The Imperial Engineer


Title: Field Support
Training Headquarters: Imperial Technical Institute, Osaka
Country of origin: Japan
Trained at: Imperial Dojo
Motto: "With the utmost humility!"

Accessories:

• Communicator earpiece
• Radar scan spectacle lenses
• Detachable Aqua-Scoot
• A lazybones who loves a stroll
• Freshly dry-cleaned suit



The Empire of the Rising Sun has secured its prominent place on the world stage through its relentless pursuit of technological superiority. Among its millions of citizens, the socio-economic caste of the Empire’s famed “Engineers” is particularly dedicated to the national pursuit of High Technology… and, some might say, their own personal advancement in the process. In Japanese, the term ‘Engineer’ (or rather ‘Enjiniiaa’, phonetically) is imbued with irony, having been borrowed from the homophonous English term for one who studies technical sciences. The word evokes a certain moral and hierarchical superiority that is not simply conveyed by the professional term used in the Western world. Yet, from a practical point of view, the methods of the Imperial Engineers are in any case superior or even functionally different from their Allied or Soviet counterparts. Competition aside, however, this means that Imperial Engineers must be treated with the utmost caution despite their unassuming appearance, as they are the Field Mechanics and Saboteurs who can significantly affect the outcome of a battle.

Although Imperial Engineers receive no military training and are in fact prohibited from any physical training beyond basic rhythmic gymnastics, they are expected to serve in a military capacity before they can attain a higher position within Imperial society. In practice, Engineers are deployed for tasks such as repairing structures that have sustained direct damage, or capturing neutral or enemy equipment deemed valuable to the Empire of the Rising Sun. Successfully capturing an enemy installation on behalf of the Empire is the fundamental aim of any Engineer; they undergo years of training in how to do so and are the only branch of the Imperial forces capable of carrying out such operations. Consequently, the prospect of being responsible for capturing enemy structures tends to be so thrilling for Imperial Engineers that they approach their task with genuine enthusiasm.


Imperial Engineers tend to be shunned by other Imperial forces, although there can be no denying that these unassuming-looking men can pose a substantial threat to enemy forces if left to their own devices.

Although Imperial Engineers are vital to modern Imperial military operations, there is considerable tension between rank-and-file Soldiers and these men, who straddle the line between administrative and military service. Intercepted communications from Imperial Soldiers have revealed complaints about Imperial Engineers-‘whining behaviour, humiliation, selfishness’-and this has a direct impact on Imperial morale. Whilst this generalisation is probably too broad, it seems possible that the soldiers resent the Engineers’ personal pursuit of career advancement, whilst the Engineers, in turn, dislike the relatively brutal and harsh nature of the Imperial Soldiers.

Tension within the military ranks may well be a deliberate tactic, historically used to channel aggressive energies that could then be directed towards the enemy. Furthermore, whether successfully escorting Imperial Engineers to their target locations or unsuccessfully defending them, Imperial soldiers seem to be spurred on by the loss of their unusual comrades-in-arms.


Reconnaissance on the battlefield has at least revealed the following facts about the Engineers:

• The Engineer’s Path– The main requirement for Imperial Engineers is that they must be able to capture structures quickly; the speed with which they can achieve complete control of buildings is truly staggering. An Engineer simply needs to enter an enemy structure to reconfigure it for Imperial use.

-Not exactly light on their feet- Imperial Engineers lack physical prowess, although they do travel very light. This means they can run much faster than the average infantryman, at least for a brief moment until they stop to catch their breath. However, such a desperate sprint can often be the difference between a captured enemy structure and an Imperial Engineer killed in action.

-The Detachable Aqua-Scoot– One of the most sophisticated pieces of kit issued to Imperial Engineers is a portable, detachable device that allows them to travel fairly quickly across water without any physical effort. This opens up many tactical opportunities, as well as being a more enjoyable means of transport.

-Defenceless - Imperial Engineers receive no weapons training and are forbidden from carrying any kind of weapon, for their own safety and that of those around them. In turn, other Imperial forces are ordered to protect these men from attack at all costs. There is as yet no evidence that the Imperial Engineers’ ‘semi-formal’ attire serves to deter enemy attention.