Air Force Ground Troops
Also known as Paratroopers.
The IPC has many natural barriers in its vast borders, which include mountains, deserts, rivers, and even the sea itself. While they do cause problems for invaders, defender mobility is also hampered. As part of the IPC's mobile defense strategy, the IPCAF got four divisions of paratroopers, tough crack troops capable of dropping directly into the frontlines to bolster friendly troops.
Squad Composition[]
- Squad Leader
- Marksman
- Trooper
- Trooper
Sensory[]
Eyes and ears, assisted by electronics. Their helmets have a HMD that provides them with battle data, and a small tactical map displaying friendlies and known hostiles. A North Star “北斗星” friendly-tracker is standard.
Upgrades[]
None.
Armament[]
Type 201 (2)[]
The Type 201 is a compact PDW built by Howa that fires 5.2mm x 20mm AP rounds. It is laid out similar to an MP5K, but fires armor-piercing ammunition, giving it more stopping fire. Air Force Ground Troops commonly fit their Type 201s with 40-round magazines and 1.5x magnification sights.
Type 402 (2)[]
To lay down accurate lead on targets in the heat of battle, the Type 402 is a high-quality (translation: built in Japan or Singapore) three-round-burst 8mm x 50mm bullpup rifle, much like the AUG. Equipped with a potent 3x to 12x magnification optical telescope, the weapon is able to lay down rounds accurately on targets over 500m away. Equips the Marksman and Squad Leader.
Field Defenses[]
The following are field defenses that AFGT are able to construct on their own.
- Dugout Foxhole—a small 1.5m deep cross-shaped pit complete with a grenade sump to minimize frag damage. Commonly referred to as the “Lineman grave.” Has enough space to squeeze in a single 6-man squad of infantry. Can be upgraded to obtain camouflage netting, timber/ steel reinforcement, or even a Type 501 machine gun, complete with ammunition and crew.
- Cobra Mine—the Cobra mine is an off-route mine. The mine is broken into three main parts: the stand, the rocket (and launch tube), and the targeting suite. The device uses an acoustic sensor to detect the approach of a suitable target (vehicle) and activates the passive IR and laser sensors. When the target enters the mine's effective range of fire, it fires two Type 702 RPGs, one of which has the standard supra-caliber 130mm tandem-HEAT warhead—deadly against tanks, while the other gets the 60mm HV-HE warhead—deadly against helicopters. The mine is fully programmable, able to select a specific target in a convoy of vehicles, and has a programmable self-destruct time of between 3 hours and 720 hours.
Upgrades[]
Type 702[]
The disposable infantry anti-tank weapon of the IPC, the Type 702 retains the same 60mm tube (albeit much thinner and lighter, not designed to survive the launch of a second rocket) and the same 130mm supra-caliber tandem-HEAT warhead. Able to penetrate 750mm of RHA after ERA, it is a potent weapon against armor in a pinch. Each operative carries two folding-tube Type 702s.
HEPF 130mm[]
Against clumps of infantry, nothing is better than artillery. With Type 702 RPGs loaded with High-Explosive Proximity Fragmentation warheads, Air Force Ground Troopers can serve as direct-fire pocket artillery. Deadly against any soft target in the open.
Protection[]
Air Force Ground Troopers get the Iron Skin I ballistic suit, complete with armor inserts, allowing it to stop rifle rounds. Their helmets are not only equipped with high-tech toys, but also get Kevlar, Ceramic, and metal plating, allowing it to stop 7.62mm x 51mm rounds. The visor is hardened against 7.62mm rounds as well. Paratroopers also have NBC protection. Fieldcraft is commonly used to ambush enemy vehicles.
Upgrades[]
Personal EW Platform[]
Guided weapons suck, and they're commonplace in the modern-day battlefield. To remedy the widespread usage of E/O guided weaponry, Air Force Ground Troopers can obtain vest-mounted radar jammers, a helmet-mounted hemispherical infrared threat detection suite, and handheld IR/ Laser dazzlers. Helps stop guided weaponry from finding their mark.
Mobility[]
Air Force Ground Troopers march on their feet. Due to their 25-kilo packs, they normally get mechanization, but when it's not available, they are capable of marching for kilometers on end.
Paratroopers are, as their name implies, paradrop-capable. Fast-roping is fine, too.
Upgrades[]
HAL-M[]
The Japanese HAL suit, demonstrated and commercially available before the GNC, now in its “M” military-grade form. While it still requires 20 minutes of muscle calibration to allow the wearer to properly make use of it, it is now hardened against the elements, and has a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery block to power the whole thing for 4 hours. Vastly improves mobility.