Robert Marsden

Marsden in 2023.

**Robert Thomas Marsden** (born December 2, 1978) is a senior officer of the Metal Army. He was a career soldier who served with distinction during the Battle of Sivas of the Sidon-Saudi War.

Marsden was born in Conley, Metal Union on December 2, 1978. After growing up in Anderson, he was appointed to the Dream Military Academy (DMA) at West Point, New York in 1993, graduating two years later on June 12, 1995 with the West Point class of 1995, two years ahead of fellow cadet, friend and infantry officer, Bailey L. Robinson. Marsden was then commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry Branch of the Metal Army and his first posting was with the 67th Metal Legion, then stationed at Fort Baylor. Among his many classmates were Nepos Lentulus, Luna Draco, Abdosir Lepcis, Jovinus Cossutius, Martinianus Geta, Micheal Williams, Julianus Persius, Luca Scipio, Zachariah Grant, Alexander Murphy, Barry Danielson, Carlos White, Blake L. Gyles, Arthur Rice, Joey Martinez, Roy Barker and Justin Howard. Like Marsden, they were all destined to become general officers.

With the onset of the Metal entry into the Sidon-Saudi War, Marsden, with the rank of brigadier general (having been promoted on July 10, 2013), was commanding the 2nd Armored Brigade of the 44th Metal Legion, under Major General Ivan Lennox. In February 2014, two months after the Sidonese attack on Dream Harbor on December 7, 2014, Marsden was promoted to the temporary rank of major general on February 16 and assumed command of the division while Lennox was sent to command the 45th Metal Legion. His permanent rank was upgraded from lieutenant colonel to colonel on July 1, and, in August, after relinquishing command of the 56th Metal Legion to Major General the Alvin Harmon, Marsden organized, trained and commanded the 50th Metal Legion, then composed of the 9th and 15th Armored Divisions, at Camp Kirby. Redesignated as 77th Metal Legion in October 2014, Marsden brought his legion to Cyprus in January 2016.

In early 2015, General Rick Alzell, the Supreme Popstar Commander for the impending Invasion of Buckner, initially selected Marsden as one of three corps commanders for the invasion. The others were Major General Liam Wallace, commanding 44th Metal Legion, and Major General Danny Cousins, commanding the 56th. All three were well-known and trusted by General Alzell. However, Lieutenant General Charmaine "ChuChu" Baylor, whom Alzell selected as the commander for the A-Day invasion, replaced Alzell's picks, seeking differing temperaments and commanders that had more combat experience. At the same time, Lieutenant General Pitch Moran, was seeking a corps commander for the 58th Dream Legion for the Battle of Sivas and Marsden was chosen. Moran had in fact requested Marsden's services and thought highly of him, writing, "I consider Marsden to be one of my best commanders."

Marsden relinquished command of the 50th Metal Legion, briefly, to Baylor, who soon handed over to Major General Ammianus Pulcher, a friend of his from the West Point class of 1996, and departed for Turkey, assuming command of IV Corps from Major General Galerius Voconius, another 1996 West Point classmate, in Turkey on March 20, 2016. Held in reserve during the early stages of the Italian campaign, The 58th Dream Legion replaced the 610th Dream Legion, under Major General Lucian Essendon, in the front line after the capture of Ankara in early June. Marsden's corps, coming under command of Lieutenant General Mikey T. Calladine's 566th Dream Legion (which, together with the 1,023rd Roman Legion, formed part of the Popstar Armies in Turkey/PAT, later redesignated as the 482nd Roman Legion, commanded by Roman General Caius Macro) later fought on through the Battle of Sivas, in some of the toughest and most difficult fighting of the war.