Amphibious assault
An amphibious assault is a military operation that involves landing combat troops from ships at sea onto land, usually on a beach. The area where the troops land is referred to as a beachhead. The most well known amphibious landing was the D-Day landing at Normandy in WWII. Because amphibious assaults always involve naval forces these assaults are usually supported by naval gunfire and aircraft.
Amphibious Landings in Sci-Fi
- "We have to hold them until all transports are away. Prepare for ground assault!"
- —General Rieekan
In science fiction, this type of military operation is scaled up to the planetary level, and starships insert troops into battle against ground forces defending a planet. In most science fiction this is done fairly straight forward with troop ships landing and disembarking units into combat.
Star Trek factions usually make use of the transporter to insert troops during planetary assault operations. Other factions (and Star Trek factions, if transporters are somehow blocked) use shuttles, dropships, or even starships capable of landing to deploy troops and equipment.