Fire Division
Division Profile
Faction: Hell Hosts
Type: Artillery / Siege Warfare Division
Status: Active
Primary Role: Heavy fire support, artillery warfare, siege operations
Secondary Roles: Counter-battery fire, rocket bombardment, defensive emplacements, smoke deployment, orbital fire coordination
Origins: Former Free Order Rebellion and Terrorism Control Agency personnel
Motto: “Rain Hell Upon Our Enemies.”
Known For: Extreme long-range firepower, veteran artillery culture, former FOR/TCA integration, and overwhelming preparatory bombardment
Primary Systems: R96 Rotary Artillery Cannon, 445 Tributary Artillery Cannon
Overview
The Fire Division is the primary artillery and heavy fire-support branch of the Hell Hosts military.
Unlike the Doom Corps, which forms the backbone of conventional ground warfare, the Fire Division specialises in destroying enemy positions from extreme range before friendly infantry ever reaches them.
Its responsibilities include:
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Long-range artillery
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Siege warfare
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Rocket bombardment
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Defensive fire support
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Counter-battery operations
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Fortification destruction
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Battlefield suppression
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Smoke and obscuration
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Orbital fire coordination
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Heavy anti-armour bombardment
The division traces its origins directly back to the TCA-FOR War.
Its earliest members were not comrades.
They were enemies.
Today, that history has become one of the defining parts of Fire Division culture.
Their purpose is simple:
Find the target.
Calculate the solution.
Rain Hell Upon Our Enemies.
Origins
Before the formation of the Hell Hosts, the Free Order Rebellion and Terrorism Control Agency fought one another throughout the TCA-FOR War.
Both organisations fielded large conventional infantry forces.
When the conflict eventually ended and the Hell Hosts were established, enormous numbers of surviving FOR and TCA personnel entered the new military structure.
Many transferred into the newly developing:
However, a significant number remained within their original formations.
Hell Host Command faced a problem.
The faction did not need two additional conventional infantry branches.
It already had Doom Corps.
Rather than disbanding thousands of experienced soldiers, the remaining FOR and TCA formations were reorganised into a new specialised branch.
That branch became:
The Fire Division.
From Infantry to Artillery
The transition was significant.
Former riflemen became:
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Artillery crews
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Siege specialists
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Forward observers
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Fire-control personnel
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Rocket battery operators
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Heavy weapon technicians
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Target coordinators
Old infantry commanders were retrained in:
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Artillery doctrine
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Long-range targeting
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Siege warfare
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Battlefield logistics
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Fire-support coordination
The division gradually abandoned its role as a conventional infantry force.
In its place emerged one of the most destructive artillery organisations in the Omicron Galaxy.
Former Enemies
The early Fire Division was not particularly comfortable.
Former FOR soldiers were suddenly expected to work beside former TCA personnel they may have fought only months or years earlier.
Old rivalries survived.
Arguments were common.
Some crews initially refused to work together.
Others spent years insulting one another over battles that had already ended.
Eventually, repeated deployments changed the culture.
A gun crew did not survive because everyone agreed politically.
It survived because:
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The loader worked
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The gunner worked
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The spotter worked
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The targeting data was correct
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The round landed where it was supposed to
Over time, the previous uniforms mattered less.
The artillery did not care who had once worn which insignia.
Old Fire Division Saying
“Different uniforms. Same gun line.”
The phrase originated during the division’s early integration period.
It remains popular among veteran personnel.
Division Doctrine
Fire Division doctrine is based around one principle:
Destroy the enemy before the enemy reaches you.
Where Doom Corps doctrine frequently focuses on taking and holding ground, Fire Division doctrine focuses on shaping that ground before the infantry arrives.
Typical objectives include:
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Destroying defensive positions
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Suppressing enemy movement
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Breaking fortified lines
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Eliminating artillery batteries
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Disabling armour concentrations
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Cutting retreat routes
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Destroying supply columns
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Providing smoke cover
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Preventing reinforcement
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Preparing landing zones
A Fire Division strike may begin long before the enemy realises a ground assault is coming.
Fire Support Doctrine
Hell Host artillery rarely fires without purpose.
Fire missions are generally classified according to role.
Suppression Fire
Used to keep enemy personnel under cover while Hell Host forces move.
Common targets include:
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Trenches
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Rooftops
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Defensive walls
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Infantry positions
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Anti-aircraft crews
Destruction Fire
Designed to physically destroy a target.
Typical targets include:
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Fortifications
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Vehicles
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Artillery
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Command posts
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Bunkers
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Bridges
Interdiction Fire
Used to prevent enemy movement.
This may involve striking:
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Roads
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Rail lines
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Convoys
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Reinforcement corridors
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Extraction routes
Counter-Battery Fire
Used specifically against enemy artillery.
Fire Division counter-battery crews specialise in detecting hostile firing positions and returning fire before the opposing battery can relocate.
Preparatory Bombardment
Conducted immediately before a major Hell Host assault.
The objective is to:
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Destroy fortifications
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Damage enemy morale
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Force defenders underground
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Disable communications
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Clear assault corridors
Preparatory bombardment is closely coordinated with the Doom Corps.
The Forward Observers
Fire Division artillery may operate dozens of kilometres from the battlefield.
Someone still has to see the target.
That responsibility belongs to:
Forward Observers
Fire Division observers frequently deploy alongside Doom Corps personnel.
Their role includes:
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Target identification
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Range calculation
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Fire correction
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Damage assessment
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Artillery coordination
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Emergency fire requests
Forward observers may operate dangerously close to enemy formations.
A single observer can direct enough artillery to change the outcome of an entire battle.
Because of this, experienced observers are highly respected within the Fire Division.
Fire Division Structure
The Fire Division uses a mixture of battalion-scale and battery-scale formations.
The basic artillery structure generally follows:
Gun Crew → Battery → Artillery Group → Battalion
Gun Crew
The smallest operational artillery element.
A gun crew is responsible for a single artillery platform or specialised weapons system.
Typical responsibilities include:
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Loading
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Firing
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Maintenance
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Targeting
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Ammunition handling
Battery
A Battery contains multiple artillery pieces operating together.
Batteries may specialise in:
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RAC systems
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TAC systems
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Rocket artillery
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Heavy mortars
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Counter-battery warfare
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Siege operations
Artillery Group
Multiple Batteries may be combined into a larger Artillery Group for planetary campaigns.
Groups are frequently assigned to support specific Doom Corps formations.
Battalion
Battalions form the largest permanent combat identities within the Fire Division.
Some specialise heavily in a particular form of artillery warfare.
R96 Rotary Artillery Cannon
Primary Artillery System
Designation: R96 RAC
Full Name: R96 Rotary Artillery Cannon
Role: Sustained bombardment / area suppression
Barrels: Four rotating artillery barrels
Speciality: High-volume fire
The R96 Rotary Artillery Cannon is one of the Fire Division’s signature weapons.
Unlike conventional artillery pieces that focus primarily on individual shell power, the RAC is designed around:
Volume.
Its four rotating barrels allow it to sustain unusually rapid artillery fire across a large area.
The system is frequently used for:
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Area denial
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Infantry suppression
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Defensive saturation
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Anti-fortification fire
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Preparing assault zones
Individual shells may be less destructive than those fired by the 445 TAC.
The RAC compensates by firing considerably more of them.
RAC Reputation
Doom Corps soldiers sometimes describe RAC bombardment as:
“Watching an entire grid square get chewed apart.”
The description is not considered technically accurate.
Fire Division personnel rarely object.
445 Tributary Artillery Cannon
Heavy Siege System
Designation: 445 TAC
Full Name: 445 Tributary Artillery Cannon
Role: Heavy siege warfare
Speciality: Maximum destructive firepower
The 445 Tributary Artillery Cannon is the heavier counterpart to the R96 RAC.
The TAC trades:
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Rate of fire
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Range
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Deployment speed
for significantly greater destructive power.
It is designed primarily for:
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Fortress destruction
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Anti-bunker warfare
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Heavy siege operations
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Defensive structure elimination
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Hardened target destruction
A single TAC shell can cause catastrophic damage to fortified targets.
TAC Mobility
The TAC uses an advanced mobile propulsion system allowing it to cross terrain that would immobilise conventional artillery.
Depending on model and configuration, this may include assisted hover-track mobility across:
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Rivers
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Marshlands
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Shallow water
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Mud
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Broken terrain
This allows TAC batteries to reposition without relying entirely on prepared roads.
TAC Operational Modes
The 445 TAC supports multiple ammunition and fire-control configurations.
Two of the most famous are:
Siege Mode
Designed for maximum destructive power.
Used against:
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Bunkers
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Fortresses
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Defensive walls
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Hardened command centres
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Heavy armour
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Major infrastructure
Siege Mode sacrifices firing speed for extreme impact.
Gas / Payload Mode
Historically referred to simply as:
Gas Mode
Modern Fire Division doctrine uses the term more broadly.
Payload Mode allows TAC systems to deploy specialised munitions including:
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Smoke
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Sensor-obscuring compounds
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Suppression agents
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Incendiary payloads
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Chemical agents under restricted authorisation
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Area-denial munitions
The exact payload depends entirely on mission requirements and command approval.
Additional Fire Division Systems
Although the RAC and TAC are the most famous Fire Division weapons, the division also operates numerous other platforms.
These include:
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Mobile rocket batteries
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Anti-fortification missiles
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Heavy mortar systems
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Counter-battery radar
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Target-designation drones
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Mobile fire-control centres
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Smoke deployment systems
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Long-range sensor arrays
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Ammunition transport vehicles
Many Fire Division campaigns involve a combination of several systems working simultaneously.
Artillery Crews
Fire Division crews are known for developing unusually close relationships with their artillery pieces.
Many guns receive names.
These names may be:
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Serious
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Historical
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Sentimental
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Completely ridiculous
A gun’s official designation may be:
R96-48117
Its crew may insist the weapon is actually called:
Divorce Settlement
No explanation is normally provided.
Crew Culture
Fire Division culture is heavily influenced by:
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Former FOR personnel
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Former TCA personnel
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Veteran artillery crews
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Long deployments
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Dark humour
The division tends to possess less ceremonial behaviour than many other Hell Host branches.
Crew relationships are often informal.
Ammunition loaders may openly argue with officers.
Veteran gunners regularly insult newly commissioned personnel.
Everyone stops arguing when coordinates arrive.
Accuracy Culture
Fire Division personnel take accuracy extremely seriously.
Missing a target is not simply considered wasted ammunition.
A missed artillery shell may:
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Reveal the battery
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Endanger allies
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Allow enemy forces to escape
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Destroy civilian infrastructure
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Waste valuable ammunition
As a result, Fire Division training heavily emphasises:
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Target confirmation
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Ballistic calculation
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Atmospheric conditions
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Planetary gravity
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Terrain effects
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Friendly-force positioning
The fact that Hell Host operations occur across different planets makes artillery calculation significantly more complicated than traditional warfare.
Planetary Artillery
Gravity is not identical across the Omicron Galaxy.
Atmospheres differ.
Weather systems differ.
Air pressure differs.
A firing solution effective on one world may be completely wrong on another.
Fire Division crews therefore maintain extensive planetary artillery data.
Modern targeting computers perform much of this calculation automatically.
Experienced crews are still trained to understand it manually.
This ensures artillery remains operational even during:
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Electronic warfare
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Sensor disruption
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Communication failure
Relationship with Doom Corps
The Doom Corps maintains one of the closest operational relationships with Fire Division.
Doom Corps captures ground.
Fire Division shapes that ground beforehand.
Typical joint operations involve:
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Reconnaissance identifies the enemy position.
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Forward observers confirm targets.
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Fire Division begins bombardment.
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Enemy defensive capability is degraded.
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Doom Corps advances.
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Fire Division shifts fire ahead of the assault.
The two divisions maintain strong mutual respect.
Doom Corps soldiers frequently know supporting artillery batteries by name.
Doom Corps Saying
“If Fire says keep your head down, keep your head down.”
Relationship with Aviation Division
The Aviation Division and Fire Division cooperate extensively during planetary operations.
Typical coordination includes:
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Air reconnaissance
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Target spotting
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Suppression
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Smoke corridors
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Counter-air operations
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Combined bombardment
The two divisions also maintain a long-running rivalry.
Aviation personnel occasionally claim aircraft can destroy targets faster than artillery.
Fire Division personnel typically respond:
“Then why didn’t you?”
Relationship with Eradication Division
Combined Fire and Eradication Division deployments are considered a serious escalation.
Fire Division frequently performs the initial bombardment.
Eradication enters afterward.
Typical sequence:
Fire destroys the position.
Eradication destroys what survived.
These combined operations are rarely authorised near civilian areas.
188th Siege Battalion “Iron Casters”
Notable Battalion
Designation: 188th Siege Battalion
Nickname: Iron Casters
Division: Fire Division
Speciality: Siege warfare / fortress destruction
Primary Systems: 445 TAC, R96 RAC, heavy siege artillery
Known Personnel: Doom
The 188th Siege Battalion, known as the Iron Casters, is one of the most recognisable siege formations within Hell Host military history.
The battalion specialises in:
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Fortress destruction
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Heavy bombardment
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Defensive-line breaking
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Siege support
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Large-scale assault preparation
The Iron Casters are frequently assigned to battles where conventional artillery is insufficient.
Relationship with Doom
Doom, real name Alexia Vandrix, is heavily associated with the Iron Casters and the battalion’s aggressive siege doctrine.
Under her leadership, the unit became increasingly integrated with direct assault operations.
Rather than remaining entirely behind friendly lines, the Iron Casters became known for advancing artillery support close behind Doom Corps assault formations.
Their philosophy became:
Break the wall.
Then break whatever was hiding behind it.
Morvannis
The Iron Casters participated in the assault on an Angel Sword fortress at:
Fire Division artillery played a major role in weakening the defensive structure before Hell Host assault forces entered.
The operation became an important example of coordinated:
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Siege artillery
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Doom Corps assault
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Forward observation
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Heavy bombardment
The fortress eventually fell.
51st Long-Range Artillery Battalion “Hellrainers”
Notable Battalion
Designation: 51st Long-Range Artillery Battalion
Nickname: Hellrainers
Division: Fire Division
Speciality: Extreme-range bombardment / convoy destruction
Known For: Operation Playing with Fire
The 51st Long-Range Artillery Battalion, known as the Hellrainers, specialises in destroying targets at extreme distance.
Its crews are particularly skilled in:
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Long-range firing solutions
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Moving-target prediction
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Coordinated barrage timing
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Convoy interdiction
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Rapid fire correction
The battalion became legendary following:
Operation: Playing with Fire
Major Fire Division Victory
Enemy: Angel Sword
Primary Force: 51st Long-Range Artillery Battalion
Engagement Range: Approximately 50 km
Duration: Approximately five minutes
Result: Complete destruction of hostile convoy
Operation Playing with Fire is one of the most famous Fire Division engagements in Hell Host history.
An Angel Sword convoy was detected travelling approximately:
50 kilometres
from a Hell Host artillery position.
The convoy consisted of military transports, supply vehicles, armoured elements, and supporting personnel.
Hell Host Command determined that the force had to be destroyed before it reached its destination.
Fire Division received the coordinates.
No Doom Corps interception force was deployed.
No Aviation strike was required.
The artillery crews handled it themselves.
Opening Barrage
The 51st Hellrainers calculated the firing solution and began bombardment.
The first shells struck the convoy before Angel Sword personnel had fully identified the source of the attack.
The convoy attempted to:
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Scatter
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Accelerate
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Seek cover
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Return fire
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Change route
Fire Division observers continuously updated the firing solution.
Follow-up barrages shifted with the convoy.
Vehicles were destroyed faster than survivors could reorganise.
Five Minutes
The entire engagement lasted approximately:
Five minutes.
By the end of the operation, the Angel Sword convoy had been completely destroyed.
One version of the after-action summary records:
OPERATION DURATION: 00:05:17
HELL HOST CASUALTIES: 0
HOSTILE CONVOY: DESTROYED
The exact timing has become legendary within Fire Division culture.
Some newly assigned personnel initially assume the story is exaggerated.
Veterans are happy to correct them.
Legacy of Playing with Fire
Operation Playing with Fire became one of the clearest demonstrations of what long-range Hell Host artillery could accomplish.
The enemy never reached visual range.
The enemy never fired upon the Hell Host artillery line.
The enemy never got close enough to matter.
The operation became strongly associated with the Fire Division motto:
“Rain Hell Upon Our Enemies.”
Fire Division and Defeat
The Fire Division does not maintain a culture of pretending every bombardment succeeds.
Artillery is vulnerable to:
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Counter-battery attacks
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Air strikes
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Electronic warfare
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Ammunition shortages
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Poor intelligence
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Rapid enemy movement
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Detection
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Sabotage
Several disastrous Fire Division operations exist within Hell Host history.
Some remain poorly documented.
Others are still being recovered from older military archives.
The division studies its failures with the same seriousness as its victories.
A gun line that believes it cannot be destroyed is already dead.
Traditions
Gun Naming
Artillery pieces are frequently given unofficial names by their crews.
A weapon may retain the same name through:
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Repairs
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Upgrades
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Crew changes
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Multiple campaigns
Retired guns occasionally have their name plates preserved at Fire Division bases.
First Round
New artillery crews traditionally preserve the casing, ignition component, or firing record from their first live combat mission.
Some crews engrave:
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Date
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World
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Target
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Crew names
into the preserved component.
Final Round
When an artillery piece is permanently retired, its final combat firing is recorded.
The firing record may later be displayed alongside the weapon’s operational history.
Old Uniform Tradition
Some veteran Fire Division personnel preserve small fragments of former FOR or TCA insignia inside:
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Lockers
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Gun compartments
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Personal equipment
The symbols are not worn publicly as active allegiance.
They represent where the soldier came from.
The Hell Host insignia represents where they ended up.
Motto
The official Fire Division motto is:
“Rain Hell Upon Our Enemies.”
It represents both the division’s artillery role and its place within the Hell Hosts.
The phrase is frequently:
-
Painted onto artillery
-
Displayed inside battery command centres
-
Used before major fire missions
Unofficial Sayings
“Different uniforms. Same gun line.”
“Doesn’t matter who fired first. Matters who fires last.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
— Typical response to Aviation claiming it could have destroyed the target faster
“If Fire says keep your head down, keep your head down.”
“A gun line that believes it cannot be destroyed is already dead.”
Visual Identity
Fire Division equipment typically uses traditional Hell Host military colours combined with artillery-specific identification markings.
Common features include:
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Matte black armour
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Gunmetal equipment
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Dark red markings
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Artillery shell insignia
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Battery identifiers
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Range and mission markings
Individual artillery pieces frequently display much more personal customisation than standard infantry weapons.
This may include:
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Names
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Crew symbols
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Kill counts
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Operation markings
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Old FOR/TCA references
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Humorous messages
Reputation
Among Doom Corps
Fire Division is generally loved.
Particularly when the artillery lands where it is supposed to.
Doom Corps personnel frequently build close relationships with artillery crews assigned to support their battalions.
Among Aviation
Competitive.
Constantly insulting each other.
Operationally inseparable.
Among Enemy Forces
Fire Division is feared because visual contact is unnecessary.
A hostile force may be:
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Detected
-
Targeted
-
Fired upon
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Destroyed
without ever seeing the personnel responsible.
Division Identity
The Fire Division is built from contradictions.
Its founders were enemies.
Its crews fight from distance.
Its effects are felt up close.
It is one of the oldest reminders that the Hell Hosts were not created from a single army.
They were created from survivors.
Former FOR.
Former TCA.
New recruits.
Old enemies.
All standing behind the same guns.
The uniforms changed.
The targets changed.
The artillery remained.
And when the order is given:
They rain Hell upon their enemies.
Trivia
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The Fire Division originated primarily from surviving FOR and TCA personnel.
-
Many former FOR and TCA soldiers instead transferred into Doom Corps.
-
Fire Division was reorganised because Hell Hosts did not require another conventional infantry branch.
-
The R96 RAC uses four rotating artillery barrels.
-
The 445 TAC focuses on significantly heavier siege fire.
-
Fire Division forward observers frequently deploy alongside Doom Corps.
-
Planetary gravity and atmosphere must be considered when calculating artillery fire.
-
Veteran crews frequently name individual artillery pieces.
-
FOR and TCA veterans sometimes preserve fragments of their original insignia.
-
Operation Playing with Fire destroyed an Angel Sword convoy from roughly 50 kilometres away.
-
The operation lasted approximately five minutes.
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The 188th Siege Battalion is commonly known as the Iron Casters.
-
The 51st Long-Range Artillery Battalion is commonly known as the Hellrainers.
-
Fire Division and Aviation maintain a long-running friendly rivalry.
-
Combined Fire Division and Eradication operations represent a major escalation in Hell Host warfare.