Sicario Line Troop, c. AC 432+
[REDACTED], AC 432
Fr: CAPT. [REDACTED] - [REDACTED]
To: GEN. [REDACTED] - [REDACTED]
MSG. DES: R-EO/322511/RE-Z1232G
SBJ: Report - Sicario Mercenary Corps - Ground elements
//REPORT BEGINS//
OVERVIEW
While the squad represents the basic tactical unit for Sicario’s ground component, the line troop represents the most basic mission unit for any Sicario ground deployment. This means that Sicario deploys, at minimum, a troop for an assigned general mission. Whether assaulting an enemy trench line or defending a captured city block, a Sicario line troop represents a formidable threat to any opposing it. This section will outline its composition, equipment, and provide analysis of observed tactics such that key decisions can be made based on this information.
COMPOSITION- GENERAL
The Sicario line troop is a tight-knit unit, with a near-constant deployment and operational tempo forging veterans and brothers from total strangers. At it’s core, it consists of 36 personnel, divided into a 4-man command element and a 32-man combat element. Given the personnel limits of both their vehicles and their airborne nature, command elements are integrated natively into the troop. Additionally, all personnel are trained on maintaining their armored vehicles, and are cross-trained on equipment, medical procedures, communications, and other skills when the opportunity presents itself. Finally, the troop can usually expect at least one ATGM carrier to be habitually attached from the element weapons troop, along with it's associated crew and launchers.
COMPOSITION - COMMAND ELEMENT
The command elements is comprised of a troop leader, carrying similar authority to a Second Lieutenant in the Cascadian Independence Force (CIF) or a Sub-Lieutenant in the Federation Ground Forces (FGF); a troop sergeant, carrying similar authority to a CIF Staff Sergeant or a FGF Chief Sergeant; a communicator; and a medic.
The troop leader is charged with leading the troop in combat, out of combat, liaising with higher and partner force elements, and is trained as a Joint Fires Observer (JFO) to best coordinate outside ground-based and airborne fire support. The troop leader also acts as the vehicle commander when mounted on armored vehicles.
The troop sergeant acts as the troop’s second-in-command and is the senior-most enlisted man within the troop. He is usually charged with organizing the troop’s logistics, administration, and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), in line with pre-Calamity platoon Sergeants. The troop sergeant also acts as the vehicle commander when mounted on armored vehicles.
The troop communicator is responsible for maintaining the troop’s communications with higher elements, partner forces, and the crucial aviation elements that give Sicario much of its firepower. They are also charged with maintaining the troop’s communications equipment and training troop personnel on basic radio communications. Given their role, they usually ride in the troop leader’s vehicle.
The troop medic is responsible for the troop’s medical care and the training of troop personnel on basic Combat Casualty Care (CCC). As such, he carries an aid bag filled with medical supplies into combat, and usually rides with the troop sergeant, given the latter’s role in organizing the troop’s MEDEVAC process.
COMPOSITION - SQUAD
See Report Z1201E, dated 25/11/432.
EQUIPMENT
While individual squad equipment was outlined in Report Z1201E, the troop also maintains a weapons pool for use by troop elements as required. Under this concept, weapons of differing capabilities are taken out for use as needed. These weapons include 4 reloadable recoilless rifles, 4 GPMG’s with associated tripods and other equipment, and a singular 60mm mortar. Usually, the recoilless rifles are deployed when the troop is likely to encounter enemy armor, while the GPMG's are deployed when the troop expects to fight infantry and vehicles vulnerable to the LAV's 25mm autocannon. Both systems are usually allocated at one each per vehicle, with the GPMG mounted on a turret pintle mount and the recoilless rifle stowed inside the vehicle. The troop’s mortar is used more rarely, usually for illumination and signaling via parachute flares or for indirect fire support during long-duration dismounted patrols. When deployed, it usually takes up the spot of a recoilless rifle inside a vehicle. Whenever employed, these crew-served weapons are usually manned ad-hoc by troop personnel. Combined with the LAV’s organic autocannon and coaxial GPMG, the troop can wield an awesome amount of firepower, especially given it’s smaller size relative to other platoon-sized units.
As for communications equipment, the troop maintains a suite of encrypted communications systems that act as a further force multiplier for the force. At an individual level, each member of a troop is issued a small radio (AN/PRC-343) for inter-squad communications. A larger “walkie-talkie” type of radio (AN/PRC-127) is carried by squad leaders for squad-to-squad communications, with the personal radio maintained to expedite inter-squad communication. The troop communicator carries a manpack radio set (AN/PRC-113) to facilitate their duties. All radios can communicate with each other, ensuring clear and consistent communications for the troop.
Additionally, the troop maintains sufficient equipment to conduct counter mobility missions capable of disrupting a unit either the same size or one size down. It also maintains sufficient supplies and equipment for operations in chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) environments for an estimated 48 hour period of continual operations. However, this equipment may be left behind due to the relative rarity of such environments.
COMMONLY OBSERVED TACTICS - OFFENSIVE
In the offense, the most commonly observed SOP for the troop is to split the vehicles into 2-vehicle sections, with one section leapfrogging ahead under the supporting fire of the other. This leverages the speed, firepower, and shock value of the troop's armored vehicles to close with and destroy the enemy. A variation of this technique is to split the force into an LAV group and a dismount group, where all 4 LAV’s provide supporting fire (perpendicularly) to the advancing dismounts as the dismounts close with and destroy the enemy.
A further variation is splitting the troop into ‘assault’ and ‘support’ groups for fire and maneuver. This technique is often observed when the troop either all acts as pure light infantry (I.e. no LAV's) or when the troop deploys as a mix of LAV's and light infantry. The SOP calls for the assault group, comprised of a section and a half (27 men total), to close with the enemy to destroy them in close combat. The support group (the remaining 9 men, usually under the control of the troop sergeant) supports the assault, usually with the troop’s 60mm mortar and crew-served weapons. The mortar is crewed by the vehicle crew/Charlie team, with all members carrying spare ammunition to sustain their fire.
When forming task-organized weapons teams for either one of these SOP's, the dismounts of each LAV usually form either 2- or 3-man teams per weapon system. Crewing of weapons is determined based on the situation or a pre-defined plan, with 2-man team’s being preferable for massing greater firepower or bringing a mix of weapons, and 3-man teams being preferable for sustaining fire or for long-duration dismounted patrols.
Usually, the troop will remain mounted until the last possible moment. Footage usually depicts Sicario troop's dismounting within 100 meters from the enemy, utilizing smoke and other obscurants, their vehicle-mounted cannons, aviation, and small arms to cover an assault element. The assault element is the group responsible for destroying the enemy in close combat.
COMMONLY OBSERVED TACTICS - DEFENSIVE
Sicario lacks the manpower to build and maintain massive trench networks or defensive walls. Thus, the Sicario troop relies on it's superior speed and outsized firepower to defeat it's enemies. On the defense, the troop works to attrite the enemy over time, causing a defeat in detail. Ambushes are set by a squad or section that delay the enemy's advance, giving time for other elements of the troop to set up strongpoints or other ambushes that further attrite the enemy, giving time either for the troop or other elements to mass and counterattack the enemy. To counter snap breakthroughs, Sicario has been observed to maintain a mobile reserve of at least one troop, which can utilize it's mobility to rapidly reposition to meet the breakthrough.
ANALYSIS
The Sicario line troop processes significant offensive and defensive capabilities, especially given it's relative compactness. While relatively fragile on it's own, the troop can almost always rely on Sicario's aviation assets for close support. While lacking in long-term logistics (unsurprising, given the small size of the unit), the Sicario line troop poses a significant threat to units one or potentially even two levels up from it.
//REPORT ENDS//
>DISCLAIMER
"Hey boss, we got some more information on Sicario back and we got it processed, so these remarks reflect our current intelligence assessment. As always with Sicario, the unknowns are based on observations from Periphery militaries, given that’s where Sicario draws a large portion of its troops from. Capt. [REDACTED] was going to originally do the report, but they got sick, so I'm covering until they recover." - A sticky note found stuck to the paper report
Alright, time for notes and housekeeping.
- Yes, I know the graphic depicts Strykers and not LAV’s. Yes, I know that Strykers are not currently rated for airdrops. I’m using them for now until I can get access to an actual graphic design software better than google slides. For now, just assume that those are LAV’s, they don’t weigh 20 tons, and they can be airdropped.
- Also Strykers are based on the LAV family, so there’s that I guess.
- You could also substitute in BTR’s or BMD’s if you want. I don’t think either platform is as cool as the LAV or Stryker, which is why I’m using the latter two.
- I was going to talk about doing a peel upon making chance contact with a superior force (aka when the troop gets ambushed) or assaulting through an ambush, but that's extremely boring. The tactics and stuff that I'm using can be found online. Be creative, this report is not a set-in-stone playbook. It merely illustrates what a troop may do in the most ideal, basic scenarios.
- More graphics should be on the way soon, either snipers or the weapons troop.
- Again, many thanks to Battle Order for the inspiration, Italian Wikipedia for the Stryker hulls, AI Armaments for the M240 picture, and Bidlink for the mortar image.
As always, I’ll try to answer any questions in the comments. Thank you again for reading these posts, and I’ll see you guys…probably in the Grimwood Forest.
