Tough Rats

The Tough Rats have been a secretive unit for some time. Their origins actually don't lie within Amegakure, but the city of Yokotari. There the unit's history started out as nothing more than a group of miserable thugs and thieves. Over time, they would become a valuable asset for the Intelligence Division within the Rain.

## Hierarchy

The hierarchy and ranks within the Tough Rats tend to be confusing for outsiders and newly recruited initiates. This is due to the fact that there are different leaders within the unit that tend to operate in a more independent fashion than most traditional units. Allowing the Tough Rats to be highly independent and capable of acting swiftly.

At the top stands the Amekage, that governs the Rain province within the Empire of Akino. While the Tough Rats are required to follow the instructions, they are somewhat allowed to operate freely. As long as their actions benefit the province and the Empire, they are allowed to bypass a few laws - though they are required to explain their actions from time to time to the Intelligence Division.

What really starts to become confusing is that there aren't any solid teams of Tough Rat operatives. The operators of the unit are almost consistently swapped from team or teams are dissolved, only to form new ones. The code names of these teams also change, which has only improved and coerced the members of the Tough Rats to be flexible.

## Equipment and Skills

The equipment that the Tough Rats work vary. As one can expect from a shinobi unit, they are somewhat less strict in terms of what weaponry they let their members practice or master. Though most tend to favour short-bladed or blunt weaponry - weapons and tools that can be hidden easily and allow them to strike swiftly. While the unit has a uniformal gear, they do tend to don it when it is absolutely necessary. As almost all of the Tough Rats are trained and drilled into mastering stealth, they tend to operate in clothing that provides better chances of remaining undetected. Such as remaining dressed as civilians or blending in as servants of a rich target to dress as actual guards of assassination targets.

The gear that actually is granted to a Tough Rat is composed out of protective material, which is favoured for operations that require a swift attack or raid on a target and not the usually prolonged investigation and strikes that they perform. The Tough Rat gear is somewhat similar in idea to the ANBU gear but tends to fully conceal many features of the wearer - reducing the chance of the Tough Rat's identity to be compromised when a mission fails.

Their skillset seems to be focused mostly on stealth and subterfuge. Many within the unit are trained in using and combating ninjutsu - allowing them to be decent hunters at targets that can utilize ninjutsu themselves. A small percentage isn't able to use ninjutsu but have enough understanding to combat it in perhaps unorthodox manners and tactics

## Recruitment and Training

The Tough Rats tend to recruit in a different fashion than most organisations or units. While the more traditional path of being assigned to the Tough Rats exist, they tend to have their own way to expand their ranks. This is usually done by a veteran that takes up on a potential candidate. Regardless if a candidate has or doesn't have the potential to mould chakra. Once an apprentice has been found, they are subjugated to various tests and tasks - usually given by the Tough Rat that sees potential in them. These tests and tasks tend to give the apprentice some experience and help the Tough Rat in their own assignments.

Once the apprentice has proven their loyalty and worth, they are formally introduced to the Tough Rats. From there, they receive additional training and equipment to be of use to the unit.

The training tends to be focused on fields of subterfuge and if the recruit has the ability, ninjutsu. Much as one can expect, the training regimes are harsh and demand a lot from the recruits. It isn't unusual that some aren't able to become full-fledged Tough Rats because of it, which see them either transferred to another unit within the Imperial force in the Rain province or becoming minor assets of the Tough Rats.