The Third Regiment

Overview

The 3rd Regiment of the 4th Combat Division, attached to Marine Space Force 3 'Herculis', was established in 2170 following the close of Operation Canton and the establishment of a cease fire between the United Americas and the Union of Progressive Peoples. It was created during the reorganization of USCM forces necessitated by the shifting geopolitical landscape which emerged in the wake of the devastating colonial conflict. In its original state the Regiment consisted of a mishmashed smattering of outdated transport vessels that had seen service as far back as the Sol Campaign, a variety of commanders with misaligned and conflicting ideologies as well as goals, and a severe lack of functional and easily maintained equipment to be used in ongoing conflicts within the Herculis Theater.

Following the ascension of Colonel Yi Ji-Yeon to the position of Regimental Commander, the 3rd Regiment has begun to resemble a fighting force that the United Americas could grow to become proud of. In 2182 the Regiment still experiences issues surrounding corruption, a dwindling budget, and an all-around lack of qualified personnel to hold positions of importance, it is no longer the hopelessly outdated and disorganized organization it was at the outset of its founding.

Organization

Regimental Structure

Rank Structure

Role	Description	Eligibility
Colonel | Col	Leads the 3rd Regiment of the USCMC's 4th Combat Division, assigned to Marine Space Force 3 (MSF-3) 'Herculis', operating out of Chinook 91 GSO Station. The Regimental Commander acts as the highest instance of authority to all Marines within their Regiment, with their own superiors usually not being immediately present due to distances of space and time of travel. As such, the Colonel has a large degree of authority.	CO Senator
Lieutenant Colonel | LtCol	Leaders of the Regiment’s different battalions. Different Commanders act as the intermediate authority figure to their subordinate officers (Company Commanders). It is the duty of a Battalion Commander to organise, supply and supervise their respective battalions, while ensuring its resources are put to good use. Due to this, Lieutenant Colonels have the authority to specialise their Battalions towards specific purposes to ensure the integrity of their forces and of the Regiment as a whole.	CO Council
Major | Maj	COs within the Regiment at the rank of Major will be in command of usually at least one Company of Marines. This can vary, however, and there are certainly niche scenarios, especially out in the Neroid Sector at the fringes of civilized space. All Companies and their Commanders are placed within specific Battalions, and are thus subordinate to the Battalion’s Commander. However, as space is vast and the Neroid Sector is especially so, it is not unheard of to see only a handful of ships - or even completely isolated, lone ships - being sent out to patrol or investigate distress calls, due to travel times and manpower shortages. This means that even at the Company level, COs retain a fair amount of individual authority, though when present, they are to follow the orders of their Lieutenant Colonel to act as a unified force of a Battalion.	CO Whitelist

Battalions & Operations

The 3rd Regiment employs somewhere in the range of 9,800 active, combat capable personnel spread across its seven battalions. Though the size of each battalion varies depending on several factors (the type of mission it is designed for, the inclusion of specialized support units, current operational environment, and changes in force structure) generally each maintains somewhere in the range of 1000-1400 personnel. While these seven battalions are designed to supplement one another in times of war and conflict, the reality is that the vast distance they are credited with patrolling combined with the difficulties of long-distance communication make each unit significantly more independent than would otherwise be standard. As such, the commanders of each battalion are able to exercise a significant degree of autonomy when it comes to specializing their command towards a certain aim or goal.

While the general autonomy available to commanders within the regiment does offer several benefits - faster decision-making in critical situations, increased situational awareness, and improved adaptability to changing circumstances - it brings alongside it several major difficulties that only serve to cripple the total operational ability of the regiment. Reduced oversight has lead to startling levels of corruption and nepotism among its officers, with many appointments being made on arbitrary or fabricated grounds to serve the political/economic goals of external parties. Lack of a consistent strategy has lead to a disjointed and counterproductive response to attacks by the Colonial Liberation Front and encroachment from the Union of Progressive Peoples.

First Battalion 'Lucky First' Expand

Introduction
The First Battalion, mockingly dubbed the 'Lucky First' - originally under the command of former Regimental Commander Maverick and current Regimental Commander Ji-Yeon, has long been subject to scandals due to the disappearances of their Commanders, seemingly at the drop of a hat, leading some to speculate that this battalion is cursed in one way or another. A saying among its commanders being those that are assigned to oversee it will meet an unceremonious end. Lieutenant Colonel Caroline A.W. Ljungman has continued reforms to combat this stigma. Ljungman has focused on imposing the rigid structure and effective training necessary for the battalion to operate at its maximum potential. This, coupled with the wholesale purge of corrupt elements of the battalion (some of whom were simply Magpies unluckily caught up in the event), has drawn the ire of many. With her own background as a Hawk of the regiment’s Fourth Battalion, Ljungman has instituted a similar culture within the First; this is especially present in the overwhelming force used in raids. Doves are also present in significant numbers, with the battalion’s interdiction role appealing to those of a more restrained approach. The First Battalion specializes in boarding raids (VBSS) of other spaceborne vessels, mimicking that of the ICSC contraband removal parties aimed at disrupting anti-colonial sentimentalism generated by 'boots on the ground' tactics. The battalion has served most notably during Operation Tychon Tackle and has been of great effect in quelling CLF movement in the Neroid Sector.
Headquarters
First Battalion is headquartered on the USS Ganesha, a Conestoga-class Light Assault Starship. Being the ‘flagship’ for the battalion, the Ganesha is outfitted differently than the rest of the unit. Interior modules that would normally be reserved for a company of marines are instead replaced by offices and bunking for the battalion’s command staff and headquarters unit, an expanded Combat Information Center, and an enhanced communications and intelligence suite. The Ganesha still carries the requisite modules for the First’s operations, including an auxiliary hangar with specialized craft for her interdiction operations, as well as a somewhat expanded brig. Due to the necessary weaponry and modules for interdiction operations and the battalion headquarters, the ship only carries an (understrength) company of marine infantry, though she does have a slightly larger Military Police detachment. Despite her understrength marine force, the vessel features the standard complement of weaponry for the class, with the addition of smaller weapons designed to disable ships that attempt to flee from the Ganesha during interdiction operations: 8x XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT Missiles Twin 800-megavolt Particle Beams Twin Railguns in Dorsal and Ventral Turrets Twin 80-megawatt Infrared Lasers 60 Orbital Mines
Command
First Battalion and, by extension, the USS Ganesha, are commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Caroline A.W. Ljungman as of 2182. Given the required size of an infantry battalion, the First has several dozen other officers and senior enlisted personnel spread across its patrol zone in other vessels assigned to the battalion. Senior battalion staff, including headquarters staff, remain on the Ganesha, and include Major James Parker, the Battalion Executive Officer. Individual company commanders are granted an immense amount of leeway and control over their individual commands, given the vast amount of area the First is expected to cover at any given time. Commanding officers are given a significant amount of trust in executing interdiction operations faithfully and in an above-board manner, though battalion staff periodically check in on operations in person.
Factionalism
The First is no stranger to the ideological struggles that occur within the Corps, with supporters of all sorts of ideologies present within the battalion. The vast majority of battalion headquarters staff are Hawks. Some whisper, privately, that it is due to the appointment of an AW as the battalion commander; publicly, however, LtCol Ljungman’s Hawk attitude is well-documented. There is also a significant contingent of Doves within the battalion, mainly owing to the interdiction role that the battalion plays, allowing for more ‘hearts and minds’ interactions, as opposed to deployments in the dirt. Magpies were virtually purged from the First after Ljungman took over, mostly in relation to the corruption fight, whether they were involved or not. Some, however, have managed to avoid the ire of the battalion commander.
Background
Operation Holdfast aimed to maintain a perimeter of the World of New Kingston after a coup against and the death of the Governor-Elect. Ultimately ensuring that no subversive elements fled and that peace was restored to the Colony with minimal loss of Civilian Life. Operation Candlewick involved a joint action between the Lucky First and a Three World Empire Peacekeeping Battalion monikered 'Hokkaido Lads.' Resulted in the successful elimination of a secessionist force from the Three World Empire lead by guerilla Mark Ishii and secured the destruction of the secessionist Flagship 'Haliday' with only one Battalion Frigate Casualty - The USS 'Secret Agent.'

Fourth Battalion 'Steel Phantoms' Expand

Introduction
The 4th Battalion of the 3rd Regiment, 4th Combat Division of the MSF-3 (alternatively known as the “Steel Phantoms”) is led and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Calhoun as of the year 2182. At present they function as the Regiment’s premier spearhead force due to their high concentration of heavy equipment: tanks, self-propelled artillery, and armored recon. It is currently headquartered out of its flagship vessel, a Conestoga-Class ship known as the USS Renascent. The USS Renascent is subordinate to 3rd Regiment Command and Colonel Yi Ji-Yeon.
Operations
The 4th Battalion operates as the 3rd Regiment’s breakthrough force, being tasked with the destruction of heavily fortified enemy positions across the entirety of the Neroid Sector. As such, it finds itself out of active use during times of peace - most readily operating as a supplementary force during small-scale operations within the region. In the absence of large-scale conflicts, the ships of the 4th Battalion operate as patrol vessels in the more tumultuous portions of the sector. This is primarily due to the need for quick responses of a heavier ordinance in these regions, owing to both the frequency of and nature of most beacons sent out into the dead of space. Where the 4th Battalion goes it is not uncommon to see abject devastation follow, owing to the tendency of many of its commanders to pursue victory at the detriment of other, secondary objectives. This directly translates to a near-total disregard for collateral as commanders complete their duties.
Headquarters
The 4th Battalion is based out of the Conestoga Class Light Assault Starship, the USS Renascent. As the functional command-nexus for the 4th Battalion, the Renascent is compartmentalized towards bureaucracy and intelligence gathering more than it is towards the transport of troops or vessel-to-vessel combat. This does not mean that the Renascent is defenseless, however, as it is equipped with the full-standard cohort of armaments available to Light Assault Starships of its class: 8x XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT Missiles Twin 800-megavolt Particle Beams Twin Railguns in Dorsal and Ventral Turrets Twin 80-megawatt Infrared Lasers 60 Orbital Mines The Renascent additionally carries a fully armored company of marines on board in order to provide supplementary combat services to its allies and to complete its standard patrol duties within the Neroid Sector. Said company is equipped with 2 M40 Ridgeway Heavy Tanks, 4 M22A3 Jackson Medium Tanks, 6 M43A2 Longstreet Light Tanks, and 2 M292 Self-Propelled Artillery Guns, and is usually only deployed to assist in medium to large-scale operations rather than standard emergency responses. The Command Center on board the USS Renascent contains the offices of Battalion Commander Calhoun and his immediate support staff, as well as spare offices for high-ranking battalion staff when receiving assignments or conducting necessary paperwork away from individual vessels.
Command
The 4th Battalion and USS Renascent are both commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Calhoun as of the year 2182. Battalion staff is generally split across several vessels on active patrol within the 3rd Regiment’s operating theater, but consists of a few dozen officers and enlisted personnel, including: Major Caroline A.W. Ljungman, Battalion Executive Officer; and Sergeant Major Ryan Goodman, Chief Enlisted Advisor. Though the majority of the battalion’s command staff are located within the USS Renascent, company commanders are granted greater leeway and independence when stationed on separate vessels due to the sheer distance covered within the Neroid Sector. Additionally, due to the valuable armored cargo carried onboard most vessels within the 4th, commanders are generally trusted to conduct themselves with a level of professionalism and care a step above the standard in order to avoid the unnecessary loss of such critical materials.
Factionalism
As with every military organization, the 4th Battalion does see its fair share of conflicting ideologies and methods of conducting business. However, the command structure of the battalion has seen the vast majority of its senior positions staffed by members of the Colonial Protection Organisation (CPO), more commonly known as ’Hawks’. Many allege this state of affairs to have come about due to Lt. Col. Calhoun’s status as a stalwart ’Hawk’, though complaints are often shut down as the battalion is not entirely devoid of ’Doves’ and ‘Magpies’.
Background
The 4th was originally under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Karl Philip Walz, for whom the Battalion’s long-standing reputation as an astoundingly capable cohort is entirely owed. However, after a series of events surrounding [REDACTED], involving [REDACTED], and ultimately resulting in [REDACTED], Commander Walz would be transferred from his position as Chief Officer of the 4th Battalion to a position in the core systems where it was believed he could be of more use. Upon Lieutenant Colonel Calhoun’s assumption of command over the 4th Battalion it was stunningly revealed to both the Office of the Provost and High Command that the 4th was marred with a combination of corruption and fraudulent record-keeping maintained solely by nepotistic practices. This discovery prompted a complete reorganization of the Battalion, necessarily including the filing of criminal charges against many key personnel present within the Battalion’s command structure and the discharge of several more from service within the USCMC. This sweeping wave of firings prompted the 4th Battalion to adopt the moniker “Steel Phantoms,” owing to its status as an armored cohort and the fact that Battalion Headquarters appeared as a ghost town due to the large quantity of vacated office space. Operation Iron Rain was a planned invasion of a colony world lost to CLF forces. A coordinated first-strike between 3 separate against known strongholds crippled the ability of OPFOR to fight back against USCM Forces. Minimal civilian casualties reported. Extreme levels of property damage reported. Operation Hangover took place after Sergeant [REDACTED] commiserated with locals present at a bar on LV-724 and learned of the presence of a CLF Cell on the planet. This information was recalled when the Sergeant woke up hungover the following day and informed their commander, prompting a swift response. No Civilian casualties reported. Operation Swamp Ghost was the planned pacification of a sparsely populated region of [REDACTED] occupied by rebellious colonists. Scouting revealed terrain to consist of swathes of swamps and bogs. The areas surrounding known colonist holdouts were flattened via a lengthy artillery barrage prior to heavily-armored components rolling forward. Colonists surrendered on contact with forward elements.

Fifth Battalion 'Iron Eagles' Expand

Introduction
The Fifth Battalion, AKA the Iron Eagles, bears responsibility for long-range recon following air, sea, ground, and space. The Battalion itself is robustly equipped with various odds and ends, likely tactically acquired from other operations and put to use. Each eagle receives high-end medical and engineering training and additional training on non-standard UA equipment. They are led by Lieutenant Colonel Braden Stephenson. While some of their members play loose with expectations of SOP. They possess a modus operandi, using smaller groups moving ahead of battle groups to slip in past enemy lines to provide allied forces with the location of critical buildings and enemy placements and disrupt the enemy supply lines where they can. One of the most significant services this Battalion provides towards the efforts is their counter operations to well-known CLF guerilla cells and with their training making them a natural predator to the ill-equipped terrorist movement. Their second largest contribution is working with the logistics branch, usually providing early warnings of hostile movement to the supply ships. Membership of the Iron Eagles is usually considered a silent service as members are not known to publicly speak about what each other is doing, keeping information closely linked to the chain of command. Active rumors exist, but the Battalion itself neither confirms nor denies such.
Background
Exercise Iron Blood was a joint training exercise between 1st Battalion ‘Lucky First’ and the 5th Battalion involving an initial recon mission by 5th Battalion elements who set up a forward base from which other units, including companies of the 1st, would aim to to reinforce. Acceptable performance was noted after joint analysis. During Operation Pale Horse the Iron Eagles deployed to the jungle-covered LV-889. UAAC-TIS intelligence couriers informed Battalion Command that the planet was infested with four active CLF cells, as well as a guerilla training camp designed to turn out elite fighters for the wider terrorist network. First, Seventh, and Fourth Companies deployed to the planet, and while most details of this operation are redacted after thirty days, the Eagles had reported: "We came, we saw, we removed terrorists from the AO." Operation New Dawn was a large-scale battle between a CLF cell and the UA peackeeping forces on LV-518, with the CLF using the planet's naturally hazardous environment to prevent a USCM armored division from advancing. A small team of Eagles led by one Lieutenant Matthews plotted a safe course despite sustaining multiple losses to the unit.

Sixth Battalion 'Silver Sparrows' Expand

Introduction
The Sixth Battalion, of the Third Regiment, Fourth Marine Division of Marine Space Force Three, ‘Herculis’, also known by the moniker “Silver Sparrows” is led and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Hunter Stanford. Having been created in 21XX as a result of the deactivation of 3rd Battalion, ‘Rattlesnakes’ and merging of Battalions XXX and XXX, the Silver Sparrow’s mission is to conduct and assist with the pacification of the Neroid sector, although officially worded as “Assisting with specialized operations in frontier colonial locales of the UA and TWE.” Much like its predecessor the 3rd Battalion, ‘Rattlesnakes’, the Silver Sparrows are now highly mobile in nature and assignment, and Company Commanders of the Sixth Battalion often see themselves on their ship more often than not, going from planet to planet, one region of space to another, and taking long haul patrol assignments like those often assigned to the USS Almayer. The Silver Sparrows also have retained, at least comparably to other battalions in the Neroid, a high number of Infantry-focused companies. More infamously, the Sixth Battalion has also seen in recent times a reputation of underhandedness, not much unlike its predecessor, the 3rd Battalion, ‘Rattlesnakes’. It is an open secret in the USCMC that 3rd Battalion, ‘Rattlesnakes’ was deactivated under pressure from various press, humanitarian, Provost, and internal pressures on USCMC High Command for drastic actions to curtail the brutality inflicted on everything from rare planetary fauna to civilian populations. While officially listed as deactivated for combat reorganization purposes, large remnants of the ‘Rattlesnakes’ live on in the Sixth Battalion. The first Sixth Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Gabriela Orchiz was placed in charge of the newly formed Sixth in an effort to appease the aforementioned pressures to ensure a ‘proper’ USCM fighting force. Personally, Gabriela Orchiz possessed a reputation of strict discipline, management, and overall success. Lt. Col. Gabriela Orchiz would lead effectively until 21XX and their own promotion and reassignment elsewhere. During Gabriela Orchiz ’s short leadership, the Sixth saw several new introductions of Company Commanders, new Bougainville ships, Conestoga retrofits, and decommissioning of old Arikaras. Lt. Col. Hunter Stanford, the current and second commander of the Sixth Battalion, has undone much of Gabriela Orchiz’s ‘progress’. Stanford was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and placed in command of the Silver Sparrows in 21XX. Stanford was highly popular within the ranks of the Sixth and outside, possessing large amounts of experience and connections within the Neroid sector, which the Sixth found itself increasingly operating inside. Stanford’s popularity notably excluded Gabriela Orchiz, who had regularly assigned them to especially unwanted duties and disparaged him in private circles with accusations of being a ‘yes-man, crony, and overall brown noser’. Under Stanford’s command, and alleged lack of command to some, the Silver Sparrows have been entirely relegated to the Neroid and placed under command of Colonel Yi Ji-Yeon and the Third Regiment. In the Neroid they gained the aforementioned reputation of underhandedness and brutality in some cases. In the latest example, Operation Roost Rustle, or the joint CMB-USCM seizure of weapons and stolen goods from CLF aligned smugglers along the XXX Route, CMB officials alleged mishandling of precious seized cargo by the Silver Sparrows. This incident is one amongst a history of many similar such cases. While Stanford himself has never been implicated or directly involved and routinely takes part in efforts to root out the recurring problem of mishandling operations, many have alleged accusations of malice, incompetence, and mismanagement against him, and his popularity has dropped sharply in recent times. He personally lists the lack of resources given to him, remoteness of the Neroid, incompetency of the Provost Marshal office, and efforts of subversive elements from inside and out of the USCM as reasons for the poor performance of the Silver Sparrows. Under Stanford, the Sixth Battalion is a loosely organized unit offering commanders great autonomy in conducting their orders. It is a rare sight to see multiple Sixth Battalion Companies working in tandem or even inside the same AO, exceptions being the relatively few bases, camps, and forts in various space stations and planets assigned to the Sixth. This is due to Stanford’s personal preferences on leadership style as he styles it ‘the best tactical approach to handling the Neroid.’
Factionalism
Factionalism amongst senior officers in the USCM is widespread, and is no less true in the Silver Sparrows in recent times. The ‘Doves’ are ever present in the remnants of Gabriela Orchiz’s introduction of new Company Commanders from the more ‘sophisticated’  MSF1 and MSF2 forces where she held sway, and her overall era of disciplined leadership. The ‘Warhawks’ stand strong in the senior most echelons of the Sixth’s officers and senior enlisted, many coming from the ‘Rattlesnakes’. The ‘Magpies’, while less prominent in the Sixth and more covert than the Doves or Warhawks, hold a small but impactful presence from the outside and inside of the Sixth, largely represented by opportunist and self serving officers like Stanford, with company men and women here and there. Finally there are those ‘Unaligned’ with any faction still present. A number of Company Commanders, including Stanford in the now far past, request or arrange transfer to the Silver Sparrows to get away from micromanaging superiors, factionalism, and to get some action in the heating up combat AO’s of the Neroid. After all, who doesn’t want to see exotic, far off planets, and serve their country while doing so?

Seventh Battalion 'Blazing Orchids' Expand

Introduction
The Seventh Battalion, the Blazing Orchids, is an Infantry Battalion with Crowd & Riot Control Capability with a special intelligence network, a large number of specially trained Military Police & Infantry personnel and equipment to suppress the rebellions and riots encouraged and funded by the Colonial Liberation Front, which increased its activities in the sector especially as a result of the Canton Operation. In addition to its Crowd & Riot Control responsibility, the Battalion is recorded as occasionally conducting joint investigations with the Provost Office on the colonies. Known for her closeness to the Doves and her experience and success in anti-CLF operations, Lieutenant Colonel Gökçen Demir was appointed as the commander of the Seventh Battalion.
Background
The objective of Operation Scarlet Wall was to secure LV-331 after a coordinated CLF assault aimed to seize control of vital hydroponic facilities critical to the colony's survival. The CLF infiltrated LV-331, using a civilian worker strike as a cover to initiate an armed rebellion. The Blazing Orchids established a defensive perimeter around the hydroponics complex, deploying barricades and tear gas to prevent protesters from breaching critical zones. Simultaneously, a strike team led by Major Lorraine neutralized key insurgent leaders holed up in the colony, severing their ability to coordinate.

Starship Hulls

As the United States Colonial Marine Corps is an independent arm of the Armed Forces, separate from the United States AeroSpace Force, those officers employed by the USCMC and the Third Regiment of Marine Space Force 3 are not placed in command of vessels primarily designed for space combat. Instead, commissioned officers of sufficient rank and ability are on occasion granted command of troop transport vessels that, in addition to transporting personnel across vast distances of space, act as carriers for rapid deployment of UD-4 "Cheyenne" Dropships as well as other vehicles and equipment commonly employed by marine companies.

Due to the distance between the United America's core colonies and the Neroid sector of the Herculis Theater, the transport vessels of the Third Regiment often travel alone through the vastness of space to respond to distress signals and any other of the numerous situations that may require the attention of the armed forces. If an officer of the Third Regiment is granted command of one of these vessels it will almost always be one of three available hulls.

Available Starship Hulls Expand

Arikara-class Landing Patrol Vessel
The Arikara is the oldest of the three marine transport hulls within the Regiment’s arsenal, originally devised in the 2150s and first produced in the 2160s. Classified as a Patrol Transport capable of self-sustained efforts, the Arikara was a classic, stop-gap production for when the UA required a new vessel for deep space patrols, with at least a few hulls being built or retrofitted in conjunction with WY. Said contributions often came with expanded research and AI systems, yet with the added caveat of a corporate presence onboard. Smaller than the much more popular and common Conestoga-class, Arikara-class transports generally carry no more than two companies, and can be relatively easily piloted by a skeleton crew with the aid of the ship AI. In a baseline configuration, it can serve several roles decently, but does not excel at any. For example, the inclusion of a small garage for mechanized support and a hangar for deployments of UD-4 or UD-25 drops, yet with only limited amounts of both air support and armored vehicles available, alongside the ammunition and equipment necessary for each. As expected from this jack-of-all-trades style, an Arikara has basic capabilities for both self-defence and offense, though will handily lose any fight against a more modern counterpart, let alone any larger starship properly built for space combat.
Conestoga-class Light Assault Starship
The Conestoga Light Assault Starship is the hull class that has largely replaced the earlier Arikara, due primarily to its superior performance in the Arikara's primary role as isolated deep-space patrol vessel capable of ferrying troops to far off locations. The Conestoga is much larger, capable of carrying far more equipment and personnel (dependent on configuration and usage), as well as being better armored and armed overall. While originally designed to be a practical, dedicated troop transport staying entirely within USASF battlegroups, the nature of the Cold War with the UPP and War on Insurgency meant that patrol vessels were in demand. This led to a gradual shift for the Conestoga into the role of the Arikara, which they have proven to be significantly better at overall, even with their slightly increased crew and logistical requirements. Despite excelling at its main tasks of troop transport, patrols, and general self-sufficiency in combat aspects, Conestoga-class hulls have poor auxiliary utilities in their baseline configuration. and often require retrofits into specialized designs dependent on their assignments and roles. A dedicated Conestoga can hold as many as eight full companies of marines theoretically, yet in practice they usually hold no more than 2, as with the Arikara. Enough to handle nearly any combat situation encountered on a patrol that a single transport is meant to tackle, while providing them with superior support in the form of vehicles, fire support, and logistics.
Bougainville-class Light Attack Transport
The Bougainville is the newest evolution of the troop transport concept following the Conestoga and Arikara hulls, considered top-of-the-line for its purpose within the USCMC. Building on the lessons learned from the Arikara and taking the improvements in design from the Conestoga-class, the Bougainville is slated to become the new premier hull design employed by the Third Regiment. The Bougainville features a vaguely hammerhead-shaped design towards its front, giving it a unique shape, which is also where its Bridge is located. Though it is smaller than the Conestoga, its modernized systems and design allow it to carry systems and weapons that outclass and outperform the ones fitted on prior hulls, giving them increased combat effectiveness at a price far below what it would cost to fully retrofit and modernize prior designs. However, the Bougainville's one unavoidable weakness is that of its size. It is undeniably smaller, and if not for its modern efficiencies, would be far worse overall than the others in almost every aspect, both combat and transport. Even with said modernity, a Bougainville will often only hold one, or two undersized companies, with very little in the way of vehicles and greatly diminished autonomy. This, however, is a completely intentional design choice. Bougainvilles are generally afforded with improved equipment that requires less space for similar effectiveness, reducing the space needed for auxiliary modules like a medbay, and have most of a company's fire support requirements offloaded to multipurpose mounts on the ship itself, rather than individual equipment or vehicles. Thus, the class has much of the multi-role capability of the Arikaras for use on patrols alongside combat effectiveness near that of the Conestogas, at a far smaller size and price. The poor autonomy is a known and expected factor, as fears of the Cold War with the UPP going hot have steadily grown over time. Bougainvilles only need to be 'good enough' for extended and distant patrols, as in the event a full-scale war breaks out, much of the largely-empty territory of present-day patrols would be abandoned. Instead, they would generally remain within the proximity of allied battlegroups, patrolling around a collection of ships that could easily resupply them while still serving in its primary capacity as orbital landing ships. Such a situation would negate every potential downside of the class compared to the Conestoga, further adding onto the benefits of its greatly reduced logistical and economic costs.

Starship Retrofits & Specializations

In the event an officer is placed in charge of one of the above hulls, they are presented with the option to augment or otherwise retrofit their vessel to serve the desires and needs of their assignment. For a humanitarian assignment or one anticipating high casualty levels, part of a vessel's cryobay may be converted into additional medical facilities and for protracted assignments and logistics oriented vessels this may involve converting large swathes of hangar space into munitions storage or vehicle bays to store MUTT-4M7 Multipurpose Trucks. While augments to a vessel's outer hull are possible they are significantly more expensive, and considering that the Third Regiment already operates with a decreased budget and strained supply lines it is increasingly uncommon to see the addition of new weapons systems - such as railguns, missiles, or countermeasures - to any vessel's hull.

Officers of the Third Regiment are granted relatively free-reign to augment their vessels as they see fit, provided the funding and materials are present, though there are certain functionalities that each vessel are expected and required to maintain. All vessels are expected to maintain the ability to conduct landings and transport marine personnel, as is their primary function, and must be capable of rendering medical aid and treatment to wounded or ailing marines. Any undertaking that would be required to retain a vessel's ability to operate on its own in the void of space for long periods of time cannot and may not be removed the vessel.

This does not exclude vessels from pursuing specializations toward certain types of patrol duties, however. The First Battalion often maintains vessels equipped with weaponry capable of disabling vessels to aid its personnel when conducting boarding operations and the Fourth Battalion maintains vessels with significantly larger vehicle bays to store and conduct maintenance on armored vehicles. Other vessels operating within the Third Regiment contain significantly increased temporary housing for civilians when conducting evacuations and upscaled medical bays for advanced surgeries and treatment protocols.

Mission

The Third Regiment is primarily tasked with search-and-destroy missions within the Herculis Theater - under the purview of the Third Fleet. And the majority of its operations and response programs are conducted within the sector of Neroid due to an influx of colonial rebellions and an increasing number of requests from local marshals for reinforcements to aid in putting down insurrections. However, in recent years the Regiment has begun to face an increasingly large number of issues when completing their duties: strained logistical supply lanes bogged down by distance, guerilla attacks from varying factions, poor maintenance of equipment, and low manpower due to a strained budget. With attrition slowly eating away at the Regiment, it has become clear that any hope of victory lies with new, unexplored methods.

As of 2182 the Third Regiment operates out of Chinook 91 GSO station, a military space station in geosynchronous orbit around the colony world Georgia 525 (70 Ophiuchi A V). Due to to increasing security concerns, Colonel Yi Ji-Yeon has begun detaching the regiment's reserve troops to defend the military space station from any potential threat that may target the heart of the Third Regiment.

Ideology

Ideology	Symbol	Description
Hawks		The Hawks are a far-right leaning faction that emerged following the end of the Sol Campaign, holding the belief that colonist uprisings can only be halted with iron and blood. Their main support dwindled following the ending of the Tientsin Campaign which led to the outlawing of nuclear weapons being used against colonies due to the humanitarian disaster that had emerged in the wake of the conflict. However, with the War on Insurgency dragging on and casualties mounting, the upper-brass of the USCM has once again begun to reconsider the option of more forceful measures. This would potentially include once again permitting the use of nuclear weaponry on colonial worlds, the suspension of colonial governments, and enactment of martial law through the sector.
Doves		The Doves are a left-leaning faction that rose to prominence following the humanitarian crisis on Mars after the Sol Campaign had been waged and won. Their firm belief is that the only way to unite colonies with the Earth Government is by fighting and winning the ‘War of Hearts’ through negotiation, humanitarian aid, and less usage of military assets. Following the Tientsin Campaign the Doves saw a major increase in popularity among the officer corps and successfully pressed the government to outlaw the use of nuclear weapons against colonial worlds. However, the War on Insurgency has wounded the belief that the ‘War of Hearts’ can still be won. Many now pointing to the relentless years of war crimes, casualties, and growing distrust of the USCM by CLF-aligned colonies. Yet there is still hope that the colonies and Sol can be reunified through compassion and unity.
Magpies		The Magpies are military industrial complex supporters who lean heavily towards policies pushed for and supported by major corporations such as Weyland-Yutani. Officers who align themselves as Magpies echo that the corporations are strong allies and that it would be harmful to push or restrict purchasing and contracts with them. It’s rumored that Magpies are among the wealthiest of officers in the USCM primarily due to bribes likely received to ‘overlook’ certain incidents that might be damaging to Weyland-Yutani or other corporations possessing active contracts with the USCM. Their interest aligns with the Hawks or Doves on specific issues and falls most readily on the cost and benefits. To them, money is power and a path to greater standing.
Unaligned		It is not uncommon for officers both new and old to distance themselves from the politics that surround their careers and missions to serve the USCM. Some often develop their own opinions far different from the main ideologies on how the issues the USCM faces should be dealt with, and thus find themselves often supporting one of the big three if it aligns with their own beliefs. Lobbying by both the Doves, Hawks, and Magpies to gain the support of these officers is not uncommon within the USCM.

Current Crises

The War on Insurgency

The Colonial Liberation Front (CLF) are the United States Colonial Marine Corps' primary enemy in the Neroid Sector. A status primarily credited to their ideology, one opposing the government of the United Americas which they believe have long since abandoned the colonies. As a result, they wage a fierce guerrilla war on any UA-aligned forces, most readily the USCM. Although under-equipped and undermanned compared to their enemies, they have made up for such with strategic hit-and-run tactics which prove devastating in the war of attrition against under-manned USCM forces in the sector.

The ongoing fight against the CLF in the Neroid Sector and various other small cells appearing in other sectors has been ongoing for over a decade with no end in sight. Having an estimated manpower in the range of 150,000, the Colonial Liberation Front heavily outnumber local USCM forces despite their shoddy equipment. Casualties and losses continue to accumulate by the day with guerilla fighting taking its toll on USCM forces. Bickering between the various tactics and styles of command between those in charge of the 3rd Regiment have rendered any meaningful progress against the CLF impossible, and a decision must be made soon if there is to be any hope of success.

The Cold War

The Union of Progressive People and the United Americas have been locked in a Cold War for decades. Since the end of the Great Space Race and hostilities such as the Core Conflicts and the Tientsin Campaign, movement and amassing of military forces along borders has not been uncommon. As a matter of fact, various skirmishes between the two are growing increasingly common as tensions continue to rise. However, since the Tientsin Campaign these skirmishes have been kept undisclosed to the public, as the result could escalate into a full-scale nuclear war.

Lobbying from various factions within the 3rd Regiment and the wider USCM, most notably those with a hawkish attitude, have resulted in the United Americas adopting an increasingly aggressive stance towards the Union of Progressive Peoples. Hopes of a thawing of relations between the two Superpowers appears a distant dream as each continues their military buildup along the borders of the other.