Dragon Strike

Dragon Strike is the Elorian Protectorate's version of a special ops organization. They are a series of small squads of elite humanoid troops, recruited from the more standard military branches across the Protectorate, all of which are assigned a dragon which deploys them into combat. Oftentimes they are called on to perform high stakes retrievals, or to eliminate or soften up entrenched enemy positions before the more conventional troops can come in and finish up the job. They function as rescuers, siege breakers, and elite scouts, able to drop in to a hairy situation nearly anywhere in the Funhouse at a moment's notice. To the citizens of the Protectorate, they are celebrities and heroes, larger than life figures who symbolize everything that is strong about their nation. To malcontents and enemies, within or without however, they are the bogeymen, always under the bed, in the closet, or ticked behind a low-hanging cloud, ready to strike when they are least expected.

Composition

Manpower

Dragon Strike units vary in size based on the dragon deployed, and consequently, the number of troops/amount of equipment they are able to carry.  Units can range in size from single scouts (or paired "smalls", members of the smaller races) deployed on a single dragon in its mid-teens to full platoons of 20-40 fully kitted out "heavies", who all ride in to battle on a single adult dragon with at least several centuries under their belt.  

As the dragons themselves get older they become far more individualistic and territorial, and far less capable of taking orders, which is not conducive to a stable chain of command.  As a result, the entire Dragon Strike organization only ever has two or three full adult platoons in it at a time, and each of these have their own very distinct areas of operation.  Each of these two or three commanders will have 5-10 "young" dragons capable of deploying 5-10 troops each, and anywhere from 15-30 of the smaller scouts.

Equipment

The dragons of Dragon strike are not trained primarily for aerial combat, but instead to provide fast transport to ground troops, and then to subsequently support said ground troops from the air once they have been delivered to a target.  As a result, most of the equipment they carry for themselves consists of harnesses and saddles (all custom made to the strictest of specifications, and often adjusted as they age and grow), as well as layers on their lower sides to help camouflage from below and provide protection from projectile fire.  They also carry spare ammunition, rations, shelter, and medical supplies for their squads in the event of the unforeseen,  when some or all of the team may be cut off behind enemy lines or trapped in some way.  Each sector also has one or two squads designed purely for search and rescue operations, and run with smaller squads of only healers or those trained in medical magic, capable of inserting into a contested area, or even one far behind enemy lines to bolster a beleaguered formation or retrieve the remnants of an isolated strike force.

Weaponry

The Strikers, the elite troops who ride the dragons, have enough leeway to choose their own load outs, and have been known to deploy with just about every combination of arms under the sun. The mid-sized groups who make up the meat of Dragon Strike often deploy a more diverse cross-section of troops types, who tailor their equipment to the job at hand. For a quick night mission they might come in quietly, with light armor, ranged weapons, and short blades, all stained black. When acting as siege breakers or fort takers, they may instead opt for a shock and awe approach, with over magics, heavy armor, and long weapons well suited to overwhelming initial resistance, and then holding a choke-point for the regular army to come in and take behind them. Whatever the job might be, there is a team that is capable of pulling it off, and so long as there is more than several hours notice they can receive nearly any and all equipment that may be necessary to achieve it.

The dragons themselves are not often equipped with weapons, as in most circumstances they ARE more than weapon enough.  Some of them like to augment their natural capabilities with custom-forged talons, or even deployable ordnance for use in circumstances when the biological ordnance all dragons are born with may not be enough.

Structure

Dragons are powerful, proud beasts which can live for centuries.  As a result, they often do not function incredibly well as a part of the rigid, hierarchical command structure most often found in militaries, unless they find themselves at the top.  In addition, those few dragons who decide to commit several decades, or even centuries to serving in this strike force can quickly accumulate far more experience than most footsoldiers are capable of doing.  As a result, other than the youngest scout dragons each dragon will be superior in rank to the squad or squads they are assigned to carry.  As stated before, the only adult dragons in the service each manage a sector themselves.  Administrative tasks, training and logistics are managed by a cadre of retirees and those who have suffered injuries severe enough that even magical healing cannot fully repair them, so that they are not left out in the cold when they are no longer combat capable.

Tactics

Dragon Strike is primarily a quick strike, quick reaction force.  It is not meant to take and hold ground for extended periods of time, but rather to fire the opening, devastating salvos of an offensive or war, to break a siege, or to eliminate a high value target.  Their speed, stealth, and high firepower make them ideal choices for these sorts of missions, and they are unmatched in their abilities to either project power far behind enemy lines, or to soften up targets or positions that the more conventional forces of the Protectorate would be ill-equipped to deal with without significant investment of time, material, and lives.

Type

Airborne

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Veteran