Just the germ of an idea I'm toying around with with regards to creating my "army" for games of Tomorrow's War and Laserburn. Nothing in the TOA is set in Stone yet, but I'm working on it.
Following the act of Euro-Succession (2287AD), the newly Euro-independent small nation of Scotland successfully sought -and obtained- legal possession of 15 formerly European colonies on a total of six worlds (including three moons). Each of the colonies in question possessed overwhelmingly Scottish populations. However, in order to ease (seemingly groundless) European concerns regarding unrest and social disorder in other Euro colonies with large Scottish populations -disorder that was sure to result in Scottish military intervention- the treaty enforced strict restrictions on Scotland's extra-territorial (meaning extra-solar) military capabilities.
In short, Scotland was barred from stationing permanent military forces off-world, while being permitted to station small numbers of armed "law-enforcement" personell on her colonies to maintain order. While the specific wording of the treaty precluded these law-enforcement personnel from carrying arms except for "police purposes" some creative interpretation of these laws allowed Scotland to field what essentially mounts to a para-military police force in defence of it's colonies.
In accordance with the treaty, Colonial Police personnel do not wear military uniform (interpreted by Scotland to mean "camouflage"), nor do they use military ranks or a military organisational structure.
However, arguing that law-enforcement personnel on distant colonies must be able to respond to almost any imaginable situation, Colonial Police (or CP) constables can and do wear body armour and make use of both armoured vehicles and hi-tech weaponry (Main Battle tanks, however, were specifically excluded under the terms of the treaty).
The Colonial Police Force, headed by it's own Chief Constable and answerable directly to the Queen and First Minister, is comprised of 15 divisions, one for each colony. Each Division is commanded by an Assistant Chief Constable. Though not Divisions in the military sense, each CP Division is a self-sufficient unit capable of conducting a spirited, mobile defence of their colony while awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from Sol. Although the strength of each Division varies greatly, each is comprised of a number of Sub-Divisions commanded by a Chief Superintendent and his second in command, a Superintendent. Each Sub-Division is further divided into a number of Stations, each led by a Chief Inspector assisted by an Inspector. Almost without exception, this "Inspector" is a fully trained military officer on "extended leave" from the Scottish Defence Force. Technically responsible for "Personnel" and "Training"; the Inspector is actually the officer who takes de facto command of the Station in the event of a military incident.
While the number of Stations in each Sub-Division varies considerably -as does the number of Sub-Divisions within a Division- each Station has an identical table of organisation and equipment roughly analogous to a reinforced mechanised infantry platoon. It is this structure which is outlined below.
Terminus Omega Spaceport Station, Alpha Sub-Division:
HQ:
1 x Chief Inspector.
1 x "Inspector"
1 x Driver/Bodyguard
1x Police Casualty Surgeon.
Community Policing Teams:
Most CP costables assigned to the station belong in this role. A typical shift consists of 1 Sargent assisted by two "old-in-service" constables with considerable experience. The balance of the shift consists of constables described as "young-in-service" -having between two and ten years service- and probationers with less than two years service. In peace-time the on-duty shift typically patrol in pairs, armed only with hand-guns and concealable armour vests and crewing one of the station's six Pandas. However, every Constable keeps his Personal Weapon and body-armour in his Panda's Storage Bay. When an arrest is made, the Constables call for the Support Unit to attend with the Cell Van (or "Boogy-Bus") to collect the apprehended persons.
1x Police Sargent with Personal Weapon
2x Constables with SAW
2x Constables with LAW
6x Constables with Personal Weapon
Note: The Sgt normally forms a support fire team by selecting either the SAW or LAW gunners to accompany him. Two senior constables then form 2 four-man fire teams from the remaining eight constables.
As Alpha
As Alpha
As Alpha
Support Unit:
Support unit personnel are normally older constables with between ten and twenty years service. During peace-time operations they act as a reserve shift for the purposes of responding to major incidents such as bar-fights, drug-busts or searching for missing persons. Two Support Unit personnel man the "Q" or "Quick Response" car to assist any Community Policing car that requires back-up or to take the lead in any difficult incidents that require the attendance of more experienced constables.
- Echo Shift: 4x 2-man Mortar Teams + 1 Sgt
- Fox Shift: 4x 2 man HMG Teams +1 Sgt
- Golf Shift: 4x 2 man Anti-Tank Teams + 1 Sgt
Motor Pool:
During peace-time, all vehicle crews are drawn from the Community
Policing and Support Unit shifts on duty. In war-time, part-time
volunteer Constables known as Special Constables (or "Specials") crew
the motor-pools vehicles. Many of these Specials are themselves retired
military or colonial police personnel.
- 1x Armoured/Unarmed Cell Van ("Boogy Bus"): 1x Crew. Carries up to 14 constables. Unarmed
- 1x Unarmed.Hovercraft: 2 Crew. Carries up to 4 constables.
- 1x Command APC: 2x Crew . Up to 11 Constables.
- 6x APC's: 2x Crew. Carries up to 12 Constables.
- 6 x Unarmoured/Unarmed Patrol Cars ("Pandas"). Carry two Constables drawn from CP or Support shifts.
- 1x Q-Car (Rapid Response/Scout Car) 2x senior ("old-in-service") Constables usually drawn from the Support Unit.
