Fleet Expeditionary (Tiperyn)

The Fleet Marine Corps (Tipsprek: 𐍆𐌻𐍉𐌰𐍄𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌹𐌴𐍂𐍃𐌺𐍉𐍂𐍀𐍃, tr. Floatmarinierskorps), also known as the Tiperyn Fleet Marines, is a corps of the Realm Armada and the primary and  arm of the Tiperyn Realm Defence.

Although the Fleet Marine Corps is the junior and smaller of Tiperyn's two branches after the Realm Guard, it has been considered Tiperyn's principle expeditionary land force since the Great Kesh War. This has been due to its ability to deploy battalion- and brigade-size formations independently of the other branches, as an arm of the Realm Armada. In addition, the Fleet Marine Corps is considered to be a federal force under the command of the Admiralty Board, whose leader—Cardinal of the Fleet—is a cabinet-level position. Meanwhile, the Realm Guard's regiments are under the administration of Tiperyn's duchies and principalities, introducing political challenges and rivalries to the branch. Thus, the development of the Fleet Marine Corps' doctrine and force structure has been faster than the Realm Guard, and its logistics and manning is more consistent throughout the branch.

The Fleet Marine Corps is a combined arms force, manning its own infantry, armor, artillery, cyber, and support units. The cores of the Fleet Marine Corps is its Marine Strike Brigades, which are able to rapidly deploy a reinforced battalion within 18 hours amphibiously anywhere in the world and the remainder of the brigade within 2 weeks. It is the largest permanent land formation within the Realm Defence under the corps-level, as the next largest formation is the regiment, although ad-hoc division-sized elements are sometimes formed during war.

The lineage of the Fleet Marine Corps harkens back to the Realm Armada's use of dedicated sailors as, , and makeshift landing forces dating back to its 1345 formation. The branch was formally founded on 20 February 1882 as a subdivision of the Realm Armada, and given its own representative on the Admiralty Board during the Grand Campaigns. The Fleet Marine Corps has fought in every war Tiperyn has been engaged in since its formation, with the most recent being the Nasiri Civil War.

Leadership
The Fleet Marine Corps is completely subordinate to the Realm Armada in terms of organization. However, the Chief of Expeditionary Operations — colloquially referred to as the Captain General of the Fleet Marines — is considered the senior officer of the Fleet Marine Corps. The role originated during the Grand Campaigns when the Chief of Expeditionary Operations first operated in a tactical and operational capacity. They were initially equivalent in rank to a Realm Guard corps commander, and were thus sometimes referred to as a Lieutenant General. However, they were increased in status to Captain General during the Great Kesh War when Marine officers began holding theatre-level commands. Since then, the role has become mostly administrative rather than a tactical command, but it retains its original namesake.

While holding the position, the Captain General is the only Fleet Marine officer to hold the rank of Admiral. As such, they sit on the Admiralty Board which is chaired by the Cardinal of the Fleet (the Realm Armada's most senior admiral and a federal ministry). Captain Generals serve terms of three years and are chosen from a pool of Fleet Marine Vice Admirals and Counter Admirals, usually serving in senior staff roles or as Expeditionary Corps Commanders. Although Fleet Marine Corps Vice Admirals are eligible to be appointed to serve as the Cardinal of the Fleet — the highest ranking officer in the Realm Armada — by the monarch, this has never occurred in the Realm Armada's history. In such a scenario, the Captain General would remain the ranking Marine officer, as Fleet Cardinals forfeit their original branch affiliation during their service as Cardinal.

The Captain General maintains their own command staff, which includes the Vice Chief of Expeditionary Operations (colloquially referred to as the Lieutenant General) and the Regimental Ensign of the Fleet Marine Corps (the branch's senior technical authority). This staff heads the remainder of the Fleet Marine Corps headquarters, which includes several dozen subordinate offices ranging in rank from Captain to Vice Admiral. Examples include the Offices of Logistics, Manpower, Intelligence, Operations, and Public Affairs.

The current Captain General is Admiral Jakob Rikter aided by Vice Admiral Gerit Dokum, acting as Lieutenant General, and Regimental Ensign Jesca Tresoar. The Captain General reports to Cardinal of the Fleet Admiral Katherine Rijnder.

Rank structure
The rank structure of the Fleet Marine Corps is identical to the Realm Armada, although enlisted marines and non-commissioned officers receive additional ratings distinctive from the rest of the Realm Armada. These ratings are more similar to the Realm Guard's rank titles due to influences from the service during the Grand Campaigns and Great Kesh War. An example of the dual rank and rating structure would be that a marine with the rank of Senior Petty Officer would have a rating of Colour Sergeant 2nd Class. This applies to the other Realm Armada service branches. For example, a sailor with the rank of Petty Officer and in the Fleet Air Service would have a rating of Petty Officer of Aviation.

Fleet Forces
The Fleet Forces are the service's active-duty forces. The Fleet Marine Corps' operational maneuver units are typically under the command and control of one of the Realm Armada's Expeditionary Corps. Each of the High Seas Fleet's two sea and three oceanic divisions contains an Expeditionary Corps responsible for the employment of marine forces and the coordination between them and naval sea and air assets. Each Expeditionary Corps is under the command of a Counter Admiral who reports to the Vice Admiral in command of the sea or oceanic division. However, some Marine assets circumvent this structure, including one Strike Brigade, and are under the direct authority of the Captain General — an Admiral acting as the commandant of the Fleet Marines — and their headquarters.

The two largest tactical units in the Fleet Marine Corps are the brigade and regiment. Each of the branch's regiments fall under one of two types: combat arms or combat support. There is no distinction between active and reserve regiments in this regard, although reserve units are typically under the administration of the Fleet Marine Headquarters rather than an Expeditionary Corps.

Mechanicalized Strike Brigades
The Mechanicalized Strike Brigades constitute the of the Fleet Marine Corps and Realm Armada. Unlike regular combat arms regiments, which are organized around a specific arm — infantry, armor, or artillery detachments for example — Strike Brigades are combined arms formations down to the battalion level. As a result, they are able to operate more independently than other Fleet Marine Corps units. Marine Strike Brigades are the only permanent brigade in the Fleet Marines or Realm Guard and is the largest permanent tactical ground warfare unit in the Tiperyn Realm Defence.

The brigade consists of 1 Shock Detachment, 2 Mechanicalized Detachments, 1 Mechanicalized Cannon Detachment (152SP), 1 Towed Cannon Detachment (127), 1 Air Defense Detachment, 1 Scout Detachment, 1 Support Detachment and Brigade Troops.

As a service branch of the Realm Armada, commanders of Strike Brigades are Commodores. However, they receive the unique title of "Brigadier" which regimental commanders do not receive. Brigadiers are typically more senior Commodores, having had at least 4-5 years of experience commanding a Marine Regiment as a Captain or Commodore. In the context of an Amphibious Landing Squadron, which typically includes 5 amphibious assault ships, 4-6 escort warships, an attached naval aviation wing, and a portion of the brigade, the Strike Brigade commander will usually be co-equal with the commander of the warships, who is also usually a Commodore.

The subunit of the Strike Brigade that actually sails with Amphibious Landing Squadron crusies on a regular basis is the Shock Detachment, which is reformed out of the brigade's various units on a yearly basis. It contains the entire breadth of the brigade's combat power, service, and support, but in a battalion-sized element. At its core is the original Marine Detachment, which is a combined arms mechanized infantry and armoured unit. To create a Shock Detachment, a self-propelled artillery battery, two batteries worth of air defense units, a scout party (platoon-sized), drone party (unmanned reconnaissance aircraft), electronic warfare party, rescue & surgery party, and a reinforced support troop are added in support. This essentially creates a self-contained unit that can be deployed via a normal Amphibious Landing Squadron while still projecting the brigade's combat power. In addition to the Shock Battalion, a landing party will also usually include 2 additional support troops (company-sized), special action half-troop, an ABC (atomic, biological, chemical) decontamination platoon, and the Brigade Headquarters.

One shock battalion of a Marine Strike Brigade are able to be deployed anywhere in the world within 12 hours. The second marine battalion may be deployed within 24 hours. The third marine battalion and other brigade troops are generally deployable within 3-7 days depending on the location and size of the follow-on force. Typically, the shock battalion is at sea for 12 months before a new shock battalion is formed from one of the other two marine battalions. Typically only one artillery battery and a portion of the support group are at sea at any one time. The remainder stay in garrison on 48-hour notice in their Expeditionary Corps' garrison.

Six Strike Brigades are active within the Fleet Marine Corps — one per Expeditionary Corps and one under the direct authority of the Fleet Marine Corps headquarters. Each Strike Brigade acts as Tiperyn's rapid deployment force in each of the Realm Armada's distinct operational areas — the Eurybian Sea, Balearic Sea, West Tethys Ocean, East Tethys Ocean, and Iapetus Ocean. Strike Brigades are also the only Fleet Marine Corps unit to have the permanent attachment of rotary air support battalion subordinate to the brigade commander. Typically, such Fleet Air Service units are subordinate to the Sea Divisions or Fleet Carrier Squadron commander and cooperate with marine forces via the Expeditionary Corps command. This is to ensure that the Fleet Marine Corps can land a capable and self-sufficient force with aviation specifically dedicated to the marines' ground warfare mission. This capability is supplemental to the Realm Armada's fleet carrier capability. In the context of land warfare, the Strike Brigades act as forward detachments for corps-level operations, spearheading offensives as a more mobile and independent force ahead of the less mobile main force. During conventional conflict, assuming significant preparation time, the Strike Brigade can act as the vanguard for a division-sized Marine Force in conjunction with one or more Marine Regiments and attached support.

Mechanicalized Regiment
The Mechanicalized Regiment is a combined arms regiment consisting primarily of mechanized infantry cross-trained in air assault tactics and assault guns in support. The regiment consists of 3 Mechanicalized Detachments, 1 Mechanicalized Cannon Detachment (152SP), 1 Towed Cannon Detachment (127), 1 Scout Detachment, 1 Support Detachment and Regimental Troops.

The regiment's three marine battalions are its primary tactical maneuver elements. Doctrinally, each rifle troop operates in support or with the support of one tank platoon depending on the situation. Each battalion also have the support of an integral mechanized reconnaissance platoon that gives the commander a limited reconnaissance capability and provides the battalion with convoy security on the march. At the regiment level, supporting units - most often an artillery or air defense section or battery - are often attached to maneuver battalions during operations if not in support of the entire regiment.

Although Mechanicalized Regiments are capable of amphibious assaults, they have rarely done so in practice since the end of the Great Kesh War. This has largely been due to the institutionalization of the Mechanicalized Strike Brigades as dedicated quick-reaction amphibious forces, as well as prolonged ground conflict in Nasiria where the Tiperyn sealift and airlift have access to friendly ports and airfield respectively.

Marine Regiment
The Marine Regiment is the most common combat arms regiment in the Fleet Marine Corps, composed principally of motorized or optionally motorized infantry. The regiment consists of 4 Marine Detachments, 2 Towed Cannon Detachments (152/127), 1 Anti-Tank Detachment, 1 Scout Detachment, 1 Support Detachment, and Regimental Troops.

Armor Regiment
The Armor Regiment is the Fleet Marine Corps' core single-arm armored unit. The regiment consists of 3 Armor Detachments, 1 Mechanicalized Detachment, 2 Mechanicalized Cannon Detachments (152SP), 1 Scout Detachment, 1 Support Detachment, and Regimental Troops.

Artillery Regiment
The Artillery Regiment is an operational artillery or air defense unit placed under the control of Expeditionary Corps. They consist of 2 to 6 Artillery Detachments of various capabilities and are meant to be attached to marine maneuver units during conventional or prolonged conflicts.

Artificer Regiment
Artificer Regiments are comprehensive combat support and service units acting in support of Expeditionary Corps and the Fleet Marine Corps as a whole. They are 2 or 3 regiments allocated to each Expeditionary Corps, with an additional 3 held in general reserve at the Fleet Marine Corps level. Each regiment consists of 4 to 5 main battalion-sized units: 1 to 2 Support Detachment (general supply and maintenance units), 1 Medical Detachment, 1 Motor Detachment, and 1 Engineering Detachment.

Fleet Marine Reserve
The Fleet Marine Reserve is the reserve force of the Fleet Marine Corps consisting of about 179,000 personnel. The reserve consists of part-time Marines that either augment Fleet Forces with individual reserve Marines, deploy entire combat support or service units for temporary full-time service, or man some Marine establishments in Tiperyn. The Fleet Marine Reserve primarily consists of four elements: Reserve General Headquarters (including schooling commands), the Primary Reserve, Readiness Corps East, and Readiness Corps West.

The Primary Reserve is principally composed of combat units split into Force East, Force West, and Force Centre. These units typically do not deploy as complete units. Rather, they provide a pool of trained manpower that can reinforce or augment active-duty Fleet Force combat units during their work-up for deployment. Force East and Force West consist of 4 Marine Regiments each (detachment size), 1 Cannon Regiment, and 1 Cannon Regiment specializing specifically in air defense. Meanwhile, Force Centre consists of an Armor Regiment, 2 Marine Regiments (detachment size) and 1 Mechanicalized Cannon Regiment. Force Centre is the Fleet Marine Forces' primary combined arms reserve and provides replacements and specialists to its mechanicalized and armored active-duty units. Generally, with the exception of Force Centre, detachment-sized maneuver units are geographically based with garrisons near major population centres that they draw from. Fires elements, meanwhile, are more centralized.

The Readiness Corps meanwhile provide a wide breadth of combat support and service. Each corps consists of 2 Reserve Support Commands and 1 Boat Support Regiment. The Reserve Support Commands each contain 1 Depot Regiment (charged with manning supply depots and distribution points), 2 Artificer Regiments (non-standard supply, maintenance, and transport units or dedicated combat engineers), 1 Garrison Regiment (heavy construction units), and a number of other support units. Depending on the command, electronic warfare, cyber warfare, and medical units are also included in the Readiness Corps. Detachment-sized units within this segment are usually deployed or placed on full-time service on the mainland once every 5-7 years. Their main mission is to provide support services to Fleet Force units, both in Tiperyn and abroad, as well as infrastructural support to other services of the Tiperyn Realm Defence. For example, about 70% of Realm Guard bases abroad were constructed by Fleet Marine Reserve Garrison Detachments.