New Republic StarOps



The New Republic Starfighter Corps, also known as StarOps, is an entity of the New Republic Military tasked with and assosicated with all starfighter-related operations.

History
The New Republic Starfighter Corps became its own branch of the New Republic Military after the liberation of Coruscant and the formation of a New Republic. It is the most most versatile branch of the New Republic Military. Used for everything from escorts and patrols to full assaults against Imperial targets, the pilots of the fighter wings also have the highest mortality rate in the military.

Some veterans of the Starfighter Corps date back as early as having fought in the Battle Of Yavin IV. The Corps has been present at many engagements, having turned the tide of many Battles. It is known that elements of the Corps were present at the Third Battle of Sluis Van and many other battles, such as the Second Battle of Etti IV.

Recent Events
Through the Imperial Blitzkrieg of 14 ABY, the New Republic Starfighter Corps has remained a strong organization, with high morale, in spite of suffering heavy losses. It became a critical aspect of Operation Shado Kolpo, activated in 15 ABY when Coruscant was surrounded by the Empire. The mobility and effectiveness of the Starfighter Corps was almost single-handedly responsible for getting so many freighters through the blockades, and perhaps the only factor in keeping the event from being listed as a "stalemate", rather than yet another New Republic defeat.

Coming alongside both the New Republic Navy and Ground Forces, they played a critical support role during the Retribution of Coruscant. Starfighters assisted with air conflict over Coruscant, coordinated bombing runs with the New Republic Army, and provided close air support for the New Republic Marine Corps. In space, flocks of X-wings and A-wings engaged TIE Interceptors, while Y-wings and B-wings ran critical bombing runs on larger ships. Though a retreat was eventually ordered, those valiant pilots of the Starfighter Corps were a critical aspect of the battle, and were even responsible for the death of the Empire's Grand Admiral Danik Kreldin.

Structure


The Starfighter Corps is commanded by the Director of Starfighter Operations, and is broken up into Starfighter Squadrons consisting of twelve (12) starfighters each. Squadrons can be based on a planetary Ground Operations facility, a Naval Vessel, or even space stations and asteroid outposts.

All squadrons based on a Ground Operations facility or a Naval vessel fall under the command of the base or ship's Wing Commander, who also answers to the base's or ship's commanding officer as well as the Director of Starfighter Operations. Squadrons based on smaller facilities, such as asteroid-borne starfighter outposts, are often commanded in entirety by the Squadron Commander himself.

The Starfighter Corps is known for working closely along with the Navy and the Marine Corps and Army divisions of the Military. The lowest rank (excepting the rank of Flight Cadet) is Second Flight Officer, which is equivilant to a Navy 2nd Deck Officer or a Marine 2nd Combat Officer.

Starfighters Used By StarOps

 * T-65 X-wing starfighter - general purpose
 * BTL Y-wing starfighter/bomber - bombing runs, capital ship assault craft
 * RZ-1 A-wing interceptor - quick-strike interceptor, capital ship screen defense
 * B-wing assault fighter - capital ship assault craft
 * Z-95 Headhunter starfighter - training operations

Support
The Starfighter Corps' Support Personnel are an important side of the Corps that is often underappreciated. Every Squadron has a handful of personnel who assist in the maintenance of starfighters, organization of operations, and the health of the pilots. Each squadron has a pair of medics assigned to it. A Deck Officer orchestrates the deployment of starfighters during combat. In the hangar bays/landing pads, there are mechanics who refuel and reload fighters as well as perform repairs and maintenance checks. There are also flight assistants who help get pilots geared up for combat, direct traffic in and out of the landing zones, and perform maintenance on astromech droids. Strike Groups and Wings also have Support Personnel who help with command paperwork and tactical planning.

Deployment

 * Corps: 500,000 (230,000 Officers, 499,770 Enlisted) This is the entire Starfighter Corps. All six fleets worth of starfighters, and then ground bases, including those on asteroid posts.  The Corps is controlled by the Director of Starfighter Operations on Coruscant, General Wedge Antilles.
 * Wing: 10,000 (4,300 Officers, 5,700 Enlisted) This is an entire fleet's starfighter compliment. In the case of Marine installations, plantary wise, there may be more than two or three installations housing starfighters - This will be the planet's compliment. Typically, anywhere from ten to fifteen strike groups comprise a wing. Wings are controlled by flag officers of the line in Starfighter Operations, and are sometimes (but not usually) squadron commanders during battle engagements. The Wing Commander can take operational command in the field, however, should he deem it necessary. Wing Commanders report directly to the Head of the Starfighter Corps.




 * Strike Group: 300 (125 Officers, 175 Enlisted) This is an entire starship's starfighter compliment - anywhere from three to five squadrons make up a strike group. The case is also the same for Marine installations, where each base has a Strike Group of its own. Enlisted personnel are assigned by Strike Group - on their assignments, they are broken up into different groups to service the squadrons. Strike Group Commanders aren't as powerful as the Wing Commanders are. They report to the Wing Commander, and typically double in duties as a squadron commander. They rank either as Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel, sometimes even Major.
 * Squadron: 45 (20 officers, 25 Enlisted) This is a twelve-strong force of starfighters. The Squadron Commanders report to the Strike Group Commander. Ranks held by squadron commanders range from Major to Colonel. Captains are capable of holding the position if they have proven themselves capable.

Ranks

 * General: Grade 12 The top level in the Corps, this rank is only held by the Director of Starfighter Operations, and one or two other dignitary pilots or rebel heroes.
 * Major General: Grade 11 These men serve as Wing Commanders. They're the guys who run things upstairs and are direct aides to the Director of Starfighter Operations.
 * Brig. General: Grade 10 The Head Honchos on the flagships or on the command posts. Occasionally, they may be put in charge of an entire wing of pilots and support personnel. Other times, they may be appointed to serve as aides to the StarOps Director on Coruscant or to the higher ranking general in the field. More often appointed than earned, most men who hold this rank are ace pilots, have had their share of combat experience, and are top notch at what they do.
 * Colonel: Grade 9




 * Lieutenant Colonel: Grade 8
 * Major: Grade 7
 * Captain: Grade 6
 * 1st Lieutenant: Grade 5 First Lieutenants in the Starfighter Corps who are pilots are typically okay, and probably have a couple of combat sorties under their belts. They can be put in charge of their own flight within a squadron. Support personnel who hold this rank may be put in charge of their own obligations, such as Flight Surgeon, Logistics Officer, etc.
 * 2nd Lieutenant: Grade 4 These pilots are usually a notch better than the average Flight Officer. Not typically anything spectacular, they could be put in charge of their own flight within a squadron. Support personnel could be put in charge of their own detachment of enlisted personnel, and a couple of lower ranking officers.




 * Flight Officer: Grade 3 With the Second Flight Officers, these pilots make up the backbone of the Corps. Support personnel who hold this rank may be put in charge of small groups of Second Flight Officers in support of their assigned post.
 * 2nd Flight Officer: Grade 2 These are the greenest of the green. While they have trained to be combat pilots, and have the proficency, they are typically only part of the squadron formation. Support Personnel who hold this rank may be traffic operators for their specific post.
 * Flight Cadet: Grade 1 This is recruit level. Once you've finished training you will be promoted to 2nd Flight Officer. If you get busted down to here, something's wrong.

Uniforms
See New Republic StarOps Uniform for further information.

Recruiting
Joining the New Republic Starfighter Corps is no easy feat. Upon enlisting in the New Republic Military, a pilot is initiated into Basic Training for physical and mental training just like every other recruit out there. If one elects to join The Starfighter Corps after this training is completed, they are shipped to various training installations all over New Republic-controlled territory for their training in the various flying arts. After many months, they will have the basic concepts needed to fly any one of the following craft they choose to specialize in: The B-Wing, A-Wing, X-Wing, or Y-Wing. Afterwards, they will receive a squadron assignment, and be sent off to fight the war that looks as if it will never end. If one is lucky enough, one might even end up assigned to the 22nd Starfighter Wing.

OOC Information
While it may look like and sound like there are four different squadrons actually open, there aren't. There are only three squadrons that are IC and are accepting players, and those are Falcon Squadron, Ghost Squadron, and Dagger Squadron. We are not currently seeking to open up any new PC squadrons, so the other areas on the game have equal recruiting opportunities. You're given a choice of which one of these you'd like to fly in, unless the squadron is full or closed for any reason. It is also a requirement that you play an Officer upon joining the Corps - enlisted men don't pilot starfighters.

When it comes to which kind of ship will be your primary ride, please note the following: Ghost is an all X-Wing squadron. Falcons fly in A-Wings. Daggers are seated either in a Y-Wing or a B-Wing. If you are dead-set on a particular craft and that craft's squadron is closed, you will have to choose between waiting or the other craft. Please note, however, that just because your chosen squadron primarily flies one particular kind of ship, that doesn't mean that's all you'd ever fly. Mission profiles may require you to fly them in other kinds of ships, just like in the video games.

Once you've chosen your squadron, you will begin as a Flight Cadet and work your way up from there, with the assumption you have gone through basic Officer's Training and Flight Training - You'll likely learn to fly another type of ship after you receive your squadron assignment. Promotions and awards are ICly competitive, meaning you'll have to work for them in the IC sense in order to attain them. We're all a friendly bunch of people, eager and willing to allow new players into the circle of RP that is unique to StarOps.



It is highly recommended that you play a character that is able to get at least 6D in Starfighter Piloting and in Starship Gunnery, and 4D+2 in Shield Operation. Humans and Near-Humans are most common, but other races are also welcome.

Callsigns
Callsigns are nicknames often given to pilots, much like in the movie Top Gun or TV's Battlestar Galactica. In regular usage on-game, they are given to a pilot for a particular reason (either good or bad) and are typically like comic book codenames... they're short and sweet and often very much to the point. Each StarOps pilot is OOCly permitted to come up with the callsign they'd like their character to have, and often, a new pilot's first directed TP will involve the earning of that callsign. This will allow pilots to 'join the club' without having to wait months and months to earn one accidentally through RP. It also allows the pilot the OOC choice of the given callsign.

When joining StarOps, a new pilot should @mail the BranchHead with their preferred callsign. The BH has veto rights over a chosen callsign if it's already in use or would violate game policy or makes no IC sense (i.e. +5 Pilot o' Doom wouldn't make any IC sense).

Please bear in mind that for the most part, callsigns aren't used outside of pilots-to-pilots. A squadron's tech chief will not refer to a pilot by his or her callsign, and it's very rare for the Reprisal's command staff to use one over the comms. Fleet personnel will refer to a pilot by their ship-name (Ghost Leader or Dagger 5, not Phoenix or Vape, for example).

Once a callsign is OOCly approved, the ABH will help the pilot through the directed TP to earn the callsign, but it will require the pilot to be active and to work toward the conclusion of the plot. There's no set time for the earning of such a callsign, so if a pilot wants to wait awhile before getting one, that's fine. However, it's recommended that a pilot doesn't acquire it the second they get out of chargen. It can be something fun to RP with the rest of one's squadron and helps tightens the bonds of IC.

Idle Policy
We're a very competitive, very active branch of the New Republic Military. Pilot slots are highly competitive, and as such, a standard of activity is expected if you are a pilot. If you become two weeks idle (14 days without disconnecting and maintaining an activity time of more than five minutes of activity) without prior notification to Stone or Kyrin, you will be transferred to an NPC squadron so that the slot you occupy may become open.

RL Happens. If you're unable to get word to us and are going to be gone for a while, be ready to explain your absence when you return. After a short period of monitoring for activity, you will be allowed to re-join the active squadrons in an available slot.

Contacts
If you have any questions, please contact the StarOps BH, Kyrin on the MUSH via @mail or page.


 * Wedge Antilles is the Director of Starfighter Operations (unplayed character)
 * Kyrin Sh'vani is the Starfighter Operations Branch Head
 * David Stone is the NR Military Org Head

Squadron links

 * Ghost Squadron
 * Falcon Squadron
 * Dagger Squadron