Traveller, The Rise of Empire: A Naval Design, Procurement and Command Quest

Selected Table of Organization and Equipment from Multispectrum Warfare Office Combat Manual (CM) 38-07: THE FLEET LANDING FORCES BATTALION

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The standard Fleet Landing Forces battalion, which forms the largest subordinate organizational unit of the two standing FLF squadrons (three battalions each) within the 58th Planetary Defense Wing, itself equivalent to a full City Militia division, is currently assembled around five full-strength companies of 135 armed combat and security soldiers, themselves composed of three platoons of 45 soldiers each, referred to colloquially as "troopers".

These platoons are in turn made up of three 15-man squads, consisting of Spacers (E-2), Lance Airmen (E-3), Senior Spacers (E-4), Sergeants (E-5) and in non-commissioned command (NCO) of each, one Flight Sergeant (E-6). Platoon command, referred to as "actual flight" is under the auspices of an assigned Lieutenant (O-1) or Flight Lieutenant (O-2), assisted by the platoon's Star Sergeant (E-7). Company command is undertaken by a Flight Captain (O-3), assisted by a Technical Sergeant (E-7) with a Flight Lieutenant (O-2) as company executive officer (XO). At the battalion level, a Major (O-4) or Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) acts as overall commander of the full 675-man FLF force, assisted by a Flight Captain or Major as XO, additional Flight Captains as Battalion Intelligence, Weapons Company, and Pathfinder officers, and senior NCO command provided by a Chief Star Sergeant (E-8) and their subordinate TSgts.

While later sections of this Combat Manual will provide details of specific small arms, fire support systems, insertion suits, combat vehicles, and powered cavalry formations that comprise the standard battalion, at present, one must know only that of the five companies under a Major's authority, three form standard mechanized infantry forces, with one platoon from each equipped with light artillery insertion suits to act as mobile fire support teams for their "regular" comrades.

One of the two remaining full companies is equipped with powered cavalry frames alongside vehicle-mounted light artillery to act as a fully-mobile weapons company, delivering accurate surface-to-surface and surface-to-air firepower to suppress major threats. Pathfinder companies, on the other hand, represent an unusual quirk of the FLF; beginning as search and rescue (SAR) forces in the early days of the City Militia Air Service, the Pathfinders quickly gained a reputation for stealth, expert medical care, and precision in combat due to training to avoid dangerous wildlife and outwilds bandits as part of rescue operations. This strange mixture of skills, in turn, led to their eventual assignment to long-range intelligence and reconnaissance duties within the Landing Forces. In the modern day, a Pathfinder company within an FLF battalion is effectively two 67-man separate forces, with one half dedicated to battlefield medicine, triage, and wound care beyond the work of each platoon's assigned flight surgeon (colloquially "the surj") and the other acting as the battalion's eyes and ears in hostile territory, often making use of long-range firearms, ultralight jet UAVs, ground-to-orbit laser designators, ISR relay units, and tactical aerospace control teams (TACTs).

Hazardous Environment Rapid Assault Vehicle

The Hazardous Environment Rapid Assault Vehicle, or HERAV, was designed at a time when it was unknown whether Home or enemy strategic locations would be in standard atmospheric environments. Developed specifically to reconnoiter and provide heavy firepower to an infantry platoon on hostile grounds, it was limited to 30 tons to fit on the standard assault shuttle. This has lead to accusations of a design that is overengineered and under survivable. However the largest detriment of the vehicle is its enormous price tag.
Based on an 8x8 wheeled chassis, the vehicle is armed with a 120mm Smoothbore Cannon and Gatling Laser in its turret, and a Heavy Machinegun on a powered ring mount for supporting infantry to use. It is capable of speeds of up to 147 km/h with a cruising range of 780 km. A HERAV's communication system is extremely long ranged, capable of reaching ships in orbit with its tightbeam equipment. This is all on a vehicle capable of operating in complete vacuum for 90 straight days, provided the crew is able to get ahold of their basic needs.

Stats:

Weaponry:

Armour
Location | Value
Front | 20+7
Right | 10+7
Left | 10+7
Rear | 10+7
Top | 8+7
Bottom | 6+7
T. Front | 20+7
T. Side/Rear | 10+7

Notes: Efficient Engine x3, Additional Armor x6, Additional Speed x5, Wheels x8, AFV, Off-road Capability, Advanced Controls, Large Turret: 2 Crew + Improved Fire Control +2

Additional Equipment: Fire Extinguishers, ERA I, Explosive Belt, Smoke/Flare/Chaff Dispenser, Life Support (Long Term), Vacuum Environment Protection, Air Lock, Sensors (Advanced), Tightbeam Satellite Uplink Communications (TL 8)

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