The Pueblo Special Forces were created in 2034 as Pueblo began asserting its position as an economically active nation. The National Defense Force was created to deal with foreign incursions and to become active in military affairs concerning Pueblo. However, there were no official organizations to deal with unconventional, covert activities concerning Pueblo. The National Defense Force created the Special Forces to deal with such activities. Based on the US, now-CAS, Army's Special Forces, the Pueblo Special Forces where created as a mirror image of Special Forces for the express purpose of conducting mission for the Pueblo nation to conduct single-mission oriented operations in foreign nations illegally.
That year, Col. Patrick Leary was placed in charge of the Special Forces program. He conducted evaluations of all the combat-trained members of the Defense Force and the Security Force. He then selected the 200 most capable recruits he could find, and then sent them to the Defense Force Training Center in Socorro to test out the applicants of the program. He mimicked the training of Fort Bragg as close to exact as possible. The applicants were then run through the training system, evaluating their physical and mental competence, as well as testing their combat abilities. The first set of applicants were passed through in July. Fifty-four members had passed onto the next level. The next step was dive and jump training in the Cochiti Training Grounds.
> The original response to this in most circles was that it was some sort of joke. They saw that Pueblo was mainly what used to be New Mexico and figured; deserts for miles. They were mistaken. Did you know that nearly every possible form of physical terrain exists or can be mimicked in the nation? The program mimicked CAS's exactly, and they trained in cities like Phoenix and Albuquerque for Urban Warfare and combat survival. They've received the best survival tactics possible from past experiences of the peoples who had been living there for several thousand years. They were trained in mountain, river, urban, and coastal operations, as well as many others. Everything except jungle warfare could be trained for very well in Pueblo. The Special Forces operators were trained in jungle warfare with extremely high-end Simsense arenas along with some creative training missions in the southern mountains. It was unreal, they have the equivalent of combat experience in several just with the Simsense. And they use it well.
> Duke
By August 2035, the Special Forces were ready for their first combat missions. They first missions for Special Forces were sneak-and-peak missions. Basic long-range surveillance of military capabilities in other Native American Nations.
They were used to track the progress of the military in those areas. By 2037, they were being used to conduct surveillance missions all over North America. They had been sent on a few extraction and retrieval operations out of state and had performed well in those missions. The Special Forces were used more frequently for very important missions concerning the nation. The program was expanded to cover the number of projects Pueblo became involved in. They actually began contracting out Special Forces teams very covertly to certain friendly corporations.
> The Simsense training really became invaluable for these guys. The perfected most concepts of stealth ops while they were training, and they used it well when they were surveying the UCAS forces. I remember hearing of some SEAL Seven team members that were assigned to them. The SEALs thought they were Green Berets or Ferrets until one of them slipped and mentioned something in a Spanish dialect only spoken in Pueblo. They put up a hell of a fight for their surveillance recordings too.
> Specter
> They are an impressive bunch. Most of the deckers on the teams are excellent matrix fighters with all that experience of hacking the Pueblo Matrix.
> Marty
"Ferreting Out YOUR Secrets"
The Special Forces still exist as a reactionary force for high-threat enemies of the state, and as covert operators in foreign nations and corporate territories. They have evolved to mimic the UCAS Navy SEAL concept of Teams, with a Team for the most prominent areas of importance. There are currently four Teams, with Team Four being a free-range organization operated for the most serious operations, and who react to areas that none of the other teams can respond to. They are the equivalent of a Delta team for intents ands purposes.
> That organization pretty much sums up how Pueblo feels about the world. They were most concerned with NAN and the UCAS at the time, and then Aztlan decided to invade southern Pueblo. Team Two is an Aztlan-centric group. Then Three was created mainly for them to keep tabs on Japan and the surrounding area. They couldn't care less about the rest of the world if it weren't for the fact that they provide markets to play in, although Saeder-Krupp seems to be a growing item of interest to Pueblo.
> The Chromed Accountant
"It's all about Dollars and Sense"
> Nice to see you among us plebs for a change. I would assume they want to get in on the market for weapons sales. Since Saeder-Krupp either owns directly or indirectly every major weapons manufacturer in the world, save Ares and its companies like Colt and Ingram, and IMI.
> Duke
> Saeder-Krupp does not own all of the major weapons corporations in the world (don't tell Lofwyr that, you might become Dragon Food). Ruhrmetall, just next door in Essen, and it's common for them to clash every day. Arisaka, a up and coming weapons designer, is not under control (some say MCT does, or Yamatetsu, depending on whose telling you, or even Ares).
> Sasha
> I said directly or indirectly. However, he may not own them all, but he probably has some interest and stock in the cutting edge ones.
> Duke
> I understand that Duke, very aware of that.
> Sasha
> "War is good for business." I've heard that before. So, why does Pueblo seem ready to sell arms through S-K? They could be selling them for a war with Aztlan, but that wouldn't be good for Pueblo.
> The Chromed Accountant
"It's all about Dollars and Sense"
All of the teams are trained to operate in their areas of operations, and there is virtually no cross-training between Teams, because they vary in many areas. The PSF spend most of their time training in stealth operations in those areas, as well as language and cultural blending. It's assumed that any member of the PSF is fluent in at least three languages; their native language, English, and a language in their AO (Area of Operation), and can pass for a native. Most soldiers are encouraged to spend free time in those areas becoming acquainted with the cultures from a 'normal' perspective, and are often sent to AOs to spend time assimilating into foreign cultures, conducting research on the area, and creating ties with local contacts. The PSF takes their job very seriously, and they have often paid for themselves in revenue gained or kept through their operations, despite what naysayers complain about.
Team Four is a particularly interesting case. They were created as a Hostage Rescue Team for foreign operations. Pueblo already has SWAT and dedicated HRT teams in the SecForce and PDF, but they are for operations in the Pueblo nation. Team Four was created for operations in foreign nations, especially concerning nations which are hostile to Pueblo. They were created in the likeness of Delta and SEAL Team SIX to perform missions in which they must conduct an operation to free Pueblo citizens from terrorists, including operations in Pueblo embassies and vehicles. They are also used as a response force used to track down and kill terrorists who have committed crimes against the Pueblo nation. This includes runners who end up running against Pueblo or its companies. If a runner makes it out of the country, then one of the squads from Team Four will be sent to hunt for the offender(s). They are also used in the retrieval of special projects for Pueblo, and are used in any missions involving disarmament and/or retrieval of weapons (including potential weapons) of mass destruction. Members of Team Four are, naturally, experienced members of the PSF who have excelled in their missions, and who have passed through Warrior training. They must pass through a set of course similar to those in the CAS's Delta School, and then are trained in combat situations where they must pass to become members of Team Four. It's called Warrior school because this experience makes them a member of an elite world-wide group of Warriors who join those in recent history who have excelled to this point of combat training. They excel both physically and mentally to achieve this point where they join the best of the best.
> Who wrote this stuff? Laying on that last part a bit thick, don't you think?
> Specter
> I did. It's true, Specter. They have achieved something very few people in history have. They should be proud of that. If I achieved that honor, I would be very proud of it.
>[email protected]
Team Organization
The organization for the first seven Teams are all based on the organization of the US (CAS) Special Forces. A captain leads this 12-man team of soldiers on missions, with the second in command being a Warrant Officer. Noncommissioned officers comprise the remainder of the team, and are trained in pairs in each of the five SF functional areas. These are weapons, engineering and demolitions, medicine, communications, and operations and intelligence. In addition, Special Forces are always encouraged to receive additional training in areas such as underwater operations, parachuting, language training and jungle warfare. They are also encouraged to attend Ranger, Pathfinder, or Sniper school through the National Defense Force. The members of a team all cross-train, and all of them can do basic functions of the specialists if needed.
Team Four uses smaller 4 or 6-man squads instead of the 12-man teams of the other Teams. They are all trained heavily in general operations, to eliminate the redundancy of the larger teams. They are not ordered in any way, but the highest-ranking officer becomes the de facto Commanding Officer. They are often operating undercover with no regard for rank.
> So if you see a group of four to six athletic guys who look like they're in the military (which they will not look like in the field) walking around as inconspicuous as possible they may be from Team Four or from any of the other dozen or so groups just like them.
> Specter
Equipment
The PSF has access to a wide variety of equipment and weapons to choose from. All of them are built by contract in the Pueblo Corporate Council through previous arrangements. Their main equipment is a set of advanced uniforms and support equipment. The uniforms are a combination of synthetic rip-stop material and bulletproof materials, and synthetic polyweaves of plastic and lightweight ceramics to form a supprt frame which can provide more stability and higher strength output when activated. The whole uniform is covered by a thin transparent filament that can provide visual stealth capabilties. They sythetic materials combined with a very thin set of gel-filled pockets reduce all radiant signatures (thermal, reflected energy devices, etc.) These are all much lighter in weight than any other uniform in the world. The helmet includess a signal processor combined to the visual and aural sensors and incoming dat to provide an unclutter field of view of an area. A display link projects any vital information, and can transmit data with mental commands (everyone has a datajack or non-invasive neural connection).
> In case you've never seen the UCAS or CAS and Pueblo uniforms together, (the regular militaries and special operations of all three share the same uniforms) they look remarkably different when they are fully loaded. The UCAS and CAS uniforms (they both happen to be made by the same company to nearly identical tolerances.) have taken into account nearly everything, including a powered exoskeleton system which looks kind of awkward when you see it, and worse when you wear it. There is a significant CBR protection and another layer than is carried and supposed to be worn in such a situation. The uniforms are also pretty heavy fully loaded with gear, tools, ammo, harnesses, etc. for long-range/term missions. The Pueblo uniforms are a lot more streamlined and lighter. I personally don't know what they are using, but they've managed to pack all the stuff and more into their uniforms, but in less space and with less weight. You can actually wear them into the water (unless you've conducted water ops in the full American suits, you don't know what Hell is) for more than a few minutes.
They have created some excellent uniforms, and I'm sure that the next generation of uniforms in many nations will be like theirs. Of course, they will have better stuff by that time.
> Marty
"Ferreting Out YOUR Secrets"
Weapons
The PSF has access to advanced personal weapons for their use in any operations. Their main armament consists of either a Desert Arms M6c (a Pueblo version of the Colt M-23 Carbine) rifle or a Desert Arms S4c (H&K MP2057) submachine gun.
They also carry a Desert Arms P4c (Ares Raptor), all in the Smartlink 3 configuration denoted by a (c). They usually load custom AP rounds, which are known for their high lethality rate. They may also carry assault shotguns with a modified form of buckshot or the Tri-Trip armor-piercing slug. Most weapons are built for rugged use, and customized for accuracy, durability, and reliability.
The snipers carry advanced rifles which are customized for the user and are built for maximum lethality. They often load High-Velocity Dual Penetrators for maximum effect. They keep the details on the rifle very secret, but it does have a very advanced stabilization system, and a "smart" scope and targeting system that is interfaceable with Smartlink 3 and its assorted wares.
They often carry super-loud flash-bang grenades that are designed to overload visual and thermal forms of sight. Most lethal grenades are anti-personnel grenades, designed to spread out as much shrapnel and flechettes into as large an area as possible without sacrificing lethality.
Another advanced tool that they use are advanced self-forging shaped explosives that employ a layered effect to minimize the amount of explosive needed, while still creating a large enough desired result.
The PSF also employs several types of tools to assist in their misisons. They use silent drills and fisheye cameras. They have remote jamming equipment and robotic surveillance devices that are very inconspicuous. They have prying tools with variable resistance, and cutting tools of all sorts; from laser window-cutters to hand-held plasma torches. They have multi-tools like the Leatherman"! pocket-tool and combat shovels with several tools in the blade and handle which can double as weapons. They have CBR suits, and suits which can protect them from energy devices and weapons, and they have access to secret devices whose purposes lie beyond my reach.
Magic
Magic isn't exactly Pueblo's strong point. When the nation as formed, most of the people there took to the technological aspects of business, trying to distance themselves from NAN and the Great Ghost Dance by trying to establish an economy built upon the growing communications and computer technology programs. This emphasis reduced the number of strong magicians who had left the nation for Sioux or Ute or suppressed this ability to fit in. Therefore, what magicians are re-emerging into the culture are often Hermetic mages, embracing the techno-savvy culture of Pueblo. However, there are shamans in the nation, they just remain in the fringes on the nation that are responsible for lower statistics than Pueblo would like. Most of those people follow totems of the desert or forest, as there are virtually no urban shamans. There are a few magicians, mostly mages who work for the PSF as stealth and manipulation experts. They specialize a lot in defensive magic, both physical defenses like bullet barriers and illusion spells though.
Strangely enough, there are a number of physical adepts as a part of Special Forces. They are usually stealth and observation experts. Many are also trained to kill in hand-to-hand combat. There are rumors of an initiatory group just for Physical Adepts in the Defense Force, where the Special Forces adepts form some sort of secret Inner Circle.
> Although the magically active in Pueblo are not a high percentage of the military, they do command a serious presence.
The PhysAds are very well-trained for a techno-savvy nation like PCC. They are very fast and effective. They are trained very well in stealth insertions and ambushes, which make combat with them dificult; by the time you know they're there, you're dead or hurting. I've seen them fight, and trained with a PhysAd who took the idea "There are no rules" and "Win at all costs" to heart. His speed and ability to blend in caught me off guard more than once.
> The Chameleon
> So, how were you able to defeat him when you fought? If he was so good at concealing himself, it must have been hard to get the drop on him.
> Wind Dancer
> I lured him back to my home ground and set an ambush for when he followed me back. The lack of respect for the Great Powers by Pueblo, whose people admire the order of Hermeticism, underestimate the abilities we were granted by our Spirit Guides. He learned the hard way when I defeated him.
> The Chameleon
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