Imperial Army / Navy special forces units

[The Duchess of Zeon]

(Indeed, this oddity is frequently seen in the Expanded Universe: Although All-Terrain Armoured Transports are consistently said to belong to the Army, they invariably transport Marines!)

This situation is not entirely without analogue, in that the U.S. Marines of today utilize the M1 tank just like the army, albeit the M1-A1. One thinks that earlier mark AT-ATs could also show up in the Imperial Marines. However, if they specifically refer to army vehicles transporting marines, it could be problematic, but perhaps still rationalized by the above proposal--an earlier mark AT-AT transferred to the Marines when the Army received the newer variant.

[Publius]

This situation is not entirely without analogue, in that the U.S. Marines of today utilize the M1 tank just like the army, albeit the M1-A1. One thinks that earlier mark AT-ATs could also show up in the Imperial Marines. However, if they specifically refer to army vehicles transporting marines, it could be problematic, but perhaps still rationalized by the above proposal--an earlier mark AT-AT transferred to the Marines when the Army received the newer variant.

While it is certainly true that the Army may have transferred some of its AT-ATs to the Marines, the problem is that the white- and grey-uniformed drivers shown in the films have been consistently identified as Army personnel, and the AT-ATs at Hoth VI are known for certain to have been transporting snowtroopers. Furthermore, with the obvious exception of the snowtrooper captain in Major-General Veers's cockpit, every time an officer has appeared with an AT-AT in a film, it has been an olive-uniformed Army officer.

Indeed, the Hoth operation is an excellent example. It is known that the AT-ATs were carrying Marines, but were being operated by Army drivers and commanded by Army officers (in addition to General Veers, it is also known that Major Freja Covell, Veers's protégé, commanded an AT-AT at Hoth).

Is it possible that the Imperial Marines have a complete lack of armoured cavalry, and must therefore rely entirely on the Imperial Army? As outrageous as it may sound, that may well be the case -- the Imperial Sourcebook notes that, insofar as anyone has been able to determine, the stormtroopers have a complete lack of logistical support. Without fuel, ammunition, and spare parts, it would be quite difficult to maintain so large an APC as the All-Terrain Armoured Transport, would it not?

Publius

[Smiling Bandit]

Crix Madine is a bit of a curious case. As nearly as can be determined, he appears to have been a colonel of the Imperial Army, who nevertheless was Commanding Officer of the Imperial Storm Commandos, a formation of the Imperial Marines. (Indeed, this oddity is frequently seen in the Expanded Universe: Although All-Terrain Armoured Transports are consistently said to belong to the Army, they invariably transport Marines!) Storm Commandos are special purpose stormtroopers, and as such do not fall within the purview of this thread.

There is some evidence, then, that the Imperial military was more centralized. Since you need so much air support, it may be that the Imperial military formed around the Navy, with the Army and Stormtrooper marines being subservient, at least in dock. Or, the Army itself may be an alternate branch of a unified command structure.

In this case, it may be that Stormtroopers were deployed always under the command of an Army officer, who reported to a Navy officer (if deployed as part of a fleet action) or a directly to a political representative, such as a Moff or Darth Vader. In this cas,e the stormtroopers are a specific role within the Imperial Army, serving as loyal skilled soldiers, excelling in both security actions on ship (i.e., the room clearing) or ground actions in sufficient numbers and backed up by Army personnel. Stormtroopers are therefore medium/heavy infantry, with subdivisions of special training.

[Gandalf]

Why would any civilisation with the power to BDZ need SpecOps?

[Publius]

Why would any civilisation with the power to BDZ need SpecOps?

Why would any nation-state with intercontinental ballistic missiles need Special Forces? There are times when a dagger is a more appropriate weapon than a Howitzer.

Publius