Battalion

There is more information available on this subject at Battalion on the English Wikipedia.

Marines of First Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment in Mombasa.

A battalion is a military unit of the UNSC Army and Marine Corps. Under the UNICOM rank structure, a battalion is commanded by an O-5 Lieutenant Colonel, with an O-4 Major serving as a battalion's Executive Officer (XO).

In the real world

While a battalion's functions in the Halo universe have not been fully described, it is fairly typical of Bungie and 343 Industries to transplant military organisation and terminology from their real-world counterparts, usually in the US military.

Using the US Army and Marine Corps model as an example, a battalion is normally composed of three rifle/infantry companies, each designated by a letter (A through M, depending on which battalions within a single regiment a company is part of), as well as a Headquarters and Service Company (H&S Company) (Marine Corps) or a Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) (Army) including the commanding officer (usually a Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel) and executive officer (usually a Major), a Sergeant Major and executive staff. These are usually supplemented by a Weapons Company, which does not use a letter-designation.

A Regiment or Brigade is composed of several battalions.

Function

Tank and mechanized infantry battalion task forces apply their combat power to—

• • Conduct sustained combat operations in all environments with proper augmentation and support.
  • Conduct offensive operations.
  • Conduct defensive operations.
  • Accomplish rapid movement and limited penetrations.
  • Exploit success and pursue a defeated enemy as part of a larger formation.
  • Conduct security operations (advance, flank, or rear guard) for a larger force.
  • Conduct stability operations and support operations as part of a larger force.
  • Conduct operations with light infantry forces.

A battalion unit is generally considered the smallest unit able to conduct independent operations.

Known Battalions

• 2nd Shock Troops Battalion
• 7th Shock Troops Battalion
• 9th Shock Troops Battalion
• 10th Shock Troops Battalion
• 11th Shock Troops Battalion
• 15th Shock Troops Battalion
• 15th Combat Engineer Battalion
• 19th Shock Troops Battalion
• 22nd Shock Troops Battalion
• 103rd Shock Troops Battalion
• 1st Battalion 12th Marines
• 3rd Battalion 12th Marines
• 4th Battalion 12th Marines
• 5th Battalion 12th Marines
• 3rd Battalion Reserves
• 3rd Battalion, 8th Armored Brigade
• 13th Battalion
• 79th Infantry Battalion
• 554th Battalion, 34th Infantry Brigade
• 717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion
• M-EDF 9/21/1
• E2-BAG/1/7

List of appearances

• Halo 2
• Halo 3: ODST
• Halo: Reach
• Halo: The Flood (First appearance)
• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
• Halo: Contact Harvest
• Halo: Landfall
  • Halo: Last One Standing
• Halo: New Blood
• Halo 5: Guardians
  • Limited Edition (Mentioned only)
• Halo Mythos
• Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual (Mentioned only)