Highton Heroes: What is Highton?

Hi everyone!

This week I’m keeping the ball rolling on Highton Heroes info drops. Recently, I delved into the world surrounding Highton. This time, given the name of the series, I want to deep dive into Highton itself, the city the series follows.

Highton is a large mega-city which serves one purpose: the defence or maintained order of Earth. The whole city is essentially one large military operation that police the planet. Highton’s army maintains order while also dealing with out-of-line factions and supervillains. All who are born here must serve Highton in one capacity or another, or leave.

While most of Highton’s people are born within its walls, many apply for citizenship to become part of the city. Rigorous mental and physical tests must be passed to become a citizen.

Most in Highton serve the military. However, citizens can serve in the form of administration, medicine, science and even culinary (people have to eat still right?). Any businesses or places of work must pertain to the stability and advancement of the Highton army.

Leadership

Functioning as both a large city and a military, the hierarchy of Highton is strange in that in reflects both political and military style leadership roles. At the top of the hierarchy sits the Mayor, Assistant Mayor, Supreme Commander and Master Director. Together, these roles make up Highton’s leadership bloc.

Mayor

The Mayor leads Highton and answers directly to the President. They need to be both a well-trained and highly commended soldier while also having the communication skills of a politician. The Mayor is usually decided by a city election and stays in the role until they resign, pass away or Highton’s leadership bloc force a new election.

Assistant Mayor

Serving as a helper to the Mayor, the Assistant Mayor oversees more administrative functions and interpersonal conflicts amongst the various departments of Highton.

Supreme Commander

The Supreme Commander oversees the entire military function of the city. They coordinate all Commanders, Corporals and other military leadership roles. They are in constant contact with the Mayor and Assistant Mayor to pass down orders.

Master Director

The Master Director oversees the entire non-military faction of the city. They coordinate directly with Service Directors who oversee specific teams within the city e.g. medical teams, culinary teams, education teams. The Master Director is in casual contact with the Mayor or Assistant Mayor to pass down orders.

Military Departments

Being the overall defence of Earth, Highton has countless military departments in its ranks to carry out all the required tasks needed to maintain order of an entire planet. Often new departments will be created and retired as required. The most important or well-known departments include:

Trooper

The most basic Highton military unit with basic training. Most military personnel begin their careers here, and some remain a Trooper their entire lives.

Security Officer

A group of personnel dedicated solely to the defence of Highton and all its assets. Usually a boring position, it spices up when the city has visitors or new external recruits.

Intelligence Operative

A general non-combat role (though they have combat training) which can be in an office or in the field. An Intelligence Operative gathers information through hacking, eavesdropping, contacts etc.

Shock Trooper

Soldiers who are equipped with heavy armour and weapons to run headfirst into intense combat situations.

Jump Trooper

Jump Troopers are equipped and trained for maximum mobility in battle. They move quickly around targets and through enemy buildings by equipping a jetpack and wearing lighter armour.

Stealth Unit

Essentially the opposite of Shock Troopers, Stealth Units have cloaking technology and can be in and out of a facility without being detected.

Spy

An agent who infiltrates organisations, factions, zones etc. They basically become what they are infiltrating and report back information they find out to Highton as they are able to.

Pilot

They generally pilot basic Hover Transports. They have enhanced aerial capabilities to avoid enemy fire but little experience using ship weaponry.

Advanced Aerial Combat (AAC) Unit

A pilot specially trained to use combat vehicles such as Hover Fighters.

Dog Soldier Division (DSD) Unit

Dogs with enhanced intelligence that serve as equipped soldiers in battle.

Undercover Animal (UA) Unit

Teams of covert enhanced animals, such as birds or mice, who gather intel like an Intelligence Officer. They are able to get into more places and gather more details as they can act like normal animals around targets.

Special Operations (Spec Ops) Unit

Agents who are tasked with very specific and important missions across Earth that require extensive combat and stealth knowledge. They often operate alone and are the best of the best in combat.

Command Special Tasks (CST) Unit

CST is unique in that it answers directly to the Mayor alone. CST Agents and Squads are elite forces that often act in secrecy, even from other members of the town.

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That may have been a lot to take in, so I’ll understand if you skimmed it! I wanted to share it all though as this information is what shapes my thinking as I write. I draw on it as I consider the roles of characters, what training they would have and what teams they would fit with best etc.

Any questions about Highton you want to learn more about? Happy to answer in the comments!

Coming soon, a surface-level look at some key characters in Highton Heroes Season 1.

Til next time,

Dean