The Fleets Role-Playing Timeline chronicles only those events that spark significant, measurable change to the structure, leadership, or important launch locations of one or more of the 3000AD Fleets and/or their parent Alliances. Qualifying structural changes must involve at least a Wing or launch location (destruction, acquisition, construction of a station/base). Qualifying leadership changes are at the Fleet Leader level or higher. Major RP events, such as far-reaching military conflicts, that don't effect the structure or leadership of any Fleet or Alliance are in the Events Timeline. All other character history is in the Characters Timeline.
Between December 2334 and October 2402 - The Terran people form the United Free Nations (UFN) and transition from many nations to a single constitutional republic. The UFN establishes and governs the Terran Armed Forces and divides them into two Alliances: Terran/Earthcom and Terran/Police
[Editor's note: This first entry is just a guess; Derek Smart and 3000AD Inc. have not yet defined exactly when Earthcom and the UFN were created.]
From Earthcom's creation until May of 2899 - The Earth Command Alliance applies the current Grouping Unit Structure directly below the Alliance level and utilizes its three Service Branches to partition all of its forces into three general career categories. At this time, the four types of top-level war-fighting military entities are (1) Army Group, (2) Winged Group, (3) Capital Flotilla Group, and (4) Military Crew Group. During this period, all top-level entities of these four types function like modern 3000AD Fleets.
May 2415 - The Insurgents, a group of dissidents opposed to EarthCOM activities and UFN policies that are leaving the Earth bereft of natural resources, begin political activities in an attempt to gain the balance of power and implement their own "Earth First" policies.
May 2899 - Following Voyager 2's discovery of evidence for extra-terrestrial life in the Alpha Centauri Starsystem in April, the United Free Nations (UFN) orders the Earth Command Alliance to restructure its forces into a new type of military entity. This organization, called a "Fleet" would reside directly under the Alliance leadership and be divided into "Wings". The Fleet will be the first of its kind established by any Terran militaristic body, including the Insurgents.
July 2899 - Earthcom completes the restructuring paperwork to form Vanguard Fleet and subsequently orders the new Fleet to partition its forces into logical Wings. The established Grouping Unit Structure, as used since Earthcom's inception centuries earlier, would be reapplied under each Wing in Vanguard Fleet and any future Earthcom Fleets.
October 2899 - Vanguard Fleet submits, to the Earth Command Alliance, its proposed Wing structure that labels Wings as "Unified Commands" that fulfill "Areas of Responsibilities". Earthcom approves the Wing structure for Vanguard Fleet alone, deliberately leaving the Wing structure of any future Fleets undefined for maximum flexibility. Vanguard Fleet immediately commissions the following Unified Commands:
1. GeoCentric Regional Command - to maintain the sovereignty of the Earthz space region, the Earth planetary region, and Earth's Moon planetary region.
2. Solar Regional Command - to ensure military protection of the the Sol Starsystem, excluding the Earthz space region and the planetary bodies therein.
3. Special Operations Functional Command - to support all Regional Commands through intelligence gathering and covert operations
4. Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command - to provide all currently-activated Regional Commands with Engineering, Medical, Transportational and R&D services.
September 2929 - In response to increasing criminal atrocities by rebel groups from the Empirian and Vesperon nations, Vanguard Fleet establishes the TerraQuad Regional Command to oversee Earthcom regional military operations beyond the Sol Starsystem. Earthcom subsequently expands the locational jurisdictions of the Special Operations Functional Command, and the Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command to coincide with that of the new TerraQuad Regional Command. For the next 19 years, the Unified Commands in Vanguard Fleet are as follows.
1. GeoCentric Regional Command
2. Solar Regional Command
3. Special Operations Functional Command
4. Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command
5. TerraQuad Regional Command
August 2949 - On the heels of the Zelon/Credian first contact incident, Vanguard Fleet commissions the TriQuad Regional Command. This new Unified Command's job is to oversee Terran forces, on permanent station outside of the Terran Quadrant, in defense of the Sol System. For the next 15 years, the Wing structure in Vanguard looks like so.
1. GeoCentric Regional Command
2. Solar Regional Command
3. Special Operations Functional Command
4. Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command
5. TerraQuad Regional Command
6. TriQuad Regional Command
March 2965 - The UFN declares the Insurgents an outlaw organization. Richard Garrison is subsequently promoted to Fleet Commandant of Vanguard Fleet. His first order, as Fleet Leader, is to establish a new type of Unified Command: the Special Combined Regional and Functional Command.
Designed to crush the Insurgents and be completely independent from other EarthCOM forces, the first (and, to date, only) Unified Command of this type is christened the "Specialized Counter-Insurgent Division Combined Regional and Functional Command". However, most people call it "SCID Command". For the next 28 years, Vanguard Fleet operates the following seven top-level Wings until the formation of the Galactic Command Alliance in May 2993.
1. GeoCentric Regional Command
2. Solar Regional Command
3. Special Operations Functional Command
4. Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command
5. TerraQuad Regional Command
6. TriQuad Regional Command
7. Specialized Counter-Insurgent Division Combined Regional and Functional Command
March 2981 - Continuing to perfect his battlefield strategy (and physical fitness) at eighty years of age, Richard Garrison is promoted to Alliance Leader of the Earth Command Alliance and given the rank of EarthCOM-Commanant.
February 1988 - Observing the worsening situation in the Galaxy, the Terran, Empirian and Vesperon governments begin to contemplate a joint military strategy.
May 2990 - At the request of Daniel Londono, then Wing Commandant of Vanguard Fleet's Special Operations Functional Command, the Earth Command Alliance establishes a second Fleet, the Special Defense Fleet (SDF), and promotes Londono to Fleet Commandant of the SDF. The new Fleet is originally designed to undermine Gammulan offensives in Terran and neighboring territories and provide support to Vanguard's SCID Command through carefully planned covert strikes. The UFN transfers resources, assets, millions of personnel and funding from all seven Wings in Vanguard Fleet to the Special Defense Fleet. Vanguard Fleet deactivates the TerraQuad Regional Command and the TriQuad Regional Command and significantly downsizes the Solar Regional Command to repopulate its other Wings. Those remaining Unified Commands are as follows.
1. GeoCentric Regional Command
2. Solar Regional Command
3. Special Operations Functional Command
4. Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command
5. Specialized Counter-Insurgent Division Combined Regional and Functional Command
05/11/2993 - After five years of diplomatic talks, the United Free Nations, the Empirian Supreme Command, and the Vesperon General Assembly co-found the Galactic Command Alliance to protect the Terran Quadrant from growing threats abroad and at home.
May 2993 - Deciding, initially, to locate most of Galactic Command's forces in Sol, the Terrans, Empirians and Vesperons begin to craft the Alliance's operational directives and quadrant-wide defense strategy. Galcom converts the Genesis star station in Earth orbit, already a 90% military installation, to be a fully functional tactical operations center, and eventually renames the station as GALCOM HQ (or GHQ). Earthcom transfers Starpath in Mars orbit to Galcom control. After obtaining permission from the UFN, Galcom begins construction on a new Genesis starstation in orbit of Earth's Moon. During its first year of existence, Galcom limits its military operations, so as to ease into the large responsibility of maintaining law and order in the Terran Quadrant.
June 2993 - With its new forces and assets from the Terran, Empirian and Vesperon militaries, GALCOM forms the First Space Marine Battalion and the First Orbital Marine Battalion. These two Marine Battalions comprise Galcom's first (and to date, only) fleet-independent military entity: Prime Force. Terran contributions to Prime Force come from both the Special Defense Fleet (At this time, the SDF still resided in Earthcom.) and Vanguard Fleet.
August 2994 - The Terran, Empirian and Vesperon governments declare the Galactic Command Alliance to be operation-ready. This time around, with the two alien militaries strapped for personnel and cash, the Terrans are compelled to donate military forces alone. The SDF Fleet is detached from the Earth Command Alliance and is newly established as GALCOM's first Fleet. By this stage the SDF is already conducting covert strikes against Gammulan offensives in the entire Terran Quadrant and providing support not only to Terran forces combating the Insurgents, but to Empirian forces engaging the Sla'Ti as well. Therefore, the SDF's transition to Galcom progresses simply and quickly (completed within a month). With the SDF now under Galcom's direction, and Prime Force already fulfilling general combat responsibilities, the new multi-national Alliance commences full military and research operations in earnest.
Third Quarter of 2994 - Richard Garrison dies while still the Alliance Leader of Earthcom. Nicolas Taylor, then Wing Commandant of Vanguard Fleet's GeoCentric Regional Command, is promoted to EarthCOM-Commandant.
September 2995 - In response to the SDF's growing power in GALCOM circles (and aspiring to place his own mark on Terran/Military history), a young, militant Commander named Antti Junkkari seeks and is given approval to form Orion Fleet to serve as Galactic Command's major strike force, specializing in heavy combat. Orion rapidly earns a reputation as an elite fighting force, challenging the SDF's technological dominance and rivaled in resources only by Prime Force. Galcom constructs the Ter/Mil OrionHQ starstation in orbit of Titan in Jupiterz/Sol by February 2996.
August 2997 - The Insurgents score their largest single victory of the thirtieth century against the Earth Command Alliance in the Battle of Mars. Using a series of customized maneuvers and nuclear strikes, the Insurgents destroy nearly half of all Vanguard Fleet forces on the Red Planet, under the brilliant direction of Insurgent Two Akira. Galactic Command forces arrive in time to prevent a total routing, but the damage is done. Engineers from Vanguard Fleet's Dedicated Logistical Operations Functional Command immediately commence a sixteen-month long radiation cleanup of the surface. These catastrophic results, lead the UFN to endorse Galcom's near complete adoption of the Terran space program, all but abolishing Vanguard Fleet's Solar Regional Command.
To maintain a representative Earthcom presence beyond the Earth space region, the UFN Legislature votes to relocate SCID and the Solar Regional Command's space port to Empirian territory. Within a month the UFN secures a high-profile lease contract with the Empirian Supreme Command for the orbital path around the second moon of Centrisz/Alpha Centauri. Earthcom then purchased the starstation there from the Empirian Military to house SCID and stage the space operations of the Solar Regional Command. By the end of the year, Vanguard Fleet overhauls the station and re-cristens it Ter/Ear SCID.
The man largely responsible for securing these agreements is T. C. McQueen, then Commandant of Solar Command's Venus BattleGroup. Convinced that McQueen had the experience to remedy the crippled Solar Command, the Earth Command Alliance promotes him to be its Wing Commandant. The Wing structure in Vanguard Fleet remains as it was starting in May 2990.
[Editor's note: GWII will bring back all Vanguard Fleet Wings that existed between March 2965 and May 2990.]
October 2998 - Increasingly, Galcom's expanding operations are requiring the Special Defense Fleet to undertake general combat missions and steer away from its original role as a covert strike force. Observing this pattern and Galactic Command's need for a dedicated special operations force, SDF Leader Daniel Londono pettitions the multi-national Alliance to form a new Fleet named "Wraith". With its forces, resources, and responsibilities already growing quickly, Galcom denies creation of the Fleet for the time being, but (having monitored the germinating military threat in the Gammulan Quadrant) agrees to assess the need for such a force.
December 2998 - Shortly after securing a rare agreement with the Mandorian government, Galactic Command authorizes Londono to form Wraith Fleet and construct its headquarters around a moon in Rinaal, Cyrian (in the Credian Quadrant, bordering Gammulan space). In return Wraith Fleet must warn the Mandorians, and the Kandorian military, of any impending Gammulan invasion of the Credian Quadrant. Retaining his SDF Leader position for the time being, Londono becomes the only Galcom Fleet Leader to date to simultaneously command two Fleets.
September 2999 - Construction of Wraith Fleet HQ starstation is completed in orbit of a small moon located in Rinaal, Cyrian.
February 3000 - The InSystem Support fleet is formed, with Commander DeSylva and Commander Ristar at the head. Facilities around Saturn for the fleet are constructed.
March 3000 - As Galcom approves the creation of new Fleets and matures its operational strategy, the role of the Special Defense Fleet turns from that of a covert strike force, to a more multi-polar defensive fleet. Fleet Leader Londono relinquishes control of the SDF to the Supreme Commander himself, thereby freeing up valuable time for Londono to supervise the ever increasing duties of Wraith Fleet.
April 3000 - Shortly after Galcom steps up its recruiting efforts, the Special Defence Fleet fights it's first (and to date, only) campaign against Gammulan forces. After the conflict, funding is diverted from the SDF project to other Galcom Fleets. Galactic Command merges the SDF with Prime Force to form a new Fleet: Prime Fleet. At this point, the four Galcom Fleets all have their founding Fleet Leaders. As of April 3000, they are as follows:
Prime Fleet - Strategic Commander Joe Gudhil
Orion Fleet - Strategic Commander Antti Junkkari
InSystem Support Fleet - Strategic Commander Gareth DeSylva
Wraith Fleet - Strategic Commander Daniel 'Tac' Londono
June 3004 - Galactic Command promotes Commander Karl 'Blades' Savage to Strategic Commander and Fleet Leader of Orion Fleet. As of June 3004, the Galcom Fleet Leaders are as follows:
Prime Fleet - Strategic Commander Joe Gudhil
[Editor's note: later FL(s) being Remo Williams, Kalshion]
Orion Fleet - Strategic Commander Karl 'Blades' Savage
[Editor's note: later FL(s) being Greg 'Gman' Miller, _silk]
InSystem Support Fleet - Strategic Commander Gareth DeSylva
[Editor's note: later FL(s) being Jeenun Ristar, Nick Jamont, Ben Zwycky]
Wraith Fleet - Strategic Commander Daniel 'Tac' Londono
[Editor's note: later FL(s) being Dreada, Benjamin Summerset, Case]
February 3008 - EarthCOM-Commandant Nicolas Taylor promotes Wing Commandant TC McQueen to Fleet Commandant of Vanguard.
Between March 14th, 3008 and April 4th, 3010 - As part of the rebuilding process, Galcom strikes a deal to exchange its Until this time, the Ter/Mil OrionHQ starstation in orbit of Titan in Jupiterz/Sol, had served as Orion Fleet's home port. The UFN had leased an orbital path, from the Empirian Supreme Command, around the second moon of Centrisz/Alpha Centauri, and purchased the starstation there for Earthcom's SCID. Earthcom had constructed a stwith the Earthcom Alliance Ter/Ear SCID starstation in Centris, Alpha Centauri (). The Empirian Supreme Command transfers Earthcom's lease contract (for the orbital profile, n)Both space structuresto Galcom and. stand the Insurgents move all starstations are moved from BC3K locations to those of Battlecruiser Millennium. [Editor's note to self: Elaborate; describe each station move with the accompanying circumstance. The next timeline entry is the first in this series of station moves.]
March 14th, 3008 - Wraith HQ Starstation in orbit of a moon located in Rinaal, Cyrian is destroyed - Cerberus Stirs, post #24 (http://www.3000ad.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000091;p=1#000024)
July 3014 - Steven Preston uncovers evidence of Taylor's cooperation with the Insurgents throughout the Second Gammulan War. The Earth Command Alliance court-marshals EarthCOM-Commandant Nicolas Taylor, appointing McQueen in his place.
Fourth Quarter of 3025 - EarthCOM-Commandant McQueen, ECV Saratoga, Alpha Canis, 3025, ship crashed, McQueen's fate unknown (appoint Karl Wolf or Steven Preston as new EarthCOM-Commandant)
Before April 4th, 3030 - Galcom relocates the Genesis starstation from the orbit of Earth's moon to the orbit of Venus.
[Editor's note: I started developing this Fleets Timeline in early March 2005. I base much of the information herein on or develop it from (1) DeSylva's Timeline. Perhaps 10% of this timeline's content is in DeSylva's own words. I could not have compiled this without his pioneering work. Thank you for reading.]