Commonwealth Marines

Per Mare, Per Terram
- "By sea, by land", motto of the Commonwealth Marines

The Commonwealth Marines ("CM") is the naval infantry branch of the Commonwealth Navy, a light infantry rapid deployment force specialising in amphibious and expeditionary warfare. Administratively, it is not an independent branch of service. Rather, it forms an integral part of the Commonwealth Navy. In combat theatres however, CM units will often come under the operational command of higher Commonwealth Army headquarters. Its main combat strength is the 3rd Marine Brigade of 5,000 personnel.

Articulated tracked armoured vehicle landing from a Landing Craft - Utility

Roles and capabilities

Historically, the CM's primary role was shipboard security and boarding attacks, before transitioning to its current specialisations in the 20th century. Arthurista has never been a prolific practitioner of expeditionary warfare. Given its main naval priorities of counter-invasion and sea-lanes of communication ("SLOC") security, 'high seas' type activities such as anti-submarine warfare and naval aviation received far more attention than amphibious operations or combat in littoral zones. As such, the CM is measurably smaller than the average marine corps of a maritime nation of Arthurista's size.

On the other hand, this allows the force to be far more selective in terms of personnel. Like the Parachute Regiment of the Commonwealth Army, the CM has a highly competitive selection process and contains some of the best-trained infantry units of the Arthuristan military.

Given that Commonwealth Marine units may be deployed at short notice to any part of the world, they are trained in combat in a multitude of environments. The Marines are an expert cold weather unit, training regularly in northern Ghant, and is highly capable in arctic and mountain warfare. They also receive focused training in jungle and urban warfare.

The Marine Course is among the longest training regimes for line infantry in the world - 32 weeks for all personnel, plus an additional 32 weeks for officer candidates. All infantry units of the Commonwealth Marines are rated as 'Special Operations Capable' by the Ministry of Defence.

The Commonwealth Marines are a light infantry force, utilising helicopters and landing crafts to effectuate assault entry into theatres of operation. There is also an Amphibious Armoured Transporter Squadron, which operates 24 BvS 10 or Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier . This squadron allows at least one of the brigade's three battalions to operate as mechanised infantry where necessary. Independent battalion groups will likely be deployed with an Armoured Transporter Detachment with six vehicles. Where even more armoured support is necessary, a tank squadron or regiment (company or battalion) from the Commonwealth Army may be attached on an ad hoc basis. Artillery support is provided by the L118 Light Gun and RT F1 120mm heavy mortar at the brigade level and L16 81mm mortar at the battalion level. Virtually every vehicle or weapon system in the Commonwealth Marines arsenal may be lifted by helicopters.

The 3rd Marine Brigade, a self-contained light infantry expeditionary brigade group, is the primary operational unit of the Commonwealth Marines. In addition, the Commonwealth Marines commands the Fleet Security Group, which provides on-shore security for the navy's facilities, in particular its nuclear submarines and their fuel.

3rd Marine Brigade

The 3rd Marine Brigade possesses approximately 5,000 personnel. Where a scenario does not require the use of a full brigade, it may deploy a battalion-group, with various support units attached.

The three battalions of the Brigade take turns to furnish high-readiness organic company landing teams to the Commonwealth Navy's Home Fleet, Far East Fleet and Periclean Station. Where the brigade must deploy on short notice, reservists are mobilised to fill the gap thus created in the brigade's order of battle.

Marine Brigade ORBAT

• HQ
• 3 x Marine Battalions
• 1 x Marine Raiders Company
• 1 x Amphibious APC Squadron
• 1 x Assault Boat Squadron
• 1 x Marine Artillery Regiment
• 1 x NLOS Battery
• 1 x SAM Battery
• 1 x Engineer Regiment
• 1 x Logistics Regiment
• 1 x Signal Squadron
• 1 x Medical Squadron
• 1 x CRBN Squadron
• 1 x CEME Squadron

In addition to the above, an armoured squadron or regiment (i.e. company or battalion) from the Commonwealth Army is often attached to the brigade on active operations.

Aviation support

Helicopter support is provided by the Expeditionary Helicopter Force, with elements drawn from both the Fleet Air Arm and the Army Air Corps. It operates the Chinook as its main heavy lift aircraft, while the AW101 Merlin provide medium lift ability. Reconnaissance and attack squadrons operate the Lynx and Arthuristan Dynamics Raven respectively.

Independent elements

The Fleet Protection Group is a branch of the Commonwealth Marines tasked with guarding naval installations throughout Arthurista and abroad.

There are three independent marine rifle company combat groups, which are permanently attached to the fleet for maritime operations. They are the 45th Marine Special Service Company, attached to the Home Fleet, the 46th, attached to the Periclean, and 47th, attached to the Far East Fleet. They also provide additional security on board warships and form boarding parties for visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations where necessary.

Marine Company

• HQ

• Fire Support Team (FO, 2IC, air controller, assistant air controller, 2 x signallers) - attached

• 3 x Rifle platoons (4 x Apollo Motors Battleaxe)

Marine Platoon

• HQ team (Platoon leader, sergeant, signaller, mortar spotter)

• 12x Vehicle crews

• Three sections of eight men, each divided into two fireteams:

  * Section leader (Corporal, L87 rifle plus rifle grenades, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades, doubles as leader of the first fireteam)
  * Rifleman (L87 rifle plus rifle grenades, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades)
  * Rifleman (L87 rifle plus rifle grenades, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades)
  * LSW Gunner (L87 LSW, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades)

  * Section 2nd in command (Lance Corporal, L87 rifle, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades, also leader of second fireteam)
  * Rifleman (L87 rifle plus rifle grenades, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades)
  * GPMG gunner (L6A2 General Purpose Machine Gun, pistol, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades)
  * Machine gun assist (L87 rifle, extra barrel and ammunition MG gunner, fragmentation grenades and smoke grenades)

Each platoon is also issued the following support weapons, to be carried with them when they dismount or left in their vehicle at the platoon commander's discretion:

• 1 x 60mm commando mortar
• 3 x Recoilless rifles (AT48 Recoilless Rifle)
• 2 x GL09 or Milkor MGL
• 3 x Vesper-L or Vanguard anti-tank missiles
• 21 x Crossbow disposable AT launchers

See also: Equipment_of_the_Commonwealth_Army