Commonwealth of Reikland Marine Corps

The Commonwealth Federal Marine Corps, commonly called the Commonwealth Marines, is a subordinate service of the Commonwealth of Reikland Navy and serves as a rapid response and amphibious assault force. It is also the third oldest component service and the fourth largest, with around 460,000 men and women.

Mission

As outlined in Commonwealth Law, the Marine Corps has three primary areas of responsibility:

• Seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and other land operations to support naval campaigns;
• Development of tactics, techniques, and equipment used by amphibious warfare forces in coordination with the Army and Air Force; and
• Such other items as the President or Department of Defense may require.

Historical Mission

Historically, the Marines served as shipboard infantry, tasked with policing the crew, defending the ship against enemy action, boarding and seizing enemy vessels at sea, and providing manpower for landing parties to attack and seize coastal fortifications.

Capabilities

The Marine Corps formed a key part of Reikish military strategy for over 200 years. However, the digital age and its subsequent development of precision guided long range munitions have made amphibious operation more costly. Furthermore, the Marines have mostly fought counterinsurgency wars since the 1480s. As a result, there is an internal debate regarding the future of the Marine Corps.

Since the 1480s, the Marines have maintained a substantial amount of conventional, mechanized combat power, including tanks, IFVs, and APCs. However, this has led to the Marines being used as a stand in for Army mechanized units. The internal debate over the future of the Marine Corps could lead to a major shift in capabilities over the next decade.