(DONATION) Hostile Marine Corps Handbook

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The key takeaways are that the Marine Corps Handbook 2215 is a roleplaying supplement set in a gritty science fiction universe that provides additional rules and background for playing Marines. It draws from real USMC manuals but is purely fictional.

The book is a roleplaying supplement that provides additional rules, equipment, and background for playing Marines in a gritty science fiction setting called Hostile.

The Marine Corps Handbook is used as a companion to official USMC training manuals to provide technical accuracy for roleplaying Marines, though the book itself is purely fictional.

1

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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.

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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.

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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An M5A5 auto-coilgun, part of the 23rd MEU’s heavy


weapon’s company, guards a starport ramp on Leviticus
during the 2210 insurgency

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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.

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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.

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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.

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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COMMARFORCOM

I MARINE II MARINE III MARINE


EXPEDITIONARY EXPEDITIONARY
FORCE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
FORCE

2nd Intel
Battalion

2nd Fire
Support
Liaison Co

2nd Marine 8th Comms


Battalion
Division

2nd Law Enf.


Battalion

2nd Marine 2nd Marine


Expeditionary
Aerospace Bgd
Wing
22nd Marine
Expeditionary
Unit

2nd Marine 24th Marine


Expeditionary
Logistics Unit
Group
26th Marine
Expeditionary
Unit

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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2nd MARINE DIVISION


Camp Lejeune

HQ 1st Battalion 2nd Battalion 3rd Battalion


Company 2nd Marines 2nd Marines 2nd Marines

2nd Marine
Regiment

HQ 1st Battalion 2nd Battalion 3rd Battalion


Company 6th Marines 6th Marines 6th Marines

6th Marine
Regiment

HQ 1st Battalion 2nd Battalion 3rd Battalion


Company 8th Marines 8th Marines 8th Marines

8th Marine
Regiment

HQ Battery 1st Battalion 2nd Battalion


10th Marines 10th Marines

10th Marine
Regiment

HQ 2nd Tank 2nd Light 2nd Recon 2nd Combat 2nd Assault
Battalion Battalion Armored Battalion Engineer Amphibian
Recon Btn Battalion Battalion

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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2nd Marine
Aerospace Wing
Cherry Point
Wing HQ Sqdn 2

Aviation Attack Sqdn Attack Sqdn Attack Sqdn Attack Training


Logistics Sqdn 223 231 542 Sqdn 203
14
Marine
Aerospace Tac Electronic Aerial Refueler Unmanned Wing Support
Group 14 Warfare Sqdn Transport Sqdn Aerial Vehicle Sqdn 271
2 252 Sqdn 2

Aviation Transport Transport Medium Medium


Logistics Sqdn Rotor Sqdn Rotor Sqdn Dropship Sqdn Dropship Sqdn
26 162 261 263 264
Marine
Aerospace Medium Medium Medium Wing Support
Group 26 Dropship Sqdn Dropship Sqdn Dropship Trng Sqdn 272
712 764 Sqdn 766

Aviation Light Attack Light Attack Light Attack Transport


Logistics Sqdn Vector Sqn Vector Sqn Vector Sqn Vector Sqdn
29 167 269 467 366
Marine
Aerospace Transport Transport Transport Wing Support
Group 29 Vector Sqdn Vector Sqdn Vector Trng Sqdn 274
461 464 Sqdn 302

Aviation Attack Sqdn Attack Sqdn Attack Sqdn Attack Sqdn


Logistics Sqdn 224 533 115 251
31
Marine
Aerospace Attack Sqdn Attack Training
Group 31 312 Sqdn 501

Tactical Air Wing Comms Air Control Air Control 2nd Low
Command Sqdn 28 Sqdn 2 Sqdn 1 Altitude Air
Sqdn 28 Defense Btn

Marine Air
Control Group
28

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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2nd MARINE
LOGISTICS GROUP
Camp Lejeune

Cbt Logistics Cbt Logistics Cbt Logistics 2nd Transport


Btn 2 Btn 6 Btn 8 Support Btn

Cbt Logistics
Rgt 2

2nd Maint. 2nd Supply Cbt Logistics Cbt Logistics


Btn Btn Company 21 Company 23

Cbt Logistics
Rgt 25

Cbt Logistics Cbt Logistics Cbt Logistics


Btn 22 Btn 24 Btn 26

HQ
Regiment 2nd Medical 2nd Dental 8th Engineer
Battalion Battalion Support Btn

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


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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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


21

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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


22

MEU 24th MARINE


Headquarters
EXPEDITIONARY
UNIT
Ground Combat Air Combat Combat Service
Element Element Support

1/8 Marines Marine Medium CLB-26


Dropship Sqdn
(DMM-764)

HQ Company Sqdn Cdr HQ Platoon

Alpha Company Operations Office Comms Platoon

Bravo Company Maintenance Landing Support


Office Platoon

Charlie Company Alpha Flight Engineer Support


UD-5 x 8 Platoon

Heavy Weapons Bravo Flight Supply Platoon


Company UD-5 x 8

Armored Recon Charlie Flight Motor Transport


Platoon AD-5 x7 Platoon

Artillery Battery Delta Flight Maintenance


AD-5 x7 Platoon

Recon Platoon Echo Flight Medical Platoon


CS-9 x4

Cbt. Engineer
Platoon

STA Platoon

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


23

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.

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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

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 CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


25

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,

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


26

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.

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Inside the Infantry Squad

The modern Marine infantry


MARINE SQUAD (INFANTRY) squad is made up of three teams
Squad Leader - Sergeant that can either work together or
be split up to act as a co-
ordinated unit.
COMMAND TEAM The squad is led by a squad
Team Leader- Rifleman leader (of sergeant rank) who
Comtech liaises with the three corporals
Combat Medic who command the three teams.
Rifleman He will typically operate within
the first, or ‘command’, team
SECOND TEAM which contains the squad’s
comtech, a communications,
Team Leader- Rifleman surveillance and computer
Rifleman
Assault Marine
specialist, and by a rifleman and
Smartgunner a combat medic. When the
squad leader takes control of the
command team, its team leader
THIRD TEAM (a corporal) will become his
assistant squad leader.
Team Leader- Rifleman
Rifleman Both the second and third team
Assault Marine
Smartgunner 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.

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Inside the Recon Squad

MARINE SQUAD (RECON - INFILTRATION)


Squad Leader
Sniper
Rifleman
Security Specialist

MARINE SQUAD (RECON - HEAVY)


Squad Leader
Comtech
Assault Marine
Rifleman

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 CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


29

Career

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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


30

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 Recon or Infantry? Decide!


Speciality (MOS) is a
numerical designation of This book allows players and referees to
the Marine’s intended role create Marine missions focussed on either
or job within the Corps.
a battalion infantry squad or a recon squad.
For many, that will be MOS
0311 (Marine Rifleman),
This decision will be determined by the type
but there are several other of game you want to play (classic infantry
roles required even in a patrolling and skirmishing – or commando
regimental Marine squad. ops). Mission suggestions for both types of
Additional training for campaigns are provided later in this book,
those infantry Marines But for now, what do you want to play?
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

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31

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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


32

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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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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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 Major [E-9] Sergeant Major of


Sergeant [E-9] the USMC [E-9]
Commissioned Officers

Second First Lieutenant


Lieutenant [O-1] [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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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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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 MOS Skill Rank Player Responsibility
No.
Assault 0351 Hvy LCpl Carries a grenade launcher
Marine Weapons and anti-tank missile plus his
own rifle. Deals with bunkers,
obstacles and armor.
Combat 0700 Medical LCpl Combat surgery and field
Medic 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 1705 Security LCpl Gains stealthy entry into
Specialist 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 0365 Tactics-0, Sgt Spokesman & casting vote,
Leader plus one leads the squad and liaises
other with higher-ups.
Team 0311 Any one Cpl Supports the sergeant, leads
Leader 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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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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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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Hometown
Where is home? It might be some bland 2D6 Region
Nowhereville, but its location might provide 2 Alaska
the Marine with some local flavour, regional 3 Rocky Mountains
flavour that his player might be able to inject 4 Pacific North-West
into the character. Name some place your 5 Florida & South-East
Marine calls home, or roll for a region on the 6 Central Plains
table below. You might have to re-roll if the 7 Great Lakes
ethnic origins seem to clash with the 8 North-East Coast
9 West Coast
hometown result (such as a Native American
10 New England
from the Deep South, or a Polish family from 11 Texas & South-West
Hawaii). 12 Hawaii

Ethnic Origins
Most infantrymen in 2215 AD are from White, 2D6 Ethnic Origins
Hispanic or Black working-class backgrounds, 2 Native American
or from the families of Marine Corps veterans. 3 Asian
There are no ethnic or religious bars to joining 4-5 Hispanic
the Corps. The character’s Social Standing will 6-7 Black
provide a clue as to his origins. If 8+ he or she 8-9 White
10 Mediterranean
will hail from a middle class background. If 11-12 East European
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.

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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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Carrying Capacity
Strength Light Load Medium Heavy Extreme
Load Load 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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School of Infantry: Following boot camp, the Squad Skill List


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 Brawling
skill. When given skill levels to assign, he Blade Combat
must spend one level on his MOS skill. Note Comms
that squad leaders and team leaders are Computer
free to choose any skill they have not already Covert Insertion *
received as their MOS skill. Demolitions
Electronics
At the School of Infantry or later (within an Gambling
Advanced Infantry Training Battalion) the Ground Vehicle
new Marine learns Vacc Suit-0 and four skills Gun Combat
at level -1. One of these level -1 skills must Heavy Weapons
be the MOS skill listed as part of the Leader
character's role. The other three skill Mechanical
assignments are chosen by the player from Medical
the Squad Skill List, presented (right). What Recon
he chooses really tells everyone at the table
Security
a lot about that character. Gambling?
Survival
Electronics? Heavy Weapons? Leader? When
you have a squad leader who hasn't chosen Tactics
Leader-1, but you have a rifleman who has, Vacc Suit
what does that tell you? He has great Watercraft
potential, he is a squad leader or NCO in the
making, he can lead the team or the squad * Recon only, and not available
in a crisis. Perhaps he is experienced and at level - 0
'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.

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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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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.

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,

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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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Firearms Characteristics
HANDGUN TABLE
VP90 Handgun [10mm Corta]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
200 0.8 1/4 pistol 2D6+1 8+ 20 16

RIFLES & SHOTGUNS TABLE


M8 Enhanced Battle Rifle [7.78mm]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
1200 3.58 1/4/10 assault 3D6+2 7+ 88 30
M24A1 ACR [8.85mmCL]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
2000 4.6 1/4/10 assault 3D6+2 7+ 80 60
M24A3 Carbine [8.85mmCL]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
1800 3.4 1/4/10 assault 3D6+1 8+ 74 60
M33 Coilgun [12mm HVADS]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
3000 5.5 1 rifle 4D6+2 8+ 103 10
M1000 30MW Combat Laser
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
3500 4.2 1 rifle 4D6+2 - 80 10
M12 Combat Shotgun [12 gauge]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
2000 5.2 1/4 shotgun 4D6 6+ 90 6
Noricum 37 Stakeout [12 gauge]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
600 3 1 pistol 4D6 9+ 76 4

MACHINEGUNS TABLE
M3 Hydra IMAG [9mm HE]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Min. Str Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
5000 16 4/10 rifle 3D6+4 7 122 250
M68 Light Machine Gun [8.85mmCL]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
2800 6.6 1/4/10 rifle 3D6+2 6+ 90 100
M5A5 Auto Coilgun [12mm HVADS]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth Rds
(Kg) (cm)
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 Rounds


($) (kg)
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- Anti-vehicle
Incendiary)

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.

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

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.

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M4 Fragmentation Grenade – A core of high explosive is Distance Damage


surrounded by a layer of notched wire which fragments on 3 meters 5D6
detonation. The damage from fragmentation grenades 6 meters 3D6
decreases with distance from the blast. 9 meters 1D6

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.

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SUPPORT WEAPON TABLE


Underslung Grenade Launcher [20mm]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth (cm) Rds
(Kg)
- - 1 assault varies 6+ - varies
Maverick G6 Grenade Launcher [30mm]
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth (cm) Rds
(Kg)
800 4.5 1 assault varies 6+ 80 6
M9 Eagle-Eye Disposable Missile
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth (cm) Rds
(Kg)
2,000 3.2 1 rocket 8D6 - 64/90 1
MLT Flame Unit
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth (cm) Rds
(Kg)
500 2.5 4 pistol 2D6 5+ 70 6
Zenith XM4 40MW ATPG (Advanced Tactical Plasma Gun)
Cost ($) Wgt ROF Range Dmg Recoil Lgth (cm) Rds
(Kg)
20,000 15 1 rifle 10D6 8+ 100 38

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.

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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.

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.

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

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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 Distance Damage
of high explosive surrounded by a layer of notched wire 3 meters 5D6
which fragments on detonation. The damage from 6 meters 3D6
fragmentation grenades decreases with distance from the 9 meters 1D6
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.

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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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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 C/P Armr Hull/ Weapons


(kph) Struc
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 5 +1 90 1/13 8 1/1 25mm Gun, 2x
ARCC Pulse Lasers
Lockhart CV-24M Super- 5 -2 560 3/24 2 1/1 None
Osprey
McConnell UV-56 Vector 4 -1 420 2/8 2 0/1 None
Utility Jump-Jet
McConnell AV-105 Jump- 4 -1 420 2/5 2 0/1 25mm Gun,
Jet Gunship rockets or missiles
Global Dynamics UD-5 20 0 10,000 2/14 2 4/4 25mm Gun, 2
Mustang Dropship rocket pods
M7 Krueger Main Battle 10 -2 70 3/0 35 2/2 Railgun,
Tank autocoilgun, M65
missile launcher
M180 Self Propelled 12 -1 60 4/0 6 2/3 Railgun, 25mm
Railgun Gun

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Two ARCCs from 1 Battalion, 8th Marine


st

Regiment engaged in exercises on La Paz,


prior to joining the 24th 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,

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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.

A platoon from 3/3 Marines prepares to exit the rear ramp


of a UD-5 dropship on a vacuum moon

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

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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.

Do We All Go?
An MEU like the 24th (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.

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

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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


ACOR: Surviving Re-entry
used to airdrop personnel at high
altitudes when aircraft are unable to fly ACOR users must make an Average (+0) Vacc
above enemy skies without posing a Suit roll to make a successful re-entry. Apply the
following DMs:
threat to the jumpers. During a typical
HAHO mission, the Marine will jump +1 if Computer skill known
from the aircraft and deploy the +1 per level of Covert Insertion
parawing at a high altitude. Around 15 +1 per level of Vacc Suit
+1 World Size 1 or 2
seconds after the jump (typically at -2 Atmosphere B
27,000’ or so). The Marine will use a -4 Atmosphere C
compass, GPS or inertial locator to Failure indicates being way off course or landing
navigate for up to 50 km. The Marine in a dangerous situation. Success indicates a
must use way points and terrain perfect landing. A natural roll of ‘double 2’
features to navigate to the LZ, indicates death or serious injury.
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.

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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 Burst Size Addition to


effect they’ve had, they don’t Area Fire Pool
see their victims get shot and
4 round burst +1D6
most likely don’t hear any
screams. The enemy 10 round burst +2D6
themselves probably continue 20 round burst +3D6
firing next turn, or they might 100 round burst +4D6
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.

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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 Effect
Injury
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.

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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

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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!

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LEGAL
The Cepheus Engine Compatibility-Statement License (CSL)
You must state on the first page where you mention Cepheus Engine that “Cepheus
Engine and Samardan Press are the trademarks of Jason "Flynn" Kemp,” and that you are
not affiliated with Jason "Flynn" Kemp or Samardan Press™.
If you’re using the license to commit legal fraud, you forfeit the right to continue using the
license: specifically, if you are claiming compatibility with the rules of Cepheus Engine, the
claim must not constitute legal fraud, or fraud in the inducement, under the laws of the
State of Texas. Note that this requirement is almost impossible to violate unintentionally—
it’s largely intended to keep me out of trouble, not to restrict legitimate statements of
compatibility.
You must comply with the terms of the OGL if the terms apply.
Your cover must include the words “House Rules” or “Variant Rules” or "Alternate Cepheus
Engine Universe" near the title if the document is a full, free-standing game that includes
modifications. Feel free to contact the author if you wish to use a different form of
disclaimer.
Selling a full version of this game with your house rules incorporated into it is perfectly
permissible, but you may not sell an effectively unchanged copy of the rules for money.
If your document is a private house rules document, not being sold for profit or general
use, you may scan and use artwork (including the cover) from the printed version,
published in print under the title of Cepheus Engine Core Rules, provided that the
cover contains the words “House Rules,” near the title, and that the artists are
appropriately credited.
Your rights under this CSL cannot be revoked, and are perpetual, unless you breach the
terms of the license, in which case your rights terminate.
If you comply with the above, you may state that your resource is “for use with the
Cepheus Engine Core Rules”, “compatible with the core rules of Cepheus Engine” or “with
the Cepheus Engine Core Rules.”
If you have questions about the license, feel free to contact the author.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a


The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000
Wizards of the Coast, Inc (‘Wizards’). All Rights Reserved.
1. Definitions: (a)’Contributors’ means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have
contributed Open Game Content; (b)’Derivative Material’ means copyrighted material
including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages),
potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement,
compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast,
transformed or adapted; (c) ‘Distribute’ means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell,
broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)’Open Game Content’
means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines
to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement
over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by
the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and
derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e)
‘Product Identity’ means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


117

including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic
elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses,
formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio
representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments,
personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations,
environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos,
symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly
identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically
excludes the Open Game Content; (f) ‘Trademark’ means the logos, names, mark, sign,
motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the
associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) ‘Use’,
‘Used’ or ‘Using’ means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and
otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) ‘You’ or ‘Your’ means the
licensee in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice
indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this
License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms
may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself.
No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using
this License.
3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance
of the terms of this License.
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the
Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the
exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as
Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation
and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this
License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content
You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date,
and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game
Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an
indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent
Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to
indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in
conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in
another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered
Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a
challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity
used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product
Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which
portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of
this License. You may use any authorised version of this License to copy, modify and
distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


118

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the
Open Game Content You Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content
using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the
Contributor to do so.
12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this
License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial
order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so
affected.
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all
terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach.
All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such
provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
High Guard System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing.
Mercenary System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing.
Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.;
Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan,
Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker, based on material by
Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce R.
Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch
System Reference Document, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors
Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax
and Dave Arneson.
T20 - The Traveller’s Handbook Copyright 2002, Quiklink Interactive, Inc. Traveller is a
trademark of Far Future Enterprises and is used under license.
Traveller System Reference Document Copyright © 2008, Mongoose Publishing.
Traveller is © 2008 Mongoose Publishing. Traveller and related logos, character, names,
and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Far Future Enterprises unless
otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved. Mongoose Publishing Ltd Authorized User.
Cepheus Engine System Reference Document, Copyright © 2016 Samardan Press; Author
Jason "Flynn" Kemp
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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


119

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

MARINE CORPS HANDBOOK 2215 Ninth Revised Edition


US MARINE CORPS
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


kg kg
al
Wounds - Notes

Grenades ½kg each

Weapon #1 Kg ROF Range Dmg Recoil Rds

Weapon #2 Kg ROF Range Dmg Recoil Rds

Weapon #3 Kg ROF Range Dmg Recoil Rds

Zozer Games – Marine Corps Handbook 2215

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