OBT Forum

"The Intruder Class DropShip is a combat assault ship designed to support raiding operations or to attack heavily defended ground targets.  The ship often takes the place of the lighter-armed and -armored Union Class DropShip, especially when no BattleMech support is needed.

"The Intruder's well-armored, 3,000-ton hull contains a large assortment of weaponry, and its cargo section has a 675-ton capacity with enough area to carry up to ten heavy vehicles.  To provide aerospace support, there is a Fighter bay on either side of the hull, each equipped with servicing support equipment and a single small craft cubicle.  The Intruder often carries a pair of Land-Air-'Mechs to provide a light 'Mech force, which gives it great flexibility in its operations.

"The ship carries a marine support unit for ground combat, boarding operations, and scouting purposes.  This unit normally consists of three infantry platoons, though special circumstances often require the use of an armor unit, motorized infantry, a scout unit, or specially organized irregular units.  Quarters are provided for up to 90 troops. 

"The ship is equipped with three large bays that the marine units use for Training purposes.  These bays contain target practice simulators, visual training aids, and plenty of floor space for physical activities.  The training bays often serve as recreation rooms when not needed for other purposes.

"The Intruder's well-equipped medical facility can handle most emergency cases that occur during combat.  It consists of an emergency treatment room, which can handle two cases simultaneously, an intensive care ward with room for up to six patients, and a tiny dispensary for treating minor injuries and illnesses. 

"To support the marine unit during ground operations, the ship carries a well-equipped command center.  From this room, deep inside the armored walls of the ship, the marine commander can control all the activities of the three platoons and any other units operating with the Intruder's troops.  The command center contains extensive communications gear, combat computers, mapboards, and tactical intelligence displays."

[Two paragraphs on the landing gear]

"The Intruder is most often used in raids and in intelligence-gathering missions to worlds known to be occupied by hostile forces.  The ship is ideal for such missions because it can fight in space or on the ground without support from other DropShips.  Once landed, the ship can then deploy its reconnaissance or raiding forces, which are coordinated from the Intruder's command center.  Its heavy armament keeps it well-protected from enemy AeroSpace Fighters and ground forces."

[Two paragraphs about assignments to planetary assault forces and the few extant variants]

But back to Takiro's original question: Given these numbers it seems that if infantry is transported over interstellar distances at all it is done in company or battalion sized units, but not whole regiments. At least that is my interpretation of the infantry transport capacities of canon DropShips and the size of standard infantry battalions.

Though I wonder if the Fortress, Fury, Intruder, Seeker and Triumph are not used for standard infantry but Spec.Ops Infantry units(e.g. Commandos) or other specialized infantry types(like some of those in TRO:3085) and that standard infantry is transported in battalion-sized units or that standard infantry is either transported in converted cargo spaces(as Halvagor suggested) or not at all(as Ice Hellion suggested).
Given the currently available information this seems to be the most logical expplanation to me.

Happens, I'm typing here at 3 am in the morning who knows what I'm writing not me for sure. 

Do you guys think that a Monarch or a Princess would be more ideal? It sounds that comfort is what we are getting at in this thread. Dedicated quarters could be a big plus moving infantry. Infantry bays are great for rapid deployment depending on mission specialty. Better than cargo cattle wagons that seem to be the norm.