Alliance Special Forces/Legends

"Eventually, empires fall like trees&mdash;we are the lumberjax!"

- Writing on wall of Rebel SpecForce barracks

Alliance Special Forces, better known as SpecForce, were the branch of the Alliance Army that were attached to Alliance High Command (the rest of the Army consisted of the various Sector Forces).

Specifically selected for high skill, morale, bravery, and dedication to the Rebel cause, SpecForce soldiers were often either from subjugated worlds, or were Imperials disillusioned by the government's tyranny. Rebel forces tended to be more individualistic and ragtag than the forces of the Imperial Military.

SpecForce should not be confused with Special Operations (SpecOps) groups who participated in murky undercover missions that typically involved investigating, snooping and hectic seat-of-the-pants assignments with minimal input from Alliance Command. There was a deep rivalry between the two branches. Although SpecForce members recognized the need for SpecOps, and some considered them capable soldiers, they tended to think of Special Operations agents as amateurs who relied on luck to complete their missions. Likewise SpecOps agents tended to regard their counterparts as a group of arrogant, over-trained grunts with over inflated opinions of their own importance.

Recruitment and training
"Your candidacy for SpecForce training is itself the mark of a superior soldier."

- From the standard acceptance holo to SpecForce candidates



Very few regular soldiers were capable of becoming SpecForce troopers, and all volunteered for service. Imperial special forces candidates underwent extensive examination to determine political, physical, educational, technical, and mental suitability; they also performed extensive background checks which included interviews of family, friends, and acquaintances to ensure political loyalty. The Alliance did its best to perform background checks, but was limited in its ability to perform interviews of relatives and associates. The SpecForce vetting process was run by Alliance Intelligence and comprised mainly of interviews, interrogations, and examinations. The vetting process was given a high priority, and resulted in the low penetration of the organization by Imperial agents.

The Empire's anti-alien stance gave the Alliance an advantage in creating SpecForce, giving them a large pool of non-Human candidates eager to oppose the New Order. Many of these species possessed abilities particularly suited to covert military operations. In addition, the Empire's oppressive rule caused many Humans to seek service with the Alliance, allowing for a more selective recruitment policy for SpecForce.

SpecForce candidates had already undergone basic and specialist training. When selected for special forces, the troopers would go through another round of advanced training at a drop-camp. The trainees were taught advanced skills essential for special forces service, but the primary purpose of this phase of training was to weed out candidates lacking the drive to succeed in their missions. The standards in every area of training were high, and the drop-out rate was equally high. Many Alliance regular troopers were SpecForce washouts, though there was no stigma attached to such failure. Simply having been accepted onto a special forces training program was a mark of a trooper's superior qualities, and many failed candidates went on to have successful careers within the Alliance military. Basic SpecForce training included two months of weapons drill using blasters, heavy weaponry, hand weapons and slugthrowers.



They also performed numerous deployment scenarios, including stealth drills, overland marches, and para-sail and dropship deployments. The exercises would increase in intensity and difficulty as the trainees progressed through the program, and included live-fire drills and failure-rigged reenactments. This stage of training concluded with a realistic war game scenario, the completion of which meant advancement to a further four weeks of specialization training. In addition to military training, recruits attended lectures on military history.

For specialization training, recruits were sent to another training camp where they would train in a particular area of expertise, depending on their natural attributes and proficiencies. This training built on the specific areas learned in basic SpecForce training, and prepared them for assignment to one of the many specialized regiments within SpecForce divisions.

The identity of SpecForce recruits was a high-level secret. If the enemy discovered their identities, personality profiles to be constructed and/or their friends and family could be targeted. The trainee ID card carried a holoflat, rank, and security clearance only.

SpecForce Trooper
The average SpecForce trooper was a few years older than a regular Rebel soldier, had above average physical and mental abilities and was dedicated to the Alliance and its cause. While they tended to be a little wild in their private lives when in the field they were generally extremely professional. Like most Alliance soldiers SpecForce troopers were idealist and committed to the Rebellion against the Empire, although they tended to be even more dedicated. A great number of them were former soldiers from the Empire.

SpecForce Officer
A large percentage of the Human SpecForce officers were ex-Imperial military officers who were extensively screened by Alliance Intelligence. They were generally a little younger than regular military officers especially towards the high ranks. The nature of special forces often meant that advancement was faster than regular forces partly because of the higher rate of attrition. SpecForce officers were highly intelligent and physically fit. They were among the finest military officers in the galaxy during the Rebellion era.

Routine
"The only thing worse than a fight is waiting for a fight."

- Comment overheard on a SpaceOps shuttle in the minutes before a landing assault

SpecForce personnel spent most of their time training, maintaining their equipment, and traveling. The boredom of preparation was punctuated by moments of extreme danger and stress. When SpecForce troopers were called-up for action, their tours of duty tended to be short and exceptionally unpleasant, in contrast to regular tours that were generally longer and carried a lower level of danger. The major difference between regular and SpecForce soldiers was that the latter actively saw trouble more frequently and were expected to function reliably.

SpecForce organization
"In half an hour I can put together a strike team of twenty soldiers, capable of succeeding at any mission, under any circumstances, anywhere in the galaxy"

- General Crix Madine



SpecForce was organized into formal units much like its Imperial counterparts: divisions, regiments, companies, platoons, squads, and fire teams. However, due to scarcity of resources, they rarely operated as full units, instead organizing into taskforces consisting of the appropriate number of soldiers required for a certain mission.

Divisions
SpecForce consisted of about 10 divisions. One division, Command Division, was under General Crix Madine (via subordinate officers) and was attached to Alliance High Command at all times. It possessed regiments representing all SpecForce specializations, which were assigned to various elements of High Command. Five other divisions were allocated more or less regionally, with the balance deployed as rogue divisions operationally attached to sector commands or other SpecForce divisions as needed. The regionally allocated divisions were commanded by a general; the rogue divisions were theoretically under the command of whatever divisional general they were assigned to, but in practice were primarily commanded by the colonels of their regiments.

Regiments
Regiments were made up of three to six companies (four being the norm), and were commanded by a colonel or, less often, a major. They were consistently numbered within each division by the type of specialist they provided. Like divisions, they were more of an accounting unit than a unit that actually saw action; they provided the pool from which taskforces were assembled. More on regimental specialties are described below.

Companies
Companies usually consisted of five platoons and were commanded by a major or captain, and were identified by aurebesh letters. There were two types: order companies (also order of battle companies or OBCs), consisting of a single specialist type and used for asset tracking rather than actually seeing action; and taskforce companies (TFCs), which were comprised field mission units and were typically composed of two or three platoons of one specialist type, with two or three other platoons of mixed type rounding the unit out and providing operational flexibility. These companies were typically the largest unit to see combat.

Platoons
Platoons consisted of four squads and were commanded by a lieutenant. They were designated numerically.

Squads
Squads consisted of five to fifteen troopers and were commanded by a sergeant. They were designated by color, and were primarily of a particular trooper specialty, though cross-attached elements (usually attached fire teams from other specialties) were common.

Fire Teams
Fire teams consisted of two to five troopers, supervised by a senior trooper (often called first trooper in scandocs). They were the basic tactical element of squad maneuvering, and it was recommended that troopers not act in the field without their fire team members.

Taskforces
Taskforces were the real units which performed SpecForce missions. They could be of nearly any size, though most were company or platoon sized. They were commanded by a taskforce commander (TC), a temporary position given an officer assigned to command a given mission. The TC was not a coveted position, and was given out on the basis of ability; usually, the TC was of a rank appropriate for the size of the taskforce (e.g. a platoon-sized taskforce would typically have a lieutenant as TC). Once selected, the TC would requisition as many appropriately-sized units as were needed for the mission, subject to availability, to comprise the taskforce.

SpecForce Regiments
As was mentioned, regiments were consistently numbered within each division, with the number indicating the type of specialist they consisted of.

1st Regiment - SpecForce SpaceOps Regiment
"Never go into space with someone braver than you."

- Conventional SpaceOps wisdom



SpecForce SpaceOps, also called SpecForce Marines were trained for combat onboard ships, zero-g combat, space survival and space-suit operation. They were armed with blaster pistols, rifles, missile launchers, grenades, and sometimes vibroblades. They had a reputation for having a charge-ahead attitude.

2nd Regiment - SpecForce Pathfinders
"The easy way is always mined."

- Pathfinder observation

SpecForce Pathfinders made clandestine drops into enemy territory, establishing beachheads, performing reconnaissance and holding territory until reinforcements arrived. These sort of operations were typically conducted by a fairly small task force no larger than company size. These task forces were often in great danger since they could easily be annihilated if they were not relieved or extracted before the enemy could mount an effective counterattack. The secondary role of the pathfinder specialization was to scout for other SpecForce units in ground operations. These missions were also conducted by small units although there was a least backup if something went wrong. Pathfinders were trained for survival, alien species recognition, and repulsorcraft operation. They were normally equipped with blaster rifles, grenades and survival equipment while they often fielded heavy weapons and repulsorcraft for superior mobility. Pathfinder troopers relied on surprise to overwhelm enemy forces.

3rd Regiment - SpecForce Urban Combat Specialists
"Law of Fortifications: It is always as hard to get out as it is to get in."

- UCS to Alliance trooper during the Siege of Kyrska

SpecForce Urban Combat Specialists (or UCS, often simply called Urban Guerrillas) were trained for street combat and were skilled in finding ways to adapt the tough urban fighting environment to suit them. They were also trained in making do with whatever equipment they had and were experts in hand-to-hand combat, street fighting, demolitions and light weaponry. They wore tight yet flexible gray jumpsuits, which partially absorb the shock of blaster bolts and also have visor-helmets.

4th Regiment - SpecForce Wilderness Fighters
"All-weather equipment fails&hellip; usually in bad weather."

- Wilderness Fighter observation



SpecForce Wilderness Fighters, sometimes called Rangers were trained to use their terrain for the best tactical advantage in fighting. They were more mobile than their urban counterparts, and often equipped with A-280 blaster rifles. Since there were so many different terrain types companies specialized for specific combat conditions: arctic, aquatic, jungle/forest, mountain, desert and plains. White-uniformed rangers, trained to work in cold terrain, were present during the Battle of Hoth and stealthy forest-camouflaged rangers struck at the Battle of Endor. The wilderness regiment within a division tended to be spread a little thinner than others. Alliance bases were more than often located in deep wilderness on isolated worlds as far from the Imperial center as possible and therefore wilderness fighters were often assigned to these bases, when not engaged in active operations, to reinforce SecForce troopers. Wilderness fighters were typically issued with blasters and survival packs. Since they were expected to be more mobile than UCS, wilderness fighters would often use repulsorcraft such as speeder bikes, skiffs and repulsortanks. Wilderness regiments were the only SpecForce branch to maintain repulsortank units without the involvement of other trooper specializations. They were trained to use heavy weapons and artillery to reduce their reliance on Heavy Weapon Specialists.

5th Regiment - SpecForce Infiltrators
"Firepower is no replacement for surprise."

- Infiltrator maxim



Rebel Infiltrators were among the most effective SpecForce divisions. They were chosen for their hatred of the Empire. They operated as secret agents and spies. They were also trained to slip through enemy lines and sow seeds of rebellion on Imperial worlds.

6th Regiment - SpecForce Heavy Weapon Specialists
"Surprise is no replacement for firepower."

- Widely held HWS response to an Infiltrator maxim

SpecForces Heavy Weapons Specialists or HWS provided protection against enemy air and ground units and reinforce friendly forces. They were trained in starship gunnery. Though well trained, their casualty rates were high. This is because once an artillery piece's location has been revealed in battle, the enemy tends to desperately try to disable or destroy it. SpecForce Heavy Weapons Specialists were trained to die rather than abandon their guns. Often they were armed with explosives, such as standard thermal detonators and the HH-15 missile launcher. When assigned to a taskforce, HWS personnel are commonly called either "gunners" if they specialize in heavy blaster weaponry or vehicle-mounted weapons, or "vanguards" if they specialize in shoulder-fired missile launchers in an anti-mechanized unit role.

7th Regiment - SpecForce Technicians
"Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder."

- Armorer's admonition to a frustrated trooper

Unlike other regiments, the 7th Regiment was a catch-all unit for miscellaneous specialists. Technically, all members of this regiment were SpecForce Technicians, but the term was usually reserved for mechanics and combat engineers.

SpecForce Drivers and Pilots were trained to pilot vehicles to provide back-up and support for their comrades. They wore unique helmets with dark-tinted visors and dark green jumpsuits. They also carried CR-1 blaster cannons.

SpecForce Scanner-communications Operators (often shortened to "scanners," "scan-com operators," or "eyes") were trained in both sensor operation and communications equipment.

SpecForce Interrogators would acquire information in cases where the Alliance Intelligence interrogators were unavailable because the prisoner in question could not be moved, the information was time-critical, or combat theater danger made using such an interrogator inappropriate.

SpecForce Procurement Specialists (or "scroungers") were personnel adept at acquiring important combat material from unorthodox sources. They were only sent on medium-term or long term missions, and though often deficient in combat skills, their abilities to acquire needed supplies through purchases, loans, requisitions, or outright theft often were critical to missions success.

Special Forces and Special Operations
Though bearing similar names, Special Forces and Alliance Special Operations were two completely different groups. While Special Forces were highly trained active military professionals, tasked with performing specific, carefully planned operations, Special Operations agents engaged in murky undercover missions and chaotic, unplanned operations with only minimal input from Alliance Command. Though SpecForce personnel recognized the need for SpecOps, and vice versa, rivalry between the two groups ran deep; SpecForce personnel viewed SpecOps (or "spooks," as they liked to call them) as amateurs who relied on luck to carry the day, while SpecOps personnel viewed SpecForce as arrogant, uptight, and overtrained.

SpecForce sometimes used Mission Group personnel as "other specialists" such as transportation specs, pilots, communication experts, translators, medical technicians, supply specialists, and so on (thus placing them operationally with a division's 7th Regiment). Such personnel were often referred to as "recovering spooks" by the SpecForce units they were attached to.

Conversely, sometimes Special Forces troops were assigned to Special Operations units; these individuals were referred to as "specters" by other SpecForce personnel.

Notable SpecForce units

 * Taskforce Shen
 * Team 19
 * The Nishr Taskforce
 * Delta Team
 * Katarn Commandos
 * Commando Team One
 * Outpost Cinder
 * Eclipse Team
 * Twilight Squadron
 * Midnight Squadron
 * Shadow Squadron
 * Storm Squadron
 * Renegade Squadron

Notable SpecForce members

 * General Crix Madine (Command Division)
 * Colonel Vin Northal (Infiltration)
 * Major Mart Stevez (Infiltration)
 * Major Fisk Csino (Wilderness fighter)
 * Major Viran Qol
 * Captain Oda Ihe
 * Lieutenant Vu Nin (Infiltration)
 * Lieutenant Ma'w'shiye (Marksman)
 * Lieutenant Miko Beski (SpaceOps)
 * Lieutenant Mishowan Shigormallan (Pathfinder)
 * Lieutenant Alfonso Luiz Obota
 * Lieutenant Dal Konur
 * Lieutenant Nik Sant (Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Lieutenant Greeve (Scout - Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Lieutenant Judder Page (Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Lieutenant Teracca Torrh (Pathfinder)
 * Lieutenant Mosara Thiirn
 * Sergeant Whumparrin (Heavy weapons specialist)
 * Sergeant Bruckman (Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Sergeant Brooks Carlson (Pathfinder - Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Sergeant Junkin (Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Corporal Midge (Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Corporal Beezer (Commando)
 * Corporal Delevar (Medic - Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Corporal Kensaric (Commando, Battle of Endor)
 * Whewik (Urban Combat Specialists)
 * Oepoono (Urban Combat Specialists)
 * Keemaippoom (Technician)
 * Kapp Dendo
 * Jai Raventhorn
 * Orrimaarko