Zvezda Brigada

The Zvezda Brigada, also known as 'Star Brigade' in English, is a independent armed resistance group based in the city of Valday.

ZB are famous for controlling one of the last few arms & munition facilities in all of Europe.

They are aggressive towards both the Combine and the Resistance.

History
Following the 7 Hour War, several Soviet military forces managed to evade the Combine by hiding out in the wild.

Even though the vast forests of the Taigan were now home to thousands of alien creatures many survivors argued that it was a reasonable cost to live free.

One such force, led by general Yuri Kvostov, managed to find their way to the city of Valday. An isolated industrial city in Karelia which was home to several factories responsible for producing weapons, ammunition and other military equipment it became the fortress of Kvostov's Zvezda Brigada.

Severely outnumbered and with dwindling resources ZB forces employ aggressive first-contact policies, prioritizing their own people's needs above everyone else. One could argue that it is cold and cruel of the ZB to raid and plunder from both the Combine, Resistance and civilians but Kvostov continuely stresses the importance of gathering new resources to maintain high production rates from the factories inside Valday.

Eventually Kvostov hopes that he will have enough weapons, men and food to chase the Combine back to where they came from.

Brigaders
The backbone infantry of ZB, brigaders are a mix of former military members and trained militants. Equipment range from basic chestrigs to tactical vests capable of sustaining some small-arms fire (9mm). Brigaders are armed with AKs, AKMs and other weapons from the AK-family.

Some brigaders also use the RPK LMG and RPG-7.

Redstars
Specialist soldiers who all don the iconic ushanka with a soviet star on the front. Redstars are veteran soldiers, some were part of Kvostov's original military brigade while others proved themselves in battle against the Combine and thus earned their new rank.

Snouts
Scavengers, scouts and pathfinders. The snouts are not to be confused with average brigaders with gasmasks. These survival specialists are former hunters and special forces. They wear gorka uniforms in either tan or white-blue color with matching pants. Due to their role as long-range scouts they often wear heavy packing such as satchels, sleeping bags etc. to help them survive far from Valday.

The primary weapons of choice for the snouts include the prototype Groza rifle (a weapon so expensive to produce it is reserved only for the snouts) as well as the Dargunov SVD sniper rifle.

General Yuri Kvostov
Decorated career soldier and leader of the Zvezda Brigada, Kvostov was commanding several mechanized platoons during the 7 Hour War. As more and more of his comrades went dark Kvostov made the difficult decision of abandoning his post.

Like most of his men he was forced to leave his family behind as they retreated into the wilds to live (and to fight) another day.

With Kvostov at the front the remnants of the Soviet armed forces marched north untill they stopped at Valday, an isolated town so far up they hadn't even gotten the news about the war yet.

On the road to Valday several other smaller groups of soldiers had joined Kvostov and his men. All of the soldiers were inspired by Kvostov's numerous speeches about a "free tomorrow" and "a day when Humanity would take back the world".

Today he resides in Valday where he commands Zvezda Brigada from the cityhall.

Major Dmitry 'Dima' Petrov
Right-hand man of Kvostov, Dima has followed the general through hell and back. Like his superior Dima inspires the rest of the men and most ZB recruits have been personally trained by him at one point or another.

When he's not training recruits or maintaining his gear Dima can be found at the front, wether it be a convoy run or a scouting mission he's never far from where the action is.

Dima greets his friends with a cheerful smile and his enemies with the muzzle of his rifle.