22nd MACO Detachment- Blackhawks

[Dylan Torngate]

Taking Flight

Military Assault Command Operations (commonly abbreviated as MACO) was a United Earth organization that existed as a part of the United Earth Military during the 2150s, prior to the founding of the Federation. The MACOs (pronounced "MAY-ko") were not associated with Starfleet. MACO troops are specialized with ground-based combat, with weapons technology upwards of two years ahead of the rest of the Federation.

MACO troops are trained at West Point, New York, North America, and Parris Island, South Carolina, North America. Troops go on 3 week trips to Jupiter Station for Zero-G training, and 3 weeks on Luna for survival training. MACO troops serve as protective details on Earth and United Earth Starfleet ships on deep space expeditions, and security on other worlds as the need arises.

The detachment of MACOs on Lexington are from the 501st MACO Platoon, which serves on Coalition of Planets worlds and Starships. Assignment to Starships is seen as a dud assignment, and many view assignment to the Lexington as an insult. MACO troops often clash with Starfleet security and tactical personnel over duties and who is "in charge", which has led to several altercations across Starfleet.

[Dylan Torngate]

MACO Equipment

While generally more advanced, most equipment is specialized for combat.

Uniforms

The standard combat uniform worn by MACO personnel was a two piece uniform with matching undergarment, gloves and boots. The overall color of the combat uniform and boots was gray with white, black, and brown camouflage effects. The belt, gloves and undergarments were a brown color. This uniform was worn in and out of combat.

Environmental Suits

MACO issued its own environmental suits, distinct from the ones used by contemporary Starfleet personnel. MACO EV suits had a silver color, with support systems located in a backpack. The helmet featured two lights in a more central position than on the Starfleet suits. MACO suits also provided more flexibility, range of motion, and field of view than the Starfleet version.

Backpacks

MACO forces had their own specialized hardshell backpack. The model was often copied or even take from MACO personnel by Starfleet officers.

MACO Weaponry

Phase Pistol

MACOs used their own model of phase-pistols as their primary sidearm as well. The pistols were similar in appearance to the EM-33 pistols and were designed to fire blue phase pulses, essentially bolts of energy, instead of beams like those fired by their Starfleet counterparts. The pistols were also equipped with both "stun" and "kill" settings.

Stun Baton

A stun baton was a non-lethal weapon that immobilized targets with a powerful electrical shock.

Stun Grenade

Stun grenades are a hand-thrown weapon utilized by both Starfleet and MACOs in the 22nd century. Designed with a time-delay setting, stun grenades were capable of incapacitating the enemy without causing permanent physical damage, in much the same way as a phase-pistol set to stun.

Particle Rifles

The MACO particle rifle fired discharges of blue bolts of concentrated energy. The weapon could also be set to fire orange-red particle beams similar to those fired by a plasma rifle or a phase-pistol. However, the beam came from the barrel underneath the main one. The particle rifle was capable of multiple power settings, ranging from stun, to kill, to a high-power shot capable of blasting through a Human torso. Power levels could be changed by manipulating either of a pair of circular dials mounted on either side of the weapon. The weapon featured a tubular stock, vertical foregrip, and a multifunction scope that could be retracted into the body of the weapon.