Outer Colonies Coast Guard
The Coast Guard is a much maligned and often ignored part of the Outer Colonies Defence Force, yet they perform the important tasks of patrolling the boarders, hunting down pirates and smugglers, and assisting civilian ships in distress. While the bulk of the Coast Guard is made up of DropShips and small craft, it has its own small fleet of warship to add extra muscle when needed.
Often seen by the public as a bit of a joke compared to the main Fleet, the Coast Guard suffered recruitment problems for years until the Tri-Vid series Captain Hurricane and the Battling Barnacles was developed by Hark Multimedia. In a bid to boost their public image, the Coast Guard gave the production crew unparalleled access to ships and personnel: entire episodes were filmed onboard actual Coast Guard ships, with crewmembers acting as extras to give the show unmatched realism.
The success of series Captain Hurricane boosted public awareness of the Coast Guard, although real life was seldom as action-packed, as the documentary series “Second Star to the Right” showed later. But the public was hooked, and recruitment reached and all time high.