The RTF was created in the aftermath of the Interstellar War as a mean to prevent, or at least predict, another civil war. The first rangers were experienced veterans and were deployed to various colonies as a "public" military company. Their primary objective was to assess the safety of these colonies and assist the local population with tasks that the local police forces could not handle, either through a lack of manpower or a lack of equipment.
Throughout the years, the RTF grew in popularity as an organization that takes everyone seriously and has the means to assist with everything, without asking for anything in return. As order eventually returned to all the colonies, or states as they would become, the Rangers were the public face of the Vestan military, drawing plenty of recruits for the GDF. Their activities involved asymmetrical warfare against crime lords and rebel groups, and sometimes even rogue corporations.
Recent history
With the renewed contact with the Enodian Ascendancy, the Rangers gained a new mission: to serve as the first response to any imperial incursion and as recon units hidden behind what would inevitably become enemy lines. This task started to overlap with the duties of the Special Operations Command, leading to some joint trainings and exercise that became a regular occurrence.
The Rangers have also become the de-facto "auditors" of the Vestan military, often sent undercover to determine the actual state of local governments and institutions. This has been an important part of the Unity Concord negotiations, as their feedback allowed the Federation to rest easy knowing the city was under adequate control.
Despite all of their achievements, the RTF suffered a major blow during the Asterian Insurrection. As they were completely taken by surprise, they were unable to warn local military forces and properly prepare a response, leading to the loss of several cities to the hands of the Dominion. While the conflict was short-lived, many reconsidered the prestigious organization to be nothing more than a decorated dog on the Federation's leash.
Organization
The RTF is a highly autonomous organization divided into four divisions. While these divisions are typically assigned to one of the Federation's planet, they are only used as an administrative body. The RTF instead relies on company-level deployments, usually based around offices and forward bases. Each Ranger unit is independent and operates of its own accord, handling its own mission objectives as part of a wider strategy.
Despite being GDF personnel, the RTF is also known to send small groups of soldiers as security advisors to PMCs and police forces, and frequently participate in all sorts of local operations. While this apparent lack of any overall leadership seems unusual, the RTF's presence in nearly every major settlement of the Federation and their quick reactions make them an invaluable asset for both the military and the local population.
Personnel
Due to their varied missions and their nature, Rangers are highly disciplined individuals and can be considered to be an elite force akin to Special Forces. All Rangers have served at least 5 years in the military before joining the RTF, but not necessarily within the GDF. As a result, most Rangers have the ranks of Staff-Sergeant or higher, along with all the experience and integrity they have gained with it.
Due to their high autonomy, Rangers undergo an extremely thorough training program to prepare them for their duties, which are significantly different from regular military operations. This training program is known to be difficult, and more than one recruit have given up on becoming Rangers.
Equipment
Infantry
Armor and equipment
While the RTF is part of the Vestan military, it also employs a variety of civilian equipment not unlike those of Private Military Companies. This is because their autonomous nature make them difficult to resupply, leaving many Ranger units to improvise with their equipment.
Individual weapons
The RTF uses extensively the Jotunnleif platform and the Indra pistol, as they give a massive advantage compared to civilian security personnel. Since these are easily traced, however, the RTF also uses a wide array of caseless weapons for more diverse purposes.
Crew-served weapons
The RTF rarely employs heavy weapons, as supplies are limited, but it does possess some Lance ATGMs and 60mm smart launchers.
Vehicles
The RTF primarily relies on the Warden and the Ocelot as its go-to land vehicles. RTF vehicles are often highly custimized by their users to better accomodate their missions and environments.
Aircrafts
The RTF does not possess nor operate any aircrafts directly, but frequently uses the service of local police forces and PMCs for air transport and air support.
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