Imperial Marines 351st Division Gamelea Subsector

Back in April 2013, I began looking at the deployment of Imperial Marine Divisions and their component elements in the RimWorlds.

At the time I wrote:

Fleet Marine Force Command RimWorlds Sector (FMFCRw) is based at Sector Fleet Command Headquarters, currently on Thiroor/Gazolan, and falls under Sector Fleet Command RimWorlds Sector. Fleet Marine Force Command consists of nine Imperial Marine Divisions, deployed in the nine Subsectors of the RimWorlds controlled by the Imperium. The deployments, from Coreward to Rimward, are as follows:

827th Marine Division, Kaorin Subsector
852nd Marine Division, Berimer’s Sceptre Subsector
853rd Marine Division, Daltharmai Subsector
900th Marine Division, Gazolan Subsector
902nd Marine Division, Thurgandarn Subsector
351st Marine Division, Gamelea Subsector
409th Marine Division, Nolgor Subsector
478th Marine Division, Miazan Subsector
496th Marine Division, Gazul Subsector

Each Marine Division consists of four Marine Infantry Regiments, an Armoured Battalion, two Light Armour Reconnaissance Battalions, a Commando Battalion, two Engineering Battalions, a COACC Wing, an Artillery Regiment, and a Logistics Regiment. From this formation are drawn the Ships’ Troops of all Imperial Navy and Subsector Navy ships within that subsector, all Navy Base and Starport Security details within that subsector, the Security details for many high ranking Imperial Officials within that subsector, as well as garrisons for important installations, troops deployed on Police Actions and Counter Insurgency Operations, and the Marine Expeditionary Units - Ready Reaction forces deployed aboard ship for months at a time, awaiting the order to Jump and deploy.

The 351st Imperial Marine Division – Gamelea Subsector

The 351st Imperial Marine Division is deployed in Gamelea Subsector. The Division’s elements are divided between the five Naval Bases in the Subsector; Gamelea/Gamelea, Varch/Gamelea, Feor/Gamelea, Canblyne/Gamelea and Ventura/Gamelea.

The 351st Marine Division consists of:

• 895th Marine Regiment – 2 battalions, stationed at Varch/Gamelea, 1 battalion, stationed at Kalar-Wi/Gamelea
• 1033rd Marine Regiment – 3 battalions, stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea
• 1200th Marine Regiment – 3 battalions, stationed at Feor/Gamelea
• 1204th Marine Regiment – 2 battalions, stationed at Ventura/Gamelea, 1 battalion, stationed at Canblyne/Gamelea
• 540th Marine Tank Battalion – 57 Grav tanks, stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea.
• 227th Light Armour Reconnaissance Battalion - 57 Light Grav tanks, stationed at Varch/Gamelea.
• 295th Light Armour Reconnaissance Battalion – 57 Light Grav tanks, stationed at Feor/Gamelea.
• 9092nd Commando Battalion – stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea.
• 1550th Marine Engineer Regiment – 3 battalions, 1st battalion stationed at Varch/Gamelea, 2nd Battalion stationed at Feor/Gamelea, 3rd Battalion stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea.
• 97121st COACC Wing – 1st Group, battalion landing craft, 9751 and 9754 Squadrons stationed at Feor/Gamelea; 9752 and 9756 Squadrons stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea, 9753 and 9757 Squadrons stationed at Ventura/Gamelea, and 9758 and 9759 Squadrons stationed at Varch/Gamelea; 2nd Group, close support craft, 9852 and 9853 Squadrons stationed at Varch/Gamelea, 9854 and 9857 Squadrons stationed at Feor/Gamelea, 9855 and 9858 Squadrons stationed at Ventura/Gamelea, and 9856 and 9859 Squadrons stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea; 3rd Group, Lift Units, 9863 Squadron, stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea.
• 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment – 4 batteries of four Meson grav sleds. Battery A is stationed at Varch/Gamelea, Battery B is stationed at Feor/Gamelea, Battery C is stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea, and Battery D is stationed at Ventura/Gamelea.
• 10201st Marine Logistics Regiment – 1st Battalion is stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea, 2nd Battalion is stationed at Varch/Gamelea, 3rd Battalion is stationed at Feor/Gamelea.

The 351st Marine Division is the Imperial ground force component assigned to the 297th Fleet, deployed to Gamelea Subsector. Four Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) draw their component elements from the 351st Marine Division and are available for rapid deployment. 21st MEU is based at Varch/Gamelea, 22nd MEU is based at Feor/Gamelea, 23rd MEU is based at Gamelea/Gamelea and 24th MEU is based at Ventura/Gamelea.

Marine Expeditionary Units are mixed ground units usually formed around the core of a battalion combat team, and deployed as missions require. Marine Expeditionary Units are normally deployed from Battalion Landing Craft and Lift Units. Marine Expeditionary Units for the 351st Marine Division are as follows:

21st MEU:

• 1 battalion from 895th Marine Regiment
• 1 coy from 227th LAR Battalion
• 1 coy from 1/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
• Battery A 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
• 1 coy from 2/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
• 9852 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9853 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9758 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
• 9759 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft

22nd MEU:

• 1 battalion from 1200th Marine Regiment
• 1 Coy from 295th LAR Battalion
• 1 coy from 2/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
• Battery B 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
• 1 coy from 3/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
• 9854 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9857 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9751 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
• 9754 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft

23rd MEU:

• 1 battalion from 1033rd Marine Regiment
• 1 Coy from 540th Marine Tank Battalion
• 1 Coy from 295th LAR Battalion
• 1 coy from 3/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
• Battery C 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
• 1 coy from 1/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
• 9856 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9859 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9752 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
• 9756 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft

24th MEU:

• 1 battalion from 1204th Marine Regiment
• 1 Coy from 540th Marine Tank Battalion
• 1 Coy from 295th LAR Battalion
• 1 coy from 2/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
• Battery D 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
• 1 coy from 1/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
• 9855 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9858 Squadron COACC Close Support
• 9753 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
• 9757 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft

Marine Platoon with Scout Section

Marine Expeditionary Units rotate their ready status between “Standby 1” Condition – all component elements are aboard transport ships and the transports are ready to Jump within the hour – and “Standby 24” Condition – all component elements are on base and can be aboard their transports and ready to Jump within 24 hours. “Standby 12” Condition is often observed during times of heightened political tension. Units currently not assigned to a MEU are usually involved in training, or the Infantry elements are assigned as Ships’ Troops or as security for bases or officials (“dry” targets or “wet” targets in Marine parlance).

The 895th Marine Regiment, stationed at Varch, has one battalion deployed as part of the Imperial Occupation Force in the Kalar-Wi system. Currently tasked with garrisoning Kalar-Wi Highport, the 895th's part in the OFOR-KW deployment is scheduled to end in 1110. With one battalion on garrison duty, and a battalion commitment to 21st Marine Expeditionary Unit, unit rotations have been lengthened to accommodate the extra demand on manpower. 1204th marine regiment, stationed at Ventura, is under similar pressure as it is required to maintain a battalion deployment at Canblyne, as well as a battalion commitment to 24th MEU. Fleet Marine Force Command Gamelea Subsector is pressing both 297th Fleet Command at Gamelea, and Fleet Marine Force Command RimWorlds (FMFCRw) at Thiroor/Gazolan to be allowed to recruit a fourth battalion for each of the four Marine Regiments deployed in Gamelea Subsector to shorten rotations and improve morale. 

For Jump capable transport, Marine Expeditionary Forces rely upon Imperial Navy transports, for moving ground units, and Light Carriers for moving COACC elements. Each Marine Expeditionary Force is usually assigned a Sector Navy Task Force as an escort, or will be attached to a Sector Navy Fleet. All COACC vessels are crewed by Marine crews and fall under the command of the Force Commander, Marine Expeditionary Unit. The Lift Units of 3rd Group, 97121st COACC Wing are assigned to MEUs as and when they require heavy lift for armour deployment.

The ground-side deployment force of a Marine Expeditionary Unit consists of 1333 personnel, 11 Air/rafts, 18 Light Tanks, 18 Heavy Tanks, and 164 APCs. The Expeditionary Unit usually deploys aboard a Da’sanai Class Carrier, with an associated Imperial Navy Task Group of five to seven destoyers.

While the majority of the Expeditionary Unit are billeted aboard the Carrier during deployment, six platoons and their APCs, plus up to 24 tanks, are billeted aboard three dedicated Heavy Landers. These landers, (Jasaugee Class 1500 ton Landers) plus the 16 pinnaces (KA843 and KA844 type 50 ton pinnaces) and the 30 Heavy Fighters (15 Lorjander and 15 Fhrenrhis Class 50 ton Fighters) also deployed aboard the Carrier, are all crewed by Marine Crews and form the COACC squadrons assigned to the MEU. Between the landers and the pinnaces, a MEU can land to surface around two companies of infantry, two tank platoons, two Light Armour Reconnaissance platoons and a Meson battery per wave.


The 297th Imperial Fleet, assigned to Gamelea Subsector, provides the dedicated Carrier Task Groups that transport all elements of the four Marine Expeditionary Units drawn from the 351st Marine Division. Each Task Group consists of a Da’sanai Class Assault Carrier and its attendant escorts.

The 351st Marine Division contains the 97121st Close Orbit and Airspace Control Command Wing. The COACC Wing consists of three Groups of interface craft crewed by Marine crews and tasked with both landing Marine ground elements safely and providing them with Close Orbit and Airspace support.

1st Group – Jasaugee Class 1500 Ton Battalion Landing Craft, eight squadrons; 9751, and 9754 Squadrons are stationed at Feor/Gamelea, 9752 and 9756 Squadrons are stationed at Gamelea/Gamelea, 9753 and 9757 Squadrons are stationed at Ventura/Gamelea, 9758 and 9759 Squadrons are stationed at Varch/Gamelea. Each squadron consists of six Jasaugee Landers, in two flights of three. One squadron at each station is on active duty at all times with the second refitting. Each Da’sanai Carrier carries a flight of Jasaugee landers. Each lander can deploy two infantry platoons with their Grav APCs, as well as five Grav tanks.

2nd Group – Fhrenrhis and Lorjander Class 50 Ton Close Support craft, eight squadrons; 9852 Fhrenrhis, and 9853 Lorjander Squadrons are based at Varch/Gamelea, 9854 Lorjander and 9857 Fhrenrhis Squadrons are based at Feor/Gamelea, 9855 Fhrenrhis and 9858 Lorjander Squadrons are based at Ventura/Gamelea, and 9856 Fhrenrhis and 9859 Lorjander Squadrons are based at Gamelea/Gamelea. Each Squadron consists of two 15 craft flights. Two flights – usual a flight of Fhrenrhis’ and a flight of Lorjanders – are carried aboard each Da’sanai Carrier to act as dedicated COACC support for Marine landings.

3rd Group - Lift Units, one squadron; 9863 Squadron. 9863 Squadron is equipped with two marks of 50 Ton pinnace produced by Combine-Tolvyk, the KA-843 and the KA-844. The KA-843 is fitted to carry 42 Marines and their personal equipment, while the KA-844 is configured to carry 3 Grav APCs or two Grav tanks. A Da’Sanai Carrier will normally carry eight KA-843 and 16 KA-844 pinnaces. 9863 Squadron deploys 60 KA-843 and 120 KA-844.