The standard WEC guard undergoes a more effective training program today than before. Guards are males, typically between 19-35 years of age. Guards are equipped with minimal body armor, and carry a light projectile weapon as their standard arm. The standard training period for Guards is 8 weeks, and lunar mining guards are trained more extensively than standard guards. Guards generally only serve in Security Cartel. MilOps is open only to the better trained WEC troops.
In addition to normal qualification exercises, LMC Guards are instructed in both hand-to-hand and short-range combat, and are subjected to rigorous physical training.
Recently, the standard arm for Guards was upgraded from the BA-40 and BA-41 pistol to the RP-32 Pacifist. A few guards are also trained in the use of the GL-303 grenade launcher. These weapon upgrades, along with intensive training, is expected to strengthen the Guard pool and bolster the WEC's hold on existing territories.
Guards have only light body armor, and so can be taken out with a few shots of any weapon that comes to hand. The rigorous physical training Guards undergo, however, makes them more dangerous than they were before. They are the fastest units in terms of returning fire, and they can ready their weapon and fire faster than any other WEC unit. Their accuracy is poor, however. Guards are better trained for close-range combat, so their targeting is not very accurate. The only thing you need to be careful of when fighting Guards is that they don't overwhelm you. Guards often travel in groups, and come at you from all sides. Cover your tracks with spider mines and shut doors as you go to keep from getting jumped from behind.
Stormtroopers are part of the Special Forces. They are normally selected from among the top prospects of the Guard pool, although some are specifically selected from the prospective recruits for the WEC Security Cartel or MilOps. Stormtroopers are fiercely loyal to the WEC, and will willingly give their lives for the cause. Stormtroopers are skilled in combat, and are good marksmen. Stormtroopers, along with their Elite counterparts, undergo a more extensive training process than the normal WEC Guards, and so are considerably more proficient in combat. Stormtroopers are equipped with a standard-issue GyroNBC Plexsuit and heavy body armor, which protects them from most forms of NBC (nuclear-biological-chemical) attacks.
Standard Stormtrooper duties are defense of WEC administrative buildings, and occasional patrols of the mines. In response to repeated penetration by the Resistance, the WEC has increased the number of Stormtroopers assigned to guard facilities. Now, Stormtroopers are often found in groups of 2 or 3, instead of carrying out lone patrols through the complex.
The standard Stormtrooper is over 30 years of age, and has been with the WEC for over a decade. To become a member of the WEC Stormtroopers, candidates must sign a blanket waiver agreement and give up their tracking chip. They are then carefully screened using a battery of endurance and psychological tests to ensure their continuing fidelity. Those that complete the physical and mental weed-out period are shipped off to an isolation training center for a six-month orientation course. The top ten finishers in each class are assigned to serve with the Elite Stormtroopers.
Stormtroopers are difficult to defeat in combat, not so much because of their armor or protection, but because of their offensive capabilities. Normally issued with an SG-A1 Conformer shotgun, or a PA-31 laser rifle, both weapons are capable of causing serious harm if proper defenses are not available. A plasma shield is highly recommended for dealing with Stormtroopers. The shotguns typically carried by Stormtroopers are devastatingly effective in their hands, and a few hits from shotgun blasts can quickly strip your battery of its shielding power. Stormtroopers usually patrol WEC complexes in groups. If you see a single Stormtrooper on guard duty, there will probably be 1 or 2 more standing guard nearby.
The trick to dealing with Stormtroopers effectively is by using cover and concealment. Catch Stormtroopers by surprise, and eliminate them before they get a chance to strike back. If you do get into a firefight, use cover to your advantage, since you cannot dodge shotgun shells. Fragments of each blast will almost always hit you. If you are forced to fight more than one, pop out from behind cover, snap off a shotgun blast or another accurate weapon at them, then roll back under cover to avoid their return fire.
Only soldiers with outstanding service records and an ongoing record of loyalty are elected to serve with the Elite Stormtroopers. Elite Stormtroopers are extremely strong contenders in battle. Like Stormtroopers, they are devoted to protecting their assigned territory at any cost. However, their armor has been upgraded from the standard Stormtrooper armor to a type which defends against projectile and some energy bolts better than standard GyroPlex armor does. Consequently, Elite Stormtroopers are more difficult to eliminate quickly. Normally issued with Fission or Fusion batteries, Elite Stormtroopers carry powerful energy weapons to eliminate any intruder that violates their assigned territory. Elite Stormtroopers are distinguished as some of Security Cartel's most prized guard force, and so are often found guarding high security facilities, such as prison compounds.
Elite Stormtroopers are normally issued with the PA-31 laser rifle, or the PL-1 plasma rifle, both of which are deadly weapons. Some Elite Troops, however, select the GL-303 grenade launcher as their weapon instead of traditional weaponry, giving long-range support to other soldiers at critical defense points. Cover and agility must be used when dealing with grenadiers. Pick them off with a well-placed grenade of your own, or a couple shotgun blasts from an AC-88 if you're close enough. You can also sometimes use a spider mine or spider bomb to get rid of them. Elite Troops will fire at the spider bombs, though, so if you plan to use spider bombs against them, keep the bomb out of their line of sight as long as possible before trying to hit them with it. Standard armed Elite Stormtroopers can be dealt with singly with relative ease if you have an AC-88. If you run into a pack of Elites, try to turn the environment against them, or use some explosives before trying to take on a huge group. If you have a good defensive position, you can also set up an ambush for a group as well.
Enforcers represent the WEC's most treasured fighters, helping to protect precious physical and personnel assets. Every soldier reaching Enforcer status represents five years of intensive training and millions of credits' worth of equipment, so every one slain or lost to the Resistance is a measurable blow to the Consortium. Applicants who wish to gain Enforcer status must receive five unsolicited recommendations from their superiors and attain 99-th percentile scores on the annual marksmanship exams. Those that are chosen undergo five years of rigorous training in the IEPU (Isolated Enforcer Preparation Unit) and are not allowed to have marriage contracts or any contact with the outside civilian world.
Second only to Silencers and the small force of Headquarters Elite Guard in sheer deadliness, Enforcers are still occasionally considered disposable by the WEC in cases where sensitive intelligence might be compromised. Typically, however, they achieve their mission objectives without difficulty. Most recognizable by their stern disposition and remarkable weapons, they are under strict orders to fight to the death and to avoid capture at ANY cost. This makes for a deadly disposition, and no Enforcers have ever been detained by the Resistance. Enforcers often carry out lone patrols, although they are occasionally sent out for group expeditions. In either case, they are extremely deadly and allow very few security breaches. Enforcers can either be assigned to MilOps or SecCart. Those Enforcers assigned to MilOps are often relied upon to spearhead Consortium attacks on Resistance bases.
Enforcers are equipped with deadly weapons, and Enforcers are deadly shots that rarely miss a target. Skilled soldiers with good agility can deal with one in a one-on-one firefight, but it is more advisable to use cover, even when dealing with a single Enforcer. The heavy armor worn by Enforcers makes it difficult to kill them before they shoot back, unless you can sneak up on them and attack quickly at close range. Enforcers carry the devastating UV-9 Pulsar, but occasionally select to use a GL-303 grenade launcher instead. Whichever weapon they select, both are extremely deadly. If you run into more than two Enforcers, look for some type of indestructible cover, or retreat temporarily, because their weapons will demolish any cover that can be blown apart, leaving you exposed. Fight back with a UV-9 or GL-303, or an AC-88 if you are standing close enough.
