The Crimson Wings





                              Men at Arms Datalog
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    A HoloNews datalog serving Mercs, Hunters, Soldiers and Weapons 
	Experts throughout the Empire
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    GalacticDate - 35.10.20 
    Core Worlds...Coruscant System..
    ------------------------------------------ Volume CCXXIX Number 43b
Johan's report:

During our review of Mandelor Armour, I spent a great deal of time being escorted by the Imperial Gaurd, and observed some of thier training sessions. It was during this period, that I saw a group of men in red TIE pilot's uniforms and light armour practicing room clearing drills. I later observed drill, in which Gaurdsmen protected an individual, presumably a stand-in for His Royal Majesty, until a Lambda-class shuttle could pick them up. Although I only glimpsed the action, the shuttle carried the same insignia as the commando trained pilots. When I returned home, I started looking into this unit. I soon ran into a parallel investigation my Flight Colonel Mynockkiller....

Mica's report:

I was waiting transport at Kuat Passenger Port, when a group of men in TIE pilot's non-flights entered the bar. They wore short capes, and openly carried thier sidearms in shoulder holsters. This caught my attention right away. Security was heightened, as the Emperor was on the station, so the bartender's alert did not take long to go unanswered. When the Stormtrooper sqaud leader saw these men, he stopped, and saluted. Those four troopers stood at attention for almost five minutes before the pilots even noticed them. A few seconds after the pilots began a loud and perverse debate to determine if they should salute back, a Royal Gaurdsman entired the premises. While most of the patrons filed for the door, the pilots shouted to the Gaurdsman, calling him "Brother", and asking him what he thought they should do with the Stormtroopers. He just snickered, and walked out the door muttering, "You poor buggers. The Wings won't cut you any slack." This began my investigation into those men, and thier unit. I soon found Major Starfire looking for the same unit. When we were summoned to the Editor's office, and met by a a pair of Royal Gaurdsmen, we both thought we were dead. They took us to a shuttle, where we met Captian Cathartis, the leader of the Crimson Wings. we learned much about the Crimson Wings. What we are about to relate to you is what we have been allowed to release. This is not censorship, but rather an agreement between Captian Cathartis, Major Starfire and myself, made in the interest of ensuring that the Imperial Royal Gaurd and the Crimson Wings can continue to protect the man who protects us all- Emperor Palpatine.

If you see a pilot wearing a set of stylized crimson wings over a black and dark grey Imperial sextant on a block field, give him room at the bar. If you see a fighter with those markings steer clear. If you see a shuttle with those markings, you are about to die, for you have seen the Crimson Wings.

The Crimson Wings are the fighter and transportation wing that is assigned to provide security to the Emperor himself. They are equipped with the best of the Imperial starfighters and transports. In addition to being the very finest pilots, they also receive some degree of commando training. They work hand-in-hand with the crimson armoured Imperial Royal Guard. They may be distinguished by their crimson flight suits and light armour during flight duties, and by their distinctive red insignia and short capes on their dress uniforms. This insignia, and discrete red highlights, are also the way that one would determine that a ship belongs to the Crimson Wings.

They are based at the Imperial Palace, on Imperial Center, where at least one squadron is on a three minute alert to provide combat escort to the Emperor's shuttle, which is also flown by members of the Crimson Wings. They, like the Guardsmen they work with, are chosen for their loyalty, dedication to the New Order, and their combat abilities. All members must have served as at least a wing leader with the Fleet. They must have at least 500 hours in the TIE series (at least 50 of which must be with either fire control or recon squadrons, another 50 with ground support squadrons, and 75 combat hours), 200 hours with the GAT-12 series and 200 hours with the Lambda-class shuttle. After that, the selection course is said to be as grueling as that for the Royal Guard. After that follows a great deal of instruction. Small arms, demolitions, security, survival, courtly behavior and physical fitness are all areas that the candidates must study, in addition to their flying duties. It is said that their instructors include the likes of Lord Vader himself. As a last test, all candidates must be hand approved by the Emperor himself. After that, they fly with the Faith squadron until they are proven ready for advancement, and then to a gunnery position with the Hammers. The highest ranking pilots are part of the Emperor's Guards and the Emperor's Mind and Body squadrons.

The Crimson Wings are unusual in three other areas. One, so long as a pilot stays with a certain squadron, he keeps his own fighter. This is often the same one he flew with his last unit, and during training. Even when he changes squadrons, his kills are his, not his fighters. He keeps his hatch cover on whatever bird he is with. He may also make small additions to the inside of his bubble, such as a small 2-D of his family (or more commonly, the Emperor).

Two, even though the TOE does not show it, there are a small number of non-Imperial fighters available to the Crimson Wings (ie: Y- Wings, Headhunters), and more fighters in general available. For example, if hard ground suppression is the order of the day, one or more squadrons could be reassigned TIE Bombers in addition to the Emperor's Fist.

Finally, they ground crews are considered to be a part of the family. They wear the same insignia as the pilots, red shoulder pips on their dress greys, and carry sidearms in typical pilot fashion. They include former pilots who have been grounded due to combat or accident, Sienar Fleet Systems engineers who left private service to better serve the Empire that protects us all, and (so the rumors go) Stormtroopers who have shown technical aptitude of note. They have a full company of veteran Stormtroopers and a squadron of Scouttroopers for ground security during field assignments, who where the same insignia, and are considered to be members of the squadron. For transportation duties, the Crimson Wings has a pair of modified Armoured Transports attached directly to it, and they are have dedicated hanger and quarters space aboard the New Order, the Emperor's personal command ship.

As one final note, remember that these guys are under the protection of the Imperial Royal Guard, who think of the Wings as their slightly crazy brothers. And since the Emperor thinks of the Guardsmen of his sons....

This has been Maj. Johan Starfire and Flight Colonel Mica "Peaches" Mynockkiller reporting for MaAD"
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Warning: The above document has a SCARLET rating from Imperial Bureau of Culture

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Insignia, Royal Gaurd Fighter/Transport Wing (aka Crimson Wings)

Typical Crimson Wings Pilot

DEX 3D+1:
Blaster 5D: pistol 6D, Brawling Parry 4D+2, Dodge 5D, Missle Weapons 5D+2, Vehicle Blasters 5D
KNOW 2D+1:
Cultures 3D, Planetary Systems 4D, Suvival 6D, Tactics 3D: starfighters 5D
MECH 5D:
Sensors 6D, Space Transports 6D: Sentinel shuttle 7D, Lambda shuttle 8D, Starfighter Piloting 8D: TIE 10D, Starship Gunnery 8D, Starship Shields 6D
PERC 3D:
Command 5D+2, Search 6D+1
STR 3D:
Brawling 5D, Climbing/Jumping5D, Lifting 5D, Stamina 6D
TECH 3D+1:
Computer Programming/Repair 4D, Demolitions 2D+2, First Aid 3D, Security 4D, Space Transports Repair 4D, Starfighter Repair 6D, Starship Weapons Repair 4D
Move: 10
Character Points: 5-30
Force Points: 1-5
Dark Side Points: 1-5
Equipment:
Navagational computer linkup helmet (internal comlink, +1D Sesnors), high grav stress flight suit w/ life support equipment, one week survial rations, survival kit, blaster pistol (4D+2), light flight armour (+2 energy/+1D physical), medpack, non-flights w/ cape, dress greys

Ground Staff (Rookie Tech)

all stats 2D+1, except: Blaster 4D: Pistol 5D, Dodge 5D, Grenade 4D, Streetwise 3D, Survival 5D, MECH 3D, Repulsorlift Ops 4D, Space Tranports 5D, TECH 4D, Space Tranposrts Repair 6D: Lambda-class 9D, Starfighter Repair 8D: TIE 11D, Starship Weapons Repair 7D, Security 4D. CP: 3-10. Equipment: Techs coveralls, dress uniform, blaser pistol (4D), blast vest (+1 energy/+2 physical), headset comlink, tool kit.

note: The team leaders are usually trained engineers.


Organization (Post-Yavin Refit in italics) Assigned to the IXSD New Order or the Imperial Palace, depending on his Majesty's location.

The stats for the fighters can be found eiher in the Hanger or in a masterful article by Tim O'Brian in Star Wars Adventure Journal #10.

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