Ground Forces

This is a work in progress

Unit Types

Marines

Starfleet has, from the very beginning, employed an infantry force similar to the Marines of the bluewater navies. Prior to the establishment of the UFP, the Military Assault Command Organization (MACO) had formed from the remnants of the greater armies of United Earth and was used primarily as special forces or shock troops, or sometimes for expeditionary assault, at relatively heavily-reduced numbers. Following the creation of the UFP Starfleet in 2161, the MACOs were broken away from the similar expeditionary forces of other members to form Starfleet Security, primarily concerned with providing installation and starship protection. The remaining ground forces were re-formed as the Starfleet Ground Attack Marines (SGAM). On the 100th anniversary of the Federation and the SGAM, the force formally became known as the Starfleet Marine Corps (SMC).

See Expeditionary Forces for more detail.

Marine Armor

Marine Armor battalions are comprised of 60 tanks and are usually attached at the Marine Brigade level.

Marine Reserves

Former active Marines that have agreed to be called upon when needed to fill in under-strength Marine units or comprise whole Marine units themselves. Their combat value is the same as for a Militia, but they are able to be deployed off-planet. (When used as an identified unit—rather than reinforcements for an active Marine unit—a Marine Reserve unit has less than the standard Marine Rifle battalion strength, reflecting their generally inactive status.)

Rapid Reaction Force

The Rapid Reaction Force is companies (RRCs) and teams (RRTs) of special force Marines for events not requiring the intensity of a MeSON team, such as rapid peace enforcement or low-conflict ship boardings. They generally operate in twelve-Marine teams, but generally no more numerous than the 84-Marine companies. They are not strong on traditional defensive and attack roles and are wasted in that role.

See Rapid Reaction Force for more detail.

Military Special OperatioNs (MeSONs)

Meson teams are comprised of sixteen special force operators, specifically trained to perform one of ten types of missions. The commandos used to covertly insert and conduct unconventional small-scale missions. The Mesons are often attached to command ships and some starbases. They are not strong on traditional defensive and attack roles and are wasted in that role.

See Special Operations for more detail.

Militias

Military units that are 'homegrown', rarely moved off-planet. Their mission is the protection and defense of the planet. They are comprised of units similar in size and structure as the Marines, but are not considered to be as well-trained.

Militia Armor

Militia Armor battalions are comprised of 60 tanks and are usually attached at the Brigade level.

Starfleet Corps of Engineers

Initially (and informally) formed in 2156, the SCE was responsible for the construction of Starbase 1. Following its completion, the cohesive unit was employed to build other projects of special interest to Starfleet, eventually becoming a large force unto themselves. They are often deployed in battalion sizes of 600 'Bees', but are organized into regiments, five battalions each. They can be found on select starbases and they also maintain their own (outdated) starship fleet (comprised of ships that would otherwise be decommissioned) for their 'legion' of rapid-reaction troubleshooters.

See Starfleet Engineering for more detail.

Starfleet Security

Members of Starfleet Security are not independent units like the above ground combat types, but are assigned to starship and starbase commands in the numbers deemed appropriate for the assignment. They serve as enforcement and defensive protection (i.e., counter-boarding) elements onboard those ships and stations, but will be used as peacekeeping and peace enforcement teams when called upon for short duration missions.

Expenses

There are two costs associated with a military unit: initial purchase and operational.

Battalion	Purchase RPs	Operational (annual RPs)
Marine	xx amount	yy amount
Marine Reserve	1/3rd xx	yy (active) 1/2 yy (inactive)
Militia	1/5th xx	1/2 yy (active) 1/4th yy (inactive)
MeSONs (group)	1.25xx	yy
SCE	xx	yy

Ground Combat

Note: see Civil War and Federation Involvement regarding ground forces not involved in direct conflicts.