Solomani Confederation (Military)

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Smallcraft Designations


Medium - thirty five tonnes, two firmpoints, doubled armour, cockpitted


Light - seventeen and a half tonnes, one firmpoint, tripled armour, cockpitted

Superlight - eight and three quarter tonnes, one firmpoint, quadrupled armour, cockpitted


Heavy - forty nine tonnes, two firmpoints, doubled armour, cockpitted

Superheavy - seventy tonnes, three firmpoints, doubled armour, six tonne bridge


Ultralight - five tonnes, one firmpoint, quadrupled armour, cockpitted

Ultraheavy - ninety nine tonnes, three firmpoints, doubled armour, six tonne bridge


armed

armoured

boat

fighter

ironclad

shuttle

transporter

utility

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Smallcraft Designations


Medium - the sweetspot for Confederation Navy smallcraft, smaller than an Imperium pinnace, larger than a ship's boat, convenient size for docking and hangars


Light - half size of the medium, theoretically allowing two in the same docking space, sort of equivalent of a gig or a launch

Superlight - keeping with the theme, half size of the light smallcraft, to move around small groups and cargoes


Heavy - it would have been fifty tonnes, but considering the emphasis on smallcraft piloting, more likely going for extra agility, in lieu of a two percent increase in volume

Superheavy - in theory, you could store two mediums in a docking space for a superheavy hull, but used principally as a cargo or weapons pod for a medium smallcraft, since there is an agility penalty, and in the transportation role, you don't need three firmpoints, nor a six tonne bridge; however, careful examination of the rules did allow one widespread exception, various Marks of the Swordfish class


Ultralight - I would have gone with four and three eighths tonnes, but the rules say that the minimum is five tonnes, so anything that can be fitted inside, and could still be propelled

Ultraheavy - at the other end of the scale, and still be considered a smallcraft, can't think it would be used as anything other than the primary hull for pseudo bigcraft


aerospace

assault

attack

fast

glider

raft

slow

space

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Smallcraft Designations


Medium - standard medium fighter


Light - boat or launch, could depend on acceleration

Superlight - gig, which would fit in with a gig economy


Heavy - tempting for a clean hundred tonne payload hull, but can shift that to ultraheavy transporter

Superheavy - Swordfish class studded ironclad torpedo bomber


Ultralight - I'm going to have to go with the Spud class studded ironclad point defence fighter

Ultraheavy - you attach components, without compromising the smallcraft category, exception being integrated components, specifically drop tanks, but not podularization


integrated

missile

modular

podular

reconnaissance

scout

strike

studded

torpedo

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Smallcraft Designations


Ultralight - Solomani Point Ultralight Defender XIV

base technological level - fourteen

hull - five tonne planetoid

armour - nickel iron factor two

bridge - one and a half tonne cockpit/single, sensors/basic, computer/five

propulsion - four hundred kilogramme manoeuvre drive factor/eight

energy source - sixty six two thirds kilogramme monopower point standard fusion reactor

fuel - one twentieth of a tonne

programmes - intellect, library, manoeuvre; optional: fire control/one, virtual crew

armament - missile rack plus four missiles; optional: quarter tonne fusion gun man portable

cargo - one tonne nine hundred eighty three and one third kilogrammes

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Smallcraft Designations


Ultralight - Solomani Point Ultralight Defender VII

base technological level - seven

hull - five tonne planetoid

armour - nickel iron factor two

bridge - one and a half tonne cockpit/single, computer/five

propulsion - three hundred kilogramme reactionary rockets factor/three

energy source - one hundred twenty five kilogramme monopower point prefusion reactor

fuel - prefusion, one twentieth of a tonne

programmes - interestingly enough, there are no spacecraft computer programmes below technological level/eight

armament - missile rack plus four missiles, being the only weapon system available at technological level/seven; optional: I would guess a quarter tonne light autocannon, though someone appears to have forgotten magazine capacity in the new Vehicles

cargo - rocket fuel 2.07 tonnes

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution

G. The Confederation Navy is really keen on grooming the elite pilots to become capitalistic.

H. It takes a minimum of sixteen successful study periods to achieve skill level/five.

I. The apex of a capitalistic pilot would be Master Chief Helmsman of a modern battlecruiser, or the flagship of a Fleet Squadron.

J. They start out as an Assistant Helmsman, usually assigned to a frigate, destroyer, or a capitalistic support vessel.

K. Once they reach capitalistic pilot level/two, they are promoted to Helmsman.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution

L. Chief Helmsman would be the subdepartment head onboard a major and actual capital starwarship.

M. Master Helmsman being the subdepartment head of destroyers and intermediate sized starwarships.

N. Helmsman would be the subdepartment of all five kilotonne plus starwarships, and support vessels of the Confederation Navy.

O. Assistant Helmsman would start off as capitalistic pilot/one specialist, usually graduated ensigns in their first term.

P. A lot of their time would be spent trying to increase their skill to factors two and three.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution

Q. The commanding officer of a Confederation Navy major combatant, or capital starwarship, would be addressed as, and ranked Captain.

R. The captain of a Confederation Navy five kilotonne plus vessel, would be addressed as, and ranked Commander.

S. The master of a bigcraft, would normally default anywhere between Ensign to Lieutenant (Commander), and be addressed as skipper.

T. Smallcraft commanders are usually addressed as coxswain.

U. Though, usually more associated with cockpitted craft.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution

V. The Confederation Navy doesn't have a training course to specialize in bigcraft.

W. If they need pilots for bigcraft, they would assign someone with smallcraft specialization, who would be able to pilot it with factor/zero.

X. Very rarely, a capitalistic pilot, unless they couldn't find a smallcraft pilot, or, as a punishment detail.

Y. Autopilot with virtual crew programme tends to be utilized a lot, when Confederation Navy pilots are assigned to bigcraft.

Z. Since autopilot does not count towards flight hours.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution


Basic Training
Athletics
Gun combat
Vacuum Suit

you can't fit in melee, so that aspect would default to athletics


Military Occupational Specialty

Engineering
Electronics
Engineer
Mechanics

Flight
Astrogation
Electronics
Pilot

Gunnery
Electronics
Gunner

Intelligence
Administration
Electronics
Investigate

Judge Advocate General
Advocate
Investigate
Persuade

Logistics
Driver
Gunner
Mechanics

Science
Medical
Science/physiology/human
Surgery

Security


Naval Career First Term Skills
select any three from from (Sub) Branch Service Skills column, including optionally increasing specialized skill to */two

Rank Bonus

O0 Midshipman

O1 Ensign

. Engineering
... Engineering/jump/one
... Engineering/manoeuvre/one
... Engineering/life support/one
... Engineering/power/one

. Flight
.. Astrogator
... Astrogation/one
.. Helmsman
... Pilot/capital/one
.. Pilot Officer
... Pilot/smallcraft/one

. Gunnery
.. Gunner/capital/one

. Logistics
.. Logistics Officer
... Administration/one

. Science
.. Medical Officer
... Medical/one

. Technical
.. Communications Officer
... Electronics/communications/one
.. Computer Operations Officer
... Electronics/computer/one
.. Remote Operations Officer
... Electronics/remote operations/one
.. Sensor Operations Officer
... Electronics/sensors/one

O2 Lieutenant
Leadership/one

O3 Commander
Tactics/naval/one

O4 Captain
Social Standing/ten, or Social Standing/plus one, whichever is higher

 

[Condottiere]

There two issues that sort of pop up for getting skills, in this case, from a naval academy.

I don't see how you could function as a naval officer, without having at least eletronics/zero.

And being in the military, besides being able to shoot a gun, the cadets should be able to judo throw anyone in their weight class.

While it's not mentioned in character creation, admission to a naval academy should require a background skill of electronics/zero, which means it could be eliminated mostly from the curriculum, and replaced with some other useful skill.

Of course, that does make it a tad odd for the Technical branch training.

Also, where I'd try to shift engineering/life support.

 

[Condottiere]

Pre Mil(itary) skills could easily be chosen from administration, athletics, drive, electronics, flyer, mechanic, medical, survival, and/or vacuum suit.

In theory, a character could have between none to six background skills, though one presumes that at education/twelve, most of those would be academic.

Combat related skills appear to be excluded, though I would suppose in any number of environments, melee, and/or gun combat would be acquirable, if not existential.

There are probably two ways to deal with background skill compatibility.

The first would be that if they are the same as some, or all, the skills taught at a military academy, they become bonuses to admission and graduation rolls.

The second would be, that they are mandatory accomplishments to gain admission.

For Officer Candidate School, probably the bonus to admission and graduation seems more likely.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution


(Naval Academy) Basic Training
Athletics
Electronics
Gun combat
Vacuum Suit


Military Occupational Specialty


Flight
Astrogation
Pilot

Gunnery
Gunner
Mechanics

Intelligence
Administration
Investigate

Legal
Advocate
Investigate

Logistics
Administration
Gunner

Security
Melee
Reconnaissance

Technical
Engineer
Mechanics


Naval Career First Term Skills
select any three from from (Sub) Branch Service Skills column, including optionally increasing specialized skill to */two

Rank Bonus

O0 Midshipman

O1 Ensign

. Flight
.. Astrogator
... Astrogation/one
.. Helmsman
... Pilot/capital/one
.. Pilot Officer
... Pilot/smallcraft/one

. Gunnery
.. Gunnery Officer
... Gunner/capital/one

. Legal
.. Legal Officer
... Advocate/one

. Logistics
.. Logistics Officer
... Administration/one

. Security
.. Security Officer
... Reconnaissance/one

. Technical
.. Communications Officer
... Electronics/communications/one
.. Computer Operations Officer
... Electronics/computer/one
.. Remote Operations Officer
... Electronics/remote operations/one
.. Sensor Operations Officer
... Electronics/sensors/one
.. Jump Drive Engineering Officer
... Engineering/jump/one
.. Life Support Officer
... Engineering/life support/one
.. Manoeuvre Drive Engineering Officer
... Engineering/manoeuvre/one
.. Power Plant Engineering Officer
... Engineering/power/one

O2 Lieutenant
Leadership/one

O3 Commander
Tactics/naval/one

O4 Captain
Social Standing/ten, or Social Standing/plus one, whichever is higher

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Skill Distribution


(Navy University Graduate Recruitment Advanced Programme)
Major - */two
Minor - */one
Education/plus two

Astrogation
Electronics
Engineering
Medical
Science

The Confederation Navy would need to recruit specialists, who would faster, and more assuredly, attain a minimum skill level, than leaving it up to chance with a dice roll, specifically for science slots.

The game assumption is that university graduates apply to enlist in the military; this assumes that the Confederation Navy extends an invitation to university graduates with desired skills, especially those who did so with honours, to enlist in their service, with the added sweetener of an officer commission.

In order to be able to operate onboard a spacecraft, you're going to need at least electronics/zero.

And in outer space, some familiarity with microgravity.


Military Occupational Specialty

Dentistry Officer
(Staff) Lieutenant
. Medical/dentistry/two
. Surgery/one

Medical Officer
(Staff) Lieutenant
. Medical/two
. Surgery/one


. Astronomy Officer
.. (Staff) Lieutenant
... Astrogation/two
... Science/astronomy/one

. * Science Officer
.. (Staff) Lieutenant
... Science/*/two
... Science/*/one


. Environmental Systems Officer
.. (Staff) Lieutenant
... Engineering/life support/two
... Mechanics/one

. Gravitational Propulsion Officer
.. (Staff) Lieutenant
... Engineering/manoeuvre/two
... Mechanics/one

. Nuclear Engineering Officer
.. (Staff) Lieutenant
... Engineering/power/two
... Mechanics/one

. Transdimensional Officer
.. (Staff) Lieutenant
... Engineering/jump/two
... Mechanics/one

 

[Condottiere]

For the Confederation Navy, they'd have more candidates than they have slots for, but they'd also want to attract the cream of the crop from the current generation:

1. Naval Academies would be more than just learning the basic skill set, but training the future naval leadership, networking, creating an esprit de corps, and inculcating a code of conduct; the reward would be an ensign commission.

2. After a mandatory Confederation Service period, planetary governments can headhunt suitable candidates for their own navies, which allows them to build their officer corps, and some form of compatibility for operations and doctrine between them, and the Confederation Navy itself.

3. Besides, saving on training facilities and costs.

4. Honoured university graduates, whose skills fill holes for Confederation Navy requirements not filled by the usual output from the Naval Academy; besides the added honour of Confederation Service, they get an immediate higher salary with a jump to a Lieutenancy, though by adding the descriptive Staff, not the usual link in the chain of command.

5. The difference between actual naval astrogators, and the Astronomy Officers, besides the skill difference, is that Astronomy Officers would be usually assigned to ships deployed to frontiers and unexplored regions, while the astrogators are trained with a view of calculating exit points for the tactical and strategic placement of starwarships, and likelihood at higher levels, of doing so for entire squadrons and fleets, instead of just for single starships, or a small expeditionary group.

6. University graduates, or dropouts, can apply for enlistment in the Confederation Navy, but aren't guaranteed either an officer commission, nor actual admission.

7. Outside of the above, usual admission when the character reaches majority, for the rank and file.

8. Exception would be my usual hobby horse of the CAVALRY, where anyone can join, and careful perusal of performance and characteristic and psychological profiles, would allow headhunting by military and paramilitary organizations of outstanding candidates, including the Confederation Navy.

9. I'll look at admission for the Confederation Navy from other career paths, after the first term.

 

[Condottiere]

A. Likely, the draft isn't going to work for the Confederation Navy.

B. Statistically, they will always be far more qualified applicants, than slots on Confederation Navy starwarships.

C. Even with the intent of building huge reserves of qualified retired naval personnel, that can be tapped in the event of a general conflict with the Imperium.

D. What they could do, is press gang already qualified humans, from the merchant marine.

E. Though, crews composed of rather disgruntled sailors would not appear to bode well for smooth operating voyages.

F. Though, I guess it's now a project to figure out how you could make that work, during wartime, without actually allowing a head of team to build up to a mutiny.