- "So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak."
- ―Sun Tzu
Formed during the crucible of death and destruction that was the Ninth Great Jedi War, the concept of the Nightwraiths blossomed into a fully fledged operational unit shortly before the Eden City Tragedy in 31 ABY. It is the only current battle team of House Cestus and the primary espionage/commando unit of the Hieros Lokhos ton Taras.
History
After Clan Tarentum suffered crippling casualties during the Reclamation of Antei, the Cestus house summit deemed it necessary to revamp their systems of defense and involve a more military approach to the house's proceedings. The first step was modifying the house's battle team, having been renamed Sayeret after being called the Hands of Malice under the leadership of Kazarelth Talismarr. Unfortunately, the battle team had fallen into disrepair, with members no longer involved in its activities and the arsenal having been raided and scrapped for war purposes. Sayeret's battle team leader at the time, Ji K'awiil, had also decided to become Cestus's Rollmaster, leaving the team without a commander.
Consul emeritus Welshman Corsair Erinos Tarentae, recognizing the need for a strong battle team, took on the task of modifying Sayeret. He, along with fellow new team members, renamed it the Nightwraiths, marketing it as an elite military force rather than a mere training hub for new members. This began the Nightwraiths' development to become the prime offensive force for the house, which was beginning to reform and imitate the structure of a Sacred Band.
After the implementation of the Hieros Lokhos ton Taras, the Nightwraiths became an exclusive commando unit, where only the best Dark Jedi could join. They began to work alongside the shock troopers known as the Phthians, and further established their place as a powerful military force in Cestus.
Process
The members of the Nightwraiths do not apply to join the prestigious unit. They are instead selected by a Cestus-led shadowy military cabal who pick only the strongest, wisest, craftiest and deadliest men and women of Tarentum. Together they undergo extensive training with elements of Tarentum’s armed forces to form a coherent and effective unit.
Role
By utilising two facets of a Tarenti’s training, strict and comprehensive military training, and steeped learning in the occult Dark Side teachings - an elite unit of lethal ghosts has been formed. These elite commandos have been obligated with the taskof being House Cestus’ fist, a unit that will act in any way necessary to achieve the goals set before them by their leadership be it urban warfare or sabotaging an armoured column in the desert wastes of Tatooine. The sentients of the unit have, through the trials of their training, been moulded into a close knit, effective family - for whom verbal communications are often unnecessary on the field of battle, as each simply knows what is expected of him or her.
During missions, the team works in conjunction with 1st platoon of B company of the 1st Division’s Special Forces battalion where they form the first squad. Overarching command of the platoon is, under mission circumstances, placed in the hands of the battle team commander who is responsible for the disposition of his men. Each squad within the platoon has undergone the same “basic” training expected of a Tarenti commando unit. However, each individual squad has also undergone further training in fields such as urban, jungle, air and mountain combat. Needless to say, the forces dedicated to a particular mission is dependent on its requirements in that not all squads will be needed for most missions.
Equipment
Weapons
- TAW-8GP Combat Rifle: A proprietary Tarentum IP this rifle is excellently suited for most situations with variable rates of fire and recoil compensators to ensure accurate fire.
- TAW-25LR Heavy Rifle: One of these rifles per squad for use by a dedicated sniper.
- TAW-6A Autopistol: Each member of the platoon must carry one of these side arms for use in the event of a primary weapon malfunction.
- HX2 mine: Each member is required to carry one of these antipersonnel mines per mission.
- C-22 fragmentation grenade: Each member is required to carry at least 2 of these grenades per mission.
- Smoke grenades: One per person.
- Luma grenade: One per person.
- 81mm mortar: One of these indirect fire weapons is carried per squad, often broken into its constituent parts so as not to burden any one member unnecessarily with each member of the squad carrying a case of 4 rounds.
- T-21 repeating rifle: A single repeater rifle per squadron to ensure adequate supply of cover fire should it be needed.
- Vibroknife: For use in hand to hand/maximum stealth situations each member must have a bladed weapon on their person.
Armor
- TDW-HA MkI: A masterpiece of war designed by Tarentum’s own defensive works, a subsidiary of the TAW. This armor has been designed to sheath its wearer in nigh-impenetrable armor, yet it remains light enough to be carried with no discomfort. Its unique defensive capabilities come from the web of energy-dampening superconductors - which are woven into mimetic plates of the shell - that disperses the energy from a laser blast from its impact point through the whole armor before channelling it into its own energy stores. Protection against kinetic weapons is provided by a plasteel alloy provided by Tarenti mines, which has been demonstrated to resist the initial blow of an amphistaff. Worn underneath the armor is a body suit which incorporates a further energy web to dampen any residual laser fire that might leak through the outer shell. Similar to the fabled stormtrooper armor, the TDW-HA MkI allows its user to survive in a vacuum for a limited run of time (obviously with the use of a helmet).
Squad Roles
A
Squad A is in the in-mission designation of the Battle Team and are possibly the most flexible and deadliest troops available for Tarentum’s use. Comprised of around eight individuals, this potent squad is a real force multiplier and no job is too large or complex for them to complete with a little help. It is subtler than a whole division but as deadly as a Death Star.
B
The urban combat specialists. They have been given training in street fighting, house clearing and riot control duties and as such can be seconded to the Yridian police if a major disturbance is reported. Comprised of ten individuals, eight private soldiers, one Lance-Corporal and a commanding Corporal.
The squadron undergoes rigorous training in the urban sprawl of Yridia IX and Tara on Yridia II, where the members learn how to set up cover observation posts and tracking targets, often innocent locals picked at random. They then undergo further training in a specially designed row of prefab buildings designed to resemble a street of houses which they must fight through, often having to discriminate between “hostages” and targets while using live ammunition.
C
The ten men of C squadron are the special environment warfare experts. While bone fide jungle warfare is at a premium in the Yridia system, the same cannot be said of other worlds that might be of interest to Tarentum. As such, this squadron has been invested with the responsibility of mastering the art of jungle warfare by spending time with natives of jungle worlds such as Haruun Kal and learning their craft. Furthermore, the squad is trained in arts of mountain fighting, memorising the techniques of ambush and destruction along twisting mountain paths while at the same time being just as at home in the arid wastes of Tatooine.
D
D squadron is the designated air insertion troop. While most of the Tarenti army is, in a way, air-inserted by mode of troop transports landing them on the surface of planets, the D squad takes this to the next level. Using single person re-entry pods, they are able to travel from ship to surface in a rapid, safe and undetectable manner thanks to absorptive plating covering the hull of their drop pods. If, however, the troops happen to already be on the surface of the world their target is on, then more conventional air insertion techniques such as parachuting or abseil from a transport/gunship is the preferred option.
E
While normally a platoon would be comprised of only four squadrons. the integration of the Battle Team to the platoon has expanded their fighting capacity to five squads. E squad was formed and tasked with mastering the art of reconnaissance. While each of the squads could, in theory, perform their own recon, it was judged a more efficient use of resources to develop a squad whose sole purpose was the provision of intelligence thus allowing the other units to focus their unique talents solely upon their fields of expertise.
Tactics
Combined Arms
It has been taught over countless millennia of warfare and strife that an infantry unit is only as good as its backup. To this extent, the platoon has at its disposal numerous resources granted to it by Clan Tarentum's military. For example, should the platoon be in operation on worlds where a Tarenti military presence is noted, each squad is able to request air strikes or orbital bombardment. As a force multiplier unit - that is, a unit capable of increasing the effectiveness of other units in combat - it will sometimes be the unit in combat close by to elements of the greater Tarenti army and as such can be expected to be reinforced by army elements such as armor and air/space craft.
Piloting
As customary for a Clan within the Brotherhood, opportunities for piloting are available. Perhaps mirroring the role of the fabled Wraith squadron in the New Republic, members will often have to insert via star fighter, which may be a mission specific craft - for example, using a stolen NR X-wing to bypass a customs patrol. Half of each squad must undergo basic naval training to ensure competency behind the stick of a wide range of space craft, including the mastering of bridge controls should a mission require the theft of a capital ship.
Assassinations
While certain so-called civilizations abhor the art of assassination, the art of assassination is an essential part of any well fought war; why battle a whole army when a single shot at the general in charge could cause it to crumble? It is to this extent that the Nightwraiths undergo assassin training as a supplement that they receive in the arcane methods of Force assassinations. They are also taught many forms of stealth killing, such as sniping, poison, shiv to the kidneys, and all the other back alley techniques deemed efficient and worth knowing.
Counter Insurgency
As has too often been witnessed in Tarenti space, any local populace can prove to be fickle, their allegiance often only guaranteed by the tip of a blaster rifle. Outright rebellion against occupation will often revert to the occupying power re-establishing control. To achieve the stated aims, each member of Tarentum’s special forces undergo hearts and minds training to win the trust of the locals thus, hopefully, ensuring their loyalty. They are also well versed in the arts of terror that could have equalled the Empire at its height.
Headquarters
A large set of quarters on the VSD Corsair have been converted into a headquarters for the Nightwraiths. Within these quarters lie all the wonders of modern technology available to Clan Tarentum. These include computers that analyse transmissions made across Tarenti space, searching for key words and distilling information on any potential troubles for the team of intelligence experts constantly present within the office to view. Other than the transmissions feeds from thousands of CCTV, cameras are piped into the Tarenti defense mainframes and are analysed by A.I routines for suspicious behaviour; any scenes of interest are forwarded on to those who can do something about it. The self same networked technology keeps tracks on each member of the team, tracking their training and estimated battle efficiency, not to mention keeping each member fully stocked via an auto-inventory subroutine within their armor HUD.
In the Field
While out on routine patrol or on a mission, the battle team leader is designated as the “HQ,” with his HUD tactical overlay receiving theatre specific intel via a subspace link. Communications and interpretation is often facilitated - if possible - via a HQ team in orbit or a nearby firebase usually consisting of two non-coms who serve to relay any orders or updates that might come from Clan/House leadership.