ATCGarrison
Imperial Garrison[edit]
The protection of the Empire extends troughout the galaxy, as the Imperial fleet can travel anywhere its might is needed. But the staying power that enforces the will of the Empire takes the form of Imperial garrison bases. Pre-fabricated structures, garrison bases can be raised quickly on an world or asteroid.
A garrison base serves multiple functions, from scientific to diplomatic to military. On undeveloped worlds, a base may house a scientific research team or planetary development group. On primitive planets, a base may study cultures and xenophology, as well as develop trade agreements. Mostly, however, a base appears as a permanent show of Imperial force. Each garrison base, regardless of its other functions, remains a military installation charged with the dubjugation and protection of planets within the Empire.
Typically, Imperial garrisons are employed to squelch uprisings, enforce martial law, deter piracy, and support local governments, as well as protect industrial centers, fuel sources, major ports, important cities, and other sites necessary to power the Imperial machine. Through the use of extensive environmental control machinery, garrisons can be set up on worlds with hostile environments and on asteroids with no atmospheres, thus extending the Empire's reach anywhere it wishes or needs to go.
Standard Battalion Garrison[edit]
Typical Personnel
In most cases, an Imperial garrison base houses 3,000 combat, command, and support personnel. The largest single unit is the stormtrooper detail, composed of 800 highly-trained soldiers. These shock troops provide the manpower necessary to neutralize resistance. The remaining combat detachment includes various pilots, gunners, and security personnel. A general usually commands the base, aided by an adjutant, stormtrooper commanders, lieutenants, gunnery and security officers, a science officer, and Imperial Intelligence. Support personnel include diplomatic and trade groups, science and medical teams, various technicians, engineers, and clerical workers.
Such a breakdown of service groups allows a base to serve multiple functions aside from its military mission. In addition, by placing trade, diplomatic services, and scientific research under the protection of the Imperial military, the Empire can keep a close eye on these agencies.
Perimeter and Outer Defences
The outer perimeter of a garrison base is marked by a high-voltage "death fence." This meshed, 10-meter high wall virtually crackles with deadly energy. Gates spaced evenly along the perimeter allow access to the garrison grounds. Each gate consists of twin towers that project a powered force field between them. When the field is off, personnel and vehicles can enter and exit the area. In addition, set back from the fence and spaced every 100 meters along the perimeter are observation towers linked by a fortified catwalk. Stormtroopers stationed in the towers patrol the catwalk at all hours, using electronic sensors, flood lights, and droids to keep the base secure. These towers control the death fence, and can lower or raise the fence's voltage or shut down parts of it.
Between the perimeter ring and the base Imperials employ sophisticated energy mine fields, modified probots, and AT-ST scout walkers to augment their garrison defenses. Powerful deflector shields protect the base from air or space attacks. The garrison itself is a heavily armored building, with walls up to 10 meters thick at the base. Six heavy twin laser turrets mounted around the building and three heavy twin turbolaser turrets rising from the upper level complete the defensive weaponry. Each base is also equipped with powerful tractor beam generators to capture and reel in small attack craft or any other ship they may want to examine. The tractor beam also assists in launching and landing TIE fighters.
Sub-level Installations
A large underground section of the base houses the main power and back-up generators, the environmental control station, and the waste disposal and refuse units. Some storage facilites are also located here.
Surface Vehicle Bay
Heavy blast doors, 25 meters tall, open into the surface vehicle bay. This huge gallery spans levels one through five of the garrison and houses all of the surface vehicles assigned to the base. AT-AT and AT-ST walkers, speeder bikes, landspeeders, cargo loadlifters, and miscellaneous construction vehicles are stored and serviced in this area.
Detention Block
The base security and detention facilities are located in their own section on levels one through five. The detention block is certified to be nearly escape proof and is used to detain local criminals, Rebel prisoners, and political captives. Many garrison bases in the outer territories serve as hidden prisons where individuals the Empire does not want to exterminate are placed for safe keeping. level three connects to the outside shuttle landing platform and AT-AT docking station, providing quick prisoner transfer at minimum risk.
TIE Fighter Hangar Deck
Located on level seen of the base, the hangar deck contains ceiling racks that hold the garrison's TIE fighters. Three squadrons made up of various combinations of TIE fighter models and two TIE bombeers constitute a garrison's complement. Some garrisons have more bombers, some less, depending on their particular duty. The ceiling storage racks can hold up to 40 standard sized TIEs. The flight control station in the center of the deck monitors and issues commands to all ships and crews. Three lift platforms carry fighters to the flight deck, and from there the tractor beam catapults them into the open sky.
Pilots climb across the complicated gridwork of the overhead racks to reach their fighters. As soon as they drop through the hatch, mechanical claws move the vehicles into position on the lifts. If the lifts are ever damaged, antigrav fields can be projected into the lift shafts to transport the fighters onto the flight deck.
Depending on the readiness level of a particular base, a number of TIE fighters remain on patrol, with others on call at a moment's notice. At the highest level of readiness, bases in Imperial hot spots keep half of their complement on constant patrol. The remaining fighters can launch within five minutes. On normal readiness levels, TIE fighters need 10 minutes to launch.
Flight Deck
Once the lifts carry TIE fighters to the flight deck, the craft find themselves in the midst of powerful tractor beams. While the pilots could handle much of manuevering manually, garrisons employ the tractor beam system to limit costly accidents. Set on reverse polarity, te tractor beam projector catapults the TIE fighters off the flight deck and into the air. When the TIEs have cleared the base, control is returned to the crafts' pilots.
Returning craft are caught in the base's tractor beams and pulled into the facility. The beams slow the vehicles to a dead stop quickly and safely, and are particularly useful when damaged TIEs make their return approach.
Information gathered from West End Games' Star Wars Sourcebook, Second Edition
Return to Facilities
