CAS 1st Special Forces Combat Applications Groups

CAS 1st Special Forces Combat Applications Group

History

First (1st) Special Forces Operational Detachment "Delta" was created by the US Army in 1977 to combat theever-growing threat of terrorism that seemed to just explode(no pun intended) against the US and other NATO nations. The group was founded by Colonel Charles Beckwith, who was given nearly free reign of the creation of the group. He had been present with the British SAS and argued that the US needed a group similarly in structure to the SAS to combat the growing terrorist threat. He selected high ranking NCOs and experienced commisioned officers from out of pre-existing units such as Special Forces, Airborne Rangers, and the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions. Those selected had to pass the demanding tests described below to become a part of a very elite group.

Their first mission was code-named "Eagle Claw". It was a mission to rescue several American hostages that had been taken hostage in the American Embassy in Teheran, Iran. The plan was for the team to arrive by helicopter from Egypt and refuel in the Iranian desert at a spot code-named "Desert 1", where they would go the rest of the way to Teheran and meet up with operatives already present in Teheran to set up a safehouse. They were then to rescue the hostages in Teheran and escape. Unfortunately, the plan did not work out as expected. Delta was foward stationed at Masarih airbase, Oman, after flying out from Egypt, and was flown out to Desert One in C-130s of varous types. The helicopters were foward stationed onbord the carrier Nimitz and were flown out to Desert One to link up with Delta on the ground. However, not all of the helicopters landed at Desert One. About 3 out of 8 failed either en route or after arriving at Desert One. After all the helicopter failures, Col. Beckwith decided to abort, since he had one less helicopter than his minimum (he needed 6 and he only had 5). While at Desert 1 an accident caused by a helicopter passing too closely to a refueling plane left several people injured and two American vehicles destroyed, which added fuel to Iranian propaganda against America. The hostages were held in Iran for 444 days, until the Iranians released them after serious threats against Iran by newly elected President Reagan.

One positive result that came about as a result of this incident was that after a serious evaluation of Delta, the Navy SEAL's Team 6, and several other groups involved in the incident, JSOC-- Joint Special Operations Command was created. JSOC was given direct control over Delta, Navy SEALs Team 6, the 75th Airborne Rangers Regiment and Army 160th Special Operations Airborne Regiment as well as other Air Force Special Operations, and support groups for deployment of the groups in case any event like this ever arose again. The command structure of Delta also changed from being an official part of the Army to being a completely autonomous entity with a command structure consisting of:

National Command Authority
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Special Operations Command
1st Special Forces Combat Applications Groups

Delta has been used successfully in several Special Operations, ranging from hostage rescue, to political extractions-- like in Panama in 1989, and even as a strike team against enemy assets such as Iraqi Scud launchers in tandem with American SEALs and British SAS forces during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. They served not only as counterterrorist operatives, but also as low-profile, high- threat assets performing extralegal activities in foreign areas. However, during the Indian Wars in the 2010's Delta, along with the Navy SEALs, gained a significant role in the wars following the many battles that were in urban areas with high possibility for collateral damage, not to mention their actions during the Shiloh standoff. There are rumors they were also involved in the Euro Wars and several conflicts in North America, such as the invasions of Aztlan and Tir Tairngire into Cal Free State, for reasons unknown but possibly to do with the wars at hand.
Delta served admirably for the US for nearly 45 years, until the dissolution of the United States and the formation of the UCAS. However, when the CAS seceded from the UCAS, several issues were brought up as to the fate of SOCOM, JSOC, and Delta-- all of whose bases were now located in the CAS. CAS took initiative and declared all assets belonged to them, but allowed personnel who wanted to move back the the UCAS to do so. The number of personnel was reduced, but no so much that the CAS suffered difficulties. The losses that did occur forced the CAS to become more active in the recruitment into SOCOM, JSOC, and the Special Operations Groups; Green Berets, Airborne Rangers, Marine Corps Force Recon, and Delta. They then re-desingated Delta as the 1st Special Forces Combat Applications Group [CAG].

Recruitment

Application into CAG is not very hard, although the recruiters tend to look for more experienced personnel such as high ranking NCOs or combat experienced commisioned officers. members of CAG are now recruited from all four branches of the military; by active recruitment, application through a CO or CAG itself, or even answering an ad from one of the CAS military's broadcasts or publications. However, there are three limitations: You must be at least 22, you must be a native CAS citizen (includes megacorp citizens), and you must be a man.
Those who apply or have been asked to join then have to pass an even more rigorous training and evaluation testing period to be selected; having to pass several physical and psychological tests, including an inverted 40-meter crawl, 33 push-ups, 35 sit-ups, and be able to swim in full clothing and boots; all within one minute each. They also have to perform a ten minute march, and pass a survival test in which they have to get through an obstacle course 20 miles long within 42 hours while completing various tasks and evading capture. There are also several shooting qualifications that each person must qualify, and Smartlinks are disallowed in the final tests. Of course, if the recruit is augmented either magically or cybernetically, the testers do> take that into account for the above figures. After all this comes an intense screening of the applicant's background and psychological profile, and then the applicant must face an interview board composed of 4 veteran members of 1st Special Forces Combat Applications Group [CAG]. The interview consists of several questions about a large variety of topics; from ancient history to current events, politics to hostage situations. The interviewers expect serious answers to their questions and take pride in knowing that by the fourth hour, the applicant looks like a frightened animal, but must still answer seriously. Applicants still must be able to pass all of these tests, especially the psychological background; there is no room on the team for a psycho or gung-ho action junkie. People like that present a very serious threat to the integrity and very survival of the team.
Those accepted are then put into more training, ranging from scuba diving to parachuting (if they are not Airborne qualified) to Close Quarters Battle to specialized forms of combat like demolitions; UDT to disarmament, entry teams, heavy weapons, sniper, rappeling, recon patrol, or training foreign commandos in CQB or counterterrorist techniques, as well as other special skills like vehicle theft and "hotwiring", how to refuel an aircraft, negotiation techniques, reassuring hostages, and disguises. They must also know how to use telecommunications equipment with encryption and know how to use BattleTac and other systems effectively. They also learn various languages, ranging from Japanese to Russian to Arabic or Aztlaner Spanish. Any special skills an applicant possesses is also very helpful. These can range from acting to various sciences like chemistry or biology.

Weapons

Weapons are an integral part of CAG and they, like SEALs and other SOFs, are totally unforgiving of a poorly built weapon. The team armorers often exemplify this in their near-zealousness of "perfect" weapons, and they often customize and accurize weapons part by part and person by person. Although the CAS military usually contracts out weapons to individual designers, who then pass it along to a major gun manufacturer to build, CAG armorers seem to need to fix something on nearly all the weapons. Here are some of the more important parts of their arsenal.

Pistols

CAG has several weapons to choose from for their pistol needs, because pistols are the most important weapon for counterterrorist actions, barring certain circumstances. The CASSOCOM gun contract has recently been awarded to two gun manufacturers working on a joint project. Israeli Military Industries and AET have created an excellent gun that was one of the only weapons to possibly be awarded the contract(The other being an H&K/ Ares gun). It not only has burst fire capability, but also has a large capacity and a multiple caliber system based on a sixty year old system on IMI's Desert Eagle series that has proven quite useful and reliable(and is available on their current line of Desert Eagles). The system can interchange between several calibers including 9mm Parabellum, .40, .45 ACP, .50 AE, .357 SIG. All conversions require nothing more than a barrel and magazine change. This was developed after several incidents where different types of ammunition were present, none of which was the right caliber for the standard issue gun (.45 ACP). The gun also has in integral Smartlink II system with rangefinder, and sufficient recoil reduction(gas vent 2 eqv.). It also has a custom detachable silencer (-1 conc.)

Submachine Guns

Although extremely popular in trids, SMGs are only used in situations where there are either a high number of terrorists or there are heavily augmented terrorists. However, when an SMG is needed, the H&K MP5N-SD3 is almost always the gun chosen, because of its versatility, durability, and high knock-down power for an SMG. Another of CAG's favorite guns is the IMI UZI IV, or Ruger MP-12 because of their compact profiles and high clip capacities. As with the pistols, CAG usually loads these with a specially made HESH round or explosive rounds to deliver maximum damage with little blow-through. CAG is also condidering using a modified Ares Rattlesnake design that uses a more durable form of caseless ammo.

Rifles

When a pistol or SMG is not powerful enough, or there are no or few hostages, CAG will often carry assault rifles loaded with APDS or similar ammunition. The preferred rifle of choice is the Steyr AUG-ECS rifle, an offshoot of the original Steyr AUG and the subsequent AUG-CSL. They will also use rifles indigenous to the area they are sent to, which usually means AK-47s or -97s or Colt M-22s or 23s. After those, the H&K G-7 or the G-12 is popular. There is also a rifle dubbed "The Trollslayer" made by a company in CFS, which fires a powerful .375 rifle cartridge and does enormous amounts of damage to targets on the level of sniper rifles. Although the troll members object to the name, they agree it is an excellent weapon.
Sniper rifles also serve an integral part of any situation. The most common rifle is either a Steyr SSG 75 or the Walther MA 2100. For armored targets or targets hiding behind armored barriers, the huge Barret Model 121 is a constantly used rifle.

Shotgun

Shotguns are also used as roomsweepers and entry weapons. They are often use to blow the locks or hinges off doors to allow entry teams into an area. The most commonly used shotgun is the Franchi SPAS-22 shotgun.

Grenades

Grenades are often used to disorient or distract any potential hostile. This requires the use of smoke and/or stun grenades. If in a combat situation with no possible collateral damage, they will use offensive grenades to use against entrenched hostiles.

Uniforms

The standard uniform is a modification of the standard CAS and SOCOM uniform. It is equipped without the FEAST system for more maneuverability. They also have a modified outer layer which can be configured for various missions; including rappeling gear and other systems. It has a modified vwersion of the DLBE which can be configured differently depending on what the situation calls for, but always consists of pouches for extra clips.

Training

CAG has several methods of training ranging from mock-up buildings and airplanes to interactive simsense. They have the full use of two buildings devoted strictly to entry and live-action situations. Each building has four rooms with different scenarios for each room. For each room, live ammunition is used, and safety is a must.
In the first building there is a Friend-or-Foe room where the teams of four are to be able to react and suppress enemies while leaving the "hostages" unharmed. Acquisition time is only two to three seconds due to the augmentations that CAG members have from either previous deployment or augmentations done after they join CAG. The second room is where they must clear the room of all hostiles in the shortest possible amount of time, including finding and subduing the hidden targets, while the hostiles are shooting back at them. The third room is for night fighting, in which the team members must clear a room of only hostiles and leave the hostages alone while in total darkness, again, while using live ammunition. Members of CAG hate the night-fighting room. The fourth room is the ever-popular "airplane" in which they must simulate a raid on a crowded airplane cabin. The instructors recently received a program to allow the "terrorists" to start shooting hostages, as well as the team, if the team members react too slowly.
The second building has similar rooms, although there are new modifiers for each room sweeping scenario. The first room is contradictory to the night-fighting room. In this room, the group must clear the room of only hostiles while faced with glare, and the amount of glare changes from encounter to encounter, and the glare could be minimal (post-sunset) or maximum (spotlights directly shone at them). Flare Compensation helps, but it is still hard to see effectively in maximum lighting. And for those soldiers with visual reactive filters who think they can filter out the white light, the lights are not always white, or all white. The second room simulates an oil rig, complete with fake pyrotechnics in case something explosive is set off. A special type of ammunition which breaks up when it hits a solid barrier is the standard for this one, and many soldiers are weary of using explosives in it. The third room simulates a generic ship floating in water. Hydraulics, rain machines, and fans can actually simulate most storms, ranging from a slight drizzle to a hurricane. This is the most hated room in the whole base, and people are more weary of this room than they are of the night room. The fourth room is the miscellaneous room, and it is always changing. One day it might be another "friend-or-Foe" room, or it might simulate a desert, or it might simulate a snow storm, or it might just be a shooting gallery to test their speed and accurancy.
There are also several firing ranges in the compound, which has been separated from the rest of Fort Bragg, and it is almost always in use by someone, either practicing or testing for his monthly qualification test. Another popular room is the bomb room. This room simulates one of any different type of scenarios in which the demolitions expert has to disarm a bomb before it goes off. Failures are real cute, with the charge releasing any number of different substances on him. Some of the substances have been paint, confetti, compressed air, and smoke. There are also rooms to train their martial arts skills, as well as a fully equipped gym to work out in.
The members of CAG also cross-train frequently with other nations' counterterrorist organizations or Special Operations Groups. Some of the more frequent visitors (or hosts) include the German GSG-9, Navy SEALs (usually Team Six), and the British SAS. One of the most popular things for CAG and another SOF to do is to practice war games with one side being the terrorists or "Bad Guys" and they fight it out using non lethal ammunition (usually paint rounds or milspec stun rounds). Of all the groups, only the Israelis and the SEAL's Team Six have ever defeated CAG.
Of course, CAG has one other asset to train them: Simsense. Like many SWAT teams, CAG uses high-end interactive Simsense to simulate real combat, and the designers have even included a feedback program to simulate being "subdued", although it is actually quite harmless. The concept to use this for CAG came after the British upgraded their conflict rooms to allow simulated combat by projecting images from video cameras to two sets of teams, the SAS team, and the hostiles team. Using laser designators on their weapons, they played it out like so many children did with laser designators and receivers during the 1980's. CAG used this same concept until the invention of Simsense. CAG was then able to procur Simsense equipment and act it out there, with the option of several different scenarios and options. Over the years it has constantly been upgraded, and datajack hookups are common with CAG members. Most of their programming assistance has come from Fuchi, Transys Nueronet, and several freelance expert from both Tirs and the UCAS. The way situations are played out now is similar to what the British did, except that now they use Simsense connections and can choose several scenarios to act out conflicts.

The Magic Question

Although there are several differences between each Speical Operations Forces and each nation's military, the question of magical integration always comes up. It is even more prevalent in the case of SOGs because the usefulness of a full magician would greatly enhance the strength of a team, but most magicians are archetypically weak compared to the people who make it into a Special Operations Force. And what about physical adepts? And what about magical loss contributed with implanting bioware and cyberware in practicing magicans? And what if a person's magical abilities manifest after they have already been accepted, or it is revealed they were magically active during recruitment? And what about metahumans?
Any magically active person has the same right as anyone else to apply into CAG. They must perform the same tests as everyone else, and they must pass them like everyone else in order to be accepted. If it is a full or aspected magician or adept that applies, then they can not use any spells. Period. If a spell of any type is cast while during a test, then the magician is automatically disqualified in that test and must repeat the test. If a magician casts a spell that somehow augments their strength, speed, durability (body), stamina (willpower), reaction time, or reflex speed, then the tester must first be told about it beforehand, and will then modify their time or level of difficulty accordingly as if they were cybernetically enhanced. Of course to actually concentrate on sustaining a spell while performing most of the tests that CAG applicants must go through requires an incredible amount of willpower on their part, and if they are successful, then they can go on to the next test. So they best idea for any magician is to not try and augment themselves during application time. As for physical adepts, depending on what type of powers they possess, certain tests may be modified to reflect the adept's edge over a non-augmented applicant just as if they were cybernetically or bionetically (bioware) augmented.
As for the magic loss associated with cybernetic or bioware enhancements implanted into subjects after passing the application process, magicians are not exempt. They know that all CAG members are augmented to some degree, and magicians will be as well. CAG tries to reduce magic loss to as little as possible through advanced techniques and custom cyberware and bioware, but magical loss is still going to happen. Of course any magician, or any other person for that matter, who does not want to be implanted with foreign devices may leave if they so choose although they are giving up something they worked very hard at trying to become.
If a magician's Talent manifests at any time during the application of a person or after they have become a member of CAG, so be it. They are allowed to continue their career normally, and if they fell the need to join the Thatamurgical Corp or at least learn more about their new talents from CAG magicians or Thatamurgical Corp magicians, they are allowed to do so as long as it does not interfere with their current duties. When operational services come up for review, the magician can join the magical application course for CAG members. As for what happens to a person who was magically active during recruitment and either didn't know it or didn't reveal it, it depends on two things. Their performance during recruitment and their actual magical skills. If their times or scores were off in any way, they will be forced to retest all applicable tests with modified scores. It also depends on their skill. A Shamanic Conjurer won't give the commanders too much to worry about, but a physical adept will definitely draw attention to the top command level, and physical adepts are the ones who usually have to retest.
As with cybernetically enhanced soldiers or magicians, any metahuman applicants into CAG also have their tests modified to reflect certain biological advantages and weaknesses in various metahuman races, such as the ability of all races to see into another light spectrum, or elves increased quickness level, or a troll's 8apparent lack of some willpower, or even the fact that a dwarf is much smaller and a troll is much larger than a human. There is another matter of critters that have been deemed sentient; such as shapeshifters, sasquatches, and even dragons. The CAS government has declared that if they are CAS citizens; granted citizenship by the government, if they are male, and if they are 22 years old or the equivalent, they may apply to become members of CAG and face the same testing modifiers as metahumans, magicians, or cybernetically augmented personnel.

Archetypal CAG Force Soldier

Attributes
Body: 5
Quickness: 6
Strength: 5
Charisma: 3
Intelligence: 4
Willpower: 5
Essence: 1.3
Reaction: 5 (12)

Initiative: 5+1D6 (12+3D6)

Body Index: 2.5

Threat/ Professional Rating: 7/4

Bioware

Enhanced Articulation
Muscle Augmentation 2
Synthcardium 2

Cyberware

Cybercomm Link w/ Crypto Circuit HD 10
Cyberears w/ Spatial Recognizer
Reaction Enhancers 3
Smartlink II
Wired Reflexes 2 w/ Reflex Trigger
Skills
Armed Combat: 4(5)
Athletics: 6(9)
Biotech (First Aid): 4
Etiquette (Military): 5
Firearms: 6
Military Theory (Small Unit Tactics): 5
Negotiation: 5
Stealth: 6(7)
Throwing Weapons (Non-Aerodynamic): 4
Unarmed Combat: 4(5)
: 4

Special Skills

Aircraft Refueling
Diving
Hostage Reassurance
Rappeling
Parachuting
Vehicle Theft

Gear

Varies by mission. Consult the text above.

Notes

This is the standard profile (a sort of minimal set of values) of a Combat Applications Group operator. They will also know how to operate various communications systems and operate BattleTac system [assume BattleTac: 6] as well as the other skills mention in the Training section and above. Certain skills may be added for individual soldiers depending on what they know other than above, such as demolitions for the demo specialist or sniper rifle skill for snipers. Give the characters flavor by adding individual hobby or miscellaneous skills like a sense of humor, or sympathetic listening. If you run these soldiers, make the stats for each one individually. Don't forget, the commisioned officers and possibly a sufficiently high-ranking NCO would possess the Leadership skill. Also note that because of the fact that the armorers take such high responsibility to make the weaponry as accurate as possible, you might want to enact one, both, or neither of these two rules. The gun has been modified for such excellent accuracy that any gun modified by a CAG Force armorer would get a -1 target number for all tests with that gun, regardless of who fires it. Also the second rule is that, if a Roll of Ones is called the gun must make a secondary test to ensure it was a total failure. If the second test succeeds then there would only be a minor accident, like a dud round. Also note most of the guns are customized and get the +1 die modifier.

COMBAT APPLICATIONS GROUP WEAPONRY
  Type Conceal Ammo Mode Damage Weight Availability Cost Street Index
CASSOCOM Gun Heavy Pistol 4 See below SA/BF See below 2.75 Hah! Hah! Yeah, right!
CFS Gunworks Trollslayer "Sniper Rifle" N/A 15 (c) SA/BF 14S 4.2 8/5 days 650Y 2

CSSSOCOM Heavy Pistol Ammunition Types
Calibre 9mm .357 SIG .40 .45 ACP .50 AE
Ammo 20 (c) 20 (c) 18 (c) 15 (c) 10 (c)
Damage 6L 10M 8M 9M 12M

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