Another Light Goes Out

"Here we see a long forgotten starport on a long forgotten backwater planet in a forlorn system, deep into the Long Night. The ghosts of the once great Imperium, now long gone can be seen here, in the skeletons and rotting hulks of once proud starships.

"Here, under the light of a distant binary star the planet never truly has a night - in light brighter than an earthly full moon, the dim night light reveals the last vestiges of a star spanning civilization brought to ruin and leather flyers wing over it all in unconcerned ease.

"How melancholy indeed to see mans achievements brought so low, here on the Derelict planet."
- Bryan Gibson

I learned today that Bryan Gibson had finally lost his battle with Double Pneumonia and has passed on.

A well-known craftsman associated with the Society of Creative Anachronism, Bryan was also an artist and has contributed to several editions of Traveller, as well as to numerous adventure books and supplements over the last thirty years. A selection of his art - the picture, above, a melancholic piece that reflects my mood this evening, is taken from the collection - is currently hosted on deviantART. Bryan was also the author of Field Manual for Spica Publishing.

I never met Bryan in person, but I did have the privilege of taking part in a couple of mIRC Traveller games he ran, as well as chatting with him, off and on, via IM. I understand that he was a man of fairly firm views, and could be rather prickly to deal with on occasion, but I always found him immensely creative and interesting to talk to.

"Stand easy, soldier, ere the setting of the sun.

Stand easy, soldier. Job well done."

Armed Forces of the Outrim Alliance

The Outrim Alliance is a collection of at least seven small, non-Imperial Interstellar Polities lying to Spinward of Gamelea and Miazan Subsectors in Per Vulia, Entorth, Lymethius and Cabria Subsectors. Coalescing as an alliance during the late 8th Century, the disparate states were united in their opposition to Imperial expansion to Spinward. While membership has fluctuated over the course of two and a half centuries, the current alliance consists of: the Geithurian Republic; Huiha Esoyatre; Hand of Ssra'Ka Aissr; Khedivate of Nutharal; Huiha Khysokhou; Hunt of Rronurl; and the Johdari Association.

Initial skirmishes along the Spinward-Rimward frontier of Daltharmai Subsector led to a state of undeclared war as Imperial colonists moved into the Trailing end of the Tallu Cluster in Lymethius Subsector. During the 2nd Rimward War of 793 - 794, Sector Duke Liarb I launched a series of reprisal raids against the Geithurian Republic which galvanized that state to ally with the neighboring Aslan of the Huiha Esoyatre. Following the end of the Rimward War, Sector Duke Liarb II sought to pacify the Geithurians with a rapid campaign of deep Cruiser strikes against their trade and starport facilities. Unfortunately for Liarb II, the Ko of Huiha Esoyatre had been actively recruiting allies from amongst the scattered minor polities to Spinward and these responded to the Imperial raids with overwhelming force. Duke Liarb II's death in a skirmish in the outer system of Anar in 810 resulted in a temporary peace that lasted for over a century as the Imperial Sector Government became distracted by its own internal upheavals.

By the early 10th Century, the Imperium began to push into Lymethius Subsector again, only to find that the Outrim Alliance was still firmly opposed to their expansion. A series of four wars fought between 925 and 1085 have resulted in stalemate, with the political borders essentially unchanged. A Black War run against the Geithurian Republic by Siridar-Lord Elmar Hendrian, Head of Imperial Intelligence under Sector Duke Kanus II, during the decade prior to the outbreak of the 4th Outrim War in 1080, effectively paralyzed the Republic politically for nearly twenty years after the Battle of Anthorann and the end of the war in 1085.

Since the end of the Kalar-Wi War in 1105, and the accession of Konzevr Ashtebr Edlchtel of Appaer/Lymethius as President of the Geithurian Republic, the Outrim Alliance has shown increasing signs of a resurgence. This development is beginning to worry Imperial Officials, especially as relationships with the Kalar-Wi, who were instrumental in the military defeat of the Outrim Alliance at the end of the 4th Outrim War, are still at a low ebb.

It is against this background that I take a look at the Ground Forces of the Outrim Alliance.

---

As before, I am using GURPsTraveller: Ground Forces by Douglas Berry as my guide. As with the development of figures for Imperial armed forces, it seems logical that non-Imperial planets above a certain population and Tech Level will produce "Battalion Equivalents" from a percentage of their population. These "Battalion Equivalents" can either be grouped into Battalions and higher formations at the producing planet's tech level, or traded-in/amalgamated into Elite formations, or higher Tech Level formations. In the latter case, the assumption is that the planetary Government imports higher Tech equipment, which makes individual formations more efficient, and permits the Government to enlist fewer soldiers.

In the case of non-Imperial planets and polities, it would seem unlikely that they would be able to import Tech Level 15 equipment as I have yet to generate a non-Imperial Tech Level 15 planet. This indicates that the degree to which local armed forces may be upgraded is more limited than with the Imperial Unified Army.

As previously, to determine the number of Battalion Equivalents each planet produces, the Battalion Equivalent Table is used. This table is my adaption of the original Classic Traveller table that appeared in Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society Issue 10, rather than the one from Ground Forces as I find it easier to use.

Defence Battalions or Battalion Equivalents (BEs)
Population	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	A
TL
3	-	1	10	1C	1K	10K	50K	100K
4	-	1	10	1C	1K	2K	20K	200K
5	1	2	3	30	3C	3K	30K	300K
6	1	2	3	30	3C	3K	30K	300K
7	-	1	2	20	2C	2K	20K	200K
8	-	1	2	20	2C	2K	20K	200K
9	-	-	1	15	150	15C	15K	150K
A	-	-	1	15	150	15C	15K	150K
B	-	-	1	12	120	12C	12K	120K
C	-	-	1	12	120	12C	12K	120K
D	-	-	1	10	1C	1K	10K	100K
E	-	-	7	7	70	7C	7K	70K
F	-	-	-	5	50	5C	5K	50K

Working with these figures and applying them to Lymethius Subsector, we begin to see the following emerge:

Lymethius Subsector Worlds
Planet	Port	Pop	TL	BEs	Reserve	Raw BE	Units
Bilas	C	2	A	-	-	-	Nil
Geithur	A	9	A	15C	24C	8C	1 TL12 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL12 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL12 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Brigade, 2 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 2 TL12 Infantry Corps, 1 TL12 Infantry Brigade, 1 TL12 Regiment (overstrength)
Evvikkim	D	4	6	1	2	1	1 TL6 Infantry Battalion
Welthor	C	4	9	-	-	-	Nil
Lysarnor	B	8	8	2C	3C	1C	1 TL12 Elite Armoured Regiment, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Regiment, 1 TL12 Infantry Regiment, 1 TL12 understrength Regiment (4 battalions)
Tian	C	6	A	1	-	1	1 TL10 Infantry Battalion
Vermorzol	A	6	7	20	30	10	1 TL7 Brigade
Appaer	B	A	C	120K	180K	60K	1 TL14 Elite Armoured Field Army, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Regimrnt - the Konzevr's Guard, 2 TL 14 Infantry Field Armies, 2 TL 14 Infantry Corps, 2 TL14 Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Infantry Brigade, 27 TL12 Armoured Field Armies, 54 TL12 Infantry Field Armies.
Hiona	C	5	B	-	-	-	Nil
Yuwe	A	5	C	-	-	-	Nil
Atlasiykh	C	5	A	-	-	-	Nil
Jul'ni	B	8	9	14C	21C	7C	1 TL14 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Elite Infantry Brigade, 4 TL14 Infantry Divisions
Faiwawhwe	C	5	A	-	-	-	Nil
Yuakteisye	A	A	A	150K	225K	75K	5 TL13 Elite Armoured Field Armies, 10 TL13 Elite Infantry Field Armies, 10 TL13 Armoured Field Armies, 50 TL13 Infantry Field Armies
Dysa Metharoth	B	4	9	-	-	-	Nil
Fiona	A	4	9	-	-	-	Nil
Coroson	C	6	8	2	3	1	1 TL8 Infantry Battalion
Tallu	A	5	C	1	-	1	1 TL12 Infantry Battalion
Auru	C	3	B	-	-	-	Nil
Kidan/Yaitlaorail	C	4	7	-	-	-	Nil
Kalar-Wi Empire
Masaad	B	3	8	-	-	-	Nil
Kalar-Wi/Gamelea	A	7	C	120	180	60	1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 2 TL12 Infantry Divisions
Loa-Wi/Cabria	A	8	B	120	18	60	1 TL12 Armoured Regiment, 1 TL12 Infantry Division
Gaidon/Cabria	B	9	9	15K	24K	8K	1 TL12 Armoured Corp, 2 TL12 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Brigade, 2 TL12 Infantry Corps, 2 TL9 Elite Armoured Corps, 2 TL9 Elite Armoured Divisions, 1 TL9 Elite Armoured Brigade, 1 TL9 Elite Infantry Field Army, 10 TL9 Infantry Field Armies, 2 TL9 Infantry Corps, 1 TL9 Infantry Division, 1 TL9 Infantry Regiment
Yolurlund/Cabri	A	5	C	-	-	-	Nil
Geithurian Republic Expeditionary Force - Ingeki Kargesu
Personnel for the Geithurian Republic Expeditionary Force are recruited from all member worlds of the Republic	3060	TL12	2 TL14 Elite Infantry Corps, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Elite Infantry Brigade - Geithurian Republican Marines, 2 TL14 Armoured Corps, 2 TL14 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL14 Armoured Brigade, 5 TL14 Infantry Corps, 1 TL12 Armoured Corp, 3 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Regiment, 3 TL12 Infantry Corps, 1 TL12 Infantry Division, 1 TL12 Infantry Brigade
Huiha Esoyatre Expeditionary Force
Personnel for the Huiha Esoyatre Expeditionary Force are primarily recruited from E'kho Oakhwohkyal of Yuakteisye	3000	TL12	1 TL14 Elite Armoured Corps, 1 TL14 Elite Armoured Division, 1 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Corps, 2 TL14 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL14 Elite Infantry Regiment, 3 TL12 Armoured Corps, 2 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 7 TL12 Infantry Corps
Kalar-Wi Empire Mobile Force - JKW/Orsh
Personnel for the Kalar-Wi Empire Mobile Force are recruited from all member worlds of the Empire	286	TL12	1 TL14 Elite Infantry Brigade, 1 TL14 Infantry Division, TL14 Infantry Brigade - Kalar-Wi Marines, 2 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 1 TL12 Armoured Brigade, 1 TL12 Infantry Corps, 3 TL12 Elite Infantry Battalions

Since the end of the 4th Outrim War in 1085, both the Huiha Esoyatre and the Geithurian Republic have been upgrading the equipment and training of their respective Ground Force Lift Formations as well as Planetary Defense units. Much of the High Tech equipment is being sourced from the Hand of Ssra'Ka Aissr and the Johdari Association to Spinward.

Website Update #27

After a surprisingly successful painting month, I managed to both finish off some fun figures and start to sketch out a ground force conflict in my Traveller campaign to game with, initially, 5150: Star Army.

Website is here.

Imperial Army - Gamelea Subsector

Following on from my earlier post on the Miazan Subsector Imperial Unified Army, I decided to continue the process by working up the UA for Gamelea Subsector.

As before, I am using GURPsTraveller: Ground Forces by Douglas Berry as my guide. Ground Forces postulates that all Imperial planets above a certain population and Tech Level produce "Battalion Equivalents" from a percentage of their population. These "Battalion Equivalents" can either be grouped into Battalions and higher formations at the producing planet's tech level, or traded-in/amalgamated into Elite formations, or higher Tech Level formations. In the latter case, the assumption is that the planetary Government imports higher Tech equipment, which makes individual formations more efficient, which permits the Government to enlist fewer soldiers.

Firstly, to determine the number of Battalion Equivalents each planet produces, the Battalion Equivalent Table is used. This table is my adaption of the original Classic Traveller table that appeared in Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society Issue 10, rather than the one from Ground Forces as it is easier (for me) to use.

Defence Battalions or Battalion Equivalents (BEs)
Population	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	A
TL
3	-	1	10	1C	1K	10K	50K	100K
4	-	1	10	1C	1K	2K	20K	200K
5	1	2	3	30	3C	3K	30K	300K
6	1	2	3	30	3C	3K	30K	300K
7	-	1	2	20	2C	2K	20K	200K
8	-	1	2	20	2C	2K	20K	200K
9	-	-	1	15	150	15C	15K	150K
A	-	-	1	15	150	15C	15K	150K
B	-	-	1	12	120	12C	12K	120K
C	-	-	1	12	120	12C	12K	120K
D	-	-	1	10	1C	1K	10K	100K
E	-	-	7	7	70	7C	7K	70K
F	-	-	-	5	50	5C	5K	50K

Working with these figures and applying them to Gamelea Subsector, we begin to see the following emerge:

Gamelea Subsector Imperial Worlds
Planet	Port	Pop	TL	BEs	Reserve	Raw BE	Units
Varch	B	5	B	1	-	1	1 TL11 Infantry Battalion - 1st A'Varchi Ranger Battalion
Acorlis V	C	6	7	20	30	10	1 TL12 Infantry Battalion, 2 TL7 Armoured Battalions, 2 TL7 Infantry Battalions
Julnar	A	5	F	-	-	-	Nil
Leminkainen	D	5	4	10	15	5	1 TL8 Infantry Battalion - the Freedom Militia
Anthorann	C	9	B	12K	18K	6K	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Brigade, 1 TL15 Elite Infantry Brigade, 1 TL12 Elite Armoured Corp, 2 TL12 Armoured Corps, 2 TL12 Infantry Corps, 2 TL11 Armored Field Armies, 4 TL11 Infantry Field Armies, 1 TL11 Armoured Corp, 1 TL11 Elite Infantry Brigade, 2 TL11 Infantry Divisions
Kerak	C	0	B	-	-	-	Nil
Rimbaud II	B	4	D	-	-	-	Nil
Tulvan	C	7	8	20	30	10	1 TL12 Armoured Battalion, 1 Elite TL8 Infantry Battalion - the Civil Guard, 3 TL8 Infantry Battalions
Kalath	B	4	9	-	-	-	Nil
Feor	A	8	9	15C	21C	8C	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Brigade, 2 TL15 Elite Infantry Divisions, 2 TL12 Armoured Brigades, 2 TL12 Armoured Regiments, 4 TL12 Infantry Divisions, 1 TL12 Elite Infantry Battalion
Vanvlack VII	B	5	B	1	-	1	1 TL11 Infantry Battalion - The Vanvlack Volunteer Defence Force
Gamelea	A	A	F	50K	75K	25K	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Field Army, 3 TL15 Elite Infantry Field Armies, 100 TL15 Armoured Field Armies, 200 TL15 Infantry Field Armies
Ventura	B	9	C	12K	18K	6K	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL15 Elite Armoured Brigade, 1 TL15 Elite Armoured Battalion - the Parliamentary Guard, 1 TL15 Elite Infantry Corp, 1 TL15 Elite Infantry Division, 1 TL15 Elite Infantry Regiment, 6 TL12 Armoured Corps, 24 TL12 Infantry Corps
Bryak	D	A	9	150K	225K	75K	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Field Army, 2 TL15 Elite Infantry Field Armies, 27 TL9 Armoured Field Armies, 56 TL9 Infantry Field Armies
Canblyne	A	5	D	1	-	1	1 TL13 Infantry Battalion - Citizens' Defense Battalion
Gilanda	B	4	3	1	-	1	1 TL3 Infantry Battalion - Republican Guard
Lymethius Subsector Imperial Worlds - part of the Duchy of Gamelea
Ouron	C	4	7	-	-	-	Nil
Finduil	C	8	8	2K	3K	1K	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Brigade, 1 TL15 Elite Infantry Brigade, 3 TL8 Armoured Divisions, 2 TL8 Infantry Corps, 3 TL8 Infantry Divisions, 1 Elite TL8 Infantry Battalion - the Finduilan Rangers
Por'via	D	5	8	1	-	1	1 TL8 Infantry Battalion
Anar	A	7	A	15	21	7	1 TL15 Infantry Battalion, 1 TL10 Armoured Battalion
Unified Imperial Army Units for Gamelea Subsector
Personnel for each Field Force of the Unified Imperial Army are recruited from all Imperial planets within the subsector the Field Force is assigned to.						3366	1 TL15 Elite Armoured Division, 1 TL15 Elite Armoured Regiment, 2 TL15 Elite Infantry Divisions, 1 TL15 Elite Infantry Brigade, 2 TL15 Elite Infantry Commando Battalions, 6 TL12 Armoured Corps, 3 TL12 Armoured Divisions, 3 TL12 Armoured Regiments, 2 TL12 Infantry Field Armies, 3 TL12 Infantry Corps, 3 TL12 Infantry Divisions

It is Imperial policy to equip all Unified Imperial Army Units to at least Tech Level 12 standard. This ensures a unity of equipment across formations. Subsector Army Commands are permitted to upgrade units under their command to higher Tech Levels, but the cost for this upgrade is to be born at Subsector level.

House Juharl-Zarquestuir have been Dukes of Gamelea since the beginning of the Ninth Century. It was Duke Petron IV (reigned 1041 - 1065) who, following the Ulanor succession to the Sector Duchy in 1044, began to upgrade the Gamelea Unified Army to Tech Level 15. This was partly in response to increased activity by the Outrim Alliance, and partly in response to the shift in power amongst the Houses Major of the Rimward Subsectors.

The major Imperial recruiting grounds in Gamelea Subsector are Bryak, Gamelea, Ventura, Anthorann and Feor. Duke Petron encouraged the system Governments to upgrade a portion of their Planetary Defense Forces to Tech Level 15 even as he ensured funds were available for the Unified Army. Duke Pahran continued his father's initiatives but his death in 1080 at the beginning of the 4th Outrim War delayed further progress as the Unified Army found itself heavily committed to resisting incursions by the Outrim Alliance.

In spite of the political lethargy that paralyzed the Gamelea Subsector government under Duke Petron's grandson, Adryos Urzov IV (reigned 1080 - 1105), the current Subsector Duke, Kolin II Andralistain, has indicated that he intends to complete Duke Petron's plans to upgrade the Gamelea Subsector Unified Imperial Army formations to Tech Level 15 over the next five years.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all and best wishes for the New Year.

Website Update #26

I keep being told that "things are winding down towards Christmas. If anything, I'm getting busier. At work, I'm deep in planning for moving buildings in February - we have three live on-air TV channels to relocate and the easiest ways of doing it have been stymied by a lack of budget.

I seem to have hit a bit of a dry spot, Traveller-wise, at the moment but I have managed to do some painting. The latest update is here on my website.

A chap over on The Miniatures Page is trying to drum up support for an expansion to the 15mm Ventauran range of figures produced by Eureka Miniatures. The Ventaurans are my primary choice for Zhodani and fill the role of Kalar-Wi in my Traveller campaign, so I'm in. A couple of Officer poses wouldn't go amiss, in my opinion.

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.