Bombardier

**Key Features** | »M2 "Goon Gun" Infantry Mortar»Excess street cred»Sick leather jacket»Box of hair gel (and comb)»Can of spray paint (for tagging)

## Tactical Analysis

* **Have a blast, daddy-o:** "Reformed" gang members snatched off the streets of Newark and Jersey City, Bombardiers carry specialized mortars capable of putting the hurt on their enemies from a distance, primarily against enemy defenses. And thanks to special modifications their mortar can even fire inside garrisons, where a proper support allows the Bombardier to fire cluster rounds, though their range is shorter on account of the limited firing arc.

* **Can't skate away, dig:** Thanks to the backers of the Unionists, Bombardiers can switch to fire specialized drone rounds. Capable of changing direction mid-flight, these mortar rounds can deal grievous damage to light vehicles and decent work against tanks, but they lack the splash damage of conventional shells and deals lesser damaged overall.

* **Don't harsh my vibe, square:** Bombardiers are tougher than most, but they aren't invulnerable to harm, especially from aircraft. Their weapons are also ineffective against fast-moving infantry, and forget doing damage to battlesuits or mecha.

* **Fixing to work the town:** Higher-yield rounds containing single use microwave emitters and advanced tracking systems "found" in their old hideouts are distributed among the best (and some say most loyal) of the Bombardiers.

## Background

North Jersey has always struggled with crime. While the state has always been infamous for being a hotspot of mafia efforts on the eastern seaboard, North Jersey had always been run through by small-time street gangs dueling with each other for turf on the waterfront and in the bad parts of cities like Newark and Jersey City. A situation that seemed to get worse post-WWII, when the gangs became better armed and more violent. Before most Americans saw street gangs as greasy-haired tough guys who fought each other with chains and switchblades. Who tore up the town in black leather jackets on roaring choppers and custom hot rods. Then the gangs got more violent, taking to the streets with automatic weapons and high explosives. The police couldn't keep up, and many claimed that soon North Jersey would be overrun by gangs to the point it would need to be sealed off.

Enter the Unionists, volunteering their Civil Defense Force to help in new "community safety efforts". In six months, the gangs in Newark and Jersey City were all turning over new leafs. This was a shock to the local mafia outfits, who had been using these gangs to carry out their goals. While the Unionists were certainly popular, they weren't government. They weren't risky in the eyes of the mafia. The mafia dons had started a plan to stop the Unionists from interfering in their business, when the Unionists struck first. Then the leading mafia bosses in New Jersey stood before the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton pledging support to the Unionist movement.

Along with support, they revealed a treasure trove of equipment. Among the shipments meant to assist the Continentals, there were personal mortar systems meant for militias in Texas. Deciding that the Continentals had enough weapons already, the Unionists seized these weapons and their ammo. Now, the former gangs of North Jersey have become part of the Unionists. Though still seen as rejects from the wrong side of the tracks, dressed in their black leather jackets and running combs through their greased hair. Which is a shock, because before the Unionists confronted them they ran around in bright pastels with maddeningly eccentric haircuts.