Deep Strike Force (Ultima)

The Deep Strike Force (DSF) commonly called Death Droppers, is a Nogod (later Soldak) special operations unit nominally attached to the Balthorist (and later, Soldak) Marin Korps. The term for an individual member of the service is "Deep Strike Force Trooper", or more commonly "Deep Strike Trooper". As one of the key special operations units in the Balthorist Armed Forces, the DSF are widely deployed in many theaters of war. They therefore receive state-of-the-art and occasionally experimental equipment.

Roles and Operations
DSF Troopers usually perform a range of specialized, often small-scale, high-risk operations. In times of need, the DSF has been used in direct frontline combat, though these situations have grown increasingly rare.

Due to the DSF's role as a rapid-response and infiltration oriented unit, it is often noted for its unconventional deployment method of leaping out of high-altitude, supersonic transports, using not parachutes but Disposable Descent-slowing Thruster Packs (DDTPs) to achieve maximum speed in getting from base to the target area. Although DDTP usage has a higher risk of failure, as well as requiring far more training and cost per unit, this allows the DSF to conduct a variety of missions against targets that more conventional forces cannot approach undetected.

Each DSF Fireteam is created post-training with the intent of focusing on one type of operation, although teams are known to be flexible based on need. Occasionally, DSF teams have been used to clear out landing zones for Spakter Dropships, utilizing speed to create an opening for conventional troop deployments. In contrast to the naval and littoral oriented Skov Force, the DSF focuses on land operations; raiding enemy facilities, defending and capturing strategic and tactically important areas, and eliminating high-value targets. Occasionally, they cooperate with the Kommandos on their missions.

Several DSF operation types are as follows:
 * Deep Ground Surveillance or Long Range Reconnaissance: Patrols in small groups, in uniform, usually far behind the enemy lines. While DGS units may direct air or artillery strikes against enemy positions, they strive to be unobserved, and have only self-defense methods, not Direct Action capability (see below for a definition). Groups engaging in surveillance deep behind enemy lines, are commonly known as "Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols" or LRRP's.
 * Direct Action: Direct Action involves short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted in hostile, contested, or politically sensitive environments. During Direct Action operations, DSF units employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, protect, recover, or damage designated targets. Direct action differs from conventional offensive actions in the level of physical and political risk, operational techniques, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force to achieve specific objectives.
 * Unconventional Warfare: Military and paramilitary operations, normally of long duration, predominantly conducted by indigenous or surrogate forces who are organized, trained, equipped, supported, and directed in varying degrees by an external source. It includes guerrilla warfare and other direct offensive, low visibility, covert, or clandestine operations, as well as the indirect activities of subversion, sabotage, intelligence gathering, escape and evasion.
 * Counter-Contraband Operations: Missions undertaking the recapturing or first-time capture of smuggled/stolen goods.
 * Personnel and Special Equipment Recovery/Capture: The recovery/medical treatment of friendly personnel in combat environments, as well as the capability of capturing high valued individuals and any relevant equipment.

Organization
The DSF is organized in a "bottom-up" manner. Unlike conventional units, or even several different special operations groups, the DSF has by far the largest Fireteam, combining eight Troopers into a single unit.

A sample DSF team from 2058 may look like this:

An overview of DSF structure follows:

8 Troops: Fireteam

3 Fireteams + Squad Leader: Squad

3 Squads + Warrant Lieutenant + Platoon Sergeant (SFC), a Radio-Telephone Operator (RTO), a Platoon Forward Observer (FO), the FO's RTO, and the Platoon Medic: Platoon

3 Platoons + 4 MMG Crewmen + 2 HMG crewmen + Flamethrower (Replaceable) + 2 Anti-Vehicle Missile-man + Captain (or Major) and Commander: Company

3 Companies + 1 Combat Support Company + Lieutenant Colonel & Battalion HQ: Battalion

Due to the size of the force, the DSF are limited to Battalion-level organization size at maximum.