So what exactly do Colonial Marines do?

[MrSpaceJockey]

Okay, so obviously the Colonial Marines protect space colony settlements and whatnot.  But what threats do the colonists normally face that would require such a heavily armed force to deal with?  Space pirates?  Terrorists?  Are we to assume Dropship 1's "We endanger species" sticker refers to hostile extraterrestrials the Colonial Marines have fought before"? (An idea I never liked, to be honest)

I never quite got why the USCM needed a gigantic battleship with rail guns and laser cannons.

Anyone have any info/ideas?

[Kimarhi]

USCMC.

For when the rest of the Milky Way needs Freedom.

'Murica.

[whiterabbit]

I never quite got why the USCM needed a gigantic battleship with rail guns and laser cannons.

For close encounters, of course. 

Besides, space is vastly uncharted territory. Wouldn't you also want powerful (overkill) weapons too?

[Kimarhi]

Humanity's world powers will probably always retain that cold war mentality.  They need super cannons on their troop transports because the enemy might have them.

[Nightlord]

Well the colonial marine technical manual doesn't give any specifics as to who or what they are, but there is a lot of mention of what seem to be space guerrillas. Also mentioned that they are supplied by third world countries and more specifically Britain and Japan.

[Kimarhi]

Why would the United States Colonial Marine Corps be supplied by third world countries or Britian or Japan over the United States? 

[whiterabbit]

Because the United States OWNS Britain and Japan?

[Kimarhi]

So I guess that third world empire stuff from Alien no longer holds true according to the Tech Manual.  Its been a minute since I've read it.

Also when did Britain and Japan get put on third world status?

[Cal427eb]

When they got left behind in the space age?

[Kimarhi]

........they started the space age with the third world empire stuff.

[Nightlord]

Why would the United States Colonial Marine Corps be supplied by third world countries or Britian or Japan over the United States?

Other way around, the guerrillas are supplied by them.

[SM]

Okay, so obviously the Colonial Marines protect space colony settlements and whatnot.  But what threats do the colonists normally face that would require such a heavily armed force to deal with?  Space pirates?  Terrorists?  Are we to assume Dropship 1's "We endanger species" sticker refers to hostile extraterrestrials the Colonial Marines have fought before"? (An idea I never liked, to be honest)

All of the above.

And I believe Three World Empire is a more apt term.  'Third World' is an outdated term now - never mind a century from now.

[Valaquen]

Also when did Britain and Japan get put on third world status?

Third World refers to the fact that the Earth, at this time, is split into three overarching political entities. It's not to do with how we would classify the first, second or third worlds today.

[Eva]

When they got left behind in the space age?

They didn't. Weyland-Yutani is a British/Japanese based global conglomerate. As others say, 'third world' is meant to imply a different status than what is implied with that moniker today.

Colonial marines exist because where ever man has expanded their interests into through history, military assets to protect those interests have followed. Not against an unknown alien species or civilization really, but against competing power factions on Earth with similar interests.

[MrSpaceJockey]

Well, to stop the confusion about the usage of "third world", the term used by Ron Cobb was actually Three World Empire. 





EDIT: Oops, accidentally read over SM's comment on this same matter