The Mobile Infantry is the main fighting force of the United Citizen Federation. As the name implies, the force deals with ground engagements.
Basic training lasts for two months. Recruits go through extensive drills designed to push them to the limit. These include laser tag capture-the-flag competitions and eventually training with live ammunition. In the event a trooper feels they can't handle it, they can sign Form 12-40-A and leave (this will remove any chance of them becoming a citizen).
The Mobile Infantry of the films was envisioned as a farce of the military and satirizing militarism in general, especially the Federation's view of the military (i.e. the individual soldier's expendability). This is exemplified in their brutal yet poor training in dealing with humongous Arachnids, lack of proper weapons capable of fending off the Bugs, and little to no use of actual battle tactics complete with their overall extremely gung-ho and overly-macho attitude towards their duties enhanced further by the propaganda fed to them by the Federation and the questionable nature of their basic training.
Equipment[]
The battle gear of the MI differs only slightly from modern day SWAT armor and army BDUs (the uniforms greatly resemble Wehrmacht battle-gear from WWII). They are equipped with a helmet, thin body armor, black T-shirts and leather boots. Radiomen have a large pack containing radio equipment. The standard sidearms used are the Morita Assault Rifle, Morita II, Railgun, Morita III. They are also trained with combat knifes, EP-88 Railgun, and rocket launchers. Strangely, the Mobile Infantry is hardly ever seen using pistols (generally reserved for high ranking officers and non M.I. personnel) and no ground vehicles are ever seen in use.
Tactics[]
During the Klendathu Invasion, the Mobile Infantry employs questionable tactics when storming the Arachnid homeworld. Pouring out of their dropships, the troopers formed loose mobs, barely establishing defensive lines or even flanks. This leads to easy breakdowns of communication and contributed to the extreme loses the Federation suffered. While confronting the Arachnids, several troopers simply "sprayed and prayed", firing their Morita rifles with reckless abandon without inflicting damage on the Arachnids. the Federation treats its soldier like there very expendable seeing that on the federal network they show them die this could be propaganda to get people to think there making a heroic sacrifice though.
As well, they are encouraged to kill and/or leave behind their wounded (at the wounded's behast) if evacuation proves difficult. If an unfortunate situation arises where death to a Bug is inevitable, they are also instructed and/or encouraged to kill a fellow soldier to spare them the horrific death awaiting them.
By the Second Bug War Mobile Infantry tactics were greatly improved. On Roku San, they used "file and rank" tactics; one line of troopers would fire while the line behind them would reload. However, this was only supported because they were fighting in the narrow corridors of the Roku San garrison base, forcing the Arachnids into a single file row that they were able to pick off easily.
Insignias[]
- Rank Insignia
Known Units[]
- 6th Division - Active
- Roughnecks - Active
- Wildcats - Disbanded after Battle of Klendathu
- 701st Mobile Infantry - Presumed Active
- Bravo Six - Annihilated at Hotel Delta 1-8-5 (one survivor)
- 32nd Tech Brigade - Annihilated during Bug War
Source[]
- Starship Troopers (film)
- Starship Troopers 2: Heros of the Federation
- Starship Troopers 3: Marauder