Wellon: 2300AD

 

Point Sterling Metropolitan Constabulary

 

Police Support Unit

 

Introduction

 

The City of Point Sterling is a hugely productive business, industrial and cultural centre in the South of Wellon and a mecca for tourists from across Tirane and beyond and also home to nearly 9 million registered citizens. However it is also officially the leading centre for gun crime in Wellon, has a viciously feuding organised crime scene and a thriving underground market. As a result the PSMC has developed a highly evolved and technically advanced tactical police capability known as the Police Support Unit which is nearly two thousand strong and includes firearms teams, vehicle and walker units and an air element. The PSU is a well known and highly publicised element of the police and is well covered by the popular media. 

 

Index

History
Organisation

Sub-Unit Organisation
Recruitment
Training
Personalities
Uniform
Equipment
Role Playing
Acknowledgments

 

Narrative

 

The Ten Fingers Clan had gone and done it this time. Their reputation as the most flamboyant and violent of the Clans in the Red Mina District was well deserved but bringing a pair of light armoured vehicles into the centre of the city to ram-raid the parade of jewellers in the St Martin’s Arcade was asking for and receiving the full police response.

 

Inspector Singh watched from behind the usually reassuring bulk of his Mitsuboshi Sunrise TRC as a pair of Gun Boys exchanged fire with one of the Bronze Tac 14 teams that were cordoning the area off. The outgunned PS Met uniformed coppers were thinning out as the tactical policemen from the PSU arrived in force. Singh was a RWC ’tec and was staying put, listening in onto the PS Met Tac net through his earpiece. His Czech vz.94 pistol as yet unused in his hand although he’d popped his usual magazine of man-stoppers for an extended 30 round clip of armour piercing, those Ten Fingers Gun Boys were wearing mil-spec body armour. His partner DS Lee had broken out the Grafton Arms carbine from the boot and was looking for a clean shot.

 

Already the neighbouring Bronze Tac units 11 and 15 had come in to reinforce Bronze Tac 14 driving in from their stand-by positions in their Tirat and Grasskat internal security vehicles. Roaring through the rush hour traffic cars swerving out of the way to avoid them, nobody in their right minds got in the way of a responding Bronze Tac on the roads of Point Sterling.

 

The air above the streets of the rapidly emptying district was filling with a bewildering assortment of drones. The local cops' Dragonflies being replaced by Silver Tac 10’s distinctive Snapdragons and a pair of Gundragon remote sniper platforms. One of the GBs started engaging the drones with long bursts of fire most of which hosed into the buildings opposite with only a couple of rounds sparking off the hulls forcing a quick aerial dance as the drones took evasive action. Two rounds cracked back from the sky as a Gundragon put a pair of 9mm chef flechettes through the Gun Boy’s skull. The sudden silence was shocking… and short lived.

 

Two police tilt rotors flashed overhead as the main body of Silver Tac flew in, already the Command element was present collocated with Bronze Tac HQ. Silver Tac had the heavy artillery – drones, walkers and snipers to bulk up the Bronze Tac guys. They’d need it as the Ten Fingers Clan boys were going to have to make a call very soon about either holing up or trying to make a run for it through the cordon. Singh didn’t fancy their chances either way – there was bad blood between Ten Fingers and Bronze Tac – and once Silver Tac was in place they’d be fixed in position. Once fixed there were two ways out surrender or be brought out, more likely than not dead, by Gold Tac.

 

There was a rush of Gun Boys from the arcade and they came out firing, trying to bounce the perimeter. Singh lined up the Czech pistol and let them have it, just before the scream of the Bronzes firing on full auto drowned out the popping of his sidearm.     

 

Extract from the novelisation of the screenplay Inspector Singh and the Green Dragon © WBC 2297

 

History

 

The PSU has its roots in the very foundation of Point Sterling itself, unlike most other urban centres in Wellon Point Sterling began almost spontaneously growing up around the Royal Naval base of Vectis Nova. The shanties and ‘plantations’ of Point Sterling were initially almost utterly lawless but for the rule of local hardmen, in response the British Tirane Police were dispatched to work alongside RN provost staff policing the sailors frequenting the town.

 

Point Sterling, like many similar settlements, was a very robust place for the early settlers and combined with the ongoing Southern Problem meant that policing styles were similarly robust. Eventually with the vestiges of civil organisation came a local police force, the Point Sterling Police, known with typical local cynicism as ‘the dusters’. The PSP proved to be more a part of the problem for Point Sterling than its solution, and eventually with the formation of South New Albion the force was reformed into the existing Point Sterling Metropolitan Constabulary. However to bolster the PSP the BTP sponsored the creation of a paramilitary auxiliary force the Police Support Unit.

 

The PSU was recruited predominantly from former soldiers in the British Army and the South Albion Defence Force, many of whom where Gurkhas from the South Albion Gurkha Rifles raised specifically for service in British Tirane. Initially the PSU resembled very much a British infantry battalion and operated along similar lines undertaking urban riot control and what amounted to limited counter-insurgency operations in Point Sterling. However it evolved several specialist arms through the decades of service including a highly regarded firearms capability. Throughout this period the PSU gained a reputation for relative probity and standards of conduct when compared with the rest of the PSP.

 

The reform of the PSMC also brought about changes in the PSU making it more integrated with the mainstream police. Simultaneously the Army’s Point Sterling Grenadiers took over some of the mass riot control taskings freeing up the PSU for more specialised duties. Then as now the armed crime scene in the city was dominated by the many rival organised crime gangs who had arrived in the early days of the settlement and were nearly impossible to root out. The gangs were well armed, highly organised and could bring substantial planning capability to the raids they undertook. In addition there were many hangers-on and petty criminals who had access to firearms. Often the uniformed, and armed, PSMC coppers were utterly outgunned and some estates and plantations became no-go zones.

 

To combat this the PSU developed the system is maintains to this day of a structure capable of tiered levels of response to a range of threats from drunken Gun Boy wannabes to full scale bank robberies. The PSU remains a highly respected paramilitary auxiliary, although some of its previous reputation has suffered following infiltration by a number of triad 49s in the last decades. To put the problem in contexts, members of the PSU will often see more action in a year than many soldiers will see in an entire career.

 

INDEX

Organisation

 

PSU HQ

PSU Air Support Group

PSU Training Group

Gold HQ

Silver HQ

Gold Tac

 

 

Silver Tac 10

Bronze Tac 11

Bronze Tac 12

Bronze Tac 13

Bronze Tac 14

Bronze Tac 15

 

Silver Tac 20

Bronze Tac 21

Bronze Tac 22

Bronze Tac 23

Bronze Tac 24

Bronze Tac 25

 

Silver Tac 30

Bronze Tac 31

Bronze Tac 32

Bronze Tac 33

Bronze Tac 34

Bronze Tac 35

 

The PSU is an organisation some 1700 men strong and is organised to allow the force to operate, train and recuperate throughout some of the heaviest operational policing tempos in Wellon. New Sterling now has an official population of just under 9 million inhabitants and estimates range to up to a million more who are ‘unofficial’ and off the government books.  On any given day 500 PSU operators will be on duty throughout the city with a further 500 training or on low notice standby and the remainder on admin duty or stood down.

 

The PSU is divided into three tiers – Gold, Silver and Bronze. Gold units are mostly HQ, air and training elements but also include the highly trained Gold Tac intervention team which is at the pinnacle of the PSU’s firearms teams and is rated alongside the likes of the RWC’s WO5 and 25 SAS counter-terrorist teams. Gold HQ is the permanent operations control team located at Fort Stephen Police Station in the PSMC Ops Centre and is responsible for running high level PSU operations in co-operation with the mainstream police.  

 

Also based at Fort Stephen is Silver HQ, the operational HQ responsible for the actual deployment and movement of PSU units on the ground and is responsible for overseeing most of the day-to-day operations of PSU units. Silver HQ is capable of commanding multiple Bronze level deployments as well as three or more Silver level deployments. Also at the Silver level are the three Silver Tac teams which deploy tactical support assets in support of Bronze Tac units. This includes drone, sniper and even Police Walker elements.

 

Bronze Tac teams are the mainstay of the PSU and there are no fewer than 15 of these. Bronze Tac are forward stationed on the ground across the city and are the first line of response to any incidents. Should a single Bronze Tac be unable to cope with an incident other units will be brought in from neighbouring areas to reinforce them or Silver Tac assets activated. The Bronze Tac commander will run the incident on the ground however with support from Silver HQ.    

 

It is common for only one Silver Tac and five Bronze Tacs to be on call in the city at any given time. Another Silver Tac and five Bronze Tacs will be conducting training but be available for call out if the situation demands it although obviously on a much higher response time. At times of tension or when trouble is expected these units may well also be held as a dedicated reserve. The last Silver Tac and five Bronze Tacs will be stood down and not deployable except in the direst of emergencies. The normal rotation cycle is a six day one; with units stood down for two days, training for two days and then on stand-by for two.

 

INDEX 

Sub-unit Organisations

 

Bronze Tac

 

Together the Bronze Tac teams number some 1020 men on paper but are often seriously understrength due to injuries, absence on leave but much of the shortfall is due to many being suspended pending the investigations which must be conducted after shooting incidents. They are first line firearms response teams and crowd control units, and much of their time is spent on standby at key locations around the city to support regular police units or at large public events.

 

The Bronze Tacs are sixty eight strong, and are divided into three 18 man strong units known as trinities, ten drivers and a four man HQ and Incident Control Team. Each trinity is divided into three six man teams which are the building block of the Bronze Tac. The six man team was chosen as it allows a basic riot control shield to be formed with four shieldmen, one gunner and a medic/fireman, in combination with the rest of the trinity this can form an effective baseline. The trinity is equipped with multi-role armour, assault rifles, side arms, sonic stunners, riot shields and military standard tactical systems in addition to a range of specialist equipment. It is transported in three vehicles, two Tirat-P and a Grasskat-IS internal security vehicles. The HQ has its own Tirat-PC command vehicle.

 

The Bronze Tac is commanded by an Inspector with a Sergeant as his second in command. Each Trinity is commanded by a Sergeant and manned by Constables.

 

Silver Tac

 

Silver Tacs provide specialist support to the Bronze Tacs and are broken down into specialist trinities and teams. These include two walker trinities with twelve walkers each, a team of Tirat-R riot control vehicles, a trinity of UAVs, a team of remote gun platforms, a trinity of snipers, a surveillance trinity and a team of bomb disposal experts. There is also a small HQ element responsible for admin which can also deploy onto the ground if required. 

 

The PSU was a relatively early user of walkers, known as Police Walker Units or PWUs, primarily for their use in crowd control and on incident cordons, consequently each Silver Tac has two trinities of 12 PWUs (using the Silver X1 and X2 callsigns). The Silver X3 callsign is used by a team of six Tirat-R vehicles which are used to supplement the Bronze Tacs during crowd control duties. Silver X4 is responsible for 24 Snapdragon UAVs and four Gundragon armed UAVs used to bolster cordons and surveillance missions. Silver X5 is another small team of ten armed remote gun platforms, including two derived from the experimental Japanese Type-10 ‘Spider’ CW,  which are used again for inner cordons during armed sieges.

 

Silver X6 is the specialist sniper trinity used during cordons and other operations, each trinity has five sniper pairs. Silver X7 is an 18 strong trinity responsible for covert surveillance and cueing operations, highly trained and in plain clothes the X7s are controversial units both with the general public and the wider PSMC. In the past X7s have run entrapment operations which have led to shootings, especially ‘cueing’ Gold Tac operations. The PSMC is concerned about overlap with its own covert investigations teams including Special Branch and CID. Silver X8 is the bomb squad, including several highly trained operators and a range of EOD drones. 

 

Silver Tac is always based at The Factory and is deployed from there as required. Silver Tac has priority call, except over Gold Tac, for use of PSU’s air assets and is often deployed by air. However it also has a range of vehicles, usually un-armoured, to allow it to deploy by road.

 

Silver HQ

 

Silver HQ or ‘Control’ on the PSU nets is the main operation control centre for the PSU taking direction from Gold HQ and linked in with the five PSMC District Ops rooms. Should the PSU become involved in the incident it is normal for Silver HQ to take on the running of the incident taking under control any mainstream PSMC elements in the mixture. Should the Army’s 3rd (HS) Battalion of the Point Sterling Grenadiers be mobilised to bolster crowd control operations they will operate through Silver HQ and have a liaison officer permanently stationed there.

 

Control is a 24/7 operation and is manned as such running a shift system. Control is based in the dedicated PSU Ops Room in Fort Stephen the PSMC’s main HQ. This is a state of the art high tech facility which utilises the full range of modern comms and display systems. Each shift is commanded by a Chief Inspector.   

 

PSU Air Support Group

 

The ASG is the PSU’s integral air movement arm. It operates a number of aircraft – prime amongst them are eight Super Wyvern tiltrotors licence built by New Albion Supermarine. The Super Wyverns are the ASG’s prime movers and are adapted to be able to rapidly load walkers, gun platforms or tactical policemen as flexibly as possible. The ASG operates six WS Hornet light tiltrotors in the liaison, observation and light lift role, including lifting a PSU tac team if required. Finally the Hornets are plumbed to allow them to carry stub wing ordnance packs should the situation require it.

 

The ASG also operates a number of autonomous UAVs which give Silver and Gold HQ ‘eyes on’ often before Silver Tac or PSMC District drone units can get there. ASG’s 12 Hedvic UAVs are designed to give overwatch to PSMC operations and have comprehensive sensor, ESM and ECM suites. At any one time four Hedvics will be in the skies over Point Sterling. The ASG also has four MAe Lysander drones normally used by special forces and capable of landing a single equipped man anywhere in 500km radius, the PSU is very tight lipped about its operational use of these vehicles. Finally ASG is responsible for the routine maintenance of all UAVs in the PSU including those tactical drones used by the Silver Tacs.

 

The ASG has numerous clearly identified landing zones throughout the city that it can use, however its pilots are renowned for getting their loads as close to the action as possible exploiting Point Sterling’s famous cityscape for cover. The ASG’s pilots are all highly experienced and are usually recruited from military special duties air crews. The ASG is based out of the Factory although elements are often forward deployed to Fort Stephen or to other forward operating bases. 

 

Gold Tac

 

Gold Tac is the crème of the PSU and its elite intervention unit. No expense is spared on it and its members all have extensive experience in the lower levels of the PSU or in similar police or military units. Gold Tac operators tend to be larger than life, flamboyant characters and there is a high burn out rate. Gold Tac specialises in hostage rescue, siege breaking, ‘hard knock’ and ‘soft knock’ arrests of key suspects.  

 

Gold Tac has three assault trinities and a support trinity with snipers, other heavy weapons specialists and demolitionists. It relies on the on-duty Silver and Bronze Tac units to provide much of its support and cordon provision. Gold Tac works on a slightly different rota system than the rest of the PSU and is on one hours notice to move with two assaulter trinities. Gold Tac is commanded by a Chief Inspector.

 

INDEX

Recruitment

 

There are two ways of joining the PSU, either in the direct entry scheme or by transfer from the mainstream PSMC. The PSU aims to recruit around 200 new members a year to keeps its numbers stable, although this figure can fluctuate.

 

Direct entry into the PSU is immensely competitive with applicants from across Wellon and even off-World applying. These applicants must have previous military or law enforcement experience and the average age is the late-20s or early 30s, although this is not a requirement.

 

Transfer into the PSU from the PSMC is also a challenging option as the applicant must reach the same standards as those applying for direct entry. In addition there is a substantial cultural gap between the PSU and mainstream Point Sterling Met which must be overcome as PSU operators are often suspicious of normal PSMC coppers.

 

The make up of the PSU is extremely eclectic and culturally diverse, certainly much more so than the RWC Tactical Division units they often work alongside who are predominantly from the Cam Valley or North Albion Plain. Over 35% of the PSU are non-Wellonese, mostly from Commonwealth nations but there are individuals from many other nations, the majority of these policemen are highly experienced and bring massive specialised knowledge with them. A quarter of the PSU are Wellonese from outside of Point Sterling who are mostly ex-WDF men, mostly from crack units such as the RWAR, RWM or Mountain Regiment.

 

The remainder of the PSU are native Point Sterlingers. The most notable contingent are the so-called ‘Mountain Gurkhas’ most of whom have actually been settled in the city for generations, for them service in the PSU is very much a family tradition and the Gurungs and Rais have long formed the backbone of the PSU. Anglo-Wellonese and Cantonese descended Point Sterlingers are also strongly represented in the ranks. 

 

It should be noted that many members of the PSU are headhunted in turn by other police support teams across human space. Many have gone on to work in paramilitary police units in the colonies or in specialist police units formed to support peacekeeping operations.

 

INDEX

Training

 

The PSU is responsible for its own training at its main base at The Factory in the bay under the auspices of the PSU Training Group. Initial training concentrates on a mixture of physical fitness, elementary marksman and basic police procedures. However this progresses rapidly and aims to deliver a qualified Bronze Tac trooper following six months of training. Consequently much of the training is delivered in the killing houses that originally gave the Factory is name. Those entering the PSU to fill non-Tac roles usually complete only the elementary course.

 

Courses are run for the Silver and Gold teams by elements of the Training Group both for refresher purposes and to train Bronze Tac personnel to fill positions in the Silver and Gold teams. Movement into the Silver or Gold is generally done on merit and recommendation but is not always seen as a promotion. Most PSU members spend their entire careers, which average 10 years in the high pressure environment, in a Bronze Tac team. It is not uncommon for seriously injured Bronze Tac policemen to fill administrative or support positions in the PSU either temporarily, while they recover, or permanently.

 

Training in the PSU is innovative and demanding with many of the instructors writing their own training packages as new techniques and equipment are brought into service. For example the PSU was the leading agency in developing the Gundragon drone and the accompanying remote sniping techniques. The constant rotation from the frontline teams into the Training Group allows training to be as relevant as possible.

 

The PSU undertakes a vast array of bilateral training with other agencies, both military and law enforcement, across Wellon and Tirane. Due to its high tempo of operations it also hosts a number of exchange postings from other forces eager to tap into the PSU’s well of operational experience. It is an open secret that 25 SAS has two serving soldiers seconded to Gold Tac at all times. 

 

INDEX 

Personalities

 

Chief Inspector James Rai

 

Jimmy Rai is currently a shift commander at Silver HQ and one of the three key operational commanders of the PSU. Jimmy Rai is a member of one of the ‘Mountain Gurkha’ families that have long provided the backbone of the PSU. He is from the fourth generation of his family to serve with PSU and his son and daughter are already in the force. Jimmy Rai has come through the ranks of the PSMC, serving initially as a beat copper in District 2 and working his way up to Sergeant before transferring to the PSU. He has served in Bronze Tac but has spent most of his time at the Silver level and with a stint in Training Group.

 

Rai has an excellent reputation as an administrator, but is seen as quite an ambitious commander with rumoured interest in advancement in the main PSMC or even a career in politics outside of the police. Rai is married with three children and lives in a plush Peninsular townhouse. He is in his early forties and is a tall distinguished man who dresses conservatively.  

 

Inspector Alan Chang

 

Alan Chang is the commander of Bronze Tac 13 and a 23 year veteran of the PSU. Chang is a native Point Sterlinger of mixed Anglo-Cantonese descent who grew up in the rough Godolphin Plantation a sink estate on the west of the city facing the Bay ravaged by internecine Clan warfare. Chang was a bright pupil and obtained a scholarship to a public school on the Peninsular. Chang went onto study English at New Aston University in New Birmingham before returning to Point Sterling, and eventually joining the Wellon Army. Chang joined the Royal Wellon Military Police and served as an officer for seven years before applying to join the PSU.

 

Chang is now in his early 50s and approaching retirement but is still remarkably physically fit. In his time he has served across the PSU including in Gold Tac, on secondment to the RWC Tac Div and on exchange with the GIGD in Nouvelle Provence. Chang is currently on his third stint of command with a Bronze Tac, a job he loves, and is one of the key ‘Centurions’ as the 19 Tac commanders are known. The Centurions have great say in the running of the PSU, many local politicians and some members of the PSMC hierarchy believe they have too much power referring to them behind their backs as ‘Praetorians’.

 

Chang has been married twice, now to a woman 20 years his junior, and has three grown children from his first marriage. It is well known that one of Chang’s boyhood friends is the head of the Yellow Boy Clan, and that the two have had a running feud throughout their careers. Chang has a stocky build and iron grey hair but retains a charm and enthusiasm for the job which has made him a legend in the PSU.       

 

Constable Xavier Anderson

 

Xavier Anderson, 31 is a constable assigned to Gold Tac, and is in only his second year of service with the PSU. Anderson is from Victoria in West New Albion and had something of a wild childhood in that city’s Peel District. He joined the Army with an education deferment at 18 entering the Royal Victoria Rifles for three years until volunteering for service in the Wellon SAS at a relatively very young age and with whom he served until 27. Anderson then applied for the RWC Tactical Division but was rejected but later was accepted into the PSU where he was fast tracked into Gold Tac.

 

Anderson is a very fit, determined and intelligent man who has excellent tactical skills. However he is far from a natural policeman and his commanders have had to keep him on a tight reign at times. Anderson enjoys the good life and the bright lights of Point Sterling in his off-duty time. Anderson has been marked out by the San Yee On triad as a possible target for a ‘honey trap’ operation to give the triads a set of eyes inside the PSUs most capable unit. 

 

INDEX 

Uniform

 

On operations and in training the PSU wears either Mk.4 Police Armour or dark blue ballistic fatigues with ‘Police’ and ‘PSU’ markings prominent across the uniform. On other occasions the PSU wears standard PSMC fatigue and formal uniforms with small PSU markings.

 

INDEX 

Equipment

 

The PSU is an equipment heavy force reliant on its training and equipment to keep ahead of criminals on the streets of Point Sterling, and even so it often finds itself outgunned. On several occasions gangs have used armoured vehicles, usually reconditioned surplus military equipment, to conduct raids on high value targets in the city. For these occasions the PSU retains some heavy weapons in its armouries but does not routinely deploy them on the streets.

 

Grafton Arms

 

Grafton Arms AR-98 Gauss Assault Rifle

 

The AR-98 is the standard assault rifle in use with the PSU. It fires the ESA flechette but is designed to fire non-lethal munitions from the grenade launcher such as riot gas, electroshock, baton, buckshot and other rounds in addition to standard rifle grenades. The AR-98 was developed by Grafton from the mechanism of the in-service Enfield L142 specifically for the RWC Tac Div and has been adopted by the PSU amongst other forces. It is slightly shorter and more ergonomically friendly than the Enfield and is well regarded in paramilitary service and has been adopted by 25 SAS special projects teams.  

 

Type: 4.5 mm Gauss Rifle with grenade launcher.
Country: Britain
Weight: 4.1 kg (unloaded)
Length: 61cm ( Bulk = 2)
Action: Single Shots or Bursts
Ammunition: 4.5x20mm flechette
Muzzle Velocity: 1750mps
Magazine: 50 rnd box magazine with integral power cell
Magazine Weight: 0.3 kg
ROF: 5
Aimed Fire Range: 900m
Area Fire Burst: 10 (AFV = 1)
Area Fire Range: 460m
DP Value: 0.7
Price: Lv 650 (Lv2 per disposable magazine)

 

Grafton Arms SR-96 Gauss Sniper Rifle

 

The SR-96 is the standard issue sniper rifle in use with Silver and Gold Tac snipers. As usual snipers operate in pairs, with one SR-96 and one AR-98.

 

Type: 9mm Gauss Sniper Rifle

Country:  Wellon, Weight (Empty): 6.5 kg

Length: 94 cm (Bulk = 3)

Action:  Single Shot

Ammunition: 9x27mm Flechette

Muzzle Velocity: 1000 mps (low power), 1400 mps (high power)

Magazine: 20 round box magazine, with seperately loaded power cell adequate for 20 low-power rounds or 10 high power rounds

Magazine Weight: 0.4 kg

Power Cell Weight: 0.5 kg

ROF: 1

Aimed Fire Range:  1100 meters (low power)

1400 meters (high power)

DP Value: 1.3 (low power), 2 (high power)

Price: Lv550 (Lv2 for 20 round magazine, Lv2 for power cell).

 

CPMI Falcon

 

The Falcon with APHE ammunition has been adopted as the standard sidearm for Bronze Tac teams, having more than adequate stopping power against criminals wearing body armour. This pistol is manufactured locally under license.

 

Type: 11.43mm semi-automatic handgun

Country:  Confederation of Palestine/Wellon

Weight (Empty): 1.75kg (1.95 with LAM)

Length: 34 cm (Bulk = 0)

Action: Single Shot

Ammunition: 11.43 x 28mm fixed cartridge ball or APHE

Muzzle Velocity: 550 mps

Magazine: 10 round box

Magazine Weight: 0.25 kg

ROF: 3

Aimed Fire Range: 80m

Area Fire Burst: 3 rounds (AFV = 0.25)

Area Fire Range: 40m

DP Value: 0.7 (ball ammunition), 0.9 (APHE)

Price: Lv400 (Lv4 for box of 100 rounds ball ammunition, Lv8 for 100 rounds APHE)

 

Tactical Armoured Police System-2

 

TAPS-2 is the current tactical armour system used by the PSU, replacing the old TAPS-1 system in the last five years. TAPS-2 consists of a set of Mituboshi-Tirane Mk.4 rigid body armour and helmet combined with the Black Arrow Tactical Police System. The Mk.4 system is a full body high threat armour system designed for short duration use. It is equipped with an over-armour equipment vest and climbing harness.  

 

AV: Head 2, All other: 1

Weight: 24kg

Cost: Lv5000

 

The Black Arrow Tactical Police System is a paramilitary version of its military TISS-4F system.

The TPS is a group of independent systems carried by the policeman that network together to integrate communications, sensors and navigation elements to enhance the policeman’s ability to operate in a high threat environment. (When using the integral weapons computer, HUD and weapon mounted optics this gives the user a +2 bonus). The PSU issue TPS-III includes the following elements integrated into the TPA system:

 

Weapon’s Computer (on Weapon and helmet)
Helmet mounted optics, antenna and HUD.
Short Range Encrypted Radio (linked into PSMC rebro system for citywide coverage).
Electronic Support Measures
IFF
Central Computer

Navigation
Datapad/Display

 

Weight: 1.5kg
Cost: Lv2250

 

Mitsuboshi Jikishidan – Police Walker Unit Mk.2

 

The Jikishidan is a pod style walker developed as a follow on for the Japanese Type-1 and -2 CWs, however the ultimate contract went to a more conventional design which became the Type-3. Mitsuboshi received permission to market its design overseas and attracted a large order from the Brazilians to license build the Jikishidan as then new Brazilian support walker. The first CWs were delivered in the early 2290s. Further export orders followed and many were procured by the Japanese police, the PSU procured 120 from the Amaterasu production line from 2297 onwards as the PW.2.

 

The PWU.2 has a chin mounted sonic stunner, water cannon and a hardpoint for more lethal pod mounted weapon, of which a heavy barrelled version of the AR-98 is most common. The PWU.2s are popular in PSU service although thought is being give to procuring a more humanoid design, possibly a variant of the Bowman-D for support of Gold Tac   

 

Country: Japan/Brazil
Weight: 465kg
Crawl: Not allowed Walk: 20m Trot: 30m Run: 60m
Power: Internal Rechargeable Batteries
Endurance: 24 hours (at walk, trot drains 2x faster, running 3x faster)
RF Bonus: +3

Initiative Penalty: -2
Armament: 1x High Energy Sonic Stunner, 1 x water cannon with 30 seconds of water. External racks for 1 x trainable weapons pod.
Signature
: 1
Protection: All, AV=12
Sensors: 10km (+2)
Est. Cost: Lv45,000

 

New Albion Supermarine Super Wyvern

 

The Super Wyvern is a New Albion Supermarine derivation of the VY Wyvern, itself a variant of the classic French Dragon tiltrotor. The NAS Super Wyvern is a lengthened Wyvern fitted with uprated Rolls-Royce engines. The result is a large but nimble aircraft capable of lifting significant loads. The PSU Super Wyverns have a modified loading bay with large powered side doors as well as tail ramp and a modular cargo system. They are capable of carrying six police walkers, enabling two Super Wyverns to move a complete walker trinity. The Super Wyverns are used most frequently for flying in Silver Tac teams. 

 

Type: Tilt-Rotor Utility Light Transport
Crew: Pilot, Co-pilot, Loadmaster
Weight: 10000kg
Armour: All faces 1
Armament: two missile hard points, can carry door/ramp guns
Evasion: 15
Sensor Range: 100km
Signature: +1
Max Speed: 640 kph
Cruising Speed: 520 kph
Combat Movement: 1200m
Endurance: 3 Hours
Price: Lv400,000

 

DeHavilland Wellon Hornet

 

The DHW Hornet is the standard Royal Wellon Navy light tiltrotor, and has been in use with the PSU for over ten years. They are used for liaison, surveillance and transport duties. In the later role external benches can be fitted allowing 6 policemen to be transported. The Hornet’s superb agility allows it to get into places the Super Wyverns simply can’t reach, a capability often exploited by Gold Tac teams amongst others.

 

Type: Tilt-Rotor Utility Light Transport
Crew: Pilot + 4 passengers
Weight: 4000kg
Armour: All faces 0.5
Armament: two weapon hard points/external benches
Evasion: 14
Sensor Range: 100km
Signature: +1
Max Speed: 700 kph
Cruising Speed: 600 kph
Combat Movement: 1500m
Endurance: 4 Hours
Price: Lv40,000

 

INDEX

Role Playing

 

Becoming a member of the PSU requires a previous term in either a Law Enforcement or Ground Military career and a test against determination. The PCs can be of almost any nationality but will have to obtain permanent residence in Wellon and be willing to travel there at their own expense for selection. Training gives the following skills. 

 

Initial Skills: Sidearm-2, Combat Rifleman-3, Melee-2, Ground Vehicle-1, Information Gathering-1, Stealth-1, Tactics-2

Primary Skills: Combat Skills, General Skills, Intellectual Skills, Stealth

Related Skills: Vehicle Skills

 

A career in the PSU is not for the faint hearted. The pay is good but action is fierce and many PSU members suffer burnout, serious injury and PTSD is not uncommon. As a result ex-PSU can be found in many places filling similar but less demanding roles.

 

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Acknowledgements

 

The SR-97 and CPMI Flacon is by James Boschma. The Misuboshi zaibatsu is by Edward Lipsett.

 

INDEX

Narrative

 

Silver HQ - “Roger that Bronze 23. We have fire and ambulance on the way on Expressway 1 on priority. Be aware Silver 21 elements are being withdrawn now. Copy Bronze 23 and Silver 21”

Bronze 23 – “Copy.”

Silver 21 – “Negative I still have a PWU team in the cordon. Should have them clear in figures One Zero, copy.”

Silver HQ – “Copy Silver 21, as fast as you can. Out to you. Bronze 21 what is your situation?”

Bronze 21 – “Read the board Control. Have one trinity in contact with gunmen at far end of the Truscott Plantation. We have high velocity incoming and are engaging. Looks like a local gang dispute getting seriously out of hand. We need those PWUs to overawe them or otherwise it’ll get really nasty, my boys think they have inflicted at least two fatal casualties already. That should all be in the feed.”

Bronze 25 – “Control, Bronze 25. I have a trinity mobile figures Zero Five from Bronze 21’s contact if you need them.”

Silver HQ – “Copy Bronze 25, stop trawling for business. Bronze 21 those PWUs should be with you in figures 15, am standing up Silver 30’s PWUs but they’ll be figures three zero minimum.”

Bronze 24 – “Control Bronze 24, am getting a bit concerned that the contact at Truscott could spill south under the X3. That’s only a klick away from the main routes out of the Stadium here and we’re nearing full-time and the Pirates are 2-3 down. Hate for 100 000 pissed off fans and twenty gunmen to get mixed up. We really need a cordon.”

Silver HQ – “Roger that, see the problem. Bringing down the En Tee Em for 3PSGs lead company as well. Bronze 21 can you cordon the routes through Expressway 3 with one of your trinities? Silver 20 can you get a pair of Snapdragons to these positions?”

Silver 20 – “Roger. Callsign Silver 24 standing up. In location figures seven.”

Bronze 21 – “Roger but it’ll take a while to get through there without driving the gunmen, we’d need priority clear on the routes.”

Bronze 25 – “Still have that trinity if you need it.”

Silver HQ – “Copy Bronze 21 make it happen. Bronze 25 stay clear.”

Gold HQ – “Silver Control. Have a report of an armed robbery in progress on Jutland Lane, we have officers down.”

Silver HQ – “Copy Gold. Bronze 25, it’s your lucky day.”

 

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27/12/06

Copyright 2006, D Hebditch