CDF marines

The Community Defence Forces has marines, raised and trained by the CDF Land Service, stationed on most of the warships of the CDF Naval Service and available for amphibious landings. For every wave of one hundred million national population, the CDF raises one Marine Division.

Overall organisation

Unlike the real world United States or United Kingdom, they do not form their own arm of service (or nearly so, since both of these two military organisations are nominally part of their respective navies, although the U.S. Marine Corps is practically an independent service). Instead, CDF marines are merely assets raised by the LS and under the operational control of the NS.

Furthermore, there is no special cachet for marines as an elite force; they are merely ordinary soldiers trained in amphbious warfare and boarding party tactics. Their peers in the airborne, mountain, urban light infantry, armoured infantry and armour are no less skilled in their special area of expertise.

When large groups of marines are deployed, they are normally organised in to a marine division -- effectively just one of many CDF armoured infantry divisions. Normally, they form the forward end of an expeditionary force and as such they serve under marshals who belong to the main part of the Land Service.

Embarked organisation

CDF marines also have dual organisations, one configuration when they are embarked for amphibious landings or boarding parties, and another configuration once a beachhead is secured.

Light infantry

Marine light infantry are used for boarding parties and internal security on surface combatants, their number dependent on the size and role of the vessels involved. Consult the following list for the location and strengths of the 1972 marine light infantry troops afloat in each population wave:

• Frigate; one squad on each of the 27 vessels; 11: Leading Soldier, Master Soldier, 9 Soldiers.
• Destroyer; one platoon on each of the 12 vessels; 35: Vice Lieutenant, Vice Warrant Officer, 3 LS, 3 MS, 27 S
• Cruiser; one company on each of the six vessels; 115: Lieutenant, 4 VL, Warrant Officer, 3 VWO, 9 LS, 10 MS, 87 S
• Aircraft carrier; one battalion on the carrier; 565: Chief Lieutenant, ~6 L, ~21 VL, Chief Warrant Officer, ~5 WO, ~15 VWO, ~516 other ranks

There are 968 troops for the shore establishment, mainly service and combat support companies of incomplete battalions. There are also company and platoon headquarters for smaller landing parties.

Assault contingents

Each of the nine landing ships has an identical Marine Assault Contingent (effectively a demi-battalion, although so such unit technically exists) of mixed armoured and armoured infantry. Each of the 18 companies bears a letter in sequence from A through T, less I and O which could be confused with one and zero. A company consists of 150 all ranks, of which twelve are officers, one CWO, 2 WO, 6 VWO, 23 LS, 31 MS, 175 S.

• Marine Assault Company (107): six main battle tanks and seven armoured infantry combat vehicles
• Marine Assault Company (107): company HQ squad in an AICV (11), 6 crews in tanks (30), 6 armoured infantry squads in AICVs (66)
• Marine Support Platoon (36): contingent HQ squad in an AICV, medical detachment (VL, LS, MS, 2 S), combat engineering squad (LS, MS, 8 S), maintenance squad (LS, 2 MS, 7 S)

In addition to the 2250 permanently embarked, there is a shore establishment of 915 cadre for the inland organisation of the separate armoured and armoured infantry brigades.

Inland organisation

1st Marine Brigade (Light Infantry)

In practice, only the first one or at most three battalions would be withdrawn from the surface vessels. However, the shore support companies could be used to round out the numbers and give added punch to supposed light infantry.

• 1st Marine Light Infantry Battalion (wholly on carrier)
• 2nd MLIB (3 companies on cruisers, 2 support companies ashore)
• 3rd MLIB (3 companies on cruisers, 2 support companies ashore)
• 4th MLIB (4 companies on destroyers, 2 support companies ashore)
• 5th MLIB (3 companies on frigates, 2 support companies ashore)

2nd Marine Brigade (Armoured)

In practice, the vehicle and troops strengths would likely be lower due to combat casualties from an amphibious landing.

• 1st Marine Armoured Battalion
• 2nd Marine Armoured Battalion
• 1st Marine Armoured Infantry Battalion

3rd Marine Brigade (Armoured Infantry)

In practice, the vehicle and troops strengths would likely be lower due to combat casualties from an amphibious landing.

• 3rd Marine Armoured Battalion
• 2nd Marine Armoured Infantry Battalion
• 3rd Marine Armoured Infantry Battalion

Artillery Brigade

This is a normal artillery unit which is attached to a marine division only when it is constituted as a complete formation. It consists of about 2400 all ranks, headed by a Commander.

• Field Artillery Battalion (Self-Propelled)
• Field Artillery Battalion (Self-Propelled)
• Field Artillery Battalion (Pack)
• Air Defence Artillery Battalion (Mixed)

Support Brigade

This consists of normal units which are attached to a marine division only when it is constituted as a complete formation. It consists of about 2000 all ranks headed by a Commander.

• Headquarters Company (100)
• Engineering Battalion (600), combat and civil engineering companies
• Transport Battalion (400)
• Maintenance Engineering Battalion (500), electrical, mechanical and ordnance companies
• Supply Battalion (400)