In the post war period the Troopers performed a variety of hard vac and hostile environment missions for a multitude of clients.
In the aftermath of the war the old duke passed away and his daughter, Silvan Diisarirga inherited the Troopers. All indications are that the young duchess, a graduate of both Deneb Military Academy and the Trooper's training program, intends to continue the high level of support the unit enjoyed under her father. She has begun a new round of capitalization, replacing older equipment.
Kalashnikov Mercenary Cruisers
In 1110 the new Duchess of Sabine decided to replace several of the older Broadsword cruisers, which had been bought used and were in excess of 60 years old, with new TL12 900-ton Kalashnikov Mercenary Cruisers. The Kalashnikov Cruisers are a GSbAG replacement of the Broadsword, produced at the Magash shipyard facility. The new cruisers have been outfitted with a Military Holoveture training area as well as drop capsule tubes. The Kalashnikov's accommodations are bit more crowded than the Broadsword. The troops are housed in 4 person bunkrooms, with officers sharing a single two person stateroom. Ships' crew is housed in double staterooms, including the unit and ship's captains who share a stateroom.
Like the Broadsword the Kalashnikov carries two modular cutters. The Kalashnikov also has a cutter module handling system which allows a total of 6 cutter modules to be carried.
Columba Advanced Modular Cutter
Two especially astute purchases by the duchess have significantly increased the Troopers' ability to outgun their opponents. The first was the procurement of a license for the purchase of a number of Columba Advanced Modular Cutters, normally only available to the Imperial Military. The cutter has a heavier load capacity, better performance and heavier compartmentalization than the standard commercial TL10 cutter.
Kushkikkan APC
The second purchase was more a matter of windfall than of planning. When Imperial Marine units began replacing their Kushkikkan APC's with Astrins the duchess took advantage of the chance to purchase vehicles that became available for sale to merc units. The Trooper's Kalashnikovs has been modified to carry 2 Kushkikkan APC's. The standard air/raft hanger has been replaced with a larger bay for a heavy grav sled.
Equipment Outfitting
The Troopers are typically outfitted with both long endurance TL11 Army Combat Armor and battledress.
60-CS is the standard battledress of the Troopers. The 60-CS is the vacuumsuit-optimized version of the Vishhii Medium Duty Battledress. The suit has extended lifesupport and other equipment to enhance its ability to operate in hostile environments. Standard TL11 Army Combat Armor is readily available to those Mercenary units that can afford it. The long endurance version incorporates options to extend the length of time soldiers can function in hostile environments. Many of the Trooper's sets were purchased during the FFW using Imperial support funds, while the company was acting as a colonial unit.
Equipment is mission specific. The Troopers typically wear battledress for assault missions planetside. ACA is more typical for urban combat or deep space boarding actions, where the size and weight of battledress is a disadvantage. Troopers train regularly with a variety of energy, slug and melee weapons. In fact, the amount of time spent in training by the Troopers is comparable to the time spent by their prototype, the Sylean Rangers, with the predictable results.
Several of the techniques and practices of the Troopers are unique among merc units, and are reminiscent of Ranger methods. Every Trooper learns Sekreto Lingvo , an obscure language from ancient times that is almost completely unknown in the 3I. They also must master ViVi, a gestural communication used as by an obscure non-auditory race in the Rim. These alternate methods of communication are considered more secure than electronic transmission, although the Troopers possess the most advanced cryptographic equipment commercially available.
MC Rutland
The MC Rutland is a typical example of one of the Magash Maximus Corporation mercenary cruisers manned by Silvan's Troopers. Like other craft belonging to MMC the ship is a member of the Magash Planetary Defense Force Auxiliaries Fleet and the crew has parallel rank in both the PDF and the Imperial Colonial Fleet.
The crew of the Rutland is Average in ground combat and Veteran in space combat. The Troopers are Elite in both space and ground combat.
Members of the Troop Contingent act as gunners for the cruiser and armed module. Junior engineers fill the rolls of cutter engineers. APC drivers service their vehicles and the embarked grav sled.
The inclusion of a Military Holoventure training unit aboard ship allows the Troopers to spend the many hours in jump honing their skills. Between the shooting range and the gym with its fencing run the Troopers seldom lack for arms training. Ship Sergeant Randolpf Pierce, the company First Sergeant, has instilled the discipline of the cutlass into the Troopers, something that the original Sylean Ranger cadre look at with a mixture of mirth and awe.
Like the Broadsword, the Kalashnikov cannot carry many soldiers; the Troopers are the best of the best, armed with the finest equipment. They are expensive to hire and generally get the jobs no one else can do.