Tazhagg Brigade

The Tazhagg Brigade was a Karkouri elite military unit

Origin

The Tazhagg Brigade was first recruited in the early 24th century.  It showed up on a FIS intelligence report in the year 2335 and was rated as a veteran formation
The Brigade, consisting of the 14th, 32nd and 40th Combat Regiments was formed for specialized combat deployments and specializes in counter-insurgent warfare and is considered one of the most reliable and effective Karkouri units.

Composition

The Tazhagg Brigade consists of three regiments and is generally assumed to consist of around 5,200 troops, most of whom are Salborians.
The Tazhagg Brigade is considered an infantry unit and generally has its own transports and heavy weapons but it is not a heavy armored formation.

Training

Prospective trainees for the Tazhagg Brigade are recruited in two ways:
Veteran Pool Any Salborian soldier with at least two years of service and no Negative reports on their record can apply to join the Tazhagg Brigade.  They will then undergo selection for the brigade, including the so-called Long Sun march.
Trainees who fail to pass selection are not allowed to apply again.
Hazarin Pool Salborians born to the Hazarin are allowed to apply once they are at least seventeen years old, with permission of their master.  This is usually given as the Regime pays the full cost of any Hazarin recruited into the service and a bonus is paid if they are recruited to the Tazhagg.
Hazarin must still undergo full training, including the Long Sun.  Hazarin that fail selection are recycled into regular army formations.
NCOs and Officers An intriguing quirk of joining the Tazhagg Brigade, all NCOs and officers that join are reduced in rank with NCos' being demoted to the equivalent of Corporal and officers reduced to the equivalent of Lieutenant.  Exceptions are granted to General officers but as the brigade only has one general officer assigned, this is usually granted only to the brigade commander.

The Long-Sun

The Long Sun is the final training exercise of trainees who wish to join the brigade.  An exhausting five day march across the Kazharrin Desert on Kallash, the trainees must complete the march with only one stop for water each day.  Trainees are permitted to sleep whenever they wish but with the sun baking down on them for sixteen hours a day, trainees are pushed to the absolute edge of endurance.
Nearly 40% of trainees fail to complete the march and Imperial Intelligence believed that around 5-10 Salborians would die during each Long-Sun march.
Those trainees that complete the march are granted the Pendant of their unit and Tazhagg troops bear the golden-sun badge as a mark of their unit.
Deployment The Tazhagg Brigade was deployed to Vanheim in the year 2520 to fight against the Vanheim Liberation Front (VLF) and was credited by local resistance leaders and intelligence experts as playing a major role in stabilizing the Karkouri front-lines on the planet The brigade also reportedly inflicted above average levels of civilian casualties and is known for its very aggressive posture and attitude in combat