Spinward Marches (Lunion etc.) Fleet deployments and (canon) names

[collins355]

GURPS Traveller "Sword Worlds" gives the squadrons of the 43rd Fleet in Lunion postwar as 501st, 643rd and 667th BatRons. (page 89)
TNE/Regency Combat Vehicle Guide indicates that the Imperial Marine Regiment associated with the 213th Fleet is the 1071st. (page 46)

TNE/Regency Sourcebook suggests that the 213th Fleet was moved to Regina after the 5FW armistice, replaced by the 43rd Fleet.

 

[Endie]

I used the Fifth Frontier War game (and the Spinward Marches Campaign book as a reference) to plot out some 1105-period fleet movements. That way, I could have an idea of where the fleets were, and if the Travellers might encounter them.

Names of individual ships I had to do on my own, but mostly, there was too many to track for the Travellers to need the names.

For the Trojan Reach, only a few scattered JTAS entries are available for reference, so Numbered Fleets are pretty much all I have to go on.

Unless there is a Mongoose reference?

Do you have the Imperial Navy book from Mongoose that I believe shows fleet compositions by sector?

 

[collins355]

Do you have the Imperial Navy book from Mongoose that I believe shows fleet compositions by sector?

MJD in "Imperial Navy" outlines his preferred concept of the IN, which is rather different to what we've been discussing here until now based on the previous canon.

In MJD's (and therefore Mongoose's) IN, there are sector (named) fleets and subsector (numbered) fleets.

MJD states that a sector fleet has a strength usually of one BatRon per subsector and one CruRon per subsector (so about 16 total Rons of each type). MJD further states that the sector fleet is usually headquartered at the Depot in that sector, with about two naval bases in each subsector also being allocated to the sector fleet. MJD adds that in any sector a couple of these naval bases will actually be quite large and serve as alternates to the Depot for the Sector Fleet. A sector Admiral commands the Sector Fleet.

Then, separate from the Sector Fleet, are the subsector fleets. These numbered fleets use the remaining naval bases in each subsector that aren't being used by the Sector Fleet. In MJD's view, the numbered subsector fleets are really all about internal security in peacetime and raiding in wartime. The example numbered subsector fleet that MJD provides in the book has no BatRons or CruRons at all.

In "Imperial Navy", the fleet compositions by sector are not, in fact, detailed. An example of a sector fleet is detailed, but it is the Old Expanses Fleet all the way across the Imperium away from the Spinward Marches on the border with the Solomani. A subsector fleet is detailed, but it is the 308th Fleet in So Skire subsector. (the only thing we learn about the Spinward Marches is that its sector fleet has a BatRon of Tigress dreadnaughts in 1104.)

 

[Sigtrygg]

MJD's book is the third possibly fourth revision of the pitch he made for GURPS Traveller.

It was written for the post FFW IN navy of the GT Lorenverse, and thus was using tropes found in the MegaTraveller revision to IN organisation.

IN organisation of 1105 should be based on S:9, the FFW boardgame, the JTAS News bulletins in theri original JTAS issues, and lastly the SMC.

IN is organised into fleets, fleets are allocated to bases and have a range to patrol.

Local subsector forces are of two types, named squadrons that are based on their world of origin, and numbered colonial squadrons drafted by the IN in time of war.

 

[collins355]

MJD's book is the third possibly fourth revision of the pitch he made for GURPS Traveller.

It was written for the post FFW IN navy of the GT Lorenverse, and thus was using tropes found in the MegaTraveller revision to IN organisation.

IN organisation of 1005 should be based on S:9, the FFW boardgame, the JTAS News bulletins in theri original JTAS issues, and lastly the SMC.

IN is organised into fleets, fleets are allocated to bases and have a range to patrol.

Local subsector forces are of two types, named squadrons that are based on their world of origin, and numbered colonial squadrons drafted by the IN in time of war.

Fully agreed. MJD starting pitching his "Grand Fleet" many years ago, and has only made minor tweaks to it since. Mongoose has, however, adopted it lock-stock-and-barrel - so we're left with a sharply different Imperial Navy from the one Classic materials describe.

I keep discovering new discontinuities that MJD has smuggled into the Mongooseverse. Lately I've been focusing on his characterisation of the Imperial Marines included in MGT/Imperial Navy. He states baldly that the Marines now have their own fleet of starships that they crew and maintain, separate from the IN. Never mind that the character generation rules in Mongoose's own products make no mention of this avenue for Marines to follow in their career path!

 

[Terry Mixon]

Fully agreed. MJD starting pitching his "Grand Fleet" many years ago, and has only made minor tweaks to it since. Mongoose has, however, adopted it lock-stock-and-barrel - so we're left with a sharply different Imperial Navy from the one Classic materials describe.

I keep discovering new discontinuities that MJD has smuggled into the Mongooseverse. Lately I've been focusing on his characterisation of the Imperial Marines included in MGT/Imperial Navy. He states baldly that the Marines now have their own fleet of starships that they crew and maintain, separate from the IN. Never mind that the character generation rules in Mongoose's own products make no mention of this avenue for Marines to follow in their career path!

Seems like he needs a minder.

 

[OldGuy59]

The Third Imperium - Sector Fleet, by Avenger Enterprises/Comstar Games (2009-2010).
This publication has a listing of the sub-sectors of the Spinward Marches, indicating ships in individual squadrons.

Mongoose may have used this as their basis for Imperial Navy? I may, one day, pick up the Mongoose version.

Lunion Sector Fleet:

• Battle Group Adabicci:
  
  • 2 Second-Line Battleship
  • 2 Fleet Destroyer
  • 2 Escort Destroyer
  • 1 Dromedary
• Patrol Group Adabicci:
  
  • Light Carrier Task Group
    • 1 Light Carrier
    • 2 Escort Destroyer
    • 1 Large Auxiliary
  • Escort DesRon
    • 5 Escort Destroyer
    • 6 Escorts

 

[OldGuy59]

The Third Imperium - Sector Fleet, by Avenger Enterprises/Comstar Games (2009-2010).
This publication has a listing of the sub-sectors of the Spinward Marches, indicating ships in individual squadrons.

Mongoose may have used this as their basis for Imperial Navy? I may, one day, pick up the Mongoose version.

Lunion Sector Fleet:

• Battle Group Adabicci:
  
  • 2 Second-Line Battleship
  • 2 Fleet Destroyer
  • 2 Escort Destroyer
  • 1 Dromedary
  • Light Carrier Task Group
    • 1 Light Carrier
    • 2 Escort Destroyer
    • 1 Large Auxiliary
  • Escort DesRon
    • 5 Escort Destroyer
    • 6 Escorts

From what I can see on the Mongoose site, 'Imperial Navy' is essentially a better illustrated copy of 'Sector Fleet'.

 

[Anstett]

I think someone is working on it for FG.

 

[Vormaerin]

From what I can see on the Mongoose site, 'Imperial Navy' is essentially a better illustrated copy of 'Sector Fleet'.

Since the same guy wrote both of them, I don't think that is in any dispute.

But there's more text changes than just illustrations. But it's the same concepts.

 

[collins355]

The Third Imperium - Sector Fleet, by Avenger Enterprises/Comstar Games (2009-2010).
This publication has a listing of the sub-sectors of the Spinward Marches, indicating ships in individual squadrons.

Mongoose may have used this as their basis for Imperial Navy? I may, one day, pick up the Mongoose version.

Lunion Sector Fleet:

• Battle Group Adabicci:
  
  • 2 Second-Line Battleship
  • 2 Fleet Destroyer
  • 2 Escort Destroyer
  • 1 Dromedary
  • Light Carrier Task Group
    • 1 Light Carrier
    • 2 Escort Destroyer
    • 1 Large Auxiliary
  • Escort DesRon
    • 5 Escort Destroyer
    • 6 Escorts

MJD took this information from his MGTv1/Sector Fleet and put it into MGTv2/The Fifth Frontier War - rather than MGTv2/Imperial Navy. But yes, he did largely recycle it into one of his current Mongoose publications.

 

[MasterGwydion]

MJD took this information from his MGTv1/Sector Fleet and put it into MGTv2/The Fifth Frontier War - rather than MGTv2/Imperial Navy. But yes, he did largely recycle it into one of his current Mongoose publications.

There does seems to be a lot of cut and paste between Traveller editions...

 

[Condottiere]

The major change is from Great War two division battleship squadrons, to four battleship squadrons.

The rest tended to be inferred task force distribution, now stated.

 

[Prodromoi]

In "The Marches Adventures 1-5" (MGP40097), "Lunion subsector", page 92, it states:
"The majority of worlds in the subsector lie on the
Spinward Main, a chain of systems one parsec apart
which permits cost-effective, if slow, movement of
goods throughout most of the sector. The main runs
through several subsectors, each the responsibility
of the local subsector fleet. In the case of Lunion
subsector, security is the responsibility of the 43rd Fleet,
which maintains a significant forward deployment at
Adabicci. This force is tasked with patrolling the so-
called Lunion Shield Worlds, showing the flag along
the frontier and policing trade ships entering Imperial
space from Spinward. Elements of the 43rd Fleet can be
encountered in standing patrols or roving a segment of
the Spinward Main. It is uncommon to encounter large
numbers of the Spinward Marches sector fleet on the
Spinward Main, as they tend to be concentrated around
the major naval bases, but cruisers or small task forces
do pass through local systems including Gorram."

I didn't even think of looking in there. Thanks, very handy, will check that out.