Royal
Marines: 2300AD
The Royal Marines
Commandos
Index
- Introduction
- Training
- Formations
- Equipment
- Role-Playing
Hints
Introduction
The Corps of Royal Marines can trace its existence
back to 1664, but its modern roots stem from 1755 when
the former Maritime Regiments were brought under the
Admiralty. It has served on sea and land and now in
space and on other worlds ever since. The Royal Marines
gained the Commando role, previously shared with Army
Commandos, after the 2nd World War and retain this as
their prime tasking.
The Royal Marines provided highly trained, lightly
equipped troops for a range of roles. The main role
of the Royal Marines is to provide amphibious troops in
support of the Royal Navy's power projection role.
Unlike other nations Marines, the Royal Marines are
embarked on board their assault ships at the last
possible moment. This allows training to continue
as well as providing a very visible "sabre" to
rattle. It also helps to make the very stretched
resources of the Royal Marines go that little bit
further.
On Earth the Royal Marines also provide protection for
the United Kingdom's nuclear facilities as well as
covering the UK's offshore assets in its Maritime Counter
Terrorism (MCT) Role. These tasks are conducted by
the Commachio Group RM. Lastly the Royal Marines
have their own dedicated special forces organisation the
Special Boat Service (SBS) which is able to support
either the 1st Commando Division or as an asset for
United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF).
Off earth the "Red" Royal Marines operate
along side the RSN as do their Earth based
"Black" counterparts with the RN. The
Royal Marines provide the specialist 6 Commando Brigade
for a wide range of operations, including orbital assault
as well as conventional military operations. To
protect the UK's space station assets the Royal Marines
provide the Zeebrugge Group, trained in defensive
operations and counter terrorism, deployed in small
numbers throughout human space. The
"Reds" also have their own special forces the
Special Planetary Sections (SPS) who conduct some of the
most challenging military operations possible.
The Royal Marines are backed up by personnel from the
Army, RN and RSN who provide a variety of specialist
support from artillery fire, to engineering support
through to medical services and orbital bombardment
direction. All of these personnel have to be
Commando qualified (either Red or Black) and wear the
Commando "flashes".
The Royal Marines are considered by the experts to be
the most highly trained regular soldiers anywhere.
Their basic training after selection takes some eight
months and covers all the basics. They then
undertake their "Black" commando qualification
course. This takes a month and consists of a
mixture of speed and endurance marches, assault courses
all mixed in with tactical exercises. After this
they receive their coveted green berets, commando flashes
and black commando badge (below, worn on the left
upper arm).
Most are then assigned to one of the nine front-line
Commandos. There they will usually join a rifle
company where they will begin their military
career. Training is continuous in the Royal Marines
and many courses are available and some Marines will
serve in the militaries of allied nations. The
Royal Marines have traditionally specialised in
amphibious and arctic and mountain warfare, but in recent
years a specialisation has grown up in jungle
warfare. Thus whilst one brigade exercise's as a
whole in Scandinavia during the winter, another conducts
Commando (battalion) level exercises in Greenland, Canada
and the Antarctic. During the summers the remaining
brigade normally deploys to Guyana for jungle warfare
training. These deployments are rotated ensuring
the brigade has a wide range of skills and experience.
Individual marines will specialise in skills such as
communications, electronic warfare whilst others will
become snipers or heavy weapon specialists. Still
others may gone on to apply for Special Forces work, an
attempt the daunting Selection process. Junior
NCO's and officers may also become rotary wing pilots,
but there are no "career" aviators in the Royal
Marines and pilots return to normal service after four or
eight years.
Some Royal Marines volunteer during their basic
training to go onto the "Red" commando course
that will select them for the off-earth commando
forces. These are specially selected Marines who
have to pass a battery of tests, physical, intellectual
and psychological before even being allowed to start the
course. The Red course is one year long and is
based on Luna, but portions of the course are conducted
on Clarke Station, Earth, and now at the military outpost
on Mars. This course trains the Marines in the
skills needed to fight and survive in a range of
environments as well as a knowledge of tactics required
for fighting on board star ships, stations and other
closed environments. Also included is training in
orbital assault tactics, including individual "drop
capsules" used in pathfinding operations.
At the end of this course the Marine is presented with
his distinctive red commando badge and his drop
wings. He will then be assigned to 6 Commando
Brigade RM and begin his duties. Like his
"black" counterparts the red commando can go on
numerous specialist courses as well volunteering for
specialist units. Marines of the Zeebrugge Group
have intense training in close quarters combat and
counter-intelligence gathering. SPS marines have an
awesome and tiring three year training period for their
varied roles and are always somewhat under
strength. A marine can also become a landing craft
pilot. Ship's troop duties are normally popular as
they give the marine a chance to travel the colonial
arms.
Above: "Red"
Commando badge.
The Royal Marines try to keep a good transfer of
personnel between the black and red branches of the
service but due to cost of the training few other ranks
make the transfer. However red officers and senior
NCOs are often posted to senior posts in black units
which leads to some resentment of the "Red
Mafia" especially as the reds are seen as the more
glamorous and receive more media attention. However
this resentment is nothing compared to the legendary
antipathy between the Royal Marines and the Parachute
Regiment.
Formations
Black Units
- 1st Commando Division, Royal Marines
-
- 1 Cdo Div is the Royal Marines main fighting
formation on Earth. It consists of three
brigades as well as supporting forces. It
can also take other formations under command, and
7 Armoured Brigade is frequently involved during
amphibious exercises. 1 Cdo Div is based at
Plymouth in the south of England and is commanded
by a Major General RM, currently John Wells
(known to his troops as Johnny Red after his
command of 6 Cdo Bde).
The Div has a number of
troops under its command which are normally also
based in southern England. These include
the 1 Cdo Div HQ and Signals Company which
provides the means for command and control of the
forces under command. Also under command
are 1 & 2 Commando Regiment, Royal Engineers
and 11 Commando Logistics Regiment which provide
engineering and logistic support direct to the
division. The fighting element of the Div
is composed of the Cavalier hover tanks of the
3rd Royal Tank Regiment. 3 RTR's personnel
are all commando qualified and hope soon to
convert to the Montgomery hover tank.
Indirect fire support comes from 1 Commando
Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery.
1 Cdo Div has its own deep recce element
consisting of M Squadron. A group of long
service Marines who are normally responsible for
the training of the Commandos in survival and
recce skills. When mobilised however they
provide the Div with a skilled long range recce
component. Also nominally attached to 1 Cdo
Div are the SBS Regimental HQ but these will
normally remain in the UK.
- 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines
-
- 3 Cdo Bde is the senior formation of the Commando
Forces tracing its history back to just after the
outbreak of WWII. 3 Cdo Bde is based
alongside the 1 Cdo Div in the UK, divided
between the south of England and Scotland and is
commanded by a Brigadier.
The brigade has
three battalion sized Commandos, numbered 33, 35
and 37 Commando. These are light infantry
formations that provide the fighting power of the
battalion. In support the brigade has 3 Cdo
Air Group, consisting of one squadron of x-wing
gunships, one squadron of scout tiltwings and a
squadron of support tiltwings. Also aiding
mobility is 301 Assault Squadron, RM deploying
ACV and speed boat assets. The Army
provides the gunners of 29 Cdo Reg, RA (with
120mm Light Guns) and sappers of 59 Independent
Commando Sqn RE. Special forces support are
provided by No. 1 SBS (if deployed).
1 Recce Sqn RM provides armoured recce
support. Logistics are from 1 Commando
Logistics Regiment.
It is the job of the brigade in the amphibious
role to take and hold a beachhead or to reinforce
one of its sister brigades until the Army gets
its heavy forces ashore. Alternatively the
brigade can be deployed conventionally in the
Light Brigade Role.
- 4 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines
-
- 4 Cdo Bde is organised in the same way as 3 Cdo
Bde, and is currently deployed on the Falkland
Islands. Although this is often an
unpopular deployment the brigade is making the
best unit of the West Falkland Training Area and
the Antarctic Training Team, whilst enjoying its
leave in nearby Cape Town.
4 Cdo Bde consists
of 40, 42 and 45 Commandos. 4 Cdo Air
Group, 401 Asst Sqn, 46 Cdo Reg, RA., 60 Ind Cdo
Sqn RE, 2 Recce Sqn, 2 SBS and 2 CLR.
- 5 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines
-
- 5 Cdo Bde is based around Ireland, although its
has one Commando (currently 53 Cdo) deployed to
Greenland.
5 Cdo Bde consists of 52, 53 and 58
Cdo. 5 Cdo Air Group, 501 Asst Sqn, 50 Cdo
Reg, RA, 61 Ind Cdo Sqn RE, 3 Recce Sqn, 3 SBS
and 4 CLR.
- Commachio Group, Royal Marines
-
- Commachio Group is not part of 1 Cdo Div, but is
a part of United Kingdom Special Forces
(UKSF). Commachio Group consists of 300
marines broken into three detachments.
These detachments rotate between three
roles. The first is the protection of the
Royal Navy submarine base in the river Clyde, the
second is the rapid response to security threats
to the UK's nuclear power plants and the last
reaction to maritime counter terrorism (MCT).
Commachio
Group marines under go much training for close
quarter fighting and are trained by the SAS
counter terrorism teams. The MCT role is a
difficult one involving the storming of oil rigs
and shipping and Commachio Group would be
assisted by SAS or SBS. Commachio Group's
moment of glory came in the summer of 2195 when
they stormed the liner Adriatic King in Athens
harbour. Although led by the SAS the Group
acquitted themselves well and lost only one man
killed and two injured in the ten minute
operation. The Group is often used as a
stepping stone for service in the SAS or SBS.
Red Units
- 6 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines
-
- 6 Cdo Bde is organised slightly differently to
the other commando brigades in order to account
for its different mode of operation. It is
trained to act as the lead element of an assault
landing (ASLAN) and as such consists of light
infantry with much less support than a normal
brigade. 6 Cdo has to get all its troops on
planet as quickly as possible in order to clear
the planet head for follow on forces from the
army or allied nations. The brigade can
also be used in a conventional light infantry
role or in large scale boarding actions, such as
a station assault.
Each of 6 Cdo Bde's
Commandos (62, 63 and 69) consists of three rifle
companies and a small Support Company of Marines
trained in direct fire support weapons (plasma,
MG and missiles) that are equipped with a
different mix of weapons depending on what world
the landing is taking place. To aid an
assault the brigade has two squadrons of
engineers, 65 Ind Cdo Sqn RE is highly trained at
supporting the leading edge formations on land or
in space, including the use of breach explosives
in contained environments. 66 Commando
Landing Squadron RE specialises in clearing and
creating landing and drop zones for the
assault. 4 Commando Logistic Regiment is
smaller than normal but has to cope with
supplying units often stationed many light years
apart.
For fire support the brigade has 6 Commando
Fire Support Group, a mixed formation containing
officers and men from the Artillery, RN and
RSN. It is the role of these men to call in
fire support from any available asset to support
the vital early stages of a landing. This
ranges from artillery fire, to air support, to
naval gunfire, to space carrier fighter strikes
up to kinetic and nuclear orbital attacks.
Without this support the lightly equipped brigade
could be swiftly over run, and men of 6 Cdo FSG
are often deployed with special forces and
pathfinders before the main assault to destroy
bridges and other key targets.
Nominally attached to the brigade are Marines
of the Special Planetary Sections. The SPS
is trained for very long range (often in
different star systems) reconnaissance,
pathfinding for the brigade as well as more
covert operations that still remain
classified. However, the SPS is now often
assigned to the ASLAN Group or to the higher
echelons of the RSN. Also classified is the
number of 40 man Sections are in the SPS,
although rumour puts it at 3 or 4.
- The Assault Landing Group (ASLAN)
-
- Although not strictly a Royal Marine
formation ASLAN should be mentioned here
as it often works alongside 6 Cdo
Bde. ASLAN is a joint Army, Royal
Marine, RSN unit whose job is to control
an assault landing onto a hostile, or
potentially hostile world. As an
opposed assault landing has never been
carried out what would actually occur if
one took place is open to
conjecture. As a result ASLAN
doesn't have a high priority in military
circles, either for funding of personnel.
-
- The British have only conducted one large
scale ASLAN exercise in recent years
although smaller ones are quite
frequent. EXERCISE PURPLE LION took
place over New Africa in the Beta Canum
Venticorum system. PURPLE LION
involved a phase of reconnaissance by SAS
and SPS whilst Naval manoeuvres secured
the system. Assault forces then
moved in as the RSN brushed aside an
enemy counter attack. Pathfinders
were deployed by drop capsule as frigates
attacked ground targets. The
Pathfinders, linking up with special
forces swiftly finalised which of the
three LZ's were to be used and the main
assault began.
-
- 6 Commando Brigade, RM was deployed in
the first six hours, pushing out a
perimeter and engaging an enemy ground
force attack. 6 Airborne Brigade
was on the ground 24 hours into the
exercise and consolidated the planet
head, counter-attacking the enemy
force. However the heavy follow-on
from 79 Armoured Brigade was delayed as
(simulated) casualties in the landing
craft forces caused delays. However
the bulk of the brigade was on the ground
by D + 4. In reality ASLAN planned
to have a further follow on by an
Armoured Division but lack of funding an
interstellar lift ruled this out.
The exercise then went on to a more
conventional phase and ASLAN handed over
control to the ground force commanders
and withdrew.
-
- ASLAN is commanded by either an RSN
Commodore or a suitably qualified
"red" Royal Marine Brigadier,
(normally one with landing craft
experience), and in war is carried on
assault ships. ASLAN takes control
of all space, interface and ground forces
in orbit during the landing phase and it
his job to use these assets to best
effect to conduct a successful
landing. ASLAN has a permanent
staff of around 50 officers and men
mainly drawn from the Army, Marines and
RSN, but RAF and RN liaison personnel are
usually also attached to give expert
advice. In war ASLAN would be
greatly expanded with the attachment of
many specialists.
-
- ASLAN can draw on many forces, but has
only one attached to it. The
Pathfinders, these men make up a 120
strong unit split into three troops, and
are mainly drawn from 6 Cdo Bde and the
paratroopers of 6 Airborne Brigade,
although any UK serviceman can volunteer
to join it. The Pathfinders are
trained to be deployed from small
warships by space plane or drop capsule
up to 24 hours before an invasion in
order to check the integrity of a Landing
Zone, to set up navigational equipment
and to liase with any local forces.
-
- The Zeebrugge Group, Royal Marines
-
- The British soon recognised the vulnerability of
its space stations and landing facilities and the
difficulty of protecting them, especially as
large garrisons were out of the question.
The British decided to use small groups of highly
trained marines along side RSN Intelligence
Officers deployed on the stations. The
Marines were trained for counter-intelligence,
counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism work as
well as being able to conduct conventional
security operations. It was soon realised
that the Royal Marines would have to undergo
training to get them used to operating on-board
space stations and this course expanded to become
the Red Commando Course under taken by all of the
off-world Marines.
-
- The Zeebrugge Group are the only regular UK force
to commonly wear full-body rigid armour (over
their vacc suits) and are armed with an array of
laser weapons, high calibre/ low velocity assault
rifles and concussion grenades. The
Zeebrugge Group often provide many of the men
(along with the Pathfinders) for the SPS, but are
seen as being much more disciplined than the men
of that group.
The Royal Marines use much of the same equipment and
organisation of the British Army. The main
difference is that Battalions are called Commandos and
platoons are called Troops, Companies remain the same.
The Royal Marines use the standard assault weapons of
the army and wear the issue ballistic fatigues and
webbing. The Marines are however much better
equipped for arctic warfare.
The Red Commandos have a much wider range of equipment
than their black colleagues, as these are required for
the different environments in which they fight.
Lasers are used in zero gee environments, as they have no
recoil for example.
"Black" Royal Marines are simply Ground
Military personnel. Front line Commandos are
composed of 10% green, 30% experienced, 40% veteran and
20% elite personnel. Commachio Group and M Squadron
have a 0/20/40/40 mixture. SBS troops have a
0/0/50/50 mixture. A Player wishing to have a
special forces background must pass a task (difficult,
Endurance/Determination) in order to do so. This
task must be taken after or as the first turning
point. A special forces back ground gives no
additional training, but subsequently all skills become
primary skills. If the character changes career he
then looses the special forces benefits and gains skills
as normally (unless he passes the SF task again.)
"Red" Marines have Ground Military as their
initial career and then change career to Space
Military. Front line commandos have a 0/30/40/20
mixture. Zeebrugge Group and ASLAN Pathfinders are
0/20/40/40 and the SPS are 0/0/40/60.
Characters can play a Royal Marine Commando as a part
of a military campaign or simply have it as part of his
background. "Reds" and special forces
trained marines are valuable resources and even when out
of the service would often be approached by the UK
government or UK backed interests for various tasks both
legitimate and less so. Many Royal Marines,
especially officers, are well connected to the British
establishment (some are Fellows of the Royal Society, and
more Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society) and could
approach such groups for funding or missions and
expeditions.
Copyright 2009, D Hebditch
|