Freelance
Traveller
This article originally appeared in issue #008 of the downloadable PDF magazine.
This material was recovered from archives maintained by the contributor. We have been unable to determine the original author or date of creation; the copyright date given is the file date.
The Imperium has the largest fleet in known space, with more than 1,000 squadrons organized into over fifty fleets and independent entities. Imperial fleets are made up of one or more Groups, each of which is made up of three or more Squadrons. In smaller or less-populated Sectors, there might be a small fleet, made up of one Group with three Squadrons. In Sectors that are likely to be attacked, there are often 3 or more fleets, each with three or four Groups of up to ten Squadrons each. Each Sector has at least one Fleet assigned to it.
A Squadron generally consists of eight to twelve ships. Some of the ships are support or communications vessels, and the rest make up the ‘line’ of the Squadron. For example, a typical Heavy Battle Squadron (HBatRon) would consist of one Dreadnaught, two Battleships, four Battlecruisers, two Fleet Couriers and one Squadron Tender. The Fleet Couriers and Squadron Tender would be the support element, while the Dreadnaught, Battleships and Battlecruisers would be the Squadron line.
A Group is a collection of Squadrons, usually organized around some large ship or important Squadron. For example, a Battle Group would be formed around a HBatRon, while a Carrier Group would be formed around a Fleet Carrier Squadron (FCarRon). The Imperium also has Assault Groups, Raid Groups, Patrol Groups, Transport Groups, Support Groups and even a few Recon Groups. Each Group will have its own Group Support Squadron in addition to its component Squadrons; this unit would have a number of couriers, tenders and perhaps troop transports or hospital ships. Squadrons are often reassigned to other Groups at various times, or even other Fleets.
A Fleet is a collection of Groups, usually organized along mission lines as necessitated by the needs of the Sector the Fleet is based in, or on the conditions around the Sector. In some sectors, the Fleet might consist of a Patrol Group of only three Squadrons. A Fleet generally has a few Squadrons of attached elements, with couriers, tenders and some troop transports, but this varies by Fleet.
All Imperial Depots house a Reserve Fleet, made up of over-age and reserve vessels stored there. Reserve Fleets are generally used for training activities and to support Depot operations, but in the event of a crisis they could be used to provide replacements for regular Fleets, or could be mobilized into action as a Regular Fleet in its own right.
Many worlds of the Imperium field military starships. These ships are all subject to mobilization in the Colonial Navy, an ad-hoc organization formed when the Sector or Domain Duke mobilizes non-Imperial starships and mercenary warships. In general, most of these ships tend to be patrol ships or smaller combatants, so mobilized Colonial Squadrons are most often used to form a single Sector-wide Colonial Fleet, which would usually be used for rear-area security. Those mobilized ships which are stronger combatants will either be used to support Colonial Fleet operations, or may be combined into Colonial Squadrons attached to combat-oriented Imperial Fleets.
Imperial doctrine has changed over the past 200 years. Formerly, the Imperial Navy was geared toward offensive actions. Imperial fleets were configured for rapid raiding operations, with enough heavy firepower to tie down defenders while the raids were undertaken. The goal was to cripple an enemy’s economy and military infrastructure to the point that it collapsed, leaving the enemy frontier defenseless.
This began to change in the face of wars with the Zhodani Consulate and other foreign powers. The Imperium had been successfully attacked in the past, but these were minor raids by pirates and small splinter groups within the Imperium. The new situation was that the Imperium had an active, hostile enemy on several borders (Zhodani, Aslan) and rebellious elements within another border region (Solomani Autonomous Region). This new reality caused the Imperial Navy to realign itself towards a more defensive role. The Imperium did not give up its offensive capabilities; but offense was no longer the focus of Imperial design. Large, high-jump vessels were replaced with large, high-firepower vessels. Lighter raiding ships remained part of the Imperial Navy structure, but these were no longer supported by larger ships in their penetration raids.
The Solomani Rim War caught the Imperium in the midst of this change. The Solomani fleet, made up of former Imperial personnel and equipment, shared a similar doctrine, but was more oriented towards offense due to Solomani cultural biases, and due to the inability of the Solomani economy to support a protracted attritional defense. The Solomani sphere was badly hurt by small-scale Imperial raiders, but the rimward portions of the Imperium were even more devastated. The result was a tie; both sides withdrew in the hopes of rebuilding enough strength to finish the job, but the horror of the conflict made the armistice a more permanent treaty. To the Vilani-dominated Imperial Naval Staff of that time, this only proved the need for a more defense-oriented military structure, and spelled an end to the Solomani-influenced emphasis on raiding tactics in the Imperial Navy. Thereafter, raids would be but minor sideshows in Imperial Navy thinking. The modern Imperial Navy philosophy is to use overwhelming firepower and numbers to break any attack, and to then counterattack against the now-disorganized enemy forces. This is made possible by the fantastic logistical advantage of the Imperium. The Imperium is three times larger than the other interstellar states, and has a huge industrial and manpower potential the other states can only dream of. This means the Imperium can send fleets from quiet Sectors to trouble areas, and rapidly build replacement ships or even fleets. Obviously, the Imperial Navy cannot be at all border points at once, so the philosophy envisions a defense in depth, buying time until sufficient forces are gathered to make a stand, after which the lost territory will be regained (with possibly more territory being claimed in the process).
Note that the ships listed below are nearly all TL15 ships. Lower tech ships can be found in Imperial Navy Depots and in Colonial units. There are also a number of experimental TL16 ships, but these are largely found in composite Experimental Squadrons (XRon) in Depots. Final decisions on TL16 fleet designs was scheduled for 1120, but that has been interrupted by the Civil War. Existing TL16 ships have been activated with other Depot forces.
Ships of the Imperial Navy
“dtons” is the standard abbreviation for “standard displacement tons”.
Dreadnaught: Range from 750,000 to 1,000,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry up to three wings of fighters, and up to a division of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for Emperors of the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Imperia. They serve as the core of a Heavy Battle Squadron (HBatRon) There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Cleon class, 1,000,000 dtons
Plankwell class, 850,000 dtons
Ishuuli class, 750,000 dtons
Battleship: Range from 500,000 to 700,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry up to a wing of fighters, and up to a division of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for worlds in the Imperium. They serve as the core of most Battle Squadrons (BatRon), or as the support of an HBatRon. There are four classes in active Imperial service:
Deneb class, 600,000 dtons
Dingir class, 550,000 dtons
Vega class, 500,000 dtons
Antares class, 500,000 dtons
Pocket Battleship: Range from 250,000 to 500,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 3G thrust. These ships carry a wing of fighters, and a brigade of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for worlds in the Imperium. These ships provide the bulk of the firepower in a BatRon, or are the core of a Light BatRon (LBatRon). There are five classes in active Imperial service:
Prometheus class, 400,000 dtons
Warrington class, 300,000 dtons
Asaaga class, 250,000 dtons
Kirke class, 250,000 dtons
Kuulimaar class, 250,000 dtons
Battle Rider: Range from 50,000 to 75,000 dtons. Rated at 6G thrust, with no Jump. These ships carry up to a wing of fighters, and a platoon of Marines for security duties. These spacecraft are named for famous battles in Imperial history. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Rhylanor class, 75,000 dtons
Terra class, 60,000 dtons
Shudushaam class, 50,000 dtons
Battle Tender: Range from 500,000 to 700,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry five battle riders, up to a wing of interceptors, and a company of Marines for security duties. These ships are named for famous fortifications in Imperial history. Several of these ships, supported by a Light Carrier and a Battle Cruiser, are used to form a Battle Rider Squadron (BatRidRon). There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Losenor class, 700,000 dtons
Eben Emael class, 550,000 dtons
Battle Cruiser: Range from 100,000 to 250,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry up to three squadrons of fighters, and a force of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for governments and similar organizations in Imperial space. The Battle Cruiser is very similar to the Heavy Cruiser, but a Battle Cruiser is configured for independent operations. These ships form the bulk of a LBatRon. There are five classes in active Imperial service:
Fenwick class, 250,000 tons
Dariida class, 200,000 tons
America class, 200,000 tons
Terhuun class, 150,000 tons
Karalonda class, 150,000 tons
Heavy Cruiser: Range from 75,000 to 150,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry up to three squadrons of fighters and up to a battalion of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for famous rulers of Imperial worlds or nations. They form the core of a Heavy Cruiser Squadron (HCruRon). There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Farrakor class, 100,000 dtons
Hengist class, 75,000 dtons
Attack Cruiser: Range from 50,000 to 100,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry one or two squadonrs of fighters configured for close support, and up to a battalion of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for famous Imperial generals. Combined with an Attack Carrier, these ships are used to form the core of an Attack Cruiser Squadron (ACruRon). There are two classes in active Imperial service:
General Toraag class, 100,000 dtons
General Wang class, 75,000 dtons
Light Cruiser: Range from 25,000 to 75,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry a squadron of fighters, and up to a company of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named for winners of the Imperial Starburst for Extreme Heroism. They form the bulk of a HCruRon or ACruRon, or are used to make up a simple Cruiser Squadron (CruRon). There are six classes in active Imperial service:
Johnstone class, 75,000 dtons
Obaya class, 60,000 dtons
Gionetti class, 50,000 dtons
F'leyah class, 40,000 dtons
Wansea class, 30,000 dtons
Ishiggli class, 25,000 dtons
Scout Cruiser: Range from 20,000 to 50,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry up to twelve scout/couriers, and several other auxilliary craft. They also carry a number of Scout Service ground teams and specialists, including a platoon of Strikers (IISS Paramilitry Security). These ships are generally assigned to Support Squadrons (SupRon) when mobilized for Imperial Navy service. These ships are named for famous Imperial Scouts. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Ferndale class, 50,000 dtons
Belker class, 30,000 dtons
Intruder: Range from 10,000 to 25,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 5, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry several auxillary vehicles, and a reinforced company of Marine Commandos for security and assault duties. These ships are named for legendary warriors. Thye combine with Inruder Escorts to form Intruder Squadrons (IntRon) for rear-area raiding. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Agamemnon class, 25,000 dtons
Aeneas class, 15,000 dtons
Fleet Carrier: Range from 750,000 to 1,000,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 1G thrust. These ships carry six to eighteen wings of fighters, and a company of Marines for security duties. These ships are named after Empresses and Royal Consorts of the Imperium. These ships serve as the core of a Heavy Carrier Squadron (HCarRon). There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Empress Arbellatra class, 850,000 dtons
Empress Eulayle class, 750,000 dtons
Attack Carrier: Range from 100,000 to 250,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry three to five wings of fighters two of which are configured for close support, and a company of Marines for security duties. These ships are named after moons in the Imperium. These ships are generally found supporting Attack Cruiser Squadrons (ACruRon). There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Luna class, 250,000 dtons
Garaala class, 150,000 dtons
Light Carrier: Range from 100,000 to 250,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry three to five wings of fighters, and a company of Marines for security duties. These ships are named for famous fighters from Imperial and pre-Imperial history. These ships can be found in many different types of BatRon or CarRon, acting in support of the squadron. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Curgarth class, 250,000 dtons
Mustang class, 100,000 dtons
Escort Carrier: Range from 25,000 to 50,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry a wing of fighters (mostly interceptors), and a platoon of Marines for security duties. There is no overall convention for naming of Escort Carriers. They form the core of an Escort Squadron (EscRon) or a Patrol Squadron (PatRon). There are four classes in active Imperial service:
Aegis class, 50,000 dtons
Diluuri class, 40,000 dtons
Bifrost class, 30,000 dtons
Je-Tuan class, 25,000 dtons
Frigate: Range from 10,000 to 20,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry several auxillary craft, and a reinforced platoon of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named after major cities in the Imperium. They form the bulk of a PatRon. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Capital class, 20,000 dtons
Ysev class, 15,000 dtons
New York class, 10,000 dtons
Intruder Escort: Range from 5,000 to 7,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 5, with 3G thrust. These ships carry one or two auxillary craft, and a platoon of Marines for security and assault duties. These ships are named after legendary or historical weapons. They are generally found supporting an IntRon. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Phalanx class, 6,500 dtons
Skean-Dhu class, 5,000 dtons
Fleet Escort: Range from 5,000 to 10,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry several auxillary craft, and a platoon of Marines for security duties. These ships are equipped with enhanced folding sensor arrays, and are used to picket the edges of a fleet during docking, landing or refueling operations. These ships are named after oceans in the Imperium. They make up the bulk of non-Tender ships in a SupRon. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Holder class, 10,000 dtons
Kilaamu class, 7,500 dtons
Jarvis class, 5,000 dtons
Destroyer: Range from 2,500 to 5,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 4G+ thrust. These ships carry one or two auxilliary craft, and a squad of Marines for security duties. These ships are named after famous Imperial admirals. They are found providing support in many types of CruRons, or forming the bulk of an EscRon. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Hortense class, 5,000 dtons
Kelly class, 4,000 dtons
Midu Agashaam class, 3,000 dtons
Destroyer Escort: Range from 1,000 to 1,500 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 4G+ thrust. These ships carry one or two auxilliary craft, and a squad of Marines for security duties. These ships are named after famous Imperial starship commanders. They are found providing support to EscRon activities. There are four classes in active Imperial service:
Fer-de-Lance class, 1,500 dtons
Gormancy class, 1,250 dtons
Chrysanthemum class, 1,000 dtons
Kiduusi class, 1,000 dtons
Patrol Cruiser: Range from 300 to 800 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 4G+ thrust. These ships carry no auxillary craft or Marines. There is no overall naming convention for ships of this classification. They are found providing support to PatRon or SupRon activities. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Usdikki class, 750 dtons
Jermole class, 600 dtons
Wombat class, 400 dtons
Close Escort: Range from 200 to 500 dtons. Rated at Jump 4, with 3G+ thrust. These ships carry one auxillary craft, and up to a squad of Marines for security duties. There is no overall naming convention for ships of this classification. They are found as the main ship type of many EscRons or PatRons. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Gazelle class, 300 dtons
Fiery class, 300 dtons
Force Assault Transport: Range from 10,000 to 25,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry drop capsule tubes and a squadron of assault landers, and are optimized to carry a full Marine Assault Force and its equipment. These ships are named for Marine winners of the Imperial Starburst for Extreme Heroism. They are found in many Group or Fleet SupRons, or attached to ACruRons. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Marteens class, 25,000 dtons
Huluuga class, 20,000 dtons
Brigade Assault Transport: Range from 50,000 to 100,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry several drop capsule tubes and a squadron of assault landers, and are optimized to carry a full Marine Landing Brigade and its equipment. These ships are named for famous Marine battles in Imperial history. They are found in many Group or Fleet SupRons, or attached to ACruRons. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Iwo Jima class, 100,000 dtons
Jae Tellona class, 75,000 dtons
Light Transport: Range from 25,000 to 50,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry several shuttles and other auxilliary craft, and are configured to carry up to 5,000 troops and their equipment (or half that many with vehicles). The ship carries a platoon of Marines for security purposes. These ships are named for famous non-Marine ground battles. They are generally assigned to Transport Squadrons (TranRon). There are two classes in active Imperial service:
El Alamein class, 50,000 dtons
Xochtil class, 35,000 dtons
Heavy Transport: Range from 100,000 to 250,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry several shuttles and other auxilliary craft, and are configured to carry up to 25,000 troops and their equipment (or half that many with vehicles). The ship carries a company of Marines for security purposes. These ships are named for Imperial Army winners of the Imperail Starburst for Extreme Heroism. They are generally assigned to TranRons. There is one class in active Imperial service:
Quintus class, 175,000 dtons
Hospital Ship: Range from 25,000 to 50,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 1G thrust. These ships carry one squadron of assault landers and several other auxilliary craft, and up to a platoon of Marines for security duties. The ship carries a 500-1,000 bed hospital, fully equipped with labs and special equipment. These ships are named for famous doctors from Imperial Navy or Marine history. They are generally found in Group-level SUpRons, and in some ACruRons and TranRons. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Dr. Kaligaan class, 50,000 dtons
Dr. Yamashita class, 35,000 dtons
Squadron Tender: Range from 10,000 to 25,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 1G thrust. These ships carry several shuttles and other auxilliary craft, and a squad of Marines for security duties. There is no overall naming convention for ships of this classification. There is generally one assigned to every squadron. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Sule Jukala class, 25,000 dtons
Calfix class, 17,500 dtons
Opendra class, 10,000 dtons
Fleet Tender: Range from 250,000 to 500,000 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 1G thrust. These ships carry numerous shuttles and other auxilliary craft, and a platoon of Marines for security duties. There is no overall naming convention for ships in this classification. They are usually assigned to Group-level or Fleet-level SupRons, as well as some TranRons. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Terwitch class, 450,000 dtons
Wutusi class, 250,000 dtons
X-Boat Tender: Range from 750 to 1,500 dtons. Rated at Jump 3, with 1G thrust. These ships carry three to five X-Boats or Scout/Couriers. There are no troops regularly assigned to these vessels. There is no naming convention for ships of this classification. These ships are sometimes called up for Imperial Navy service to carry larger non-starships (gunboats, SDBs); those that are will generally be assigned to SupRons or TranRons. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Yerkes class, 1,500 dtons
Jaballa class, 1,000 dtons
Idmaani class, 800 dtons
Fleet Courier: Range from 250 to 500 dtons. Rated at Jump 6, with 1G thrust. These ships carry no auxilliary craft or Marines. These ships are named for famous Imperial Navy personnel who did not win the SEH. Most larger ship squadrons will have one or more of these ships. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Renfield class, 500 dtons
Jalaaga class, 300 dtons
Scout Courier: Range from 100 to 150 dtons. Rated at Jump 2+, with 2G+ thrust. These ships carry no auxilliary craft or Marines. These ships are used by both the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service. There is no overall naming convention for ships of this classification. When these vessels are called into Imperial Navy service, they will be assigned to all squadron types as another type of Fleet Courier. There are six classes in active Imperial service:
Serpent class, 150 dtons (TL14, Jump 4)
Robilar class, 125 dtons (TL13, Jump 4)
Merkur class, 100 dtons (TL15, Jump 5)
Komodo class, 100 dtons (TL14, Jump 4)
Eagle class, 100 dtons (TL12, Jump 3)
Sextant class, 100 dtons (TL10, Jump 2)
Fighters: Range from 5 to 50 dtons. Rated at 6G thrust. These craft have no auxilliary craft or Marines. Interceptors have less fuel, and thus less patrol time, while Heavy Fighters carry a great deal of fuel and extended accomodations, making them excellent spacecraft for patrol or picket duty. All are equipped with a laser (two in the case of the Talon) and can carry a missile in an undercarriage cradle (two missiles in the case of the Talon). The underwing pylons may be equipped with extra fuel tanks, less-powerful TAC missiles or even autocannon or fusion weapons for ground support. There are three classes in active Imperial service:
Isveddi-class Light Fighter
(interceptor)
Rampart-class Fighter
Talon-class Heavy Fighter
Gunboats: Range from 50 to 1,000 tons. These are all heavily-armed and -armored non-Jump vessels, rated at 6G thrust. This classification includes heavy support craft, landers and the more numerous System Defense Boats (SDBs). There are nine classes in Imperial service:
Raptor-class SDB, 600 dtons
Warhawk-class SDB, 500 dtons
Thunderbird-class SDB, 400 dtons
Fury-class SDB, 300 dtons
Rusiidi-class SDB, 200 dtons
Sherman-class Close Support Gunboat, 400
dtons
Galiaagin-class Close Support Gunboat, 200
dtons
Janeerir-class Assault Lander, 50 dtons
Astarga-class Assault Lander, 30 dtons
Auxiliaries: Range from 10 to 1,000 tons. These are all non-Jump vessels, ranging from 1G to 6G rating. All of these ships are standardized only in size and control interfaces; individual fleets generally procure their own auxiliaries from local manufacturers. All such vessels must be TL14, and must conform to the requirements for the listed classification. Vessels may be armed or unarmed, depending on mission. The standard classifications in Imperial service are:
Shuttle, 100 dtons
Fuel Skimmer, 400 dtons
Cutter, 50 dtons
Pinnace, 40 dtons
Ship’s Boat, 30 dtons
Launch, 10 dtons
Gig, 20 dtons