Solomani Confederation (Military)

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Battlestar Galactica Deadlock

One interesting use of the Herculii would be having one top and bottom, sandwiching a less offensive ship, the only candidate that qualifies is the Atlas carrier; however, that a waste of points, so I sandwiched the Hercules between two Atlases, and it seems to act as a missile magnet. A slight outward bulge, to give the heavy guns a wider angle of attack.

That made two walls of battle, together with a Ranger for the missile element which equals seventy seven hundred fifty, each wall outputting about fourteen heavy guns per broadside, and six squadrons, totalling twelve squadrons and twenty eight heavy guns per broadside, plus two missile slots.

Compared to a pair of two Jupiter Twos, an Artemis and a Ranger, with four missile slots, ten squadrons and a helluvalot of extra heavy artillery.

Cutting down the battle by a Hercules and an Atlas, the three Atlases became the wall, and the lone Hercules about a thousand metres in front of it, the idea being that the flak screen will absorb the incoming missiles; this means, your primary offensive aspects would be nine squadrons and two missiles slots at default fifty four hundred fifty points, not counting Viper Twos, Taipans and Assault Raptors.

Rather have two Jupiter Twos.

I think I have to place the Hercules closer to the Atlas wall, and allow it to naturally unmask it during the course of the engagement, meaning the early concentration should against the Hercules, leaving nine heavy guns unscathed.

In Anabasis, it becomes a question of waiting for the timer to run out before jumping, which tends to accumulate Toasters appearing; in theory, you could place the civilian ships between the Atlas wall and the Hercules, or just behind the Atlases; in practice, the Toasters tend to arrive from all directions.

You could cocoon the civilian ships inbetween two Jupiters, their flak screens probably would be just about wide enough.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Battlestar Galactica Deadlock

I think if I could alter one ship, it would be the Atlas carrier: I would take the armament of the the Hercules heavy cruiser, and fuse it with the Atlas.

The Hercules is a dead end design, there's really no space left to add either missiles or an aerospace wing; if you tried attaching a pod, either top or bottom, one of the heavy batteries would have to be dismantled.

With the Atlas, adding the ten gun point defence flak screen broadsides would ensure it could survive in the frontline, while eight gun heavy artillery top and bottom would mean it would be two steps removed from being a battlestar.

The third prong of the naval trident, missiles, can easily be outsourced, as if there's a continuous flak barrage, and the mobility of a dead duck, it's doubtful there would be much of a chance for the Atlas to use them.

The front has the launch pad, and the rear the engines, so no space for guns.

I was wondering if I would be happier with an extra squadron, but thought that means you'd have to extend the hull, and even if the armament of the Hercules did require more surface area, slimming it down would still make it highly effective on the Atlas.

 

[Condottiere]

A Short History of Ships Cats - Floating Felines, Maritime Moggies and Kleptomaniac Kittens

A quick look at the origins of a vital part of the ships maintenance crew, and some notable examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7HIY0GTEC8

Can also predict potential misjumps.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Doctrine

1. Fleet units have a strategic movement factor of four, and a tactical manoeuvre factor of seven.

2. Auxiliary units have a strategic movement factor of two, and a tactical manoeuvre factor of five.

3. Strategic reconnaissance is conducted by either by heavily stealthed spacecraft, or by starships with factor five jump drives.

4. Fleet reconnaissance assets have a strategic movement factor of four.

5. Short range reconnaissance requires units capable of strategic movement factor of two, and able to return with onboard bunkerage.

6. Close range reconnaissance overlaps with long range picketing and off system patrolling, vessels that pack a monojump drive and lots of bunkerage for extended patrols.

7. Tactical reconnaissance would be usually performed insystem, by a combination of manned and unmanned spacecrafts.

8. Reconnaissance craft capable of strategic movement factor six or inordinately stealthed, if they exist, are probably prototypical and under the operational control of Solomani Security.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Battlestar Galactica Deadlock and Carrier Doctrine in Open Space

The temptation is to squeeze as many smallcraft as possible in any given volume; Terran Two Kay maritime experience indicates that in the open waters of the Pacific that this is the correct approach. Until the opposing side manages to breach through the layered defences, and attack the carrier directly.

The issue with Open Space is that attacks can originate from any direction, and faster than light travel can make them potentially critically unpredictable, with the possibility that a smallcraft carrier can be suddenly separated from it's escorts, leaving them vulnerable to an opportunistic attack.

The Colonials resolved this weakness by armouring their carriers, though the cost benefit could only be demonstrated in their heavy carrier classes, as their light fleet carriers consumed more resources per squadron to protect them, and/or add a more offensive armament for some form of additional firepower in combat. This dilemma was eventually resolved by adding a carrier capability to line of battle ships, rather than trying to integrate offensive weaponry to a vessel that wasn't designed to efficiently use them.

That still did not resolve the need for more smallcraft platforms, just that hybrid battleship carriers could look after themselves and their respective aerospace wings.

As fleet carriers of any size now represent resources on vulnerable platforms, the requirement becomes a smallcraft carrier that requires minimum resource investment, whether in capital outlay or manpower, is easy to maintain and operate, optimizes smallcraft numbers on the cheapest hull, and essentially, is considered expendable.

Hence, the escort carrier.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Fleet Frigates

The cruiser gap bears some resemblance to the interwar Naval arms limitation treaties, in that you have some distinct restrictions to work with.

Or work around.

While everyone else appears to have gamed the system, the Admiralty set up most of the rules to favour their force structure, whether it not quite worked out as they intended.

What the Confederation would appear to need is some form of ultra light cruiser, basically the equivalent of the Tribal class destroyers; unfortunately, the equivalent to the Tribals would weigh in at around five to ten kilotonnes.

While it is possible, using the specific maximum tonnage of two kay tonne hulls to design a ten kay plus warship, it would break the spirit of the setting.

On the other hand, keeping a two kay tonne primary hull, and attaching stuff to it, based on a standard three hundred and fifteen tonne jump drive, which would have excess capacity.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Fleet Frigates

1. The Confederation Navy fleet frigate requirement would be a synthesis of the Dingir and Tau Ceti destroyer classes; with their principal role be as long range armed scouts, with secondary roles of commerce raiders, rapid response, interdiction, and other missions usually fulfilled by cruisers.

2. Operational experience discouraged the Confederation Navy of using combined Dingir and Beijing deep strike forces, and as such, fleet frigates would not be attached to any of their strike cruisers, who would either operate alone or with another strike cruiser.

3. Fleet and Assault Squadrons have twelve fleet frigates assigned to them, while Carrier Squadrons have six each.

4. During combat, their role would be to act as close escorts to the fleet auxiliary ships, since it's unlikely that they'd survive long in the line of battle; even against an intermediate combatant such as a cruiser, they'd have to form up into wolf packs, and try and take one out with torpedoes.

5. Since there's no dedicated flotilla leader, a role that would have been formally assigned to a light cruiser, coordination is likely to come directly from a task group commander (basically the admiral commanding the squadron), or divisional commander; you're unlikely to find a full flotilla of fleet frigates, as they're likely fulfilling their function of eyes and ears, or on a detached assignment.

6. They can act as a communications ship, but since this is easily done by a smaller fleet courier on tenth of the size, the mission or the cargo would be highly important and/or valuable.

7. The way things are sizing up, the four commando transports in the Assault Squadrons may be superfluous, unless they get some form of special capability, like stealth.

8. Unless a rare cruiser or a lone fast dreadnought shows up, likely the biggest Confederation Navy warship used to make its presence felt.

9. I tend to think there will always be a milchkuh lurking in the background, where any number of minor Confederation Navy combatants operate.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Fleet Frigates

10. While it's possible to squeeze in a five hundred tonne bay, it tends to tighten possible options, for what should be a multi role warship.

11. By itself, acceptable capability would be to mission kill an Imperium Navy destroyer or fleet escort, as well as act as close in defence against marauding smallcraft or missile barrages targetting the supply ships, that manage to slip through the fighter screens.

12. Less so as commercial convoy escorts, where their jump factor couldn't be properly leveraged.

13. Should be capable of transporting at least a company of Confederation Army Jump Troops, and their equipment (such as it is), and combat dropping them; Confederation Marines are more likely to use an assault shuttle.

14. Speaking of which, should have at least a squad or a section of those onboard, to give the Jump Troopers something to aspire to. Arguably, a twenty man platoon led by a lieutenant, but then you have to have a more intimate knowledge of the Solomani Confederation Marine Corps force structure.

15. Acceleration would be seven gees, since you'd want to keep pace with the fast dreadnoughts. That's not to say all Solomani warships have the same speed, but it would be a requirement for the frontline units. Arguably, any intermediate combatants such as cruisers would be either three or five gee acceleration, unless it served some specific role.

16. Supposedly, if there was enough space left over, the fleet frigates could act as flotilla leader for a horde of smaller Confederation or allied minor combatants; command bridge would a kind of a luxury.

17. Considering it's primary role, would need a rather extensive sensor suite, which is where size limitation starts to come into play, as a five kay hull is more ideal.

18. Atmospheric landing capability, which might be more impressive than just floating in orbit, for showing the flag.

19. Would need planetary bombardment capability, for gunboat diplomacy and strategic bombing.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Fleet Frigates

20. My instinct says to try and squeeze in a five hundred tonne bay; doable, it allows concentration of gunnery skill and computer prediction, but likely overkill against most opposition.

21. Going by the Harrier, you can squeeze in two torpedo cradles in one hardpoint, at one tonne, with manual reloading.

22. Barbetted weapon systems have never been shown to be fixably mountable.

23. Not sure if the space allocated to a turret would be a hard cap, or if you could squeeze in three cradles per hardpoint, at fifty percent more volume; unlikely that more than three would be permitted, much as I doubt you'd be allowed to do the same with five missile launchers, unless the launchers above three automatically require space, while three and below wouldn't.

24. Next to consider is how you manually reload torpedoes as described in Harrier: internally or externally.

25. If internally, I think you have to allocate another tonne.

26. It's also quite possible that you could allocate that space for an autoloader.

27. Manually loading may require a combat round, where the torpedoes can't be launched.

28. On the other hand, this would sort of reenact having the frigates charge the enemy, launch a torpedo spread, and hightail it out of there.

29. Theoretically, you could bunch fifteen hardpoints, and if two cradles per hardpoint were maximum, you could have the equivalent of a large torpedo bay at fifteen tonnes, plus reloading area, plus three hundred sixty torpedoes storage at one hundred twenty tonnes, for a total of one hundred fifty tonnes.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Fleet Frigates

30. My take on the Confederation Navy is that at least for engineering, they prefer to modularize, which allows easier manufacture, repair and subsequent maintenance, especially for massive motors.

31. This becomes an issue when you use multiples of jump drives, since they would have to be kept in almost perfect synchronization, considering possible consequences.

32. To keep matters simple, the fleet frigate is designed around a single three hundred and fifteen tonne jump drive.

33. It is possible to utilize two one hundred five tonne modules to achieve eight thousand parsec tonnes, but they would have to be kept synchronized.

34. Utilization of the three hundred fifteen tonne would permit an increase in strategic range to five parsecs, plus include an extra four hundred and eighty tonne module(s) that could be made mission specific, if so warranted.

35. If the frigate was expected to stay with the Confederation Navy squadron, the module(s) capacity could be increased to eleven hundred tonnes.

36. This, in any event, would not violate the twenty hundred tonne hull limitation.

37. You could, in fact, design a ship with a series of twenty hundred tonne breakaway hulls; the only negative being that none of the hulls would be large enough to host a spinal mounted weapon system.

38. Since it is specifically permitted to combine engineering assets on breakaway hulls, jump drive modules and their requisite fuel tanks could be distributed amongst various hulls.

39. In theory, manoeuvre drive distribution would have to be more balanced, unless it's a field effect, rather than basic thrust.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Fleet Frigates

40. Another aspect to consider is exactly how much the Confederation is prepared to invest per minor combatant.

41. While it's not clarified, I do expect squadron escorts to be two kilotonnes.

42. The number of Fleet Frigates should be double the number of major (and considering their low numbers, intermediate) combatants.

43. Next down the list are what are described as kilotonne patrol cruisers and two hundred tonne close escorts.

44. The kilotonne patrol cruisers can be designed around one hundred five tonne jump drives, which limit their strategic movement to four parsecs.

45. Two hundred tonnes is probably insufficient for a close escort; I'm inclined to think this is more a speed boat, that will try to run down a commerce raider.

46. Or a motor torpedo boat.

47. Two hundred tonnes would also be the size of a fleet courier.

48. Two hundred tonners would be based on thirty five tonne jump drives.

49. We could assume equal numbers of close escorts and patrol cruisers, and in ratio to Fleet Frigates, two, two, three.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Patrol Cruisers

1. Despite being vanilla, might be quite an interesting spacecraft to examine.

2. Based on the one hundred five tonne jump drive, it has a strategic movement of four.

3. Add two thirty five tonne manoeuvre drives, it can accelerate at seven gees, allowing it to keep pace with primary fleet units.

4. Despite being in peacetime less in number than the Fleet Frigate, during wartime cheap variations are going to be built to fulfill all those minor combatants roles.

5. You could call them colonial corvettes, because frankly, I expect colonial cruisers to be at least around ten kay tonnes, since they're meant to make an impression on the locals, and have the firepower to underline their points.

6. Or Solomani sloops; or Confederation corvettes.

7. Provision for a squad or section of Confederation Marines, plus a platoon or so of Confederation Army, Solomani Security Internal Security, or Home Guards, plus their equipment;not really intended as a frontal assault role, just transportation of ground assets.

8. Mix of different weapon systems, to calibrate appropriate response.

9. Wartime construction would be as cheap as possible; prewar probably would be streamlined to permit atmospheric landing.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Patrol Cruisers

10. After due consideration, the Confederation Navy wouldn't use Fleet Frigates for presence missions, they're much more valuable for fast reaction, and pinning down as to where and in how many numbers, the enemy combatants are.

11. I wouldn't be too thrilled with only one kilotonne, but imagine my surprise that when I did the numbers, engineering fell right into place.

12. Checking ye trusty copy of Fighting Ships, the Confederation Navy did have several warships in the kilotonne range, as did Solomani Security, which maintains it's own army and navy, as a Recon Frigate, though it appears this is more for internal security than spying on opposing forces.

13. We've got a technological level twelve heavy patrol cruiser of the Samurai class, which is described as a streamlined wedge, with ten Marines.

14. I think we've got to move up at least one more technological level to thirteen, to get the basis for the current iterations of patrol cruisers, and their multirole capabilities.

15. This allows a strategic movement of four, which would permit them to at least escort current Fleet Tankers and Fleet Transports.

16. The weapons mix would be something like one or two torpedo launchers, to threaten larger fish, and one or two missile batteries, for smaller threats and point defence.

17. You can facilities for drones, decoys and mines.

18. I tend to think the actual central weapon system would be a twenty tonne point defence battery.

19. A gravimetric distorter or ion cannon as a non lethal option.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Patrol Cruisers

. Armament
.. point defence battery
... one
... twenty tonnes
... technological level twelve
.. torpedo cradle
... double
... fixedly mounted
... two tonnes
.... torpedo tubes
.... torpedo room
... technological level seven
.. missile launch tubes
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level seven
.. ion cannon
... one
.... barbette
... five tonnes
... technological level twelve
.. particle accelerator
... one
.... barbette
... five tonnes
... technological level eleven
.. sandcasters
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. laser drill
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level eight
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Carrier Squadrons

1. Originally, I thought that what happens is that the carrier squadron would be split into two carrier groups, around which the Confederation Navy Fleet Squadrons would coalesce into battle fleets.

2. The carriers might be split up in peace time, but I think it isn't an accident that two are placed in one squadron, whereas administratively it would have been easier to have them separate at creation, as would be the case for the larger assault carriers.

3. I've come to the conclusion, that Confederation Navy doctrine is during wartime to use the complete Carrier Squadron as the core of their battle fleets, as they seek decisive encounters with Imperium battle squadrons.

4. The onboard smallcraft would create fighter screens, and simultaneously exert pressure on the flanks of Imperium Navy task forces.

5. The moment they break, which is the point of using overwhelming force, Confederation fighter bombers immediately conduct surgical strikes to cripple jump drives, and catch up to fleeing Imperium vessels.

6. Complete victory can only be achieved by ensuring the enemy forces are destroyed on the battle field, or in the pursuit.

7. Which leaves us with the issue of battle riders.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Battle Rider Squadrons

1. I've never seen an one, and doubt there is a canonical example; maybe MegaTraveller?

2. We know they exist, as it's mentioned the Rim fleet has it's in strategic reserve, probably one or two subsectors back.

3. Going by Sector Fleet, six to ten battle riders divided over two squadrons.

4. Considering that kinda synchronizes with two each Carrier and Assault Squadrons, so probably accurate.

5. When not committed to the frontline, probably acting as guardships to strategic planets.

6. There are a number of ways to play this.

7. The one that I favour is that instead of a single battle tender, six jump shuttles per Battle Rider Squadron.

8. Each jump shuttle can carry a single hundred thousand tonne battle rider.

9. Battle riders are considered expendable, and usually committed en masse as a Confederation Navy battle fleet spearhead.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Patrol Cruisers

. Armament
.. point defence battery
... one
... twenty tonnes
... technological level twelve
.. torpedo cradle
... double
... fixedly mounted
... two tonnes
.... torpedo tubes
.... torpedo room
... technological level seven
.. missile launch tubes
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level seven
.. ion cannon
... one
.... barbette
... five tonnes
... technological level twelve
.. particle accelerator
... one
.... barbette
... five tonnes
... technological level eleven
.. sandcasters
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. laser drill
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level eight
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine

. Armament
.. point defence battery
... one
... twenty tonnes
... technological level twelve
.. torpedo cradle
... double
... fixedly mounted
... two tonnes
.... torpedo tubes
.... torpedo room
... technological level seven
.. torpedo cradle
... double
... fixedly mounted
... two tonnes
.... torpedo tubes
.... torpedo room
... technological level seven
.. missile launch tubes
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level seven
.. ion cannon
... one
.... barbette
... five tonnes
... technological level twelve
.. particle accelerator
... one
.... barbette
... five tonnes
... technological level eleven
.. sandcasters
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. laser drill
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level eight
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. pulse laser
... three
.... turret battery
... one tonne
... technological level nine
.. line gun
... one
.... turret
... one tonne
... technological level ?


Notes:
1. I thought I'd double the torpedo salvo
2. The enlarged variant (0.4 tonnes) might be able to squeeze in shrunken re entry capsules
3. Either one should be usable to launch drones
4. Not sure of technological level of propelled harpoon

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Navy: Battle Rider Squadrons

10. It would appear that the Imperium Navy applied a faulty doctrine to the utilization of battle riders.

11. I suspect their new one isn't much better.

12. Confederation Navy have come to the conclusion that they need their jump capable fast dreadnoughts far more than a bunch of monitors; and super carriers rate above dreadnoughts.

13. The only advantage that a battle rider tender has over jump shuttles, is that if they're grouped together, they have to try and synchronize their jump drives.

14. In combat, Confederation Navy battle riders would form the front line, if not the spearhead: their mission is to close with the enemy and their most dangerous warships.

15. Their captains would be chosen from amongst the most aggressive commanders.

16. In the unlikely event that a Confederation battle fleet has to retreat, withdrawal would be staged, with allied forces and smallcraft covering for the dreadnoughts to form the first blocking force, at which point they withdraw, and the battle riders forming the second blocking force.

17. When the fleet train and super carriers jump, the remaining dreadnoughts withdraw to form a third line, close enough to support the battle riders, at which point the jump shuttles and all other remaining Confederation ships jump.

18. Remaining battle riders do the Ride of the Valkyries, and cover for the dreadnoughts as they jump.

19. Jump shuttles return to the fleet depot to pick up some new battle riders.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Marines: Patrol Cruiser Detachment

1. I picked out a ten Marine squad because it was a neat round number, probably the reason Games Workshop did as well.

2. I thought I'd divide it into three three Marine cells, but a little research found that the Marine Raiders got there first, and were inspired by the Chinese Communists.

3. A cell is two Marines led by a corporal; sort of similar what you see in Star Wars.

4. The fourth cell is the command cell, used administratively to attach supernumeraries and specialists, led by the squad sergeant; these could be redistributed to the other cells.

5. In theory, the minimum size of a squad would be six men, to carry out a mission, successfully.

6. Fire teams tend to be four men, to account for likely attrition.

7. I tend to think that Confederation Marine squads assigned to patrol cruisers are likely to have short, sharp encounters, so attrition is less of an issue since they have time to reorganize.

8. Due to reassignment, further training, leave or attrition, the squad may not be at full strength.

9. The large number of leaders would allow the Marines to efficiently command and control auxiliary forces, such as the crew of the patrol cruiser, in close quarter combat.

 

[Condottiere]

Confederation Marines: Patrol Cruiser Detachment

10. Doing some research into earlier editions, I came across the Independence class, a kilotonne colonial or heavy patrol cruiser.

11. The Marine contingent is described as being of two squads, which Mongoose First describes as sixteen.

12. This ratio is a little higher than I would have thought, in comparison to the actual crew; unless we're talking about Mobile Infantry.

13. Speaking of which, heavy implication that they're used in ground operations, which with all due respect to the Solomani Confederation Marine Corps, i tend to think unlikely.

14. It's more likely, outside of the rapid reaction force facet, the Confederation Ground Forces would rather jealously guard that prerogative, aided and abetted by a security apparatus that would like a clear delineation and separation of functions of these two military branches.

15. Though you could make provision for a Marine detachment of about two squads, but commanded by a lieutenant.

16. There might be one or two modular cutters, each with an All Terrain Vehicle module; shades of Aliens.

17. If you're going down this path, I'd rather Heinlein it and equip them straight out with battle dress.

18. I tend to think that on a per sector level, both the Confederation and Imperium have about the same number of Marines, perhaps a tad more on the Solomani side; difference being that the Imperium has equipped them to be an all arms expeditionary force, whereas the Confederation Marines would be more rapid reaction and be completely outfitted with battle dress to make up the difference.

19. During space combat, normally deployed loading torpedoes.