Standard Combat Unit Lifecycle

Despite the introduction of numerous new combat units in Black Faction the Standard Combat Unit remains the instrument of force projection for the company.

The Introduction of New Combat Units is to simplify & standardise the application of Standard Combat Units. 

The role of hard, small to large force combat, asset capture (including Azologoth) fall exclusively with the Standard Combat Unit.

Pre Selection & Entry Standards (Current Era)

Candidates are recruited from the general population from all economic zones. 

Candidates express their interest voluntarily & download the entry app.

The entry app gives the candidate multiple choice psychometric questionnaires. The candidate must pass with a successful score atleast 3 times before recruitment info is unlocked. 

The average number of times attempting prior to app unlocking is between 8 to 11 attempts. This helps weed out women who are impatient or not hungry to pursuit the position.

The first piece of recruitment info is given to the candidate. Daily Pay 3000CR, 4 year locked contract, total service payout between 4,000,000 & 4,500,000.

This step is crucial in influencing the decisions made going forward. The candidate can justify the steps with the rational that she would never make this sort of money in her whole life working regular jobs.

The candidate is then given a physical test. Using GPS a route is mapped through her local area to pursuit a run. If she lives on one of the Megalopolis Cities she can perform the test on a tread mill. In short she must run 2 kilometres in under 11 minutes 30 seconds. 

If she passes the physical she is then moved onto the test week. If she does not pass it the app can delegate a fitness regime to get her to the standard. She has a maximum of 8 weeks to achieve the standard. 

Test week involves the app commanding the unit what to do for an entire week. The tasks must be passed or the week begins again. The candidate must pass the test week otherwise she will be black listed for 1 year. 

Around 30 tasks are given throughout the day. They range from runs to random destinations, multiple choice questions, "games' that simulate shooting through the personal device. The candidate must answer and talk to the app as though it is a person. She must use the correct language. Real tests begin with static hold tests and the "hold your breath" test. 

Once test week is complete the candidate is issued an airline ticket to New Santiago in the South American economic Zone. From there she will board a transport to Mallera-9 for training. 

Training

The candidates arrive and Mallera-9 & sign their contract, essentially giving up their body to be utilised by Black Faction. As part of the contract it is stipulated that it is the job of the contracted employee to see that the body procured for the duration of the contract performs the tasks required for whatever reason under all conditions with no exception to those situations which result in harm or death.

Then training begins. The recruits get their first glimpse of Standard Combat Units.

To some its intimidating, their first time seeing a weapon - To some its exciting.

The training involves daily fitness routines, discipline and skill development. 

It is split into six phases for the 6 weeks of training (current) lasting a week each phase.

Phase:1 

 Fitness, drill and company structure is enforced. Recruits are kept squad sized groups sharing rooms. Majority of instruction is carried out by the command control system with Major Standards and Training units enforcing it. 

The repeated Mantra is that the recruit is worthless, useless and are going to be sent back.

Recruits are in basic black shorts and tank tops with no mask.

Phase:2

Fitness and drill are intensified, hours of training are extended and the start of competitive team building begins. The standards that the recruits must meet constantly exceed all of their abilities and they must continually improve.

The Mantra is that the recruit is worse than when they arrived, must pass the next test or be sent home.

Recruits are in basic black shorts and tank tops with no mask.

Phase:3

The beginning of weapons training, drill takes a second seat and fitness intensifies. The units are taken through weapons usage, target practice and handling.

The Mantra is that the recruit is worse than the previous week and they must score a perfect grouping on their targeting test next week or be sent home. 

Recruits are issued a training SBR along with a basic belt and pouch. No Mask. 

Phase:4

Recruits enter squad tactics week, fitness is scaled back along with drill to basic levels and the focus is on tactics in combat. The beginning of the indoctrination begins. Between sessions of combat drills & target practice they are fed stories of the Mistress & her vision for the future, why she is so great & the Azologoth. 

The Mantra is that the recruit is now a blank, ready to be formed into a formidable fighter. They are told the test is on hold due to technical issues. 

Recruits are issued a combat bodysuit, boots and gloves at the end of this phase.

Phase:5

Recruits are moved to a simulation base. it reflects the conditions in the field of Mallera-9.

They are kept in Rotunda sized groups where they are moved into squads swapping patrols for static guard duties. 

During this period the notion of what they are to become begins to take shape and the death cult nature of black faction begins to reveal itself. 

The notion of sacrifice begins to become normal and the notion of killing is still far off. 

Until the test begins. Training units wake the recruits screaming and alarms to an attacking force. they tell the recruits the base is under attack and we are to defend this position until help arrives. Shortly after a rotunda attacks down a thin corridor with a deep cavern that separates the two groups. The attacking group seems to be wearing large packs, and the group of recruits almost always takes them all out rather quickly. 

They are told they performed excellently, each recruit is the ordered into a room where shortly after a tired, shuffled looking Black Faction Standard Unit is marched in with her hands behind her back. "this unit has gone against the wishes of the Mistress & is required to be expended, your test is to expend the unit". 

Recruits for the most part need a little coercion to pull the trigger, but most do. This shows that the training up until now is satisfactory for the unit to carry out. 

Each recruit is told that they were of a few select recruits to carry out the expenditure. 

The unit is then given a mask. 

Phase:6

advance weapons, drill, fitness, tactics, patrols, are all intensified, sleep is gradually wound down to 2 hours per night as the recruits are pushed to the limit. They are forced on, told they are near the end of their final test.

Exhausted, hungry thirsty and sore, the units final test is trusted upon them in the middle of the night on the 4th day of phase 6. 

Training units rush them and fit them with backpacks, telling them to attack the position on the map. The position is a 3km March and they need to get their in under the set time to commence the attack. 

The packs are heavy the recruits are tired, they are running along, with trainers yelling "all must make it or all fail" none of them want to fail at that point. 

They are given the ultimatum that if they do not succeed in over running the position held by the other party they will be flunked and disposed of. 

All recruits move in mindlessly due to exhaustion and confusion and from a conceal position the packs are activated one by one, electrocuting the recruits as if they have been hit, knocking them unconscious. In the dark it is confusing but the trainers observe to see them manoeuvre and attempt to fight the enemy, which most times they do. 

They are removed and isolated from their fellow recruits and a new trainer will confront them with the same story all of them have.

"you displayed poor combat effectiveness and you discharged your weapon, expending multiple of your fellow recruits along with a highly decorated training officer" 

What do you have to say for yourself?

It is at this point the indoctrination is put to the test. 

A standardised answer is expected from the recruit. If they provide an excuse they are given an option.

"you may utilise yourself as a training kill for another recruit, this will be very useful to the company:

This is the test of sacrifice. If the unit says no, they are put into another training program, if they say yes, they are to voluntarily place their hands behind their back, stand silent in front of another newer recruit and expect to be expended themselves. 

Dummy rounds hit their body and a light chemical dose knocks them out. 

They are moved to their unit and once they awaken, take an oath to service the Mistress every need and pledge to die for her. 

They are now a Standard Combat Unit.