[OOC] Spearhead: A modern/near future Special Forces RP (Closed to new applications)

We have a Discord Server for discussing things related to the RP - Membership is optional, but it's a fun place for discussion of ideas and to get to know one another.

When we have a bit more under our collective belts, this will be where a recap of relevant OOC information will go.

[Rhona W]

Spearhead

“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf”

~Unknown Quote

Spearhead are a special task force of hand-picked operators from various international special operations and paramilitary units, selected for their individual skills, expertise, experience and suitability for this operation.
All members are understood to be among the best in their field, as is befitting of a mission with such critical urgency and need for immediate action.

Spearhead operate as their name suggests. Their job is to go into an area of operations ahead of conventional forces to gather intelligence, identify key players, strategic and tactical weak spots, and ultimately to destabilise and disable, where possible, these key installations, personnel, and operations.

Operation: Godslayer

The goal of Operation Godslayer is to disrupt the influence, power, and hold that has been exerted over the Central African country of Taniland; a nation formed by breakaway elements and territory from the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo, in the late 1960s.

The cult calling themselves The Order of the Blessed Star originated as a fringe group with fringe beliefs derived in an extreme off-shoot of christianity, mixed with a variety of other belief systems, ritual, and other influences. Deemed too extreme by other religious orders and organizations, the people at their head sought somewhere to practice their extreme ideals of worship.
With Taniland’s government, police, military and other services already stretched and underfunded following long periods of tribal and cultural infighting, government corruption and economic crises along with environmental issues caused by unchecked industrial exploitation, the arrival of a group of foreigners to a remote province of the country went unremarked and their guise as missionaries was welcomed.
They provided influence and stability to the surrounding settlements and inhabitants by giving medical aid, building wells, providing generators and fuel, and aiding in farming.
However, these actions were all aimed at influencing local sentiments, and the steady growing of their local influence was achieved by inserting members of their cult into local government and other important organisations, essentially taking control of provinces by subversion of the institutions in place, and then using them to create favourable conditions.

Through this, Taniland’s standing military, government and police forces have essentially been disbanded or hollowed out. Personnel have been replaced with their own people, loyal to their cause and ideals, or those who can be controlled easily through bribery, blackmail, or other means.

The average citizen is put to work, supporting the operations of the cult in the mines, farms, and other industries that support its operations. While work is plentiful, standards of living are minimal and it has resulted in a steep inequality between those in the cult, and those who work for them. Additionally, such basic human resources and rights are undermined, including medical services, freedom of worship and religion, education, and other such basic standards of living. Electricity, and other basic utilities are also intermittent, and maintenance of basic infrastructure has been sporadic since the change in national leadership.

The situation has resulted in a serious up-swing in domestic crimes, violence, and health issues worldwide, through the introduction of huge quantities of illegal and harmful narcotics into circulation, increased trade in firearms, and even other higher-grade military weaponry, as well as reports of numerous human rights violations, such as forced work akin to slavery, human trafficking and trade, and contravention of numerous United Nations resolutions.

Immediate action has been requested by the government-in-exile, and intelligence agents have been approached by and are in contact with local rebel forces in need of supply and aid to fight back. A full military operation and engagement would not be politically sound at this time, and there is a need for intelligence gathering before larger forces can be committed. However, the deployment of a small, highly trained and well-equipped strike team can be plausibly denied, and cause an impact disproportionate to their size.

Overview: Order of the Blessed Star

The Order of the Blessed Star is a radical and extremist offshoot of an already fringe Christian church from the midwest USA.
The tenets of their belief and worship are based firmly and squarely in extremely ‘traditional’ values, with God and Family are the core of their ideals, though the definition of ‘family’ is very warped and stretched to include the Order as the Family in question.
Women in the Order are held to very strict societal roles and regulations and expectations of their behaviour and demeanour, especially if under the age of 21. They are expected to be mothers foremost and to ‘obey their menfolk’, and have a very ‘traditional’ place as home-makers, though there are practical jobs and purposes for them to contribute to as well - but they are still ‘expected’ to behave, dress, act and even speak in certain ways that are ‘becoming of a woman’.
Personal freedoms of expression of most kinds for all Order ‘brethren’ are also greatly restricted. Any relationships other than heterosexual relationships are punished, and even then are heavily regulated and formally organised. Expressions of sexuality and sexual activity are also restricted, and both young men and women are chaperoned and segregated other than when working alongside one another.
Styles of dress, appearance, language used, hobbies and even topics of discussion are also heavily regulated and advised by the Orders’ leadership and further reduce freedoms and individual expression and diversity.

While the Order values knowledge, it greatly restricts that knowledge and how it is taught, deliberately creating a stratification and hierarchy in the Order itself, and further molding and shaping the minds of young and new converts to the Order.
Media consumed and available is greatly restricted to ‘authorised’ media, pre-approved by the Order only, and anything ‘outside’ is viewed only under restricted conditions as an example of the depravity and decadence of the wider world.
Conspiracy theories play deeply into the Orders system of beliefs, with the message that elements of the US government were threatened by the Orders message and that they would be ‘exposed’ in their plans to subvert and undermine the true goodness of the human heart, and that society has become too subverted, corrupted and comfortable with its’ own lack of moral standards, that the wicked have been allowed to go unpunished for too long, and such similar fire-and-brimstone messages of intolerance and superiority.
The idea that only through gruelling, often almost punishing levels of hard work and diligence as well as total adherence to the ritualistic lifestyle and ideals of their faith, can one purge themselves of their ‘sins’ and become ‘worthy’ enables the level of working activity of the Order.
That it is possible to elevate oneself through ‘tiers’ of worthiness allows for the hierarchical structure of the Order to exist, and the idea of rewards of increasing luxuries and freedoms allows those at the top of its’ various branches to enjoy the power, influence and comfort they possess. Key to this is that the majority of what is produced or earned by those at lower levels feeds upward and inward to the Order and is given freely as part of the reward, and as part of the ‘worship’ of work and servitude in order to ‘grow’. In reality, this is no more than indentured servitude and slavery disguised with the trappings of spirituality, and given with just enough reward handed out to give hope to those who willingly participate.
Those who are vulnerable are deliberately sought out and courted by the Orders recruiters and agents, targeted for their vulnerability financially, emotionally, or otherwise and lured in with the alluring prospects of being part of something bigger, the idea of a sense of belonging and of family, and that they are not responsible for their situation, and that the burden can be taken on by someone else who will provide for them.
By the time reality sinks in, they will be unable to escape, as their possessions and independence will have been subverted to the Order.
Rewarding those who are ‘more pious’ or ‘more faithful’ and who inform on others is also a key part of ensuring that it is difficult for anyone with doubts to escape, and further restricts their abilities to make plans or get word out to others. All of this is classic cult-like behaviour and strategies designed to alienate and isolate individuals and reinforce that outsiders are trouble and do not understand those who are part of the Order or what they are going through, and reinforce the sense of ‘belonging’.

Key HVTs:

The following High Value Targets have been identified as part of the command and organisational structure of The Order:

Head of Security:
The head of the Order’s security forces is one Daniel Van Herrick. A former member of the South African Defence Forces, he has a long career as a mercenary after his initial stint in the SADF’s special forces. Investigation into his career and records notes numerous incidents of excessive use of force and several unsolved or unresolved incidents involving the disappearance of various persons of interest.
Nonetheless, his skills are extensive and he should not be underestimated.
He seems to be motivated more by wealth and luxury than by faith, seeming to only pay a token attention to The Order’s beliefs and customs, something that has formed somewhat of a rift between him and others in the order that could be exploited.

Head of Influence and Propaganda:
The head of Influence and Propaganda for the Order is a woman by the name of Lucinda Marchesse. The eldest daughter of The Order’s founder, she has worked her way up through the sphere of influence, originally beginning as an instagram star and video blogger, gaining increasing notoriety and fame with her high profile messages, tweets, and interactions with others, especially for her outspoken views, combined with a particularly attractive appearance.
She has been a long-time supporter of the Order and its teachings, even some of the more extremely conservative views and practices, and appears to either believe whole-heartedly in their cause, or at least be an extremely good actress and mouthpiece.
She has an extensive network of connections with high-profile celebrities, business people, and others and wields her connections and influence to charm them into donating or investing money into The Order’s businesses and industries.

Spiritual Head:
The specific history and origins of the Spiritual figurehead of the Order are not known. He is a white male in his advanced middle age, with a strong southern-US accent. His name is unknown, though there are several potential individuals that are strong suspects, not least of which is the brother of The Orders’ founder. He goes by the title ‘The Blessed Preacher’ and he has a very particular fire-and-brimstone style of preaching and delivering the message of the Order. This is very much in line with it’s extreme tenets of punishment, fear, and subservience, rather than benevolence, care, and comfort.
In his role as ‘spiritual head’, ‘faith camps’, thinly veiled torture camps and prisons are organised and managed, where brainwashing and other such inhuman activities are conducted on those who show doubts about their faith, or deviate from the ‘accepted’ ideal of the Order.
He also has control of his own brand of ‘secret police’ that interrogate and administer spiritual and other ‘investigations’ into the general populace and even other members of the organisation at his direction, if their faith is deemed to be ‘lacking’.

Head of Logistics and Infrastructure:
The head of The Order’s logistics and infrastructure is the oldest son of the founder of the Order; Thomas Marchesse.A graduate from a prestigious American university with honours, he made his name in several well-known and well-regarded industries involved in mining, materials production, distribution logistics, construction and engineering. His branch of The Orders’ operations oversees running of the resources, businesses, industries and other such money-making entities within the borders of Taniland.
Accustomed to a life of luxury and excess, much of his resources go into developing the infrastructure of the country and of his own businesses, albeit through laundered money and assets.
The Logistics and Infrastructure organisation or division also deals with the smuggling, transportation, and production of the various illegal narcotics, arms, technology, and the things that are required for their production.

Head founder and leader of The Order:
The head and founder of The Order of the Blessed Star is Leonard Marchesse. A well-educated man from the central United States, he began his religious career as a preacher for one of the many ‘megachurches’ in the central USA. Over the course of his religious career, he began to diverge further and further from his fellow members of the clergy and their teachings, and began to insert more of his own teachings and ideals, interpreted through obscure readings of texts and from fringe elements.
Coupled with a great deal of charisma and shrewd business sense and a quick mind, Marchesse first established his own church, capitalising on donations and the need of people to feel reassured, secure, and rewarded. His message grew more and more obscure, judgemental and preoccupied with prophecy and the idea of belonging to an elite, as well as punishment of the wicked. Eventually, after examination of assets belonging to the church, it was determined that they had been seized illegally, and the Order was involved in money laundering and stockpiling of illegal weapons.
Marchesse and his family fled the country, managing to retain enough of their wealth through having liquidated it and secured it in offshore accounts.
Leonard now acts as both the religious figurehead for the Order, a self-proclaimed prophet and guide for those who follow his teachings. He has elevated himself through careful manipulation of facts, and of peoples’ feelings, providing them with just enough to be better than what they had, while using their beliefs and need for belonging to make them work harder for the promise of more.
It is unsure how much he believes in his own message, or whether he is a canny manipulator and showman. Either way, his increasing influence of power over the region his organisation has made their home is dangerous, and it is clear he has plans for increasing this further.

Sub-head of Security (Head of Intelligence):
The sub-head of the Security division of the Order is a woman by the name of Alicia Mendoza. Of Latin American descent, she has been known to work with intelligence services in Brazil, where she was involved with tackling insurgent, cartel and organised crime activities on behalf of Law Enforcement and internal security.
She was renowned for her ruthless methods and frequent use of specially selected ‘strike squads’ to snatch people even suspected of colluding with criminal elements, and while her results seemed positive, her methods were seen as too brutal for those in power.
The reality was that she was accepting payoffs from the very elements she was supposed to be hunting, and had organised her own empire of informants, double-agents and counter-intelligence in order to funnel money and resources to secure her own position and keep the various elements in play fighting against one another.
When she was exposed and her organisation started to fail, she was welcomed by The Order, and given her position in Taniland, where she runs internal security forces.

Sub-head of Influence and Propaganda (Head of media):
As the Orders’ power and influence ballooned, so did the need for a comprehensive media presence to win hearts and minds, and to keep their message and vision consistent.
As well as restricting available media and what is consumed by the people who are part of the order, creating acceptable media and distribution of it was vital.
Roman Tribani is the head of this activity. Formerly the head of a highly successful media empire, he disappeared for some time after allegations and lawsuits were filed against him for tax fraud.
Now, he seems to be the force behind The Orders’ media presence.

Sub-head of Spiritual Affairs (Head of ‘Spiritual Purity’ and education):
While The Blessed Preacher is the chief spiritual head and mouthpiece of The Order and for Leonard Marchesse’s message and organises the manner of worship carried out, the tenets of their faith and so on; the ‘head of spiritual purity’ takes care of the deeper workings of The Orders faith. They create the materials of worship, educate and recruit the priesthood and clergy, manage the dedication and construction of holy places, and the rest.
The current Spiritual Head’s name is unknown, but they are rumoured to have come not from a background of dedicated faith, but more one of business and showmanship.

Sub-head of Logistics (Head of finance and economics):
The sub-head of logistics acts as the head of finance and economics for all of the Orders’ financial activities. They control and administer to the organisations money, ensuring that it is tracked, accounted for, and how it is spent, as well as making sure that none is going missing. They determine how the money needs to be spent, and where and how it is stored, as well as advising the various heads of other departments, branches, or organisations on what and how to do this.
Their role is vital, but also despised due to the ‘tell-tale’ nature of it, and the insight they have into the activities of others and influence over their own parts of the organization.
The current head of Finance and Economics is an Austrian man by the name of Hans Bader. He seems to have little notable history, having worked in several financial institutions, though none for any length of time. What little information can be gathered seems to report that he is very businesslike, but lacking in much personal charisma or character, and has little scruples or moral questions about whom he works for and their business, and is driven only by the precise and transactional nature of his work.

Disposition and Strength of Enemy Forces:

While the exact number of enemy forces is unknown, a rough, overall view of their available assets has been gathered through the use of reconnaissance and intelligence gathered through analysis of other sources and information.

The Order has, as previously mentioned, subverted the national military and paramilitary forces, replacing them with personnel aligned to their own morals, ideals, and dedicated to their service. As such, the Order essentially has its own militia forces.
These forces are trained by former military instructors in military-style tactics. However, the standard of their training and the efficiency of their tactics is lacking in professionalism and unified tactics, but are somewhat better and more capable than an average civilian militia.
There are special units with more training, that act as Strike Teams and enforcers, and have access to higher grades of equipment than the common forces, and can be considered a serious threat to be avoided where possible, and only engaged with significant planning to ensure an advantage.

The Order has invested a considerable amount of its’ treasure into arms dealing, and as such has a variety of modern weaponry at its’ disposal. Average militia units will be armed with submachine guns, sidearms and assault rifles, and equipped with unarmoured, but capable utility vehicles such as pickup trucks, four-wheel-drives and off-road vehicles. They may have access to some medium machine-guns and fixed defensive weapons. Their vehicles may feature improvised armour, such as welded plates or other such measures, and mounted guns in areas of high security.
These units are the bulk of forces available to the Order, and are used as security, to patrol areas, and as de facto police and paramilitary forces.

Their Strike Teams have access to more advanced military-grade weaponry, often including modular weapon accessories, as well as explosives, body armour and helmets, light armoured vehicles (such as wheeled APCs and mine-protected, light armoured vehicles), and potentially even heavy weapons such as mortars, shoulder-launched rockets and vehicle-mounted heavy machine-guns, light autocannons and grenade launchers or even anti-tank missiles.
Strike Team units are also often used to provide security for transportation hubs or key elements of infrastructure.

Mercenaries have been sighted, including those with access to light aviation elements - i.e. light, armed helicopters - and medium armoured vehicles, though these are used sparingly and as a quick-reaction force or in defence of key positions and infrastructure, such as power plants, refineries, mines, or headquarters buildings.

Friendly Assets and Contacts:

Team Spearhead’s handler and intelligence contact in-country is Louise Jamison.

Jamison

A veteran of CIA operations and stations in several countries, Jamison is whip-smart with a dry sense of dark humour in the approach to her job, though she clearly has a firm, adamant belief in the value of her work and the work of her agency and others in improving the quality of life and freedoms of choice and lifestyle for others, and in ensuring that those who abuse others are bought to justice - albeit, rough, swift, and vicious justice, even if it takes some dirty tactics to do so - though, used against people who are more-than deserving of them.
Jamison tends to operate behind the scenes and is adept at forging contacts, bargaining and leveraging information, contacts, opportunities and resources, rather than working in the field. Though, this isn’t to say that she does not have the experience or skill to do so if needed.

There is a rebel organisation within Taniland, attempting to resist and fight back against The Order’s control, with the goal to restore the democratic government to power.
Starved of resources and hunted actively by the militia and other forces within Taniland, as well as demonised by the media for their activities endangering the civilian populace and their tactics and strategies being deemed as ‘extreme’.
The lack of resources mean they are essentially limited to assorted small arms and not much heavier than light machine-guns, a few Technical fighting vehicles with heavy machine-guns and improvised explosives and small numbers of hand-grenades. Capturing arms and equipment is a particular goal for them to enable more effective operations against the Order’s forces.

Overview of Taniland:

Taniland is a relatively young nation. Formed in the 1960s, it existed as a concept long before this as tribal homelands for several central African tribes. Borders have changed due to inter-tribal violence and civil war over the years, with a stable but relatively economically weak government only being formed in the 21st century. Similarly, the Taniland armed forces, police force and emergency service are all small, underfunded and under-equipped by modern standards.

Taniland has an abundance of natural mineral and chemical resources. Historically, they had not been exploited due to cultural significance of the land and the concern for the environment; such as the diversity of animal and plant life and concerns about pollution runoff.
Additionally the land is very fertile and rich. Crops have been grown by the indigenous population for as long as the land has been inhabited, and the abundant natural rainforest and jungle has provided fruits, and other edible or useful plant life resources as well as timber and other construction materials.
While this has previously not been exploited extensively and has been managed carefully, under the influence and control of The Order, industrial operations have increased hundredfold and with far less safety concerns and oversight.
There are significant reserves of precious gemstones within the country, primarily diamonds, but also emeralds and rubies have been found, and these have historically been exploited through slave labour. Such mining operations tend to be very disorganised and unprofessionally run with improvised equipment. Under the control of The Order, they have become somewhat more professional and organised, but are still often used as a form of imprisonment.
The natural resources of the fertile land and its forests have also been used to grow the plant resources needed to produce various narcotics, along with the chemical resources of the country used in the production process, resulting in extensive environmental damage.

The country itself is entirely landlocked, with no access to coastline. As mentioned previously, there are large areas of rainforest across the foothills of central mountain ranges. These spread into dense, swampy jungle across the valley floors of the interior of the country.
Several deep, navigable rivers cross the country, many of them linked to Tani Lake, the central and largest body of water.
Other biomes include high, rocky plains above the forest line in the mountains with sparse scrub, with rock fields at the highest altitudes. Lower down, the mountain foothills spread into gently rolling hills and expansive grasslands with abundant vegetation.

The country is relatively well-connected with mapped, signed roads, though only the central and major roads are hard-surfaced and well-lit. There are no ‘highways’, and even the largest roads are only two lanes.
The country has a railway network, though this has no passenger traffic and is only used for transportation of heavy freight, and is linked to neighbouring countries’ rail networks.
There are several small airfields, but only the main airport at Tani City and the airfield at Mindali Township have paved runways and are capable of handling large, non-military aircraft that require anything other than a ‘rough’ airfield surface.
Air transport within the country is limited currently to Order operations and those of their hired mercenaries, but prior to the Order taking over, there was a thrice-weekly international service from various airports on the continent, as well as shorter irregular flights by charter pilots.

Urbanisation is centred around small towns that subsist primarily on agriculture or harvesting natural resources. Most of these settlements are quite small with relatively primitive construction, and few large or modern structures; most of them constructed within the last thirty years as a result of specific projects and as civic buildings such as schools, hospitals, and other central structures. Housing structures tend to be smaller and simpler in construction, but can vary wildly from place to place, and under The Order, loyal ‘converts’ have been rewarded with expansions and improvements to their homes. Extensive construction projects have likewise been launched under control from The Order, primarily focused on their own interests and goals. Many other buildings throughout the country have been left in states of unfinished construction as a result of previous monetary issues or other upheavals.

Overview of Spearhead Unit:

The Spearhead Unit is an international task force, assembled from individuals recruited from Special Forces, Counter-terrorism and other special purpose military and law enforcement agencies and units, intended and operating as a direct-action, surgical strike unit working closely with covert intelligence forces and agencies. Operators are recruited from primarily NATO and NATO-Allied countries. PMCs or other private organisations are not considered for recruitment.

Oversight for the unit's operations is provided by both their handler - Jamison, as mentioned above - and a committee of high-ranking military, intelligence and civilian personnel.

Unlike intelligence agents - i.e. spies - or other operatives, Spearhead are not covert intelligence gathering, espionage or surveillance agents. Instead, their purpose is the employment of direct, swift and decisive action and force against carefully selected targets, be they individuals or material targets, with the intention being to destabilise and disrupt the operations of hostile powers with interests counter to the wider allied international community from which Spearhead draws its’ personnel. They do act covertly and their operations are not declared, and gathering or retrieving intelligence materials and interrogation of personnel may be part of their operations, but the difference is their use of military tactics, equipment and weaponry in the pursuit of their mission objectives, and their operations being carried out in already unstable or hostile environments.

Spearhead are deliberately not intended to be an overwhelming force. Their tactics and operations revolve around the use of covert infiltration and precision strikes; hitting hard and fading away while operating within hostile territory, working in concert and co-operation with native resistance or subversive elements, while resupplied covertly by friendly forces and organizations. As such, Spearhead does not utilise or employ overt military assets, such as military aircraft, armoured vehicles or other large assets that would require a logistical footprint or be clearly identifiable. When needed, vehicular assets are acquired domestically in-country and are usually civilian models, sometimes modified subtly for their use if appropriate or necessary for the operation in question.
Operators are trained to operate such vehicles, and to acquire vehicles for their needs when necessary.

Individual Spearhead Operators are only recruited from trained and experienced members of their ‘parent’ units. As such, they are already well-trained, disciplined, and resourceful individuals capable in their role and positions. Operators are given additional training where needed, such as in additional technical expertise to be able to be further self-sufficient in the field and carry out more complex tasks if needed, such as the sabotage and disabling of technical equipment and the like.

Spearhead units are organised into teams of no more than six at maximum, sometimes deployed in two fireteams of three each.
Each team member has a primary tactical specialty and a secondary operational specialty, though all operators are trained to be able to use a variety of weapons and equipment, in the event that any other operator is injured or incapacitated.
Weaponry and equipment is selected by each operator to their personal preference and experience, though there are practical limits placed due to the nature of operations carried out by the teams and for logistical purposes. Special equipment is often issued for particular operations where needed.

OOC Info

Disclaimer:

This RP and its setting is a work of fiction, for entertainment purposes. Any representations of countries, organisations, peoples or other groups or bodies in the real world is made purely for the purpose of entertainment and is not meant to be a reflection of any real-world versions of these organizations.
Any comparisons made are primarily made for purposes of parody and humour.
Any views expressed are those of the author behind the setting, and they may not be suitable or acceptable to everyone, and are not meant to target any individuals specifically or intended to insult or ridicule individuals.

Mood/Feel/Style of the RP:

The RP is primarily a military-themed one, with elements of espionage - or ‘spy’ - fiction.
There are some elements of science fiction or even horror and supernatural fiction that may make low-level appearances or be hinted at in places, but these are minor and will be more of an easter-egg than a core theme or a heavy or obvious one, and the focus is squarely on a small unit of military operators doing military things against bad guys.

The point is to carry out cool, exciting missions, get in gunfights, shoot bad guys, blow things up, and look good doing it while having fun and being cool.
There will be opportunities for character development between the player characters and NPCs, as well as uncovering and unravelling mysteries around the enemies you’ll face, and ensuring the safety and well-being of the people of Taniland, with the intention of making your characters and by proxy the players behind them, feel like Big Goddamn Heroes.

This RP is not intended to be a detailed treatise in international politics and strategies, or any kind of criticism of international policies regarding the use of military force, etc etc.
While it is primarily meant to be a serious, dramatic, action-focused RP and storyline, there is room for moments of levity and carefree adventure and excitement alongside that - after all, this is escapism. However, the serious side is certainly meant to be there, but this is not a ‘grim’ RP or story. Even if it is one with moments of darkness to it, or shades of grey at times.

In terms of the ‘feel’ of it; the main sources are movies such as Tears of the Sun, Blackhawk Down, Heat, SWAT, the TV series Six, the novel and game series Rainbow Six, and the Ghost Recon: Wildlands game.
A frame of reference is definitely not movies like The Expendables, the Rambo sequels, Commando, or other ‘loud and flashy’ action movies with single heroes mowing down hordes of mooks while showing no concessions to basic tactics, reality, or other such issues and ideas on either side of the conflict.
Choices of weapons and equipment should reflect this too; while there absolutely is freedom of choice in what to use and take and I absolutely encourage people to take cool and interesting gear and weapons, I don’t want or expect to see people slinging DEZART EAGUL FIFTIES and hand-held miniguns, or carrying swords and other such fanciful nonsense.

Larger than life with plenty of action, but also grounded in some form of reality. There are no super-powers or ultra-technology, though there are some advanced elements within the setting. I’ve seen it called ‘next Tuesday A.D.’ or ‘five minutes into the future’ sometimes. There may also be some hint of more mysterious, supernatural elements at times, but they will likely only be hints at something or minor mentions, rather than something front-and-center, and attempts to look deeply into such things will result in lots of dead-ends or ambiguously crazy people, things, and situations.

Rules:

• Post length is expected to be Casual to Advanced- no one or two line posts, please. This means at minimum two paragraphs in a post- three being optimum to really flesh out your character's response and furthering of the plot. I don't prescribe a top end limit, but use your imagination on how much you can write in a single segment- if it's longer, feel free to write longer!
• Follow Wheaton's Law at all times. Don't be a dick - GM is God, and while this RP is very fast and loose, if you're asked to bring something into line, expect there might be a good reason for it. This includes being racist, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise being an asshole about groups or individuals. Which is against the rules of the board in general anyway.
• This RP will have adult themes, and romance is a part of that if you want it to be- however, nothing that the Gods of RPG wouldn't want on the public side when smut is concerned. If you want to go beyond, that shit goes off this RP into 1x1 if it is 18+ in any manner. Before that though, be my guest.
• Equally, I have no bloody problem with a bit of fucking swearing, you bunch of cunts, but don't take it to excess, all right, fuckers?
• A sense of humour is not optional. Please be good-natured and good-humoured to one another in the OOC.
• Minimum post of one per two weeks, per person. If you can't post, please mention it in the OOC or drop me a PM. If it's unexpected - i.e. family emergency, your internet goes out, etc - then just let me know when you come back, and I'll catch you up. These things happen. It is not my job to chase you to post! If you're interested enough to be here in the first place, then it's up to you to post. If you're 'too lazy' to keep up, then I'm too lazy to chase your arse to get you to do it. It's a matter of manners and etiquette.
• All characters are part of the military unit mentioned in the blurb above. No bad guys, no mercs, no civilians, no support characters. This is to make things easier and more straightforward, and to keep internal consistency. Equally, your characters are recruited from official military or law-enforcement units, not from PMCs or other organisations.
• Keep your weapon and gear choices relatively realistic - no historic weapons, no sci-fi/fictional weapons or gear, no 'meme' guns, no martial arts weapons. Your character is not a walking arsenal, they should be using weapons and equipment appropriate to the setting, time period, organisation and their role within it. There is copious information on the internet that is readily available about military weaponry and equipment.
• Characters don't have to be goody-goody two-shoes, nobler-than-thou and pure of heart... but they also can't or shouldn't be drooling, gibbering psychos with nihilistic outlooks on life, or a casual disregard for authority. You don't get to be in Special Operations by having a problem with taking orders, being untrustworthy, or being a lunatic (despite what some popular media might depict). You especially don't get selected for an elite unit by having a problematic psych profile.
• Don't talk down to people. I don't care how much knowledge of real-world weapons and systems you might have, or how much of an encyclopedia on legs you are about such things. This is my world, and it works how I want it to. If you're trying to be a smartarse because you've found a 'loophole', then you're not playing in the spirit of things, and you should probably leave. That's even with an admittedly loose playbook.
• If I don't know about it, then it doesn't exist. You may have this amazing secret plot worked out for your character - but if you don't tell me about it, then it ain't happening. Because I've already got a storyline worked out, and if it doesn't fit, then it's not going in. Same with technology and whatever you 'think' it should be like- I am open to ideas, but tell me if you think it's something that makes you say "That might be too far out there".
• This is a ‘five minutes into the future’ setting, and as such, isn't madly fantastical.
  There isn't interdimensional travel, let alone even interplanetary travel. No mecha, no powered armour, no cyborgs, no aliens, no anime, no high-school dramas either. There may be some hints at the supernatural or fantastic, but they are not a main theme. Equally, there may be some hints or mentions of cutting-edge technologies, but again; only anything you might see on the news or mentioned as 'in development' now, nothing more advanced.
  Please respect the setting and keep it in mind- there's plenty of ridiculous and cool shit on offer, so play with that here- keep the other material to other RPs.
• Similarly, characters should reflect the grounded semi-realistic tone of the RP. No incredibly and impossibly skilled and experienced teenagers, and no one-man armies carrying around an arsenal of incredibly unlikely weaponry.
• GM's word is final. I appreciate people wanting to help, but final approval for plot, lore, and characters comes from me. Though, by all means, please feel free to make suggestions and help others with ideas and information where possible, and point out if something isn't there or working when it should be, because that helps us all.
• Not a rule, so much as an expectation - I don't expect everyone to have a fully working knowledge of Special Operations tactics, equipment, etc etc. A passing familiarity and understanding would be good as a starting point, certainly; and I'd expect that from anyone who is interested to begin with.
  However, I do expect people to have the initiative and willing to be able to look things up and find out what they need without huge amounts of hand-holding. The internet is vast and readily available, and all the information needed can be found with ease. I will happily, readily, and eagerly provide pointers and feedback, but it's not hard to find information.

Notes on Character Types & Roles:

As is the standard for games of this type - despite it not being as much of a thing in reality - I would like to have particular roles for the various characters in the Team, as it gives each character a chance to stand out, or have their moment in the spotlight.
Each character has a Primary role which is their combat specialty, and a Secondary role, which is a non-combat specialty or expertise in something that is still mission-related and extremely useful in the field.
As mentioned above; while characters do have specialties, as one would expect from such highly-trained individuals from such prestigious backgrounds, all operatives can carry out one anothers’ roles in the event that someone is incapacitated or otherwise unable to carry out their role.
The RP is intended to be for a small group, so I have kept the roles small and specific. Players may freely mix and match a primary role and a secondary role for their characters.

Primary Roles:

Team Leader:
Directs the other members of the team on how and where best to employ their particular talents and skills, as well as having a good sense of situational awareness and tactics.

Marksman:
Also known as the ‘sniper’; this team member provides direct, long-range, precise firepower using a specialised rifle, as well as providing visual reconnaissance and overview of an area. May also be issued an anti materiel rifle on occasion to deal with hard targets.

Grenadier:
Uses a rifle with a grenade launcher or a multiple grenade launcher to provide direct-fire support against structures, individuals, materiel and other targets

Medic:
Primarily concerned with providing medical support and attention for the Team and any other battlefield medical assistance needed. Fully trained and experienced in a variety of trauma medicine and associated fields and expertise, though also more-than capable of combat and equipped with a weapon.

Support Gunner:
Uses a light or medium machine-gun to put suppressive fire onto a target in support of their teammates.

Breacher:
Primarily uses a shotgun, or a rifle with an underbarrel shotgun. Specialising in breaching and clearing structures and leading assaults into occupied, or unknown structures.

Point Man:
The ‘front man’ of the team, the Point Man will find the path and entry routes into an area, pinpoint and locate enemy defenses and numbers, as well as locate the best fighting positions. They will use stealth, and also utilise ambushes and equipment like mines, hand grenades, and other devices to whittle down or cripple enemy forces before engaging in direct combat.

Secondary Roles:

Drone Operator:
Employs and operates a small, hand-launched reconnaissance and observation drone to enable to the team to carry out observation, surveillance and reconnaissance of targets and areas, record video and audio remotely, and other such useful purposes.

Vehicle Specialist:
Expert in driving, operation, navigation and the working of various vehicles, as well as how to disable them expertly and efficiently, and the various characteristics of various vehicles.

Technical Specialist:
Expertly skilled and trained in the use of computer and other electronic equipment and devices, including utilising issued ones, or hacking, disabling, or otherwise interacting with and operating systems or equipment heavily reliant on software and electronic systems.

Communications Specialist:
Carries the necessary communications gear and equipment to maintain contact with the teams’ allies, handler, and individual team members, as well as monitoring and interception of hostile communications.

Demolitions:
Has knowledge and expertise in the employment of explosives and detonators and how best to use them to cause the desired damage effects to structures, devices, and other targets

Human Intelligence:
Essentially the ‘face man’ of the group; someone who excels at gaining the confidence and trust of others, negotiating, finding and maintaining contacts and otherwise gaining information through interaction with others. They may have skill in multiple language, knowledge of local customs, beliefs, culture and other 'human' aspects that would be of benefit in gaining information or otherwise giving an advantage in operations.

Character Sheet:

Delete everything in italics when filling in your character sheet. When completed, please post it for approval in the OOC tab.

Name: Name of your character

Age: How old they are. The current year can be considered to be 2025ish for the sake of the RP

Gender: Self explanatory

Nationality: What country they are from

Primary Role: See Above

Secondary Role: See Above

Appearance: A picture is preferred, a description is fine, a combination of both is perfect. Artwork is preferred, no photo references.

Bio: A short description (no more than a couple of short paragraphs) describing their key personality traits, outlook, and demeanour

Service History: A short blurb - no more than a few short paragraphs, or a bulleted list - describing their service history and key events in it up to this point

Primary Weapon: A primary long-arm (i.e. assault rifle, shotgun, submachine gun LMG, etc) they use. Feel free to list a couple of alternates for different missions.

Sidearm: A handgun used by your character

Other gear/weapons/equipment: Knives, grenades, sharp sticks; other equipment that is relevant to the plot or useful on missions.

Other useful information: Your characters hobbies and interests, or notable aspects of their family history or other such non-critical, but flavour stuff could go in here.

[Smike]

I’m here and gonna start working on a sheet tmw. Planning on going either Marksman or Point Man for the primary role and Human Intelligence for the secondary

[Alfhedil]

Coming in when I can with MARSOC CSO, focus on Breaching and Demolitions. And eating all the crayons >:[

Karishma Jha

Name:

Karishma "Kari" Jha

Age: How old they are. The current year can be considered to be 2025ish for the sake of the RP

Gender:

Female

Nationality:

United States

Primary Role:

Breacher

Secondary Role:

Demolitions/Tech Specialist(Though very specialized)

Appearance:

Appearance

A picture is preferred, a description is fine, a combination of both is perfect. Artwork is preferred, no photo references.

Bio: A short description (no more than a couple of short paragraphs) describing their key personality traits, outlook, and demeanor

Service History: A short blurb - no more than a few short paragraphs, or a bulleted list - describing their service history and key events in it up to this point

Primary Weapon:

Benelli M4 - Standard/Primary Loadout
- 12-gauge
- Ghost Ring sights
- Breaching Compensator

Breach bag - Standard/Primary Loadout
- Halligan, matte black finish
- Ding-Dong Breaching tool, matte black finish
- THE PIG
- Thermal pens
- 80 feet of detcord
- Single-use refillable cutting torches(2)

Saiga 12K-040 Taktika - Alternate Loadout
- 12-gauge
- Ghost Ring sights
- Breaching Compensator
- 30 round drum

Winchester Model 1897 - Alternate Loadout/Personal
- Freedom
- Potentially a War-Crime
- Two-Point sling
- Bayonet

H&KMP7A1 - Standard/Primary Loadout
- Zeiss RSA Reflex Red dot sight
- H&K OEM Suppressor

H&K416/M27IAR - Alternate Loadout
- Trijicon VCOG sight
- KAC Suppressor
- H&K AG36 40mm grenade launcher

M32A1 MGL - Alternate Loadout
- M2A1 Reflex Sight

Ammunition Loadout:
- 12g Frangible
- 12g Slug
- 12g 00 Buck
- 40mm HE
- 40mm HEAT
- 40mm XM1060 Thermobaric
- 40mm Illumination
- 40mm Dual-purpose

Sidearm:

Beretta M9 Service Pistol - Primary Sidearm

FN Five-Seven - Personal Sidearm

Other gear/weapons/equipment: Knives, grenades, sharp sticks; other equipment that is relevant to the plot or useful on missions.

Other useful information: Your characters hobbies and interests, or notable aspects of their family history or other such non-critical, but flavour stuff could go in here.

[Thayr]

Moss, Lukas - Medic, Communications

NAME

Moss, Lukas

AGE

33

GENDER

Male

NATIONALITY

United States of America

PRIMARY ROLE

Medic

SECONDARY ROLE

Communications Specialist

APPEARANCE

Appearance

Standing at 5’4”, fairly middling as far as height, Lukas’s physique can be described as musculature, well-built, with a little bit of bulk about the midriff. His skin is very well tanned while black hair is kept at a very un-military length with a full beard. A number of sharp cracks and lines form the man’s face, making him seem a good bit older than he really is.

His sense of clothing doesn’t change much between operations and normal attire, with a common line of collared shirts, cargo pants in black or olive green, and black dull boots. A dull mechanical watch is the only outward sign of any degree of wealth, though the item is definitely plain. His helmet bears a Joker on the side.

---

BIOGRAPHY

Born 1992 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Moss would really get a direction of life at the age of nine through a television. Always interested in a military life, he decided from early on that there was really only a few places to properly be. Going though his options while in High School, as a freshman Lukas focused in to study Arabic through whatever possible resources he could get his hands on as well as joining JROTC as a junior. He jumped feet-first into the US Air Force, trying his hand through being qualified as a Parajumper there.

The training, as could be expected for anything of that sort, was as grueling as could be. Lukas worked through it, though, broke down and put back together as it was. There was nothing else to it but developing a mindset that there was that set tasks before him, that set of orders that needed to be fulfilled, and that all which was asked of him was within his capability. The schools were long, sending him across the country, and by the time he’d graduated Lukas had already been enlisted for two years.

He would be assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, a year later deploying in support of hunter-killer operations in the Middle East against Taliban and Al-Qaeda leadership, and two years after that deployed again for Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Lukas’s time with the 24th STS would be rewarding, he found, between helping to expedite “family reunions”, saving lives, and a continuous training. He’d even help support the ad-hoc resources deployed to save Malaysia Airlines Flight 830 when it crashed in Afghanistan in 2016, something the man found a special amount of pride in. Two years later, as his contract came to a close, Moss joined with The Activity. His participation with numerous intelligence gathering taskings would lead to several successful “family reunions” - the most public of which being the removal of Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Dry, acidic humor marked with a distinct, continuous use of euphemisms is the eternal dialogue of Lukas Moss. He’s not an airman, really, but a family reunions organizer whether that’s on earth or in hell. He just makes the conditions come together so that the reunion might be perfect, truly perfect. When in certain situations, stressful ones, Lukas looses the humor in exchange for razor sharp focus, a professionalism where everything is just the thing, no baggage attached, and everything is suddenly, emphatically within his capacity to change, to do, to remove.

SERVICE HISTORY

- 2008: Joined JROTC
- 2010: Enlisted USAF, Parajumper. Received FLPB for Arabic. Graduated Basic Training as Airman (E-2)
- 2010: Promotion to Airman 1st Class (E-3)
- 2012: Promotion to Senior airman (E-4)
- 2012: Graduated from Pararescue Apprentice Course, certified PJ. Assigned to 24th STS
- 2013: Deployed in support of Task Force 145 to Iraq, Afghanistan, 6 months
- 2015: Promotion to Staff sergeant (E-5). Deployed in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, 2 years
- 2016: Extended Contract by 2 Years. Deployed in response to Malaysia Airlines Flight 830 crash, Afghanistan
- 2018: Joined Intelligence Service Activity
- 2022: Aided in the elimination strike of Ayman al-Zawahiri. Active in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan
- 2025: Assigned to Spearhead Unit

---

PRIMARY WEAPON

M27 IAR

KAC NT4 QDSS Suppressor
M27RWK
Vertical Foregrip
AN/PEQ-16A
Trijicon ACOG
60 Round Magpul D-60 Magazines

M89SR sniper rifle

B&T Suppressor
Bipod
AN/PEQ-15
M8541 Scout Sniper Day Scope
Fully Automatic

SIDEARM

Beretta 93R

Suppressor
18 Round Magazines

OTHER GEAR/WEAPONS/EQUIPMENT

USMC Mark 2 combat knife
2 x M67 fragmentation grenade
2 x M14 TH3 incendiary grenade

Trauma kit
AN/PSQ-22
Flipper Zero
1 x Military-use Encrypted Cellphone
5 x Prepaid Flip Phone
Leatherman Wave
French Press

IHPS helmet w/ AN/PSQ-42 ENVG-B
JSGPM/51 gas mask
MBSS vest w/ SAPI, pouches, black
Backpack, black

---

OTHER INFORMATION

Hobbies

Chess
Coin Collecting
Cycling
Yoga

Likes

Airport Food
French Press Coffee
People “with large veins”
Dark Chocolate

Dislikes

Alcoholics
Chatterboxes
People “with big feet”
Smokers

[FourtyTwo]

Interested in a Support role with a Drone Operator. Will confirm quite what that looks like.

[Rhona W]

Two potential spots left, depending on what @Smike decides to go for

[Rhona W]

Interested in a former AFSOC / ISA intel/communications guy, role for Grenadier Medic and Communications

@Thayr

As Medic wasn't a primary role, I edited the OOC info to make it one, so congrats xD
This also means we have an opening for a Grenadier, lol

[Thayr]

How restrictive are you planning on primary weapons / gear being?

[Komo]

Interested in the Support Gunner with the Technical Specialist role!

[Rhona W]

How restrictive are you planning on primary weapons / gear being?

@Thayr

Nothing too excessive or out-there. For example, no man-portable miniguns or suchlike; no archaic weapons like WW2 or such. And nothing 'memey' or too 'video game' ish. I will mock you relentlessly if you take a Desert Eagle, for example.

[Rhona W]

Interested in the Support Gunner with the Technical Specialist role!

@Komo

@FourtyTwo has already taken the Support Gunner role, but you're welcome to the Technical Specialist secondary role with a different Primary

[Komo]

<Snipped quote by Komo>

@FourtyTwo has already taken the Support Gunner role, but you're welcome to the Technical Specialist secondary role with a different Primary

@Rhona W

Ah, can't believe I missed that. If Smike doesn't take the Marksman role, I would like that. If not, then I guess the only spot available for me would be the Grenadier?

[FourtyTwo]

@Komo

I've switched now to Grenadier/Drone Op.

[Komo]

@Rhona W

I'll be taking the Support Gunner/Technical Specialist in that case!

[Thayr]

<Snipped quote by Thayr>

Nothing too excessive or out-there. For example, no man-portable miniguns or suchlike; no archaic weapons like WW2 or such. And nothing 'memey' or too 'video game' ish. I will mock you relentlessly if you take a Desert Eagle, for example.

@Rhona W

I also mean as far as "Can we take equipment not normally issued or issued by allied powers?"

[Rhona W]

<Snipped quote by Rhona W>

I also mean as far as "Can we take equipment not normally issued or issued by allied powers?"

@Thayr

Oh, yes - by all means; you can take stuff that isn't necessarily standard issue or issued by allies.

[Rhona W]

One spot left for the Point Man role

[Smike]

I’m here and gonna start working on a sheet tmw. Planning on going either Marksman or Point Man for the primary role and Human Intelligence for the secondary

@Smike

Locking in marksman

[Theyra]

One spot left for the Point Man role

@Rhona W

I can go Point Man since that is needed.

[Rhona W]

<Snipped quote by Rhona W>

I can go Point Man since that is needed.

@Theyra

Then it's yours, and I'll put your name against it!

And on that note, we're closed for new applications/characters