Marine Simming Guide
Divisions and Personnel Assignments |
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COMMAND DIVISION | OPERATIONS DIVISION | SCIENCES DIVISION | MARINE CORPS | CIVILIAN CONTINGENT |
The duty post of Marine is a tough one to define. While there have been mentions of "ground forces" in DS9 and the appearance of Colonel West in The Undiscovered Country, Starfleet Marines themselves have never been explicitly mentioned in the Trek series and movies. A possible precursor to the Starfleet Marines exists with the MACOs introduced on Star Trek: Enterprise, but still, there are no set rules for what a Starfleet Marine should be simmed as. Thus, simmers and fans alike have since worked on defining how to SIM a good Marine aboard a Starfleet vessel. The Marine's RoleConsidering the basic running of the ship is left to other non-Marine Starfleet Officers on board, how can you develop your character on ship without a daily routine to stick to? How do you avoid making SIMs repetitive and actually enjoy what you write? Integrating with the Rest of the CrewOnce the Marine is assigned to his or her post, the Marine becomes a member of the crew at that post. The Marine chain of command parallels that of the Starfleet naval ranks. The chain of command exists to provide accountability of subordinates and ensure duties are carried out by them. Enlisted and commissioned ranks follow the same chain of command, and orders from higher ranking officers, regardless of their assignment or branch, must be followed in accordance with Starfleet policy. The captain of the ship or facility maintains the ultimate authority in the chain of command, regardless of the Marine officer’s commissioned grade or rank. The Marine commanding officer, as a department head, answers to the captain and first officer directly regarding Marine activities. During normal “routine” activities, Marines are subject to orders and assignments from ranking Starfleet officers. Marines are bound by doctrine to obey any lawful order issued by a ranking officer, as long as that order does not violate Federation law or Starfleet policy. On some vessels, marines work in the department of their chosen specialty (a marine medic working under the Medical Department for instance or a combat engineer working within the engineering department) and report to the head of that specific department for most day-to-day operations rather than in a separate marine company. Such marines may be called upon to serve in Starfleet Search and Rescue teams. Working with Other MarinesIf you find that you are joining a ship that already has a compliment of Marines on board, then huzzah! It might be the case that you are joining an already fleshed out Company or Squadron and can only contribute more to the growing family. You can create a roster of NPC characters to bridge out your Marine compliment on board ship by creating a few detailed characters and make a simple duty roster like the main Current roster on your desired vessel. Designate who reports to whom; who is the big cheese (usually the highest ranking PC)? Develop a supporting cast to work with when it comes to missions and the like. Creating a mass of NPCs would defeat the object of having player interaction on board the vessel and not every Marine NPC needs to be simmed for. Allow other writers on board to create their own NPC Marine characters and explore a truly unique duty post. Life as a MarineMarines are trained combatants from the beginning, becoming the spearhead of Starfleet’s ground based offensive and defensive team. The duties of a Marine are similar to those of any other security or combat related position. Shifts begin at given times, and usually end at a prescribed time. Often these shifts last 12 to 16 hours, depending on the needs of the facility or ship. Marines, like all Starfleet officers, are always on call and available 24 hours a day. Marines not assigned to a duty post spend a large portion of their shift training for whatever might be on the horizon. Holodeck training simulations are a valuable tool in preparing the Marines in a realistic scenario based environment. These trainings would include combat scenario training in jungle, desert, forest, and urban environments, as well as weapons and tactics training. Marines are often called upon to take care of the most sensitive of tasks. This can, at times, require the Marine to take part in very dangerous, and sometimes near hopeless, missions. Many Marines have paid the ultimate price while participating in black operations in the quest for justice and freedom. The salary of a Marine is the knowledge that the doctrine of the Federation is upheld in the face of oppression. Because of this, Marines cherish their time off as much as they are loyal to their duties. Marines work hard and have a reputation of playing even harder. |
Mission Specialist | Helm/Com/Ops | Engineer | Science Officer | Medical Officer | Nurse |
Intelligence Officer | Security Officer | Tactical Officer | Marine | Counselor | Civilian |
Duty Posts |
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