Though the term “Marines” has its roots in describing the infantry who in centuries past
fought from ships at sea, in the modern era it has become synonymous with a
different kind of institution. It describes a special force, one always ready to fight
regardless of their nation’s readiness for war, capable of operating far from friendly
soil. It is a change in definition necessitated by the development of interstellar civilization,
but one embodied by the United States Colonial Marine Corps.
The Colonial Marine Corps is one of the service branches of the United States Armed Forces.
Its role, distinct from that of the United States Army, is to project power on sea,
in the air, and in space, and to fully exploit the advantages of interstellar deployment capability.
It is a force-in-readiness and the nation’s only major means to enter hostile areas from space.
While it deploys closely with the fleets of the United States Aerospace Forces,
the Corps Is a wholly independent service,
utilizing a combined arms approach to ensure its versatility and responsiveness.
The National Security Act of 2101 defines the structure of the Colonial Marine Corps
as four combat divisions and four aerospace wings, accompanied by the auxiliary forces
inherent to these kinds of formations. In 2179 this stands at roughly 165,000 marines
down from a peak of 240,000 in 2165 during the Tientsin Campaign. A further 50,000
constitute the Corps’ reserve component made up of one additional division and aerospace wing.
The Corps is generally split into two interdependent components; the operating forces
and the supporting establishment. The operating forces fall under the authority of United States
Space Command and are organized into “Marine Space Forces”, three of which currently exist.
Marine Space Force Sol is responsible for operations throughout the core systems,
Marine Space Force Eridani operates along the American and Chinese colonial arms,
while Marine Space Force Herculis is responsible for operating on the fringes of settled territory
and throughout the Anglo-Chinese arm. These are largely administrative divisions however,
with the practicalities of interstellar travel meaning these three forces frequently intermingle
and overlap. Each is kept in an advanced state of readiness, able to respond to any commitments in
their theater of operations. Marine Space Force Sol, the largest with 2 divisions, is capable of
reinforcing the other two, with certain brigades and aerospace wings specifically forward deployed.
The basic ground element of each Marine Space Force is the Colonial Marine Division,
a balanced formation consisting of combat, support and service components. Each division
is based around three infantry regiments, with each regiment further divided into reinforced
battalion combat teams known as Marine Assault Units. These MAUs are the building
blocks of operating forces and the smallest formation capable of independent operations.
The key to these assault units is their mobility and flexibility. Each MAU incorporates its own
starlift capability, able to rapidly deploy the entire unit and with enough supplies for
30 days of unsupported ground combat operations. These are further accompanied by Aerospace units,
providing space control, reconnaissance and orbital bombardment capabilities.
An MAU includes reconnaissance platoons, scout-sniper squads, combat engineering platoons
and heavy ordinance companies. When sufficient starlift capability is available, they will also
possess self-propelled artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, anti-ballistic missile systems,
and ground launched space weapons. In certain situations, they might also include one of the
Marine Corps six tank battalions. Regardless of the heavy support available however,
the fighting line will always be made up of infantry platoons. Reforms made during the
“Marine 70” program stress the need for small autonomous infantry units capable of operating
with or without higher level support. Therefore, each platoon within an MAU
has its own organic transport, and heavy weaponry, allowing even individual squads
to move rapidly and apply great concentrations of firepower without any supportive elements.
Colonial Marine Aerospace Wings constitute the other major component of the Operating Forces.
It is primarily an administrative formation, as its fighting strength is directly attached
to Colonial Marine divisions. Their dropships, strikeships and shuttles perform a dual role
fighting as an integrated part of the Marine Assault Units and providing forward support.
These tasks might include air superiority missions, reconnaissance, close air support,
forward supply, casualty evacuation and search and rescue. Each wing is divided into three groups:
Drop Groups assigned to transport Marine ground teams, tactical groups tasked with
various air support missions, and support groups that provide logistical support.
Roughly 58% of marines serve in the operating forces with the remainder
in the supporting establishment. This non-fighting component is essential
if the Corps is to operate effectively. It is responsible for training,
research and development, administration and logistical support, and recruiting.
All eligible recruits are required to be a high school graduate,
or the equivalent and have a clean police record.
Training has changed relatively little over the centuries with major boot camps located at Parris
Island, San Diego, and Guantanamo Bay. Officer Candidates School is located at Camp Barrett,
Quantico although there is a tradition of accepting officers from the naval academy
at Annapolis and the Aerospace flight academy at Gateway station. The ratio of men to women
in the corps is approximately 1:2.6. Some 24% of aspiring recruits will fail to make the grade.
While the Geneva Conventions prohibit the arming of synthetic humans with weaponry,
androids have been increasingly deployed with Colonial Marine units. The Corps regards them
as indispensable resources, supporting front-line units as multi-role, auxiliary, team members and
mobile databases. At the platoon level and above, they are commonly used as drivers, pilots, medics
and scientific advisors. All synthetic personnel within the Corps are classified as property,
and can be ordered to undertake hazardous tasks in the place of human marines.
Their comparatively superior performance however, means that they are rarely regarded as expendable.
The naval component of the Colonial Marine Corps is provided by USCM Starlift Command,
an allied branch of the United States Aerospace Forces Transport Command.
It is a largely administrative organization, responsible only for arranging the use of
Aerospace Force transports to fulfill the operational requirements of Marine units.
The three major classes of ship used by Starlift Command include the Conestoga
class Light Assault Ship, Henderson Field class transport, and the Okinawa class assault carrier.
During operations requiring additional Aerospace Force assets for use in space
control or escort duties, a task force will fall under the command of a USASF fleet commander,
but will otherwise fall under the authority of a Marine officer.
Since its creation, the United States Colonial Marine Corps has operated in conjunction with
the Canadian Colonial Armed Forces, the Latin American Colonial Navy, and the other branches
of the United States Armed Forces. Together they operate under the joint command structure
of the United Americas Allied Command. The Colonial Marine Corps represents the UA’s
major striking element, tasked with maintaining the collective security of all its signatories.
United Americas interventions on colonies like Torin Prime, Helene 215 and Lebanon
II have proven the ability of the Colonial Marine Corps to successfully achieve its stated mandate.
The ongoing Cold War with the Union of Progressive Peoples meanwhile
has ensured that the needs of the force are given the appropriate funding. Its legacy of success has
marked the Colonial Marine Corps as the premiere military institution within settled space.
While many black marks exist across its history, they have been scrubbed from any official record
and are likely to remain unknown. Yet scuttlebutt continues to circulate among Marines of a massacre
on Hadley’s Hope, a colony somewhere on the Frontier. A nuclear detonation was supposedly
used to cover up the incident and while this is almost certainly the creation of the infamous
Marine rumor mill it is undeniable that there are many mysteries waiting in the blackness of space.
Places where no matter how many marines are sent in, no one will hear them scream.