Rival Company 101: DarkNight Interceptor Squads

(DN Ceptors, ITC Squads, Dino Pro-Cells, Raptor packs, Fury squads, SHuf-ShiF Squads (as in 'Strike Hard - Strike Fast' Squads))

Following on from the last lecture about Civilian Converts, today I am going to give a brief run down on DarkNight Interceptor Squads. Whereas the Civilian Converts are relatively untrained, the Interceptor Squads are highly trained and are often seen as the deadliest of all DarkNight troops. I personally am more afraid of a sniper team, but with their heavy weapons, armour and military tactics I can see how some might fear these guys more.

Members for Interceptor squads are usually taken from the Convert cells, especially those cells that have been successful for over five years. The prospective members are then believed to be taken to an off-world training facility for at least six months. During this time they are taught all aspects of military training. After this each individual is assigned to a different experienced Interceptor squad where their training continues. We estimate that most Interceptors do not undertake any real missions for at least a year, although their training may involve small parts of an active mission, such as surveillance and transporting equipment to a location. By the time the Interceptors are fully trained, they will be highly skilled in Firearms (Rifle 6, Auto/Support 5, Pistol 4), Tactics & Threat Assessment (Evaluate Opponent 6, Tactics 5), Intelligence Gathering (Streetwise 6, Detect 5) and Hit and Run Skirmishing (Sneak 5, Hide 5, Throw 4, Run 3). Additionally individual squad members will specialise in either Explosives, Medical, Pilot, Marksmanship or Close Combat.

A typical Interceptor squad is formed around one person with a further 3-5 acting as support. The leader is often a very experienced Interceptor who is wanted for various crimes against Sla Industries and often has a pending Extermination Warrant or Hunter Sheet. Most Interceptor leaders tend to form a identity around their attacks, in a similar way that a Contract Killer will establish their personality on the Contract Circuit. The Interceptor Leader will always be the face of any DarkNight media footage, while the other members of the squad remain hidden behind their armoured helmets. This allows the majority of Interceptor Squads to remain unidentified. It is also common for the Interceptor leader to be wearing make up or some other form of visual disguise, to prevent them being easily identified in normal circumstances.

Mission equipment and tactics:

The purpose of the Interceptor squads is primarily hit and run attacks on locations and people. These are often high media cases, where DarkNight is trying to make a political statement with the attack. To survive these raids the Interceptors have access to DarkNight's heaviest weapons and armours, typically the DN Power Armour, the DN100 Assault Rifle and heavy hitting close combat weapons like the Chain Axe or the Mutilator Glove. They are often equipped with various drugs, such as Pure-Strain Shatter and Quasi-Kick Start. For those of you who aren't taking Medical:Paramedic 119 as a course, these are a version of Shatter without any known side effects and a healing drug that acts similar to Kick Start Solo. Most of the equipment and armour is customised with anti-Sla propaganda, although these are normally dual-charge electro-glyphs that can be deactivated anytime the Interceptor team needs a plain coloured armour. This gives a distinct advantage in an urban situation where their armours can change from mobile subversive advertising boards to hidden matte black suits within a few seconds.

As trained professionals Interceptor squads always plan their attacks to perfection before hand. Any information in the area will have been gathered by a Civilian Convert Cell beforehand, although the Interceptors will verify all details themselves. When not on a mission they tend to dress in a similar way to Converts, using Flak vests concealed as normal jackets and with 10mm pistols and fake SCL cards in case they are stopped. They will often scout out the target location and identify all possible routes in and out of the area. They will be looking for a site that they can use to prepare for their attack. This location will be used to armour up prior to the attack and will often be located with a view point on the target location. This gives them a last minute check before they deploy. In most events the location will be within one minutes travel from the target location. Any longer and the target may see them coming and have a chance to prepare for the attack.

Rather than risking the main Interceptor team, the equipment is often transported to the location by a Convert Cell. The Interceptor team will often watch the scout location from a distance whilst the Convert Cell are there. This allows the Interceptors to ensure that the Converts have not been followed and also prevents the Converts from knowing exactly who the Interceptor team is. Once the area is safe, the Interceptors will move in, often with their location monitored by a Convert Cell with good surveillance/ anti-surveillance skills. This allows the Interceptors to concentrate on the task at hand rather than having to split up and watch for outside threats. The Interceptor team will then check all of the equipment and prepare for the assault.

Interceptor teams always determine their main exit routes before they attack. Often their attacks are in open places and increasingly media networks are tipped off that something will happen in the area, normally just minutes before they attack. The Interceptor's motto is 'Strike hard. Strike fast. Stop at nothing.' and this is shown in their attacks. They tend to use their assault rifles to take out any main threats and to keep the heads down of any innocent people. Their actual target is normally taken out by the Interceptor leader, often using a hand-to-hand weapon as brutally as possible. Interceptor teams always work on a clock, but normally 30 seconds is set aside to kill the person violently. Most of the Interceptor leaders have their own combination of killing moves which they utilise with extreme efficiency. As they leave most Interceptor teams will use Smoke and CS Gas to cover their escape.

Often their escape routes involve the sewer network. Although their power armours are bulky, they have the advantage of being fully enclosed. Quite often Interceptors will head to large flood storage chambers where they can descend into the water, exiting through a specific flooded tunnel and preventing them from being followed. On other occasions Interceptors will run from the target location, turning their armours matte black and disappearing into the shadows. If this is the case they will often have several places where they can quickly and safely stow their armour and weapons and change in to civilian clothing. They will then loose themselves amongst crowds until they rendezvous at a set time. Convert Cells will be sent later on to retrieve their equipment.

Engaging Interceptor Teams:

The main advice I can give you when engaging Interceptor teams is don't. If that isn't an option get behind solid cover and listen to the Death Squad trained Operative. They will have the knowledge and experience of how to take the Interceptor team down. If you don't have anyone with appropriate training then a few things that can help are:

One: They are there for a specific purpose. If you can establish what this is, you can determine why they are there and perhaps prevent them. If they are trying to assassinate a target, they are less likely to attempt it if the target is surrounded by weapon wielding Operatives. And besides they won't know if you are SCL 10 or SCL 2f so they will act more cautiously.

Two: If you are attacked it is best to retreat into cover. Their weapons are chosen to take out people in the level of armour you will be wearing for the first few years. Instead forget bullet tax and try to force them to abandon their attack by suppressive fire. It may be costly, but it is better than being dead.

Three: If you have mainly hand-to-hand or close-combat weapon specialists, try to draw them in to a different area, away from their preferred target location. Ideally this should be somewhere that you can get close to them without being spotted. One of the Interceptors main weaknesses is lack of close-combat skills, except for the leader. Additionally their armour although protective is restrictive. This means that you can out manoeuvre them in combat.

Four: If pinned down in an area your best hope lies in calling for back up. SCAF Shivers don't have to worry about bullet tax and they have tri-barrelled weapons. A group of bikes will quickly cause the Interceptor squad to retreat. I have heard of some squads calling in Fire Shivers to the location with the hope that they will use their armoured APC to rescue the Operatives. However, this is not advised as the Fire Shivers have as much chance of running you over as the Interceptors.

Five: Never let your guard done even if you think you have beaten the squad. They often use Pure-Strain Shatter which will let them survive deadly injuries. The best way to fight them is close up, only stopping when they are in different pieces at your feet. If you manage to take them alive, be careful as they often have suicide devices to prevent them being interrogated.

Finally if you are fighting Interceptors and they retreat, let them. They will have worked out their escape route already, and most likely will have planted traps for anyone who doesn't know the exact route. They may also have back up in the form of a Convert Cell or a DN Sniper team and the first warning you will get is when you are ambushed.

So to summarise, try not to go up against Interceptor Squads as they are highly trained, well equipped DarkNight soldiers. If you do come across them, try to establish what they want and then make a decision to try and stop them or stay out of their way. Anyway, I'll see you for the double lecture next week on DarkNight Infiltrators - make sure you bring plenty of paper...

RELATED TOPICS

DarkNight Sniper Teams

DarkNight Civilian Converts