ADVENT: Organizations
Special Forces Units
"Not all can be Lancers, but that doesn't mean they aren't exceptional soldiers."
- Chief of Lancer Operations Helion Weekes
Proposal 0042
Latest Revision: 11/1/2016
Program Name: The Special Forces Division
Program Type: Military Special Forces
Authors: Helion Weekes, USSOCOM Commander of the United States of America; Ewald Eisenberg, Commander of the Rapid Forces Division of Germany; Dantrell Schalit, Chief of General Staff of the Israeli Defense Force
INITIAL PROPOSAL: ADVENT will continue to grow and absorb the militaries of more countries, as a consequence they will find themselves with more of the elite special forces of the world. This is something that needs to be addressed before the process of assessing and assigning becomes hampered by an unworkable number of applicants.
The pioneer units for this initiative are the LANCER CORPS, which serve as the pinnacle of ADVENT Special Forces. However, we recognize that this will exclude a great number of special forces soldiers who are currently serving in units across the world who would be wasted if integrated with standard military units. Thus the SPECIAL FORCES DIVISION will be established to determine the strengths and weaknesses of these soldiers and place them in appropriate units, all of whom will have different focuses.
As with the LANCER CORPS, the SPECIAL FORCES DIVISION will answer only to ADVENT and no other foreign or international authority. Information on operations within the SFD is to be kept at a confidential level, only available to ADVENT MILITARY COMMAND, which is composed of the following members:
- The COMMANDER of the ADVENT Military
- The GENERAL of the Army Division
- The CHIEF ADMIRAL of the Navy Division
- The WING COMMANDER of the Air and Space Division
- The CHIEF RESPONDER of the Special Response Division
- The CHIEF OVERSEER of the Oversight Division
- The CHANCELLOR of ADVENT
- The CHIEF of Peacekeeper Operations
- The DIRECTOR of ADVENT Intelligence
- The COMMANDER of XCOM
- The SPEAKER of the Congress of Nations
It will be directly overseen by a designated CHIEF OPERATOR of the Special Forces Division, who will also be appointed by the CHANCELLOR of ADVENT and approved by the CONGRESS OF NATIONS. Please note that the CHIEF of Lancer Operations will also answer to the SPECIAL FORCES DIVISION.
CONCERNING THE LANCER CORPS: While the Lancer Corps is under the purview of the Special Forces Division, this document will focus on the less elite branches of the SFD, and those wishing for more information on the Lancer Corps are advised to review the attached document as what is discussed within directly relates to the training all special forces units receive, and each is descendent from the Lancer Corps as well.
BRANCH 1: THE HUSSAR CORPS:
OVERVIEW: The purpose of the Hussar Corps is the advanced reconnaissance and long-range suppression and removal of threats. Hussars will be primarily elite snipers and scouts, armed and equipped with lighter equipment and more precise weaponry to surgically eliminate and sabotage high-value targets identified by earlier information or ADVENT Command.
UNIT COMPOSITION: Teams within the HUSSAR CORPS will vary depending on various operations. Depending on the unit in question, the team size may be as low as TWO, mostly for infiltration and surveillance missions, and as high as SIX. Each HUSSAR UNIT is composed of no more than SIX Hussars. Like the Lancer Corps, the full unit will not necessarily be used.
Within the units themselves, there will be THREE primary specializations:
WINGED HUSSARS: These Hussars will specialize in long-range combat to assist ADVENT Forces. They will be crucial in providing long-range suppressive fire if ADVENT finds themselves in need of assistance, disrupting back lines and coordination. When the Winged Hussars arrive, they will add another element to an attack that no other branch has. WINGED HUSSARS will be primarily armed with sniper rifles and specialize in long-range combat. As such, they will engage enemies at LONG RANGE, although they will also carry pistols in the event of close-range situations.
ROYAL HUSSARS: These Hussars are the primary scouts and will serve as forward units to assess enemy strength, composition, and possibly sabotage enemy forces. They may also work directly with ADVENT Intelligence in pursuits of these tasks. They will be armed with long and medium ranged weaponry, and will not engage without prior orders.
BLACK HUSSARS: These Hussars will be fewer in number and will be used exclusively for the elimination of high-priority targets on the battlefield or outside it. They will not be used on other targets aside from the designated ones, and will not interact with standard ADVENT Forces on a significant or regular basis. BLACK HUSSARS will be primarily armed with sniper rifles and pistols, and only engage at EXTREME RANGE.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: As the primary focus of Hussars is to be primarily long-range combat and reconnaissance, they will need to be experts in weaponry with further training in survival and scouting. To be authorized to join the HUSSAR CORPS, applicants must pass the COMBAT Stage of Lancer training. They also have to pass the RECON Training given to field agents in ADVENT Intelligence.
POST-TRAINING: Upon successful and full completion of training, the HUSSAR will immediately undergo genetic modification and have the ENHANCED EYESIGHT and DISEASE RESISTANCE modifications applied to them. Immediately afterwards they will undergo a brief period of training which will acclimate them to their enhanced abilities. Once this is complete, and they are fully aware of current HUSSAR operations, they will be deployed as full Hussars.
BRANCH 2: THE DRAGOON CORPS:
OVERVIEW: The intent and mission of the DRAGOON CORPS is the destruction of enemy structures and hardened targets designated by ADVENT. Dragoons will specialize in the removal of these kind of enemies, using various types of explosives and other destructive agents. All Dragoons will bear heavy armor and weaponry to accomplish this task.
UNIT COMPOSITION: The squad size for Dragoon units will be NO MORE or LESS than SIX Dragoons. There will be a limited number of situations where they will be deployed, primarily for DESTRUCTION and SABOTAGE Missions. DESTRUCTION missions will specifically target hardened targets such as bunkers and buildings held by hostile forces. SABOTAGE Missions will specifically target enemy vehicles, weaponry, or equipment for destruction.
As such, there are TWO primary specializations.
DRAGOON SABOTEURS: These are Dragoons that are designed and equipped for quicker operations; their armor is slightly lighter, and they are equipped with wrist-mounted chemical dispensers, high-explosive grenades and X4 charges. They will specifically target stockpiles, vehicles, and other consumable equipment in enemy territory, as well as often participate in quick strikes in conjunction with other forces, then escape quickly. They will use lighter weaponry as well, primarily assault rifles, and engage enemies primarily at CLOSE to MEDIUM range.
DRAGOON DESTROYER: These Dragoons are designed and equipped for heavy combat. Their armor is the heaviest in ADVENT, needing mechanized assistance when moving, and equipped with micro-missile shoulder launchers, and the suits incorporate MDU intelligence and assisted targeting. They have wrist-mounted rocket gauntlets, and wield heavy gauss autorifles. They will participate in attacks to destroy heavy targets or emplacements and will be able to provide sustained support for a long period of time. They will primarily engage enemies at MEDIUM range.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: The primary focus of the DRAGOON CORPS is heavy front-line combat and explosive usage. As such, to be authorized to join the DRAGOON CORPS, applicants must pass the COMBAT and ENDURANCE Stages of Lancer training. They will also have to pass an internal EXPLOSIVE AGENTS training course before fully being approved into the Dragoon Corps.
POST-TRAINING: Upon successful and full completion of training, the DRAGOON will immediately undergo genetic modification and have the IRON SKIN and DISEASE RESISTANCE modifications applied to them. Immediately afterwards they will undergo a brief period of training which will acclimate them to their enhanced abilities. Once this is complete, and they are fully aware of current DRAGOON operations, they will be deployed as full Dragoons.
BRANCH 3: THE CUIRASSIER CORPS:
OVERVIEW: While the Lancer Corps is composed of the most elite soldiers in the world, they are few in number and cannot be everywhere. The CUIRASSIER CORPS is designed to assist in this issue, and act to both assist in Lancer operations and take assignments that require a special forces intervention, but not necessarily a Lancer intervention. These will be both enhanced front-line soldiers, and soldiers capable of acting in small groups. They will be among the most visible of the ADVENT Special Forces, and regularly assist ADVENT forces in combat, easily identifiable with their silver and smoothed armor; distinguishing them from the majority of ADVENT Forces.
The CUIRASSIER CORPS will also be the first special forces unit to receive certain experimental weapons, armor, and tech to perform field tests. Once those have been completed in a satisfactory manner, they will be distributed to ADVENT at large.
UNIT COMPOSITION: The Squad Size for Cuirassiers will be exactly SIX soldiers, and units will be composed of exactly EIGHTEEN soldiers. They will primarily fight on the front lines on both large battlefields and confined spaces, and thus are prepared to primarily engage enemies at MEDIUM and SHORT RANGE. They are also the only special forces branch to have a dedicated support unit, which will provide assistance to all ADVENT Forces in the area.
There are TWO primary specializations:
CUIRASSIER OPERATIVE: These are the primary soldiers of the Cuirassier Corps, who will be equipped with armor equivalent to Lancer Predators, and primarily wield gauss rifles and one sidearm. They will engage enemies primarily at MEDIUM range, and participate in a variety of both covert and public operations.
CUIRASSIER MEDIC: These are primarily support soldiers who will provide medical support in highly dangerous situations. As such, they will be primarily deployed on major operations with multiple ADVENT forces engaged, and there will be a minimum of one Medic in each covert mission. They will carry light weaponry, such as pistols and SMG weapons, and engage enemies, if pressed, at MEDIUM RANGE.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: The primary focus of the CUIRASSIER CORPS is to provide support to ADVENT and LANCER forces and serve as the elite front-line soldier of ADVENT. As such, to be authorized to join the CUIRASSIER CORPS, applicants must pass the CRISIS RESPONSE and ENDURANCE Stages of Lancer training. Cuirassier MEDICS must pass an internal BATTLEFIELD MEDICINE course before being authorized to join the Cuirassier Corps.
POST-TRAINING: Upon successful and full completion of training, the CUIRASSIER will immediately undergo genetic modification and have the IRON SKIN (Cuirassier Operatives), MUSCLE FIBER DENSITY (Cuirassier Medics), ENHANCED EYESIGHT, and DISEASE RESISTANCE modifications applied to them. Immediately afterwards they will undergo a brief period of training which will acclimate them to their enhanced abilities. Once this is complete, and they are fully aware of current CUIRASSIER operations, they will be deployed as full Cuirassiers.
CONCLUSION: While the Lancer Corps will serve as the true elite forces of ADVENT, the rest of the Special Forces Division will address the other needs of various military operations. Each branch proposed will address different scenarios faced, and provide options to be deployed as well as assisting ADVENT forces in various capacities.
For more information on the LANCER CORPS, please refer to the attached document.
Operation: Special Problem
Division: Reconnaissance and Observation
Report Author: Zar'kameron'mattis
Authorization: Zar'Chon
The knowledge that ADVENT has more special forces units than the Lancers is not surprising, as we have recovered information on the three additional branches of the ADVENT Special Forces Division, which were the Hussar, Dragoon, and Cuirassier Corps. Based on what they were being armed and equipped with, some predictions could be made on their role, most of which have proven to be accurate.
Now that they have been observed in combat, we can begin gathering more data on how to counter them, because initial engagements with Collective forces have shown to significantly favor the various ADVENT units.
The most common units identified were the Cuirassier soldiers, as they were among the most distinctive with the standout silver armor, which also appears to be based on XCOM Aegis armor instead of the standard ADVENT blocky, geometric style. Their role seemed to be primarily as elite front line soldiers, taking damage and being significantly more accurate than standard forces.
With that said, compared to the other special forces units in play, they were clearly the most expendable, though this might be due to their role on the front line. They were also seen performing medical duties, which is atypical of most special forces units. While dangerous, they are perhaps the easiest to counter.
The Dragoon Corps are the closest ADVENT has to a walking weapon platform, as each Dragoon is easily larger and more equipped with explosives than any other unit in ADVENT. They are extremely difficult to take down due to their heavy armor, which has taken clear inspiration from the SSR, and also appears to be partially mechanized.
They are relatively few, but they are capable of putting out extreme amounts of damage from their missile launchers against fortified positions. There appears to be a slightly less-armored subgroup that performs sabotage operations using flamethrowers and chemical dispensers, as well as planting explosive charges. They are also equipped with extremely heavy gauss weaponry, ultimately making them equal to a Muton Elite. As they are Humans, they have the advantage in intelligence and are difficult to displace or damage fast enough.
If they have one weakness, it is that they are slow and easily able to be flanked. However, ADVENT is well aware of this weakness and Dragoons are always protected by other forces in combat. They are few in number though, and are easily spotted and targeted. They should be made priority targets whenever encountered, as an entrenched Dragoon is clearly difficult to stop.
The final group is surprising in how effective they have been against us: The Hussar Corps. Initial reports indicated that they were primarily an elite long-range assassination unit, and while they do appear to be, where they are felt most is surprisingly on the battlefield. These units within the Corps are referred to as the Winged Hussars.
Their purpose is to provide a high volume of long-range fire at the back ranks of our forces, which as you know, are primarily support forces and commanders. Of course the front ranks are targeted as well, but the Winged Hussars primarily focus on the back lines. There have been numerous reports of ADVENT forces being severely outnumbered, ranging from five to fifteen to one, and while this is primarily because of Muton numbers, when the Winged Hussars arrived, the back lines, which felt they were out of danger, were suddenly decimated by sniper fire.
This had an immediate effect on battlefield coordination as the Winged Hussars further disrupted communications by targeting exposed equipment and explosives, causing more chaos in the back ranks. While there were quite a few instances where the lines were held, the battles are still going on and I can guarantee that this is something they will not forget.
We underestimate the Winged Hussars at our own peril, and I suspect these are not even their best units. We should be sure to remember what they are capable of when anticipating ADVENT attacks. Ultimately, these various special forces units pose further threats to our own forces, and since all of them appear to be genetically modified to a degree, they are already more dangerous than the majority of our own forces.
The deficiencies in our military need to be addressed soon. At this time, I cannot say with confidence that we are trying to actually win this war, whereas ADVENT clearly is.
THREAT ANALYSIS: 110010101111
ANALYSIS COMPILER: COLLECTIVE ANDROMEDON COMMANDER J'LORAN
RESTRICTION: COLLECTIVE MILITARY COMMAND; ANDROMEDON MILITARY COMMAND
UNIT OF INTEREST: ADVENT SPECIAL FORCES UNITS (HUSSAR, DRAGOON, CUIRASSIER)
SPECIES: HUMAN
INFORMATION OF NOTE: SPECIALIZE IN DIFFERENT FORMS OF WARFARE
INFORMATION OF NOTE: ADVENT SPECIAL FORCES
INFORMATION OF NOTE: CURRENT CHIEF OPERATOR IS DANTRELL SCHALIT
INFORMATION OF NOTE: GENETICALLY MODIFIED
INFORMATION OF NOTE: UTILIZE A MIXTURE OF EXPLOSIVE AND RANGED WEAPONRY
ADDITIONAL MANUAL COMMENT: The expansion of the ADVENT Special Forces Division is not an unexpected development, and the additions seek to address multiple scenarios and specializations encountered in the field. However, unlike the Lancers, the three now-deployed Corps have very distinct areas of operations and that can be exploited in combat.
As they have not participated in combat until very recently, this document will be further refined as more data is acquired and compared to existing conclusions. It is also likely that further internal documentation on the units themselves will further highlight areas of interest and points to be exploited in future operations.
CUIRASSIER CORPS: There appear to be two distinct specializations within this unit. One is a front-line unit which fulfills the role of an elite soldier, and the other is a medical specialist. Genetic modification has yet to be determined, but the front-line units are likely hardened more, and will require concentrated fire to take down.
Cuirassier soldiers are best dealt with by long-range forces, explosives, or acidic agents and other means of penetrating armor. Suppressive fire will prevent continuous offensives, and their distinctive silver armor makes them a noticeable and easy target. Cuirassiers appear to be more effective than standard soldiers, but not as dangerous or aggressive as Lancers. While they do not have any major weaknesses, they do not have significant strengths.
Cuirassier Medics should be eliminated as long range, primarily when they are working on wounded soldiers. It would be optimal to deliberately wound, but not kill, soldiers in exposed areas to lure Cuirassier Medics to them and eliminate them as they arrive. While this may be complicated by the intervention of PRIESTs, it will divert forces away from an ADVENT offensive.
DRAGOON CORPS: The arrival of any kind of Dragoon soldier should immediately be a high-priority target as Dragoons can cause a large amount of damage in a short amount of time. They are heavily armored and armed, and are difficult to destroy offensively. Thus, high explosives, psionics, and coordinated fire are all recommended ways of taking these soldiers out.
What must be exploited is the lack of mobility. Dragoons are near-stationary targets and cannot relocate easily. Deployment of Blaster Launchers will be needed, and slower, but more accurate weaponry would likely be effective against them. While outflanking may not always be tenable, they are large targets even if they can withstand heavy fire. Coordinated plasma fire or artillery strikes would almost certainly be effective and force ADVENT to sacrifice them, or devote resources to protecting them, both of which are acceptable outcomes.
Determining structural deficiencies in our defensive structures, and hardening them further may also be considered to mitigate the effect of Dragoons.
HUSSAR CORPS: These break the traditional standard of sniper units not having a major impact on the battlefield. Hussars are deployed in surprisingly large teams, and focus on disrupting the far ranks of our forces including leadership and vulnerable infrastructure. This has led to highly uncoordinated defenses and as a result, easy victories for ADVENT.
While being aware of them on the battlefield is useful, there are definitely ways to counter them beyond using artillery and counter-snipers, however, the options are unfortunately limited. Psionics is of limited use due to the lack of range and precision of Sectoids. The good news is that the numerical damage that can be done is limited, the issue is that the damage is on more critical units or infrastructure.
It is highly possible that the only way to adequately address this is by using forces designed for operation behind the lines, such as Zararch agents, drones, and the possibility of deploying Chryssalids should be considered. ADVENT is not holding back in fighting us, and we cannot take more damage before we must respond in kind.
There is little point in waging a war, and not adapting to your opponent for the sake of fairness and honor.
END REPORT
SUBMIT REPORT