ADVENT | Organizations
The Stormtroopers
"If the aliens want to build their own trenches, we'll make sure they become their graves."
- Laura Colleen, ADVENT Stormtrooper
Division Proposal 055
Latest Revision: 6/24/2107
Designation: The Stormtrooper Division
Program Type: Special Forces; Close-Combat Unit
Authors: Keith Watkins, Chief Overseer of the Oversight Division; Ian Powell, Director of ADVENT Intelligence; Chancellor Saudia Vyandar; Commander Laura Christiaens, Arthur Blumenthal, Stormtrooper Commander
INITIAL PROPOSAL: The Collective has continued to refine their own operational strategy as the war has continued, the most recent of which is the adoption of our more sophisticated trench defenses. The Collective had previously been employing a form of basic trench warfare, though not nearly to the extent we have adopted.
As expected, once the Collective began seriously investing in these kinds of defenses, they have become more difficult to dislodge from their defensive (and offensive) positions. The Collective retains an overwhelming manpower and industrial advantage, and is easily capable of taking land and establishing competent trench lines almost immediately, giving ADVENT limited windows to strike, severely hampering our options.
These are further capable of being upgraded with weapon emplacements, cover from artillery or bombs, and other defenses that we have primarily put in our Flak Towers. We believe that Fectorian or one of the Andromedon Unions have been responsible for these trench designs and modularization, and while we are incapable of similar fortification due to resource restraints, the Collective has no such restrictions.
Thus, these trenches must be dealt with or sabotaged to give our offensives better positioning to hold or retake our ground. The Stormtroopers were created to facilitate this mission. Their loadout, equipment, armor, and weapons have been optimized for close-combat, mass-infantry termination within close quarters.
The challenge is getting Stormtroopers into their ideal environment, but once they are in position, they can bring an entire trench line to a halt, granting ADVENT opportunities to exploit as needed. They will have the additional benefit of serving as a rapid means of clearing urban environments, supplementing or replacing the Order of Terra if there is limited manpower, absence, or time constraints.
OBJECTIVES AND MISSION: There are three primary missions of the Stormtrooper Division, which are outlined below.
SOFT TARGET STRIKING: Infantry make up the majority of Collective forces, and the Stormtrooper is ideally suited towards handling them. Due to the anticipated limited time and close quarters, the ability to quickly terminate infantry forces is a necessity. Stormtroopers are equipped to be able to reliably handle Muton Elites, as those are the most likely heavy infantry unit that will be encountered.
In the field, it is far more likely that the overwhelming number of infantry will consist of Mutons or Vitakara, and in rare cases, Andromedons. In each case, the Stormtrooper should be capable of successfully terminating them. They will also be valuable in supporting standard ADVENT offensives, though they will need to be in closer range than is typical, and it is advised that they be paired with Order of Terra squads for maximum effectiveness.
ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE: While the Stormtroopers have been designed to handle enemy trenches, the fact is that they are easily transferable to regular asymmetrical warfare, particularly attacking from irregular angles and positions to catch enemies flat-footed. Their mobility allows them to conduct multiple probing attacks and retreat or press forward as needed.
This is most applicable in support of ADVENT offensives, and will be useful even in the event the Collective has not established hardened trench lines. They are capable of drawing defenders from the front lines, sabotaging enemy infrastructure, and conducting harassment operations to support the main ADVENT thrust. This can be applied in rural and urban settings, irrespective of the level of defenses, without relying on other ADVENT special forces such as the Lancers.
HOSTILE TRENCH WARFARE: Stormtroopers are intended to engage the Collective on their own turf. Every part of their kit is designed to facilitate this mission. Preliminary operations have shown the absolute devastation a surprise attack on the trench lines causes, due to the hampered ability to retaliate and retreat.
It is further assisted by Collective trenches and defenses being larger in size than ADVENT ones due to the need to house larger aliens such as Mutons, which lessens the risk posed to Stormtroopers, and allows for far more mobility than would exist otherwise. Explosives, chemicals, and other area weapons are similarly more effective in closer spaces, provided the Stormtrooper is the first to exploit this – and they are trained to do just that.
DIVISION ORGANIZATION: There are four roles and ranks within the Stormtrooper Division, three of which are field units, and one which is reserved for the division commander themselves.
STORMTROOPER: These make up the majority of the Stormtrooper forces. They are outfitted with the standard Stormtrooper kit of Flechette Cannons (or "Trenchguns" as some of the Stormtroopers have called them), acid grenades, ETC SMGs, and acid-resistant coats. They are charged with the missions and objectives outlined above, without significant deviation outside of a kit change at the discretion of the Stormtrooper.
STORMTROOPER SPECIALIST: Specialists will be rarer, but will likely have at least one within each Stormtrooper squad. They will fulfill roles depending on their exterior training, such as explosive expertise, chemical weapons handling, battle medicine, and other roles of that nature. They will be identified with a green mark on their armor, which will be minimal to prevent potential enemy targeting.
STORMTROOPER SQUAD DIRECTOR: Squad Directors will be responsible for one Stormtrooper squad. The size of this squad will vary depending on the mission, but is estimated to be between eight and twelve Stormtroopers, including the Squad Director. They can be drawn from standard Stormtroopers and Specialists. All Squad Directors are intended to be promoted from within the ranks, with exceptions only being granted if they transfer from a highly ranked squad, particularly Tier III Squads. Alternatively, transfer from a special forces unit such as the Lancer Corps will be accepted, though we expect this to be rarer due to the simpler mission set of the Stormtroopers. They are identified by a blue mark on their armor, also minor to prevent directed targeting.
STORMTROOPER COMMANDER: All Squad Directors will be ultimately answerable to the Stormtrooper Commander, who is responsible for the management of the Stormtrooper Division. They will answer to the Commander of ADVENT Special Forces, as well as subordinate to the Army-Commander of the ADVENT Army and Commander of the ADVENT Military.
It is expected that Stormtrooper Commanders be drawn from the Squad Directors, and be willing to undertake combat missions should the need arise. By their nature Stormtroopers are a more decentralized unit, and capable of being used for multiple limited missions in support of ongoing operations, and are less reliant on direct commands from superiors.
The Stormtrooper Commander will work in conjunction with Generals and ADVENT officials facing ongoing assaults, as well as planned ADVENT offensives, to provide or dictate how Stormtrooper support will be provided. They will also assist in the determination of Squad Director promotion, recruitment, training doctrine, and combat doctrine.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: While the Stormtroopers bear the hallmarks and mission reminiscent of many special forces units, we are classifying the Stormtroopers as a battlefield support unit, which supports primarily through asymmetrical warfare. Unlike special forces which often require specialized training, the Stormtroopers doctrine is primarily focused on enemy elimination and less complex operations.
We will be recruiting from the greater ADVENT Army for those who qualify, particularly Tier III Squads as mentioned earlier, as well as interested members of special forces units. The Stormtroopers will not be significantly exclusive, so long as they are properly trained to handle their loadouts. Another reason for this is the danger involved in their mission.
Traits that will be pursued are autonomy, initiative, and aggression, as all three will be necessary for an effective Stormtrooper. This will need to be carefully considered and psychologically confirmed, as we cannot allow aggression to become overriding, but at the same time, extreme caution can be an active detriment to missions that require immediate and decisive action.
Despite being properly outfitted, the Stormtroopers will be put in dangerous situations which can easily go bad, and we are expecting a higher casualty rate for them than other similar groups, and will need to replenish their own forces at a faster rate. As a result, the recommended numbers for the division will be higher than actually necessary, as they will serve as a buffer in the event of casualties. While not part of the initial deployments, we are likely to authorize limited genetic modifications emphasizing speed, reflexes, and bodily durability. Once this is implemented, we expect casualties to drop.
AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS: Stormtroopers will be subordinate to ranking officials in the ADVENT Army, specifically those which are commanding offensives or defenses that they are supporting. They are directed to follow orders in support of the operation, with clarification as needed from the Squad Director.
Stormtroopers are also permitted to utilize certain chemical weapons against Collective forces, so long as these are initially cleared by the Squad Director, and nearby ADVENT forces are properly informed of the potential risks and effects their usage might entail. They are not permitted to undertake additional missions or modify their existing objectives beyond what is reasonable.
CONCLUSION: The Collective has learned from us, and they intend to take what we do, and do it better. As a result, we must continue to adapt and retain our battlefield superiority. We cannot under any circumstances allow the Collective to develop the means to hold out indefinitely, as if it becomes a battle of numbers, it is one we will lose.
The Stormtroopers are one part of answering this challenge, and they are an important one. They will have practical use beyond regaining our offensive advantage, and exist to elevate the best of our soldiers to a role that could mean the difference between our eventual success – or failure.
To the Battlemaster,
ADVENT continues to adapt their battlefield tactics and strategies based on observation of our own modifications to the war effort. The creation of the new ADVENT Stormtroopers is designed as a direct response to our move towards standardized entrenched defenses. From what we have learned, it is likely that this unit has been in conception for several months, with basic ideas laid out.
ADVENT wanted a dedicated mobile hit-and-run division which would be able to quickly terminate enemies in an enclosed location. This might be covered in some respect by the Order of Terra, though where the Order is intended to be used in coordination with a larger militant force, the Stormtroopers are more autonomous, and focused on softening defenses or sowing chaos than expected to hold onto gains.
With this understanding, they are close to another ADVENT special forces group, though ADVENT is not classifying them the same way they have done with the Lancers, Hussars, Dragoons, or Cuirassiers. This designation could change in the future, but ADVENT appears to be deliberately obscuring the definition of this unit, potentially for disinformation.
The facts are this: the entire kit of the Stormtrooper is optimized for close-combat termination. They primarily wield high-volume or impact weapons, particularly the "ADVENT Flechette Cannon" which is derived from XCOM's Alloy Cannon, which fires hardened shards of shrapnel into a target.
A recovered Flechette Cannon shows some differences between the two weapons. The Flechette uses smaller shards, but has almost four times the number in total. The shards are also differently designed, not to penetrate armor, but to embed themselves in flesh and cause internal damage. It primarily relies on direct targeting. The Flechette Cannon is not as good as the Alloy Cannon in dealing direct damage to armored targets, but it is a far better precision weapon that will cause severe damage to less-armored spots, including the joints, hands, and head.
The other weapons that Stormtroopers have been using are submachine guns, which are less powerful than standard weapons, but are a high-volume mobile weapon which Stormtroopers prioritize. High-impact or high-volume weapons are the criteria, and must be mobile. Assault rifles cannot be carried as a backup due to encumbrance, and ADVENT has not focused on producing a lighter equivalent, and pistols are not high-volume enough (though it is likely they will carry them as backups).
The Stormtroopers do not use melee weapons as a general rule, or have not been observed as doing so (though it is likely they have been trained to some degree). It is likely that they carry last-resort weapons such as knives, but only when all other options are exhausted. There have been instances of Stormtroopers carrying Flechette Cannons that have bayonet-esque attachments on the end, but these have not been proven to be effective.
Their armor is similarly unique compared to other ADVENT units. It is specialized to be lighter and optimized to absorb plasma fire, at the expense of resistance to physical rounds than any other unit, which allows for faster mobility, suggesting that genetic modification of Stormtroopers may not be employed, or in a limited capacity. They are further characterized by their employment of a militarized trenchcoat which is laced with Teflon and renders protection from their acidic tools.
Acid is also a primary tool of Stormtroopers. They utilize a special kind of acid which is far beyond standard iterations, and one we have not been able to properly identify as acquiring samples has damaged the containers and tools used to appraise it. Simulations are currently running to determine this level of acidity – we only know that Teflon is capable of resisting it.
This is employed most commonly in grenades which have been capable of easily melting through Muton armor, and creating choke points and toxic spills which are unable to be easily cleared. Some Stormtroopers have carried flasks of acid, which they pour over supplies, food, or weapons to permanently sabotage them.
They have limited quantities of this acid, but they use it effectively. This also poses a risk to allied forces as well, as the acid is so strong that it cannot be effectively neutralized. Stormtroopers would only risk fighting alongside ADVENT forces if there was no other choice or time was of the essence, otherwise they are far more efficient if sent ahead to sabotage an enemy line.
While the Stormtroopers are a small unit overall, with only around four thousand trained, we expect these numbers to grow and be more commonly deployed as the conflict progresses. While it is unlikely that this is implemented, it is likely that future iterations of Stormtroopers will attempt to employ stealth technology, or potentially developed specialized psionic units.
Until then, we need to update our methods for defending against this. Stormtroopers are most effective when they catch us by surprise, and use that chaos to quickly kill those around them. They are not ideal for a prolonged fight, as their supplies are limited and surgical. They can be overwhelmed, and if it does not kill them, they will be forced back.
- Zar'Chon'ravarian'vitiary
Recorded Conversation Between Purifier Orla Fars and Stormtrooper Brian Warren
[Orla Fars]: "You are not seriously trying to make this argument."
[Brian Warren]: "I am and will."
[OF]: "I don't think that saying is quite right."
[BR]: "You know what I'm saying."
[OF]: "Fine, fine, you're still wrong."
[BR]: "Oh? Do you even know what fluoroantimonic acid even is?"
[OF]: "Not really? Chlorine trifluoride is still worse."
[BR]: "This will literally melt through anything!"
[OF]: "And? My nightmare chemical literally cannot be extinguished."
[BR]: "There is only one material that can contain mine!"
[OF]: "I can literally set dirt on fire, and water makes it worse."
[BR]: "Setting dirt on fire is very impressive." Brian slowly claps.
[OF]: "Ha, ha, the point is that it will burn anything. You can't actually put it out. It has to just…fade out."
[BR]: "That makes me wonder, I don't think I've actually seen one of your fires actually get put out."
[OF]: "It takes a while. There's a reason ADVENT prefers us to use napalm."
[BR]: "Boring."
[OF]: "True, but the soldiers don't like to sit out for a whole day while our ClF3 fires do their thing. Almost too good."
[BR]: "Shame you haven't gotten the Battlemaster with it yet."
[OF]: "Not the Battlemaster, but I heard XCOM used it on his Harbinger. Almost killed her, so it'll probably work on him."
[BR]: "I wonder if the acid would also work."
[OF]: "Maybe. Problem is you'd have to get close to him."
[BR]: "I'll pass."
[OF]: "You're a Stormtrooper. Isn't that…kind of what you do?"
[BR]: "Going up against a Muton is one thing – who in their right mind would go mano-e-mano with an alien twice as tall as me, and several factors stronger? My acid can melt through Fort Knox itself, but it's probably not going to save my life."
[OF]: "Flamethrowers. Engage at a few hundred feet. Dodge this, Battlemaster." Orla makes accompanying noise.
[BR]: "He's faster than you'd think."
[OF]: "So I've heard. Do you think we'll ever kill him?"
[BR]: "I'd like to say yes, but it's weird. He's survived pretty much everything we've thrown at him. And he's not stupid."
[OF]: "Unfortunately."
[BR]: "Anyway, my point is that ADVENT gave us a more dangerous chemical than you."
[OF]: "That had absolutely nothing to do with your point. And no, they didn't."
[BR]: "Well, agree to disagree. It's interesting that ADVENT keeps finding all of these obscure dangerous chemicals and giving them to us."
[OF]: "Yeah. I wonder if they have a long list, and they're just trying to find ways to use everything."
[BR]: "I wonder what's next."
[OF]: "Uh…weaponized carbon monoxide?"
[BR]: "Is that even a thing?"
[OF]: "Don't think so, but if anyone could use it, it's ADVENT."
[BR]: "For better or worse."
[OF]: "It does make me wonder what the Geneva Conventions did to make Saudia hate them so much. Did they kill her cat or something?"
[BR]: "Ha, I wonder. She's always struck me as more of a dog person though – and don't forget, even if by some miracle ADVENT adopted the Conventions, they don't apply to aliens."
[OF]: "I don't think that's how it works, but I do not know enough to dispute that."
[BR]: "Alright, we should get back to work. These crates aren't going to move themselves."