CH264 SODIV

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"What is this Special Operations Division? Are you proposing the creation of yet another unique force?" Earl Drake Fury asked.

"Yes and no," Alex replied. "Yes, in the sense that this will be a unique force very different from the conventional military units you're used to. But no, in that it should not be mistaken for one of the Specialised Forces.

"Drake Knights, Snow Hunters, Desert Berserkers… all of these are specialised units. Each has built its reputation around a particular strength –a narrow tactical specialisation in warfare if you would. But no matter how exceptional they seem, they are still, at their core, conventional forces operating within conventional warfare.

"What I'm proposing is something different altogether."

Alex leaned forward, his tone growing narrative.

"During this past campaign, I noticed something interesting. Whether it was Vanguard Company of Exercitus Alexii or the Fang Raid unit that accompanied me to strike Kellerman's supply lines, each of these small units dealt more damage to the enemy per man than any of the larger battle formations did.

"In fact, one of the major reasons Exercitus Alexii advanced as smoothly as it did, and a decisive factor in why we won the battle at the Fort so swiftly, was the success of these smaller, surgical units."

"That's arguable," Drake countered. "Both of the units you've mentioned were made up primarily of the same Fang soldiers. They were, for all intents and purposes, the same men—elites, best of the best of their class. So, one could simply say it was the quality of the Fang unit itself that gave you those results."

"And by saying that," Alex smiled, "you've proven my point."

Drake frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The point I'm driving at isn't about the men themselves or their skillset. As I've said, this isn't a proposal for yet another specialised force. What I'm pointing towards is the application of the unit," Alex replied, his smile unwavering.

"Father, while my experience in warfare is admittedly limited, I've consumed enough literature on the subject to form a—yes, still limited—understanding. And more importantly, the campaign itself validates my observation.

"Large armies are not always the best tool for war. They are cumbersome to move, slow to supply, and they utterly fail in the crucial aspects of stealth and surprise.

"On the other hand, smaller units can move freely, infiltrate where larger armies cannot, and achieve results that are seemingly disproportionate to their size."

"If I were to sum up my idea, it would be this: it only takes one man to light the torch that burns down the enemy's supplies. If one man can do it, then why send more than that one?"

Drake's brows drew together. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"Father," Alex said steadily, "I envision a changing world of warfare. War is an expensive endeavour, both in lives and in resources. We need to break away from the established mould."

He paused, then allowed himself a wry smile as he paraphrased a famous statesman from his past life.

"Enterprise must be prepared, with specially trained troops, who can rain down terror and cripple the enemy before the war even begins. These troops must be able to move in small units, infiltrating far behind enemy lines, to inflict damage of such scale and precision that it strategically shifts the course of conflict—both in preparation and in the midst of war.

"Their operations should be independent of conventional forces, in the sense that they cannot be bound by the same rigid rules. Their movements, their tactics, their equipment, their very rules of engagement… must be unconventional."

His eyes gleamed with conviction.

"The proposal for SODIV is the birth of a new brand of warfare. Because of the methods they will employ, I call it Unconventional—or if you prefer, Ungentlemanly—Warfare."

He spread his hands across the documents laid before them.

"SODIV is not to be folded into the Fury Army's conventional ranks. They will stand apart—an elite, highly trained, specially equipped independent force, tasked with high-risk missions outside the scope of regular battlefields.

"These Special Operations troops will work in small groups, ranging from squads of four or six, up to a full-sized platoon depending on the mission. Their activity will focus on deep incursions into enemy territory, where they will be tasked with objectives such as assassinations, raids, sabotage, deep reconnaissance, and any other high-value missions required by High Command."

Alex leaned back slightly, letting the weight of his words settle.

"And another thing: unlike conventional units, they can operate even in times of peace. In fact, secrecy will be their greatest shield. Their very existence must remain hidden, allowing High Command to call upon them for any goal, any mission, at any time; be it peace or war time."

"For example," Alex continued, "suppose there is someone—or something—that might lead to war. Conventional forces cannot be moved, because their deployment would be seen as an act of aggression, which would trigger war in the first place. In such a situation, this Special Force can be deployed discreetly. Their small size will allow them to move in secret, their elite training and equipment will allow them to neutralise obstacles, and—should they be captured—they can be disavowed. Their shrouded nature means no one could ever connect them to us. With such a force, whether in failure or success, the Family remains insulated."

Earl Drake's eyes gleamed with sudden understanding.

"I see… so this unconventional force is essentially just a hidden force. Why make it sound so complicated?"

Alex's jaw almost dropped. He wanted to slam his fist on the table.

'How could this old man cut me off right at the climax of my big reveal—and reduce my Elite Special Operations proposal to something as mundane as a "hidden force"?!'

'They aren't even in the same league, you damned old man!' Alex cursed inwardly.

Still, he reined himself in. He recognised this as a typical problem when introducing something unfamiliar. People naturally compared it to what they already knew, trying to make sense of it. Drake wasn't trying to insult him—it was simply his way of grasping the concept.

'At least… that's what I'll tell myself so I don't explode at him.'

Earl Drake folded his arms, his expression unreadable.

"If a hidden force is what you're proposing, we already have Black Mantle. I don't see the need for another."

Alex shook his head firmly.

"The Special Forces I'm proposing are entirely different from Black Mantle. On the surface they may seem similar, but their core functions diverge completely. Black Mantle, and other outfits like it, can indeed be considered unconventional—a hidden force, in your words—but their operations centre on intelligence—Information gathering, analysis, and management. Their role is to provide you, and other decision-makers, with knowledge to guide strategy.

"They are a passive force. Their skills lie in espionage, surveillance, interrogation. They thrive in building networks of spies, handlers, and spymasters, making use of both civilian (untrained) and military (trained) personnel."

"Conversely, my proposed Special Forces unit is an action group," Alex clarified. "While they can collect their own intelligence, their core purpose is to act upon information already gathered by outfits like Black Mantle.

"Using the information, they can act through raids, direct strikes, assassinations, sabotage, and similar operations. They will be a highly-trained military combat unit, nothing less."

He leaned forward slightly, voice firm.

"To put it simply: in unconventional warfare, Black Mantle and other intel organisations are the ears and eyes of decision-makers like you. Special Forces will be your dagger—the weapon you use to act on what those eyes and ears perceive.

"In essence, my Special Forces unit will work hand-in-hand with Black Mantle. Even more so than how well Black Mantle cooperates with conventional forces, because both are essential pieces of the unconventional warfare doctrine I'm proposing."

Drake flipped through the dense stack of papers once again. Charts, diagrams, mathematical models—all carefully laid out to justify Alex's argument. Most of it was foreign to him, like an entirely different language.

"You came up with all of this yourself?" he asked, brow furrowed.

"Yes," Alex replied matter-of-factly. "I spent four days thinking it through and drafting it. Quite an engaging thought exercise, honestly."

Drake stared at him for a moment, at a rare loss for words.

'I am genuinely afraid of what goes on in your head, kid.' He shook his head inwardly.

Alex pressed on, his tone calm but resolute.

"Actually, Father, SODIV is just the beginning. I know my proposal is… unusual, so like the Mage Training Reform, I intend to introduce it in stages. SODIV will be the seed, but eventually, I envision it growing into a proper organisation of its own: the Special Operations Command Bureau—SOCOB.

"This Bureau would sit as a member of High Command, granting operational independence to Special Operations. Its duty would be to recruit compatible elites from every branch of the Fury Army, retrain and forge them into Spec Ops Operators, and direct special operation missions on behalf of our branch—or the Fury Family as a whole. Not only across the Empire or the Arun Continent, but potentially even in other planes."

Earl Drake said nothing in response. He simply shut the stack of jargon-filled documents—Alex's so-called blueprint for a "new" brand of warfare—and placed them aside.

Instead, he picked up the next pile.

"Proposal for the creation of the Advanced Research Command Hub (i.e. ARCH)… and the Centre for Advanced Research for Military Operational Utilities and Resources (i.e. ARMOUR Centre)."

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