The Time Displacement Commandos, or TDC for short, are a specialized Tech-Com division created in the early 2030s in The Terminator RPG timeline. This elite group is formed by soldier-technicians who undergo rigorous training spanning the historical eras they are assigned. Their mission is to stop Judgment Day before it happens. Captain Wisher leads the TDC.[1]
History[]
Despite successfully using a Time Displacement Equipment facility in 2029, the intricacies of time travel and the measurable consequences of its continued application eluded the Resistance. It was not until scientists from the presumed-lost Moon Base Alice established contact with John Connor that the lunar researchers were able to contribute their crucial insights to Tech-Com. This collaboration led to a deep comprehension of Time Displacement, unraveling the mysteries behind quantum entanglement and the safe return of time agents. Consequently, by 2033, Moon Base Alice evolved into a training hub for Tech-Com's latest specialized division: the Time Displacement Commandos.[1]
Full TDC field operatives use mission-specific codenames to reduce exposure, minimizing the odds of Skynet trying to kill them in the past.[2] Operating as a covert black ops initiative, the TDC remained shrouded in secrecy for years. Within the Resistance, it was commonly regarded as a mysterious offshoot directly accountable to Connor, a quasi-mythical group fueled by childish fantasies about the prospect of altering the course of history by preventing Judgment Day. However, the TDC was exposed when files detailing the division and its operations were inadvertently sent to all members of Resistance High Command. Confirming of the TDC's existence typically elicits reactions of horror, outrage, or a combination thereof, as most people see the program as either misguided or actually dangerous.[1]
As the TDC matured, they became a formidable challenge to Skynet 2.0's temporal manipulations. The AI devised a countermeasure in the form of the I-990 Hybrid Infiltrators, sleeper agents strategically positioned near critical Skynet assets across various points in the timeline until the detection of TDC operatives activated them.[1]
Equipment and Operations[]
During the Future War, TDCs are decked in gray camo suits with black body armor[3] built in Moon Base Alice with innovative fabrics and ceramics. The TDC possess advanced technology developed in Moon Base Alice, including the the X11F Translunar Stealthcraft, a shrouded shuttle used to travel between Earth and the Moon, high-functioning MB X plasma weapons, and an array of time displacement tools.[1]
Although most TDC operations are one-way missions with no way no return to their original temporal location, certain TDCs operatives belong to "return units." These operatives carry CPU chips belonging to a T-750 or better, a necessary step to construct a rudimentary, makeshift TDE in the past and bring them back to their time of origin. They also carry a unique radioactive isotope in pill or ink form. These isotopes are quantum entangled with identical particles stored at the operatives' temporal point of origin, enabling the utilization of a Time Door for their journey back.[1]
The TDC oversees multiple Operational Bases in the past, all under the jurisdiction of Deep Insertion Operatives (DIO). These bases serve as secure locations but are vulnerable to Time Displacement Equipment targeting. The facilities accessible to recently arrived TDCs vary based on the specific location of the base and the time the DIO managing it has had to make preparations.[1]
Known Members[]
- Wisher (commander)
- Liz Anderson
- Shadowfox
- Jackson
Appearances[]
- The Terminator RPG
- The Terminator RPG Campaign Book
- Mission Report 001: In the Pale Moonlight
- Mission Report 002: Rush Hour Express
- The T2 RPG Sourcebook
- The Terminator RPG: Resist!