I was turning over ideas in my head for foes in my current Star Wars campaign and my mind happened to wander toward COMPForce... You know, those pretty boys who get all the cool toys, best medical care, and are supposedly the Emperor's favorites/elite while the stormtrooper corps couldn't hit the broadside of a blaster bolt with a bantha.

My question is this: has anybody every actually used them in their games? Did you use them as-is or reskin them as more-skilled stormtroopers. I know they're pretty much non-canon now anyway, but, regardless of edition/version of the RPG played, how did it work out?

Thanks,

Harl

I use COMPNOR all the time in my games set during that era.

For COMPForce specifically, I make fresh units cannon fodder for Rebels; they're basically the Hitler Youth. But the ones that survive (and keep surviving) keep the fanaticism and are just as deadly as any Imperial Stormtrooper (which are no slouches in my games, the heroes are just better).

For COMPNOR itself, I have them be priggish dicks and nosy parkers that stick their nose into everyone else's business. Pretty universally hated and some of that rolls down to the COMPForce guys.

I've always used Stormtroopers as among the best front line troops that the Imperials have, and most of the original trilogy proved that out.  Whenever they face normal rebels, they win usually overwhelmingly so.  COMPforce in my games were slightly less trained, but really, woefully under experienced.  Which usually meant that their toys ended up in the PC's hands.

My COMPForce are the SAGroup Hitler Youth types who grew up into the SS. They get the high visibility and really dirty missions that require total fanatics who look good. They have their own weapons, armor, vehicles, and starships (which, even when they are the same standard design have slightly different characteristics). They sacrifice training for indoctrination, tactics and strategy for fanaticism.

The most effective I have used them as were on important high population worlds of the Empire. They make great representations of the Imperial Government there and act as political officers and an anti-subversive force.

COMPForce is also the troops who do the really dirty jobs. My Star Wars games have the Imperial equivalent of the Nazi's Joy Division, and COMPForce are the ones who administer and run the operation. So far, all I have had to do is hint that it exists.

I just have CompForce as those members of the Imperial armed forces that are initiated members of COMPNOR. In effect, it's like an order of knighthood based on political loyalty rather than enhanced combat capabilities. Very rarely, certain projects or missions will draw exclusively on CompForce personnel. This is usually when the project or mission is politically sensitive.