Space marine
Encyclopedia
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, is a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
that operates in outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
or on alien worlds. Historical marines fulfill amphibious roles: ship defence, landing parties, and general high-mobility deployments. By extension, space marines defend spaceships, land on planets and moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
s, and fulfill rapid deployment throughout space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
.
History
The first space marine unit, the Galactic Marines, was used in E. E. SmithE. E. Smith
Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., also, E. E. Smith, E. E. "Doc" Smith, Doc Smith, "Skylark" Smith, and Ted was a food engineer and early science fiction author who wrote the Lensman series and the Skylark series, among others...
's Lensman
Lensman
The Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by Edward Elmer "Doc" Smith. It was a runner-up for the Hugo award for best All-Time Series ....
series, published starting in 1937., but the lesser known Bob Olsen
Bob Olsen
Bob Olsen was an American science fiction writer. His real name was Alfred Johannes Olsen. He often wrote humorous science fiction in Amazing Stories, from 1927 to 1936...
(1884-1956) also wrote a few stories and novelettes about Space Marines in Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
("Captain Brink of the Space Marines", November 1932; "The Space Marines and the Slavers", December 1936).
The phrase "space marines" appears in Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's "Misfit
Misfit (short story)
Misfit is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It was first published in the November 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction...
" (1939) and is again used in "The Long Watch
The Long Watch
"The Long Watch" is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It is about a military officer who faces a coup d'état by a would-be dictator....
" (1941). Heinlein's Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his...
(1959) is considered the defining work for the concept; for example, the actors playing the Colonial Marines in Aliens
Aliens (film)
Aliens is a 1986 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, William Hope, and Bill Paxton...
(1986) were required to read Starship Troopers as part of their training prior to filming. Heinlein intended for the capsule troopers of the Mobile Infantry to be an amalgam of the shipborne aspect of the US Marine Corps relocated to space and coupled with the battlefield delivery and mission profile of US Army paratroopers.
As a gaming concept, space marines play a major role in the Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
miniatures wargame, in which they are genetically altered super-soldiers and the most powerful fighting forces available to the Imperium of Man. In computer games, playing a space marine in action games was popularized by id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
's Doom series, first published in 1993. It is a convenient game back-story
Back-story
A back-story, background story, or backstory is the literary device of a narrative chronologically earlier than, and related to, a narrative of primary interest. Generally, it is the history of characters or other elements that underlie the situation existing at the main narrative's start...
as it excuses the presence of the character on a hostile alien world with little support
Military logistics
Military logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:...
and heavy weaponry. Some critics have suggested it has been overused to the point of being an action game cliché
Cliché
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
.
Characteristics
In film and television space marines often appear in squads, while in video games the protagonist marine is usually alone or in very small squads. Depending on the mission, they may be deployed via dropshipDropship
A Dropship is a fictional transport vehicle featured frequently in science fiction, in particular Military Science Fiction and Space Opera genres. A dropship is a common fictional spacecraft archetype, generally depicted as designed to drop troops and equipment onto a planetary surface from an...
or another specialised insertion craft. Their battledress
Battledress
Battledress, or fatigues in the general sense, is the type of uniform used as combat uniforms, as opposed to 'display' dress or formal uniform worn at parades and functions. It may be either monochrome or in a camouflage pattern...
varies between media, ranging from equipment comparable to modern-day fatigues (or just being contemporary, such as the equipment of Colonial Marines in the re-imaged Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
) to environmentally sealed suits of powered armour
Powered exoskeleton
A powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
. Equipment and weaponry is similarly varied, often incorporating various fictional technologies. Directed-energy weapons are common, though conventional firearms are not unheard of either. If the marine's armour is particularly bulky, their weapons may be similarly scaled up.
Non-fiction aspects
The United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
's Project Hot Eagle considers the use of spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
to deliver marines to a target on the ground. "Within minutes of bursting into the atmosphere beyond the speed of sound – and dispatching that ominous sonic boom – a small squad of Marines could be on the ground and ready for action within 2 hours."
Books and Short Stories
| Author | Title | Year(s) Published | Unit Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. E. Smith E. E. Smith Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., also, E. E. Smith, E. E. "Doc" Smith, Doc Smith, "Skylark" Smith, and Ted was a food engineer and early science fiction author who wrote the Lensman series and the Skylark series, among others... |
Lensman Lensman The Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by Edward Elmer "Doc" Smith. It was a runner-up for the Hugo award for best All-Time Series .... series |
1934–1954 | Galactic Marines |
| Robert A. Heinlein Robert A. Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of... |
"Misfit Misfit (short story) Misfit is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It was first published in the November 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction... " |
1939 | Space Marines |
| Robert A. Heinlein | "The Long Watch The Long Watch "The Long Watch" is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It is about a military officer who faces a coup d'état by a would-be dictator.... " |
1941 | Space Marines |
| Robert A. Heinlein | Starship Troopers Starship Troopers Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his... |
1959 | Mobile Infantry Mobile Infantry (Starship Troopers) The Mobile Infantry is a fictional military force in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers and in the movies Starship Troopers, released in 1997, the 2004 sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship... |
| Joe Haldeman Joe Haldeman Joe William Haldeman is an American science fiction author.-Life :Haldeman was born June 9, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His family traveled and he lived in Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Anchorage, Alaska as a child. Haldeman married Mary Gay Potter, known... |
The Forever War The Forever War The Forever War is a science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story of soldiers fighting an interstellar war between humanity and the enigmatic Tauran species... |
1974 | United Nations Exploratory Force (UNEF) |
| Larry Niven Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics... and Jerry Pournelle Jerry Pournelle Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog.... |
The Mote in God's Eye The Mote in God's Eye The Mote in God's Eye is a science fiction novel by American writers Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, first published in 1974. The story is set in the distant future of Pournelle's CoDominium universe, and charts the first contact between humanity and an alien species. The title of the novel is a... and related novels |
1975 | Imperial Marines |
| Jerry Pournelle and S. M. Stirling S. M. Stirling Stephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series.-Personal:Stirling was born on... |
The Prince The Prince (Pournelle) The Prince is a science fiction compilation by Jerry Pournelle and S.M. Stirling. It is part of the CoDominium future history series. The Prince is a compilation of four previously published novels: Falkenberg's Legion, Prince of Mercenaries, Go Tell The Spartans, and Prince of Sparta... or Falkenberg's Legion series |
1976–1993; 2002 | CoDominium Marines |
| David Weber David Weber David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs".... |
Starfire series | 1990–Present | Federation Navy Marine Corps |
| David Weber | Honor Harrington series | 1992–Present | Royal Manticoran Marine Corps (RMMC) of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, et cetera |
| David Sherman David Sherman David Sherman is an American novelist who deals overwhelmingly with military themes at the small-unit tactical level. His experiences as a United States Marine during the Vietnam War show prominently in his work.-Biography:Sherman was born in Niles, Ohio... and Dan Cragg Dan Cragg Dan Cragg is an American soldier, essayist, and science-fiction author.-Biography:He is the son of James Wilson and Gertrude Cragg and was married to the late Sun P.... |
StarFist series StarFist series StarFist is a series of military science fiction novels set in the 25th century and written from the viewpoint of the men of the Confederation Marine Corps 34th FIST and later in the spin-off series Starfist: Force Recon.... |
1997–Present | Confederation Marine Corps |
| Ian Douglas William H. Keith, Jr. William H. Keith is an American author. He served during the Vietnam War in the United States Navy as a hospital corpsman. He became a professional artist, working in the game industry with his brother Andrew, before becoming a full-time author... |
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1998–Present | United States Marines Corps, United Star Marine Corps |
| John Varley John Varley (author) John Herbert Varley is an American science fiction author.-Biography:Varley grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, moved to Port Arthur in 1957, and graduated from Nederland High School. He went to Michigan State University on a National Merit Scholarship because, of the schools that he could afford, it... |
Rolling Thunder | 2008 | Martian Naval Corps |
Films and TV
| Director | Title | Year(s) Published | Unit Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael E. Briant Michael E. Briant Michael E. Briant is best known as a British television director, but he is also a producer and actor.... |
Doctor Who Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... serial Death to the Daleks Death to the Daleks Death to the Daleks is a four-part serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. First broadcast from February 23 to March 16, 1974, it comprises four 25-minute episodes. The narrative begins as the TARDIS suffers an energy drain and crash-lands on the planet Exxilon... |
1973–1974 | Marine Space Corps |
| George Lucas George Lucas George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones... |
Star Wars Star Wars Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year... |
1977–Present | Galactic Marines of the Grand Army of the Republic Clone trooper The clone troopers of the Army of the Republic are soldiers in the fictional Star Wars universe, cloned from Jango Fett, a Mandalorian bounty hunter. They first appeared in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and returned in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith where they were played... , originally known as the 21st Nova Corps. Imperial Stormtroopers of the Original Trilogy also fit the role of space marines of the Galactic Empire Galactic Empire (Star Wars) The Galactic Empire is one of the main factions in the fictional universe of Star Wars. It is a galaxy-spanning regime established by the series' lead villain, Palpatine, to replace the Galactic Republic in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Galactic Empire is introduced in Star Wars... . The Rebel Alliance has an entire regiment of Space Operations, nicknamed "Rebel Marines". |
| Lewis Gilbert Lewis Gilbert Lewis Gilbert CBE is an English film director, producer and screenwriter.-Early life:He was the son of music hall performers, and spent his early years travelling with his parents, and watching the shows from the side of the stage. He first performed on-stage at the age of 5, when asked to drive a... |
Moonraker Moonraker (film) Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, it co-stars Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery, and Richard Kiel... |
1979 | United States Marine Corps United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... on a space shuttle armed with lasers |
| Leiji Matsumoto Leiji Matsumoto is a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato... |
Star Blazers | 1979–1984 | Ground combat units found on the 11th planet are known as "Space Marines" |
| James Cameron James Cameron James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor... |
Aliens Aliens (film) Aliens is a 1986 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, William Hope, and Bill Paxton... |
1986 | United States Colonial Marine Corps |
| Douglas Netter Douglas Netter Douglas Netter is a United States television industry executive, his credits largely being in the field of science fiction. He is first credited as associate producer of the 1967 Matt Helm movie The Ambushers which involved a US-government built flying saucer.Between 1970 and 1975 Netter was the... and J. Michael Straczynski |
Babylon 5 Babylon 5 Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262... |
1994–1998 | EarthForce Marine Corps (also known as "Gropos" or "GROund POunderS") |
| Glen Morgan Glen Morgan Glen Morgan is an American television producer, writer, and director.-Biography:Morgan is best known for his screen work with long-time writing partner James Wong, including The X-Files, Millennium, Space: Above and Beyond, the Final Destination series, The One, Willard, and the 2006 remake of... and James Wong James Wong (producer) James 'Jim' Wong is a Cantonese-American television producer, writer, and film director notable for his screen works of The X-Files, Space: Above and Beyond, Millennium, Final Destination 1 & 3, The One, and the remakes of Willard and Black Christmas along with writing partner Glen... |
Space: Above and Beyond Space: Above and Beyond Space: Above and Beyond was a short-lived mid-90s American science fiction television show on the FOX Network, created and written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. Originally planned for five seasons, it ran only for the single 1995–1996 season. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards and one Saturn... |
1995–1996 | United States Marine Corps Space Aviator Cavalry |
| John Weidner | Space Marines (film) Space Marines (film) -Plot:Col. Fraser leads a group of space pirates to take over a ship and capture an important official.- Cast :* Billy Wirth - Zack Delano* Cady Huffman - Dar Mullins* John Pyper-Ferguson - Col. Fraser* Edward Albert - Capt. Gray* Meg Foster - Cmdr. Lasser... |
1996 | United Planets Marines |
| Keiji Gotoh Keiji Gotoh is a Japanese anime director, character designer, manga artist, and member of three man production team gímik whose works include Kiddy Grade and Uta Kata.- Television :* Thundercats , In-between animation... |
Kiddy Grade Kiddy Grade is a 24 episode science fiction anime series produced in 2002 and created by gímik and Gonzo Digimation and directed by Keiji Gotoh. The series is licensed and distributed in North America by FUNimation Entertainment. The series currently airs on the FUNimation Channel in both its "syndicated... |
2001–2002 | GOTT Marine Corps |
| David Eick David Eick David Eick is an American producer and writer, best known as the Executive Producer of Battlestar Galactica, of which he also wrote several episodes with Ronald D. Moore, as well as the re-imagined version of Bionic Woman... and Ronald D. Moore Ronald D. Moore Ronald Dowl Moore is an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on Star Trek and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, for which he won a Peabody Award for creative excellence in 2005 and an Emmy Award in 2008.-Early life and... |
Battlestar Galactica Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series) Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson... |
2004–2009 | Colonial Marine Corps, Colonial Marine Corps Reserve |
| Brad Wright Brad Wright Brad Wright is a Canadian television producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known as the creator or co-creator of the television series Stargate SG-1 , Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe... and Robert C. Cooper Robert C. Cooper Robert C. Cooper is a Canadian writer and producer best known for his work in the Stargate franchise. He was formerly an executive producer of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis until both series conclusion and currently holds the same title on the third Stargate series Stargate Universe... |
Stargate Atlantis Stargate Atlantis Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself... |
2004–2009 | United States Marine Corps attached to the Atlantis Expedition |
| James Cameron | Avatar | 2009 | Ex Marines and mercenaries working with the RDA Corporation on Pandora. |
Games
| Title | Publisher | Game Type | Year(s) Published | Unit Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traveller Traveller (role-playing game) Traveller is a series of related science fiction role-playing games, the first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop and subsequent editions by various companies remaining in print to this day. The game was inspired from such classic science fiction stories as the Dumarest saga series by... |
Game Designers' Workshop Game Designers' Workshop Game Designers' Workshop was a wargame and role-playing game publisher from 1973 to 1996. Many of their games are now carried by other publishers.-History:Game Designers' Workshop was originally established June 22, 1973... |
Role-playing game Role-playing game A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development... |
1977 | Star Marines, Terran Confederation Marine Corps, Imperial Marine Force, Solomani Marine Corps, and Zhodani Consular Guard |
| Starfire series | Task Force Games Task Force Games Task Force Games was a game company started in 1979 by Allen Eldridge and Stephen Cole. Mr. Cole left the company in the early 1980's, but continued to design the company's best selling Star Fleet Battles game. Mr. Eldridge sold the company to New World Computing in 1988... ; Starfire Design Studio |
Board wargame Board wargame A board wargame is a wargame with a set playing surface or board, as opposed to being played on a computer, or in a more free-form playing area as in miniatures games. The hobby around this type of game got its start in 1954 with the publication of Tactics, and saw its greatest popularity in the... |
1979–1980 | Federation Navy Marine Corps |
| Metroid Metroid series is a series of science fiction action-adventure video games by Nintendo. It chronicles the missions of bounty hunter Samus Aran who protects the galaxy from the depredations of the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness the power of the eponymous Metroids. It is noted for having one of the... |
Nintendo Nintendo is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel.... |
Action-adventure game Action-adventure game An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres... |
1986–Present | Galactic Federation Marine Corps/07th Platoon |
| Warhammer 40,000 Warhammer 40,000 Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics... |
Games Workshop Games Workshop Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000... |
Wargaming Wargaming A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as... ; Tabletop game Tabletop game Tabletop game is a general term used to refer to board games, card games, dice games, miniatures wargames, tile-based games and other games that are normally played on a table or other flat surface... ; Dice game Dice game Dice games are games that use or incorporate a die as their sole or central component, usually as a random device.-Collectible dice games:Patterned after the success of collectible card games, a number of collectible dice games have been published... |
1987–Present | Imperial Space Marine Chapters Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000) In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,... , and also, to an extent, Chaos Space Marines Chaos Space Marines In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Chaos Space Marines or Chaos Marines, are Space Marines who serve the Chaos Gods. They are also referred to as the Traitor Legions, primarily in background material written from the perspective of the Imperium.-History:The background shown in both... . Some forces from other armies - notably the Stormtroopers of the Imperial Guard Imperial Guard (Warhammer 40,000) The Imperial Guard are a specific army or faction in the Warhammer 40,000 and Epic tabletop games and universe. The army itself is characterised by being capable of fielding a multitude of lightly armoured, average infantry in combination with some of the toughest and most powerful tanks in the game... , Eldar Eldar (Warhammer 40,000) In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones... Swooping Hawks and Warp Spiders, and Grey Knights operate in this manner. |
| Wing Commander Franchise Wing Commander (franchise) Wing Commander is a video game media franchise consisting of space combat simulation computer games from Origin Systems, Inc., an animated television series, a feature film, a collectible card game, a series of novels, and action figures... |
Origin Systems, Inc. Origin Systems Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004... |
Space combat simulation | 1990–1999 | Terran Confederation Marine Corps |
| Duke Nukem series | 3D Realms 3D Realms 3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987... |
First-person shooter First-person shooter First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other... ; Platform Platform game A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps... |
1991–Present | Earth Defense Forces (EDF) |
| Doom series | id software Id Software Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack... |
First-person shooter First-person shooter First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other... |
1993–Present | United Nations Space Marine Corps |
| Command & Conquer Command & Conquer Command & Conquer, abbreviated to C&C and also known as Tiberian Dawn, is a 1995 real-time strategy computer game developed by Westwood Studios for MS-DOS and published by Virgin Interactive. It was the first of twelve games to date to be released under the Command & Conquer label, including a... series |
former Westwood Studios Westwood Studios Westwood Studios was a computer and video game developer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Brett Sperry and Louis Castle in as Westwood Associates, and renamed to Westwood Studios when it merged with Virgin Interactive in... , now Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers... |
Real-time strategy Real-time strategy Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II.... ; First-person shooter |
1995–Present | Global Defense Initiative can deploy certain infantry units directly from its space stations |
| Quake Series Quake series The Quake series is a line of first-person shooter video games produced by id Software.-Overview:The Quake series is somewhat unusual in that its focus changes frequently; the story of Quake II has nothing to do with Quake, and Quake III Arena has little to do with either of its predecessors... |
id software | First-person shooter | 1996–Present | SMC (Space Marine Corps) Marines |
| Outwars Outwars Outwars is a science fiction selectable perspective First-person shooter or third-person shooter developed by SingleTrac and published by Microsoft in 1998.... |
Microsoft Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions... |
Third-person shooter Third-person shooter Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:... ; Tactical shooter Tactical shooter A tactical shooter is a subgenre of shooter game that includes both first-person shooters and third-person shooters. These games typically simulate realistic combat, thus making tactics and caution more important than quick reflexes in other action games... |
1998 | Colonial Marines |
| StarCraft StarCraft StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling... |
Blizzard Entertainment | Real-time strategy | 1998–Present | Confederate Marine Corps, the Dominion Marine Corps, the Alliance Marine Corps, the Alpha Corps, the United Earth Directorate Powered Infantry and numerous more |
| Ground Control Ground Control Ground Control is a 2000 real-time tactics video game developed by Massive Entertainment. It features 3D graphics and a free-floating camera which allows one to zoom in and out and view the action from any angle, from a bird's-eye view to the perspective of one's own assault units at ground level... |
Sierra On-Line Sierra Entertainment Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams... |
Real-time tactics Real-time tactics Real-time tactics or RTT is a subgenre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics... |
2000 | Crayven Corporation's Marines |
| Halo Halo (series) Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant... series |
Microsoft Game Studios Microsoft Game Studios Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before... |
First-person shooter; Real-time strategy | 2001–Present | UNSC Marine Corps and the elite Orbital Drop Shock Trooper divisions (special forces Special forces Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform... qualified for drop pod insertion). |
| Red Faction Red Faction (series) Red Faction is a series of science fiction shooter video games developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. Originating in 2001, the Red Faction games have spanned PC, Mac and many consoles, including the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.-Gameplay:The series... series |
THQ THQ THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices... |
First-person shooter; Third-person shooter | 2001–Present | Earth Defence Marine Corps (E.D.M.C.) and Earth Naval Guard (E.N.G.) |
| Natural Selection | Unknown Worlds Entertainment Unknown Worlds Entertainment Unknown Worlds is an independently-owned American game development company whose goal is to "unite the world through play". Based in San Francisco, California, the studio is best known for the forthcoming sequel to Natural Selection, due to be released in 2011.-History:Unknown Worlds was formed in... |
First-person shooter; Real-time strategy | 2002–2007 | Frontiersmen (human space marines) |
| TimeSplitters 2 TimeSplitters 2 TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter video game available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube game consoles. The game was published by Eidos and developed by Free Radical Design. The game was first released in October 2002 in North America and Europe, and later in Japan... |
Eidos Interactive Eidos Interactive Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton.... |
First-person shooter | 2002 | Space Marines (Sergeant Cortez and Corporal Hart) |
| Killzone Killzone Killzone is a first-person shooter exclusive to the PlayStation 2 game console, developed by Netherlands-based Guerrilla Games and released on November 2, 2004 in North America. A sequel, Killzone: Liberation was released on the PlayStation Portable and another followup, Killzone 2 was released for... series |
SCEE | First-person shooter | 2003–Present | Interplanetary Strategic Alliance Marines |
| TimeSplitters: Future Perfect | Electronic Arts | First-person shooter | 2005 | Space Marines (Sergeant Cortez) |
| Mass Effect Mass Effect (series) Mass Effect is an award-winning, bestselling series of science fiction RPG third-person shooter video games developed by the Canadian company BioWare and released for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and, from the second installment, for the PlayStation 3... series |
Microsoft Game Studios; Electronic Arts | Action role-playing game Action role-playing game Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat... ; Third-person shooter |
2007–Present | Systems Alliance Military, Including Commander Shepard, because there are no service branches anymore. |
| Dead Space Dead Space (video game) Dead Space is a survival horror third-person shooter video game, developed by EA Redwood Shores for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was made available on Steam on October 20, 2008... series |
Electronic Arts | Survival horror; Third-person shooter | 2008-present | USM Marine Corps - They are seen during the game when the ship USM Valor crashes on the USG Ishimura and the player must board the crash site to recover a singularity core. |
| Turok | Touchstone Interactive Touchstone Pictures Touchstone Pictures is an American film production label and is one of several film labels of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Established in 1984, its releases typically feature more mature themes and darker tones than those that are released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.Touchstone... |
Action game Action game Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some... ; First-person shooter |
2008 | Marines |
| Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard is an action game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was developed by Vicious Cycle Software and published by D3 Publisher.Matt Hazard pits players in the role of the title character, a "legendary" gaming hero who is "returning to glory" in a new video game, some 25 years after his debut game... |
D3 Publisher D3 Publisher D3Publisher is a Japanese video game publisher founded on February 5, 1992. Current CEO and president is Yuji Ito, and It is known for its Simple series of low-priced console games. Their games have been released for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2,... |
Action game; Third-person shooter | 2009 | Space Marines |
| Alien Swarm Alien Swarm Alien Swarm is a total conversion mod for Unreal Tournament 2004 created by Black Cat Games and initially released on May 28, 2004. Alien Swarm, version 1.2 was released on September 10, 2004, with the official campaigns, Sigma and Ortega... |
Valve Corporation Valve Corporation Valve Corporation is an American video game development and digital distribution company based in Bellevue, Washington, United States... |
Action game Action game Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some... ; Third-person shooter Third-person shooter Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:... ; Shoot-em-up; Top-down |
2010 | Space Marines - The game can be single player or 4 players co-op. Theres 4 classes with 2 characters for each class: Officer, Special Weapons, Medic and Tech. |