Imperial Army Forces

While the broad tactics and techniques of the Imperial Army have been examined it has not taken an in-depth look at the soldiers within it; this article examines the main body of forces that the Empire uses, the land forces

## Overview

For a quick summary HM Armed Forces are mainly comprised of tanks, mechs, artillery but most importantly, infantry.

The standard infantry is a moderate equipped force; they possess small tools to build entrenchments, shelters and even some farms… they are also trained to fight in line formations and attack the enemy with massive volleys of small arm fire, more on this later.

Standard tanks are spilt into 3 categories, the first two usually pair with line infantry; the first tank is a ‘brawler’ that acts as a vanguard, the second tank is a ‘line-tank’ that sits among the line infantry acting as a heavy weapon and hardpoint, the last tank is a ‘Battle-tank’ which operates like most other nations’ tanks do.

Mechs are strange in the Imperial Army, they are essentially the replacement for cavalry (because even the Imperials got the memo that horses are outdated). They are rather small compared to other mechs and are a mobile unit primarily used on the flanks of armies or for reconnaissance; well, that and for massive mech charges into enemy formations like the cavalry of old days.

From the humble mortar employed by infantry to actual battleships brought in from space, the artillery comes in all shapes and sizes; if one gun can’t hit the target, another one will.

## Infantry

### Standard Infantry

#### ***Line Infantry A.K.A The Redcoats***

The backbone of the Imperial Army. They come in substantial numbers and carry a variety of small arms to serve as light a light solution to all enemies whether they be tanks, aircraft or ravenous hordes, if you charge at line of 200 redcoats with a tank you can be sure at least 3 of them have something to stop you. Redcoats are the literal frontlines of the army as they carry the arms to give any foe a bloody nose, sure they can’t stop heavy or even medium armoured tanks but that is what their tanks and mech are for; most carry a laser rifle though and coordinate fire in large groups towards the enemy.

Note that the infantry do not form literal lines in the open; they utilise entrenchments, cover, maintain spacing and fight according to the terrain. They are however more accustomed to fighting enemies from one direction and using relatively straight lined formations.

##### ***Equipment***

**Uniform:** A common soldier wears light armour around the chest and arms, a soldier of the line is too partial to death to consider giving him / her much more protection then this; among this armour is a helmet that has a visor that protects the face from the elements and has basic screen display that highlights the target to fire at.

They also have sturdy all weather boots and clothing changes depending on the planet conditions. They also wear red because hiding the troops is impossible due to numbers anyway.

**Weapons:** A common soldier wields a Scarlet Rifle MK.1 and as of 2310 they use the MK.2. Very few soldiers also carry a Shock, Anti-armour or Gatling variant; the MK.2 variant also negates but does not resolve all the issues of the MK.1.

For close range, if the burst fire mode does not suffice, the infantry carries bayonets that can be attached to the gun and super-heated to make for a deadly close combat weapon.

**Kit:** A redcoat carries; 5 battery packs (for the gun), a spade, food for a week (soldiers are encouraged to pick these rations from fallen soldiers), a pack of ‘Quick-Grow’ GM seeds, a packet of biscuits and of course, a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some nice survival tips like ‘not dying’.

Other equipment like cook-kits and shelter materials are divided between the infantry to share the load; some soldiers also carry a small shield generator that protects, on slightly more than ‘some’ occasions, the troops behind it.

**Miscellaneous:** A picture of the family or loved one is permitted, wedding rings can be worn; instruments are provided for morale during down time. Of course, these are not brought to the battlefield by soldiers as fighting men playing an instrument during a battle is silly… Cloned musicians and robots do that of course.

### Special Infantry

#### ***Ground Troopers***

These are really a elite and unique unit but are considered standard so as to confuse the enemy when they 'leak' intel of a planned 'standard' infantry attack. These soldiers utilise more modern tactics and weapon types though only on the tactical and not strategic scale; specially trained to compete in the modern style of war they are efficient machines of battle.

What gives them an additional edge is that the Empire knows the enemy to expect droves of line infantry and so the defenders do not plan to counter the tactics or weapons these soldiers use; especially weapons based on Commonwealth designs obtained through data exchange with nations whom had obtained blueprints from other nations whom had obtained those from the Commonwealth back when they still traded data.

Operating in squads of 8-24 they are a miniscule force compared to others but the vast size of the Empire affords them around 10 million of these soldiers across the entire nation, though they are all brought together for invasions.

##### ***Equipment***

**Uniform:** Lightly but well armoured, the suits are custom built for each soldier and feature moderate camouflage and immunity to sensor detection until at close range.

**Weapons:** By 2280 the AL-58 laser rifle had made its way into Empire hands and the Ground Troopers were eager for first dibs on any replications and special deals were made with the Thadrakos (The more reasonable xenos in the galaxy) to buy any Commonwealth tech for exorbitant amount of cash, anyway the Ground Troopers all carry one of these weapons which actually serves pretty well for most purposes given its superior tech.

But the troopers do have some special grenades and trap devices for other needs.

**Kit:** Expected to work as normal infantry, they have camping kits, cooking kits, 3 weeks worth of rations, cam-crème, radio... all that and these soldiers still get a packet of biscuits and a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some actual advice like standard radio procedure or best course of action when xeno wildlife tries to eat you.

#### ***Elite Line Infantry A.K.A The Blackcoats***

Like the normal line infantry but better armoured and equipped; for every 10,000 normal soldiers there are 100 elites, the notable difference is not just that they have medium armour around the chest & forearms and light armour on the legs but also that they carry the Crimson Rifle rather than the Scarlet and have weaponry that specialises in taking on certain foes instead of using a sub-standard variant of the Scarlet Rifle.

These men are not elite in the sense of the Ground Troopers but in the sense that they have survived a number of battles, maybe lost limbs, and came out alive and willing to go on.

##### ***Equipment***

**Uniform:** An elite soldier wears armour around the chest & arms, also some lighter armour on the legs. Among this armour is a helmet that has a visor that protects the face from the elements and has a basic screen display that highlights the target to fire at.

They also have sturdy all weather boots and clothing changes depending on the planet conditions. They wear black to signify that they are veterans of combat.

**Weapons:** An elite soldier wields a Crimson Rifle. Some few soldiers also carry specialised anti-tank or anti-infantry weaponry, they also have plasma pistol for devastating close-range fire.

For ranges closer than pistols they use the same bayonet the others do.

**Kit:** A Blackcoat carries; two battery packs (for the gun), a spade, food for two weeks, a pack of ‘Quick-Grow’ GM seeds, a packet of biscuits and of course, a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some nice survival tips like ‘taking cover when the shield goes down’.

## Tanks

### Standard Tanks

#### ***Brawler***

An automated vanguard tank, it delays the enemy army while the line infantry take positions and artillery guns calculate ranges, these tanks simply rush forth to meet the enemy vanguard and some keep going to try and plough through the enemy.

**Armour:** Medium

**Shielding:** Light

**Weapons:** One anti-tank / mech barrel and some small machine guns for infantry, flamethrowers for those that keep going.

**Crew:** None

**Kit:** N/A

#### ***Line Tank***

Working with the infantry these tanks provide the firepower needed to stop heavy tanks or mechs.

**Armour:** Heavy

**Shielding:** Heavy

**Weapons:** Missiles for aircraft if needed, if not then they can be used on ground forces; a heavy twin barrel gun that switches between heavy laser beams and plasma rounds, though the plasma is limited.

**Crew:** 7

**Kit:** Ear-muffs, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, another fire extinguisher, biscuits and a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some nice survival tips like ‘using the fire extinguishers and not bailing out the tank which will explode if you leave it to burn’

#### ***Battle Tank***

The Battle tank is more like the modern tanks that the other nations use, mixed versatility and all rounders. This does not stop the Empire using them as glass cannons though.

**Armour:** Medium

**Shielding:** Medium or Light

**Weapons:** Like most standard tanks it has many variants suited for different occasions

**Crew:** Depending on the tank, 3-5

**Kit:** Ear-muffs, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and biscuits… and it actually also contains a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some nice survival tips like ‘not driving the tank over mines’

## Mechs

### Standard Mechs

#### ***Alexander Class***

Twice the size of a human these are fast mobile units that are primarily used as flank protectors and scouts, they also have a tendency to charge into the enemy in large groups.

##### ***Specs***

**Armour:** Medium

**Shielding:** Light

**Weapons:** Shock-guns, highly projectile flamethrowers and electric spears that penetrate other tanks and mechs to electrify the inner crew.

**Crew:** One

**Kit:** Outside the mech the crew are engineers and as such are given tools to fix the mechs or build whatever needs building.

Where would they be without a packet of biscuits and... a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some nice survival tips like ‘ensuring the reactor to the mech is not liable to meltdown’

#### ***Bastion Class***

2.5 times the size of humans, these mechs stand with the line infantry to provide deterrence against enemy charges and use enhanced sights to spot for artillery

##### ***Specs***

**Armour:** Medium

**Shielding:** Heavy

**Weapons:** Great halberds and molten plasma throwers

**Crew:** One

**Kit:** The crew are often Sergeants who drew the lucky straw to be placed in a mech; when not in the mech they are given the same kit as a redcoat but also a sword and some insignia to denote higher rank

That means they also get a packet of biscuits and, a complimentary pamphlet from the Empress detailing the gratitude the nation owes and some nice survival tips like ‘not eating xeno food’

### Special Mechs

#### ***The Valkyrie***

Not really a mech, not really infantry. Valkyrie are the same size as humans and are aerial combatants that descend on infantry from the sky. Seeing one is a rare sight

##### ***Specs***

**Armour:** Light but extremely durable

**Shielding**: Very light but rapid recharge rate to counter small arm fire, also powerful shields can be projected from the hand or side arm.

**Weapon:** Small rockets for aircraft, scythes and swords for cleaving through other mechs, tanks and infantry; they have inbuilt rapid-fire wrist lasers and directable energy shields that project from the hand or side arm.

They also feature automatic drone companions that protect the Valkyrie from missile fire or beam weaponry.

**Crew:** One, typically female

**Kit:** Crew of the Valkyrie are of noble blood and so actually spend most time aboard HMS Overlord in special residential rooms as befitting their noble status, thus they do not need kit of common soldiers; when called for battle they outfit themselves in the onboard armoury and are jettisoned onto the planet where they are needed.

They enjoy, among other thing, unlimited rise pudding and biscuits; they need no pamphlet for they know that they are greatly valued.

## Artillery

### Short-Range

#### ***Mortar A.K.A Fucking Death-trap***

Pretty standard and what you’d expect, only noteworthy features are that the new MK.4 models do not fail to eject the round and kill the entire crew around them, that and these are still often used as land mines as they are still likely to explode when small pressure is applied or shacked violently with a round still inside it.

The pamphlet provided to infantry fails to mention the danger of using the mortar in its survival guide. (The section about not looking directly down the barrel of live weapons does not count)

#### ***Line Tank***

Line tanks also double up as good short-range artillery (relative to normal artillery) though only for inaccurate barrages.

### Mid-Range

#### ***Nautical Battleships***

Delivered from space by special engines that detach once the ship is delivered, these vessels serve both to destroy enemy navies and to bombard coastal cities or inland armies.

#### ***Mobile Artillery***

Artillery guns on wheels essentially. Nations across the galaxy use these and nothing special really comes of them; except, usually these are long-range. Well they are long-range in comparison to what the other nations use, but the Empire has access to artillery so long-ranged that these guns are put down a category.

### Long-Range

#### ***Battleships***

The special multirole battleships of the Sovereign Armada such as the much beloved HMS Hood are able to descend from space into the atmosphere; these lay down obliterating firepower like no other vessel in the Empire, the raw destructive potential is obscene.

Unconcerned with the civilian casualties of xenos these ships level the most heavily shields cities within a day or two, without planetary shields to protect the ground forces or city from the fire of the ship thought to be confined to space (As you might expect a planetary shield is useless if the battleship is inside the shield, but space ships are not meant to fly in planetary atmospheres right? … why no-one has thought of simply making ships that fly under the shield and not just in space is a source of great amusement to the Empire as they eviscerate cities and armies from the skies)

This is not used at will though, the Imperials must be sure that there is no enemy artillery that could hit the battleship while in atmosphere and that the enemy air force can be fended off.