TACTICAL SQUAD
Tactical Squads are the most common type of squad and form the mainstay of a Space Marine Chapter. This spread illustrates the 3rd Tactical Squad of the Ultramarines 2nd Company. The Company colour is yellow and is used for the shoulder pad edging. The Squad number in black overwrites the white tactical symbol on the right shoulder pad. All of the Marines are shown wearing identical armour for the sake of clarity; in reality the squad could be wearing a mix of different helmet and armour designs. A Sergeant, a Marine who has undergone additional special training in leadership and tactics, leads the squad. He has the option to use a variety of weapons in battle, most Sergeants opting for a bolt pistol and chainsword. The Sergeant may have fought enough battles to qualify as a Veteran. Such Veterans are often promoted to special command duties or transferred to the First Company. The Sergeant's badge of rank is a red skull displayed on the left shoulder pad and a red helmet. Veteran Sergeants have a red helmet with a white stripe running front to back along the centre of the helm. In addition to the Sergeant, the Squad comprises of up to nine other Battle-Brothers. These are armed with the Space Marines traditional weapon: the bolt gun. Space Marines have access to all manner of weaponry but it is with the bolt gun that they feel most comfortable and with which they have had the most training. Bolters are icons to the Marines and feature prominently in the monumental and armorial art of the Chapter. Each weapon is well cared for. It is blessed and prayed for before combat and cleaned and serviced afterwards. Two of the Battle-Brothers may be chosen to carry other weapons into combat. One Marine may be designated as Heavy Weapon Trooper and will carry one of the three types of heavy weapons available to the Squad. These are the Heavy Bolter, Lascannon and the Missile Launcher. These options dramatically improve the tactical flexibility of the Squad and improve its chances of success in a wide variety of situations. This is equally true of the Special Weapon Trooper who may be chosen to carry one of the following weapons: Flamer, Meltagun or Plasma gun. The whole Squad will also usually carry grenades of which the most common issue are Frag grenades (wide area, fragmentation blast) or Krak grenades (tightly focused, armour piercing blast). Other grenade types are occasionally used on special missions but are generally restricted to officers and squad leaders. Some of the Battle-Brothers may have fought enough battles to earn Veteran status. These Marines may continue to serve with the Tactical Squad for a short time but eventually they will be promoted to special duties (see Command Squad) or advanced to the First Veteran Company. In this way the ranks of the elite company are replenished, veterans wear white helmets. Space Marines are versatile fighters and the Tactical Squad exploits this, able to fulfil a wide variety of roles. The Tactical Squad has proven to be extremely effective in whatever combat situation it has encountered.
The Sergeant may choose to display his back banner. This acts as a rallying point for the Squad and also helps other officers and Squad leaders to identify the Squad in Battle. The Banner displays the Chapter icon, the Sergeant's red skull rank badge and is trimmed in the company colour.
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