While not the largest mercenary force employed by Ishpeming, the Iron River Rangers are one of the most unique. They have the largest number of psychic personnel per capita than any other major
company employed by Northern Gun. While not as large or varied as the Coalition’s Psi-Bat, this group specializes in hunting and neutralizing the supernatural. As a result, their powerful psychics are
supported by high levels of augmented troops - especially heavy cyborgs.
From their headquarters in Iron River, the Rangers patrol along a fifty-mile stretch of the Ishpeming Border, and often extend their patrols into the old State of Wisconsin. The Rangers’ "Monster Masher" squads are legendary through the Upper Peninsula and beyond. When a small kingdom has trouble with a nasty group of demons or a particularly persistent predator, they will often look for a squad of Rangers to assist with the extermination.
Since their inception in 104 P.A., the Iron River Rangers have been commanded by Ray Carter, an 8th Level former CS Ranger and Major Psionic. Carter hates the supernatural and is practically obsessed with wiping them out. But working on the fringes of CS territory as a Ranger and now as a mercenary leader, he has changed his opinion on D-Bees, and his company even employs a handful of them. The only reason Carter left the Coalition after he served his tour was the IC registration; he opposed it and felt it questioned his loyalty. Insulted, he left the CS and has since had the coding surgically removed. Carter is a masterful recruiter of psychics, especially former CS ones, and has also managed to draw in some feral and freeborn dog boys to be a part of his team.
Iron River Rangers Mercenary Company
B. Outfits: Specialty Clothing, 20 points
C. Equipment: High-Tech Augmentation, 40 points; Electronic Supplies & Good Gear, 5 points; Medical Equipment, 10 points
D. Vehicles: Combat Cars, 20 points
E. Weapons: Advanced Weaponry, 20 points F. Communications: Full Range System, 25 points G. Security: Tight, 10 points
H. Permanent Base: Headquarters, 10 points
I. Intelligence Resources: Scout Detachment, 5 points; Special Military Operatives, 10 points; Psionic Operatives, 20 points; D-Bee Specialists, 20 points
J. Special Budget: Large Loans, 25 points
K. General Alignment of Personnel: Anarchist and Unprincipled, 4 points L. Criminal Activity: Psychic Enforcer, 15 points
M. Reputation: Known, 10 points N. Salary: Excellent Salary, 20 points Total Points: 259
Size & Orientation: Large Company Unit Breakdown
The Iron River Rangers have 660 combat personnel, organized as a battalion of four companies (160 personnel each) with two attached special operations squads (10 personnel each). Most unit actions happen at the squad level (sometimes at platoon level), as the company is mainly engaged in border and wilderness patrols. Small units are sent out to make sure no supernatural threats are crossing from Minnesota and Wisconsin into Ishpeming. Each squad carries considerable firepower in the form of heavy cyborgs that support the sensitive psychics who assist with tracking the supernatural.
All four companies have similar make-ups: 30% Full Conversion Cyborgs
20% Headhunters (with partial cybernetic conversion) 15% Psi-stalkers (Wild & Mercenary)
10% Juicers (Mainly Standard and Juicer Scouts, although there are a few Delphi Juicers) 6% Tirrvol Sword Fist D-Bees
5% Wilderness Scouts 5% Mutant Animals 5% Other D-Bees
3% Minor & Major Psychics (mainly Man-at-Arms O.C.C.s with Sensitive Psionic Powers) 2% Master Psychics (Mainly Mind Melters, Nega-Psychics & Psi-Nullifiers)
A typical Rangers squad of ten will consist of: 3 Headhunters
2 Full Conversion Cyborgs (With Heavy Weapons) 1or 2 Psi-Stalkers
1 Juicer
1or 2 Wilderness Scouts or Mutant Animal 1 Major or Master Psychic
Standard Equipment
Standard equipment is Bushman Composite Armor for foot soldiers and partial conversion borgs. Psychics will wear lighter Huntsman Armor and full conversion Borgs will wear Standard Cyborg Infantry Armor. Standard issue weapons are the NG-33 Laser Pistol and NG-L5 Laser Rifle. One in five
personnel (usually Cyborgs) will carry a heavy energy weapon such as an NG-E6 Plasma Ejector, NG- P7 Particle Beam Rifle, or NG-202 Rail Gun.
Special Operations Squads
The Stalkers. The Stalkers are a psychic specialist squad lead by Leo Atkinson, a 7th Level Mind Melter (Psychic Enforcer). The squad consists of 3 Psi-Stalkers 2 Psi-Slayers, 1 Psi-Ghost, 1 Psi- Nullifier, 1 Burster and an evil Mind Bleeder. These psychics specialize in stealth, stalking, and espionage. Although their main target is the hated Simvan, they are also used for interrogations, kidnappings and intelligence gathering missions. Ishpeming regularly employs this powerful band of mentalists for a variety of industrial espionage and bounty hunting missions.
The Osprey. The second special operations squad specializes in aerial tactics and power armor combat; the Osprey act as air support for the company. The squad is led by Owen Harding, a 6th Level former RPA Elite who served with Ray Carter in the CS Army. The unit also has 3 Phaeton juicers and 6 RPA Elite equivalent O.C.C.s, all of whom are known for their trick flying and piloting skill.
Tirrvol Sword Fist Platoon
One of the first victims of the marauding Taraxic Simvan tribe was a small clan of Tirrvol Sword First D-Bees who had made their home in northwestern Wisconsin. The survivors were being pursued by the mounted monster riders when they were saved by Ray Carter and his Iron River Rangers. Despite his Coalition upbringing Carter was impressed by the courage of the Sword Fists and helped to resettle them in Iron River; the Tirrvol now make up a large percentage of the D-Bee population. As a result of this kindness, the Tirrvol serve under Ray Carter’s command against supernatural threats, especially the Simvan.
Thanks to the good folks at Northern Gun, and some major credits from Ray Carter, most of these D- Bees have been augmented with cyber-armor and given modified hover cycles that can be operated with their prehensile toes. They ride through the borderlands defending Ishpeming towns, outposts, and citizens from supernatural creatures. So far, their noble actions have caused more then a few citizens to change their minds about D-Bees.