Grand Sop Army

**Note:** This page is under construction. The information is up to date and correct. However, points and ideas may be written twice, or out of place. Hop will fix this soon. Thank you for reading!

## Summary

The GSA is the official, only military of the hoppists.

Disclaimer: Any other military of any other name (even if composed solely of hopfolk) is entirely unaffiliated and does not represent the people of Karrots and their allies. By order of Sop, the only official partnerships are the **Royal Ampbersamd Company** and **The K'Ursan Federation**; no other entities or individuals are recognized as allies.

## History

Since the founding of the military by Sop and his allies, Hoppists are trained at the GSAA exclusively, unless they are part of the Hoppist Network Recruit Program (HNRC Program). The process has slowly evolved to improve the abilities of each hop and fully utilize their bodies. Adaptations for non-hop recruits is altered by special recruitment officers that work with a master fighter of their race. All weapons are designed with a hop's body in mind are also customized for other beings. There are several classes of martial arts, weapons, armor, vehicles and tactics that require many roles to fill to help win the war effort. Cross training is common however for smaller detachments of the military.

## Roles & Job Codes

As of the both the First Great Hop Expansion and Hop Civil War, the changing of job roles structure has been updated twice, first by Sop, secondly by Hop. These are the current roles in the system, not including the roles of Knights of Sop. The loadouts of these roles can be found **here**.

### Ground Forces

* **1st Type (Combat)**
	+ **1-1 Standard Infantry** (this applies to melee, ranged and unarmed general forces)
	+ **1-2 Heavy Infantry** (heavy duty role, for assuming frontmost push and gaining attention of the enemy)
* **2nd Type (Field Support)**
	+ **2-1 Spying & Recon Agent** (stealthily provides intel to 2-2's and Type 3 roles)
	+ **2-2 Radio Comms** (responsible for keeping contact with the Hoppist Network, assumes responsibility for information handling if leadership is unavailable)
	+ **2-3 Mobile Mechanic** (further broken down by vehicle specification, only services ground vehicles)
	+ **2-4 Terrain Enforcer** (this role serves two purposes for ground forces: creating physical alterations to the battlefield, and setting up checkpoints to reinforce for other forces to fall back to and secure)
* **3rd Type (Leadership & Tactics)**
	+ **3-1 Field Advisor** (dictates part of their Division in active battle; reserved for Tier 7 and above)
	+ **3-2 Supply Master** (provides routes for bases and vehicles to ground forces, works with 2-3's, 2-4's and Type 1 roles)
* Alternative Roles
	+ **Technology Specialist** (handles crippling enemy vehicles, fortifications and technology while staying outside direct combat)
	+ **Organic Technician** (responsible for caring for biological allies, performing surgery and outfitting per-basis equipment)
	+ **Cleanser** (responsible for sealing or destroying harmful materials; often equipped with HHK-44 Exosuits)

### Aerial and Spatial Forces

* **1st Type (Pilots)**
	+ **1-1 Primary Dogfighter** (Essential fighter, pilots a single-occupant aircraft or starship of their own specialization. Trained to take out single opponents or critical enemy infrastructure without supervision. Directs secondary dogfighter to take out persistent/resilient foes.)
	+ **1-2 Secondary Dogfighter** (Support role that aims to distract, flank and stun enemies by retaking their focus, specializing in wide movements and communicating with the primary dogfighter. Also responsible for special assault craft such as bombers.)
	+ **1-3 Gunner / Spotter** (Controls a starship's turret or missile/bomb guiding systems. They communicate with their Dogfighters to be more effective.)
* **2nd Type (Large Craft Crew)**
	+ **2-1 Bridge Officer** (Assists the vessel in steering, accelerating, braking, shielding and management of power systems.)
	+ **2-2 Hangar Specialist** (Directs and repairs smaller starships entering and leaving a carrier or battleship.)
	+ **2-3 Vessel Care** (Routinely cleans, inspects and repairs functions only relating to the larger craft they serve.)

## Training at the GSAA

Unlike organic beings, fluffy races like the Hops have countless advantages in combat and survival. There are no needs to sleep, consume other matter, or gain energy. All fluff are powered by their will and mental state. Therefore, all Hoppist training is meant to improve their skills, knowledge and garner experience before a true conflict is engaged.

### Getting Started

Former recruits that failed or previously quit are acknowledged directly by a Hopficer to privately approve or deny the request (after an interview). Any further repeat attempts to rejoin are ignored. Veterans can skip all steps, and are to arrive at the GSAA recruiter office to be reenlisted! An expedited process to reunite them with their gear and previous role begins as soon as a recruiter can assist them. If already present at the GSAA, a veteran is allowed free roam of the Veteran Hall, chow hall and recreation, as well as the gym and firing range. Tickets are submitted into terminals so the veteran can be easily located once a recruiter has freed up.

All new recruits are led to a the Hoppist Study Hall, where they can watch combat footage, read up on Hoppism and chat with active duty soldiers or veterans about the service.

A Hopficer Recruiter will take a squad of recruits and explain the roles of hoppist soldiers in the GSA. Recruits are checked physically and mentally for reasons they could not join. The Hopficer also discusses what role in the military they'd like, with a list of official job codes. If no role is decided, they will pick one when they graduate to Hoppist Tier 8. The recruiter is to assign all recruits a Tier 9 tag, uniform and a branch division to work for. From here, the division's GSAA instructor will take over, leading them to a classroom to discuss how a basic day at the academy works. They will be given a tour of the facilities to gain an understanding of what is where, so they do not get lost and miss a class.

### Academy Training Process

A recruit is to rest, wake up, make their quarters, get in uniform and arrive at the outdoor facility posted on their barrack's bulletin board. Due to not having a written language for most of Hoppist history, Universal Script is used and taught to all enlisted members. All branches and their divisions have their recruits share their barracks with active duty members. The board will list what task the recruits will do that shift, and what active duty tasks they have. A recruit only becomes active duty once they are promoted to Tier 8 and attend their graduation ceremony.

If a recruit does not like their job or branch, they can request a transfer to a new division, which will happen at the start of each recruitment season. While waiting to transfer, they may stay at home and revisit the academy once the season starts. They are to follow the veteran reenlistment process to make the process easier for the recruiter and their new division's instructor.

Once the formal process of introduction is over, an active duty instructor will replace their primary instructor, teaching combat skills to the recruits. They are to practice on each other, before testing with their instructor. Recruits must meet the proficiencies of active duty soldiers in their division in order to graduate before the recruitment season ends.

### Martial Proficiency

For physical duties, almost all division in each branch have the same simple requirements:

* A recruit must be able to run either as much as an active duty member of their division, or must be able to scale academy's obstacle course without fail in a half **microrbit**.
* Paw-to-paw combat is to be skilled enough to handle being fought by an active duty member, or to maintain full effort combat with another recruit during the test.
* Uniform must be properly worn at all times, and should withstand low power damage from service weapons.

### Weapon Proficiency

In order to be best ready for service, excluding vehicle training (which recruits will be sent to Royal Ampbersamd for vehicle operations lessons), all weapons must meet certain requirements for each recruit's specific job code. If a recruit is not yet assigned a code, they will be expected to handle active duty infantry metrics per their division.

For ranged weapon proficiency, recruits must be able to:

* At several ranges suited for the class of firearm, meet or surpass the accuracy of an active duty member, or achieve 90% accuracy within a time limit.
* Field strip and re-assemble their weapons within the time it takes an active duty member to deplete an exact copy of the weapon's ammo. There exists an exemption for fully automatic weapons due to the fire rate at which they are depleted. Instead, they will follow a semi-automatic's time limit.
* Un-holstering or mounting of weapons in the case of an emergency situation.
* Be able to use at least 2 firearms of each class, 1 of Hoppist make, 1 of foreign make, at the same proficiency.

For melee and handheld weapons, a recruit must be able to:

* Complete a set sparring drill without error 3 times with an active duty member at full speed.
* Show the weakpoints and disadvantage of their weapon, while knowing how best to handle counters to their movements.
* Be able to use at least 2 types of melee weapon at the same proficiency.
* Unsheathe/activate their weapons, when properly adorned on their uniform.

### Final Course (Ground Forces)

Before they can graduate, all GSAA recruits must perform test in the form of a simulation battle against active duty members of their division, which is overseen by their division instructor. The recruit team is given a colored ribbon to be worn on both their neck, uniform and weapon, to help identify themselves. The active duty team is to be in their own uniforms, however, colored all black to indicate their team. Their goal is to capture a flag atop a hill or below ground in a tunnel system, while evading or defeating the enemy team. If taken hostage, a recruit is sent to the barracks and considered failed. The active duty members are allowed to respawn after being defeated, at several deployment points, providing stress and danger to the recruit team. The recruits must secure the objective by bringing the flag back to their starting platform. Non-combatants are deployed to encourage recruits to aid civilians caught in a combat zone. Structural damage must be kept to a minimum. Neither team is told where the flag will be, but the division instructor will not move the objective during re-attempts.

If successful return to their barracks and await their Initiate Trials.

It is unlikely for the recruits to fail this test, due to the nature of retrying it over and over until the recruitment season ends. A division or recruit can only fail under certain conditions. Failure conditions for the final course include:

* Intentional or accidental friendly-fire on other recruits.
* The flag is destroyed or lost before the end of the simulation.
* Causing unnecessary harm to the facility, the enemy team or non-combatants.
* Being captured by the enemy team.
* Removing their ribbons or uniform for any reason. A recruit can be unarmed and still complete the course.

This course is meant to be a live-action simulation of a real combat situation. Full force and all varieties of weaponry are allowed. Unless each recruit is captured, all remaining members must attempt to complete the objective. In cases where informational or support roles are deployed, they are to provide the infantry members with guidance and cover as they approach the objective.

Alternate versions of this course exist, such as:

* Elimination: Defeating all members of the enemy team (where the active duty members get to respawn once during the course).
* Hostage rescue: where extracting a guarded non-combatant to their starting platform. This is meant to be more difficult than the flag objective, as the hostage can move around or flee from the recruit team at any time. More useful for intense combat divisions in the field.
* Sabotage: The support roles of the recruit team must disable enemy technology without being spotted, or taken hostage, before returning to their starting platform. Contact with the enemy team must be kept to a minimum. More useful for stealth or recon divisions.

### Initial Trials

See **here** for more information. All Hoppists soldiers must past the trials and be constantly aware of what they are fighting for and how they must fight. This is mandatory and no rank shall be further granted if this is not passed, however, in times of dire need, Tier 9 recruits can be conscripted into instant service due to having combat related abilities. After deployment, they will return to Karrots to retake their test.

## Training for the HNRC Program

### Getting Started

Not all hops or hoppists are from Karrots. Many Hops live far away, off-world and away from their kind. For those that wish to join and serve as a GSA soldier, can sign up for the off-world training program. Any hop (or being willing to become a hoppist) can contact the Grand Sop Army Recruiter page on the Hoppist Network, by submitting a formal request. The purpose of the request is for the recruit to explain their enlistment reason, homeworld location, their name and level of familiarity with Hoppism.

Former recruits that failed or previously quit are acknowledged directly by a Hopficer to privately approve or deny the request (after an interview). Any further repeat attempts to rejoin are ignored. Veterans can skip all steps, and are to arrive at the GSAA recruiter office to be reenlisted! An expedited process to reunite them with their gear and previous role begins as soon as a recruiter can assist them.

A Hopficer Recruiter is dispatched with a battalion explain the roles of hoppist soldiers in the GSA. They also are there to physically and mentally check the recruit for reasons they could not join. The Hopficer also discusses what role in the military they'd like, with a list of official job codes. If no role is decided, their Hopficer will pick one with them before they graduate to Hoppist Tier 8, while they are Tier 9. They are awarded Tier 9 once they successfully setup their remote training site.

### Off-world Training Process

Usually, only a part-time commitment is needed. Virtual recordings are sent to the military's **Hoppist Network** privately to be reviewed. To begin, they must construct a small, basic pre-fabricated training site on their own world. The materials are dropped off in a container left by their Hopficer Recruiter. They must assemble a dojo/gym (with a dummy) inside a filming room with adequate lighting and size to display their martial arts knowledge (which is included with the pamphlet their recruiter gives them).

If the recruit does well, they can proceed to weapons training. They must set up a proper range alone, and must be able to clean, assemble and label their weapon's parts in one sitting without help. The weapon is exclusive the the role they selected. It is usually a powered down version of their personal service weapon. They can keep this if they quit the program, as it cannot be easily upgraded to military grade, and is useful for self-defense.

Stripes represent accolades to all recruits (including ones at the GSAA). Accolades required to be an official soldier are:

* 90% accuracy with their weapon during ranged testing (at 5 difference distances within the weapon's capability)
* Complete martial art test in one sitting, hands-on (or with dummy programmed to react realistically)
* Passing the Hoppist Trials (if failed, they can try again at an accelerated pace. Once a successful attempt is done, they can continue)

### Completion & Ceremony

Abroad recruits eventually all arrive to the GSAA physically to display their talent before their Hopficer. A graduation ceremony date is arranged for other hoppists that also completed the program. Hopficers commune to sponsor a live show of the ceremony, honoring each recruit's work and rank. Their name, place of origin and role in the military is shown as their Hopficer awards them a formal ribbon and dress uniform (in accordance to the branch they enlisted in).

Once the promotion the Hoppist Tier 8 is done, the recruit (now official soldier) is brought to a processing facility to be given a leader for their job in the GSA. They have one orbit to decide if they'd like a new role (the live video from the ceremony will be edited to depict their new choice). They are assigned a unique military ID, showing their rank, name, next of kin (if any), homeworld (if not Karrots), GSA job code and finally a one-of-kind numerical identity for the Hoppist Network's military page, where they can manage their career with their leader.