Imperial Navy
Having dug out the Imperial Marines/Army White Paper, I thought I woudlsend
along the Imperial Navy White Paper that went with it. The ships at the end of
the White Paper do not seem to include many of the Book 9 starships, mainly
because I had renamed some of them. I actually had all of those ships as High
Guard designs, but I never got around to converting them to MegaTravller or
FF&S. Enjoy!
Imperial Naval Doctrine
The Imperium has the largest fleet in known space, with more than 1,000
squadrons organized into 50-plus fleets and independent entities. Imperial
fleets are made up of 1 or more Groups, each of which is made up of 3 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 3 or 4 Groups of up to 10
Squadrons each. Each Sector has at least 1 Fleet assigned to it.
A Squadron generally consists of 8 to 12 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 1
Dreadnaught, 2 Battleships, 4 Battlecruisers, 2 Fleet Couriers and 1 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 overage 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
Dreadnaught
Range from 750,000 to 1,000,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Plankwell class, 850,000 tons displacement
Ishuuli class, 750,000 tons displacement
Battleship
Range from 500,000 to 700,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Dingir class, 550,000 tons displacement
Vega class, 500,000 tons displacement
Antares class, 500,000 tons displacement
Pocket Battleship
Range from 250,000 to 500,000 tons displacement. Rated at Jump 3, with 3G
thrust. These ships carry up to a wing of fighters, and up to 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 Battle Squadron (LBatRon). There are five classes in
active Imperial service:
Prometheus class, 400,000 tons displacement
Warrington class, 300,000 tons displacement
Asaaga class, 250,000 tons displacement
Kirke class, 250,000 tons displacement
Kuulimaar class, 250,000 tons displacement
Battle Rider
Range from 50,000 to 75,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Terra class, 60,000 tons displacement
Shudushaam class, 50,000 tons displacement
Battle Tender
Range from 500,000 to 700,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Eben Emael class, 550,000 tons displacement
Battle Cruiser
Range from 100,000 to 250,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Hengist class, 75,000 tons displacement
Attack Cruiser
Range from 50,000 to 100,000 tons displacement. 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 three classes in active Imperial service:
General Toraag class, 100,000 tons displacement
General Wang class, 75,000 tons displacement
Light Cruiser
Range from 25,000 to 75,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Obaya class, 60,000 tons displacement
Gionetti class, 50,000 tons displacement
F'leyah class, 40,000 tons displacement
Wansea class, 30,000 tons displacement
Ishiggli class, 25,000 tons displacement
Scout Cruiser
Range from 20,000 to 50,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Belker class, 30,000 tons displacement
Intruder
Range from 10,000 to 25,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Aeneas class, 15,000 tons displacement
Fleet Carrier
Range from 750,000 to 1,000,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Empress Eulayle class, 750,000 tons displacement
Attack Carrier
Range from 100,000 to 250,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Garaala class, 150,000 tons displacement
Light Carrier
Range from 100,000 to 250,000 tons displacement. 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 three
classes in active Imperial service:
Curgarth class, 250,000 tons displacement
Mustang class, 100,00 tons displacement
Escort Carrier
Range from 25,000 to 50,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Diluuri class, 40,000 tons displacement
Bifrost class, 30,000 tons displacement
Je-Tuan class, 25,000 tons displacement
Frigate
Range from 10,000 to 20,000 tons displacement. 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 cities in
the Imperium. They form the bulk of a PatRon. There are three classes in
active Imperial service:
Capital class, 20,000 tons displacement
Ysev class, 15,000 tons displacement
New York class, 10,000 tons displacement
Intruder Escort
Range from 5,000 to 7,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Skean-Dhu class, 5,000 tons displacement
Fleet Escort
Range from 5,000 to 10,000 tons displacement. 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.
Thye make up the bulk of non-Tender ships in a SupRon. There are three classes
in active Imperial service:
Holder class, 10,000 tons displacement
Kilaamu class, 7,500 tons displacement
Jarvis class, 5,000 tons displacement
Destroyer
Range from 2,500 to 5,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Kelly class, 4,000 tons displacement
Midu Agashaam class, 3,000 tons displacement
Destroyer Escort
Range from 1,000 to 1,500 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Gormancy class, 1,250 tons displacement
Chrysanthemum class, 1,000 tons displacement
Kiduusi class, 1,000 tons displacement
Patrol Cruiser
Range from 300 to 800 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Jermole class, 600 tons displacement
Wombat class, 400 tons displacement
Close Escort
Range from 200 to 500 tons displacement. 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 can be found as the main ship type of many EscRons or
PatRons. There are two classes in active Imperial service:
Gazelle class, 300 tons displacement
Fiery class, 300 tons displacement
Force Assault Transport
Range from 10,000 to 25,000 tons displacement. Rated at Jump 3, with 2G+
thrust. These ships carry a drop capsule tubes and a squadron of assault
landers, and are optimaized 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 tons displacement
Huluuga class, 20,000 tons displacement
Brigade Assault Transport
Range from 50,000 to 100,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Jae Tellona class, 75,000 tons displacement
Light Transport
Range from 25,000 to 50,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Xochtil class, 35,000 tons displacement
Heavy Transport
Range from 100,000 to 250,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Hospital Ship
Range from 25,000 to 50,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Dr. Yamashita class, 35,000 tons displacement
Squadron Tender
Range from 10,000 to 25,000 tons displacement. 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:,br>
Sule Jukala class, 25,000 tons displacement
Calfix class, 17,500 tons displacement
Opendra class, 10,000 tons displacement
Fleet Tender
Range from 250,000 to 500,000 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Wutusi class, 250,000 tons displacement
X-Boat Tender
Range from 750 to 1,500 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Jaballa class, 1,000 tons displacement
Idmaani class, 800 tons displacement
Fleet Courier
Range from 250 to 500 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement
Jalaaga class, 300 tons displacement
Scout Courier
Range from 100 to 150 tons displacement. 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 tons displacement (TL14, Jump 4)
Robilar class, 125 tons displacement (TL13, Jump 4)
Merkur class, 100 tons displacement (TL15, Jump 5)
Komodo class, 100 tons displacement (TL14, Jump 4)
Eagle class, 100 tons displacement (TL12, Jump 3)
Sextant class, 100 tons displacement (TL10, Jump 2)
Fighters
Range from 5 to 50 tons displacement. 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. There are nine classes in
Imperial service:
Raptor-class System Defense Boat, 600 tons displacement
Warhawk-class System Defense Boat, 500 tons displacement
Thunderbird-class System Defense Boat, 400 tons displacement
Fury-class System Defense Boat, 300 tons displacement
Rusiidi-class System Defense Boat, 200 tons displacement
Sherman-class Close Support Gunboat, 400 tons displacement
Galiaagin-class Close Support Gunboat, 200 tons displacement
Janeerir-class Assault Lander, 50 tons displacement
Astarga-class Assault Lander, 30 tons displacement
Auxiliaries
Range from 1 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 tons displacement
Fuel Skimmer, 400 tons displacement
Cutter, 50 tons displacement
Pinnace, 40 tons displacement
Ship's Boat, 30 tons displacement
Launch, 10 tons displacement
Gig, 20 tons displacement