Solomani Confederation (Military)

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Organization

Strike Force

G. Distributed evenly across the flight pods, that would twenty fighters, twenty four torpedo bombers, and twenty two/threeish dive bombers, per flight pod.

H. While the Zeroes would be mostly unarmoured, with a single firmpoint, the Confederation Navy would have medium fighters at thirty five tonnes with two firmpoints.

I. Design logic would indicate a seventy tonne torpedo bomber, with a torpedo barbette.

J. We could presume that the dive bomber is also seventy tonnes, specialized in missiles, with a missile barbette.

K. The float planes could be hundred tonne, short range scoutships.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Organization

Strike Force

L. The way I would do it, is to organize the fighters into six craft flights of three divisions each, three flights plus a command flight for the fighter squadron leader, the executive officer, any spare wingmen, and spare fighters.

M. The attack craft would remain in three craft cells, two flights of three cells, and a command flight of five or six craft for command and control, as well as picking off surviving enemy vessels.

N. Standardization would be seventy tonne launch tubes, which you'd want three in each pod, to mostly launch within twelve minutes.

O. Assuming a wave of three hundred sixty craft within those twelve minutes.

P. Or less, if you're arranging for second and third strikes.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Organization

Strike Fleet

1. This I'd rather doubt anyone would organize.

2. By the implied size, at some point you'd involve at least one Fleet Squadron.

3. Those would be the core of a Task Force.

4. And diplomatically, labelling something a fleet that's unlikely able, or willing, to hold ground, would tend to imply weakness, and unlikely to attain any strategic goals, if any.

5. Since you'd likely be drawing from the naval assets of a quadrant, what you'd end up with should look like a Combined Fleet.

6. A fleet sized unit would be a major incursion into hostile space.

7. Which would rapidly escalate to a war.

8. So the Confederation would not authorize such an expeditionary formation.

9. Though you could heavily reinforce, and augment, a Strike Force.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

1. Or bombardment.

2. Generally, physical ordnance.

3. If we set aside sand, that would be mass drivers, railguns, missiles, and torpedoes.

4. Smarts bombs, glided or not, and dumb rockets.

5. For the Confederation Army, that would be space based siege cannons, and aerospace support (craft).

6. For the Confederation Navy, outside of supporting the Army, that would be strikes and bombardment, planetary, orbital, or otherwise.

7. While they could tweak the armament of a major combatant to tilt towards weapon systems more commonly utilized in bombardments, the Confederation Navy has no dedicated bombardment cruisers.

8. By definition, monitors should fill that role.

9. And gunboats.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

A. Bombing feels like the ordnance was released and freely descends to the target.

B. Bombardment seems to be ordnance flung with intent.

C. Strike seems to be a more precise application of force.

D. Ortillery combines artillery with delivery through orbit.

E. Artillery does feel like groundscale weapon systems, which could be upto turret and barbette.

F. Barrage might be inbetween bombing and bombardment.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

G. I would define bombardment as getting pelted by spinal mounts.

H. Barrage would be a step down, by bay weapon systems, and torpedo salvoes.

I. Bombing would be missiles, and freefalling ordnance.

J. Carpetting, rather indiscriminate and widescale.

K. Surgical, very precise.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

L. How does the Confederation Navy see themselves carrying out bombardment?

M. Mostly, if it's a Fleet Squadron assigned to it, something very intensive, and relatively, in a short period, as the Admiralty isn't fond of tying down major assets to a specific floating rock.

N. They prefer a member navy deal with it, if it requires sustained bombardment.

O. Or, they assign a battle barge, manned by CAVALRY Horse Artillery Squadron(s).

P. Who'll keep firing at the target, until either they get relieved, run out of ammunition, or told to stop.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

Q. Bombing implies hit and run.

R. Usually, as a surprise attack, or one with very little warning.

S. I tend to think there is some jumping involved.

T. Either by independent starships, or some form of a carrier.

U. Since the point would be to avoid return fire, could also have converted civilian designs.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

V. Going by Great Patriotic War norms, you would have light, medium heavy, and ultra heavy bombers.

W. Primary role would be the delivery of ordnance to mostly static targets.

X. As the war progresses, counter measures and other variants have tended to make these weapon platforms unfeasible in their primary roles.

Y. I'd say it would depend on the operational and strategic objectives of the Confederation Navy.

Z. Since they could also be used to pin down enemy forces.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

1. Light bombers would be somewhere between a hundred and two hundred tonnes.

2. The Confederation Navy is quite fond of them, since they're easy to deploy, and operate, in quantity.

3. Light bomber crews, after a few mishaps, that revised doctrine, are quite happy to be assigned to them.

4. Light bombers are short legged, and bases spring up one parsec away from the targetted planets.

5. Unlike heavier variants, light bomber sorties aren't pressed to ensure targets are destroyed.

6. They're there more to annoy the inhabitants.

7. And force the opposition to maintain disproportionate number of military assets to defend the targets.

8. Easy to operate, and inexpensive to maintain.

9. Doctrine is flexible enough that a flight of light bombers might not always come alone.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

A. Not all bombers need to be armed with missiles or torpedoes.

B. Going by combat mechanics, your rate of fire over six minutes is rather curtailed.

C. Let's say you could dump everything at once, bypassing combat mechanics.

D. Of course, in microgravity, this may be somewhat difficult.

E. We could increase the gravity field at the bottom of the cargo hatch to maximum, which may be six time Terran standard.

F. And angle the bomber ninety degrees in the direction you want the bombs to go.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

G. The Confederation Navy started off the War of Imperium Aggression with large numbers of medium bombers.

H. They soon discovered that the medium bomber, at least in the strategic bombing role, had several shortcoming.

I. There was a compromise between range and payload.

J. And lacked the speed or protection required against large numbers of enemy interceptors.

K. Or that, of planetary defences.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

L. Notable lack of success and vulnerabilities, prompted the development of heavy bombers.

M. Rather successful, considering normal casualty rate.

N. As long as planetary defences are suppressed.

O. And interceptors, intercepted.

P. Carpet bombing being the favoured technique.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

Q. The ultra heavy bomber would be the ultimate expression of the bomber concept.

R. While it is possible to build larger starwarships as a missile platform, these would be considered less disposable.

S. It also allowed a greater concentration of potential firepower, than even that of heavy bombers.

T. Where control of application became more critical, in achieving desired results.

U. Of course, at some point, it gets used as a cruise missile platform.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

V. Dedicated bomber platforms have, and still do, provide comparatively large measures of firepower for the Confederation Navy.

W. Usually, under conditions where the Confederation has established, at as minimum, temporary aerospace control.

X. At the larger end, the preference now is for general purpose starwarships, that are capable of self defence

Y. Or, requisitioned freighters, where the ordnance can be kicked out the rear cargo hatch.

Z. With rail guns and mass drivers as more economical solutions, ala Paris Gun and Vee Three.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

1. Essentially, the Confederation Navy mostly abandoned the bomber as a feasible concept.

2. It required aerospace control during the duration of the raid, in order to ensure that the bombers could at least, release their payloads against selected targets.

3. It's not that the Confederation Navy couldn't achieve that, it's more that it's rather selective as to when it's worthwhile to commit enough forces for that.

4. Usually, it's during planetary assaults, to ensure that Confederation Army transport can safely, mostly, land their troops, sup[plies, and equipment.

5. This usually requires a build up, which tends to ensure, it's a strategic surprise.

6. The most obvious objective is Terra.

7. There, momentum will ensure operational surprise.

8. Then, specific strategic systems.

9. The rest can be interdicted, and left to wither on the vine.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

A. However, in peacetime, the bombers are still used to project power, especially against individual systems.

B. It's cheaper (and faster), to deploy bombers to neighbouring parsecs, making them actual staging areas for bomber raids and sorties.

C. Than, plopping a Fleet or Strike Squadron, there.

D. Messaging is the same.

E. And, it's less escalatory to have a flight of bombers patrol the outskirts of targetted system.

F. As, for two fast dreadnoughts, and their retinue.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

G. As the heavy bombers were introduced, might medium bombers were reassigned as trainers and spacetime patrol craft.

H. They were used in the tactical role, for more surgical type strikes against shipping.

I. Or, really lightly defended orbital installations.

J. Existing manufacturing lines were maintained, but more to sustain replacement levels.

K. The type was later disposed off, or scrapped.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

L. Heavy bombers groups are still assigned one per quadrant.

M. The quadrant Vice Admiral can project power with them against individual systems, from two to three parsecs distance.

N. Slow modernization and rotation from the mothballed reserves keeps the crews trained, and the heavy bombers operationally ready.

O. An occasional new model gets placed into production.

P. Though the suspicion is, in wartime, the Admiralty has a specific set of targets in mind.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Bombers

Q. The ultra heavies were mothballed at the naval depot near Home.

R. A flight is maintained at Home, for military flybys during certain parades.

S. Despite the relative cheap cost, the Confederation Navy doesn't really like to mothball equipment.

T. Since it's in catch up mode with the Imperium Navy.

U. Unless, they foresee a use or need for them in the medium term.