Imperial Marine Motto?
- Thread starter Vargr
- Start date
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
<cough>yanksinspace<cough>
Yes, but the Imperial Marines are not the US Marines.
Let me say, first off, that it's certainly possible that the IM's motto is the same as that of the US Marines. If, somewhere, there's a canonical statement to that effect, that can be explained by tradition.
But absent that, I'd say that it was unlikely. GT:Ground Forces states that the IM "can trace its lineage back to the Terran Confederation Marines" and mentions a number of traditions (See p. 34-35). The motto is not mentioned (unless it's somewhere else in the book). Significantly, the IM is not said to trace its lineage back to the US Marines. Yet surely the TCM must have included a number of transfers from the USMC when founded?
I'm fairly hazy about Terran Confederation history, but ISTR that its member nations continued to have a separate political existence, as sovereign part of a federation (at least formally). This suggests to me that the TCMC and the USMC would exist simultaneously. That, and the fact that the TCMC would have recruits from all over the world, further suggests that its motto would be something different. Deliberately so.
So what would the motto of the TCMC be? My guess would be some soppy humanitarian United Nations-type sentiment, like "Always Helpful" or "United we stand" or "Always Together" (properly latinized, of course). Or perhaps some sort of jingoistic "Terra Über Alles" thingy, though in the latter case I'm quite certain that the motto wouldn't be one of the traditions that the Imperial Marines would adopt.
Whatever the motto of the TCMC was, there's plenty of time and plenty of successor organizations in between (Rule of Man Marine Corps, Sylean Marine Corps, Federation of Sylea Marine Corps) for the Imperial Marines to have an altogether different motto.
Hans
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far-trader
SOC-14 10K
How about going back even a little further and changing it a bit...
"Per Astrum" (by the stars) from the old Royal Marines' "Per Mare, Per Terram" (by sea and by land) also used by the USMC. Though I'm not really sure Latin would still be in use, but it does work for me. I seem to recall seeing this (maybe in another non-Traveller game) and/or using it myself before. Or...
"The Emperor's Own" from the USMC band "The President's Own" would seem to fit as well.
"Per Astrum" (by the stars) from the old Royal Marines' "Per Mare, Per Terram" (by sea and by land) also used by the USMC. Though I'm not really sure Latin would still be in use, but it does work for me. I seem to recall seeing this (maybe in another non-Traveller game) and/or using it myself before. Or...
"The Emperor's Own" from the USMC band "The President's Own" would seem to fit as well.
The Third Imperium was founded on the premisse it was the Rule of Man, and therefore the Ziru Sirka, reborn. So I guess the right place to start would be the Second Imperium.
If I am not mistaken, Semper Fidelis was originally the motto of the Roman Imperial Praetorian Guard.
Even if the Terran marines had adopted a motto more palatable to the UN/UW by the Interstellar Wars Era, when the Rule of Man became an empire de facto they might have looked back upon Terra's "glorious" past to get some ideas for their ceremonials. So it is feasible that this motto could have survived until the 1100's.
Since we're talking about mottos, are there any official ones for any of the Imperial services?
The only one I saw in print was the motto of the Azhanti High Lightning Arrival Vengeance: "Shall not Perish".
If I am not mistaken, Semper Fidelis was originally the motto of the Roman Imperial Praetorian Guard.
Even if the Terran marines had adopted a motto more palatable to the UN/UW by the Interstellar Wars Era, when the Rule of Man became an empire de facto they might have looked back upon Terra's "glorious" past to get some ideas for their ceremonials. So it is feasible that this motto could have survived until the 1100's.
Since we're talking about mottos, are there any official ones for any of the Imperial services?
The only one I saw in print was the motto of the Azhanti High Lightning Arrival Vengeance: "Shall not Perish".
Andrew Boulton
The Adminator
I've suggested "To infinity, and beyond!" for the IISS...
Keklas Rekobah
SOC-14 1K
My Cr0.02...
Just some suggestions, based on the purpose for each branch in Classic Traveller...
"Dominance" -- Imperial Marines
"Vigilance" -- Imperial Navy
"Duty" -- Imperial Army
"Knowledge" -- IISS
"Commerce" -- Merchants
And last, but certainly not least:
"*&^%$#@!" -- Other
Just some suggestions, based on the purpose for each branch in Classic Traveller...
"Dominance" -- Imperial Marines
"Vigilance" -- Imperial Navy
"Duty" -- Imperial Army
"Knowledge" -- IISS
"Commerce" -- Merchants
And last, but certainly not least:
"*&^%$#@!" -- Other
Mad Russian
SOC-6
Not necessarily a Yanks in Space motto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_Fidelis
and I like
"To Infinity and Beyond...". For the scouts (or star ranger or what have you)
--my Cr0.02
I especially like the one from the city of Lviv.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_Fidelis
and I like
"To Infinity and Beyond...". For the scouts (or star ranger or what have you)
--my Cr0.02
I especially like the one from the city of Lviv.
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How about "A faithful protector. A fearsome opponent."?
Or "Between Them and Ours" (i.e. between "them", the enemy, and "ours", the people they hold dear i.e. the Imperial civilians)
Or, more briefer and to the point, "Over my dead body".
I just love the motto of SolForce, the human space navy in Sword of the Stars - "Repensum est cunicula", which is Latin for "payback is a bitch".
Or "Between Them and Ours" (i.e. between "them", the enemy, and "ours", the people they hold dear i.e. the Imperial civilians)
Or, more briefer and to the point, "Over my dead body".
I just love the motto of SolForce, the human space navy in Sword of the Stars - "Repensum est cunicula", which is Latin for "payback is a bitch".
"First In!" is the Scout motto.
Mulling over this question I was suddenly struck by a couple of SF book titles that sounded like good candidates (One of them slightly modified): "In Our Hands the Stars" and "The Stars Our Destination".
I'm sure there must be other titles like that.
Hans
"Let's Rock!" Vasquez, colonial marine.
"Yeah, over my dead buddy!"
"That's right! Over his dead body!"
"Over the lieutenant's dead body!"
"Over my dead daddy!... What?!?"
Hans
Maladominus
SOC-14 1K
"Here you are all equally worthless!" - R. Lee Ermey
http://www.military-quotes.com/mottos.htm
Extensive list (860) of mottos of various forces.
Some of which are quite appropriate for the Marines, either in entirety or for units.
Some good ones from a quick perusal
"Everywhere" ("Ubique" - Australian Artillery + Engineers)
"Per Ardua Ad Astra" ("Through adversity to the stars" Canadian Air Force)
I think if I had to suggest
"Per Terram Ad Astra"
~ From the ground to the stars.
has a nice ring to it.
Extensive list (860) of mottos of various forces.
Some of which are quite appropriate for the Marines, either in entirety or for units.
Some good ones from a quick perusal
"Everywhere" ("Ubique" - Australian Artillery + Engineers)
"Per Ardua Ad Astra" ("Through adversity to the stars" Canadian Air Force)
I think if I had to suggest
"Per Terram Ad Astra"
~ From the ground to the stars.
has a nice ring to it.
Hey they ripped off my state's motto! "Ad Astra Per Aspera" or "To the stars through adversity" for Kansas.
Shouldn't it be "Per Astra Ad Terram"? From the Stars to the Ground?
Shouldn't it be "Per Astra Ad Terram"? From the Stars to the Ground?
For orbital assault marines I would say...yes.
