Overview
The Marines are the landed troops of the Colonial Defense Forces. They deploy from anywhere in Colonial Space and can do an emergency deployment onto any colony within one hour via Expeditionary Units. They also provide a number of garrison units on the Colonies; typically, a unit will change roles within a set time period. In recent years the Colonial Defense Forces have attempted to streamline their vehicles and have created a Future Universal CHassis System, or FUCHS (pronounced 'foo-ks'), that most of their current front-line systems are constructed on. However, other older systems still continue to be used throughout the Colonial Marine Corps and especially within the Planetary Guard units. The units assigned to Battlestar Group Orion use this older equipment, which is listed below.
MAIN BATTLE TANKS
M6A18 "Carballa"
Crew: 4 - Driver, Gunner, Loader, Commander
Armaments: 120mm Rifled Main Gun, 7.62mm machine gun mounted co-axially. Commander's Hatch .50HMG
First designed during the initial Cylon war, the Carballa was late to the game and only saw minimal service with the Colonial Marine Corps. The system was put through the paces heavily, though, and saw enough front-line deployments for the CMC to have learned their lessons. Throughout the service life of these tanks, they evolved to be more focused towards dealing with engagements versus other Colonies and the occasional uprising. Thus, over a period of roughly forty years, they have seen eighteen different evolutions with the current model being the final. It relied on heavier armor rather than active defense systems to deal with the more prolific threats of urban warfare and the danger of molotov cocktail and flamethrowers. Thus, it was able to be produced in larger numbers.
Currently these tanks have seen extensive deployment with reserve units though they have been fielded less-heavily in the recent years because the Colonial Government has been reluctant to commit something so large and threatening to uprisings due to the bad PR they can generate. However, they are still a highly formidable defense system that is capable of dealing with almost any threat on the battlefield save for the current generation of tanks held by the Colonial Marines.
Nine of these tanks are attached to Task Force's Marines in support of the infantry.
ARMORED FIGHTING VEHICLES (AFV'S)
TI-107 Rapier
Crew: 3
Armaments: 30mm high velocity cannon, 7.62mm machine gun mounted co-axially
The TI-107 Rapier was designed by Tauron Industries in the cramped factories of its namesake Colony and was built to be a part of a fast moving, rugged light force during the strife of the first Tauron Civil War, nearly forty years before the Cylon War. A reliable design, it's been upgraded on numerous occasions since then and served as "formation reconnaissance" during the war with the Cylons, being either attached to infantry battle groups or on its own, penetrating deep into enemy territory. Towards the end of the war, the Colonial Marine Corps developed the idea of using "mountain" battalions of mixed mechanized infantry and reconnaissance troops mounted in TI-107 Rapier to penetrate deep into enemy lines, attack depth positions and cut supplies. This strategy worked brilliantly.
While some (including many in the current Colonial Fleet and Marine Corps high command) might argue that these vehicles are ancient relics suitable only to last line reserve units and supply depots, the Marines who are assigned to units which still field Rapiers cherish their efficiency, ease of maintenance, incredible mobility and relative firepower. Oddly enough for a reconnaissance vehicle, the Rapier does not incorporate the latest satellite and network technology, relying instead on tried and true observation and signals intelligence that worked well in the First Cylon War. There are several variants of the Rapier, including an APC for transporting supplies and auxiliary Marines with the main force as well as a 'wrecker' maintenance vehicle, among others.
Mk. 8 AIFV Samnite
Crew: 3 + 7 dismounts
Armaments: 25mm chain gun, 7.62mm machine gun mounted co-axially
Like its brother vehicle the TI-107 Sabre, the Mk. 8 AIFV Samnite (Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle) is a relic of an older, less complex era. It was produced by the Virgan Army under the orders of His Majesty's Minister of Defense as the Virgan Imperial General Staff observed the chaos of Tauron's civil war. The success of stocky, fast moving and reliable tracked vehicles like the Sabre heavily influenced the design of the Samnite. However, doctrine within the Virgan Army meant that the battalions who would field this vehicle would do so as part of larger mechanized forces, which meant that the Samnite would be primarily used as an infantry fighting vehicle. With that in mind, another rugged, mobile vehicle was produced and served with extreme distinction during the small conflicts before the Cylon War and especially during it. When the Colonial Marine Corps was formed, it was tagged as the primary vehicle of the mechanized battalions.
Early issues with excessive track wear, fuel consumption and armor were quickly corrected, resulting in what was arguably one of the best infantry vehicles to have come out of the War. There have only been minor modifications affected to the vehicle since. While it has fallen out of favor amongst the current crop of "high tech" oriented Generals and Admirals, there exists a hard core of Marines who've served in and around the Samnites for their whole careers and who have a healthy respect for its capabilities. Compared to the modern FUCHS system of vehicles, the Samnite can run for longer, harder and in more trying terrain. However, it does not have the same kind of command suites as the newer vehicles, nor the very advanced reactive armour technology. Whether that is a wise trade-off remains to be seen.
ARTILLERY
M777 Howitzer
Crew: 5
Armaments: 155mm artillery rounds
Unlike much of the other equipment within JTF NOMAD's Marine component, the M777 155mm Howitzer is a fusion of both old and new technology. Designed only in the last ten years, it's seen some serious testing in recent CMC actions on restive colonies but it is not a relic of the Cylon War. Its 155mm round is usually considered a "medium" type of artillery fire. This makes the M777 unusual in that it is an extremely light, resiliently built gun that can be employed in a variety of different fashions. Much of the weight savings have resulted from using different building materials to fashion the weapon, which is designed to be towed by light or medium lift vehicles but can be air slung or dropped as well. This fact, combined with the slimming down of artillery crew sizes, decreased maintenance and a sophisticated and accurate digital gun management system (with a fallback old style 'glass and irons' type sights, as well) mean that it is uniquely suited to the type of movement and terrain which Task Force NOMAD operates in.
ANTI-AIRCRAFT
Mk. 3 SPAAG Ballista
Crew: 4
Armaments: 20mm rotary cannon
The AIFV Samnite has proven, in its many years of service, to be a great success. Due to its reliability and versatility and wanting to keep vehicle maintenance down to an easy level, the Royal Virgan Forces therefore decided to build a variety of vehicles based on the Samnite chassis and a short range air defense vehicle was one of them. The Ballista was the result. Essentially, the vehicle is designed along identical lines to the Samnite, with the exception that the Samnite's 25mm chain gun turret is replaced with a 20mm rapid fire rotary cannon. The gunner of the turret may either completely turn out for better situational awareness, or turn in to the fully armored shell. While its range is limited, the low profile presented by units typically employing the Ballista tends to alert enemy aircraft to their presence only when in range of its deadly 20mm gun, which has also in the past been employed as a direct fire ground support weapon when needed. During the Cylon War, the Ballista had the advantage of not employing a jammable missile system, which significantly boosted effectiveness. Overall, as a force protection element of a small, light force such as a Task Force Orion's Marine element, the Ballista is very well suited to operational requirements of both ground and air defense.
SAM-92 Hornet
Crew: 1-2
Armaments: Man Portable Air Defense System
Man portable air defense systems (MANPADS) have been around for as long as missile technology has been light enough to be man packed. The Hornet is a fire and forget infrared (and in the modern version, also ultra violet) guided missile system. Originally, the system was designed to be completely disposable. However, for the Mountain units of the Colonial Marine Corps, a lightweight design was affected that could be re-used which cut down on the logistical tail significantly. Typically the Hornets are a company level asset in emergency situations, but the main body of them usually end up with each battalion's anti-tank platoons. They are simple to use and very effective against enemy aircraft, especially with the new upgrades to their tracking hardware. Because of the way their "smart" systems are built, the Cylons appeared to have had some difficulty jamming them, likely attributed to the combination of IR and UV tracking in the missiles. It is designed to be operated by two, a gunner and a loader/commander, though in practice it can easily be carried individually. Reloading it on ones own, however, is a very difficult thing to do.
OTHER
ATMUV
Crew: 1-2
Armaments: Nothing / 7.62mm Machine Gun / .50 Heavy Machine Gun / 40mm Grenade Launcher / ATGM / SAM-92 Hornet
The ATMUV, or All-Terrain Modular Utility Vehicle, is the old workhorse of the Colonial Marine Corps. It is available in a variety of packages, from an unarmed logistics vehicle to up-gunned, up-armored indirect fire carriages with 40mm grenade launchers. It is the backbone of every motorized unit in the CMC and with its modularity and simplicity of operation, it's likely to be around for quite some time in the future. The primary issue with these vehicles are the amount of fuel they have burned in the past and their rather unsafe designs. Troops in the field rarely wear seatbelts because it makes quick exits difficult and in combat gear the belts can get snagged. Fatal accidents involving these vehicles have been a continual problem in the past, and this in a vehicle that is built to help troops survive in the field. On Piraeus these vehicles find themselves in frequent use as transports and escorts out beyond the normally traveled areas. When the weather is bad, these are frequently the vehicle of choice for civilians and military, though civilian access to the ATMUVs are more limited due to the problems with accidents.
Fast Assault Vehicles (FAV's)
Crew: 1 (+2 passengers)
Armaments: .50 Heavy Machine Gun, 7.62mm Machine Gun, 40mm Grenade Launcher
The FAV's are the choice vehicle for a the 8th Marines' reconnaissance groups. They were originally developed to insert special warfare troops deep across deserts or through areas where speed held primacy over stealth. However, with the explosion of their popularity with normal troops, these vehicles came into very high demand. Their relatively cheap cost made them perfect recon platforms to those that knew that running away was something the FAV's were designed to do — combat survivability being low. However, the chassis and suspension were designed from commercial off-roading parts and titanium framing, which makes the vehicle exceedingly light and very fast. Gear storage along the outside must be lashed down with straps and the frame provides plenty of places to strap-down or hang whatever needs to be taken into the field.
The Marines arrived on Piraeus with 24 of them and they are all used. Seatbelts and helmets are both required to operate them or ride in them, though a facemask is also recommended. Violation of those rules are grounds for permanent restriction from operation. Civilians may check-out unarmed FAVs for a variety of reasons. Recreational exploration is an approved reason. If anyone misses their deadline to check back in then search parties will be sent out and privileges are lost for two weeks minimum, military or civilian. All FAV's have a small radio for emergencies and coverage can be spotty in the mountains and this is a known issue.
Patrol Boat — Riverine (PBR)
Crew: 4 (+8 passengers)
Armaments: Twin 7.62mm Machine Guns, .50 Heavy Machine Gun, 40mm Grenade Launcher
In the age of space travel, a boat might seem anachronistic but in warfare all options must be considered. The Colonial Marine Corps has been unwilling to part with this basic design since its inception. Armies and planetary defense corps were using the same design for hundreds of years before-hand as well. When a Raptor is needed to insert teams behind the lines, you can be sure that it will make noise and the potential for it to be shot-down will never go away. These small patrol boats, still, do the same job that transport aircraft just cannot. Today, the CMC still uses them heavily and ships two with every Marine Expeditionary Unit. With four of them on Piraeus, two are kept in storage on the landed Assault Craft and two others are kept in the river at the bridge. They make for exceptional transports up and down river no matter the weather and the Marines are not shy about taking them out onto the lake down south or farther up north for fishing.
All boats come with low-powered diving and steering SONAR, a small weather DRADIS, a 'glass cockpit' that provides both digital and analog readouts for all systems, burst-microwave and high-band encrypted communications suites, and the ability to haul eight passengers and an additional 800 pounds. These boats will go 200 miles at 25mph and are capable of doing upwards of 45mph if fuel is less of a concern. They can also be slung under Raptors for transport across a planetary surface.