Waffen-SS

From Acw

The elite armed forces of Grossdeutschland's ruling class and state-within-a-state, the SS.

Contents 1 Organisation 1.1 Wolfsrudeln, WolfsKompanien, WolfsBrigaden 1.2 The 'Raumswaffen-SS' 1.3 The SS-Wissenschaftkorps 2 Known Units

Organisation

Wolfsrudeln, WolfsKompanien, WolfsBrigaden

The Waffen-SS is organised in a starkly different fashion to the regular Wehrmacht. Its traditional ranks took on new meaning as the SS evolved into the Grossdeutschland ruling caste, and its armed forces changed from an elite fighting force to a series of autonomous, battalion-sized battlegroups.

The Waffen-SS operates in groups of Wolfsrudeln. A 23rd Century Wolfsrudel is roughly equivalent in size to a 20th Century platoon and consists of thirty men. Wolfsrudeln are arranged into groups of three to form companies (SS-Kompanien). Companies are arranged into groups of three and form brigades (SS-Brigaden).

Each SS-WolfsKompanie has a special Wolfsrudel of two as a company HQ. The Company Commander is always the last remaining member of a Wolfsrudel that has been otherwise entirely killed in combat (an Alleinwolf), while his 2iC is a specially-trained staff officer (a Zweiterwolf). The commander begins his new appointment with the rank of Obersturmfuhrer while his 2iC is a Untersturmfuhrer. They can be promoted once through great bravery or loyal service to Obersturmbannfuhrer and Sturmbannfuhrer respectively.

Each SS-WolfsBrigade has a similar Wolfsrudel. At Brigade level, an Obersturmbannfuhrer and his Sturmbannfuhrer who show aptitude are promoted to Brigade HQ. The Brigade commander begins his career as an Oberfuhrer, and can through great service reach the rank of Obergruppenfuhrer. His 2iC is given the rank of Standartenfuhrer and this never changes. He is expected to receive reflected glory from his Alleinwolf, and thus never advances in rank.

Each SS-WolfsBrigade is an entirely autonomous unit, answering to none bar the Reichsfuhrer-SS and his 2iC, the SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer. Such is the brutality, viciousness and battlefield prowess of the Waffen-SS that one single brigade group is considered the equal of a standard division - a unit three times its size. It is rare that more than one SS-Brigade are seen together.

The 'Raumswaffen-SS'

Those Waffen-SS WolfBrigaden that patrol extrasolar space, rather than remain planetside in Sol, are collectively referred to as the Raumswaffen-SS.

A spacegoing SS-WolfsBrigade lives and fights from four ships. Each SS-WolfsKompanie has its own Jager IV-class dropship, supported by a Gunship-sized Morder II-class or the newer konigwolf-class warship.

The captain of a dropship assumes the rank Obersturmleutnant while his 2iC is an Untersturmleutnant. They may progress to the ranks of Obersturmbannleutnant and Sturmbannleutnant. The captain of the support warship begins his career as a Sturmruppenkapitan and may progress to Sturmgruppenadmiral. No matter his rank, he remains subordinate to the Brigade HQ Alleinwolf. His 2iC remains a Standartenleutnant.

The SS-Wissenschaftkorps

If the SS is secretive, and the Waffen-SS comparatively unknown, then the SS-Wissenschaftkorpsis almost a myth. It was only the appearance of a Wissenschaftkorpsschiff, the SS-WSK Eidelweiss, at New Iowa during the Arthurian Incursion that alerted the galaxy to this shadowy organisation's existence.

Wissenschaftkorps translates to "Science Corps". Initial scans of the ship at New Iowa revealed that it was a little larger than an Raumswaffen-SS support gunship, though in design the two could not be less alike. Where the Morder II and konigswolf-class ships are sleek and deadly, the Eidelweiss was bulky and slow. The ship's combat readiness was never tested.

Rumours link the Wissenschaftkorps to genetic experiments and vat-bred supermen. Actual facts are few, and only time will tell what part the WSK has to play.

Known Units

The Raumswaffen-SS flies without insignia and is rarely if ever seen. Names and dispositions of Waffen-SS units are usually only known to the units themselves, and the Reichsfuhrer-SS and his Oberststurmbannfuhrer. The information provided here is thus patchy at best.

• The "Neuostland Battlegroup" (not official designation)
  • Was commanded by the then SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Eckhart von Kogel and SS-Standartenfuhrer Klaus Brucher.
  • Active during the Neuostland Crisis.
  • Replacement for von Kogel unknown.

• The WSK Eidelweiss
  • Known personnel include Leutnant-Doktor Franz Detweiler.
  • Active during the Arthurian Incursion.
  • Known to have emitted radiation sympathetic with the Arthur's during the battle.