Marine Heavy Brigade

The Heavy Brigade is a combat maneuver element of the TASA Marine Corps, much like the Marine Expeditionary Brigade. The Heavy Brigade is organized around mechanized and armored combat power, offering more offensive firepower than a typical MEB. Heavy Brigades take longer to mobilize, however, due to the greater associated vehicular tonnage. As a result HBs are usually used in terrestrial conflicts. Off-world deployments of Heavy Brigades are usually either in smaller numbers to augment lighter Task Forces or without their heavier armored assets.
The Heavy Brigade is focused around four maneuver battalions. Two Mechanized Infantry Battalions provide the main combat power. A third, armored battalion augments the Brigade with heavy firepower. Lastly, a Light Armored Battalion offers mobile firepower and reconnaissance capability. While these to Armored Battalions can operate as independent maneuver elements, their subordinate assets are usually split to support the two Mechanized Battalions.
In total, the TMC has 20 Heavy Brigades, 12 of which are Joint Heavy Brigades (JHBs) and 8 of which are Unitary (UHBs).

Composition

Manpower

6.604 Marines

• 401 Officers
• 54 Warrant Officers
• 6149 Enlisted

Structure

Marine Heavy Brigade

• Headquarters and Service Regiment
  • Headquarters Company
  • Signal Company
  • Logistics Company
  • Vehicle Maintenance Company
  • Equipment Maintenance Company
  • Medical Company
  • Battalion Support Company (x7)
• Expeditionary Mechanized Battalion (x2)
  • Headquarters Company
  • Mechanized Infantry Company (x4)
• Light Armor Battalion
  • Headquarters Company
  • Light Armor Company (x4)
• Armor Battalion
  • Headquarters Company
  • Armor Company (x4)
• Fire Support Battalion
  • Headquarters Company
  • Unmanned Armor Company (x2)
  • Fires Battery (x2)
  • Target Acquisition Company
• Engineer Battalion
  • Headquarters Company
  • Engineer Company (x4)
• Full Spectrum Intelligence Company
• Military Police Company

History

For many years, the TASA Marine Corps did not possess armored assets like Main Battle Tanks, initially focusing on highly mobile spaceborne infantry units. Beginning in 2193, TASA began introducing armored assets to form five Independent Marine Armored Battalions in anticipation of participating in larger ground conflicts. Several of these battalions later expanded into Brigades over the course of the War of the Americas.
In the decades that followed, TASA restructured the Armored Brigades to incorporate Mechanized Infantry elements, forming the Heavy Brigades in use today.

Type

Marines

Used by

• TASA Marine Corps