Marines

"My ship was boarded once by marines from Xecalore. They used fire. What kind of psychopath uses fire on a ship that they're currently on? Even vampirates won't do that."
~Astral Navigatrix Sallerida Valiant

Composition

Manpower

Marines are smallish units because of the space restrictions of ships. They make up for this by every marine pulling double duty as infantry. Every drummer, cook, medic, and bugler can also fight in boarding or repelling actions, and the vast majority of them are trained in making landings and assaults. The actual manpower of a marine unit varies from outfit to outfit, and no two are ever really quite the same. Their size is typically indicative of the extra space on the ship to which they're attached. In all, roughly half of marines are specialized to infantry, with the other half pulling other roles and a provisional contingent of sailors accompanying them which never exceeds 10% of the size of the marine force.
Additionally, most marine outfits have advance parties that scout for the main outfit as well as representatives that provide information and requests to the home that sent them out.

Equipment

Marines act as light infantry, and every tool they have must have at least two purposes or they will leave it on the ship.

Weaponry

Marines typically get the best possible weapons that their country or settlement can provide them with. On average, they prefer polearms for landings but shorter weapons such as cutlasses or hammers for boarding actions and for use as sidearms. Slings are almost universally preferred as ranged weapons owing to the abundance of potential ammunition to be found around in the form of detritus.

Vehicles

Marines travel on ships, typically cargo vessels with much of the cargo space converted to bunks. Marines have little to no job on ships, and are notorious for getting into trouble when they're bored.

Structure

Marines are primarily trained in partisan combat and landing assaults. They typically are broken up into extremely small units, and trained to act independently towards a single goal. Traditionally, leaders of marine outfits lead from the front and as a result they often have high attrition rates. Many commanders find it helpful to be inspiring and instill genuine loyalty in their men, and as a consequence it's a known axiom that killing a marine commander in the field typically just makes the rest of them more creatively destructive.

Tactics

Marines initiate boarding actions and landings in as much force as they can manage. They typically hold very little in the way of reserves on these actions. They seek to penetrate enemy defenses, and then break off into partisan warfare. Every marine on the attack will know what their goal is, and is expected to work towards that goal with minimal contact with leadership. Prior to a landing, advance scouts will attempt to sneak past enemy defenses and sabotage the enemy's potential responses by any means necessary. Once a breakthrough has been achieved, individual teams of marines will wreak havoc on the enemy, destroying what they can and killing or capturing any enemy they find. These targets of opportunity may conceal the true objective, which becomes clear once enough marines have gathered near the objective to make their final assault.
Marines travel light, forage supplies, and attempt to win every engagement with rapid maneuver and fast assaults.

Training

Due to the independent nature of marines, they require fairly extensive training.

Logistics

Logistical Support

Marines must rely on Astral Navigators for their supply lines. Otherwise, they eat and supply themselves by foraging.

Auxilia

Up to 10% of a boarding or landing force may be sailors. These will run messages back to the ship, request fire support from the ship, and provide medical aid and evacuation to wounded marines. They also receive any prisoners from the marines and ferry them back to the ship.

Recruitment

Very few settlements conscript their marines. This has been shown to be a disaster when tried. Rather, volunteers and professionals are much preferred. Recruiters use their most tried and true salesman techniques to get more bodies into uniforms.

Type

Marines

Overall training Level

Trained

Assumed Veterancy

Trained