TEXT: 1 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
  
  2 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  The Marine Corps Handbook is a gritty science-fiction roleplaying add-on for 
  the Cepheus Engine – and for Zozer Games’  Hostile setting. 
   
   
  Author 
  Paul Elliott 
   
  Line Drawings  
  Ian Stead 
   
  12 
   
  Thanks to Munro Wood 
   
  Publisher: Zozer Games 
  Copyright © 2018 Zozer Games 
  Zozer Games is a trademark of Paul Elliott  
  Visit Zozer Games at www.paulelliottbooks.com 
  Find me on Facebook as Zozer Games 
   
  Cepheus Engine and Samardan Press are trademarks of Jason “Flynn” Kemp 
   
  Designation of Open Game Content 
  The following sections of the text in this document are designated as Open Gaming 
  Content: all weapons and vehicles, and all combat rules at the back of the book.  
   
  Designation of Product Identity 
  Any title of a product published by Zozer Games, including name ‘HOSTILE’, as well as the 
  trademarks ‘Cepheus Engine’ and ‘Zozer Games’, are designated as Product Identity.  
  References to companies, setting history, planets and worlds constitute Product Identity. 
   
  Please Note 
  This Product is derived from the Traveller System Reference Document and other Open 
  Gaming Content made available by the Open Gaming License, and does not contain closed 
  content from products published by either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises. 
  This Product is not affiliated with either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises, 
  and it makes no claim to or challenge to any trademarks held by either entity. The use of 
  the Traveller System Reference Document does not convey the endorsement of this 
  Product by either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises as a product of either of 
  their product lines. 
   
  Reference to the United States Marine Corps is intended for entertainment purposes only, 
  this book is not endorsed by the US Marine Corps. This is a work of fiction, set in a wholly 
  fictional futuristic setting.  
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  MARINE 
  CORPS 
  HANDBOOK 
  2215 
  Ninth Revised Edition 
   
  Approved by Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps  
  Approval by Marine Corps Headquarters relates only to this book’s technical accuracy and it is not 
  intended as an endorsement of this publication by the Department of Defense. This is a distillation of 
  official USMC training manuals, and should be used only as a companion to those official guides. 
  
  4 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
  An M5A5 auto-coilgun, part of the 23
  rd MEU’s heavy 
  weapon’s company, guards a starport ramp on Leviticus 
  during the 2210 insurgency 
  
  5 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The raising of that flag on [Mount] Suribachi means a Marine 
  Corps for the next 500 years. 
   
  Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal 
   
   
   
  From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli,  
  We fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea.  
  First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean;  
  We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine. 
   
  Part of the Marine’s Hymn 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
  This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. 
   
  My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must 
  master my life. 
   
  My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I 
  must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy 
  who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I 
  will... 
   
  My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the 
  rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. 
  We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit... 
   
  My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn 
  it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, 
  its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will ever guard it 
  against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard 
  my legs, my arms, my eyes and my heart against damage. I will 
  keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each 
  other. We will... 
   
  Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the 
  defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We 
  are the saviors of my life. 
   
  So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace! 
   
  The Creed of a United States Marine 
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
  Once again Zozer Games is proud to bring you another revised update of our 
  popular Marine Corps Handbook, packed full of information on subjects 
  considered essential for serving Marines in order to maintain and improve their 
  professional skills. The level and currency of the detail within this handbook 
  required considerable effort by many people, foremost among them the 
  esteemed Colonel Joseph K. Knowles, USMC; the work of the Marine Corps 
  Combat Development Command must also be mentioned, as well as the diligent 
  cross-checking, analysis and suggestions from the knowledgeable members of 
  the United States Marine Corps Association.  
   
  Marines have carried a copy of the Marine Corps Handbook around with them 
  since the publication of the first edition back in April 2203. It serves as a quick 
  reference on a myriad of Marine Corps details, compiled into one handbook – for 
  when those field manuals and technical manuals are not at hand. It serves as an 
  aide, a companion – a handbook, but it should not be viewed as the source of all 
  knowledge. If in doubt, see your instructor or your platoon sergeant.   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Marine Corps Handbook 2215 gives players of Cepheus Engine, and other 
  classic 2D6 SF RPGs, campaign advice, character creation rules, hardware 
  and miscellaneous details on a near future, space-faring United States Marine 
  Corps. The Marine Corps is the United States' premier intervention force, 
  specializing in amphibious assault, hostage rescue and vertical assault. 
  Although traditionally closely associated with the US Navy - the US Marine 
  Corps made history by being the first military force to deploy its troops away 
  from Earth - first to the International Space Station (ISS), to Mars and then to 
  interstellar colonies and stations.  
   
  This handbook is particularly relevant for anyone using Zozer Games’ HOSTILE 
  setting. Inside is described the organization and operations of a Marine 
  Expeditionary Unit; a review of weaponry, equipment, armour, uniform and 
  camouflage patterns; there is an ‘in-service’ Marine character creation system; 
  and a referee’s section that provides advice and resources for creating and 
  running small-unit Marine missions.  
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  An Honorable History 
  The Marine Corps was originally created as the ‘Continental Marines’ during the 
  American Revolutionary War. It was formed by a resolution of the Continental 
  Congress on 10 November  1775 and first recruited at Tun Tavern in 
  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Marines served as landing troops for the recently 
  created Continental Navy but they were disbanded at the end of the war in April 
  1783. Although they were reformed on July 11, 1798, Marines worldwide 
  celebrate 10 November  as the Marine Corps Birthday. 
   
  After these late 18th-century engagements, the Marine Corps occupied only a 
  small role in American military history. It saw little significant action in the 
  American Civil War but later become prominent due to its deployment in small 
  wars around the world. During the latter half of the 19th century, the Marines saw 
  action in Korea, Cuba, the Philippines and China. During the years before and 
  after World War I, the Marines fought throughout the Caribbean in places such as 
  Haiti and Nicaragua. These actions became known as the ‘Banana Wars’, and the 
  experience gained in counter-insurgency and guerrilla operations during this 
  period was consolidated into the Small Wars Manual. 
   
  I want you [army] boys to hurry up and whip these 
  Germans so we can get out to the Pacific to kick the 
  shit out of the purple-pissing Japanese, before the 
  Goddamned Marines get all the credit! 
                        US Army Lt. General Patton, 1945 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  In World War II, the Marines played a central role in the Pacific War and that war 
  saw the expansion of the Corps from two brigades to two corps with six divisions 
  and five air wings. The battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa 
  were scenes of intense and bloody fighting between U.S. Marines and the 
  Imperial Japanese Army. The secrecy afforded their communications by the now-
  famous Navajo code talkers program, is widely seen as having contributed to 
  their success. 
   
  During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, was taken – the 
  iconic photograph of five Marines and one Navy hospital corpsman raising the 
  U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi. The bravery and tenacity acts of Marines during the 
  war added to their already significant popular reputation and resulted in the 
  USMC War Memorial in Arlington VA, being dedicated in 1954. 
   
  The Korean War saw the Marines land at Inchon and assault north into North 
  Korea along with the US Army. As US and other United Nations forces approached 
  the Yalu River, the People's Republic of China (fearing an incursion by American 
  forces) sent armies over the river to engage American forces within Korea. 
   
  At the Battle of Chosin Reservoir (1950), the First Marine Division, vastly 
  outnumbered but better equipped and trained, fought the Chinese forces. 
  Recovering equipment left by US Army forces that had scattered in disordered 
  retreat, the Marines regrouped, assaulted the Chinese and inflicted heavy 
  casualties during their fighting withdrawal to the coast. 
   
  So they've got us surrounded? Good! Now we can fire in 
  any direction. Those bastards won't get away this time… 
                         
  USMC Lt. General Chesty Puller 
   
  The Marines also played an important role in the Vietnam War at battles such as 
  Con Thien, Tet (in Hué City), Khe Sanh and Operation Starlight. Marines were 
  among the first troops deployed to Vietnam as well as the last to leave during the 
  evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon. 
   
  After Vietnam, Marines were present at a number of important event. In 1983, a 
  Marine Corps barracks in Lebanon was bombed, causing the highest peacetime 
  losses to the Corps and leading to the American withdrawal from Lebanon. 
  Marines were also instrumental in liberating Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, 
  while the US Army made an attack to the west directly into Iraq. In 1995, Marines 
  performed a successful and audacious mission in war-torn Bosnia, rescuing 
  Captain Scott O'Grady, a downed Air Force fighter pilot. In the 21st century, 
  Marines served prominently in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent 
  occupation, where light, mobile forces were particularly useful. In that war 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Marines spearheaded both the main assaults into the city of Fallujah in April and 
  November, 2004. 
   
  The USMC successfully put troops on board the first US Space Command (USSC) 
  space stations in the 2020s, Marines travelled to Mars in 2027, and constructed 
  the Marine Corps base Camp Deerman at the Martian colony of Reunion in 2028. 
  The destructive East Asian War (2045-47) did not involve the United States 
  militarily - the main protagonists were China and India and the conflict escalated 
  to the use of nuclear weapons.  
   
  During the Belt War (2052-54), Lunar occupation forces on Mars were dislodged 
  by a military force from Earth. US Marine Corps troops, in fast--moving armoured 
  columns, were key players in the ground war. Their decisiveness and speed of 
  action at the Battle of Chryse, probably prevented a civilian bloodbath, and 
  marked the first full-scale military use of the USMC on extra-terrestrial soil.  
   
  It was the USMC, in co-operation with Chinese, British, Australian and Russian 
  forces that were tasked in 2095 to seize Xanadu, the capital of Saturn’s moon 
  Titan. Colonized by Luna, Titan had become a destabilizing power in the 
  Saturnian system and Earth-sponsored reconnaissance had determined that a 
  Titan invasion of the moon Iapetus, was imminent. In temperatures averaging  
  -180 degrees, in a deadly environment of frozen methane and hydrocarbons, the 
  Marine Corps fought the elements as much as the enemy. Casualties to freezing 
  and choking were higher than to bullets and bombs. Whilst the Battle of Chryse 
  proved the validity of the space-borne Marine concept, the Battle of Xanadu 
  proved how awfully inadequate current 21st century military technology actually 
  was for the task.  
   
  The most significant battle of the 22nd century involving the Marine Corps was 
  during the chaos of the First Recession (2166). The Chinese super-state was 
  breaking up and the fledgling Federal Republic of China mounted an invasion of 
  the island of Taiwan. A US-led coalition of forces repulsed the invasion, after 
  intense fighting at sea and on the island itself. The Marine Corps met its toughest 
  challenge at the Battle of Taoyuan Ridge. There were many other military crises of 
  that century, including, for example, the Sonoran Conflict in northern Mexico 
  (2185) and the earlier Baton Rouge Hostage Crisis (2149). The Baton Rouge was 
  an American supply ship en-route to the American colony on Tau Ceti, that was 
  intercepted and seized by Chinese security forces. The rescue effort involved the 
  mobilization of some civilian carriers and the use of the Marines as a boarding 
  and hostage rescue force. The Baton Rouge Hostage Crisis served to foreshadow 
  the Tau Ceti War that has recently broken out. And it illustrated, beyond any 
  doubt, the need to build and maintain an active space fleet for the US Space 
  Command. For the Marine Corps this meant dedicated military transport or 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  assault ships, not the converted commercial starships that they and Space 
  Command were currently using.  
   
  More recently, US Marines were heavily involved in the Brazilian Civil War (2198), 
  a conflict that erupted at the beginning of the Second Recession. Proposals to 
  build a vast trans-atmospheric petroleum pipeline reaching from Brazil’s Macapa 
  city into orbit, split the nation. Other South American nations were meddling in 
  the war, taking sides and providing arms, and so a coalition of forces assembled 
  by the Community of American States, was deployed into the war zone. The US 
  Marines were superbly fitted to the riverine nature of the conflict and played a 
  prominent part in the decisive Battle of Moju River.  
   
  Traditions 
   
  There are only two kinds of people that understand 
  Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a 
  second-hand opinion. 
                     
   
   
   
   
  Unknown Author 
   
  The Marine motto ‘Semper Fidelis’ means ‘Always faithful’ in Latin. This motto 
  often appears in the shortened form ‘Semper Fi!’ and is also the name of the 
  official march of the Corps, composed by John Phillip Sousa. 
   
  The colors of the Marine Corps are scarlet and gold. They appear on the flag of 
  the United States Marine Corps, along with the Marine Corps emblem: the eagle, 
  globe, and anchor (EGA), with the eagle representing duty to the country, the 
  globe representing worldwide service and the anchor representing naval 
  traditions. The emblem, adopted in its present form in 1868, derives partially 
  from ornaments worn by the Continental Marines and the British Royal Marines, 
  and is usually topped with a ribbon reading ‘Semper Fidelis’. Marines have 
  several generic nicknames, mildly derogatory when used by outsiders but 
  complimentary when used by Marines themselves. They include ‘jarhead’ (it was 
  said the shape of their hats made them look like mason jars; ‘leatherneck’, 
  referring to the leather collar that was a part of the Marine uniform during the 
  Revolutionary War period; and ‘Devil Dog’ (German: Teufelshund) following the 
  World War 1 Battle of Belleau Wood. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Message From the Commandant of Marines 
   
  With American interests spread out across the stars, the 
  Marine Corps today finds itself facing the greatest challenge in 
  its history. When I took over as Commandant of the Marine 
  Corps in 2212 more than half of the Corp’s deployments were 
  off-world. That ratio has only increased, yet its budget has 
  been frozen for the duration of a ten year cycle. With our 
  Marines now being committed to the insurgency on Tau Ceti, 
  there is a great urgency to expand our forces to meet 
  (potentially) Planet Earth’s first off-world war.  
   
  The Marine Corps has never rested, it has always innovated, changing to tackle new 
  threats. And moving into space has, without any doubt, proven the greatest 
  adaptation in Marine Corps history. It seems fitting to review some of those changes, 
  beginning with the Corps brief flirtation with Special Operations. At the start of the 21st 
  century proposals were put forward to integrate some Marine Corps assets, mainly 
  Force Recon companies, into the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The 
  result was Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), a USMC detachment of 
  recon companies that would form part of SOCOM. The amalgamation proved 
  unpopular and unworkable, however, and by the end of the Belt War the Corps had 
  deactivated MARSOC and taken back its recon units. The military success of the 
  USMC at the Battle of Chryse, fighting without assistance on an alien world without 
  direct support from Earth, highlighted the new direction of warfare.  
   
  In the late 2000s and early 2100s, the Corps flirted with a variety of recoilless firearms 
  that would be viable both on a planet’s surface and in zero gravity. The Colt G202 
  Gyrojet proved the most successful of these, but in 2130, when artificial gravity was 
  becoming standard on space stations and spacecraft, the need for such a weapon 
  disappeared. Between 2130 and 2190 the USMC adopted their first caseless rifle, the 
  M51. Although a superbly accurate weapon, with a large magazine and a high rate of 
  fire, the rifle was plagued with ammunition problems. Despite these problems, the rifle 
  was in service for almost thirty years, although the changes made to the barrel, 
  receiver, firing mechanism and caseless ammunition over that time made the final 
  version almost a totally different rifle to those in the original batch.  
   
  Away from firearms development, the period immediately following the Baton Rouge 
  Hostage Crisis saw a lottery win for the USMC and its sister service, United States 
  Space Command. Both received purpose-built military warships and the Marines 
  petitioned for – and got, their own military shuttles – ‘dropships’. By 2190, the Corps 
  
  14 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  had been outfitted to the high-tech standards that we see today, with hyperspace-
  capable assault carriers, APCs fitted with laser cannon and both rigid plated armor for 
  Earth-like environments and fully-sealed combat suits for hazardous environments.  
   
  It was in 2190, too, that a new rifle emerged as the Corp’s primary firearm replacing 
  the troublesome M51 caseless. The M8 saw a return to conventional metal-cased 
  cartridge ammunition, preventing any degradation of the caseless propellant from 
  rough treatment, damp, heat or alien atmospheric chemicals. With its range, power 
  and reliability, the new M8 was an instant hit with Marines who trained with it. The rifle 
  gained its spurs in the Brazilian Civil War, a few years later. It remains today (July 2215) 
  the USMC’s weapon of choice. The Maverick Defense Corporation, however, have 
  continued to develop the caseless rifle and its ammunition and are about to enter their 
  XM24 caseless rifle into the Department of Defense’s Modern Advanced Combat 
  Rifle competition (MACOR). With the well-liked but aging M8 now in its twenty-fifth 
  year, and the entry of the United States into the turmoil of the ongoing war on Tau 
  Ceti, perhaps the time is right for a fresh attempt at fielding a caseless combat rifle. 
  Should it do well in the MACOR competition, Maverick are planning a family of 
  XM24-related firearms, perhaps transforming the look and capability of the modern 
  US Marine for a generation.  
   
  The past two decades has seen almost no change in the organization and role of the 
  USMC, but a plethora of high-tech innovations at almost every level. Vector jump-jets 
  have replaced helicopters, magnetic accelerator railguns have transformed Marine 
  Corps artillery, and laser and plasma guns are now entering service at the battalion 
  level. Within the infantry platoon there have been big changes, also. Squad support is 
  provided by smartguns – self-guiding machineguns that are pioneering a version of 
  Maverick’s new caseless ammunition. Smart is the key. The platoon has gotten 
  smarter. Dedicated comtechs are now equipped with the new AN/PRC-5586 field 
  radio with full data encryption and counter-jamming software, that is able to connect 
  with computer terminals in order to upload and download maps and data.  
   
  All of this gadgetry should not leave you with the impression that the Marines are 
  going soft. He (or she) is still a rifleman, who closes with the enemy for the kill. Every 
  Marine asset, from a dropship to a mobile kitchen, a cargo workloader to a first aid 
  station, is there only to serve that single unwavering aim: to get the bullet or the 
  bayonet into the enemy’s body – to prevail.  Semper Fidelis, 
   
  Victor-Saint Rodriguez, General and  81st Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps 
   
   
  
  15 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
  The United States Marine Corps is America’s premier quick reaction force, 
  capable of being deployed at short notice via land, sea, air and space. For 
  deployments into space, the Marine Corps works closely with the United States 
  Space Command. It is now standard for Marines to receive training in space 
  operations and part of that training is the High Intensity Survival Training (HIST), 
  usually carried out on the Moon or on Mars. Following basic training, a Marine is 
  usually assigned to one of three active Marine ground divisions: the 1st Marine 
  Division (Camp Pendleton, CA.), 2nd Marine Division (Camp Lejeune, NC.) or the 
  3rd Marine Division (Twentynine Palms Base, CA). Marines in combat are 
  supported by air and spacecraft, and these elements are organized as three 
  Marine aerospace wings: 1st Marine Aerospace Wing, 2nd Marine Aerospace Wing 
  and the 3rd Marine Aerospace Wing. The Corps also maintains three logistical 
  units that supply vehicles, catering, supplies and maintenance. Unsurprisingly, 
  they are named the 1st Marine Logistics Group, the 2nd Marine Logistics Group 
  and the 3rd Logistics Group. This all seems straight forward, however, these 
  divisions and wings and the units that they are divided up into, are rarely 
  committed to battle wholesale.  
   
  Instead, three permanent task forces are in existence that take Marine units from 
  those divisions and aerospace wings on a long-term basis, and these Marine 
  Expeditionary Forces (MEF’s) stand ready to fight major armed conflicts for the 
  USA and its Community of American State allies. II Marine Expeditionary Force, for 
  example, is currently composed of the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Marine 
  Aerospace Wing and the 2nd Marine Logistics Group. II MEF also includes a 
  command group and three smaller composite units called Marine Expeditionary 
  Units (MEU’s); the 22th MEU, the 24th MEU and the 26th. 
   
  On the following pages are Tables of Organization & Equipment (TOE) that 
  illustrate, firstly, the constituent parts of the II Marine Expeditionary Force; 
  followed by TOEs detailing the major parts of the II MEF. Smaller expeditionary 
  formations are also part of II MEF, and one of these, the 24th Marine 
  Expeditionary Unit, is given a full write-up. Why so many charts? They illustrate 
  that everything is finite. Bravo Company gets wasted … there’s only two left. They 
  also show where things come from and what the chain of command actually is.  
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
  COMMARFORCOM 
   
   
   
   
  I MARINE 
  EXPEDITIONARY 
  FORCE 
  II MARINE 
  EXPEDITIONARY 
  FORCE 
  III MARINE 
  EXPEDITIONARY 
  FORCE  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Intel 
  Battalion 
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Fire  
  Support  
  Liaison Co 
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Marine 
  Division 
   
  8th Comms 
  Battalion 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Law Enf. 
  Battalion 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Marine 
  Aerospace 
  Wing 
   
  2nd Marine 
  Expeditionary  
  Bgd  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  22nd Marine 
  Expeditionary  
  Unit  
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Marine 
  Logistics 
  Group 
   
  24th Marine 
  Expeditionary  
  Unit  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  26th Marine 
  Expeditionary  
  Unit 
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd MARINE DIVISION 
  Camp Lejeune 
   
   
   
   
  HQ 
  Company 
   
   
  1st Battalion 
  2nd Marines 
   
   
  2nd Battalion 
  2nd Marines 
   
   
  3rd Battalion 
  2nd Marines 
   
   
  2nd Marine 
  Regiment 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  HQ 
  Company 
   
   
  1st Battalion 
  6th Marines 
   
   
  2nd Battalion 
  6th Marines 
   
   
  3rd Battalion 
  6th Marines 
   
   
  6th Marine 
  Regiment  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  HQ 
  Company 
   
   
  1st Battalion 
  8th Marines 
   
   
  2nd Battalion 
  8th Marines 
   
   
  3rd Battalion 
  8th Marines 
   
   
  8th Marine 
  Regiment 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  HQ Battery 
   
   
  1st Battalion 
  10th Marines 
   
   
  2nd Battalion 
  10th Marines 
   
   
   
   
   
  10th Marine 
  Regiment 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  HQ 
  Battalion 
  2nd Tank 
  Battalion 
  2nd Light 
  Armored 
  Recon Btn 
  2nd Recon 
  Battalion 
  2nd Combat 
  Engineer 
  Battalion 
  2nd Assault 
  Amphibian 
  Battalion 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
  2nd Marine  
  Aerospace Wing 
  Cherry Point 
   
   
   
   
   
  Wing HQ Sqdn 2 
   
   
   
   
   
  Aviation 
  Logistics Sqdn 
  14 
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  223 
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  231 
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  542 
   
  Attack Training 
  Sqdn 203 
  Marine 
  Aerospace 
  Group 14 
   
   
  Tac Electronic 
  Warfare Sqdn 
  2 
   
  Aerial Refueler 
  Transport Sqdn 
  252 
   
  Unmanned 
  Aerial Vehicle 
  Sqdn 2 
   
  Wing Support 
  Sqdn 271 
   
   
   
   
   
  Aviation 
  Logistics Sqdn 
  26 
   
  Transport 
  Rotor Sqdn 
  162 
   
  Transport 
  Rotor Sqdn 
  261 
   
  Medium 
  Dropship Sqdn 
  263 
   
  Medium 
  Dropship Sqdn 
  264 
  Marine 
  Aerospace 
  Group 26 
   
   
  Medium 
  Dropship Sqdn 
  712 
   
   
  Medium 
  Dropship Sqdn 
  764 
   
  Medium 
  Dropship Trng 
  Sqdn 766 
   
  Wing Support 
  Sqdn 272 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Aviation 
  Logistics Sqdn 
  29 
   
  Light Attack 
  Vector Sqn 
  167 
   
  Light Attack 
  Vector Sqn 
  269 
   
  Light Attack 
  Vector Sqn 
  467 
   
  Transport 
  Vector Sqdn 
  366 
  Marine 
  Aerospace 
  Group 29 
   
   
  Transport 
  Vector Sqdn 
  461 
   
   
  Transport 
  Vector Sqdn 
  464 
   
  Transport 
  Vector Trng 
  Sqdn 302 
   
  Wing Support 
  Sqdn 274 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Aviation 
  Logistics Sqdn 
  31 
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  224 
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  533  
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  115 
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  251 
  Marine 
  Aerospace 
  Group 31 
   
   
  Attack Sqdn 
  312 
   
   
   
  Attack Training 
  Sqdn 501 
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Air 
  Command 
  Sqdn 28 
   
  Wing Comms 
  Sqdn 28 
   
  Air Control 
  Sqdn 2 
   
  Air Control 
  Sqdn 1 
   
  2nd Low 
  Altitude Air 
  Defense Btn 
  Marine Air 
  Control Group 
  28 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  19 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd MARINE  
  LOGISTICS GROUP 
  Camp Lejeune 
   
   
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Btn 2 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Btn 6 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Btn 8 
   
   
  2nd Transport 
  Support Btn 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Rgt 2 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2nd Maint. 
  Btn 
   
   
   
  2nd Supply 
  Btn 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Company 21 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Company 23 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Rgt 25  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Btn 22 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Btn 24 
   
   
  Cbt Logistics 
  Btn 26 
   
   
   
   
   
  HQ 
  Regiment 
   
   
   
  2nd Medical 
  Battalion 
   
   
   
  2nd Dental 
  Battalion  
   
  8th Engineer 
  Support Btn  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  20 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  What Is A Marine Expeditionary Unit? 
   
  Sometimes killing a fly with a sledge hammer is entirely 
  appropriate. It doesn’t make the fly any more dead, but 
  the rest of the flies sure sit up and take notice. 
                       
   
  USMC Major I.L. Holdridge 
   
  When not engaged in major wars (such as on Tau Ceti at the moment), the bulk of 
  Marine work is conducted by the smaller, easily transportable Marine 
  Expeditionary Units. Each one is composed of a reinforced Battalion Landing 
  Team, a reinforced aerospace squadron, a combat logistics battalion and a 
  company-sized headquarters element. All of the units are pulled from the parent 
  Marine Expeditionary Force and in total, the MEU’s manpower stands at around 
  2,200. It is usually commanded by a Marine colonel. Units that make up an active 
  MEU spend a year deployed onboard US Navy or US Space Command ships, this 
  is followed by three months leave on Earth, followed by six months training. While 
  the MEU has its downtime, another MEU is deployed in its place. The units 
  allocated to an MEU will usually change before each deployment, giving most 
  units within the larger MEF, some operational experience.  
   
  An MEU has everything it needs to fight without short-term resupply or 
  reinforcement: infantry, armored vehicles, artillery, recon assets, headquarters 
  and communications, supply, engineering, maintenance, medical support, 
  catering and aerospace support and drop capability. It is an ‘army-on-the-move’, 
  deployed not at a Marine base, but at a US Space Command base where it can 
  rapidly board assault ships to meet a new threat. Roughly 200 troops are 
  involved with logistics, 600 involved with aerospace and aviation and 300 form a 
  recon and security unit leaving around 1,100 personnel fighting as infantrymen 
  and crewing armored vehicles and artillery pieces.  
   
  The 24th MEU 
  The 24th MEU is part of the much larger II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) 
  and is made up of elements of the II MEF’s 2nd Marine Division. At the start of 
  2215 AD it was based in the Epsilon Eridani star system, at USSC Base Vigilance. 
  From here it was ready to be deployed out to the Outer Rim when needed. The 
  24th MEU has operational headquarters at Twentynine Palms Base (’29 Palms’), 
  in California, which is close to Edwards Space Force Base. The 24th MEU is 
  comprised of around 2,200 Marines, supported by an artillery battery, recon and 
  engineering elements, armored personnel carriers and orbit-capable military 
  space-planes called 'drop-ships'. The unit is transported to any required 
  destination (given time) by US Space Command vertical assault carriers (either 
  the Grissom, Shepard or the newly commissioned Francis Richard Scobee class). 
  These are primarily designed to hold, transport and deploy a space-capable MEU 
  
  21 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  and they are on permanent stand-by to ferry parts of the MEU to anywhere 
  required by order of the US president.  
   
  The 24th MEU (as of April 2215) is commanded by Colonel Weston Carl-Taylor 
  Jnr. His immediate subordinate officers are three Lieutenant Colonels, one 
  commands the MEU’s Ground Combat Element (a reinforced battalion of three 
  rifle companies), another commands the MEU’s Air Combat Element – which 
  currently is the Marine Medium Dropship Squadron 764 (DMM-764), known as 
  "Texas Thunder". The third Lt. Colonel commands the MEU’s Combat Support 
  Element 
  (eight 
  platoons, 
  each 
  covering 
  a 
  different 
  specialty, 
  from 
  communications to maintenance, engineering to medical).  
   
  Marine Corps - Main Bases 
  Earth 
  Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California 
  Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California 
  Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California 
  Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego 
  Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, California 
  Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia 
  Marine Corps Base Hawaii 
  Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina 
  Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina 
  Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia 
  Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. 
   
  Solar System 
  Marine Corps Base LeMay Station, Earth Orbit 
  Marine Corps Base Reagan, Phobos – Moon of Mars 
  Marine Corps Base Camp Glenn, Luna 
  Marine Corps Base Camp Deerman, Reunion  - on Mars 
   
  Interstellar  
  Marine Corps Base Vigilance. Epsilon Eridani 
  Marine Corps Base Redoubt, Procyon 
  Marine Corps Base Sagan, Tau Ceti 
  Marine Corps Base Gila, La Paz 
   
  Marine Aerospace Stations 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Beaufort 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Camp Pendleton 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Cherry Point 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Deerman, Mars 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Edwards 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station LeMay, Earth Orbit 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Miramar 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Sagan, Tau Ceti 
  Marine Corps Aerospace Station Yuma 
  
  22 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
  MEU  
  Headquarters 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  24th MARINE 
  EXPEDITIONARY 
  UNIT 
   
  Ground Combat  
  Element 
   
  1/8 Marines 
  Air Combat   
  Element 
   
  Marine Medium  
  Dropship Sqdn 
  (DMM-764) 
  Combat Service  
  Support 
   
  CLB-26 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  HQ Company 
   
  Sqdn Cdr 
   
  HQ Platoon 
   
   
   
  Alpha Company 
   
  Operations Office 
   
  Comms Platoon  
   
   
   
   
   
  Bravo Company 
   
  Maintenance  
  Office 
   
  Landing Support 
  Platoon 
   
   
   
   
   
  Charlie Company 
   
  Alpha Flight 
  UD-5 x 8 
   
  Engineer Support 
  Platoon  
   
   
   
   
   
  Heavy Weapons 
  Company 
   
  Bravo Flight 
  UD-5 x 8 
   
  Supply Platoon 
   
   
   
   
   
  Armored Recon 
  Platoon 
   
  Charlie Flight 
  AD-5 x7 
   
  Motor Transport 
  Platoon  
   
   
   
   
   
  Artillery Battery 
   
  Delta Flight 
  AD-5 x7 
   
  Maintenance  
  Platoon 
   
   
   
   
   
  Recon Platoon  
   
   
  Echo Flight 
  CS-9 x4 
   
  Medical Platoon  
   
   
   
  Cbt. Engineer 
  Platoon 
   
   
   
   
   
  STA Platoon 
   
   
   
   
  
  23 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Infantry - Above all, the Marine Corps is an infantry force, all other assets are 
  designed to deliver and support the Marine infantryman in battle. All Marines 
  receive regular combat training, they are tough and have long gone by the 
  nickname of 'leathernecks'. The Marine infantry force of the 24th MEU is 
  currently provided by the 1st Battalion of the 8th Marine Regiment (part of the 
  2nd Division) (shortened to '1/8 Marines'). The battalion has three rifle 
  companies, a weapons (i.e. support) company and an HQ company. Companies 
  are lettered phonetically (Bravo Company, Alpha Company, etc.).  
   
  The rifle company, each commanded by a captain, is the basic fighting unit of the 
  Marine Corps. It is comprised of three rifle platoons (of three squads each) along 
  with a command group and a weapons (support) platoon. Platoons are led by 
  lieutenants. It is the 13-man squads which do the dirty work, each is led by a 
  sergeant and often divided into three teams (each commanded by a corporal). All 
  riflemen are equipped with the 7.78mm M8 Enhanced Battle Rifle (with the 
  8.85mm caseless M24A1 rifle due to come on stream at the end of 2216, in time 
  for deployments to Tau Ceti). They wear the Hewison M5 Integrated Combat Suit 
  in harsh environments, or the Enforcer M21 Rigid Plated Armor when on Earth-
  like worlds.  
   
  The primary transport of the Marines is the M10 Armored Combat Carrier (ARCC). 
  The 140 men of the three rifle companies are carried into battle and out on long-
  range patrol by ten ARCCs. Each ARCC is a well-armored hostile environment 
  rover with complete life support systems for one month, advanced imaging 
  systems and electronic defenses, with a cabin able to carry a 13-man squad. The 
  crew of the ARCC is two: driver and gunner/commander. For self-defense the 
  standard personnel carrier version of the ARCC carries a cupola-mounted GAU-
  122 25mm Gatling gun as well as a dorsal turret mounting two Zenith 52 MW 
  free-electron pulse lasers. Other specialist Marine platoons have their own ARCC 
  variants.  
   
  Artillery Battery - The MEU includes a battery of six hostile-environment M180 
  self-propelled railguns. Additional firepower, light reconnaissance and battlefield 
  protection is provided by turreted Zenith M3 40MW phased plasma guns 
  mounted on two Growler Utility Combat Vehicles.  
   
  Heavy Weapons - The weapons company provides fire support and an anti-armor 
  capability with an MQ-6 Phantom combat drone platoon, a heavy weapons 
  platoon with Zenith M3 40MW phased plasma guns and M65 Gecko Multi-
  Purpose Missile Launchers (both mounted on eight armed Growler Utility Combat 
  Vehicles) and an anti-armor platoon equipped with eight Growlers carrying a M-30 
  Avenger anti-armor missile launchers. 
  
  24 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
  Combat Engineers - This platoon supports the breaching of obstacles, building of 
  causeways, bunkers and fortifications as well other structures, it also provides 
  engineering and construction services.  It is equipped with a bulldozer and a 
  variety of other equipment.  
   
  Armored Recon Platoon - Combined with Growlers from the heavy weapons 
  company, this is a mixed platoon used for armed reconnaissance. The platoon 
  typically includes three Growlers (armed with Zenith M3 40MW plasma guns), two 
  Growlers mounted with M-30 Avenger anti-armor missile launchers, and three 
  Matsuyama MQ-6 Phantoms (each with their associated control Growler and 
  transport truck).  
   
  Snipers - The headquarters company of the MEU includes the Surveillance and 
  Target Acquisition (STA) Platoon. These guys are snipers, trackers, artillery fire 
  directors and even forward air controllers. The STA may be inserted by dropship 
  into enemy territory. The platoons have pioneered the dangerous technique of the 
  ACOR jump. This is an Ablative Canopy Orbital Re-entry, where individual Marines 
  climb inside ablative re-entry balls just 2m in diameter and fall through the 
  atmosphere, surviving the heat of re-entry to land safely on a parawing at a pre-
  determined Landing Zone. There were many fatalities while perfecting the ACOR 
  jump. The snipers work in teams of two, both armed with M1000 30MW Laser 
  Rifles.  
   
  Recon Marines - Recon Marines are an elite, toughened and highly trained 
  Marines carrying out dangerous reconnaissance work ahead of any assault. 
  These troops gather intelligence and therefore try to avoid contact with the 
  Marine Heavy Weaponry 
  The vehicular weapons used by the US Marines are detailed in the Cepheus 
  Engine Vehicle Design System, by Samardan Press. Their equivalencies are 
  listed below:  
   
  GAU-122 Gatling Gun – Machinegun-TL8; double price and ROF 
  Zenith Pulse Laser –Pulse Laser-TL10 
  Zenith Plasma Gun – Plasma Gun-TL10 
  M65 Gecko Missile Launcher – Rocket Artillery-TL10 
  M30 Avenger Missile Launcher - Vehicular Missile (Standard HE, Smart) 
  70mm Unguided Rockets – Vehicular Missile (Standard HE, Unguided) 
  M180 Railgun – Railgun-TL10 
  AKV (Precision Strike) – Bomb, High Explosive, Heavy 
  SRAM (Anti-Armor) - Vehicular Missile (Standard HE, Smart) 
  Starship Beam Laser – Beam Laser-TL13 
  Starship Pulse Laser – Pulse Laser-TL13 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  25 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  enemy. They are masters of stealth. Like the snipers of the STA, the Recon 
  Marines have been practicing ACOR jumps with some success. A more common 
  (and safer) method of insertion is via dropship or HALO jump (high-altitude low-
  opening). A number of non-standard weapons are carried by Recon Marines to fit 
  the missions they are given, including the M1000 combat laser and the M12 
  combat shotgun. Additional missions include anti-terrorist work and hostage 
  rescue as well as artillery forward observation and path finding. One platoon of 
  Recon Marines is always attached to the 24th MEU. This platoon has four teams 
  of four men and is commanded by a lieutenant. 
   
  Intelligence Teams - The MEU headquarters element includes an S-2 officer 
  heading an intelligence section covering interrogation, image interpretation, 
  counter-intelligence 
  support, 
  cartography 
  and 
  electronic 
  surveillance/ 
  interpretation. 
   
  The first thing you know, you’re jumping straight into 
  the freezers, the next you’re strapped into a UD-5 
  Mustang and dropping through a hostile atmosphere to 
  battle… 
  what? 
  Rogue 
  clones? 
  Exomorphs? 
  Chinese 
  insurgents? Terrorists? A cyclone the size of Africa? 
  Man, the Corps sure keeps you on your toes… 
   
  Marine Medium Dropship Squadron - Civilian airlines routinely operate trans 
  atmospheric vehicles or space-planes on Earth that take-off at international 
  airports as jets, then at high-altitudes switch to ram-rockets to propel them into 
  orbit. The Marine Corps have been able to commission a VTOL-capable version 
  for vertical envelopment from orbit, and orbital re-supply. These 'dropships' carry 
  out many of the duties of the helicopter on a terrestrial battlefield.  The 24th MEU 
  has sixteen UD-5 Mustang dropships manufactured by Global Dynamics which 
  are all part of the Marine Medium Dropship Squadron 764 (DMM-764), "Texas 
  Thunder". It also boasts fourteen AD-5 ground-attack variants of the Mustang. 
  Two additional dropships are fitted out as command and control ships. Providing 
  heavy lift capabilities are four CS-9 Thunderchief shuttles, reassigned from the 
  USSC. Each Mustang must fulfil a variety of battlefield roles, most important of 
  which is troop transport - dropping an M10 ARCC and its passengers directly onto 
  a planetary surface. Additional duties include general transport, recon, tactical air 
  support for the ground forces (especially the ARCC and its squad), forward 
  observation, medevac and search and rescue. As an air support platform the 
  dumpy but powerful Mustang boasts a forward firing 25mm Gatling Gun and two 
  rocket pods each carrying twelve 70mm rockets. 
   
  Combat Logistics – Combat Logistics Battalion 26 forms the core of the MEU’s 
  supply, maintenance and logistics operation. More than 200 personnel (some 
  from other logistics battalions) provide food, medical care, ammo, fresh water, 
  
  26 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  maintenance facilities, spare parts, fuel and everything else that keeps a military 
  unit in the field. It is formed of eight platoons. This battalion provides supplies 
  and wheeled transportation using Growlers, technical repair workshops, a doctor 
  and combat medics forming a mobile field hospital, as well as a platoon of 
  engineers that can build fortifications, provide power and fuel transfer facilities, 
  and a few forklifts and workloaders. The comms platoon operates a sophisticated 
  communications network upon which the rest of the MEU relies, and the landing 
  support platoon acts on the ground to plot the needs and plan the replacements 
  using a barcode system. Everything flown in is scanned and plotted until it leaves 
  the Landing Zone (LZ) or is destroyed and needs replacement. A HQ platoon 
  oversees this complicated logistics operation. 
   
  The MEU is described in detail in this chapter since it serves as the perfect 
  military reaction force for any off world cataclysm. If the players want an exciting 
  life as Marines, then they’d better get a transfer to the 24th MEU, because it 
  sends detachments out to battle social unrest, rescue starship crews, investigate 
  downed transmitters on remote colonies and provide humanitarian relief … 
  amongst other things.  
   
  I was on a four-man recon team following a blood trail 
  through the jungle. The firefight had been twenty 
  minutes ago, and the guy had been losing more and more 
  blood. When we picked up the trail, the blood was dry, 
  smeared on leaves. The colour really changes as you 
  follow it, though. It gets more bubbly, frothy-looking 
  and wetter. That means you’re gaining on the guy. The 
  tension just ratcheted up every step we took; what if he 
  couldn’t go on anymore and decided to fight? What if he 
  volunteered to lay in wait for us to give his buddies a 
  chance to escape? My steps got slower as the trail got 
  fresher. We waited and listened – and when a branch 
  snapped nearby, me and the point-man just turned and 
  hosed that bush down, emptying our magazines. We checked 
  it out, and he was there, chopped to pieces, slumped 
  against a tree trunk. He didn’t even have a weapon. That 
  made us angry, he should’ve surrendered. He’d have been 
  patched up, and we wouldn’t have had to waste him. We 
  were professionals in recon, we didn’t kill unarmed 
  Chinese.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  27 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Inside the Infantry Squad 
   
  The modern Marine infantry 
  squad is made up of three teams 
  that can either work together or 
  be split up to act as a co-
  ordinated unit.  
   
  The squad is led by a squad 
  leader (of sergeant rank) who 
  liaises with the three corporals 
  who command the three teams. 
  He will typically operate within 
  the first, or ‘command’, team 
  which 
  contains 
  the 
  squad’s 
  comtech, 
  a 
  communications, 
  surveillance 
  and 
  computer 
  specialist, and by a rifleman and 
  a combat medic.  When the 
  squad leader takes control of the 
  command team, its team leader 
  (a corporal) will become his 
  assistant squad leader.  
   
  Both the second and third team 
  are identical, each commanded 
  by a corporal and consisting of a 
  rifleman, smartgunner (armed 
  with the M3 Hydra Intelligent Machinegun Auto-Guiding) and infantry assault 
  Marine – who carries an M9 disposable missile and G6 rotary grenade launcher 
  as well as his rifle. The M3 Hydra provides sustained suppressive fire, allowing 
  the other teams to manoeuvre, whilst the assault Marine has the equipment to 
  provide an explosive ‘punch’, whether targeting bunkers, armored vehicles or 
  fortified positions.  
   
  In a tactical environment where the platoon or squad may be light years away 
  from help, the squad leader must have a wide range of options available. The 
  current Marine infantry squad gives him that.  
   
   
   
   
   
  MARINE SQUAD (INFANTRY) 
   
   
  Squad Leader - Sergeant 
   
   
   
  COMMAND TEAM 
   
  Team Leader- Rifleman  
  Comtech 
  Combat Medic 
  Rifleman 
   
  SECOND TEAM 
   
  Team Leader- Rifleman  
  Rifleman  
  Assault Marine 
  Smartgunner 
   
   
  THIRD TEAM 
   
   
  Team Leader- Rifleman  
  Rifleman 
  Assault Marine 
  Smartgunner 
   
   
  
  28 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Inside the Recon Squad 
   
  MARINE SQUAD (RECON - INFILTRATION) 
   
   
   
  Squad Leader 
  Sniper 
  Rifleman  
  Security Specialist  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Marine Recon squad is made of only four members. Four squads make up a 
  platoon, commanded by a Marine lieutenant.  
   
  There are two types of recon squad, the infiltration squad and the heavy squad. 
  The infiltration squad includes a sniper, armed with a M1000 laser rifle, as well 
  as a technical security specialist. The heavy squad is preferred on ‘Stingray’ 
  commando or strike missions, and includes an infantry assault Marine armed 
  with the G6 rotary grenade launcher as well as one or more M9 Eagle-eye 
  missiles.  
   
  Recon missions may require the services of one or two infiltration squads, 
  perhaps a couple of heavy squads, or even a mission involving one heavy and 
  one infiltration squad working together. Adaptability is the key to Marine recon 
  success.  
   
  You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are 
  convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the 
  most ferocious fighters on earth - and the amusing thing 
  about I - is that they are. 
        Father Keaney, 1st Marine Div Chaplain, Korean War 
   
   
  MARINE SQUAD (RECON - HEAVY) 
   
   
   
  Squad Leader 
  Comtech 
  Assault Marine 
  Rifleman  
   
   
   
   
  
  29 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
   
   
   
   
  The MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 AD aims to provide players with every 
  resource they need to run Marine characters through combat-orientated 
  scenarios. In Cepheus Engine, and in the HOSTILE setting-book that this 
  handbook complements so well, characters are created randomly. This perfectly 
  suits the tone of those games, creating a mix of skills, ages and ranks – veterans 
  who have left the services and are now seeking more ‘freelance’ careers. But 
  when you want to play a game where the characters are all infantry soldiers, 
  members of the same squad, then such blatant randomness is unrealistic. 
  Imagine a jungle patrol involving a 30 year old Marine doctor, a 46 year old 
  general and a 22 year old Marine whose main skills revolve around electronics 
  and computers. So … randomness is out. And a simple method of skill selection is 
  in. This will bring characters into parity, both in rank and in experience - just as it 
  should be.  
   
  Training 
  Marine Corps Recruit Training (commonly known as ‘boot camp’) is a 13-week 
  program of initial training that is extremely challenging – both physically and 
  mentally. Recruits come from across the United States. From New York and LA, 
  the Mid-West, the Deep South, the Appalachians and the Rocky Mountains, the 
  ghettos, the reservations, the suburbs, from Small-town America and the Big City. 
  The recruits are taught military discipline, taught to drill, to fight hand-to-hand, to 
  march and extend their endurance and mental stamina. They are pushed beyond 
  their physical and mental limits. They are also taught to maintain and shoot the 
  Career
  
  30 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  long-standing Marine Corps firearm, the Noricum M8 Enhanced Battle Rifle. All 
  recruits go to one of two locations for basic training; Recruit Training Depot at 
  Parris Island, South Carolina, or Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California. 
  Where recruits go depends largely upon where they enlist. After graduating from 
  boot camp, new Marines will receive ten days of leave after which they attend the 
  School of Infantry (SOI); east coast graduates will attend SOI East at Camp 
  Geiger; while west coast graduates will attend Camp Pendleton for SOI West. 
  Non-infantry Marines will attend a course called Marine Combat Training for 29 
  days, then proceed to the appropriate school for their Military Occupational 
  Specialty (which vary in length). Infantry Marines attend the Infantry Training 
  Battalion for 59 days. After that, the newly trained Marines are assigned to their 
  first regimental unit. From next year, all Marines will be given familiarization 
  training on the Corp’s newest combat rifle - the caseless M24A1.   
   
  The Military Occupational 
  Speciality 
  (MOS) 
  is 
  a 
  numerical designation of 
  the Marine’s intended role 
  or job within the Corps. 
  For many, that will be MOS 
  0311 (Marine Rifleman), 
  but there are several other 
  roles required even in a 
  regimental Marine squad. 
  Additional 
  training 
  for 
  those 
  infantry 
  Marines 
  who have an MOS other 
  than 0311 takes place within the Advanced Infantry Training Battalions (AITB), 
  which also teaches advanced skills, leadership and other qualifications to 
  infantry Marines who have advanced in their careers. 
   
   
  [The Drill Instructor possessed] the coldest, meanest 
  green [eyes] I ever saw. He glared at us like a wolf 
  whose first and foremost desire was to tear us limb from 
  limb. He gave me the impression that the only reason he 
  didn’t do so was that the Marine Corps wanted to use us 
  for cannon fodder to absorb [enemy] bullets and shrapnel 
  so that genuine Marines could be spared to capture 
  [vital] positions ... Most Marines recall how loudly 
  their DIs yelled at them, but Doherty didn't yell very 
  loudly. Instead he [called out] in an icy, menacing 
  manner that sent cold chills through us. 
                
   
   
  Marine Corporal Eugene Sledge 
   
  Recon or Infantry? Decide!  
   
  This book allows players and referees to 
  create Marine missions focussed on either  
  a battalion infantry squad or a recon squad. 
  This decision will be determined by the type 
  of game you want to play (classic infantry 
  patrolling and skirmishing – or commando 
  ops). Mission suggestions for both types of 
  campaigns are provided later in this book, 
  But for now, what do you want to play?  
  
  31 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Potential Marine Corps officers attend Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Marine 
  Base Quantico in Virginia, where they are evaluated and screened. Successful 
  candidates must pass the physical tests, leadership courses and also Marine 
  Corps drill, ethics, history, weapons handling, navigation and hand-to-hand 
  combat courses. Those completing OCS must also have completed their college 
  degree – they are then sent to attend The Basic School (TBS) at Quantico for 28 
  weeks. Graduates of OCS are already second lieutenants.  There are other routes 
  to TBS but the OCS is the most common.  
   
  Rank 
  Like most military services, the USMC has two career tracks, enlisted and 
  commissioned officers. Education, entrance qualifications and training are 
  different for both tracks. Both use a numerical NATO system of paygrades, with E- 
  representing enlisted ranks and O- represent commissioned ranks. The Marine 
  Corps promotes leadership at its lowest levels and in the infantry squad the roles 
  of team leader (Corporal) and squad leader (Sergeant) are held in the US Army by 
  personnel of one rank higher. There is actually a third career track, that of 
  warrant officer. These specialized ranks are officer-level technical specialists that 
  generally do not exercise command outside of their specialty. Most warrant 
  officers have come from the ranks of the staff NCOs (E-6 and above). Examples of 
  their roles include combat photographer, electronic warfare specialist, 
  cyberspace security chief, chief accountant, dropship airframe specialist, etc.  
   
  ENLISTED RANKS 
  Private [E-1]: A Marine Corps private wears no uniform insignia and is sometimes 
  described as having a ‘slick sleeve’ for this reason.  
  Private First Class [E-2]: Promotion to this rank is common among soldiers who 
  have served in the USMC  for a year or more. Privates first class are not referred 
  to as ‘private’; but are instead addressed as ‘private first class’ or ‘PFC’. 
  Lance Corporal [E-3]: Lance Corporal is the most common rank in the USMC and 
  promotion to the rank is based on time in service and good conduct. Further 
  promotion to the NCO ranks (corporal and above) is instead competitive. 
  Corporal [E-4]: Corporal is the lowest grade of non-commissioned officer (NCO), 
  and in the infantry they generally serve as fire-team leaders, leading a four-man 
  team or weapons crew of similar size.  
  Sergeant [E-5]: Infantry sergeants typically serve as squad leaders, leading a 
  thirteen-man infantry unit, with three corporals as his subordinate team leaders.  
  Staff Sergeant [E-6]: This grade is normally achieved after 7 to 10 years in 
  service. Staff sergeants in infantry and light armored reconnaissance units 
  typically serve as the platoon sergeants of a 42-member rifle platoon, an 18-
  member scout sniper platoon or a 24-member light armored reconnaissance 
  platoon. When serving as a platoon sergeant they become the senior tactical 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  advisor to the platoon commander (a Lieutenant) and the second-in-command of 
  the platoon. 
  Gunnery Sergeant [E-7]: Gunnery sergeants in infantry units typically serve as 
  company gunnery sergeant or as the platoon sergeant of 23–69 Marines in a 
  reconnaissance platoon or a crew-served weapons platoon. Gunnery sergeants 
  also serve as senior staff non-commissioned officers in staff sections, 
  headquarters and service companies. Gunnery sergeants are commonly referred 
  to by the informal abbreviation ‘gunny’. 
  Master Sergeant [E-8]: Master sergeants provide technical leadership as a 
  specialist. Most infantry master sergeants serve as the operations chief of a 
  weapons company. Infantry master sergeants also serve as the assistant 
  operations chief in the S-3 section of the headquarters of an infantry regiment 
  and Marine Expeditionary Unit and in the G-3 section of the headquarters of a 
  Marine Expeditionary Brigade. In the Marine Corps, master sergeants may be 
  referred to by the nickname of ‘top’. 
  First Sergeant [E-8]: A first sergeant has command leadership responsibilities and 
  serves as the senior enlisted adviser to the commander at the company, battery 
  or detachment level. Later in their careers, first sergeants are eligible to be 
  considered for promotion to sergeant major, whilst master sergeants would be on 
  the career track for master gunnery sergeant. 
  Master Gunnery Sergeant [E-9]: The Master Gunnery Sergeant's role as a provider 
  of military leadership, technical acumen, and mastery of their MOS. They are 
  sometimes referred to by the nicknames ‘Master Guns’ or ‘Master Gunny’. Master 
  Gunnery Sergeants in the infantry serve as Operations Chiefs in the Ops Section 
  of an infantry battalion, MEU, regiment or division headquarters. 
  Sergeant Major [E-9]: Sergeant major is both a rank and a military position. 
  Marine Corps sergeants major serve as the senior enlisted Marine in the Corps' 
  units of battalion, squadron or higher echelon, as the unit commander's senior 
  enlisted advisor and to handle matters of discipline and morale among the 
  enlisted Marines. 
  Sergeant Major of the USMC [E-9]: The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is 
  chosen by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to serve as his personal adviser 
  and is the preeminent and highest ranking enlisted Marine with an order of 
  precedence of a lieutenant general. 
   
  COMMISSIONED RANKS 
  Second Lieutenant [O-1]: The entry-level officer rank, second lieutenants are 
  junior officers that typically lead a platoon, the rank is sometimes called 
  ‘butterbar’ in reference to its insignia.  
  First Lieutenant [O-2]: A second lieutenant is usually promoted to first lieutenant 
  after 24 months. The difference between the two ranks is experience and higher 
  pay. It is common to see O-2s moved to positions requiring more experience after 
  promotion to first lieutenant. Some serve as company executive officers. 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Captain [O-3]: Infantry captains serve as company commanders, but may also 
  hold positions as staff officers in battalions, aviation squadrons or MEUs. Some 
  serve as executive officers in larger Marine Corps units.  
  Major [O-4]: A major typically serves as a battalion executive officer (XO) or as the 
  battalion operations officer (S3). A major can also serve as a primary staff officer 
  for a regiment, brigade or task force in personnel, logistics, intelligence, and 
  operations. In addition, majors can command augmented companies. 
  Lieutenant Colonel [O-5]: Lieut. colonels typically command a battalion/squadron-
  sized unit with a major as executive officer (XO) and a sergeant major as principal 
  NCO. They also serve as a brigade combat team, regimental combat team, 
  Marine Aviation Group (MAG), Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) or battalion task 
  force executive officer. Lieutenant colonels routinely serve as principal staff 
  officers, under a colonel as a chief of staff. Slang terms for the rank include ‘light 
  colonel’, ‘short colonel’ and ‘half colonel’.  
  Colonel [O-6]: Colonels usually command Marine regiments, Marine Expeditionary 
  Units or Marine Aircraft Groups. Almost all colonels have attended a war college 
  or a senior staff college equivalent in order to study joint warfare and war itself. 
  Colonels are sometimes referred to (but not addressed as) full bird colonels. 
  Brigadier General [O-7]: The brigadier general serves as deputy commander to the 
  commanding general of a division or division-sized units and assists in overseeing 
  the planning and coordination of a mission. Marine Expeditionary Brigades (MEB) 
  are normally commanded by a brigadier general.  
  Major General [O-8]: Major generals typically serve as commanding generals or 
  deputy commanding generals of Marine Expeditionary Forces, Marine Divisions, 
  Marine Aircraft Wings, Joint Task Force Commanders, or senior directors on 
  Marine Corps and joint staffs. 
  Lieutenant General [O-9]: Lieutenant generals typically command a corps-sized 
  unit (20,000 to 45,000 Marines in an a Marine Expeditionary Force), additionally 
  they serve as high-level staff officers at various major command headquarters 
  and The Pentagon, often as the heads of their departments. 
  General [O-10]: There are only two four-star positions in the USMC - the 
  Commandant and the Assistant Commandant. Four-star grades go hand-in-hand 
  with the positions of office to which they are linked; the active rank of four-star 
  general can only be held for so long. Generals are nominated for appointment by 
  the President from any eligible officers holding the rank of brigadier general or 
  above who meet the requirements for the position. General Victor-Saint Rodriguez 
  is the current Commandant of the Marine Corps.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  US MARINE CORP RANKS 
  Enlisted Marines 
   
  No insignia 
   
   
  Private [E-1] 
  Private First Class [E-2] 
  Lance Corporal [E-3] 
   
   
   
  Corporal [E-4] 
  Sergeant [E-5] 
  Staff Sergeant [E-6] 
   
   
   
  Gunnery Sergeant [E-7] 
  Master Sergeant [E-8] 
  First Sergeant [E-8] 
   
   
   
  Master Gunnery 
  Sergeant [E-9] 
  Sergeant Major [E-9] 
  Sergeant Major of 
  the USMC [E-9] 
  Commissioned Officers 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Second 
  Lieutenant [O-1] 
  First Lieutenant 
  [O-2] 
   
  Captain [O-3] 
   
  Major [O-4] 
   
   
   
   
  Lieut. Colonel [O-5] 
  Colonel [O-6] 
  Brigadier General [O-7] 
   
   
   
   
   
  Major General [O-8] 
  Lieut. General [O-9] 
  General [O-10] 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Characteristics 
  We define Marines by six main attributes which are: Strength (Str), Dexterity 
  (Dex), Endurance (End), Intelligence (Int), Education (Edu) and Social Standing 
  (Soc). These characteristics vary from 2 to 12 and average 7. Strength, Dexterity 
  and Endurance are physical attributes and are created by rolling 1D6 for each 
  one, and then adding 6. Intelligence, Education and Social Standing, meanwhile, 
  are mental characteristics, and they are created simply by rolling 2D6 for each 
  one. The higher than average scores for physical characteristics represent the 
  tough physical demands required to survive Recruit Training.  
   
  Choose an MOS 
  The player considers his Marine’s role in the squad and select his MOS. At the 
  School of Infantry he will be given the MOS-orientated military training suited to 
  the particular role within the infantry or recon squad that he'll be occupying. You'll 
  need to talk to other players and your GM to find out what they're up to. In the 
  table below, the seven squad roles and MOS are listed, along with the number of 
  each type of role within a USMC infantry squad, the ranks associated with that 
  role and the responsibility of that character role during a game. Each MOS has a 
  required skill. Later, when the player allocates his skill levels, he must allocate 
  one level to his MOS skill. 
   
  OK. Your choice of role within the squad is going to depend on both your GM and 
  on how many players there are. Each player has one character to represent him, 
  no more. This focuses his interest and level of empathy with a single individual. 
  Should he later be wounded then the player can instead use one of the Non-
  Player Character (NPC) squad members as a replacement. Each player selects 
  one of the MOS roles; one of the players must choose squad leader, and another 
  should select a team leader. All of the other squad members will be controlled by 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  the GM, If players don’t take those roles, then they face a miserable time being 
  bossed around by two referee-controlled Non-Player Characters! 
   
  Roles in a Marine Squad 
  Role 
  MOS 
  No. 
  MOS Skill 
  Rank 
  Player Responsibility 
  Assault 
  Marine 
  0351 Hvy 
  Weapons  
  LCpl 
  Carries a grenade launcher 
  and  anti-tank missile plus his 
  own rifle. Deals with bunkers, 
  obstacles and armor.  
  Combat 
  Medic 
  0700 Medical 
  LCpl 
  Combat surgery and field 
  medicine.  
  Comtech 
  0601 Comms 
  LCpl 
  Tech expert who calls in 
  airstrikes and dropships for 
  the squad leader.  
  Rifleman 
  0311 Recon 
  PFC 
  Observer 
  and 
  patroller, 
  skilled at spotting ambushes 
  or other threats.  
  Security 
  Specialist 
  1705 Security 
  LCpl 
  Gains 
  stealthy 
  entry 
  into 
  compounds and buildings - 
  avoiding cameras, tripwires, 
  jamming bugs, etc.  
  Smartgunner 0331 Gun Combat 
  LCpl  
  Carries the M3 Hydra smart 
  machinegun. 
  Sniper 
  0317 Gun Combat 
  LCpl 
  Recon only. A scout/sniper 
  picks off high-value  targets. 
  Squad 
  Leader 
  0365 Tactics-0, 
  plus one 
  other 
  Sgt 
  Spokesman & casting vote, 
  leads the squad and liaises 
  with higher-ups.  
  Team 
  Leader 
  0311 Any one 
  Cpl 
  Supports the sergeant, leads 
  a team of four Marines, he 
  acts as a spokesman. 
   
  Assault Marine (Rank: Lance Corporal) - This Marine carries a  G6 grenade 
  launcher as well as his M8 rifle. The G6 fires especially designed 30mm 
  grenades, usually high explosive (HE). Assault Marines are able to attack targets 
  out of sight behind rocks or trees by firing HE rounds up into the air. As such they 
  are almost acting as 'light artillery' and are appreciated by the squad. Other jobs 
  for this role include bunker busting with an M9 Eagle-Eye missile and possibly 
  breaching fortified walls with demolition charges.  
   
  Combat Medic (Rank: Lance Corporal or Private First Class) - The medic has 
  some training in the treatment of combat wounds and will be essential in keeping 
  wounded Marines alive long enough for a medevac to pick them up. He also looks 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  after the well-being of the squad, distributing vital vaccinations and seeing to 
  various ailments. Medics carry M8 rifles just like everyone else. 
   
  Comtech (Rank: Lance Corporal) –This tech-savvy Marine operates the radio 
  systems and carries any sensors vital to the mission. This may include a motion 
  tracker and even an RQ-456 Blizzard UAV, useful in scouting.  He is able to call 
  for an extraction, or a medivac. Anyone can use the radio in an emergency, 
  however radios on Off-World colonies can have their range cut drastically by 
  mountains and hills. The Comtech carries an M8 rifle. 
   
  Rifleman (Rank: Private First Class or Lance Corporal) – Combat riflemen are 
  scouts whose main tasks are observation and patrol. They have no other officially 
  designated task and either walk 'point' (up front checking for ambushes, booby 
  traps or hostile forces) or walk 'drag' (the last man in the single file patrol, 
  checking for any pursuing forces, and ensuring everyone keeps up and doesn't 
  drop back). Scouts are sometimes sent out to check trails or routes ahead of the 
  squad. The Rifleman carries an M8 rifle. 
   
  Smartgunner (Rank: Lance Corporal or Private First Class) – Most infantry squads 
  have a couple of M3 Hydra IMAGs, each carried on a steady-mount harness. 
  These 12mm intelligent, self-guiding machineguns  can lay down heavy automatic 
  fire that is guided by on-board sensors. This makes it more accurate. It is 
  devastating to any enemy caught up within its ‘beaten zone’ and used to support 
  the squad members during assaults or retreats, or during ambushes. Beefy 
  Marines are often selected to carry the M3, and if under fire, they are able to use 
  it supine (laying on one’s back and firing over one’s feet). In addition, the gunner 
  will carry a pistol (an issue VP90) as a back-up. 
   
  Security Specialist (Rank: Lance Corporal) – This is a recon-only MOS. Covert 
  infiltration requires an expert and the security specialist is able to avoid cameras, 
  breech fences, and defeat both electronic and old-style mechanical locks to get 
  the team inside a compound or complex where they can then complete the 
  mission. The security specialist (‘cracker’) carries a security tool-kit, plus portable 
  jammer, wire cutters and often a video camera. Armed with an M8 rifle. 
   
  Squad Leader (Rank: Sergeant) – The sarge commands the 13-man squad and is 
  responsible for the welfare of its men. He reports to the platoon commander (a 
  lieutenant). When the squad splits into three teams, the squad leader takes the 
  5-man command team whilst his two team leaders (both Corporals), take the 
  others. A player selecting the role of squad leader doesn't actually have to boss 
  the other players about, he acts as a spokesman for the other players and 
  communicates with ‘higher ups’. The squad leader may select any military skill as 
  his MOS. Armed with an M8 rifle. 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Sniper (Rank Lance Corporal) - This is a recon-only MOS. The scout/sniper is 
  armed with an M1000 combat laser (although some carry an M33 coilgun, 
  instead). He is trained to remain concealed and take out high-value targets 
  (commanders, radio operators, heavy weapons operators, etc.) or to destroy 
  equipment or light vehicles in an ‘anti-materiel’ or hard target interdiction role. As 
  a back-up weapon, the sniper will also carry a pistol (an issue VP90). 
   
  Team Leader (Rank: Corporal) – Each team leader commands a 4-man team. 
  There are three teams in a squad. They act as the squad leader's deputies, taking 
  over if he is wounded. Like the squad leader, a team leader is (around the gaming 
  table) a spokesman for the other players. The team leader may select any military 
  skill as his MOS. Armed with an M8 rifle. 
   
  Identity 
  Who is your Marine? Scratch that. Who was he? What was his name before he 
  entered the corps? Where did he come from? And how did he end up on some 
  Godforsaken rock fighting for his life? Everyone has their own war name, a 
  personal nickname that gets scrawled in black marker on ERPAS plates and 
  helmets. Anyone with any kind of personality has a war name. They can be full of 
  pathos, be witty, funny or angry. Here are a few (actual and fictional) war names 
  as examples: Mad Mark, Cowboy, Joker, Day Tripper, Avenger, Mickey's Monkey, 
  Cream, Oklahoma Kid, Mr Clean, Texas Hippie, Cannon Ball, Rafter Man, Crazy 
  Earl, Animal Mother, T.H.E. Rock, Stumbling Stewey, Iron Man, Chili Vendor, 
  Daytona Dave, Mr Payback, Lone Ranger ... you’ve gotten the idea by now, right? 
   
  To go with the war name you should come up with some identifying feature for 
  your Marine. No hundred word descriptions ... just a single feature will do. Try big 
  blue eyes, skinny, tattoo on the arm, southern drawl, walks with a swagger, well-
  built, good-looking, pug ugly ... just one thing to give your Marine a little 
  personality.  
   
  Age 
  In a deployed Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marines within a squad will have a few 
  years under their belt. Forget the idea of green recruits, panicking under fire. The 
  Marine soldiers in a military RPG like this will be professionals, with experience 
  and a strong team-spirit. Most will be in their mid-twenties. Age in this book, has 
  no particular effect on skills or performance, either choose an appropriate age or 
  roll 2D6 and add 18 years.  
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Hometown 
  Where is home? It might be some bland 
  Nowhereville, but its location might provide 
  the Marine with some local flavour, regional 
  flavour that his player might be able to inject 
  into the character. Name some place your 
  Marine calls home, or roll for a region on the 
  table below. You might have to re-roll if the 
  ethnic origins seem to clash with the 
  hometown result (such as a Native American 
  from the Deep South, or a Polish family from 
  Hawaii). 
   
  Ethnic Origins 
  Most infantrymen in 2215 AD are from White, 
  Hispanic or Black working-class backgrounds, 
  or from the families of Marine Corps veterans. 
  There are no ethnic or religious bars to joining 
  the Corps. The character’s Social Standing will 
  provide a clue as to his origins. If 8+ he or she 
  will hail from a middle class background. If 
  10+ he or she is the child of a wealthy 
  industrialist family. Those with Social Standing of 5-7 are from working class 
  backgrounds, whilst those with scores of 2-4 have probably hit the skids and 
  joined the Marine Corps to try and turn their lives around.  Choose an ethnic 
  background, roll for one or make one up. The table below is presented purely as 
  an aid to imagination.  
   
  Carrying Capacity 
  When referring to the amount of kit a soldier carries with him, the US Marine 
  Corps talks about ‘fighting load’ (rifle and other weapons, canteen and ammo) 
  and ‘existence load’ (everything in the fighting load plus a field pack filled with 
  rations and the equipment the soldier needs to survive for several days in the 
  field). The Marine trains to carry more than 50kg of equipment, armor and 
  weaponry during training over long distances and back-breaking terrain. In the 
  field, where most infantry patrols will last between 3 and 7 days, the existence 
  load will generally be around the 40-50kg mark. Using the simple rules for 
  encumbering loads (below) most Marines in the field for a couple of days or more, 
  carry a Heavy Load. For fast patrols, where perhaps ‘only’ 20-30kg of kit is 
  carried, the typical Marine will be humping around a Medium Load. Every Marine 
  carries his kit in a slightly different way, the Load Utility Carrying System (LUCAS), 
  belt, suspender straps and pack frame, includes steel receivers and the kit has 
  steel hooks, so most kit can be hung wherever the soldier finds it most useful. 
  2D6 Region 
  2  
  Alaska 
  3  
  Rocky Mountains 
  4  
  Pacific North-West 
  5  
  Florida & South-East 
  6  
  Central Plains 
  7  
  Great Lakes 
  8  
  North-East Coast 
  9  
  West Coast 
  10  
  New England 
  11  
  Texas & South-West 
  12  
  Hawaii 
   
  2D6 Ethnic Origins 
  2  
  Native American 
  3  
  Asian 
  4-5  Hispanic 
  6-7   Black 
  8-9  White 
  10  
  Mediterranean 
  11-12  East European 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  And almost anything can be strapped to the LUCAS frame or pack! Every item of 
  weaponry and other kit is given a weight rating (in kilogrammes or grams), and 
  you can haul whatever you like into the field as long as you account for the 
  resulting load effects!  
   
  Strength determines how much weight characters can lift and how much any 
  additional encumbrance slows them down. Characters carrying more than their 
  Light Load suffer penalties. 
   
  Light Load (Up to 2x Strength): As a light load, a character can lift and carry up to 
  twice their Strength characteristic score in kilograms without any penalties or 
  difficulties. For example, an average character with a Strength score of 7 can 
  carry up to 14 kilograms as a light load. 
   
  Medium Load (Up to 4x Strength): A medium load is considered to be four times 
  their Strength characteristic score in kilograms. Characters carrying a medium 
  load suffer a DM-1 to all physically based checks, including skill checks. In 
  addition, they move at 75% of their base speed. For example, an average 
  character with a Strength score of 7 can carry up to 28 kilograms as a medium 
  load. Such a character would suffer a DM-1 on all physical checks, and move at 
  4.5 meters per round. 
   
  Heavy Load (Up to 6x Strength): A heavy load is six times their Strength 
  characteristic score in kilograms. Characters carrying a heavy load suffer a DM-2 
  to all physically based checks, including skill checks. In addition, they move at 
  75% of their base speed. For example, an average character with a Strength 
  score of 7 can lift up to 42 kilograms as a heavy load. Such a character would 
  suffer a DM-2 on all physical checks, and move at 4.5 meters per round.  
   
  Maximum Load (Up to 12x Strength): A character's maximum load is twelve times 
  their Strength score in kilograms. Characters can lift up to the maximum load off 
  the ground, but can only stagger around with it. While overloaded in this way, 
  characters cannot undertake any other actions, and can only move 1.5 meters 
  per round. For example, an average character with a Strength score of 7 can 
  barely lift up to 84 kilograms as a maximum load. Such a character could perform 
  no other actions while struggling with the load, except to move 1.5 meters per 
  round.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Carrying Capacity 
  Strength 
  Light Load  Medium 
  Load  
  Heavy 
  Load  
  Extreme 
  Load  
  7 
  14kg 
  28kg 
  42kg 
  84kg 
  8 
  16kg 
  32kg 
  48kg 
  96kg 
  9 
  18kg 
  36kg 
  54kg 
  108kg 
  10 
  20kg 
  40kg 
  60kg 
  120kg 
  11 
  22kg 
  44kg 
  66kg 
  132kg 
  12 
  24kg 
  48kg 
  72kg 
  144kg 
   
  Controlling the Squad 
  There are a lot of NPCs in the game. Even if you have five players, each playing 
  one Marine, you could still have eight NPCs tagging along in the rest of the squad. 
  That’s just too many for a roleplaying game and a real headache for the referee. If 
  you only have a couple of players then the problem is even worse. To prevent the 
  GM making most of the rolls in a game, and desperately trying to work out what 
  all the squad-members are up to, this book simplifies the squad system. Two 
  players must take on the squad leader and one of the team leader roles, and they 
  are made attractive by the fact they can choose any MOS skill that their players 
  fancy. Each is in command of one third of the squad (what we call a team). This 
  team list does not change from game to game unless the players decide it should 
  be changed. The team members are controlled by the GM, but to make his job 
  easier, they will generally follow the team leader, do as they are ordered, and 
  stick together. A team will never willingly split up, it is the smallest unit in the field 
  and the GM will make combat rolls for the team as a whole (although the team 
  leader will of course make his own dice rolls).  
   
  Assigning Infantry Skills 
  Marine player characters are defined by their characteristics as well as a small 
  number of skills. Each skill is rated from 0 to 6, with 0 representing vague 
  familiarity, level 1 representing training and competence, 2 representing 
  increased experience and professionalism, 3 representing expert knowledge and 
  4-6 representing complex technical tasks often possessed by instructors and 
  trainers. How many skills does a Marine possess, and to what level?  
  Recruit Training: In Marine Corps Recruit Training, the Marine increases his 
  physical characteristics to above average levels and he learns basic 
  marksmanship and rifle maintenance. This is recorded on the character's sheet 
  as Gun Combat - 1. He is also taught how to channel aggression and to defend 
  himself reasonably well in hand to hand combat. The recruit is also assumed to 
  have an American driving licence. Consequently, Recruit Training also provides 
  the skills of Brawling - 0 and Ground Vehicle -0.  
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  School of Infantry: Following boot camp, the 
  recruit is assigned his MOS. Here the player 
  selects his Marine's role within the squad. In 
  doing so he will learn his character's MOS 
  skill. When given skill levels to assign, he 
  must spend one level on his MOS skill. Note 
  that squad leaders and team leaders are 
  free to choose any skill they have not already 
  received as their MOS skill.  
   
  At the School of Infantry or later (within an 
  Advanced Infantry Training Battalion) the 
  new Marine learns Vacc Suit-0 and four skills 
  at level -1. One of these level -1 skills must 
  be the MOS skill listed as part of the 
  character's role. The other three skill 
  assignments are chosen by the player from 
  the Squad Skill List, presented (right). What 
  he chooses really tells everyone at the table 
  a lot about that character. Gambling? 
  Electronics? Heavy Weapons? Leader? When 
  you have a squad leader who hasn't chosen 
  Leader-1, but you have a rifleman who has, 
  what does that tell you? He has great 
  potential, he is a squad leader or NCO in the 
  making, he can lead the team or the squad 
  in a crisis. Perhaps he is experienced and 
  'seen it all', which may mean the player decides to up his age by 3 or 4 years.  
   
  Other Influences: There are post-training skill courses, as well as life experiences, 
  hobbies and military cadet programmes that may have had a big impact on what 
  the Marine knows. Because of this the player assigns two more level - 0 skills to 
  his character, again selected from the Infantry Skill List. Finally, the player is 
  awarded a 'talent' bonus, +1 on any skill that the Marine already possesses 
  (whether level 0, 1 or 2) OR a +1 to any one of his characteristics.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Squad Skill List 
   
  Brawling 
  Blade Combat 
  Comms 
  Computer 
  Covert Insertion * 
  Demolitions 
  Electronics 
  Gambling  
  Ground Vehicle 
  Gun Combat 
  Heavy Weapons 
  Leader 
  Mechanical 
  Medical  
  Recon 
  Security 
  Survival  
  Tactics 
  Vacc Suit 
  Watercraft 
   
  * Recon only, and not available 
  at level - 0 
  
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  Infantry Skill Descriptions 
  Brawling: The Marine is skilled at using their fists and feet in personal combat as 
  well as clubs and cudgels. This also encompasses martial arts and wrestling. 
  Blade Combat: The Marine is skilled in knife and bayonet fighting and can also 
  wield almost anything sharp and/or heavy as a melee weapon.  
  Comms: The Marine is trained in the use, repair, and maintenance of 
  communications, sensor devices and drones. Skilled characters can boost an 
  incoming or outgoing signal, create or break a secure channel, detect signals and 
  anomalies, hide or piggyback on another signal, jam local communications, 
  locate and assess potential threats, and analyze complex sensor data. Comms is 
  the skilled required for operating surveillance drones.  
  Computer: The Marine is skilled in the programming and operation of electronic 
  and fiber optic computers, both ground and vehicle-mounted models. More 
  skilled users can create or break data encryption; mine data effectively; create or 
  break data and network security protocols; and perform other general 
  programming tasks. 
  Covert Insertion: Covert Insertion skill cannot be learnt at level – 0 and is only 
  available to members of Marine Recon squads. This special operations skill 
  teaches both parachuting and subaqua skills giving the Marine the ability to 
  penetrate covertly into enemy territory by air or water. The parachute course is 
  attended at the US Army’s Airborne School at Fort Benning, and includes static-
  line drops, High Altitude Low Opening (HALO), and High Altitude High Opening 
  (HAHO) techniques. Combat swimming, beach reconnaissance and use of the 
  rebreather apparatus, are all taught at the Combat Swimmer School at Naval 
  Station Panama City in Florida.  
  Demolitions: This skill covers the use of demolition charges and other explosive 
  devices, including assembling or disarming bombs. The Marine has attended the 
  Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. 
  Electronics: The Marine is trained to install, use, maintain and repair electronic 
  devices and equipment. He can fix or customize electronic gadgets in the field 
  and under pressure, and understands power supply networks, how to maintain 
  them or subvert them.  
  Gambling: The Marine is a gambler, a card player, and gets a buzz from raking in 
  other people’s pay checks. He or she has an advantage over non-experts, and is 
  generally capable of winning when engaged in such games. Gambling, however, 
  should not be confused with general risk-taking. 
  Ground Vehicle: The Marine is familiar with the operation and daily maintenance 
  of both wheeled and tracked vehicles, including, of course, Marine growlers, 
  ARCCS and other armored fighting vehicles.  
  Gun Combat: The Marine is familiar with most types of firearms, from pistols and 
  combat rifles to lasers, machineguns, smartguns and shotguns. 
   
   
  
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  Heavy Weapons: The Heavy Weapons skill covers purely military infantry support 
  weapons such as rocket launchers, plasma guns, heavy artillery guns, tactical 
  missile launchers, grenade launchers and high-velocity tank guns. 
  Leader: These rules allow player characters to lead a squad of NPC Marines in 
  battle. A Marine with Leader skill can get them to carry out unpalatable or 
  difficulty tasks that the referee has judged they do not want to do. They won’t get 
  out of the trench to attack the tree line? They won’t cross the bridge in view of the 
  enemy? They don’t want to face the enemy tank assault, but instead run away? 
  Leader task rolls can be made to urge them on. In addition, a successful Leader 
  roll can ‘motivate’ a subordinate, with the result that it ‘gives’ him a +1 skill 
  bonus for one hour (what the skill is depends on the subordinate’s mission and 
  task, if he is about to defuse a bomb, for example, we suggest the bonus is 
  applied to Demolitions!) The character can only motivate a number of individuals 
  simultaneously equal to his Leader skill.  
  Mechanical: The Marine is trained to install, use, maintain and repair mechanical 
  devices and equipment. The Marine knows how to use the tools of the trade, how 
  to perform routine tasks, spot potential problems, jury-rig repairs without tools or 
  spares, sabotage systems and how to handle common problems. Mechanical 
  devices include everything from vehicle engines to airlock motors, hydraulic lifts, 
  life support machinery, guns and other weaponry, mining equipment and 
  robotics.  
  Medical: The Marine has training and skill in battlefield medicine and (at level 3 
  or higher) trauma surgery. This skill represents a character's ability to provide 
  emergency care, short term care, long-term care, and specialized treatment for 
  diseases, poisons and debilitating injuries. The Marine may be able to spot the 
  influence of unknown diseases or parasites, and may have enough medical 
  training to improvise solutions to unexpected off-world dangers.  
  Recon: This is essential Marine Corps field craft using observation and counter-
  ambush techniques to scout for dangers and spot threats, mines or improvised 
  explosive devices and the tell-tale signs of an imminent enemy ambush.  Marines 
  skilled in Recon are adept at silent movement, and camouflage techniques, 
  allowing them better chances of staying unseen and unheard in the field.  
  Security: The Marine is skilled in the installation and also the bypassing or 
  dismantling of security measures, from mechanical locks to swipe-card locks, 
  Where is Athletics Skill?  
  Cepheus Engine offers the skill of Athletics, but that particular skill was left out of HOSTILE’s 
  customized skill list. Why? The physical characteristics get little use in many Cepheus Engine 
  and other Classic 2D6 RPGs, and so the referee in HOSTILE is encouraged to use Strength, 
  Dexterity and Endurance as task modifiers to climb, jump, swim, dodge, etc. As a slight change 
  to the task resolution system, an effective way of using characteristics is to make all their 
  tasks Difficult (10+) and add one half of the Marine’s relevant characteristic  (round down). 
  Alternatively, use the characteristic check rules in the Cepheus Engine Introduction.   
  
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  keypad locks, surveillance cameras and various types of alarms and their 
  triggers.  
  Survival: The Marine is skilled in the art of survival in the bush, including hunting 
  or trapping animals, avoiding exposure, locating sources of food and fresh water 
  (if available), producing fires, finding shelter, avoiding dangerous flora and fauna, 
  avoiding getting lost, and dealing with the dangers of hazardous climates (arctic, 
  desert, etc.). The Marine may have attended the Survival, Evasion, Resistance 
  and Escape (SERE) School at the Marine Mountain Warfare Training Center in 
  Bridgeport, California.  
  Tactics: The Marine can co-ordinate the firepower of artillery, aircraft and even 
  ships in orbit to assist in the squad’s tactical goals. He is able to call in co-
  ordinates on the radio and ‘illuminate’ targets using a laser designator. The more 
  expert he becomes, the greater the firepower that the Marine can co-ordinate.  
  Vacc Suit:  The Marine has passed through the High Intensity Survival Training 
  (HIST) School based at Camp Glenn on Earth’s Moon (with a three-week course 
  on Mars). He has been trained to work, live and fight in both zero-gravity and 
  partial gravity environments. In addition, the individual has been trained in the 
  wearing, care, and maintenance of many types of hard and soft vacuum suits, 
  hostile environment suits  and the Marines’ own M5 Integrated Combat Suit. He 
  is knowledgeable about pressurized systems, depressurization and the operation 
  of airlocks. The HIST program also reaches Marines how to use Ablative Canopy 
  Orbital Re-entry (ACOR) equipment to land on a planet’s surface from orbit in a 
  single-use, one-man, drop pod.  
  Watercraft: The character is familiar with the operation and daily maintenance of 
  various types of water-going craft including rigid raiders, fast patrol boats, naval 
  landing craft of all types, hydrofoils, and hovercraft. 
   
  You’d sit there at night facing the darkness, waiting 
  for the attack or the blood-red dawn – which-ever came 
  first. One time, at Combat Outpost Sweeney up in the 
  Changfeng valley, I spotted Charlie in the night-vision 
  scope, making his way through four rolls of razor wire. 
  He started just about ten o’clock and he didn’t get 
  through the last strand of razor wire until almost four 
  o’clock in the morning. It took him six hours and we’d 
  laid out every possible kind of mine, trip flare, motion 
  sensor. When he was just about through - we shot him.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Gearing Up 
  Before play begins, each Marine character will require his basic kit, any MOS-
  related kit, plus anything else that the player character wishes his Marine to haul 
  around. Before we begin, the player should note down his character’s Light, 
  Medium and Heavy Load values so that he knows just when to stop piling on the 
  equipment.  For a Marine with Str 9, his Maximum Light Load is 18 kg, Maximum 
  Medium Load 36 kg and Maximum Heavy Load 54 kg. A Light Load is preferable, 
  but on extended missions (2 or 3 days) then a Medium or Heavy Load may be 
  required.  
   
  A note on costs – nothing has an attached value, but high value equipment, 
  carelessly abandoned or destroyed will not be replaced quickly, if at all. The 
  referee is the sole arbiter of what can be gained by the squad. Often, and 
  especially in wartime, things just are not available. Enterprising sergeants can 
  ‘liberate’ equipment from other units, maybe to use in the field or to make life 
  comfortable at base. Sometimes the stolen goods can instead be traded to some 
  other unit which in turn can swap with the sergeant something his squad or 
  platoon really need… like an air conditioner, a crate of M9 disposable missiles, 
  the latest high-tech camo fatigues or a working motion tracker. There’s more to 
  being a sergeant in the Marines than giving orders! Sergeant Bilko – we are 
  taking notes! 
   
   
   
  Universal Kit List 
   
  Universally Assigned Item 
  Weight (kg) 
  Boots 
  - 
  Combat Knife 
  0.25 
  Rigid Armor 
  4.0 
  Poncho 
  1.0 
  Field Dressing 
  - 
  Hydro-Pack 
  4.0 
  LUCAS Pack 
  - 
  Rations/2 days 
  4.0 
  Utilities 
  - 
  Total 
  13.25kg 
   
  Short Duration Operations 
  For short operations lasting less than a day, the Marine can 
  ditch the rations and poncho, reducing his weight total to 
  8.25kg. 
  
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  Role-Related Kit List 
   
  Assault Marine 
  Weight (kg) 
  Grenade Launcher 
  4.5 
  Eagle Eye Missile 
  3.2 
  12 Grenades 
  6.0 
  M8 Rifle  
  3.58  
  Total 
  17.28 
  Combat Medic 
   
  First Aid Kit plus 4 x Endorphins 
  0.5 
  M8 Rifle  
  3.58  
  Total 
  4.08 
  Comtech 
   
  Field Radio 
  3.0 
  4 Smoke Grenades 
  2.0 
  M8 Rifle  
  3.58  
  Total 
  8.58 
  Rifleman 
   
  Machete 
  0.35 
  Motion Tracker 
  1.0 
  4 Frag Grenades 
  2.0 
  M8 Rifle  
  3.58  
  Total 
  6.93 
  Smartgunner 
   
  Hydra IMAG Machinegun 
  9.5 
  VP90 Pistol 
  0.8 
  Total 
  10.3 
  Security Specialist 
   
  Military Security Kit 
  0.2 
  Wire Cutters 
  1.0 
  Jammer 
  1.0 
  M8 Rifle  
  3.58  
  Total 
  6.78 
  Squad/Team Leader 
   
  Compass 
  - 
  Inertial Locator 
  1.5 
  4 Frag Grenades 
  2.0 
  M8 Rifle  
  3.58  
  Total 
  7.08 
  Sniper 
   
  Binoculars 
  1.0 
  Combat Laser  
  4.2  
  VP90 Pistol 
  0.8 
  Total 
  6.0 
  
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  Utilities  
  Authorized uniforms for enlisted personnel are designated as Blue Dress, Service 
  and Utilities. Blue Dress is prescribed for parades, ceremonies and official social 
  functions. Service Uniform is the normal, smart working uniform, worn when not 
  in the field or engaged in manual work. Utilities are camouflaged and are for wear 
  in the field or field-type exercises, or for manual work where it is not practical to 
  wear the Service Uniform. Current camouflage patterns for the utility uniform 
  conform to the Advanced Marine Combat Pattern 2212 (AMCP-2212). 
   
  Following trials with the Enforcer Rigid Plated Armor System in 2211-2, the USMC 
  decided to introduce a new utility uniform that would compliment it. The 
  Operational Combat Uniform (OCU) is a blouse, T-shirt and combat trouser set 
  that serves as the Corp’s field uniform – referred to as ‘utilities’ or ‘fatigues’. OCU 
  is manufactured by Baospace and is flame retardant (although not flameproof) 
  and treated with the chemical permethrin to provide some protection from known 
  terrestrial and off-world insects. In addition, the weave incorporates near infra-red 
  signature dampening, in an attempt to minimize the Marine’s IR silhouette.  
   
  Blouse. The blouse is a tough, general-purpose combat shirt worn over a plain 
  black T-shirt, either under ERPAS armor, on its own or with the LUCAS pack and 
  webbing system. There are two slanting chest pockets with Velcro closures, as 
  well as two lower sleeve pockets with button closures. These pockets are not 
  used whilst ERPAS armour is being worn. It features reinforced elbows. Like 
  previous utility shirts, the blouse incorporates cargo pockets on the sleeves, and 
  on the upper arm. The arms are made from a poly-cotton material in standard 
  USMC camouflage. The upper arms have Velcro closure pockets that are 
  expandable and angled to make them easier to access when wearing. Each 
  pocket has Velcro strips for attaching ID's or insignias.  
   
  Combat Trousers. Camouflaged trousers with thigh map pockets that have been 
  angled to allow easier access. A secure pocket has been added to waist pockets 
  to allow stowage of small items. A seat panel has also been added to reduce 
  wear in the crotch. Map-pocket buttons are shrouded to reduce snag hazards 
   
   
   
   
  . 
    
  
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  USMC CAMO PATTERNS 2212 
   
   
  HOSTILE [AMCP 401] 
  A deep jungle pattern, for lush and dense 
  vegetation.          
   
   
  SEQUOIA [AMCP 402] 
  A temperate or dry woodland pattern.                 
   
   
  URBAN, LIGHT [AMCP 411] 
  An urban pattern, used for Fighting in Built-Up 
  Areas over prolonged periods, police actions and 
  SWAT-style missions. Used also by USSC 
  combat troops.                     
   
   
  URBAN, DARK [AMCP 418] 
  A popular dark urban warfare pattern, used by 
  Marines in built-up environments and within 
  large off-world complexes.  Also used in police 
  actions and SWAT-style missions.              
   
   
  MARTIAN DESERT [AMCP 470] 
  A dry desert pattern, initially trialled at Camp 
  Deerman, on Mars.                 
   
   
  NOME [AMCP 433] 
  A variegated icy tundra/alpine pattern for use in 
  a variety of cold weather environments.             
   
   
   
   
  
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  Head Cover: Headgear provided with the OCU includes the ‘boonie’ hat and the 
  utility cover. The utility cover is a peaked cap with a stiff, rounded visor and a soft, 
  flat top, similar in style to a baseball cap. The utility cover is emblazoned with the 
  USMC eagle, globe and anchor insignia in black on the front, above the visor. The 
  circular, brimmed ‘boonie’ hat is popular amongst recon-style Marines who do not 
  always wear the M34 Enforcer helmet or the ERPAS.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Marine Corps Boonie Hat and 
  Utility Cap, both in the Sequoia 
  camouflage pattern 
  
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  Weapons 
   
  The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his 
  rifle! 
                        US Army General John J. Pershing 
   
  Firearms in 2215 are still mainly gunpowder-based, some still utilize brass 
  cartridges for their reliability and safety within a whole range of hostile 
  environments. New technologies are being introduced; many frontline military 
  forces now have tried caseless ammunition for their advanced combat rifles. 
  Most military rifles are of a bullpup configuration. Laser rifles are in use as sniper 
  weapons, as are high-energy magnetic acceleration coilguns. Coilguns are also 
  making headway as reliable, frictionless machineguns. Still, shotguns are ever 
  popular, particularly because there is little danger of one puncturing a starship or 
  colony hull.  
   
  Reading the Firearm Data 
  Each firearm listing gives the following information: 
   
  Cost: In American dollars ($). 
  Wgt: Weight, unloaded, in kilogrammes.  
  ROF: The number of rounds that may be fired during a significant action in the 
  combat. This entry will read either: 1 (Single Shot), 4 (4-rd Burst) or 10 (10-rd 
  Burst). 
  Range: The range category for the weapon. 
  Dmg: The damage in six-sided dice that a weapon inflicts. 
  Recoil: The Strength required to fire the gun. If under this value (even due to 
  wounding), apply a -1 DM to all shots.   
  Min.Str: The M3 Hydra does not have recoil, but is very heavy to carry/wear. The 
  operator must have this minimum strength to carry and fire the gun.  
  Lgth: Weapon length in centimeters, with any stocks extended.   
  Rds: The capacity of a weapon’s magazine. 
   
   
   
  The weapons listed in the following section are those firearms commonly 
  available within the United States Marine Corps. They include: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Firearms  Characteristics 
   
  HANDGUN TABLE 
  VP90 Handgun [10mm Corta] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  200 
  0.8 
  1/4 
  pistol 
  2D6+1 
  8+ 
  20 
  16 
  RIFLES & SHOTGUNS TABLE 
  M8 Enhanced Battle Rifle [7.78mm] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  1200 
  3.58 
  1/4/10 
  assault 
  3D6+2 
  7+ 
  88 
  30 
  M24A1 ACR [8.85mmCL] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  2000 
  4.6 
  1/4/10 
  assault 
  3D6+2 
  7+ 
  80 
  60 
  M24A3 Carbine [8.85mmCL] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  1800 
  3.4 
  1/4/10 
  assault 
  3D6+1 
  8+ 
  74 
  60 
  M33 Coilgun [12mm HVADS] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  3000 
  5.5 
  1 
  rifle 
  4D6+2 
  8+ 
  103 
  10 
  M1000 30MW Combat Laser 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  3500 
  4.2 
  1 
  rifle 
  4D6+2 
  - 
  80 
  10 
   M12 Combat Shotgun [12 gauge] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  2000 
  5.2 
  1/4 
  shotgun 
  4D6 
  6+ 
  90 
  6 
  Noricum 37 Stakeout [12 gauge] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  600 
  3 
  1 
  pistol 
  4D6 
  9+ 
  76 
  4 
  MACHINEGUNS TABLE 
  M3 Hydra IMAG [9mm HE] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Min. Str 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  5000 
  16 
  4/10 
  rifle 
  3D6+4 
  7 
  122 
  250 
  M68  Light Machine Gun [8.85mmCL] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  2800 
  6.6 
  1/4/10 
  rifle 
  3D6+2 
  6+ 
  90 
  100 
  M5A5 Auto Coilgun [12mm HVADS] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth 
  (cm) 
  Rds 
  12,000 
  9.5 
  1/4/10 
  rifle 
  4D6+2 
  4+ 
  105 
  100 
  
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  Ammunition 
  All firearms require reloading with rounds or power-packs, and in most cases 
  these ammunition supplies are unique to that weapon. The table below provides 
  the details of ammunition used by the guns in this chapter.  
   
  Reading the Ammunition Data 
  Each ammunition listing gives the following information: 
   
  Cost: In American dollars ($). 
  Wgt: Weight in kilogrammes.  
  Rounds: Number of rounds the weapon fires before it must be reloaded/ 
  recharged. 
   
   
  Ammunition for Which Firearm 
  Cost 
  ($) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
  Rounds 
  ASA M3 Hydra IMAG 
  200 
  2.0 
  250 
  Maverick G6 Grenade Launcher 
  180 
  0.5 
  6 
  Maverick M24 Rifle & Carbine 
  30 
  0.5 
  60 
  Maverick M68  LMG 
  75 
  0.88 
  100 
  MLT Flame Unit 
  60 
  1.5 
  6 
  Noricum 37 Stakeout 
  10 
  0.4 
  4 
  Noricum M8 Enhanced Battle Rifle 
  25 
  0.6 
  30 
  Stern Weapons SA12 Shotgun 
  15 
  0.6 
  8 
  Stern Weapons VP70 
  10 
  0.16 
  16 
  Voroncovo M5A5 Auto Coilgun 
  100 
  12 
  100 
  Voroncovo M33 Coilgun 
  18 
  0.6 
  10 
  Zenith M1000 Combat Laser 
  75 
  1.0 
  10 
  Zenith XM4 Plasma Gun 
  300 
  2 
  38 
   
   
  
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  Firearms  Descriptions 
   
  M3 Hydra IMAG [Intelligent Machinegun Auto-Guiding] - A new concept in squad 
  machineguns, the Intelligent Machinegun-Auto Guiding (IMAG) is a gimbal-
  mounted light machinegun attached to a steady-mount and operator’s harness. 
  Moving easily on its mount, the operator can aim the gun through 180 degrees in 
  front of him, squeezing the calliper-like trigger to fire the weapon. The Hydra will 
  self-steer the barrel under the operator’s guidance and the articulation arm will 
  compensate for any movement, making the system accurate. Should the operator 
  wish to point the gun elsewhere, the computer will allow him to do so. Tracking is 
  via both motion tracker and infra-red sensor mounted above and below the barrel 
  – these send images with targeting overlays to the user’s smart goggles that are 
  connected to the gun via cable and jack.  
   
  The gun can aim and track independently or be nudged to acquire another target 
  appearing on the smart-goggle display. It cannot fire on its own. Only the operator 
  can do this, with a pull of the trigger.  The Hydra does not have a single-shot 
  capability, but the sophisticated target tracking system means that autofire is far 
  more accurate than other weapons (+1 to all attacks). This is the real advantage 
  of the Hydra IMAG system: precision-directed auto-fire attacks.  
   
  Supplied by an ammunition drum holding 250 rounds of 9x28mm caseless, the 
  IMAG Hydra is used to provide suppressive fire, to deal with armoured troops, 
  equipment, and with soft-skinned vehicles. It does this with a slightly larger and 
  more powerful round than used in the M24 series of rifles. The 9x28mm round is 
  designated as HE (high explosive), giving the squad a real punch. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  M5A5 Auto Coilgun – A development of the M33 sniper coil gun, the Auto Coilgun 
  is heavy machinegun, used in anti aircraft defense and as an auxiliary weapon on 
  many types of military vehicle. The weapon overcomes the power dependencies 
  of the M33 by relying on the power plant of its host vehicle. Auto Coilguns can 
  also be mounted on to a tripod (mass 15kg) as an infantry support gun and these 
  are supplied with an M2 CAPSU (Combined Ammunition and Power Supply Unit). 
  Like the M33, the fully automatic M5A5 accelerates ferrous rounds through 
  electromagnetic coils that are powered by a high-energy liquid-metallic 
  suspension battery. The 12mm rounds are loaded into the gun via a flexible 
  ammunition belt that feeds from a side-mounted hopper. The high velocities 
  attained by the coilgun produce flat and very accurate trajectories. Various types 
  of ammunition can be used by the weapon including: 
   
  HVADS (High Velocity Accelerated Discarding Sabot) 
  Anti-personnel 
  HVAAP (High Velocity Accelerated Armor Piercing) 
  Anti-vehicle 
  HVAAP-I (High Velocity Accelerated Armor Piercing- 
  Incendiary) 
  Anti-vehicle 
              
   
  M8 Enhanced Battle Rifle  - The Noricum V2000SU Enhanced Battle Rifle 
  7.78mm is built around a two-piece receiver, the lower part polymer and a one-
  piece upper part of aluminum. It fires a 7.78 full-power conventional rifle 
  cartridge at velocities of 720 meters per second with an accuracy of around 600 
  meters. In operation, the rifle uses a short-stroke gas-operated piston with a 
  rotating bolt. The M8 provides both range and stopping power for American 
  forces. An integral 20mm grenade launcher is housed beneath the rifle barrel, 
  and is fed by a fixed, tubular magazine holding three grenades. Grenades must 
  be fed in manually one-by-one to reload the launcher. The M8 features a 
  telescoping stock, a 30-round box magazine and a sturdy carrying handle that 
  also contains an integral AN/PVS-29 telescopic sight (4x magnification), which 
  has hybrid IR and light-intensification imaging.  
   
   
   
  
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  M24A1 Advanced Combat Rifle - The M24A1 represents the cutting edge of 
  American military firepower. It is an advanced assault rifle firing high-velocity 
  8.85mm FSDS discarding sabot bullets at 1200 meters per second. It uses an 
  annular gas piston located around the barrel and a vertically moving bolt, making 
  it possible to minimise the length of the receiver group and have a magazine 
  located at the extreme rear of the weapon. A U-shaped rammer/extractor is used 
  to chamber the caseless rounds by pushing them into the chamber. The rearward 
  positioning of the magazine maximizes the length of the barrel itself, improving 
  both range and accuracy. Sighting is done with an integral AN/PVS-29 telescopic 
  sight (4x magnification), which features hybrid IR and light-intensification 
  imaging. Each caseless 5.60mm round is embedded deep within a polymer 
  casing that is packed with consolidated propellant - this is ignited by the M24A1’s 
  electrical firing mechanism. An M340 30mm grenade launcher is mounted under 
  the barrel that holds a four grenades, a round is loaded into the breech ready for 
  launching by cycling a pump-action grip. A selector above the trigger allows the 
  firer to choose between safety, single-shot, four round or ten round bursts. It also 
  has a setting for the grenade launcher, which means that the grenades are fired 
  using the same trigger as the 8.85mm rounds. The launcher does make the rifle 
  a little front-heavy. 
   
  M24A3 Carbine - The M24A3 is a shortened carbine version of the standard 
  M24A1 advanced combat rifle used by jump-jet and armoured vehicle crews who 
  appreciate its compact design, as well as by police forces, private military 
  contractors and rear-echelon troops (signallers, drivers and mine-clearance 
  troops, etc.), Dispensing with the M340 grenade launcher, the carbine is much 
  lighter and it features a much shorter barrel. Due to this shortened barrel it is 
  less accurate and less powerful, especially at long ranges. The lighter weight also 
  increases the recoil, despite the weapon’s internal compensation. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  M12 Combat Shotgun - The Singapore Arms M12 is a fully automatic combat 
  shotgun aimed directly at the military market. Both the British Army and the US 
  military have bought large stocks of the weapon. It has a fixed open port and a 
  gas operated system with a rotating bolt, providing a theoretical firing rate of 750 
  rpm. With only an 8 round box magazine, however, automatic fire is limited to a 
  maximum of two short, 4-round bursts. Maximum effective range is around 90 
  meters. A selector switch allows the firer to move easily from safety, to single-
  shot, to burst-fire and then to ‘G’ for grenade. An integral 20mm grenade 
  launcher is housed beneath the rifle barrel, and is fed by a box magazine holding 
  five grenades. The front sight is a simple post with circular, protective shroud, the 
  rear sight is a fold-up leaf sight.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  M33 Coilgun - The coilgun is a large caliber sniper and anti-material rifle that 
  accelerates ferrous rounds through electromagnetic coils that are powered by a 
  high-energy liquid-metallic suspension battery. Discarding sabot rounds are 
  loaded into the gun in a 20 round magazine to the rear of the trigger assembly. 
  Each is a 12mm HVADS (High Velocity Accelerated Discarding Sabot) that is given 
  imparted spin using bias in the magnetic field. After leaving the barrel, the sabots 
  fall away to reveal the 9.46mm teardrop-shaped bullet that consists of hardened 
  steel, surrounded by a softer copper jacket with a hollow-point tip. The 
  combination of high-velocity (upwards of 1400 meters per second), hollow-point 
  tip and dense core, gives the round superb stopping power as well as an effective 
  armor-piercing capability. The real limit on coil gun technology is the dependence 
  on power and so the M33 is a precision sniper rifle, a weapon that will not be 
  firing hundreds of rounds a minute. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  M68 Light Machinegun - The M68 is a light machinegun variant of the standard 
  M24A1 advanced combat rifle. In order to fulfil its role as a squad support 
  weapon, the M68 is fitted with a longer and heavier barrel that can cope with 
  sustained burst fire without over-heating. In addition, the grenade launcher has 
  been dropped in favour of a folding bipod, used to support the weapon as it 
  provides covering fire for the rest of the squad during fire and movement 
  operations. Like the M24A1 the M68 fires high-velocity 8.85mm FSDS discarding 
  sabot bullets at 1200 meters per second. Sighting is done with an integral 
  AN/PVS-29 telescopic sight (4x magnification), which features hybrid IR and light-
  intensification imaging. Each caseless 5.60mm round is embedded deep within a 
  polymer casing (of 8.85mm calibre) that is packed with consolidated propellant - 
  this is ignited by the M68’s electrical firing mechanism. The barrel is fitted with a 
  flash suppressor to minimize the gun’s signature when under observation from 
  hostile forces.   
   
  M1000 30MW Combat Laser - Zenith is renowned for its optics and range of 
  laser weapons - the M1000 is the lightest and most portable of all of the 
  company’s  firearms. On a trigger pull, the liquid metallic suspension battery 
  charges a fast-discharge generator which briefly stores then releases that energy 
  as a pulse. The high energy, short-duration beam causes instantaneous and 
  extreme temperature change in a target’s surface causing vaporization and 
  thermal shock. The rifle is used for precision sniper attacks at extremely long 
  range, and to target this long range weapon Zenith have fitted a sophisticated, 
  gyrostabilised electronic sighting system. The battery slots into the underside of 
  the stock. A bipod is fitted.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Noricum 37 Stakeout - The Noricum 37 is based on a 1946 design; it has since 
  proven itself for more than two centuries as a workhorse shotgun of worldwide 
  police forces, security companies and military units. It is in essence, the bare 
  bones of what a shotgun needs to be, cutting everything down in size to create a 
  very handy and easily used weapon, in buildings, streets, jungles, starship 
  corridors and mining installations. The gun is pump-action, and includes a folding 
  stock. A fixed tubular magazine beneath the barrel holds 4 shells. 
   
   
  Stern Weapons VP90 - The VP90 is a reliable 10mm machine pistol that has 
  been re-designed and re-engineered many times over the past fifty years – but 
  the design is a strong one and its reliability and accuracy have never been 
  bettered. Used as a US Marine sidearm, as well as a close protection firearm for 
  security troops throughout human-explored space.  It features a double column 
  magazine (to cram in 10 x 22mm Corta bullets) and a high-impact plastic 
  receiver. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Hand Grenades 
  A grenade is a small explosive device designed to be thrown by hand (treat as 
  Ranged [thrown] for Difficulty by range) or launched from a grenade launcher 
  (treat as Ranged [shotgun] for Difficulty by range). Hand grenades and 30mm 
  grenades used in launchers are not inter-changeable. Hand grenades have a 4-
  second delay. A number of hand grenades are described below. Each column is 
  described as follows: 
   
  Cost: Price in American Dollars ($) for a case of six grenades. 
  Wgt: Weight per grenade in kilograms (kg). 
  Damage: The damage a weapon inflicts. 
   
   
  M1 Smoke HC Grenade – The M1 smoke grenade creates a thick cloud of 
  coloured smoke six meters in radius, centered on the location of the grenade. 
  This smoke imposes a –2 DM on all attacks within or through the cloud (doubled 
  for laser weapons). Smoke dissipates in 1D6x3 rounds, although high winds and 
  other extreme weather can sharply reduce this time. 
   
  M2 Riot Agent Grenade – The M2 riot agent grenade creates a cloud of fentanyl-
  derivative gas six meters in radius, centered on the location of the grenade. This 
  fentanyl-analog will typically incapacitate anyone within the cloud that is not 
  wearing breathing equipment. Victims must make a Very Difficult (-4) Endurance  
  roll to avoid being knocked out for 1D6x10 minutes. Success means the victim 
  suffers a -1 on all actions, but is otherwise free to act. A roll of double-2 indicates 
  serious injury - the victim suffers 2D6+2 damage. The gas will dissipate in 1D6x3 
  rounds, although high winds and other extreme weather can sharply reduce this 
  time. 
   
  M3 Stun Grenade – The M3 stun grenade is non-lethal and does not inflict 
  normal damage. A character within six meters of a stun grenade detonation must 
  make an Endurance check with a negative DM equal to the damage (after armor 
  is subtracted). If this Endurance check is failed the character is incapacitated for 
  1-3 rounds. If the Endurance check is successful, the character is unaffected by 
  the weapon and the stun damage is ignored. 
   
   
  Weapon 
  Cost per Case  
  Wgt 
  Damage 
  M1 Smoke HC 
  90 
  0.5 
  Special; see description 
  M2 Riot Agent 
  150 
  0.5 
  Special; see description 
  M3 Stun 
  180 
  0.5 
  2D6 stun; see description 
  M4 Fragmentation 
  180 
  0.5 
  5D6/3D6/1D6; see 
  description 
  
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  M4 Fragmentation Grenade – A core of high explosive is 
  surrounded by a layer of notched wire which fragments on 
  detonation. The damage from fragmentation grenades 
  decreases with distance from the blast. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Support Weapons 
  Support weapons are larger, man-portable weapons that can cause extreme 
  property damage. The table below lists the support weapons commonly available 
  in a HOSTILE campaign. Each column is described as follows: 
   
  Cost: Price in American dollars ($). 
  Wgt: Weight in kilograms (kg). 
  RoF: Rate of Fire. The number of rounds that may be fired during a significant 
  action in the format: Single Shot / Auto 
  Range: The range category for this weapon. 
  Damage: The damage a weapon inflicts. 
  Recoil: Lists if the weapon has recoil when fired. 
  Distance Damage 
  3 meters 5D6 
  6 meters 3D6 
  9 meters 1D6 
  
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  G6 Grenade Launcher - This rocket-assisted multi-purpose 30mm grenade 
  launcher is a semi-automatic weapon firing one grenade for each pull of the 
  trigger. It has a six-shot magazine forward of the trigger assembly, a retractable 
  stock and forward grip under the barrel. It takes two minor actions to reload a 
  grenade launcher. Grenades for the G6 grenade launcher are not 
  interchangeable with hand-held grenades. The weapon fires from a closed bolt, 
  gas operated mechanism and its scope features an integrated laser rangefinder 
  and a ballistic computer, which calculates where the grenade will land and will 
  also guide the grenade (when using M5 laser-guided HE grenades) or sets them 
  to explode at a certain distance (when using M6 fragmentation airburst 
  grenades). Weight 4.5kg.  
   
  SUPPORT WEAPON TABLE 
  Underslung Grenade Launcher [20mm] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth (cm) 
  Rds 
  - 
  - 
  1 
  assault 
  varies 
  6+ 
  - 
  varies 
  Maverick G6 Grenade Launcher [30mm] 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth (cm) 
  Rds 
  800 
  4.5 
  1 
  assault 
  varies 
  6+ 
  80 
  6 
  M9 Eagle-Eye Disposable Missile 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth (cm) 
  Rds 
  2,000 
  3.2 
  1 
  rocket 
  8D6 
  - 
  64/90 
  1 
  MLT Flame Unit 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth (cm) 
  Rds 
  500 
  2.5 
  4 
  pistol 
  2D6 
  5+ 
  70 
  6 
  Zenith XM4 40MW ATPG (Advanced Tactical Plasma Gun) 
  Cost ($) 
  Wgt 
  (Kg) 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Lgth (cm) 
  Rds 
  20,000 
  15 
  1 
  rifle 
  10D6 
  8+ 
  100 
  38 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  M9 Eagle-Eye Short-Range Disposable Missile – The M9 is a disposable missile 
  that is easily carried in the field by a single infantryman. When carried it is 3.2kg 
  in weight and only 64cm long, telescoping out to 90cm for use. Prep to fire 
  requires four combat rounds in total. To counteract the recoil of the weapon, the 
  missile launcher channels exhaust backwards in an explosive back blast. Anyone 
  up to 2 meters behind a rocket launcher when it fires takes 3D6 damage from 
  the exhaust. The M9 Eagle-Eye contains a High Explosive Anti-Tank warhead for 
  the destruction of light and medium armor and is guided on to the target by an 
  on-board infra-red guidance system. This provides a +3 DM to hit unless the 
  guidance computer cannot lock on, is confused by decoys or has no IR signature 
  to identify (such as with a bunker or supply dump). It is a fire-and-forget missile. 
  The M9 will halve the target’s Armour points, and then inflict 8D6 damage. It has 
  a blast radius of 6m and anybody caught within that radius will suffer 2D6 
  damage. Weight 3.2kg.  
   
  MLT Flame Unit - The MLT Flame Unit ignites a jet of thickened napalm which it 
  squirts forward out of the barrel. The direct fire range of the MLT is only 30m, but 
  any target hit is automatically on fire. Targets beyond 30m (and out to its extreme 
  range of 50m) can only be hit by indirect fire, angling the weapon at an angle and 
  letting the jet of napalm fall on the target. The victim takes 2D6 damage 
  immediately. In each subsequent round, the burning character must make 
  another Difficult (-2) Dexterity check. Failure means he takes another 2D6 
  damage that round. Success means the fire has gone out. The character on fire 
  may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse 
  himself, spraying himself down with a fire extinguisher, vent all atmosphere or 
  otherwise smother the flames. If the character has no such means, rolling on the 
  ground or smothering the fire with cloaks or the like permits the character a 
  DM+2 on his next Dexterity check. 
  
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  XM4 ATPG (Advanced Tactical Plasma Gun) – The Zenith XM4 is an experimental 
  man-portable plasma weapon yet to under-go trials with American forces. It is 
  designed to provide concerted and devastating direct fire and anti-tank support 
  on the battlefield. In appearance it resembles a shoulder-launched guided missile 
  launcher, but it is connected to a portable fuel cell carried by a second crewman 
  via a power cable. The Advanced Tactical Plasma Gun is a 40 MW phased plasma 
  weapon firing cadmium-telluride pellets from a 38 round hopper. The on-board 
  laser powers the fast-discharge generator which then super-heats the fuel pellet 
  to a plasma state. This plasma is focussed through a magnetic field along the 
  gun’s barrel. The ATPG can fire once every other combat round due to the 
  weapon’s need to initiate a cool-down procedure, and then power-up for the next 
  shot.  
   
   
  Underslung Grenade Launcher – A grenade launcher that is an integral part of 
  the M8 rifle, M12 shotgun and a number of other firearms around the world.  
  Different manufacturers have opted for their own preferences on magazine size, 
  some carry three grenades internally and some four, whilst the M12 combat 
  shotgun can carry five grenades.  
   
  Propelled Grenades 
  The US military use two calibers of propelled grenades – 20mm and 30mm. The  
  20mm grenade was introduced in the 2150s and is very popular, being utilized 
  by both the M8 rifle and M12 combat shotgun as an ancillary weapon. The 30mm 
  grenade, on the other hand, was introduced to provide greater power for stand-
  alone grenade launchers, or grenade launchers mounted on vehicles. Maverick 
  Corporation have boldly used this larger caliber grenade for the underslung 
  
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  grenade launcher on their new M24A1 Advanced Combat Rifle. Time – and field 
  testing on the battlefields of Tau Ceti – will see if this was a good choice.  
  Propelled grenades typically have point detonating fuzes which (for safety 
  reasons) must travel at least 12 meters in order to arm.  
   
  A number of grenades are described below. Each column is described as follows: 
   
  Cost: Price in American Dollars ($) for a case of six grenades. 
  Wgt: Weight per grenade or kilograms (kg). 
  Damage: The damage a weapon inflicts. 
   
   
  M1P Smoke HC Grenade – The M1P smoke grenade creates a thick cloud of 
  coloured smoke six meters in radius, centered on the location of the grenade. 
  This smoke imposes a –2 DM on all attacks within or through the cloud (doubled 
  for laser weapons). Smoke dissipates in 1D6x3 rounds, although high winds and 
  other extreme weather can sharply reduce this time. 
   
  M2P Riot Agent Grenade – The M2P riot agent grenade creates a cloud of 
  fentanyl-derivative gas six meters in radius, centered on the location of the 
  grenade. This fentanyl-analog will typically incapacitate anyone within the cloud 
  that is not wearing breathing equipment. Victims must make a Very Difficult (-4) 
  Endurance  roll to avoid being knocked out for 1D6x10 minutes. Success means 
  the victim suffers a -1 on all actions, but is otherwise free to act. A roll of double-2 
  indicates serious injury - the victim suffers 2D6+2 damage. The gas will dissipate 
  in 1D6x3 rounds, although high winds and other extreme weather can sharply 
  reduce this time. 
   
  M3P Stun Grenade – The M3P stun grenade is non-lethal and does not inflict 
  normal damage. A character within six meters of a stun grenade detonation must 
  make an Endurance check with a negative DM equal to the damage (after armor 
  is subtracted). If this Endurance check is failed the character is incapacitated for 
  Propelled Grenade 
  Cost per Case  Wgt 
  Damage 
  M1P Smoke HC 
  90 
  0.5 
  Special; see description 
  M2P Riot Agent 
  150 
  0.5 
  Special; see description 
  M3P  Stun 
  180 
  0.5 
  2D6 stun; see description 
  M4P  Multiple Projectile 
  180 
  0.5 
  4D6 
  M5P High Explosive  
  180 
  0.5  
  5D6; halves vehicle armor 
  M6P Airburst 
  180 
  0.5 
  5D6/3D6/1D6; see 
  description 
   
  These grenades are available either as 20mm or 30mm calibers, as required. 
  The effects (in game play at least) are identical.  
  
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  1-3 rounds. If the Endurance check is successful, the character is unaffected by 
  the weapon and the stun damage is ignored. 
   
  M4P Multiple Projectile Grenade – The warhead of the M4P is a cup of twenty 
  number 4 buckshot that are all released in a sabot-style design. This multiple 
  projectile grenade effectively makes the grenade launcher a very large shotgun 
  doing 4D6 damage to a single target. Use Cepheus Engine’s ‘shotgun’ range 
  category, rather than the ‘assault’ range category, and remember the ‘Shotgun 
  Spread’ rule from Chapter 5.  
   
  M5P High Explosive Grenade –The M5P HEAP (High Explosive Armor Piercing) 
  grenade is able to penetrate light armour and can inflict damage against lightly 
  armoured and civilian vehicles as well as bunkers, buildings and fortifications. It 
  will halve the target’s Armour points, and then inflict 5D6 damage. It has a blast 
  radius of 5m and anybody within that radius will suffer 2D6 damage. Fired from 
  the G6 Grenade Launcher, this grenade is laser targeted and will try to home in 
  on any target designated by the firer using the G6’s integral laser painter. This 
  provides a +1 to hit.  
   
  M6P Fragmentation Airburst Grenade - The M6P has a core 
  of high explosive surrounded by a layer of notched wire 
  which fragments on detonation. The damage from 
  fragmentation grenades decreases with distance from the 
  blast The M6P can be commanded to detonate in the air 
  above a target (if desired), once the firer has established range to the target 
  using the G6’s laser designator.  This negates the defender’s -2 for shooting from 
  cover, and negates hard and total cover for a character who considers himself 
  safe.  
   
   
  Equipment Descriptions 
  Ablative Canopy Orbital Re-entry (ACOR): A personal re-entry kit, allowing a vacc-
  suited individual to enter a planetary atmosphere, survive, and parachute to the 
  ground. This is a dangerous undertaking, usually practiced by US Marines. ACOR 
  packs are huge and cumbersome, but when out of the airlock the user can 
  activate the system which inflates a 5m diameter ballute behind, with him in the 
  center. The guidance computer and thruster unit which lay along his chest is now 
  swung up, extended and activated. Descent begins with the ablative foam within 
  the ballute sloughing off with the intense heat and friction. At an altitude of 
  15,000’ the main chute will deploy. Total time from orbit to touchdown is around 
  30-40 minutes. 
   
  Distance Damage 
  3 meters 5D6 
  6 meters 3D6 
  9 meters 1D6 
  
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  Armor - Rigid: Enforcer Armaments Corporation produces the M21 ERPA or rigid 
  plated armor that is made of a composite alloy shell - mainly titanium aluminide 
  alloy over a layer of boron carbide resin fixed to a core of carbon-fiber. A 
  Kevlar/Salar woven liner rounds off the protection. It comes in the form of a 
  helmet; a full-torso, clamshell-style, rigid body shell and a set of lower leg guards. 
  The infantry Enforcer M34 Helmet features microphone, tactical camera, slide-
  down protective visor and an integral Zenith PRC-45 short-range radio. A variant, 
  the M50 Samson helmet, is worn by vehicle crews, paratroopers and Marines on 
  SWAT-style operations. The ERPAS chest plate is equipped with a spare battery 
  for the helmet, a radio, a radio channel selector and an LED flashlight mounted 
  on the right side of the chest-plate. It provides an Armor Rating of 9. This is 
  exclusively military or paramilitary. Weight 4kg. 
  Armor – Sealed Combat Suit:  In environments where the warfighter requires 
  complete environmental protection, then Hewison Industries offers the M5 
  Integrated Combat Suit. This full-body suit provides protection in vacuum, high or 
  low temperature, against biological or chemical agents, in atmospheres that are 
  unbreathable and against radiation typically found in a hard vacuum (decreasing 
  exposure by up to 40 rads/hr). It can support a soldier for six hours much like a 
  standard space suit, but the M5 is made of Kevlar and Salar woven layers 
  sandwiching ceramic plates. Titanium-carbide plates reinforce vulnerable areas 
  and these rigid sections are backed by carbon-fiber. To reduce radar signature, 
  the suit is coated with radar-absorbent neoprene polymer impregnated with 
  conductive carbon black particles. The suit includes a Zenith PRC-45 radio, multi-
  beam flashlight, tethers and equipment pockets, TapTint™ anti-flash visor 
  technology and thermal masking. This last feature provides the infantryman with 
  a modicum of stealth against infra-red sensor devices: heat is sunk into a chill 
  can which must be replaced after one-hour of use. It provides an Armor Rating of 
  11. The M5 is exclusively frontline military. Weight 18kg. 
  Binoculars: The AN/PEQ-2711 is a set of high-tech binoculars featuring low-light 
  night-vision and a laser range-finder. They serve also as a laser designator upon 
  which other weapons, such as guided missiles and bombs, may steer to their 
  target. Weight 1kg. 
  Boots: A pair of SSG Commando Tactical Boots, standard Marine Corps issue.  
  C-4 Plastic Explosive: This generic, multi-purpose plastic explosive is a favorite of 
  military units, terrorists, demolition teams and adventurers across known space. 
  1 kg,  
  Combat Knife: This serves as a close combat weapon as well as a survival tool 
  and a camp knife. The USMC issues troops with the M1 Raider bayonet, but many 
  choose instead to carry Classic Gerbers or ARMI Falcon Knives. Weight: 0.250kg. 
  
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Digital Camera: The AN/PVH-3038 is a hand-held digital camera capable of still 
  photography as well as video. It is capable of low-light photography, and includes 
  an in-built timer. The camera can take 300 still shots, or up to two hours of video. 
  It can be plugged directly into any computer for the download of images and 
  video. Weight 1kg. 
  Dive Set: Includes swim fins, wet suit, face mask. Protects against the effects of 
  cold (5º Celsius or below), along with improving speed and maneuverability 
  underwater; add DM +1 to all movement skill checks in these situations when 
  wearing proper swimming equipment. Weight 3kg.  
  Electro-Mag Scanner: The AN/PJM-1127 is a device that detects the 
  electromagnetic emissions of technological devices, and can be used as a 
  diagnostic tool when examining equipment (+1 DM to work out what’s wrong with 
  it) or when searching for hidden bugs or devices. The Comms skill can be used to 
  sweep a room for bugs. Weight 200g. 
  Endorphin Analog: This drug is a pain inhibitor that cancels any penalties suffered 
  from wounds as well as shrugging of unconsciousness for up to 1 hour. It can be 
  taken as a precaution. When a character takes the drug, he should make a 
  Routine (+2) Medical roll or suffer a side-effect. This may trigger an addiction. The 
  ‘dorph’s’ side effect is a one hour nervous attack instead of the drug’s effects. 
  This gives the player character -1 on all physical actions. Once a side effect is 
  triggered, the character must make an Endurance roll to avoid having the side 
  effect occur on a daily basis at random times (this random side effect is 
  avoidable only if a dose of endorphin is taken at the start of that day – i.e. It is 
  very addictive!). Note - The referee will decided in-game if endorphins can be 
  purchased, who from and with what consequences. The Marine Corps only allows 
  trained medics to administer endorphins for fear of addiction.  
  Poncho: The M68 Multi-Cover Poncho is a waterproof sheet with hood useable as 
  a poncho, a tent-shelter or even an improvised stretcher or body bag. Weight 1kg. 
  Field Radio: The Aztec AN/PRC-5586 Field Radio is a pack-mounted radio set 
  capable of up to 50 km range, and contact with official radio channels. It has five 
  separate channels and can transmit data as well as voice. It features two 
  input/output jacks for the uploading and downloading of data from a portable 
  terminal. Weight 3kg.  
  First Aid Dressing: The M334 is  single dressing, large enough for a blade slash or 
  bullet wound, with a single dose of endorphin analog in a pouch. Anyone trying to 
  give first aid will use the patient’s own dressing.  Weight: negligible. 
  First Aid Kit: A small medical kit carried on a pouch that fits onto a rucksack or 
  belt. It contains basic items, bandages, a pressure dressing, antibiotics, 
  painkillers, eye-wash, antihistamines and plasters. It contains enough supplies 
  for four wound treatments. Weight 0.5kg 
  
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  Flashlight: A waterproof and impact resistant flashlight, roughly 20 cm in length, 
  with an endurance of 6 hours.  A flashlight produces a wide cone of light up to 18 
  meters long with a radius of 6 meters at the end of the beam. Weight 1kg. 
  Folding Spade: A folding military shovel that packs down to the size of a baseball 
  glove and fits into a snug protective case. One edge of the blade is serrated, 
  allowing it to be used as a crude saw. This is an extremely useful piece of 
  equipment. Weight 1.2 kg. 
  Harpoon Grapnel: Rifle-sized grapnel launcher, using compressed air to launch a 
  spring-loaded grapnel up to a 10 meter height. It includes a small powered winch 
  to haul the user (or up to 100 kg) up. The grapnel is often part of a well-equipped 
  survival kit onboard starship lifeboats, as part of the kit’s climbing gear. Weight 
  4kg. 
  Hydro-Pack: An artificial bladder, manufactured by DeWitt, containing up to 4 
  liters of drinking water, accessed via a drinking tube. Hydro-Packs clip onto the 
  LUCAS pack frame. The USMC recommends active soldiers drink ‘at least’ two 
  liters of water each day. Use purifier capsules if drinking from local water 
  sources!  Weight: 4kg (1 liter = 1 kg.). 
  Inertial Nav System: The AN/PSN-8553 is a hand-held or belt-mounted device, 
  which indicates direction and distance traveled from the starting location, usually 
  imaging directly in to a preloaded map set for precision navigation. It can be 
  plugged in to a portable terminal to overlay its route onto a 3D tactical map 
  display. Weight 1.5kg. 
  Jammer: The AN/PLT-6320 is a hand-held unit with a 100m range and will 
  disrupt most radio signals within that range. It will also interfere with security 
  motion sensors, jamming their frequencies. Weight 1kg. The Advanced Jammer is 
  available, with a 3km range. It is however, backpack sized. 
  LUCAS Pack: The Corps has adopted the Load Utility Carrying System (LUCAS)  to 
  integrate with the ERPAS armor. It is made up if a pack-frame, shoulder straps, 
  Sharp 21 ammunition pouches (in two sizes), a pack and a military belt. 
  Equipment clips into place using steel fasteners and is configurable. The one-day 
  patrol pack is a popular fitting on the LUCAS pack frame.   
  Magnetic Compass: ARMI Magnetic Compass that indicates direction of magnetic 
  north, if any exists. Weight negligible. 
  Military Security Kit: This military/intelligence-only unit is able to access card-
  locks and re-route the data to try and fool the lock’s onboard processor into 
  believing that it is the correct card. The processor unit is attached to a ‘Trojan’ 
  card via a multi-wire cable and is all carried in a large fold-out wallet. It allows a 
  person with Security skill to try and break through a card-lock. Custom-made de-
  cryptors put together by crime gangs are generally illegal. Weight 200 kg. 
  Motion Tracker: The AN/PQS-3464 Motion Tracker is a hand-held unit with a 
  simple shoulder-strap that uses discriminatory Doppler shift ultra-sound scanning 
  to detect movement within a 100 degree cone ahead of the operator. Range 
  varies, from 10-20m indoors to almost 600-800m in open country. They are 
  useful tools, but subject to varied limitations, anything that moves can show up 
  
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  on the reading if not properly tuned out, extremely slow-moving objects may not 
  show up at all, and of course any enemy listening in will probably detect the loud 
  ultra-sound bursts being emitted from the unit.  
      To operate a motion tracker, the referee makes an Average Comms roll on the 
  player’s behalf. With a success he can give the player a pretty accurate indication 
  of what the scanner is picking up; if unsuccessful, then he should give the player 
  false data. Player involvement can be increased by letting he or she roll one of 
  the 2D6, with the referee rolling the other in secret. Weight 1kg. 
  Low-Light Goggles: The AN/PSQ-203 Hybrid Goggles are unobtrusive goggles 
  allowing good vision through thermal and light intensification imagery in near 
  total darkness. Weight 200g. 
  Personal Locator Beacon: The AN/PRX-67 is a wrist-mounted emergency beacon 
  with a range (once activated) of up to 10 km. The PLB uses a standard 
  emergency frequency which can be tracked by any modern avionics system, a 
  radio or a electro-mag scanner. The signal will last for 48 hours. Weight 
  negligible.  
  Parafoil: A steerable parawing-style lightweight parachute, with altimeter, reserve 
  chute and goggles. Weight 12kg.  
  Plasma Welder: A compact hand welder used either for welding together metals 
  or for cutting through metal sheet. Burn time is 30 minutes before a refill gas 
  bottle is required. Weight 0.5kg. 
  Portable Terminal: The AN/PYK-717 is a ruggedized Model/2 military laptop that 
  can be used in the field to run mapping, translation or video analysis software. It 
  can also run software to control an aerial drone or sentry gun. It is able to jack 
  into a video camera or an inertial locator or a field radio, in order to transfer data. 
  Weight 3kg.  
  
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  Rations: US forces hand out Modular Ration Packs (MRPs or ‘merps’) to their 
  troops in the field. These are not complete meals, but 800 calorie self-heating 
  food packs. A Marine will probably eat three or four of these each day when on 
  the march or in combat, they are small and compact and the rations are eaten 
  straight from the bag with a metal P3 multi-spoon. Soldiers can mix packs 
  together to make a main meal, or eat a single MRP as and when they are able. All 
  foods are pre-cooked and can be eaten hot or cold. Some packs are twin-sized 
  Beverage Ration Packs (BRPs or ‘burps’), self-heating or self-chilling flavored 
  beverage packs: tea, coffee, fruit or energy drinks, etc. All MRPs are 
  manufactured by Kinako Corporation. Each MRP pack weighs 0.5 kg. and a 
  typical allowance is 4 packs (2 kg) for a single day in the field.  
  Rebreather: Extracts oxygen from water to allow the wearer to breathe for an 
  unlimited time underwater. Functions only on worlds with thin, standard, or dense 
  (type 4 through 9) atmospheres. Weight 4 kg. 
  Sleeping Bag: A warm and compact sleeping bag. Weight 1.5kg. 
  Surface Mask: A common Off-World survival mask that can filter contaminants, 
  taints, smoke and dust (atmosphere types 4, 7, and 9) but that can also 
  compress breathed air to allow survival in a low pressure atmosphere (types 2 
  and 3). Useful in Very Thin or Tainted atmospheres. Weight negligible.  
  Unmanned Aerial Vehicle: A UAV is a flying drone used for local area surveying 
  and 
  surveillance 
  operations. 
  The ASA 
  RQ-456 
  Blizzard 
  is 
  a ducted 
  fan VTOL micro UAV. Developed by the Applied Security Applications, it is suitable 
  for backpack deployment and single-person operation. The Blizzard has an 
  operating range of 10 kilometers, an endurance of 40 minutes, a service ceiling 
  of 1,000 meters and can fly at a speed of 70 kph. It is supplied with a controller, 
  backpack carry-case and a ground support pack (all weighing 8kg). 
   
  Strength 3 (–1), Dexterity 7 (+0), Hull 0, Structure 1 
  Traits: Armor 2, Integral System (comm, audio/visual), Integral System  
  (fuel-cell powered ducted fan), Integral System (camera, night-vision, radar,  
  lidar, thermograph) 
   
  Utilities: These are the camouflaged combat utilities, known as the Operational 
  Combat Uniform (OCU), and made up of jacket, pants and hat.  Weight: negligible.  
  Wire Cutters: With folding handles for portability. Weight 1kg.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  All vehicles have the following traits: 
   
   
  dTon: How much space the vehicle takes up according to the starship design rules. 1 dton is 
  roughly equivalent to a weight on Earth of around 3-5,000 kg. 
  Agility (Agi): How easy the vehicle is to drive, expressed as a DM to the pilot’s skill check. 
  Speed (Spd): The vehicle’s maximum speed. A cruise speed is 75% of the maximum speed.  
  Crew and Passengers (C/P): How many people the vehicle can carry. 
  Armor (Armr): How much armor the vehicle has. Damage sustained by a vehicle is reduced by 
  its armor. Most vehicles have a base armor of 2 (steel or aluminum). 
  Hull: The number of hits the vehicle can sustain to its Hull before being disabled according to the 
  Cepheus Engine Vehicle Design System. 
  Structure (Struc): The number of hits the vehicle can sustain to its Structure before being 
  destroyed according to the Cepheus Engine Vehicle Design System.  
  Weapons (Wpns): What weapons the vehicle has, if any. 
   
   
   
  Vehicle 
  dTon 
  Agility 
  Spd  
  (kph) 
  C/P 
  Armr 
  Hull/ 
  Struc 
  Weapons 
  GoMo QuadTrack 
  0.75 
  0 
  68 
  1/2 
  - 
  0/1 
  None 
  Gulfstar Growler UCV 
  3 
  +1 
  135 
  1/3 
  4 
  0/1 
  LMG 
  Global Dynamics M10 
  ARCC 
  5 
  +1 
  90 
  1/13 
  8 
  1/1 
  25mm Gun, 2x 
  Pulse Lasers 
  Lockhart CV-24M Super-
  Osprey 
  5 
  -2 
  560 
  3/24 
  2 
  1/1 
  None  
  McConnell UV-56 Vector 
  Utility Jump-Jet 
  4 
  -1 
  420 
  2/8 
  2 
  0/1 
  None  
  McConnell AV-105 Jump-
  Jet Gunship 
  4 
  -1 
  420 
  2/5 
  2 
  0/1 
  25mm Gun, 
  rockets or missiles 
  Global Dynamics UD-5 
  Mustang Dropship 
  20 
  0 
  10,000 
  2/14 
  2 
  4/4 
  25mm Gun, 2 
  rocket pods  
  M7 Krueger Main Battle 
  Tank 
  10 
  -2 
  70 
  3/0 
  35 
  2/2 
  Railgun, 
  autocoilgun, M65 
  missile launcher 
  M180 Self Propelled 
  Railgun 
  12 
  -1 
  60 
  4/0 
  6 
  2/3 
  Railgun, 25mm 
  Gun 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Two ARCCs from 1
  st Battalion, 8
  th Marine 
  Regiment engaged in exercises on La Paz, 
  prior to joining the 24
  th MEU at Epsilon Eridani  
  
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  Global Dynamics UD-5 Mustang Dropship – The Mustang is a military spaceplane 
  that is capable of reaching orbit and re-entering a planet’s atmosphere. 
  Mustangs are often used to drop Marines on to an alien world with their APC and 
  then return them to orbit to rendezvous with their starship. Each Mustang must 
  fulfil a variety of battlefield roles, most important of which is troop transport - 
  dropping an ARCC and its passengers directly onto a planetary surface. Additional 
  duties include general transport, recon, tactical air support for the ground forces 
  (especially the ARCC and its squad), forward observation, medevac and search 
  and rescue. As an air support platform the dumpy but powerful Mustang boasts a 
  forward firing 25mm Gatling Gun and two rocket pods each carrying twelve 
  70mm unguided rockets. The Mustang is able to operate in an atmosphere with 
  its thrust-vectored jet turbines, and it is equipped with a Nortinghouse FDT-1124 
  ramrocket for exo-atmospheric maneuvering. The dropship has 6 tons of fuel, 
  enough for 3 burns: one gets it into orbit, the other it uses to deorbit and begin its 
  descent into Earth’s atmosphere, the third is used for loitering and up to 6 hours 
  of atmospheric flight. Under 60,000 feet altitude, the UD-5 Mustang is limited to 
  subsonic speeds. A rear-facing cargo ramp extends to the floor for loading. There 
  are folding acceleration seats for seven troops on either side of the cargo bay. 
  With the seats unoccupied and no cargo carried, a 5-ton APC can be driven up 
  inside the cargo bay. The Mustang has a 20-ton hull, costs $4M and requires a 
  pilot and crew chief.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  M10 Armored Combat Carrier (ARCC-50) – Each M10 ARCC is a well-armored 
  hostile environment rover with complete life support systems for one month, 
  advanced imaging systems and electronic defenses, with a cabin able to carry a 
  13-man squad. The crew of the ARCC is two: driver and gunner/commander. Both 
  use synthetic vision for command and control. For self-defense the standard 
  personnel carrier version of the ARCC carries a cupola-mounted GAU-122 25mm 
  Gatling gun as well as a dorsal turret mounting two Zenith 28 MW free-electron 
  pulse lasers. Other units in the US Army and Marines have their own ARCC 
  variants. The ARCC is powered by a 450 kW fuel cell (a requirement when 
  operating in vacuum conditions) and can achieve 90 kph with an operational 
  range of 400 km.   
  PE 
  
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  GoMo QuadTrack – A three-seat all-terrain quad bike, the QuadTrack employs 
  four independent tracked assemblies, rather than four wheels, giving it 
  impressive off-road performance. A driver sits up front with the handle-bar 
  controls, while two passengers sit on side-by-side raised seats behind him. A 
  250kg equipment rack extends from the back of the fuel-cell powered vehicle. 
  The QuadTrack is popular with mining groups and Off-World exploration teams.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Lockhart CV-24M Super-Osprey Tilt-Rotor Aircraft – This general purpose tilt-rotor 
  aircraft has been in service for eighty years, and is itself an upgraded version of 
  the original Bell/Boeing Osprey. With stub wings and rotating turbofan engine 
  nacelles on the tips, the ‘super-sprey’ is capable of vertical take-off like a 
  helicopter and then a transition to standard forward flight, with a respectable 
  aircraft-like speed of 560 kph. It has a range of 950 km and carries three crew 
  (two pilots and a loadmaster/crew chief) and up to 24 combat-equipped troops. 
  Used by many air forces and militaries around the world.  
   
   
   
  Gulfstar Growler Utility Combat Vehicle (UCV) – The Growler is a four-wheel drive, 
  utility combat vehicle, a light truck with dozens of military applications, from light 
  transport to medevac, reconnaissance and fire support. It has space for a driver 
  and three passengers, with a short flat-bed at the rear for small cargoes. There 
  are many variants, which remove the rear seating and introduce a larger flatbed 
  deck for a heavy weapons mount, or retain it as a larger cargo deck. The Growler 
  incorporates floor armor as well as armored doors and windows. A ring mount in 
  the roof allows the front passenger to stand and operate a belt-fed machinegun. 
  It is powered by a 180 kW fuel cell and can achieve a top speed of 90 kph.  
   
   
   
  
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  Crew chief and pilot of the UD-5 Mustang dropship “Jack 
  Knife”, waiting inside the cargo bay for a Marine ARCC-50 
  to roll up.  
  
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  M7 Krueger Main Battle Tank – Designed by Lockhart Aerospace specifically for 
  the Marine Corps, the M7 Krueger is a three-man main battle tank (MBT), used to 
  provide direct and mobile fire support for Marine units, and also to eliminate 
  other armored vehicles from the battlefield. It is cased in a modular ceramic-
  aramid armor shell, with additional armor panels mounted on the turret and hull 
  to provide full protection against a range of projectiles. The hull of the vehicle 
  provides protection against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and landmines 
  and is coated with radar-absorbent material. A 65mm railgun is mounted within a 
  remote turret, and is capable of engaging targets out to 40 km. Secondary 
  armament is provided by a 12mm auto-coilgun in a remote cupola. There are 
  sixty 65mm hypervelocity projectile (HVP) railgun rounds provided, as well as a 
  single pop-up M65 anti-aircraft missile launcher with a three-missile magazine. 
  The turret is electronically stabilized and the targeting system includes laser 
  rangefinders, day-night cameras and thermal imaging, with all visual data 
  displayed on screen. The commander, driver and gunner sit within the lower hull. 
  The M7 Krueger displaces 8 tons (40,000kg), is 3.6m wide, 2.6m high and is 7m 
  long. It has a maximum road speed of 70kph and an off-road speed of 50kph or 
  less. Power is supplied by a 1.2 MW magneto-hydrodynamic turbine (MHD) 
  requiring liquid hydrogen as a fuel and providing a range of 500km. It is fully 
  sealed and capable of operating within a vacuum or hostile environment.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  M180 Self Propelled Railgun – Designed by Global Dynamics, the M180 provides 
  Marines with long-range and devastating artillery fire support in a vehicle that can 
  stay mobile and advance with the Marines as they take ground. The M180 is a 
  larger development of the six-wheel chassis of the M10 ARCC, but is heavier and 
  longer in order to hold the powerful 80cm artillery railgun and 80 rounds of 
  ammunition. The hypervelocity rounds travel at Mach 7 and come in two main 
  varieties: the M222 APFSDS (Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot) 
  tungsten penetrator which is designed to eliminate vehicles, fortifications, 
  bunkers or buildings, and the M203 AEFD (Area Effect Flechette Dispenser), an 
  anti-personnel round. The vehicle must be stationary and ‘emplaced’ for the gun 
  to fire up to a maximum of 10 rounds per minute, and it can reach a range of 
  60km. A crew of four: commander, driver, gunner and ammo handler remain 
  safely within the lightly armored, hostile environment-proof hull of the M180 even 
  during emplacing and firing operations. Defensive armament is provided by a 
  25mm Gatling machinegun in a remote cupola. The M180 displaces 12 tons 
  (35,000kg), is 3.6m wide, 3.2m high and is 9m long. It has a maximum road 
  speed of 60kph and an off-road speed of 40kph or less. Power is supplied by a 
  1.0 MW magneto-hydrodynamic turbine (MHD) requiring liquid hydrogen as a fuel 
  and providing a range of 500km.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  McConnell AV-105 Jump-Jet Gunship – This military version of the UV-56 Vector 
  (see below) is equipped with milispec avionics and countermeasures. Its 
  standard weapons fit includes a chin-mounted turret with 25 mm cannon, and 
  side-mounted 70mm rocket pods or M30 anti-armor missile launchers. The AV-
  105 can serve as a battlefield tank destroyer, or serve as protection for a flight of 
  Vectors dropping troops into a landing zone. It uses two ducted turbofan engines 
  mounted above the cabin to provide both lift (via rotating nozzles) and forward 
  flight. A NOTAR (no tail rotor) system, normally found on helicopters, is fitted, this 
  cylindrical tube serving as a tail bleeds warm air out through slots near its tip. The 
  tip with its slots can be rotated to provide stability and fine control in the hover 
  and at slow maneuvering speeds. Maximum airspeed is 420 kph and range 
  around 400 km. Due to the weight of electronics, sensors, weapons and 
  ammunition, the AV-105 has a reduced payload compared to the V-56, it can 
  carry either 5 passengers or 1,500 kg of cargo. The cargo ramp and side-sliding 
  doors from the V-56 are retained.  
   
   
   
   
   
  McConnell UV-56 Vector Utility Jump-Jet – Replacing helicopters in many roles, 
  the utility jump jet uses vectored turbofans for stability, control and forward 
  thrust. The UV-56 Vector can be configured to carry either 16 passengers or 
  5,000 kg of cargo, and incorporates a single side-mounted sliding door and a rear 
  cargo ramp. It is used for search and rescue, cargo or passenger transport, fire-
  fighting, observation and police duties. It requires a crew of two. Speed is 420 
  kph and range around 400 km.  
   
   
   
   
  
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  John Glenn Class Vertical Assault Carrier - The USS John Glenn [Hull Number V33] 
  is the latest type of United States Space Command vertical assault carrier, 
  capable of transporting a complete US Marine Expeditionary Unit, with its full 
  complement of 2,200 troops and their associated equipment, weaponry and 
  vehicles. Previous MEU deployments had to be shipped in pieces by smaller 
  interstellar transports. The John Glenn class allows the full weight of an 
  aggressive MEU to emerge from hyperspace into a target star system, complete 
  and ready to go. Using a standard 15,000-ton stealth-coated, self-sealing hull 
  (Hull 100/Structure 100), protected with mono-crystalline steel armor (Armor 4), 
  the Rockford Aerospace John Glenn mounts an Aerodyne GRR Hyperdrive 
  allowing a cruising speed of 4 parsecs per week; a Matsuyama OMZ 4 Gigawatt 
  Fusion Reactor and a Gulfstar Meridian LCA 2-G reaction drive providing an 
  acceleration of 20 meters per second². Fuel tankage comprising 1,740 tons of 
  liquid hydrogen is used to provide coolant for the reactor for 12 months of 
  continuous operation and by the reaction drive for standard operations. Adjacent 
  to the hardened bridge and command information center is a hardened level-6 
  IBM MTHR computer mainframe and an advanced military sensor array. There 
  are 2291 hypersleep pods for crew and Marines use in-transit. Twenty-one single 
  staterooms and 188 double-staterooms serve as accommodation for USSC crew 
  and the Marine officers during in-system operations, there are 2050 Stack-Racks 
  for the enlisted Marines and NCOs. The John Glenn is equipped with five 
  armories, a 20-ton staging area, a 140-ton hospital, six briefing rooms, eight 
  offices and 10 pairs of detention cells. It also includes landing gear, training 
  facilities (for up to 64 Marines simultaneously), fuel scoops and fuel processors 
  capable of refining up to 800 tons of liquid hydrogen per day.  
   
  The John Glenn is well armed, mainly for self-protection, and has two 50-ton AKV 
  bays in order launch up to six Precision Ground Strike (PGS) munitions, with a 
  magazine carrying a further ten AKVs; and four railgun barbettes. Ten double 
  beam laser turrets are used primarily for counter-missile defense, and four triple 
  CML turrets provide further ship defense. There are repair robots installed, and 
  the immense cargo, supply and ammunition shifting requirements of the John 
  Glenn are fulfilled by six Exoframes Workloaders, four forklifts and one cargo 
  reach stacker. To support its Marine Corps operations the John Glenn carries 
  thirty McConnell AS-3 Sabre gunboats - combat utility shuttles that are armed 
  with twin SRAM launchers. The gunboats have a dedicated hanger and 
  maintenance section.  
   
  The John Glenn is designed to transport an entire MEU to a remote star system 
  and its Mission Payload Deck (MPD) is packed with equipment. There are 30 UD-
  5 Mustang dropships in dedicated hangers adjacent to a garage and workshop 
  for 27 Marine ARCCs. There are six M180 self-propelled railguns, four Marine CS-
  9 Thunderchief cargo shuttles, 26 Growlers, a bulldozer and 14 support vehicles 
  of various types for the Marine logistics unit. A cargo deck is fitted for spare parts, 
  
  89 
   
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  supplies and additional military equipment, as the mission dictates. A 400-ton 
  configurable deck area (38m x 48m) can be used for training, as a rescue center 
  for the transport of civilians, or whatever mission directives require. The John 
  Glenn also has a 800-ton general cargo deck for further supplies, crisis aid 
  materials, or military equipment.  
   
  The John Glenn requires a crew of eighty-one: commanding officer, exec, an 
  android technician, logistics officer, two admin personnel, three pilots, two 
  navigators, six sensor operators, chief engineer, five engineers, two stewards, 
  one doctor, nineteen medics, a chief loader, five loadmasters, a chief weapons 
  officer and twenty-nine weapons operators. The MEU contains 150 Marine 
  officers and 2050 enlisted men and NCOs. There are double staterooms 
  available for officer or advisor passengers and fifty stand-by Stack-Racks for 
  additional enlisted troops. The John Glenn costs $5603M. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  The Operations chapter is split into two sections; the first looks at the difficulties 
  in roleplaying in a military unit. Next we look at the types of missions assigned to 
  a Marine Expeditionary Unit and the missions that a typical Marine infantry or 
  recon squad can be expected to perform. It includes guidelines and rule additions 
  for all sorts of Marine activities, from orbital insertion to commando raids.  
   
  MILITARY ROLEPLAYING – WHY? 
  Attempting to roleplay the members of an infantry squad is not often considered 
  and something that few RPGs games have tried. Indeed there are many players 
  who consider it a futile attempt, particularly those who have themselves served in 
  the military. Stuck within the chain of command of a platoon, company and 
  battalion, where is the freedom of action, where is the independence, where is 
  the fun?  When officers above you are calling all the shots, then you are just 
  following orders. And what kind of meaningful roleplaying can you accomplish out 
  in the field, tooled-up and ready to fight upon contact with the enemy. Wouldn’t 
  such a game simply devolve into a skirmish wargame, but without all of the 
  advantages of figures and map boards? There are three things that a referee 
  might want to address before launching Marines into the void: Focus, 
  Responsibility and Isolation.  
   
  Focus - First we need to focus. Cop dramas abound, yet real life detective work is 
  slow, patient and filled with legal obstacles that narrowly restrict an officer’s 
  freedom of action. In the movies and on TV you see action, tense situations, 
  chases – all the most gripping parts of the job. For gaming within the infantry 
  squad we do the same. No-one wants to referee, or play through, garrison duties, 
  digging latrines, twelve hours of guard duty, six hours shifting jerry cans from one 
  spot to another and so on. That’s all ‘downtime’ between adventures. And we are 
  talking about adventures – Cepheus Engine and the Classic 2D6 SF RPG it is 
  based on are not wargames, they are science-fiction adventure roleplaying 
  games.  
   
  Responsibility - After we have decided to focus only on the fun stuff, we need to 
  put the players in charge. You will have read, earlier in this book, how the players 
  must pick the roles of squad leader and team leader first, before other roles can 
  be released. This puts the players in charge of the squad. We say ‘in charge’ but 
  this is a roleplaying game, and everything in the game is usually a consensus 
  decision – it’s been that way since the old D&D days. The squad and team 
  leaders can simply be spokesmen for the players, or if you want,  simply ignore 
  
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  that role and play them just like everyone else. I like to quote roleplayer Conrad 
  Dietrick, who served as a Private First Class in the US Army:  
   
  I’m an E-3, a PFC. My team leader is a Specialist E-4. My squad leader is an E-5, 
  a sergeant. I consider both to be my buddies. They’ve got more experience than 
  me; I trust their judgement often more than I trust mine, but they’re friends and 
  we’re in everything together. I’ve got ‘buddies’  who are Staff Sergeants, E-6. Its 
  not basic training; we’re not talking about Drill Sergeants. Squad leader 
  sergeants don’t yell all the time in the regular army. They’re too busy looking out 
  for the guys in their squad. You work together and live together, you are friends 
  and battle buddies. 
   
   
  Two players must take on the squad leader and one of the team leader roles; 
  each is in command of a chunk of the squad (what we call a team). This team list 
  does not change from game to game unless they players decide it should be 
  changed. The team members are controlled by the referee but to make his job 
  easier, they will generally follow the team leader, do as they are ordered and stick 
  together. A team will never willingly split up, it is the smallest unit in the field and 
  the referee will make combat rolls for the team as a whole (although the team 
  leader will of course make his own dice rolls). Unless the plot or the referee 
  dictates otherwise, the team members are docile and obedient soldiers following 
  the team leader around much as retainers did in one or two of the ‘Old School’ 
  roleplaying games. Where there are enough players to take up other roles, such 
  as medic or comtech, these Marines can operate freely just as the squad and 
  A platoon from 3/3 Marines prepares to exit the rear ramp 
  of a UD-5 dropship on a vacuum moon  
  
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  team leaders do. As player characters they make their own rolls and have an 
  equal part in decision-making, these other PC squad-members don’t have a team 
  following them around, however!  
   
  Isolation - What good is being in charge of the squad if your platoon commander 
  (a young lieutenant) or his staff sergeant assistant, simply over-rules you?  
  Squads normally operate in threes as the constituent parts of a Marine platoon, 
  and it is the platoon which forms the modern military’s basic battlefield fighting 
  unit.  The referee needs to isolate the player characters and their squad from the 
  platoon. In practice, this means that the players’ squad is perhaps more 
  experienced than the others, or maybe its Marines have displayed particular 
  courage or initiative. And so if a small group of Marines is required for a task, the 
  platoon commander dispatches their squad out to do the dirty work. If there is to 
  be an assault and infiltration of a Chinese bunker, the players’ squad will lead the 
  assault, with the platoon’s other two squads in reserve providing back-up. It 
  doesn’t matter where their squad is deployed, guarding the rear, providing flank 
  support, staying in camp as defense – because that is where the adventure will 
  be! But often, their squad will be on its own – quite literally. This is Saving Private 
  Ryan territory. Predator, Aliens, Saving Private Ryan, Battlefield LA … and many 
  other movies use this technique, sending a single infantry squad out into hostile 
  territory – alone. The referee must do the same, as long as that is believable.  
   
  TASKS  OF A MEU 
  When Congress voted to allow US military troops to be deployed on other worlds, 
  on space stations and on-board starships, only the US Marine Corps had the 
  capabilities required. And so it remains in 2215. What does the Marine Corps 
  have that the US Army does not? In short, the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). 
  Since the days of the First Cold War (1945-1989) the Marine Corps has 
  maintained battalions that remained afloat on US Navy amphibious assault ships, 
  ready to be deployed at a moments notice. In the 1970s, these MEUs became 
  permanent forces, and Marine units were rotated through them, keeping the 
  MEUs fresh and giving large numbers of Marines the experience of at-sea 
  deployment. 
   
  The modern MEU is a hybrid, dual-purpose special operations amphibious, 
  airborne and spaceborne force. It provides the capabilities of a rapid reaction 
  force and a special operations unit, but backed by artillery, armored 
  reconnaissance, heavy weapons, air support and logistical back-up. It doesn’t 
  require mobilisation from its base on Earth, but will always be forward deployed, 
  either on board a USSC assault carrier or at an off-world USMC base. When 
  trouble erupts somewhere within the American Sector, an MEU can be 
  despatched either wholly, or in part, to clean up. The threat may be terrorist-
  related, it may be guerrilla activity, an attack by clones or hostile exomorphs, it 
  
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  may be some natural disaster or even, in extremis, an attack by European or 
  Japanese military forces.  
   
  The MEU is a versatile combat unit and can carry out a variety of tasks:  
   
  Alien Extermination – Since the 2130s, humankind has encountered alien 
  lifeforms on extrasolar moons and planets. Not all of it is benign. In fact, science 
  expeditions, mining operations and colonial settlements occasionally stumble 
  upon or inadvertently release or anger a native alien predator of fearsome killing 
  power. These exomorphs can wipe out entire starship or mining rig crews, and 
  threaten to wipe out some of the more isolated colony outposts. Sometimes, the 
  humans can send a plea for help across hyperspace - but often time runs out and 
  the ship or colony goes eerily quiet. The 24th MEU is perfectly placed to respond 
  to these exomorph threats, or to the suspicion of exomorph activity.  
   
  Depending on the size of the threat, the Marine unit dispatched to investigate or 
  to mop up, will vary too. The commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command 
  (COMMARFORCOM) does not like to waste highly trained and expensively 
  maintained Marines on what are essentially, pest control missions (what the 
  Marines themselves often derisively term ‘bug hunts’). Because of this attitude, 
  typically small Marine units are despatched on alien extermination expeditions. 
  The most commonly-sized deployments are of platoon size, travelling out aboard 
  fast-moving, Shepard class assault carriers. Three squads with their commanding 
  officer and a platoon sergeant can be transported, along with two M10 ARCCs 
  and two UD-5 dropships with which to get two of those squads immediately down 
  to a planet’s surface. The third squad can be landed in the Shepard class’s 
  Thunderchief shuttle. That’s a lot of hardware, however, and for many pest 
  control missions, the assets are scaled right back. Often the Thunderchief 
  shuttles are left at base, and on many occasions only a single Marine squad with 
  a lieutenant in command has been sent across the light-years to wipe out a 
  deadly predator feeding on colonists or miners. A single Marine squad, along with 
  its Mustang dropship and M10 APC, though, wields an immense amount of 
  firepower, easily enough to deal with scores of the most fearsome alien nasties 
  imaginable.  
   
  Don’t expect Marines to volunteer for these ‘bug  hunts’ however, they are 
  despised and ridiculed by most Marines. A platoon commander might think 
  himself punished for some infraction when issued with orders to clean up a bug 
  problem on Forlorn (Gliese 674). His platoon (or the single derisive squad 
  deployed for the operation) will be equally disgruntled at their posting! 
   
   
   
  
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  Civil Evacuation – When a crisis strikes on Earth in some remote backwater, or on 
  the Off-World Colonies, the fabric of society breaks down. If an MEU is available 
  and it is politically expedient, it may be dispatched to evacuate vulnerable 
  American civilians or government personnel before the situation deteriorates into 
  chaos. The civilians may be embassy staff, tourists (on Earth particularly) or 
  workers. Sometimes the MEU is tasked with extracting a friendly military force 
  from a deteriorating situation.  
   
  Deception Attack – This raid has a very limited objective, and often appears to be 
  an assault or a raid, but is in fact a rouse or deception to confuse an enemy 
  commander.   
   
  Fire Direction – Elements of the MEU are able to accurately call down fire on 
  targets of interest. The fire directors landing on the ground, scouting out, 
  designating and then providing damage assessment for the devastating strikes of 
  starships in orbit, Marine artillery and also attack dropships.  
   
  Hostage Rescue – Mounting a hostage rescue requires a lot of resources and 
  planning, the MEU provides the perfect base of operations for a hostage rescue 
  mission, and of course, the personnel and infiltration equipment. If time is 
  critical, the MEU may be the only rescue force within parsecs. Marines often train 
  for this mission.  
   
  Humanitarian Relief – Hurricanes, droughts, earthquakes and other natural 
  disaster can destroy the fabric of a small or poverty-stricken society. MEUs 
  throughout history are able to land on the doorstep with hundreds of tons of food, 
  shelters, water and medical supplies – with the personnel to off-load and 
  administer it All the while providing crowd control, peace and order. In 2166, the 
  24th MEU played a crucial part (along with military forces from other nations) to 
  support the Chinese Off-World colony of Shulin when the Chinese state 
  supporting it, back on Earth, collapsed.  
   
  Joint Exercises – With its ease of mobility, the MEU can carry out joint exercises 
  with allied powers (particularly within the Community of American States) easily. 
  These promote goodwill with allies and help to spread US military doctrine and 
  practices. Civil works may also be conducted by the Marines, helping the local 
  inhabitants with medical care, fitting water pumps or repairing bridges, etc. 
   
  Military Security – When an installation requires immediate defense, perhaps to 
  beef up local security for a time, or during periods of civil unrest, the MEU can 
  provide troops to do that job. It may be a critical American oilfield on a colony 
  world, or an asteroid space station under-threat from violent rioting. Often this 
  deployment is partly also a show of force, and is time limited.  
   
  
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  Orbital Platform Seizure – Mining platforms, drilling rigs, space stations and 
  starships are sometimes targets for Marine Corps missions. These high value 
  installations may need immediate protection, or more likely, rescue from hostile 
  invaders (such as alien exomorphs or human terror groups). The MEU is trained 
  to assault, take and hold these space-based assets and, if necessary, render 
  them inoperative or destroy them entirely. Such an event occurred in 2211, when 
  a hostile organism in the Gama Leporis system wiped out the crew of the 20,000-
  ton bulk carrier, USCS Pure Michigan. Unable to eradicate the infestation, the 
  Marine commander at the scene (a captain) ordered the fusion reactor to be 
  detonated, destroying the ship and its deadly stowaways.  
   
  Pathfinding – Once called ‘initial terminal guidance’, pathfinding missions use 
  elements of the MEU’s forward-deployed force to pave the way for a bigger 
  Marine deployment or military invasion. Pathfinder Marines provide navigation 
  and direction finding support, assessing threats, preparing Landing Zones and 
  neutralizing any surprise resistance.  
   
   Raid – In Marine parlance an ‘assault’ means taking and holding an objective by 
  force until reinforced or relieved. The raid is a short-term mission, where an 
  objective is taken and then rendered useless to the enemy. It may be reactor, an 
  arms factory, a spaceport, an oil refinery, etc.  
   
  Recon & Surveillance – The MEU has great intelligence gathering capabilities, not 
  just through its recon teams but also due to the advanced sensors on dropships 
  and on the USSC’s vertical assault carries themselves. Recon and surveillance 
  missions probably involve covert insertion of recon teams into enemy territory or 
  on to enemy-held Off-World colonies. Once complete, the recon teams must be 
  extracted without being detected.  
   
  Recovery of Downed Aircrew (REDAC) – Every MEU has all of the personnel, 
  training and equipment to successfully recover injured or downed aircrew from a 
  hostile territory. Many REDACS occur in peacetime, but the procedures are In 
  place to go in guns blazing if this should occur in wartime. Sometimes it may be 
  clandestine payloads or top secret satellites or vehicles that need to be recovered 
  discretely, from within enemy territory.  
   
  Show of Force – Sometimes a show of force is required by the politicians - sabre  
  rattling to intimidate and threaten a warlord or errant nation, without stepping 
  over into armed conflict. This type of ‘gunboat diplomacy’ has great value and has 
  proven successful many times. But the target state must believe the threat will be 
  carried out, and the MEU must be prepared to move up to that next stage.  
   
  Space Traffic Security – Upholding the international rule of law across the 
  American Sector is part of the Marine Corps’ remit. Marines act as boarding 
  
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  troops, searching suspect merchant ships and countering piracy, smuggling, 
  hijack and people-smuggling. A Marine warship might provide protection for a 
  vessel entering a dangerous region of space, it might carry out customs 
  inspections, or might even be tasked to take back a ship that has been captured 
  by pirates or terrorists.  
   
  Vertical Assault – This is the traditional mission of the Marine Corps, a forced 
  entry operation that ‘kicks in the door’, seizing an objective ready for the arrival of 
  a follow-up force (usually large-scale Marine or Army units). An MEU’s vertical 
  assault is not a war winner, but a first, decisive blow, seizing a spaceport or other 
  objective. This mission involves a rapid drop of troops and combat vehicles from 
  orbit to envelop an enemy force. It is the raison d'être of the Marine Expeditionary 
  Force.  
   
   
   
  CREATING A MISSION 
  What is a mission? It is a structured scenario based around the combat activities 
  of a Marine infantry squad. Generally, most games will involve the player 
  characters participating in a mission, although there will also be times when the 
  game can focus on events out of the field, or on R&R. The referee creates the 
  missions and must pay particular attention to the effects that the scenario will 
  have on the players. He is trying to illicit feelings of apprehension, of tension, or 
  uncertainty and mistrust, as well as a degree of excitement and catharsis during 
  the inevitable firefights. This is not a wargame, and a mission has to be more 
  than just a series of combats linked together on a patrol route. There has to be 
  story and meaning, but more than that, there has to be a dilemma. Implicit in that 
  is choice. Warfare can be a place of staggering contradictions, where 'hearts and 
  minds' aid programs co-exist with body counts; or where hundreds of men can die 
  Do We All Go? 
  An MEU like the 24
  th (currently forward deployed to Marine Corps Base 
  Vigilance. Epsilon Eridani) does have the capability to move ‘as-one’ in the 
  new John Glenn-class vertical assault carrier. But there may be missions 
  that do not require full MEU intervention. For hostage rescue or recon and 
  surveillance for example, parts of the MEU can be loaded on to smaller 
  carriers, like the Virgil Grissom (capacity to carry a reinforced rifle company 
  with vehicles) or the fast and long-legged Alan Shephard-class, which can 
  carry a single Marine platoon and its equipment.  
   
  So if a clone rebellion has taken control of an orbital station, or there is a 
  mysterious downed hyperwave transmitter on some remote colony world, it 
  might be better to send an element of the MEU in one of these smaller, 
  more flexible assault carriers – and leave most of the MEU at home.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  fighting to capture a hill, and the top brass order it abandoned a week later. The 
  player characters should always have some choices - and they are often all bad! 
  This applies to moral choices just as much as tactical ones. There are four points 
  that a referee might want to consider when creating a mission: dilemma, 
  objective, non-player characters and the map 
   
  1. DILEMMA 
  To create a mission the referee is advised to try and start with a dilemma. This is 
  optional, and sometimes might be difficult or impossible to add, but when it is, 
  the dilemma turns the mission into a full on roleplaying adventure. Some sample 
  dilemmas include: 
   
   The new platoon commander who wants a medal and leads the squad 
  personally to provoke much larger enemy units, but he denies them air or 
  fire support or reinforcements from the rest of the platoon, so that he gains 
  the glory for himself. How do the Marines satisfy their commander without 
  getting killed? 
   
   Orders from battalion are to radio in for permission before any squad fires 
  on enemy suspects, armed or not. Return fire is permitted. The patrol  
  features some nasty booby traps, evidence of enemy atrocities and then 
  several sightings of enemy suspects, with rifles. They radio the lieutenant, 
  he radios the battalion S2, he must contact the divisional G3… the enemy 
  keep getting away. No-one fires on the squad - the frustration builds. Will 
  the squad obey their orders or seek revenge? 
   
   The squad is dispatched to a colony reactor, to engage a nest of predatory 
  exomorphs, unfortunately and at the last minute, the commander realises 
  that any stray bullets may rupture the cooling system and cause the reactor 
  meltdown. The squad must now defeat the exomorph threat using only the 
  few pistols and flamethrowers they might have brought with them.  
   
   A transport ship has been hijacked and the crew murdered; the Marines 
  are dispatched to gain entry, recapture the ship and neutralize the 
  hijackers. When the Marines begin their search of the ship they discover 
  that the cargo is an illegal shipment of workers, kidnapped and frozen for 
  hard labor. Some have taken control of the ship, others are waking their 
  comrades. All want to go home. Orders say take back the ship and 
  neutralize the hijackers, what do the Marines’ think about this? What do 
  they do? Will the two groups of freed slaves fight amongst themselves?  
   
   On a desert planet, a mining colony is suffering from civil unrest with 
  attacks on mine facilities increasing month-on-month. The disgruntled 
  
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  miners seem to be getting more and more violent and so the Marines are 
  sent in. The squad is tasked with patrolling an area around a newly 
  established smelter to prevent attacks from the nearby settlement at night. 
  Unfortunately, they have a unlikeable reporter embedded with them who 
  wants a story. The squad should discover night-time infiltrators, but the 
  reporter might get herself lost and captured by the guerrillas – making the 
  Marine’s attempt at neutralizing them very difficult.  
   
  Essentially, the referee should put the Marines in physical danger, give them a 
  goal and then try and put a serious non-physical obstacle in their path. 
   
  2. OBJECTIVE 
  A military mission requires a military objective and it needs a success criterion, so 
  that at the end of the mission the referee can decide whether the Marines fully 
  achieved or partially achieved their mission. On a patrol, did the squad complete 
  the entire patrol and check locations X, Y and Z as ordered? For an assault, did 
  the Marines meet the enemy and drive them away/kill them? During a hostage 
  rescue mission, were all of the hostages rescued? Most games will be introduced 
  to the player characters through a mission briefing given to them by their platoon 
  commander. This is the official raison d'etre of the game, the objectives must be 
  met by the squad. It is this drive to meet the objectives that gives the referee a 
  way to increase tension through dilemmas that put obstacles in the way of 
  mission success. The objective should be a type of mission that an infantry squad 
  would normally be expected to perform, although occasionally something special 
  or out of the ordinary might be asked of the Marines. Suggestions below: 
   
  I was in command of a PRU (Provincial Reconnaissance Unit), 
  six recon marines and forty-two Chinese loyalists and their 
  families. We were really out. I mean way, way out. We used to 
  be visited by a colonel once a month, but I’d send my men out 
  in the field to launch flares and shoot at the rotor. We’d 
  hear the pilot on the comms shouting “We are receiving heavy 
  ground fire!” And the colonel would chime in “Turn back! Turn 
  back!” What a hoot. We only got visited about four times the 
  whole year we were there. The rest of the time, I was on my 
  own, fighting the border war my way without command giving my 
  men stupid-ass tasks to perform. One month we were hit real 
  hard by a night-time TLA attack, and in the morning we 
  dragged six emaciated bodies off the wire, they all had the 
  little American P-3 multi-spoons around their necks – I 
  figured they’d been told that if they overran our compound, 
  they could eat all our food. What a screwed up war.  
   
  Air Insertion – Marines can be dropped into a landing zone (LZ) in contested 
  territory by a CV-24M Super Osprey, a UV-56 Vector jump-jet or a UD-5 Mustang 
  dropship - all Marine transport aircraft. If travelling by dropship, the Marine squad 
  
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  can (if the mission requires it) travel with their ARCC-50 APC which can be carried 
  within the belly of a UD-5. Unless engaged in a recon mission, the air insertion will 
  be carried out as a platoon or company, with enough ‘lift ships’ to carry the 
  troops, and a number of ‘gunships’ (heavily armed and combat-dedicated 
  transports) to escort them safely to and from the LZ. 
   
  A platoon can be lifted by either 3 dropships, 3 UV-56 Vector jump-jets or 2 
  Ospreys. Typically an additional aircraft will join the flight as a back-up or recovery 
  vehicle. Two gunships will fly ahead of the lift flight and draw fire from the LZ, 
  decisively neutralizing any enemy activity they encounter. The gunships will 
  continue to orbit the LZ as the lift ships make their landing. Engines remain 
  running, the troops off-load quickly and the lift ships take-off rapidly and head for 
  home. Back-up gunships will have accompanied the flight, but will circle some 
  distance from the LZ, monitoring radio frequencies in case the are needed. 
  Disembarked troops immediately seize the LZ and establish a safe perimeter. 
  They may remain at the LZ to provide defense for further waves of lift-ships, or 
  proceed with the rest of the platoon to carry out their assigned mission.  
   
   
   
  Assault – During an open conflict, the squad is tasked to assault (or attack) a 
  military objective. The squad is part of a platoon and the platoon itself will be 
  given the task – the PCs’ task will be a sub-task. For example, if a fortified hill 
  must be assaulted, the squad will probably be tasked with taking a single bunker.  
  
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  Alternatively, the squad might be ordered to scout out the approach (effectively 
  drawing fire to force the enemy to reveal themselves to the platoon). The platoon 
  commander might use a single squad in the frontal assault, a second squad to 
  out-flank the enemy, and hold the third squad as a reserve.  Being given a 
  separate objective to carry out means the squad is separated from the platoon 
  and has to make its own decisions and fight for itself.  
   
  APC/Infantry Co-operation – Marines can travel in their armored personnel 
  carriers (APCs) behind a layer of armor and at speed, and once at an objective or 
  prior to reaching the objective, the squad disembarks. The new M10 ARCC may 
  have other duties elsewhere (recon, assault, transportation) or may be assigned 
  to support the Marine squad’s mission. In combat situations, the APC may be 
  laying down heavy suppressive fire to cover the squad’s exit from the vehicle. It 
  may then accompany the squad (usually behind) to protect the Marines and 
  provide fire support, but it is also able to range freely in the area to strike at 
  installations or enemy armored vehicles.  
   
  The M10 is not invulnerable and must be protected from enemy infantry - whilst 
  the APC crew protect the infantry from heavy weapons or vehicle fire. In open 
  terrain, APCs provide over watch for the infantry as they move forward. The 
  infantry, in turn, may provide over watch for the APCs in heavily-wooded or jungle 
  terrain, with the infantry normally leading the APCs. As they move forward, the 
  APCs should provide over watch, if possible. The infantry, in turn, is not only 
  pursuing its mission but is providing a degree of close-in protection to their 
  armored vehicles. Close-in protection is not necessarily provided by standing next 
  to the vehicle; close-in protection is provided by the infantry being able to engage 
  the enemy before the enemy can fire on the APCs. APCs may actually be used as 
  a base-of-fire and directed to fire and move in concert with or separate from the 
  infantry. APCs should assault an enemy or move on to an objective only when 
  enemy anti-armor weapons are suppressed. 
   
  Surprisingly, the infantry Marine does not spend his entire deployment inside the 
  ARCC, he is often tasked with recon and combat patrols on foot, and the ARCCs 
  are detailed to other missions. But when the mission requires it, the armored 
  personnel carrier gives the squad great mobility, and awesome firepower on tap.  
   
  Combat Patrol - A combat patrol is a fighting patrol. A combat patrol's mission is 
  to seek or exploit opportunities for contact. Its actions are offensive in nature. 
  When making enemy contact, the patrol's actions are swift and violent in an effort 
  to inflict maximum damage on the enemy, followed by immediate relocation to 
  another area, or return to friendly lines. Patrols can expect to make physical 
  contact with the enemy either in an engagement or an ambush.  
   
  
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  An engagement is a combat action that occurs when a patrol, which is 
  incompletely deployed for battle, engages the enemy at an unexpected time and 
  place. It is an accidental meeting where neither the patrol nor the enemy expect 
  contact and are not specifically prepared to deal with it. An ambush is a surprise 
  attack by fire from concealed positions on a moving or temporarily halted force. 
  The Marines may set up ambushes, or may have been a victim of an enemy 
  ambush. Because the patrol is assigned a mission which may require it to engage 
  the enemy, a combat patrol is stronger and more heavily armed than a 
  reconnaissance patrol. If attacked, the squad should respond, and may be able 
  to call on fire support. The Marines find and fix the enemy ready for artillery or 
  aircraft to attack it.  
   
  Combat Swimming – Recon Marines trained in Combat Insertion are able to use 
  rebreather kits and subaqua gear to infiltrate into enemy territory underwater. A 
  seaplane or submarine may drop the Recon Marines off within swimming 
  distance (typically 2-3 km in combat kit), but the most reliable option is a 
  parachute drop directly into the sea or lake. The Marine’s LUCAS pack with his 
  weapon and swim kit, will be hanging below him in a watertight container during 
  the drop and he will have to equip himself for the swim whilst trying to stay afloat.  
  The containers float and can be pushed ahead of the swimmer, should they 
  contain vital mission equipment such as demolitions, or anti-tank missiles, for 
  example. Underwater swimmers can reach the shore virtually undetected, but can 
  also attack enemy shipping or coastal targets with explosives. Swimmers can also 
  conduct a detailed beach reconnaissance ready for a seaborne amphibious 
  attack.  
   
  Commando Strike – Commando strikes are only conducted by small, specially 
  trained squads of recon Marines, that can spend long periods deep behind 
  enemy lines. They conduct raids and ambushes against enemy headquarters, 
  supply units or lines-of-communications (roads, railways, canals), before melting 
  away to strike elsewhere or retreat to an extraction point. Rescuing hostages 
  from behind enemy lines and both locating and rescuing pilots, prisoners-of-war 
  and VIPs are also important missions. The commando strike relies on a small 
  force to be inserted into enemy territory covertly, to carry out its mission quickly 
  and then retire to a safe landing zone for extraction. Stealth, camouflage and 
  deception are all tools of concealment – and concealment is vital. Typically, being 
  discovered en route to the objective will force the team to call for an early 
  extraction, since, with the enemy now aware of their presence the objective will 
  be on full alert and awaiting their arrival.  
   
  Commando missions may involve sabotage (blowing up a bridge or radar site); 
  fire support (calling in artillery strikes, Marine jets, gunships or orbital fire); 
  hostage rescue; raids (either to destroy or harass the enemy in his own territory, 
  
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  or as a diversion), assassination & abduction and REDAC (Recovery of Downed 
  Aircrew).  
   
  Defense  
  – On the receiving end of an attack, the squad is tasked with defending part of a 
  line of fortifications, or a single point. An enemy attack  is imminent  and the 
  platoon stretched to defend its objective.  The defended objective might be a 
  firebase (FSB), a combat patrol base (COP), a bunker, checkpoint, bridge, local 
  village or simple a landing zone, treeline or hill. Within a rifle platoon, a sector of 
  fire is assigned to individual weapons, fire teams, and squads. In some instances, 
  the  squad will normally be tasked by the platoon commander to conduct various 
  types of patrols to maintain contact or find the enemy. The squad engages the 
  enemy at maximum small arms range and continues to fire until the enemy is 
  stopped. If the attacker penetrates the frontline squads, those squads may move 
  to fall-back positions to continue to engage the enemy, or they may be part of a 
  counterattack to drive the enemy back. One-man or two-man foxholes can be 
  dug, or bunkers occupied.  
   
  Fire support – The headquarters company of every MEU includes the Surveillance 
  and Target Acquisition (STA) platoon. These are trained snipers, trackers, artillery 
  fire directors and even forward air controllers. Small teams from the STA platoon 
  are dropped behind enemy lines to call in strikes from artillery assets, aircraft 
  and sometimes even starships in orbit. These are the experts. But Marine 
  platoons and even infantry squads can call in fire from any fire support assets 
  that are in the area, although they may have to wait, and might not get any fire 
  support at all.  
   
  There are times when the platoon is out of range of an artillery firebase, or when 
  fast jets or gunships are just not available, either because of some action 
  elsewhere, poor weather, or the use of friendly artillery nearby (which prevents 
  aircraft from entering the area). Plus, it might make for poor gaming if the player 
  characters resorted to calling in ‘the big guns’ every time the fighting gets too hot! 
   
  If the player characters want some support the squad leader, or anyone with 
  Tactics-0  or higher, can call it in on the PRC-5586 backpack radio. He acts as the 
  ‘fire director’. Because you can never count on support, the referee must either 
  determine availability, or roll 1D6. On a result of 3-6 fire support or air support is 
  available. A firebase or pilot will not provide fire support any closer than 100 
  meters to the Marines for fear of hitting them. To avoid overuse, the referee 
  should allow only one call for support per mission. In a multi-day mission the GM 
  may allow more than one call for fire support. He should tell the player characters 
  how many calls they are allowed during the mission briefing. Do not waste them! 
  Once called, the shells or bombs fall 1d6+3 rounds later. If the roll was 
  successful some hit the target area. If unsuccessful, then see below. Fire support 
  
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  landing in the wrong area can be called off and redirected with a new Tactics roll 
  at +1. 
   
  Damage inflicted to an enemy caught within a 10m target zone is equal to an 
  Area Fire Pool of 4D6 (+ 6D6 for every level of Tactics the fire director 
  possesses). Remember that every ‘6’ result is a secret enemy casualty. If the 
  enemy are heavily entrenched, or dug-into bunkers, the Area Pool is halved. 
  Airstrikes or fire-missions that miss will hit something. To determine exactly what, 
  roll 1D6.  
   
  1D6 Failed Fire Support Request  
  1 
  Directly on-top of the player-characters’ squad (1-3 random 
  Marines take 4D6 damage). 
  2 
  Between the PCs and the enemy (1D6 grunts take 1D6 damage) 
  3-6 
  Into the surrounding area. 
   
  Radio messages are brief. The caller ‘calls’ his target radio operator and 
  identifies himself. He then gives his message. “Blackjack, this is Eagle-wing, 
  request fire-mission at the following co-ordinates, over”. Radio operators 
  routinely repeat the message back to the caller, “Eagle-wing, this is Blackjack, 
  confirm fire-mission at the following co-ordinates, out”. The following radio words 
  will help players create radio messages: 
   
  THIS IS  
   
  This transmission is from the following station ... 
  OVER   
   
  End transmission, please respond. 
  OUT  
  End of message and transmission. No response is required. Over and out 
  have opposite meanings and are never used together. 
  ROGER  
   
  I have received your last transmission satisfactorily. 
  SAY AGAIN  
   
  Repeat your last transmission 
  WILCO  
  Message received and understand. Will comply with it. Never used with 
  Roger. 
  I SAY AGAIN   
  I am repeating all or part of my message. 
   
   
  Hostile Environment Operations – The USMC of 2215 differs most significantly 
  from the Corps of 200 years ago in its ability to operate on alien worlds, worlds 
  that are hostile, perhaps with deadly radiation, toxic atmospheres, crushing 
  pressures and unbearable temperatures. The Marines employ space suits that 
  are armored, and tailored for infantry combat operations – the M5 Integrated 
  Combat Suit. All Marines receive Vacc Suit 0 training (basic familiarity), and 
  training in hostile conditions at Camp Glenn on Earth’s Moon (with a three-week 
  course on Mars).  
   
  Before deployment within an MEU, all Marines are given a refresher course in 
  High Intensity Survival Training and the use and maintenance of the M5 Combat 
  Suit. Operations while on deployment into interstellar space may see the squads 
  
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  fighting in a chlorine atmosphere one week, in a 60ºC sandpit the week after, 
  with perhaps patrols across a frozen vacuum moon just a few days later. All 
  Marines need to be on the ball when it comes to hostile operations, from squad 
  leaders and snipers to forklift drivers and medical personnel.  
   
  Use of M5 Integrated Combat Suits is ordered for operations by the MEU 
  commander and his staff, but only where necessary. They are very expensive and 
  although providing superb defense against small arms and hostile environments 
  they inevitably restrict the wearer’s movements, load carrying ability and 
  situational awareness. In addition, deaths due to life support failures do occur 
  from time to time. Where-ever possible, Marine command recommends the 
  wearing of the ERPAS rigid-plated armor in conjunction with OCU utilities, but 
  obviously this is only viable on worlds with Earth-like environments.  
   
  Parachute & Orbital Drop – Recon Marines often have the training to infiltrate 
  enemy territory from above, via parawing - or from orbit, via the M2 Ablative 
  Canopy Orbital Re-entry (ACOR) kit. Parachute drops are conducted out of the 
  back of CV-24M Super Ospreys, UV-56 Vector jump-jets or UD-5 Mustang 
  dropships at altitudes up to 35,000’. To ensure a very fast paradrop and to 
  minimizing detection by the enemy, a High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) 
  technique can be used, the parawing is opened only in the last 1,000’ or so.  The 
  combination of high downward speed, minimal forward airspeed, and the use of 
  only small amounts of metal helps to defeat radar and reduces the amount of 
  time a parachute might be visible to ground observers, enabling a stealthy 
  insertion.  
   
  Alternatively, the HAHO technique is 
  used to airdrop personnel at high 
  altitudes when aircraft are unable to fly 
  above enemy skies without posing a 
  threat to the jumpers. During a typical 
  HAHO mission, the Marine will jump 
  from the aircraft and deploy the 
  parawing at a high altitude. Around 15 
  seconds after the jump (typically at 
  27,000’ or so). The Marine will use a 
  compass, GPS or inertial locator to 
  navigate for up to 50 km. The Marine 
  must use way points and terrain 
  features 
  to 
  navigate 
  to 
  the 
  LZ, 
  correcting his course to account for 
  changes in wind speed and direction. The squad will form up in a stack while 
  airborne with their parawings. Usually, the Marine in the lowest position will set 
  the travel course and act as a guide for the other squad members. 
  ACOR: Surviving Re-entry 
   
  ACOR users must make an Average (+0) Vacc 
  Suit roll to make a successful re-entry. Apply the 
  following DMs: 
   
  +1 if Computer skill known 
  +1 per level of Covert Insertion 
  +1 per level of Vacc Suit 
  +1 World Size 1 or 2 
  -2  Atmosphere B 
  -4  Atmosphere C 
   
  Failure indicates being way off course or landing 
  in a dangerous situation. Success indicates a 
  perfect landing. A natural roll of ‘double 2’ 
  indicates death or serious injury. 
   
   
   
   
  
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  In the 22nd century, the British SAS pioneered the military use of an orbital jump, 
  descending more than 100 km from low orbit to land safely on a parawing. Today, 
  the Marine Corps use the Ablative Canopy Orbital Re-entry (ACOR) system, a 
  personal re-entry kit, allowing a space-suited Recon Marine to leave a shuttle or 
  dropship and enter a planetary atmosphere to survive the heat of re-entry and 
  parachute to the ground. This is a dangerous undertaking, ACOR packs are huge 
  and cumbersome but when out of the airlock the user can activate the system 
  which inflates a 5 meter-diameter ballute behind, with him in the center. The 
  guidance computer and thruster unit which lay along his chest is now swung up, 
  extended and activated. Descent is slowed by the ablative foam within the ballute 
  sloughing off due to the intense heat and friction. At an altitude of 15,000’ the 
  main chute will deploy. Total time from orbit to touchdown is around 30-40 
  minutes. 
   
  Reconnaissance Patrol – A reconnaissance patrol collects information about the 
  enemy, terrain, or resources. It relies on stealth and fights only when necessary to 
  accomplish the mission or defend itself. A reconnaissance patrol's mission 
  prohibits physical contact, except that necessary to accomplish the mission. Its 
  actions are defensive in nature. Physical contact, if unavoidable, is broken as 
  quickly as possible and the patrol, if still capable, continues its mission. Recon 
  patrols can be conducted by an infantry squad or fire team, but are commonly 
  carried out by recon marines in small 4 or 6-man squads.  
   
  Missions for reconnaissance patrols include gaining information about the 
  location and characteristics of friendly or hostile positions and installations, 
  routes, stream/river crossings, obstacles, or terrain; identification of enemy units 
  and equipment; enemy strength and disposition; movement of enemy troops or 
  equipment; presence of mechanized units; and unusual enemy activity. Recon 
  missions may be dispatched to observe on a point, such as a bridge, building, 
  starport, road junction, colony complex, etc. They may be on an area 
  reconnaissance mission, to assess lines of movement, obstacles, terrain and 
  enemy activity, or on a route reconnaissance mission, where intelligence along a 
  road, railway, waterway is gathered prior to the advance of friendly troop units.  
   
  3. PERSONALITIES 
  The personality of both player characters and non-player characters provides the 
  human aspect that makes this a roleplaying game and not a wargame. Dice do 
  not determine the outcome of everything, people determine the outcome. The 
  referee plays the role of the enemy soldiers and commanders with aloofness and 
  mystery; the personalities of US soldiers can be presented with more force. 
  Mission orders and the dilemma create the game’s structure, but the personality 
  of the NPCs involved give it added complexion and depth.  
   
  
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  The TV series Tour of Duty, Band of Brothers and The Pacific successfully used 
  the personal problems and concerns of squad members as the basis for more 
  than one full episode. The referee may want to do likewise, playing out the 
  personal dilemma of a character or NPC on the build-up to, and during, the 
  mission. Problems may include doubts about taking life, depression over events 
  unfolding back home, cowardice, bullying or persecution by an officer, lying, 
  stealing, drug-taking, competitiveness, worry over a father or brother in the 
  service, feelings of loyalty, disgrace, camaraderie or jealousy. 
   
  As the problem manifests, the Marines must find a way to deal with it, while 
  retaining the squad's camaraderie and integrity. They look after their own. How it 
  plays out during the mission is up to the referee, perhaps the patrol or assault is 
  an interlude, before the problem comes to a head back at base. Or, there may be 
  some resonance or solution to the character's personal problem encountered 
  during the mission. If he's had a letter telling him his wife has had a miscarriage, 
  then prior to the patrol, the character might have to write a letter to his own 
  father or mother passing on the bad news, or otherwise deal with the information. 
  He feels bad and the player might roleplay the character getting rolling drunk and 
  angry, or talking back to an officer. It might transpire that while on the mission 
  the next day, the patrol discovers a baby, survivor of an alien attack. One man is 
  detailed to look after it, and it might be the grieving character who steps up, or 
  just as equally shirks the job. Either way, it forms the core of the adventure, with 
  the patrol and any resultant firefights adding drama to the situation.  
   
  Here are some key NPC personalities to consider when creating the mission: 
   
  Company Commander – What’s the captain like? For his men? For his 
  lieutenants? For the senior officers? Is he decorated or desperate? Is he green, or 
  a veteran? Dispirited or determined? 
  Platoon Commander - The lieutenant might want to impress his soldiers or 
  remain aloof, letting his platoon sergeant do most of the work. He might be 
  incompetent or a naturally gifted officer. He is young. What do the squad leaders 
  think of him? What does the captain think of him? One sergeant in Vietnam 
  threatened to bust his enlisted men ‘back to second lieutenant’, giving you some 
  idea of where the lieutenant sat in the military food chain! 
  Settlement – There may be a few local settlements or compounds in the area 
  close to the Marine’s Forward Operating Base or Combat Patrol Base. Do they 
  seem friendly, neutral or hostile? If close to a US base they are probably friendly. 
  What is their true alignment, hostile, neutral or friendly? If friendly, have the 
  settlements join a US militia program, where they are armed and try to defend 
  themselves and their settlement from the enemy. If unfriendly, is the settlement a 
  secret supply base, rendezvous point, weapons cache or IED-making factory? The 
  Marines may get to recognize individuals in some of the friendly settlements or 
  the local town; colony leaders, school-teachers, farmers, shop-keepers, kids etc. 
  
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  Rest of the Squad – While the referee treats the NPC team members as ‘entities’ 
  for the purposes of firefights, there will be distinct personalities in there that may 
  affect the outcome of a mission for good or ill. Pick out two of the NPC Marines 
  and play up their personalities at bit, it will add colour to the game and make the 
  guys memorable. Give one a particular habit (running a rosary through his fingers 
  on patrol; endlessly trading ration packs; moaning about the mud, the rain, the 
  heat, the cold, the bush; writing lots of letters home, etc.) 
  The Other Sergeants – There are three squads in the platoon and the player 
  characters’ squad is one of those. What are the two other squad leaders like? Is 
  there any competition, friendly or otherwise? Do they know one another? Is one of 
  the sergeants decorated or have a reputation? Perhaps one of the squad leaders 
  is close to breaking point which will cause problems later on for your squad. 
   
  3. THE MAP 
  Maps are generally detrimental to a military RPG when those maps are used in 
  combat. Detailed maps should not really be used as a tactical aid but rather the 
  referee is encouraged to use sketch-maps drawn on the spot. A hex map or grid 
  will focus the players onto the 2D flat space, and this type of military roleplaying 
  experience really is about a sense of fear and tension, and about recreating some 
  of the confusion and chaos of a firefight. Since much of the time the enemy is 
  unseen, there is nothing to mark on the map but areas of vegetation or terrain. 
   
  However, a map of the local area is useful for both the referee and the players, 
  since it gives them a series of options on where the squad will go and which route 
  they will take to get there. These maps should cover the mission’s area of 
  operation, an area roughly 5km square. Terrain, vegetation, rivers, hills, 
  settlements, swamp and roads are marked on this map, as well as landing zones 
  (LZs), rendezvous points (RVs), pick-up zones (PZ’s), remain overnight (RON) 
  locations bases and friendly units. The referee  might have a second map, 
  identical to the first that includes enemy locations, hideouts, IEDs, ambush sites 
  and caches.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
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  Recon scouts lead a platoon of Marines who wear M5 
  Combat Suits. All the Marines carry M8 rifles.  
  
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  It’s not just the adventure and roleplaying opportunities that cause some concern 
  amongst roleplayers faced with the prospect of an imminent infantry game. 
  Combat is a big concern. Of course there will be some fierce firefights – no doubt 
  occurring in almost every session, but exactly how are these going to be 
  conducted at the table where there will be a minimum of around fifteen, and as 
  many as forty or more combatants, involved?  
   
  Again, the key is focus. We focus only on the skill rolls and tactical decisions 
  (round to round) of only the player characters. They have the most impact and 
  they are what we, the referee and players, are most interested in. All other rolls, 
  those of the enemy and of the NPC squad members, are abbreviated. To prevent 
  the referee making all of the individual combat rolls for Marine NPCs during a 
  game, we suggest using a group-orientated combat system called Area Fire (this 
  is a variation on the system outlined on page 195 of HOSTILE).   
   
  Area Fire 
  Infantry-style firefights are different to normal RPG gun-play. Just as in most 
  action movies, the typical RPG session has a hero see a bad guy, and then roll 
  dice to hit him with gunfire. If the bad guy survives, he may fire back at the hero. 
  This is all well and good and probably simulates many close range urban combats 
  quite well, but in the rock-strewn wilderness of some desert planet, or the 
  steaming jungles of Tau Ceti, you may not be able to see your enemy at all. Many 
  wartime firefights in modern military history consist of groups of soldiers firing at 
  a location that fire is coming from; area fire. It may be a rarity to see one of the 
  enemy, and if that is the case, that’s probably because they are moving. A 
  method of simulating this ‘fog of war’ is presented as a rule option, below.  
   
  Area fire is directed at a patch of vegetation, at a building window or part of a 
  street-front, all roughly 10m across. In military parlance, this area is known as the 
  ‘beaten zone’. The enemy is in cover, firing at the players' unit without showing 
  themselves. Any soldier laying down in vegetation or other cover, whether friendly 
  or hostile, is for combat purposes, invisible and only vulnerable to this type of 
  area fire. A soldier only exposes himself to the risk of observation by moving. 
  When soldiers hit the dirt in any type of vegetation or built-up area, they cannot 
  be seen, and only attacked via area fire. Use common sense. If soldiers hit the 
  deck in the middle of a street then they are still exposed to aimed fire. At a 
  minimum, there needs to be some cover and vegetation around. 
   
  
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  Only when a soldier moves will he become visible to the enemy and thus 
  susceptible to much more accurate aimed fire. If the GM is in doubt whether an 
  exchange should be resolved as aimed fire or area fire, use the area fire rules. 
   
  Area fire uses the 'open' task resolution system, troops know when their fire is 
  hitting the ‘beaten zone’. When player characters wish to use area fire, they must 
  nominate a 10m wide patch of vegetation, street front, hut or landscape within 
  range of their weapons. They cannot see individual opponents, perhaps only 
  identifying the beaten zone by the sound of gunfire or the direction of incoming 
  bullets. US doctrine calls it ‘weight of fire’, Marines call it ‘piling it on’; it’s the 
  combined force of rifles, grenade launchers and machineguns firing as much lead 
  and shrapnel into that 10m area as possible. Surely it will kill someone? In that 
  combat turn, the Marines of the squad are firing on and off intermittently, but co-
  ordinating their fire.  
   
  The Player Character Fire Pool 
  Every participating player character makes his to-hit roll, with 2D6, adding a 
  bonus for weapon skill. This is just like standard Cepheus Engine aimed fire. With 
  every success rolled, the referee takes a D6 and hides it behind his screen to 
  create an Area Fire Pool. After everyone has made their to-hit rolls, and their 
  Marines are still guessing about the effect their volleys had, the referee rolls all 
  the D6 of his Area Fire Pool in secret. His magic number is always a 6, and each 6 
  indicates that a member of the enemy unit has been hit and either severely 
  wounded or killed; multiple 6’s mean that more than one VC was hit. Automatic 
  fire can contribute additional D6 to the Area Fire Pool: 
   
  Still, the players don’t know the 
  effect they’ve had, they don’t 
  see their victims get shot and 
  most likely don’t hear any 
  screams. 
  The 
  enemy 
  themselves probably continue 
  firing next turn, or they might 
  pull back, or simply pause to 
  remove the dead or reload. The Marines might want to continue to use area fire, 
  or venture out to investigate… exposing themselves to aimed fire from their 
  waiting enemy… Typically a cautious American squad will spend several combat 
  rounds pounding a stretch of vegetation or building frontage with area fire before 
  moving forward in rushes to assault the firing position. Use area fire in this way 
  for player characters only. For the rest of the NPC squad members, refer to the 
  section below entitled Rolling For the NPC Marines. 
   
   
  Burst Size 
  Addition to 
  Area Fire Pool 
  4 round burst 
  +1D6 
  10 round burst 
  +2D6 
  20 round burst 
  +3D6 
  100 round burst 
  +4D6 
   
  
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  Standard Aimed Fire 
  Aimed fire is that type of gunfire handled by the Cepheus Engine, Chapter 5. The 
  target can be seen, the target can be shot at. An enemy soldier moving around, 
  standing up, stood out of cover or away from concealment can be targeted by 
  aimed fire. Use all of the standard Cepheus Engine DMs and rules for this.  
   
  Rolling For the NPC Marines  
  The players should always feel that they have a direct input on the outcome of 
  the battle, and always roll the 2D6 to get their player characters on target. The 
  referee will struggle to keep up, however, not just rolling for the enemy unit, but 
  for all the rest of the US squad. Most of the time the referee should roll secretly, 
  all at once, for the NPC Marines, just as he does for the enemy. Once the players 
  have made their attack rolls, the referee can roll 2D6 secretly for each Marine fire 
  team shooting at the same target or beaten zone. He is looking at 12+ to tell him 
  if the NPC team or squad members, collectively, scored a hit. Keep this roll secret 
  from the players if this is area fire, obviously, unless its aimed fire and everyone 
  can see the results.  
   
  The team or squad kills or disables one enemy soldier on 12+ if conducting area 
  fire or aimed fire, but just as player characters have more chance killing enemy 
  soldiers that they can see, so to do NPCs. Not only do they get a +2 DM for aimed 
  fire, but they may hit additional enemy soldiers out in the open. With aimed fire 
  every number over 12 indicates an extra enemy hit, the referee can adjudicate 
  this as a serious wound or a kill etc, just as he would following an Area Dice Pool. 
  Imagine a platoon of guerrillas storming the wire of a fire base. With a 
  machinegun and a few M8s, the Marines should rack up several kills in short 
  order. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  NPC Team DMs 
  Situation 
  Marine NPC DM 
  Enemy in the open 
  +2 
  Enemy prone or in cover 
  - 
  Marines have machineguns 
  +1 
  Marines have grenade launchers 
  +1 
   
  
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  Rolling for the Enemy Unit  
  Since the players cannot see the enemy for much of the time, do not know their 
  strength, their firepower or their experience, it seems silly to treat the them as 
  player characters with individual kit lists and skills. Instead, it helps the referee to 
  make a single roll for an enemy unit. The advantage here is that the players don’t 
  know whether they are facing two determined combatants, or an 8-man squad of 
  trained commandoes!  
   
  Troop Types and To-Hit 
  Assign a single value, the Enemy Rating, to a squad of enemy soldiers, and be 
  done with it. This Enemy Rating can be used for all kinds of rolls, from stealth to 
  recon, to morale if being charged and of course to attack rolls. A rating of 10+ is 
  good for experienced army regulars, but consider 11+ for trained guerrillas or 
  conscripts, and 12+ for militias, part-time irregulars or armed villagers. The 
  referee then decides how many enemy are actually in the unit, from 1 to 10. For 
  larger groups of enemy troops, roll separately for each group of 10 men (a 
  squad). Their extra firepower (more rolls) will be evident to the players, and they 
  will know they are facing a platoon, not a squad or a lone sniper. When their 
  casualties are 50%, the enemy unit will almost certainly  retreat, but the referee 
  shouldn’t wait for that to occur if he feels the enemy want to retreat to lure the 
  Marines in to a trap… 
   
  When the enemy unit opens fire, the referee must roll the Enemy Rating or higher 
  to hit just one player character or NPC Marine (choose randomly if needed, but 
  anyone out in the open or running around should probably be hit first). There can 
  only be a maximum of one Marine casualty per round.  
   
  Enemy Fire DMs 
  Use the following modifiers based on the movement and position of the player 
  characters. The referee’s Enemy Rating hit-roll is modified by the least concealed 
  type of movement the US force is currently engaged in. If troops are moving in 
  different ways (one team prone, the other charging), then use the DM for the 
  Marines who are easiest to hit (in this case those charging).  
   
  Enemy Fire DMs 
  Situation 
  Enemy DM 
  Marines in the open 
  +2 
  Marines advancing in rushes 
  +1 
  Marines prone or crawling 
  - 
  Enemy have machinegun 
  +1 
  Enemy have grenade launcher/mortar 
  +1 
   
  
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  NPC Casualties 
  An NPC Marine is hit! If he is a player character, roll the dice as normal in 
  Cepheus Engine and apply the results in detail. If he is an NPC, then use a fast-
  play damage system. Forget armor. 
   
  Marine Down! 
  1D6 NPC Marine  
  Injury 
  Effect 
  1-3 
  Wounded  
   
  He didn't take the full force of that blow. He’s alive, 
  but stunned for the next round, hugging the 
  ground. Roll to check the impact point of the 
  bullet/shrapnel/whatever that hit him; either torso 
  (1,2), an arm (3,4 ) or a leg (5,6). This is a 
  concussion, 
  bloody 
  surface 
  wound, 
  a 
  'nick', 
  stunning, disorientation etc. A second wound on 
  this NPC will be treated as Incapacitated. In CE: 
  Endurance at zero. 
  4-5 
  Incapacitated 
   
  He is hit badly, incapacitated, unconscious or 
  barely conscious and fading fast. The GM rolls 2d6 
  for the number of minutes he has left before he 
  dies, unless he gets first aid (a Difficult Medical 
  roll). Success turns this number into 1-3 hours 
  before he dies. He needs a medevac and surgery! 
  A second Incapacitated on this NPC will be treated 
  as Dead. In CE: two characteristics at zero.  
  6 
  Dead  
  In CE: three characteristics at zero. 
   
  Treating the Wounded 
  A canny referee will tell the players that an NPC Marine hit by gunfire or caught in 
  a trap just ‘goes down’ without elaborating further. Is he OK? Is he dead? Is he 
  seriously wounded, with only minutes to live? To find out the squad needs to get 
  a man over to him, preferably the combat medic.  
  Wounded: If an Average Medical roll is made within an hour, the NPC is no longer 
  ‘wounded’. This takes 10 minutes. A Marine NPC can only have one wound 
  removed per day. 
  Incapacitated: Make a Difficult Medical roll (minimum kit is a pressure dressing, - 
  a full first aid kit provides +1) to slow deterioration. Trying to treat this kind of 
  injury takes the same number of minutes that the victim has rolled on 2D6. 
  Success means the Marine now has 1-3 hours before he dies, although the kind 
  referee may allow the NPC an Endurance roll every half hour to hang on, after 
  that time. He should be medevacked out of the field.  
   
  Use the Injury and Recovery rules in Cepheus Engine, Chapter 5 for player 
  characters.  
  
  114 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Example: Three player character Marines with M8 rifles lead a fireteam of 3 men 
  each. In each fireteam there is a smartgunner and an assault marine with a 
  grenade launcher. The squad moves towards a suspected concealed bunker 
  defence along a tree line (defended by a squad of 6 Chinese trained guerrillas, 
  Enemy Rating 11+) after being infiltrated by dropship.  
   
  As they approach the treeline the guerrillas open up on the squad (only the 
  referee knows the enemy are there). We say the guerrillas have rifles and a 
  machinegun – they need 11+ to hit a Marine, but get a +2 because they are in 
  the open and +1 for the machinegun. We roll 9+3 = 11, a Marine is wounded 
  and the referee determines it is someone in the second team, he makes it an 
  NPC. Good practice for Marines in the open, especially for an opening shot. Once 
  the firefight begins, the ref will just roll randomly. Remember, a player Marine out 
  of action can be replaced by another Marine in the player’s team! For an NPC, 
  the referee rolls on the Marine Down! Table. The NPC Marine is wounded in the 
  arm and out for a round.  Everyone hits the deck and returns fire. This continues 
  for two rounds before one of the PCs gets his act together and decides to lead his 
  team in a sprint to cover at the edge of the clearing.  
   
  In those two rounds of trading fire the guerrillas roll 11+ (+1 for the 
  machinegun), in the first the guerrillas roll 8 (no effect) and in the second they 
  roll 7 (again no effect). The PCs make their rolls, wisely using four-round bursts. 
  Only one PC makes his skill roll for 8+ (the guerrillas are at Medium range, an 
  Average task). That puts 1D6 into the Area Fire Pool with a +1D6 for his 4-round 
  burst. The referee rolls those two dice secretly for 5 and a 5, no 6 means no hit. 
  The players don’t know that.  
   
  Every Marine NPC (except the wounded leatherneck) returns fire with four-round 
  bursts (except the smartgunners using 10-round bursts and grenadiers firing frag 
  grenades). The referee prepares to secretly roll for all the NPCs in the squad, 
  needing 12+ to hit a guerrilla, but using the following DMs from the NPC Team 
  DMs Table: have machineguns +1, have grenade launchers +1. He rolls 3+2=5. 
  No enemy casualties, though the players don’t know that.  
   
  We said there was another round of trading fire. Two PCs make their skill rolls 
  this time, so the Area Fire Pool is 2D6 + 2D6 for 4-round burst fire. The referee 
  rolls the 4D6 secretly for 6, 4, 3, 4. They have knocked out 1 of the guerrillas 
  (from 6 men to 5) but again, the PCs don’t know that. The NPCs roll 12+ again, 
  and roll 8+2 = 10. They fail to score a hit.  
   
  A player decides to get his team to the treeline, but will expose them to fire. In 
  this kind of situation (called ‘fire and maneuver’) let us assume that if the other 
  Marines provide covering fire and score a hit, it simply negates any successful 
  enemy hit on the sprinting Marines. First, the corporal’s team sprints across the 
  
  115 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  clearing – no rolls necessary here (though in a scenario, who knows what traps, 
  mines or waiting ambushers await them!). Let’s roll for the Marines’ covering fire 
  first; both PC Marines make their skill rolls and the referee rolls an Area Fire Pool 
  of 4D6 for 5, 4, 5 and 6 – a hit by the guerrillas will be negated! The Marine 
  NPCs require their 12+ and secretly roll 7+2=9, a miss. Now we roll for the 
  guerrillas, firing on both the running team (with a +2 and a +1) and the prone 
  troops (with a +1). The referee rolls7+3 and 7+1, no Marines are hit.   
   
  You will notice that the Marine NPCs’ 12+ roll to hit isn’t very effective, that’s 
  because the Marine advantage is the player characters and their additional rolls, 
  the ability to split the squad into separate teams sometimes able to attack from 
  different directions, and the fact that this is blind firing – area fire. The idea is for 
  area combat to be slow and mostly ineffectual, with the drive to outflank or 
  assault the enemy in order to get into visual range, using regular Cepheus Engine 
  aimed fire or even melee combat.  
   
  Please note that all of this is intended to a) keep players afraid, worried and in 
  the dark, and b) to minimize dice rolling for the referee. On this latter point, the 
  NPC system is a fudge, intended to give an approximation of reality. The rules 
  described here are vague and generalized, but they have to be. As referee, 
  interpret them to suit the situation, but keep dice rolling to a bare minimum! Let 
  players track wounds, etc. of their team members. And remember to try and 
  minimize casualties during area fire. We have imposed a limit of one Marine 
  casualty per Enemy Rating roll. Lastly, remember to roll only one attack on a 
  single group of troops. Those guerrillas got two rolls when the team got up and 
  ran, one on the team the other on the remaining prone Marines - that was 
  because the team’s exposure to fire gave the guerrilla’s a different DM to hit. But 
  should three Marine squads, say, split up and manage to outflank the guerrillas, 
  the referee need only roll for the Marine NPCs once, with appropriate DMs for 
  using a machinegun or grenades. Keep dice rolling to the bare minimum for 
  sanity’s sake!  
   
  Our example has left out all of the ingenious scheming and adaptable problem 
  solving of a typical group of players, along with their skill and characteristic rolls. 
  They should be handled throughout the combat and take center stage over any of 
  these blanket NPC rolls. Have fun, roll dice – but not too many! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  116 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
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  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
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  Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.  
  High Guard System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing. 
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  16. Marine Corps Handbook 2215 is OGL, specifically all weapons and vehicles, and all 
  combat rules at the back of the book. Names, companies and the details of planets that 
  are all part of the Hostile setting are copyright Zozer Games © 2018 Zozer Games; Author 
  Paul Elliott. 
   
  IMAGES 
  NASA/JPL 
  DoD, US Marine Corps 
  IAU/L. Calçada 
  Pixabay 
  iStock/Algol (Color renders of Marines) 
  By Kaptsov Ruslan (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Upload) [CC0], via 
  Wikimedia Commons 
  
  119 
   
  MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215                              Ninth Revised Edition               
  Laptop Photo By: Cpl. Justin Updegraff 
  By RekonDog - Own work by uploader (pin scanned onto PC), CC BY-SA 3.0, 
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5647168 
  By United States Marine Corps - United States Marine Corps, Public Domain, 
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9381556 
  By 2nd Marine Logistics Group - 2nd Marine Logistics Group, Public Domain, 
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24507481 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
        
  Zozer Games – Marine Corps Handbook 2215 
   
   
   
  Name 
   
  ICO UNIVERSAL PERSONALITY PROFILE 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  END 
  INT 
  EDU 
  SOC 
  MOS 
  Training & Skills 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ICO Lvl 
   
   
   
  Rank 
   
   
   
   
   
  Age 
   
   
           
   
   
  Hometown 
   
   
   
   
   
  Ethnic Origin 
   
   
   
   
   
  Carry Capacity 
   
   
  Lgt/ 2x Str 
       Kg 
   
   
   
  Med/ 4x Str 
       Kg 
   
   
   
  Hvy/ 6x Str 
       kg 
   
   
   
  GEAR TOTAL:     kg           Personal Gear 
  al 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  US MARINE CORPS  
   
  kg 
   
  kg 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Wounds - Notes 
  Weapon #1 
  Kg 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Rds 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Weapon #2 
  Kg 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Rds 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Weapon #3 
  Kg 
  ROF 
  Range 
  Dmg 
  Recoil 
  Rds 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Grenades ½kg each 
   
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Cepheus Engine/Cepheus Engine/Settings/Hostile/HOSTILE - Marine Corps Handbook 2215.pdf