THE GUARDING TROOPERS

• Alpha Age: Established as executive unit during the journey aboard the Last Frontier.
• Beta Age: Operated as the executive arm of the Free State of Settlers.
• Great War: Functioned as the elite special forces of the Volunteer Army of Man (VAM).
• Disbanded: April 16, 2631, after the signing of the Peace Treaty.
• Successor: Federal Sheriff (established in 2632 under the Federal Confederation).

The Guarding Troopers were the central protective and enforcement force for the Exohumans during the Alpha and Beta Ages. Initially tasked with ensuring order aboard the Last Frontier, they evolved into the executive authority of the Free State of Settlers and later became the elite combat unit of the Volunteer Army of Man during the Great War. The disbanding of the Guarding Troopers marked the transition from the Free State to the Federal Confederation.

The Flaming Torch served as the official symbol of the Guarding Troopers throughout the Alpha and Beta Ages. Originally adopted aboard the Last Frontier, the emblem symbolized vigilance, duty, and the responsibility to safeguard human civilization during its long journey through interstellar space.

After the crash landing on VOI 700 D, the symbol acquired an additional meaning. Many settlers came to view the torch as a representation of humanity’s determination to preserve law, order, and civilization amidst the uncertainty of the frontier. As a result, the emblem became one of the most recognizable symbols of the Free State of Settlers.

The Flaming Torch appeared on:

• Patrol mantles and uniform insignia
• Station signs and official buildings
• Wanted notices and prisoner records
• Guarding Trooper vehicles and equipment
• Administrative documents issued by the organization

For many settlers, the sight of the torch symbol meant that the authority of the Free State was present, regardless of whether it appeared on a station wall, a patrol mantle, or the shoulder of a Guarding Trooper.

• Primary Mission: Protect passengers aboard the multigenerational starship Last Frontier from internal and external threats.
• Establishment: Comprised of 500 experienced police officers and soldiers who underwent continual recruitment and training to maintain strength.
• Infrastructure: Operated from the “p and f zone” (police and firefighter zone), which housed a prison wing for maintaining order among passengers.
• Significance: The Guarding Troopers ensured the safety and discipline necessary for the generational voyage, becoming a model of order in a confined and resource-limited environment.

After the Last Frontier’s crash, the Guarding Troopers were reorganized into a lean force of 250 personnel. Each trooper — drawn from former ship security and frontier volunteers — was intended to be issued a Laser Gun and Combat Knife. In practice, post-crash scarcity and the massive fires that destroyed much of the exohuman infrastructure forced a patchwork reality: issue sets were incomplete, batteries were rationed, and entire squads improvised gear from salvaged materials.

Governance & Command:

• General Trooper: Elected by secret ballot of all full-rank troopers every four years, the General set strategic priorities, oversaw training and discipline, and reported directly to the Settler’s Council.
• Local Stations: Each settlement maintained a station under a Station Commander (appointed by the General), responsible for day-to-day law enforcement, detention cells, and weekly reporting back to Headquarters in New Kourou.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Law Enforcement: Patrol frontier rings, investigate crimes, adjudicate minor disputes on-site, and manage two holding cells per station.
• Judicial Support: Transfer accused offenders to their trials at the Settler's Council (according to the Criminal and Civil Codes), then transfer convicted offenders to the Central Prison in the Guarding Troopers Headquarters.
• Security Operations: Provide defense against raids and escort high-risk convoys.

Uniform, Look & Logistics (Beta Age Patchwork):

• Core Uniform: Guarding Troopers retained elements of the original Last Frontier Security Corps uniform, including dark utility shirts, reinforced duty trousers, utility belts, and patrol boots. Over the years, these components were repeatedly repaired, modified, and supplemented with locally produced replacements, resulting in a distinctly frontier appearance.
• Patrol Mantles: The most recognizable element of the Beta Age Guarding Trooper uniform was the patrol mantle worn over the standard security uniform. Originally introduced to protect troopers from rain, cold, dust, and prolonged patrol duty, the mantle evolved into the primary visual symbol of authority throughout the Free State. While designs varied between settlements, most mantles were dark grey, charcoal, or brown and displayed the torch insignia of the Guarding Troopers.
• Armor: Surviving polymer shoulder plates and protective inserts from the Last Frontier remained in service whenever available. Additional protection was often improvised from salvaged composites, industrial materials, or locally manufactured armor segments. Unlike military units, Guarding Troopers generally prioritized mobility and patrol comfort over heavy protection.
• Headgear: Troopers typically wore practical patrol caps or weather-resistant field hats adapted to local conditions. Cold-weather stations such as Firetown often issued insulated headgear, while tropical settlements favored lighter designs offering protection from rain and humidity.
• Insignia & Identification: The flaming torch remained the universal symbol of the Guarding Troopers and appeared on shoulder patches, mantles, station signage, official notices, prisoner records, and administrative documents. Rank markings varied over time but commonly consisted of stitched insignia, armbands, or reinforced cloth tabs attached to the mantle or uniform.
• Duty Equipment: Standard equipment included a Laser Gun, Combat Knife, restraints, and a field notebook used for witness statements, patrol reports, and prisoner documentation. Due to the limited availability of digital infrastructure, written records remained an essential part of daily law-enforcement work.
• Footwear: Heavy-duty patrol boots remained standard issue whenever possible. Damaged footwear was repaired extensively using locally available materials, making well-maintained boots a sign of personal discipline among many troopers.
• Regional Adaptations: Although all settlements shared the same organizational identity, local conditions shaped the appearance of individual stations. Morningstar troopers often wore waterproof mantles and additional rain protection, Firetown personnel favored insulated clothing and fur-lined collars, while New Kourou troopers generally maintained the most regulation-compliant appearance in the Free State.
• Logistics Reality: Equipment shortages remained a constant challenge. Replacement parts, batteries, optics, and weapon components were carefully rationed and refurbished whenever possible. Nonetheless, the Guarding Troopers maintained a higher degree of standardization than most civilian organizations, reflecting their role as the primary law-enforcement and security institution of the Free State.

Challenges

Operating across dense tropical forests, muddy frontier roads, mountainous terrain, and the frozen expanses of the Dark Side, the Guarding Troopers were expected to maintain order in an environment far harsher than anything envisioned by the original planners of the Last Frontier. Limited manpower, aging equipment, vast patrol areas, and the constant struggle for resources forced stations to rely heavily on local initiative and practical experience. These frontier-hardened conditions shaped a generation of troopers whose adaptability, resilience, and improvisational skill would prove indispensable during the Great War.

• Role in the Volunteer Army of Man (VAM): The Guarding Troopers became the elite unit of the VAM, tasked with high-risk operations behind enemy lines to disrupt the Native Tribes’ war effort.

• Burning of the Trando Cabins:
  • Mission: Set fire to 40% of the Trando tribe’s tree huts, resulting in over 800 civilian casualties.
  • Outcome: A demoralizing blow to the Trando but heavily criticized as a war crime.

• Assassination of the Honga Spiritual Leader:
  • Mission: Targeted elimination of the Honga tribe’s spiritual leader during their “Shai Zaong” celebrations.
  • Outcome: Successfully completed but further alienated anti-war factions among exohumans.

• Blasting of the Orlanda Fish Populations:
  • Mission: Starve the Orlanda tribe by destroying their primary food source in the Orlanda Swamps.
  • Outcome: Resulted in unintended civilian casualties (approximately 250) and the eventual execution of retreating soldiers by Orlanda warriors.

• Combat Drones: Autonomous aerial defense units originally developed for reconnaissance and perimeter security aboard the Last Frontier. Never made available to civilians, they were exclusively assigned to Guarding Troopers. In the Beta Age, these drones enhanced settlement security through terrain surveillance, facility patrols, and defense missions. Their battlefield performance during the Great War was pivotal in holding key positions against Native assaults. Combat Drones were decommissioned after the Peace Treaty.

• Guarding Bots: Specialized Service Bots designed to assist Guarding Troopers. Developed before departure from Earth, they were adapted for law enforcement through collaboration with the Troopers. Guarding Bots combined surveillance systems with enforcement functions, helping to monitor corridors, manage access points, and enforce order. After the crash, they supported security operations in the Free State's main buildings. Though officially banned in the Gamma Age, some Guarding Bots survived in hidden or unofficial use.

The Guarding Troopers utilized modern-age weaponry and advanced equipment that evolved alongside their roles — with significant variability in the Beta Age due to loss of stockpiles and battery scarcity after the crash fires.

Ranged Weapons

• Laser Guns (rationed in Beta Age):
  • Type: Advanced energy-based firearms
  • Damage: 2d10 energy
  • Range: Normal 120 m, Maximum 400 m
  • Properties: Battery-powered, up to 40 shots before recharging
  • Issue Reality: Prioritized for squad leaders and designated marksmen; line troopers often rotated packs or carried a single shared rifle on patrol.
• Salvage & Substitutes (Beta Age):
  • Improvised Coil-Carbines: Bench-wound coils and iron slugs; shorter range, unreliable in cold.
  • Harpoon/Line Launchers: Originally industrial; adapted for silent ambushes and climbing.
  • Flare/Bolt Casters: Low-power utility launchers pressed into defensive use.

Melee Weapons

• Guarding Troopers Stun Gun:
  • Type: Melee
  • Damage: 1d4 (stuns and paralyzes the opponent temporarily)
  • Properties: Battery-powered stun feature, ideal for close combat or riot control
  • Purpose: Standard for crowd suppression and non-lethal engagements; batteries shared in squads.
• Guarding Troopers Combat Knife:
  • Type: Melee
  • Damage: 1d6 slashing or piercing
  • Properties: Dual-use as a weapon and utility tool
  • Purpose: Essential for survival, stealth kills, or utility tasks in field operations.
• Improvised Tools (Beta Age): Hatchets, pry bars, and ceramic shards mounted as blades when supply lines failed.

Legal Drugs and Medicine

• ShockStop E-Boost
  • Format: 1 mL stab-pen
  • Primary Use: Cardiac-arrest bailout / anaphylaxis
  • Dose / On-Table Effect: Revives target to 1 HP; target gains one level of Exhaustion
  • Avg. Price: 75 Kourou
  • Note for DMs: Guarding Troopers carry two — stealing them invites official retaliation

• Post-War Trials: As a condition of the Peace Treaty, the Guarding Troopers were disbanded, and surviving members faced a Native court-martial. Many were convicted of war crimes, further tarnishing their legacy.
• Transition to the Federal Sheriff: The Federal Confederation replaced the Guarding Troopers with the Federal Sheriff, a more regulated and community-focused enforcement body.
• Legacy: Lauded by the Party of Individualists as defenders of humanity in its most perilous hour. Vilified by the Party of Communards and Natives for their ruthless tactics and wartime conduct.

• Combat Expertise: Guarding Troopers or former Guarding Troopers are highly skilled in ranged combat, leveraging their tactical knowledge.
• Patchwork Loadouts (Beta Age): Characters starting as Troopers roll once on a “Scarcity Table” (DMG) to swap one standard item for an improvised equivalent (narrative advantage on creative problem-solving; occasional disadvantage on maintenance checks).
• Morale Penalties: The brutal methods of active or former Guarding Troopers can lead to moral conflicts among player characters, especially when interacting with Native Tribes.

• Sabotage and Espionage: Send players alongside the Guarding Troopers to infiltrate Native strongholds, introducing moral dilemmas when civilian casualties are unavoidable.
• Supply-Scarcity Drama: Spotlight battery shortages, armor gaps, and improvised rigs; make logistics a strategic mini-game.

• War Crime Trials: Involve players in investigating or defending former Guarding Troopers during court-martials, navigating the tense post-war political landscape.
• Rebuilding Relationships: Task players with brokering peace between exohuman survivors and Native Tribes, leveraging or confronting the Guarding Troopers’ controversial legacy.

• Last Frontier
• Guarding Troopers Headquarters
• Volunteer Army of Man
• Great War
• Combat Drones
• Guarding Bots
• Laser Gun
• Guarding Troopers Stun Gun
• Guarding Troopers Combat Knife
• Beta Age
• Peace Treaty
• Anti-War Movement
• Federal Sheriff

Local Stations of the Guarding Troopers in the Free State of Settlers:

• Headquarters of the Guarding Troopers in New Kourou
• Local Guarding Troopers Station of Firetown
• Local Guarding Troopers Station of Hope
• Local Guarding Troopers Station of Morningstar
• Local Guarding Troopers Station of Arla Town

Guarding Troopers NPCs of the Alpha and Gamma Age:

• Jack Alders
• Tony Bergmann
• Thabo Forster
• Lucien Garcia
• Tamo Gonzalez
• Thomas Hartmann
• Haruto Miller