EDF SPECIAL FORCES

The following is a list of EUROPEAN Special Forces
serving in africa.


SPECIAL AIR SERVICE (SAS)
Formerly the premier British special forces group, now the SAS is the staple of the EDF special forces.   In many people eyes the SAS is the most well trained, effective, and deadly group in the world.  The SAS is multi specialized and can acts as a counterpart to virtually every group of  U.S. special forces, from LRRP and guerrilla warfare to Search and Rescue and Black Ops.  To a limited extent they are also trained and equipped to operate in an anti-terrorist capacity, but usually that aspect is left to MITG.  Their motto is simple, "Who dares, wins."  Training for the SAS is based out of the United Kingdom.
 

MILITARY INTERVENTION TACTICAL GROUP (MITG)
Formerly the French group GIGN, or Gigens, the MITG is the EDF's anti-terrorist section of special forces.   These individuals are fully trained to specialize and intervene in hostage situations, hijackings, bomb threats, and the entire plethora of terrorist activity.  It is from here that the rumored "Black Mask" death squads operating in Africa are believed to originate from.  Training and headquarters for the MITG is based out of France.

LEGION ETRANGERE (French Foreign Legion)
Another unit that "black mask” death squads are attributed to, French Foreign Legion is the best known mercenary unit in the world. Formally, this force isn’t a part of EDF, instead being responsible directly to the President of France. However, units deployed alongside EDF troops in Africa are under command of EDF staff for this operational theater.
The Foreign Legion is a highly trained, rapid-deployment force, consisting of some of the toughest mercenaries available. They have a reputation of cold-blooded cutthroats, and although it is base on their past operations, they can still live to it – especially when they know nobody’s looking.  Traditionally, one unit, 13 DBLE (13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade) is stationed in Djibouti. Also, French component of the EDF in Africa has been assigned the 2 REP (2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment), which is used as rapid response force and a pool from which spec-ops units can be drawn.

GURHKAS
These short, lean Nepali highlanders do serve Britain for almost two centuries now. They don’t come cheap, but they’re worth every penny spent on them. “The bravest of the brave, the most generous of the generous”, as one of their British officer spoke of them, Gurkhas are well known for their deadly kukri knives, and their ferocity in combat.  Contrary to French Foreign Legion, Gurkhas have a reputation of extreme discipline. While they can be cruel (a matter of their raising in a completely different culture), they are not widely known for committing atrocities.  A battalion-sized Gurkha force serves as a part of British contingent in EDF / Africa. It consists mostly of 1st Royal Gurkha Rifles, with elements of Queen’s Gurkha Signals and Queen’s Gurkha Engineers. They specialize in long-range foot patrols and COIN operations, but they are also a highly demanded unit when a SAR mission is undertaken.  Keep in mind that, because of philosophical / religious reasons, Gurkhas do not use cybernetics. Cloned replacements are acceptable, as well as some biotech and nanotech (although only those not easily detectable), but cybernetics is out of question. However, Gurkhas will cooperate with cyber-enhanced troops without any problems.

CARABINIERI
This is Italian military police corps, used both in Italy and overseas. They’re often deployed as a part of a peacekeeping force. Whereas they maintain military structure and equipment of Military Police, they are also adept in criminal investigations and fighting organized crime, which makes them one of the units best suited to peacekeeping. GIS (Gruppo de Intervento Speciale) is their special forces branch, trained for counter-terrorist organizations. GIS is profiled more for SWAT-like duties than your off-the-mill commando and black ops, but they can handle almost anything, and when the situation calls for typically SWAT duty, like hostage rescue, they are equal to GIGN and SAS.

KSK (Kommando Spezialkrafte, Special Forces Command)
A little known German military commando force. The reason for that is two-fold: first, the best known German commando force remains GSG-9. Second, KSK’s activities are a closely guarded secret – even from many German dignitaries. What is known, however, is that KSK seems to be a regiment-sized force, consisting of commando companies and long-range patrol groups. Commando companies are highly specialized, consisting of five separate platoons: land insertion, air insertion, amphibious ops, specialized environmental platoon (e.g. desert, polar or mountain), and a sniper / counter-sniper platoon. Every trooper is a highly-trained specialist in his field, instead of being jack-of-all-trades.KSK African detachment is estimated to be two commando companies, and two LRRP companies – total of about 500 men. However, they’re not being based as a single unit, instead they are spread among other German EDF forces, ready to perform their duties on as-needed basis.KSK is yet another unit suspected of fielding “black mask” death squads. Of course, EDF refuses the very existence of “black mask” squads, and the very presence of KSK in the conflict zone hadn’t been officially declared.

 

 



(Written by Deric "D" Bernier and Mike Van Atta, images from Ghost In The Shell, Aliens, Starship Troopers, Matsuo, Star Wars Chick, private prop collectors (special thanks to the members of Mastucorp, the RPF, and BBC), Soldier, Wildstorm, Metal Men, Star Wars, and Deric "D" Bernier.)