Conscriptnaught

**Key Features** | »7.92x54mmR Degtyaryov ET type light machine gun»"Space Operations" certification patch»Pressurized "Berkut" space suit»Helmet w/ red "CCCP" decals»Vodka from the re-entry capsules. Only way to fly!

*"Gravity? What's that?"*

- Conscriptnaught
## Tactical Analysis

* **Comrade Cosmonaut**: To put it simply, Conscriptnaughts are glorified conscripts in spacesuits, armed with a rapid fire Degtyaryov machine gun which can easily blanket an area in bullets and suppress infantry, and explosive charges which can be planted on structures.

* **Drop Troopers!**: Conscriptnaughts are clad in armoured spacesuits that grant them protection against weapons fire. Usually not present on the battlefield, Conscriptnaughts are deployed into the battle via atmospheric re-entry capsules, and can only be requested via the Space Marines Protocol.

* **Unused to Gravity**: Conscriptnaughts suffer from several weaknesses, however. They are extremely slow, and cannot combat vehicles or aircraft.

* **Gatling Good**: Conscriptnaughts are known to "borrow" Gatling guns meant for destroying asteroids. These Gatling guns boast an even higher rate of fire than the Degtyaryov, but can cause problems for Conscriptnaughts who have never handled a gun in full gravity before, thus limiting its use to experienced Conscriptnaughts.

## Background

The Soviet Union are undoubtedly the current leaders in the Soviet-Allied "Space Race". The Magnetic Satelite, the Mir Space Station, all of these are shining examples of Soviet superiority in the realm of outer space. Unsurprisingly, the Soviet Union has more men in space than any of the other powers. The Soviets enjoy this edge, and will overstaff their stations, to the point of always sending up men with any launch. However, the Soviets don't adequately record these launches, and many of the men who have gone up later found out that they were already conscripted! The Red Army, however, instead of just bringing down a few men to train, saw the benefit in this. They could stay up there and stay as the fourth shift backup, but when battle came, they would need to serve.

The next cargo shipment up to the Mir station was loaded with Degtyaryov ET type light machine guns and enough ammunition to fight a small war. This gun wasn't chosen due to any particular strength, but simply because their flat, drum magazines were easily stacked in a rocket. While a few cosmonauts use them to propel themselves across distances in low orbit, all cosmonaut conscripts (better known as **Conscriptnaughts**) aboard are expected to know how to use the weapons by reading the user manual (the cartoon strip that came with them). Since firing the weapon in the station itself would cause unacceptable damage to the space station's structural integrity, it is typical for a fresh Conscriptnaught to have never fired his weapon before his drop.

When finally called to service, the Conscriptnaughts are herded into emergency survival pods by the single Commissar in orbit. The survival pods are designed to survive re-entry, and serve ably as drop pods. Technicians on the station calculate where and for how long the retrorockets on the survival pod have to burn to get it to the battlefield they were requested on, no small task in itself, but done carefully to avoid the one time a battle in the Balkans resulted in a Conscriptnaught squad being dropped in the Amazon basin. Unlike other "drop" troops, the Conscriptnaughts are not expected to serve in a strategic manner; they lack the supplies and equipment to do so. Instead, they are literally dropped in the middle of battle, wherever the presiding officer believes they will do the best job. The only thing close to heavy weaponry they have is anti-asteroid gatling guns that they ripped from their station, though only Conscriptnaughts who have been earthside enough know how to handle it in full gravity. Conscriptnaughts are therefore not expected to live long, much like other conscripts, but it is hoped that they will shoot enough enemies to be worth the cost of the space suit.