RATS

Ranged Assault Tactical Squads are commando units of Leposian Army, used for special operations behind enemy lines or against non-conventional forces hostile to Lepos. Their standard deployment unit is independent tactical squad of 25-30 men, or even an independent fire-team of 4-6, depending on the mission.

RATS were formed in 1787, just prior the Alliance war, as an experimental airborne infantry. Originally, their purpose was to test the whole idea of parachute troops, using the example given by Charlant. With limited resources available for army programs, however, it was soon realized that it is impossible to create an entire airborne regiment, as suggested by Armed Forces Developement Board. Instead of regular paratroopers, commando unit was formed to convince the General Staff that airborne infantry is a working concept.

The first squad, formed under the command of captain Halk Rat (1745-1817), was trained mostly as an unit for asymmetrical warfare, as it was too weak to be used the way Charlant used its paratroopers. Appointed under direct command of Territorial Command, it was trained to fight mostly the same way - and against it - as partisans Leposain army encountered during its campaign for conquering the Territories.

Officers of the General Staff and most commanders, as well as many important civilians, were confident that the whole idea of airborne infantry is useless. However, during all-army maneuvers in late summer 1787, RATS were instrumental in both Territorial Command victories, first time by abducting vice-marshal Derhald Codrin just about three hours after the maneuvers begun (due to "Rules of engagement", capturing of enemy commanding officer was considered a victory). During the first year of the war, RATS were also instrumental in several key defensive operations, and also in reinstalling marshal Khu Mauneffet as a Minister to Lepos, at August 10, 1788.

During the war itself, five RATS squads were formed. Totally 326 men served in these special units. In more than 100 actions, both on the front and behind enemy lines, 103 of them were either killed or captured (and, mostly, lately executed due to so-called "Commando Dealing Order"), 219 were wounded, some of them several times. For 52 of them, these wounds were considered crippling. Only 15 RATS captured by enemy survived the experience. So relatively speaking, RATS had the worst relative number of causalities of all Alliance units. However, they were also the most decorated Alliance soldiers, and in comparison to their numbers, they were considered the most effective combatants Lepos and Argos had.