Royal Marines Oil Rig Protection Company
 

A fictional addition to the UK's forces.

Great write up. A friend of mine in the service got to do some cross training with these guys when he was in RTT. It's cool to see write ups on these odd ball units, that most people never heard of.

James, excellent work as always. When your article says "currently" does that mean as of July 2000 in the T2K universe?

It does. I'll make it clearer in the next version.

Nice.

Just a minor suggestion...rather than calling them the Oil Rig Protection Company how about going along the same lines as the Commachio Group and borrowing a name from the Royal Marines' history? Either Gibraltar or Zeebrugge could be appropriate, although there are probably others (I used Zeebrugge myself for a piece I did on an Independent Troop in Plymouth a while ago and it's also been used for a piece on the etranger website).

Just thinking that it might serve two purposes.

1. Increase the espirt de corps

2. Help operational security by making the unit's purpose less obvious

Cheers

Dave

Nice write up. I really enjoy these little snippits.

I like that Dave, I will go with that on the next version. I like Zebrugge Coy but you have used that so will check 43 Commando's history for another name.

Thanks, I sometimes think the little snippets are what brings the world to life.

I agree

If you ever read WWZ it takes an impossible thing (a zombie apocalypse scenario) and makes it seem like it actualy happened through the use of first-hand accounts from eye witnesses.

These little quotes do the same for your T2K work and gives it so much depth.

Who said it was implausible, a council has been asked what plans it has for such an eventuality. Not read WWZ but did enjoy the zombie survival guide even if I disagree with a few bits.

I can't remember which was the inspiration for them, the Colonial Marines Technical Manual or Phoenix Command.

Now there's a book EVERYONE should try and lay their hands on. It really details how technology may impact the battlefield of the future in a very believable way, and can be applied to almost all futuristic scenarios, not just that of Aliens.
Some of the stuff in it is just plain nightmarish to a 20th century infantryman. Interlocking sentry guns tied into C3 networks with all the attendant artillery, air support, etc and with snipers able to take direct control through an interface on their rifle.
Try sneaking through that sensory minefield at night without becoming red mist.

It is a great book but I can think of at least one kind of enemy that the Colonial Marines' superior technology didn't guarantee victory against. As a matter of fact, the most effective weapons system in that universe seemed to be the Ellen Ripley MkI.

I think the Ellen Ripley Mk1A1 was probably even scarier - exactly the same as the MkI but with added "pissedoffiness". :D

Glad you like the idea. My take on the UK in T2K is purely my own, so if you want to use Zeebrugge Company, I have absolutely no problem with that at all - it's entirely up to you...:)

Extended version
 

Expanded version.

Dave, much as I like the name Zebbrugge Group, I found the ideal name in 43 Commando's history which fits better as they have inherited their traditions.

For anyone who gets the really bad joke reference in the portrayal in the media section, I am sorry...

Nice, very nice.

And you shouldn't play jokes on the media, they don't play nice!

:D

Right now in the UK I think you would get a round of applause for shooting certain sections of the media...

Yeah, I heard about the demise of the News of the World (NOW what will I use to start fires?)

;)