T4/CT/MT: OTU Naval & Fleet Structure

[whulorigan]

This thread is a continuation of a discussion about Naval Forces within the Imperium begun in the the thread:
"Thoughts on T4?"

See:​

Post #17​

thru​

Post #31​

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From CT Book 5: High Guard (p.2)

GENERAL BACKGROUND
An interstellar community operates under many unique restrictions, most notably the fact that it consists of many island-planets set in an ocean of vacuum. Such a society must control of that ocean. Its instrument is the Navy. Traveller assumes a remote centralized government (referred to in this volume as the Imperium) possessed of great industrial and technological might; but due to the sheer distances and travel times involved within its star-spanning realm, the lmperium is unable to be everywhere at once. As a result, the lmperium allows a large degree of autonomy to its subject worlds, calling only for some respect for its overall policies, and for a united front against outside pressures. To monitor the space lanes, the lmperium maintains a Navy. Because these forces can never be everywhere at once, local provinces (subsectors) also maintain navies, as do individual worlds. This three tiered structure of Imperial, subsector, and planetary navies produces a flexible system for patrolling space, while putting the limited resources of the lmperium to best use. High Guard deals with the navies of the Imperium, of subsectors, and of worlds.

THROW TO ENLIST
Imperial Navy. . . . . . .9+
Subsector Navy. . . . . .8+
Planetary Navy . . . . . .7+

Procedure: With the above data, a character may decide to enlist in the navy. A throw to enlist is given for each of the three types. A character may attempt to enlist in any of the three types of navies; if unsuccessful, he or she may attempt to enlist in one of the others; and if unsuccessful there, may attempt enlistment in the remaining force. However, a character may only enlist in the planetary navy of his or her homeworld, or in the subsector navy of his or her home subsector. If there is no planetary navy on his or her homeworld, then that enlistment option is not open.

==========================

The four CT sources for the Imperial Navy organisation I know of:
High Guard
FFW boardgame
Marc Miller's article in JTAS No.9 The Battle Fleets of the Marches
Spinward Marches Campaign

Plus the TNS (canonicity arguable): https://calormen.com/tns/

Miller says:
View attachment 7581
View attachment 7582
View attachment 7583

 

[whulorigan]

Also, given the Flag Rank structure in evidence in TNS News Releases during the Fifth Frontier War between 1107-1111, you could make the case for CT Book 5: High Guard Officer Ranks for CharGen to be modified as follows for the OTU:

Grade / Rank
O1 / O1: Ensign
O2 / O2: Sublieutenant
O3 / O3: Lieutenant
O4 / O4: Lieutenant Commander
O5 / O5: Commander
O6 / O6: Captain
O7 / O7: Commodore

O8 / O8a: Fleet Admiral: Rear Admiral
O9 / O8b: Fleet Admiral: Vice-Admiral
O10 / O8c: Fleet Admiral: Admiral
O11 / O9: General Admiral: Sector Admiral
O12 / O10: Grand Admiral

 

[maggot]

This thread is a continuation of a discussion about Naval Forces within the Imperium begun in the the thread:
"Thoughts on T4?"

See:​

Post #17​

thru​

Post #31​

=========================
From CT Book 5: High Guard (p.2)

GENERAL BACKGROUND
An interstellar community operates under many unique restrictions, most notably the fact that it consists of many island-planets set in an ocean of vacuum. Such a society must control of that ocean. Its instrument is the Navy. Traveller assumes a remote centralized government (referred to in this volume as the Imperium) possessed of great industrial and technological might; but due to the sheer distances and travel times involved within its star-spanning realm, the lmperium is unable to be everywhere at once. As a result, the lmperium allows a large degree of autonomy to its subject worlds, calling only for some respect for its overall policies, and for a united front against outside pressures. To monitor the space lanes, the lmperium maintains a Navy. Because these forces can never be everywhere at once, local provinces (subsectors) also maintain navies, as do individual worlds. This three tiered structure of Imperial, subsector, and planetary navies produces a flexible system for patrolling space, while putting the limited resources of the lmperium to best use. High Guard deals with the navies of the Imperium, of subsectors, and of worlds.

THROW TO ENLIST
Imperial Navy. . . . . . .9+
Subsector Navy. . . . . .8+
Planetary Navy . . . . . .7+

Procedure: With the above data, a character may decide to enlist in the navy. A throw to enlist is given for each of the three types. A character may attempt to enlist in any of the three types of navies; if unsuccessful, he or she may attempt to enlist in one of the others; and if unsuccessful there, may attempt enlistment in the remaining force. However, a character may only enlist in the planetary navy of his or her homeworld, or in the subsector navy of his or her home subsector. If there is no planetary navy on his or her homeworld, then that enlistment option is not open.

==========================

Organization of Imperial Forces:- Hope this is useful
SPINARD MARCHES

SM – Google Drive

drive.google.com

VLAND

Vland – Google Drive

drive.google.com

 

[Black Vulmea]

Also, given the Flag Rank structure in evidence in TNS News Releases during the Fifth Frontier War between 1107-1111, you could make the case for CT Book 5: High Guard Officer Ranks for CharGen to be modified as follows for the OTU:

O7 / O7: Commodore

O8 / O8a: Fleet Admiral: Rear Admiral
O9 / O8b: Fleet Admiral: Vice-Admiral
O10 / O8c: Fleet Admiral: Admiral
O11 / O9: General Admiral: Sector Admiral
O12 / O10: Grand Admiral

[taps sign]

IMTU, vice admiral is a duty, not a rank: it's the second-in-command to a fleet, sector, or grand admiral. As such it's always described in conjunction with the larger unit to which it's assigned, frex, Fleet Admiral Sir Leroy Jenkins, Vice Admiral, 215th Fleet.

Rear admiral is subsumed by commodore IMTU, so a commodore is the rank most often assgined to base command as well as squadron command.

. . . {I}n HG, officers roll each year for command - officers who don't receive command automatically serve as staff officers.

This means that two officers of the same rank may have very different duties. A Commodore with command most likely leads a capital ship squadron or a naval base; a Commodore on staff could be the logistics or operations officer for a Fleet or Sector Admiral.

 

[whulorigan]

[taps sign]

Also, given the Flag Rank structure in evidence in TNS News Releases during the Fifth Frontier War between 1107-1111, you could make the case for CT Book 5: High Guard Officer Ranks for CharGen to be modified as follows for the OTU:

Grade / Rank
O7 / O7: Commodore

O8 / O8a: Fleet Admiral: Rear Admiral
O9 / O8b: Fleet Admiral: Vice-Admiral
O10 / O8c: Fleet Admiral: Admiral
O11 / O9: General Admiral: Sector Admiral
O12 / O10: Grand Admiral

I have a similar view to yours. Since CharGen is typically a simplification to generate PC backgrounds, I usually assume that ranks shown are typically appointment ranks (e.g. in Mercenary we have First Sgt & Sgt Maj. because most people don't want their PCs to have been a Master Sgt. Marine in the Motor Pool).

So for the "Fleet Admiral" Rank (O8) I do not assume this is like "Admiral of the Fleet" (5 star), but rather a fighting command for Command Officers (i.e. an Admiral nominally in Operational Command of a Fleet, or Task Force, or Task Group). So I consider the substantive ranks of Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral and (full) Admiral to be suitable for appointment to a Fleet Command of varying size.

I see a (full) Admiral in a Command position as Fleet Admiral of a Numbered Subsector Fleet, and a Vice-Admiral in a Command as Fleet Admiral in Command of a named Battle Fleet or Task Force (his fleet elements are drawn from the Numbered Fleet or Fleets' assets). A Rear Admiral in a Command might be Fleet Admiral of the Subsector Reserve, or in command of a Task Group.

But a Staff Admiral at any of those ranks does not get called "Fleet Admiral".

The Sector Admiral & Grand Admiral are more similar to 5 (and "6") Star Ranks, similar to old German Navy Ranks. (That is why I listed the substantive Rank for Sector Admiral as "General Admiral"). Sector Admiral is the "Regional" Command appointment over all Naval Elements in the Theatre, and Grand Admiral is the membership in the High Command Staff.

 

[whulorigan]

[taps sign]

Grade / Rank
O6 / O6: Captain
O7 / O7: Commodore

You could also do as the historical RN, and have two grades of Commodore:

Commodore 2nd Class for Captains (O6.5) commanding from their ship's bridge, usually as a temporary but indefinite appointment.

Commodore 1st Class (O7) for a substantive Commodore with his own Flag Bridge independent of the Captaincy and Ship's Bridge.

 

[TamsinP]

You could also do as the historical RN, and have two grades of Commodore:

Commodore 2nd Class for Captains (O6.5) commanding from their ship's bridge, usually as a temporary but indefinite appointment.

Commodore 1st Class (O7) for a substantive Commodore with his own Flag Bridge independent of the Captaincy and Ship's Bridge.

Up until 1997 neither Commodore rank was substantive in the Royal Navy (and Commodore 1st Class was in abeyance from 1958). The same was true for the rank of Brigadier - not substantive until 1947 for the Army, 1997 for the Royal Marines.