How Do the Irregulars Fight?

Though there was no standing Independent Army before the war, it wasn’t long before ‘regular’ units developed, especially in the draw up to armed hostilities with the Core worlds. Even the rim has politicians and land barons and misc. rich folk who, in the fight, like the idea of being called Colonel and General and have the pockets to pay for it. These people organized the larger Battalions, tried diplomacy with the Alliance, and decided to fight the core on their terms: Large scale battles, mechanized infantry, air squadrons, etc.

The Shadow Irregulars however were never that large, and never wanted to be. They were the common folk who were fighting to save their ranches and their lifestyles, they wanted to win to keep what they had and no more. The lack of numbers made them less than effective in pitched battles against the might of the Alliance’s money and numbers. Instead, the Irregulars excelled at many other combat duties besides main-line combat, such as scouting, skirmishing, harassing, pursuing, rear-guard actions, cutting supply, sabotage, raids, ambushes and underground resistance. The Irregulars knew the land, even unfamiliar land, in a way that other soldiers didn’t on either side. They were ruthless, and survivors, and smart.

In contrast to an Infantry Battalion, the Shadow Irregulars were more like modern Army Rangers minus the specialized training (just wits and grits) than they were the 4th ID, and are best described as ‘Special Operations’ for lack of a better term.