The Basilikoi are a vast empire, spanning hundreds of settled stars and many times than in uninhabited systems that are exploited for their immense resources. These are needed to support the empire's military machine, which struggles to defend the wealthy empire from constant multi-front assaults by various barbarian peoples.
The emperor's son, the Porphyrogenitus (born in the purple), leads his armies into battle. He wears a fancier version of the Hetairoi armored vacuum suit (the Hetairoi are the emperor's elite guard, the Companions), and wields an OTC Spatha and a gilded Fire Storm pistol. He also happens to be my sigfig.
Here the Porphyrogenitus is flanked by a partial squad of Hetairoi, with a full Assault squad arrayed in front of him. If you look to the background, you can just make out a pair of Vol Guardsmen, mercenaries used as a sort of independent guard unit loyal to the emperor only, kept in reserve in case his heir decides to accelerate his inheritance. They wield OTC spears, though you might see them deployed with a variety of other weapons as well.
These are the basic infantry officers. Left to right are a Captain (company commander), Lieutenant (platoon commander), and Dekarch (squad commander). They wear advanced versions of the standard reactive cloth vacuum suits given to the basic troopers. They get standard Kinetic Penetrator Pistols and Battle Steel Sabres.
The Stratiotes are the basic troopers, armed with Kinetic Penetrator Rifles and protected by reactive cloth vacuum suits. I've got nearly 100 men (a full infantry company), 90 of these guys (with special weapons) and 10 officers. I'm still filling in the last two squads of basic troopers.
This soldier is armed with a Heavy Kinetic Penetrator, the anti-armor weapon of choice for the Basilikoi infantry.
This lucky guy gets the experimental Fire Storm Cannon, which uses highly-secretive teknology to generate and control highly excited exotic particles that, when fired at a target, shred it on a subatomic level. The weapons are potentially dangerous to use, though, as they are somewhat imprecise area-of-effect weapons and their particle bottles are a bit unstable.
Scout-Snipers wear adaptive camo cloaks over their reactive cloth vacuum suits, making them adept at infiltration, and they wield high-powered, long-ranged, accurate KP sniper rifles.
This is an Assault Squad officer, armed with a Heavy KP Pistol and a Chainsaw Spatha. In addition to the standard reactive cloth vacuum suit, Assault troops get reinforced helmets and composite-armor breastplates made of layered battle steel and ceramics.
.Assault troops favor the shredder, a sort of shotgun-style KP weapon that fires a spray of smaller projectiles rather than a single larger one like the standard rifle. It is deadly in close quarters battle.
The final Assault variant gets a Heavy KP Pistol and a Combat Shield, which is made of the same composite armor as their breastplates. It lets them shrug off small arms fire while advancing down a street or a corridor, making them ideal for leading an assault in an urban setting or a boarding action.
Commandos are experts in infiltration, sabotage, demolitions, and "black" operations. Every man is cross-trained in a variety of weapons and each is a specialist in multiple disciplines.
The KP Carbine is a shorter version of the standard rifle. It retains the same acceleration as the longer weapon, but this means it has higher recoil. Therefore only the best shots can use them effectively, but the advantages in maneuverability and portability make it the preferred weapon for both commandos and the elite Hetairoi.
The Auxilia Infantry Robot is a versatile and dangerous supplemental weapon, deployed most often in situations where regular infantry would be cut down by numerous small opponents. Its greater size and armor makes it more resilient against minor threats, while its articulated limbs and back-mounted jump pack grant it high mobility across multiple terrain types.
A Tek-Arkanos is a member of a cybernetic cult that exists within the empire, which is utterly devoted to the person of the emperor. Equipped with teknology so far in advance of all others that it is akin to magic, they are able to manipulate their environment seemingly at will. When they deign to take the field they are dangerous opponents indeed.
When the Basilikoi cannot win over an enemy with diplomacy, corrupt them with money, pressure them with sanctions, or conquer them militarily, they send in the assassins. Armed with the most advance composite-armor-plated vacuum suits, wearing helmets equipped with the latest in sensory equipment, and armed with specialist KP weapons that fire a smaller projectile at much higher velocities than normal and at a much faster rate, they are veritable killing machines.
Edit: Here's the MOCpages entry for those who are interested. http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/276840
lol j/k
Great-looking guys and weapons. The Greek theme is also cool and well done. Got any more plans for them?
