Special Armoured Forces

The Special Armoured Forces, or more commonly known as the SAF, are the fist of the Galactic Alliance military. Clad in indestructible Duradite armour, these highly skilled combatants can take all the fire the enemy throw at them, but also dish it straight back with an array of ranged and melee weapons.

Structure

In the SAF the highest ranking individual is known as the Master General. Since the divisions conception there have been three; the first being Master General Anthos Kerhearth, who was placed in command when the SAF was formed, Anthos himself being an accomplished Alliance war veteran. After Anthos was Damien Fellhammer, then following him was Nemran Gerrund.
The Master General plays a key role in Alliance military coordination. In times of need the Master General is capable of assuming command over other sects of the military, but primarily focuses on his armoured assault troops.
Under the Master General are s select number of Generals, these generals only deal with matters within the SAF, but are still highly respected among other sects of the Alliance military. Each General controls a division of SAF, be these a division of Valkyries, Skyborne or any other soldier types. From there, the ranks follow a fairly generic progression.

Culture

In the SAF ones armour is sacred. From the day it is received the soldier's armour is to be his pride and joy. Keeping it clean rewards him satisfaction, spending hours a day maintaining it is a labour of love. To rob an SAF of his armour is the ultimate insult. This tradition came about with Damien Fellhammer , as before his rise through the ranks the armour was considered little more than a tool. However he considered his armour a part of him and adopted an almost religious ethos towards it. Many other SAF followed suit and now such traditions are cemented in SAF culture even today.

Public Agenda

The SAf have on more than one occasion been considered the 'saviours of the Alliance'. Being at the forefront of many important conflicts that threatened to undo the entire structure of the Alliance. Because of this they are highly respected by the populace and heralded as heroes where ever they go in Alliance space. They are seen as those who will go into an area so dangerous that escape, let alone victory, seems an impossibility. When possible the SAF's accomplishments are widely shared and distributed across the Galactic Network, further enforcing their almost mythical status.

Assets

"Caldur Secundus is the last line of defence, without it, all we fight for is doomed"

The SAF boast a sizeable dedicated fleet with all number of specialised vehicles that mostly involve transporting the heavily armoured forms of the SAF. They also have access to the most funding of any of the special forces within the Alliance. On top of this, their primary base is the moon; Caldur Secundus. Over decades the moon has been turned from simply a training ground for new recruits to a fully operation battle station strapped to the gills with orbital weaponry to defend itself and the planet below from attack. The moon itself is in a locked orbit and carefully positioned so any and all hyperspace traffic that comes into Caldur Primaris's orbit is within range of its weaponry.
The SAF are also known for their use of drop pods; small capsules that are launched from space craft or high flying aircraft that can precisely deliver troops right into the thick of it with pin point accuracy.

History

The SAF were conceptualised several years before the start of the galactic war, their suits originally being adapted from hazardous mining suits. Their main purpose in the beginning would be to act as an intimidating weapon against pirates and other criminals, their Duradite armour being far too tough for the likes of anything they'd have to throw at them. However their need changed vastly when the Sirasion Empire attacked.
The SAF were quickly brought into service and used as armoured shock troopers against the Sirasions. Their purpose now was to storm the enemy lines and take all the fire so the infantry wouldn't have to. For a while Sirasion small arms weaponry simply wasn't powerful enough to penetrate their armour efficiently. Stories spread across both times of the SAF beating near uncountable odds, achieving feats thought impossible, such as one soldier withstanding the fire from an entire squad before smashing into the enemy bunker and dispatching all enemies within. The SAF quickly achieved a mythical status among the Alliance military, many soldiers considering it a privilege to fight along side them, or maybe, if he fought hard enough, be considered for selection.
The SAF underwent their first major change when Damien Fellhammer began to rise through the ranks. Like many of his comrades he started out as a simple soldier who fought with the tenacity fit for the SAF. When he was trained to be part of the outfit it took on an entirely different meaning for him. To Fellhammer his armour was his life. He followed a very chaste lifestyle within the SAF, something his comrades didn't initially see eye to eye with, but as he dedicated his life to improving himself on the field of battle and further familiarise himself with his armour that at this point had became an extension of himself, he began to gain a sort of following within the ranks.
When the Sirasion's first assault on Caldur Primaris took place, the Master General was killed. With no one to take his place and no one willing to step up, Damien Fellhammer did so. He utilised Caldur Secundus, moon base of the SAF, to launch drop pods containing SAF warriors onto the surface of their own capital. But the thing that cemented Fellhammer in SAF and Alliance legend was how he destroyed a Mantis Droid single handedly with nothing but an uprooted lamp post.
After this, the SAF attitude towards most things began to change. Other soldiers were now following Fellhammer's approach towards life in the SAF with almost religious intent. So strong did the loyalty of his soldiers get that eventually the choice to make him the new master general was obvious.
Fellhammer's glory was unfortunately not to last, as he met his end when he defied protocol to travel to Siran to rescue his daughter, Laura, and Kline Muldarch from execution at the hands of the Sirasions. He rescued them but at the cost of his own life. His act of heroic sacrifice did not go un-noticed, Damien Fellhammer was martyred for what he did, his funeral on Caldur Primaris attracting onlookers from across the galaxy, even members of the Sirasion Empire attended in secret, including the Emperor himself.
The SAF went without a master general for a long while, there simply not being anyone who fitted the bill. However another promising aspirant, Nemran Gerrund, was beginning his rise through the ranks. A veteran of the battle for the Black Eagle manufacturing complex, Nemran showed all the qualities needed to be a good master general.
As Nemran was beginning his ascent to Master General, the SAF was undergoing several changes. The diversification of soldier types was beginning to be implemented, as well as allowing women to join the special force outfit. The introduction of the Valkyries and Skyborne made the SAF an even greater force to be reckoned with.
Like his predecessor, Nemran met his end in one last combined push against The Rada Collective when they were enthralled by Bashi, Nemran himself facing Bashi directly. Nemran was directly responsible for a number of decisions that brought the SAF up to date with the current day battlefield, bringing to bare new tactics and altering old ones. He too is revered among the Alliance as it is said his actions contributed to the end of the war.
When the peace was declared between the major factions another master general was not put in place, the position currently stands empty

Military

The SAF, while at its core being tough and designed to take the brunt of the hit for a first in, last out scenario does have a number of specialised divisions within it's ranks.

Adept

SAF adepts are the initial rank of the SAF. They are the most common sight among SAF on the field of battle, clad in their signature duradite armour. Despite being the base rank of the SAF, these soldiers are hand picked from the standard areas of the military and have all had multiple years of service before even being considered for recruitment.
The standard weapon of an SAF adept is the Redeemer battle rifle. The Redeemer has underwent a number of changes since it's inception, in its current form it is a .50 calibre fully automatic rifle capable of loading and firing a plethora of different ammunition types including explosive, armour piercing discarding sabot and varying types of shot rounds, to name a few.

Skyborne

The Skyborne are a sect of the SAF dedicated to rapid behind enemy lines. While they do not boast as much in the way of armour as their contemporaries, their armour is lightened for the purpose of their massive thrust pack capable of moving the warrior around with incredible speed. Skyborne specialise in melee combat and getting into and disrupting enemy formations.

Valkyrie

SAF Valkyries are a newer breed of SAF. Traditionally the SAF were only drafted from male recruits, however when Laura Fellhammer, daughter of the prestigious Damien Fellhammer disguised herself as a man and passed the selection process with flying colours, the decision to allow women into the SAF. While they are still few and far between when it comes to adepts, the Valkyries are made up entirely of female recruits.
Valkyries are also melee specialists, however they are equipped with a tempered Duradite shield that is capable of absorbing the impact of most projectiles. As well as having specialised shock absorbers to dampen the kinetic impact of solid rounds. The Valkyrie's battlefield roll is to work with the un-armoured soldiers, they provide living cover with their shields and also the melee punch that other soldiers lack.

Black Watch

Little is known about the mysterious Black Watch. They began as an off the books SAF unit that picked only the best SAF recruits. They were essentially the top of the Alliance military food chain. They took on missions that no one else could, often heading into unbeatable odds. The Alliance stopped using black watch a long time ago, but rumour has it they still operate, be it under their own agenda.

"We are the hammer"

Founding Date

2235

Type

Military, Special Operations Force

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Parent Organization

Galactic Alliance

Location

Caldur Primaris

Notable Members

• Damien Fellhammer