Mobile Infantry (Starship Troopers)

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For the military term, see Mobile infantry.

The Mobile Infantry (MI) 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, and the TV series Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles. The MI is portrayed differently in each version.

[edit] The Mobile Infantry of The Terran Federation (Novel)

The Mobile Infantry is an elite fighting force of the Terran Federation. A Mobile Infantryman is equipped with a Powered Suit as well as an arsenal of weapons at his disposal, some built into the suit. These weapons range from conventional firearms to micro-nuclear warheads. The armor is strong enough to resist any conventional weapon less than high explosives or anti-tank rounds. The servo-motors give the wearer enough strength to crush a tank or tear through a concrete wall, but are dextrous enough to allow them to pick up an egg without breaking it. The armor is also equipped with jump jets and rockets, allowing the trooper to move rapidly about the field. One expression used in the book as a compliment to good soldiers is that they are "on the bounce." According to Juan Rico, when one is suited up in the powered armor, they appear like a "steel gorilla".

Usually, an MI platoon would drop from individual capsules launched from a troop transport in orbit. The capsule is used only once. The MI platoon will then execute its mission. These missions range from hit-and-run strikes to search and rescue missions. The MI will usually deploy about one trooper every half-mile. After the mission is complete, the Transport will launch an audio beacon for the platoon to follow to the retrieval area. Usually the beacon will play music such as, in the case of the TFCT Rodger Young, "The Ballad of Rodger Young." Once the Dropship lands, the platoon boards and returns to the transport.

The MI prides itself in its esprit de corps. This philosophy includes never leaving a wounded soldier for dead; instead they pick up their wounded and make sure they make it back alive. Also, all MI soldiers are combat soldiers; there are no dedicated support staff. This means that when a unit launches a mission, all soldiers who are able to fight will do so, including the highest-ranking officers. Likewise, when not in battle, all soldiers who are able to work will do so, from making food, to cleaning the ship and equipment and organizing supplies.

Though using the name "Infantry", Heinlein depicts the MI as a heavily armoured but highly mobile force which virtually dominates the battlefield - much in the way of medieval knights and twentieth century armored units.

[edit] The Mobile Infantry of the United Citizen Federation (1997 and 2004 Movies)

The Mobile Infantry in the movies is vastly different from its novel counterpart, and was considered disappointing by many fans of the book. Instead of an elite fighting force equipped with Powered Suits, they are a conventional army armed with conventional weapons - but apparently without armoured vehicles, artillery, most heavy weapons, and other vital equipment.

The MI troops were portrayed as far more expendable than in the book. There is also a clear lack of military tactics, the favoured approach being to run toward or away from the Arachnids spraying bullets with reckless abandon; this led to unnecessary losses. In the book, tactics were based upon each soldier working alone as part of a larger team (spread over many miles), as the powered armor, communications gear and amount of weaponry allowed them to do so; the MI also took far fewer losses. The movie-MI lack the powered armor of their literary counterparts, instead entering combat in the equivalent of BDUs and composite armour. They do retain their miniature nuclear warheads, which can be fired from a rocket launcher or used as a grenade with a roughly thirty-second fuse.

When Johnnie and Carmen enlist, the desk sergeant refers to them as "fresh meat for the grinder." They are encouraged to kill their wounded if evacuation is difficult, a far cry from the novel where the MI makes every effort to recover its wounded.

Several fans of the novel believe that the movie's creators were attempting to parody or malign Heinlein's work with their portrayal of the MI, but it was more likely a satire of the Federation's view of the military. It should be noted that the film was not originally written based on Heinlein's work but rather adapted to it afterwards, so the film MI's organisation could well be a relic of the original, non-Starship Troopers draft that was retained. There would also be technical difficulties involved in creating the MI armour and other, cinematic rather than literary restrictions (such as Hollywood's taboo against hiding the faces of major characters for extended periods as the MI armor would necessitate)

[edit] The Mobile Infantry of SICON (Roughnecks TV Series)

Almost the same as their novel counterparts. Their capsules are dropped from shuttles rather than from the transport itself. Unlike the novel, MI personnel can be of either sex.