- "“ Arconan shadows take control”"
- ― Team Motto, taken from the Hymn of Arcona written and composed by Dalthid
Most military units within the Brotherhood want to claim the title of elite, to the point of making the word nearly meaningless. In contrast, Spectre defines itself by quiet competence and versatility. As a team they utilize basic infantry skills and apply those basic infantry skills to a variety of mission profiles. By being a jack of all trades and a master of quite a few, Spectre fills in the gaps in the Arconan Expeditionary Forces ground and boarding capabilities. They spend most of its time in the field, but between missions Spectre Cell resides at Kurs’kranak where they train.
History
After the decommission of Battleteam Revenance Virtuom, the Summit of House Galeres spent several weeks deliberating with the Summit of the Clan Arcona on whether a new Battleteam should be opened, which like Revenance Virtuom would function with the Arconan Military, or whether at new Battle Team should have a different kind of relevance to Arcona. In the end decision was reached and the Summit appointed Dark Jedi Knight Celevon Edraven with the responsibility of creating a new Battle Team.
Celevon sought to train a group of scouts and snipers to partake in covert operations. He based his ideas off of watching a holovid about the Sith Assassins during the Jedi Civil War Era, which followed the Mandalorian Wars. The young Dark Jedi decided Spectre Cell would operate similarly, but instead of using retractable staves, the members of Spectre Cell would primarily use daggers and rifles.
Following the Rite of Supremacy Horizons there was a shakeup in the Arconan Summit that saw Legorii retiring as Aedile of the House Galeres and Cethgus Entar replacing him. Spectre member Valhavoc was promoted to Battle Team Leader and charged with creating a new Battleteam within the House Galeres. Obelisk Prelate Etah d’Tana, a longtime member of Galeres, was given leadership of Spectre Cell.
Etah decided on a different mission profile than Mandalorian type special operations which sounded good on paper but in practice provided little utility and squandered the Dark Jedi’s force abilities on petty fisticuffs. He built on the groundwork that the plank holders of the Spectre Cell had created, but created a more diverse skill-set for Spectre Cell to draw on and implemented systematic training of new Spectre recruits.
Etah led the team through an assault on an Imperial Star Destroyer, the attempted invasion of one planet within the Sith Holy Worlds and the successful invasion of a second planet within the Sith Holy Worlds. Spectre Cell did very well, accounting for a large percentage of the House Galeres kills. Due to personal reasons, Etah had to step down from the leadership of Spectre Cell, but stayed on to train his replacement.
Training
Every new Spectre member is put through twelve weeks of intense military training before they are allowed to join Spectre Cell in the field for real world military operations. This is in the spirit of Spectre Cell’s belief in the importance of the basics. The Sergeant of Spectre Cell or a senior member of Specter cell designated by the sergeant generally instructs the new recruit.
Blue Phase
The first six weeks of Spectre Cell training, the Obelisk iteration where new recruits learn military baring, military customs, military drill and ceremony, basic military skills, individual tactical training, tactical movement and marksmanship.
Purple Phase
The second phase is three weeks long. The Krath iteration teaches soft skills such as map reading, first aid, how to use communications equipment, troop leading procedures and basic military strategy.
Red Phase
The final three week phase of training, the Sith iteration teaches each member how to maximize the efficiency of their basic combat training they learned in the blue phase and soft skills they learned in the purple phase through the use of force skills.
Mission Profile
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Spectre Cell can apply their core infantry training to achieve mission completion in any reasonably achievable task, but these five mission profiles are what they are most experienced in, what they train for and these five tasks cover a lot of ground.
Battlefield Control
Arguably Spectre Cells primary mission type, battlefield control involves distributing all teams around a point of interest. Using their battlefield awareness, long range capabilities and overlapping fields of observation the teams control all action in and around that point of interest.
Clearing Missions
Initiative based tactics, Special Weapons And Tactics, close quarter combat, and room clearing are all different names for what Spectre Cell calls simply clearing missions. It is the breeching and entry of areas in which enemies are thought to control or reside and the control and killing of everone inside that facility.
Hunter
In short these missions are assassination missions. Hunter missions can either position units in specific locations to ambush or close with an entity in order to assassinate a specific person or persons.
Protection
Spectre Cell is incredibly skilled in protecting important personnel and facilities from assassination, acts of terror or orthodox military assault.
Riot
Riot control is typified by shield walls, drag and stomp baton smashing. It is meant to control large and violent crowds who are not armed.
Organization
Troop 1: Heavy Weapons Emplacement
E1 - Troop Leader
E2 - Troop Assistant Leader
E3 - Gunner (Heavy Gunner NPC)
E4 - Assistant Gunner (Engineer NPC)
E5 - Troop Medic (Medic NPC)
Troop 2: Sniper Team
E1 - Troop Leader
E2 - Troop Assistant Leader
E3 - Sniper (Infantry NPC)
E4 - Spotter (Scout NPC)
Troop 3: Heavy Weapons Emplacement
E1 - Troop Leader
E2 - Troop Assistant Leader
E3 - Gunner (Heavy Gunner NPC)
E4 - Assistant Gunner (Engineer NPC)
E5 - Troop Medic (Medic NPC)
Troop 4: Sniper Team
E1 - Troop Leader
E2 - Troop Assistant Leader
E3 - Sniper (Infantry NPC)
E4 - Spotter (Scout NPC)
Spectre Cell is made of four Troops.
Two of the Troops are five man Heavy Weapons Emplacements. This includes the Troop Leader and Assistant Trooper Leader who are both Dark Jedi. The primary focal point of the team is the collapsible F-Web repeating blaster. A Heavy Gunner Acts as the primary gunner, they are assisted by an engineer and the Assistant Troop Leader often operates the shields. A medic rounds out the lineup, to keep the group combat operational and to run a casualty collection point if necessary.
The final two Troops are four man Sniper Teams. This includes the Troop Leader and Assistant Trooper Leader who are both Dark Jedi. The primary focal point of the team is the X-45 Sniper Rifle. An infantryman acts as the Sniper or triggerman while a scout acts as the snipers observer. The team leader designates the snipers targets. The Troop leader and assistant leader act as defenders to the sniper team.
Gear
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Provisions
Along with the standard equipment, each member of Spectre is expected to pack some sort of sleeping bag and possibly a tent or shelter half that will protect them from the elements. In addition they are expected to pack foodstuff that will provide a sufficient amount of calories and require a minimum amount of preparation. Other personal effects are optional.
Uniform
Etah determined that wearing any sort of uniform would limit their mission profiles, so no uniform has been designated. Each mission, ever member of Spectre wears clothing appropriate for their cover. Etah generally wore his Swooper leathers. The only required uniform item is a black bodysuit which helps sweat cool the bodies’ core temp and keeps the bodies heat from exiting the body. A side effect keeps each member from creating a scent or heat signature.
Weapons
In addition to the F-Web repeating blaster and the X-45 Sniper Rifle, each person carries those blaster rifles and pistols which they believe are necessary.
Unit Award: Spectre Dagger
Daggers were originally going to be heavily incorporated into Spectre Cells mission profile, until Etah changed Spectre Cell into a more orthodox military unit. But the Dagger was retained as a Unit Award to members who make significant accomplishments to the unit.
Recipients:
Kratus Vahillus
Legorii Entar
Wes Biriuk