Imperial Special Operations Division

The **Imperial Special Operations Division**, also know as the **Imperial Spec Ops** or simply **ISOD**, is the Special Operations branch of the Fel Empire's Imperial Army, itself a part of the Triumvirate Military. Operatives within the ISOD excel in their respective fields, with the Stormcommandos being considered the elites of the elites within the Imperial Military.

## History

The Imperial Special Operations Division was created in 380 ABY, during the Imperial Conquests of the Freestanding Sectors. It replaced the now defunct Imperial Special Missions, which was the organization that oversaw the deployment of the Imperial Military's special forces. ISOD was created to improve the quality of the Empire's elite commandos that had lagged behind the special forces of other states. The initial batch of ISOD operatives were trained by Mandalorian Supercommandos from Kol Atorn, an Imperial-controlled Mandalorian world. While the Mandalorians have seen less influence in ISOD since then, their legacy remains within the organization in formations like Hammer Squad, which was named after a famed Mandalore.

## Structure

Imperial Spec Ops generally operates only in small units with a battalion generally being the largest formation that would serve as such. Above it are the Brigades which are primarily a logistical designation, where each one would be deployed in different theatre or sector. Below the battalion are the companies, which are the largest formation consisting of a single type of soldier. Most battalions would field a single company of each Spec Ops branch but specialised battalions still exist.

### Unit Structure

* **Division,** 20 Brigades (20,480-61,120 soldiers) led by a General and High Colonel
* **Brigade,** 4 Battalions (1,024-3,056 soldiers) led by a Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel
* **Battalion,** 4 Companies (256-764 soldiers) led by a Major
* **Company**, 4 Platoons (64-164 soldiers) led by a Captain
* **Platoon**, 4 Squads (16-38 soldiers) led by a Lieutenant
* **Squad,** 4-9 soldiers led by a Sergeant

### Rank Structure

* **General,** the head of the ISOD
* **High Colonel,** second-in-command in the ISOD and vice-general
* **Colonel,** brigade commander
* **Lieutenant Colonel,** second-in-command in a brigade
* **Major,** battalion commander
* **Captain,** company commander
* **First Lieutenant**, senior platoon leader
* **Second Lieutenant,** junior platoon leader
* **Sergeant Major,** second-in-command in a platoon
* **Sergeant,** squad leader
* **Specialist,** specialized trooper and unofficial second-in-command in a squad
* **Operative,** the basic operative

## Unit Naming Convention

Formations within the Imperial Special Operations Division follow a relatively strict naming convention whilst also permitting and at times even preferring the use of nicknames. The 20 Spec Ops Brigades follow a simple numerical designation, at times combined with a location-specific name. Battalions too have conventional numerical designations from 1st to 80th. Battalions could also have an added descriptive name such as Elite-, Assault- or Recon-. Usually only specialised battalions with irregular company makeups would sport these names. Companies are the largest unit type to commonly have nicknames. Officially they are named after a letter in the aurebesh alphabet with only the companies in each brigade having a unique one. One example is Grek Company who are nicknamed the Nightshades. Platoon rarely have nicknames and are referred to as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th platoon, repeating itself within each company. When addressing a platoon, the Company designation is generally added, for example Grek-2, referring to the 2nd platoon of Grek Company. Squads are the most common unit type to go by their nicknames and even their official designations often do not follow a strict naming convention. When they do, they are named after a letter or number, such as Squad A or Squad 1. Stormcommando squads tend to have more precise designations as they are they most common type of soldier to be sent on missions in single squads. Despite this, nicknames more often than not replace the official designations, especially for Stormcommandos.

## Specialisations

The Armor of ISOD operatives was very specialized and commandos would be able to customize their equipment to fit specific mission parameters. A spec ops soldiers armor also varied greatly depending on their specialisation within the division.

### **Stormcommando**

Imperial **Stormcommandos** generally wore a similar form of plastoid armor as Scout Troopers with the main difference being in color and internal systems. The Commandos donned a completely black set of armor outfitted with stealth technology making them almost completely invisible to most forms scanners. Their helmet was modified with advanced sensors to detect various kinds of signals as well as encryption technology which made their voice impossible to understand to outsiders - similar to the Deathtroopers of the Galactic Empire. It wasn't uncommon for Stormcommandos to repaint their armor for missions where black would make them stand out more. Wherever such changes were not possible or desired, a stealthfield could be inserted into the armor, granting the commando the ability to become completely invisible to the naked eye.

### **Combat Engineer**

Another common trooper type within the Special Operations Division were the **Combat** **Engineers**, also referred to as **Techs** or **Saboteurs**. These specialized operatives served in a multitude of engineering roles ranging from pioneer duties to repairing downed vehicles and equipment in the midst of battle. They were most often deployed to penetrate enemy defenses, or circumvent any battlefield obstacle they came across. Because of this they were also experts in demolitions. Their armor was painted in a dark gray tone which reflected light and made them harder to detect. Their helmet featured the most advanced filters and sensor technology which allowed the saboteurs to work in the most hazardous environment, including outer space. Their backpack was filled with engineering tools and survival essentials which would be swapped out for a jetpack when needed. Combat Engineers could be deployed in Engineering Squads, which were made up of 9 operatives unlike the smaller squads of Stormcommandos or Sharpshooters.

### **Sharpshooter**

Imperial Spec Ops controlled the deployment of the Empire's **Sharpshooters**, the most accurate shots in all of the Imperial Military. Besides their sharpshooting skills, they were cross-trained in several other disciplines. Each operative was completely briefed on the mission objectives, and were considered to be skilled enough to act independently and improvise if their sergeant was killed in action. Like the rest of the ISOD, sharpshooters were notable for their dark gray plastoid armor. They were equipped with long-ranged weapons like sniper rifles, either scoped or unscoped depending on mission parameters, as well as a back-up weapon. Sharpshooter helmets were equipped with advanced HUDs that offered improved aim assistance and in depth information on current local weather conditions like windspeed and direction to help them in planning their target execution.

### Shocktrooper

    As Stormcommandos were not meant for heavy frontline combat, imperial spec ops began training specialised units of **Shocktroopers** to fulfill that role. They are trained in all common imperial weapon types and used to overwhelm enemy position through various means. This included airborne operations hence they would also be referred to as imperial **Droptroopers** or **Paratroopers**. They wore the heaviest and strongest armour out of all soldiers in the imperial military and could take several hits of multiple calibres without going down. Because its technical outfit was derived from that of the Combat Engineers, imperial shocktroopers could also operate in many different environments, including space, making them optimal candidates for boarding of enemy ships, assisting the navys marines. Like engineer squads, unit of shocktroopers consisted of 9 soldiers.

## Personnel

* Major Rea Su-Jai, commander of the 2nd Battalion.
* Captain Ruwon Kerada, retired from active duty but serves as a stormcommando instructor
* Sergeant Kelsa Anyell, leader of the Stormcommando Hammer Squad formation.
* Specialist Korkh Saedran, second-in-command of Hammer Squad.
* Operative Errie Vaz, scout and sharpshooter in Hammer Squad.
* Operative Tavark, combat engineer tech in Hammer Squad.

### Formations

* 2nd Battalion: Commanded by Major Rea Su Jai, it consists of 2 Stormcommando companies, 1 Engineer and Sharpshooter company.
	+ Grek Company: Nicknamed the *Nightshades* or Nightshade Company, they are a unit of Stormcommandos.
		- Hammer Squad: Officially the 48th Mobile Commando Unit, they are an elite squad of Stormcommandos led by Sergeant Kelsa Anyell.
	+ Forn Company: Nicknamed the *Dusk Raiders*, they are a unit of Combat Engineers specialising in sabotage
		- Squad A: Also called Aurek Squad, they are a unit of combat engineers who participated in the Skirmish over Yavin 4.
		- Squad B: Another unit of combat engineers who took part in the Skirmish over Yavin 4 in 1001 ABY.