HL2 Faction Compendium: File 2 - Conscripts

Dudu Fadende

Proton
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Jan 17, 2019
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Nebulae
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I feel like it's kinda trash compared to the MPF entry. It's not as focused considering there's really no solid information about the conscripts to go off of in regards to functions or equipment. That and the fact that I put this together over the course of a few days because of how busy I've been lately and haven't had much time to focus as much effort into this entry as the MPF one. Anywho, let's give it a go.
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SUMMARY:
Conscripts are the backbone of Overwatch's military strength. Cobbled together from the remnants of Earth's military forces after the 7 Hour War, conscripts consist mainly of ex-veterans of varying levels of combat experience. Initially conscripts were the first military forces established on Earth. In the beginning they served the functions of policing duties, mainly enforcing martial law on the populace while the new Union government was established. At first the conscripts were difficult to control due to their experiences during the war, which prompted Overwatch to begin inserting loyalist officers into units of troops. Those who failed to obey an order would be executed on the spot. Needless to say, the conscript arm's efficiency increased exponentially after the introduction of the loyalists. Once the new administration was established and the Earth arms of Overwatch came into being, it was deemed that a downsizing of the conscript arm was necessary. Those who occupied senior NCO or officer positions before the war were "deserviced" so they would not be able to pose a threat later on down the line, and all leadership positions were handed over to the loyalist troops. Today the conscript arm consists mostly of citizens drafted off the street as a punishment for lesser crimes. Citizens who commit a major offense that does not warrant immediate execution or stalkerization are given the option to serve time for their offense or become part of a conscript unit. Considering the harsh conditions of Combine internment facilities, most choose the latter option. Higher-ranking MPF units that fail in their duties or commit multiple minor offenses are also sent to conscript units to serve as NCOs, which is a major contributing factor to the high rates of superior abuse within the ranks.
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FUNCTION:
Today the conscript arm is given the least desirable jobs that Overwatch must perform. Their duties include patrolling outland sectors, containing necrotic infestations, purging antlion nests, and basically being meatshields for the more important Overwatch units. Whereas the Transhuman arm is Overwatch's scalpel, the conscripts are more like a hammer. When facing off against resistance members, the conscripts are simply sent in without regard for tactics or preservation of manpower. They will take fortified positions through weight of numbers or overwhelming firepower. Generally in combat with anticitizens, they will employ tactics that would be expected of a conventional military force. Their job is to round up the enemy into a contained area and hold them there until the Transhumans can make a surgical strike to wipe them out. For the most part though, their mortal enemies are the occasional bullsquid or houndeye.
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ORGANIZATION:
Being structured like a typical military, conscript units are organized according to their function. You have your typical infantry, scout, armored and support units. More specialized units such as engineers, medics, etc are not included in the organization of conscripts, as their functions are considered too complex for operations conscripts might take part in. Conscript units do not have field medics, as it is deemed a waste of resources to try and preserve an easily-replaced expendable unit. All conscript infantry units are organized into motorized or mechanized units, as the extra mobility is required to patrol the large swaths of territory that comprise the outlands. Conscripts are never used within Earth's cities unless heavy urban pacification is required, therefore it is not necessary to keep light infantry units on hand. Scouts are without a doubt one of the most important units in the conscript arm, making use of fast light armored cars to quickly move from area to area while seeking out potential threats.
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VEHICLES:
The conscript arm makes use of a number of vehicles both of NATO and Russian origin. This is mainly due to the availability of resources in the region.
BRDM-2
A Russian-made armored car favored by scout battalions due to its high speed and survivability, as well as amphibious capabilities. It sports considerable firepower, being equipped with a 14.5 KPVT machinegun and 7.62x54mmR PKT coaxial gun.
Cadillac Gage Commando
US made counterpart to the BRDM-2, it is also boasts personnel carrier capabilities. Used by typical infantry units to transport troops and scout ahead for the main force. The variant used by the conscripts packs a turret armed with an M2 Browning .50 Cal machinegun and a 7.62x51 M-73 coax. Like the BRDM-2, the Gage also has amphibious capabilities.
BTR-80/80A
A Soviet designed, amphibious armored personnel carrier. Two variants are employed by the conscripts, the basic BTR-80 which features a KPVT and PKT, as well as the 82A variant which sports a 30mm chain gun and PKT coax.
T-72 and M-60 Patton
Soviet and American medium tanks. Tanks are extremely rare within the ranks of the conscripts, as the Union is (rightly) wary of granting them to a force comprised of troops whose loyalties are questionable at best. The more advanced main battle tanks such as the M1 Abrams and T-90 were dismantled, while the outdated lighter tanks such as the T-72 and Patton were retained for conscript use.
UH-1 Huey, CH-47 Chinook, Mi-8 Hip
Helicopters are also rare amongst conscripts, mainly being used for cargo transport purposes. Conscripts possess no attack or scout choppers, as aerial recon and close air support is handled exclusively by Airwatch.
WEAPONS:
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Handguns
Standard conscript handguns are the Beretta M9, Browning Hi Power, Makarov PM, and Colt M1911. The M9 and Hi Power, due to being NATO weapons, share the same 9x19mm parabellum round. The Makarov uses the Russian-developed 9x18mm cartridge and the M1911 the .45 ACP.
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Rifles
Multiple variants of the AR-15 and Kalashnikov platform are used by conscript forces. The availability of these weapons and the large number of countries that have adopted them make these rifles ideal for standard issue, as most conscripts with prior military experience will already be familiar with one of the two. The most common AR variants issued are the M16A2 and A4. The A4 variant is functionally the same as the A2, though it features a heavier free-floating barrel and an integrated picatinny rail system for attachments (though conscripts never get any fancy attachments, being cannon fodder and all). Both are chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and feature 3 round burst and semi-automatic firemodes. The weapon is generally low-recoil and is an ideal introductory rifle for those who have never used a firearm before. The most common Kalashnikov variant is the AK-74, which is chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge. The rifle is favored for its high reliability and ease of maintenance.
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Machineguns
The M60 and FN MAG are the standard machineguns of the conscript arm. Both fire the 7.62x51mm cartridge, making ammunition incredibly easy to come by for both weapons. Both are belt-fed, gas-operated fully automatic weapons that fire from the open bolt position. Due to the heavy weight of these machineguns, it is necessary to employ the use of a bipod or tripod for greater control. Due to the weight of the separate tripod, they are typically only employed when the machinegun is set up in a fixed position for some time. Otherwise, the bipod is preferred for its greater mobility.
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Precision Rifles
Conscript marksmen are issued either the M21 or M24 rifle. The M21 is a lightweight variant of the M14 battle rifle designed for marksmen, featuring a fiberglass body rather than the traditional hardwood. It is chambered for 7.62x51mm. The M24 is the military version of the bolt-action Remington 700 rifle, being chambered in 7.62x51mm rather than .30-06 like the R700.
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Shotguns
The Spas-12 and M37 Ithaca are the standard conscript shotguns. Being that the Spas-12 was covered in the previous entry I won't bore you with details here. The Ithaca meanwhile is a .12 gauge pump-action shotgun. It is unique in the fact that it can be used ambidextrously, as the spent shells eject from the feed port at the bottom of the weapon rather than out the side.
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M-72 LAW
Considering the nature of the enemies that the conscripts fight, it's likely that a rocket launcher will never be employed. In the rare event that say a concrete pillbox or enemy armored vehicle is encountered, the LAW is the go-to weapon for the conscripts. Lightweight and capable of penetrating 300mm/12in of armor, it is formidable against whatever anticitizens may be able to throw at the conscripts. Being non-reloadable, the tube is discarded after the round is fired so that the user no longer has the burden of an empty tube to carry around. Smart anti-citizens have been known to scavenge spent tubes and modify them to allow for re-use.
 
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