In *Aliens* (1986), 11 Colonial Marines were sent to investigate the alien threat on LV-426.
The unit travels aboard the USS Sulaco under Lieutenant Gorman, with Sergeant Apone leading the ground squad. Ellen Ripley joins the mission because she recognizes the danger, while Carter Burke represents Weyland-Yutani and Bishop serves as the expedition’s synthetic officer.
The Marines expect a routine “bug hunt,” not a full-scale battle. Their advanced weapons and armored personnel carrier initially suggest overwhelming strength, but the Xenomorphs use the colony’s tunnels, ceilings, and ventilation spaces to surround them. Gorman’s inexperience and the order to unload live ammunition inside the atmosphere processor leave the squad dangerously exposed.
The count can seem confusing because the film also includes Ripley, Burke, Bishop, and the dropship crew. Some viewers also count pilots or command personnel differently, but the standard trivia answer for the Colonial Marine combat unit is 11. Hicks is ultimately the only Marine from the main ground force to survive the mission, although he is seriously injured.