REF - Fleet Organisation

[simison]

So, I've reached the arrival of the Dark Sovereign in Retribution and wanted to double-check that the Grave Stalkers had indeed claimed it.

 

EDIT: Actually, from the post dates, it looks like it. Better question, would K'awil allow Nomus to study the ship?

[Grifftofer]

Grudgingly, perhaps. It's very much the prize of the 15th's fleet. He'd probably be initially unwilling, but concede later (whether due to orders or interest in the findings can be left vague).

[simison]

Admiral B.T.P.

 

One unlooked for advantage for new officers in the Imperial Navy was how rapidly one could climb the ranks given the utter destruction of the Insurrection. During the Great Crusade, promotion, which had begun with a quick pace given the on-going creation of new Expeditionary Fleets, had gradually slowed in the late Great Crusade as most of the known galaxy submitted to the Imperium's might. Two years before the Day of Revelation, it was estimated that the average time for a new fleet officer to command his first ship-of-the-line was twenty years.

 

Not so during the Insurrection. Given the intensive and bloody void engagements between Loyalists and Traitors, and later Suzerains, any display of even moderate skill was enough to catapult junior officers into higher and higher responsibilities. While this intense pace claimed quite a few new officers, those who endured and persisted never lacked in opportunity.

 

One such blazing star was a man who simply went by the initials B.T.P.

 

Earning his commission toward the end of the Great Crusade, B.T.P had earned high honours in the academy, but found his advancement stymied by the increasingly staid Imperial Army. The few reliable methods to progress one's career was a slot in servering alongside the Legion Expeditionary Fleets, and these few slots were viciously fought over.

 

After a fifth transfer denial, B.T.P. feared he'd forever languish as a minor captain marooned aboard his frigate. The Day of Revelation would starkly change this destiny. Stationed in Segmentum Solar, Captain B.T.P. and his lowly frigate were promptly drafted into the Warmaster's combined force to re-secure the Segmentum in the Emperor's name. During these campaigns against rebels, B.T.P. would prove himself a consummate tactician as he consistently out-maneuvered inferior captains in the void. 

 

His deeds did not go unnoticed, and the Warmaster would be eager to exploit whatever talent he could find. By the time that Segementum Solar had been reclaimed by the Imperium, a scant two years, B.T.P. was now a Commodore in command of his own squadron, Regicide Squadron.

 

With Segmentum Solar safely in the Imperium's hands, B.T.P. was ordered to follow the Crimson Lions to Pacificus to repeat the same performance. Although the young commodore wanted to take his squadron West to fight the Traitors directly, he would not contradict the Warmaster. In Pacificus, B.T.P. would prove that he could command as well as he sailed, quickly earning accolades among the Loyalists and even personal honours from the Crimson Lions. From Pacificus to Han, B.T.P. fought alongside the Crimson Lions and earned his way to a vice-admiralty.

 

[simison]

It would be during the Sack of Han would Vice Admiral B.T.P. encounter proper void war against Astartes. Until then, he had displayed a finesse of manipulating opponents through the use of a three-point strategy involving his fleet elements. Legions, however, preferred different combat routines that maximised their ability to deploy boarding parties where transhuman strength could be wielded at its deadliest. Proving capable of adapting to a new style of war, B.T.P. successfully transitioned to tactics designed to keep Legion ships beyond boarding distance from his own.

 

These lessons would only be reinforced by the Siege of Mexicatii, and the true stakes of the Insurrection were laid bared. In that hellish system, B.T.P. would be exposed to the true horrors that had motivated this terrible civil war. While lesser men broke, B.T.P. endured and would continue his exemplary service. He would not be untouched by this incident, however. It would be during this conflict that B.T.P. would discard his old name and only be known by his initials. 

 

Finally, during the epilogue of the First Solar War, B.T.P. would earn another mark of excellence as his flotilla was able to strike hard against the retreating Traitor forces, capturing several ships, including the Drowned Battleship Darkness of the Deep. Between his service during the Mexicatii campaign and the First Solar War, the Primarch Hectarion would recommend him for promotion. The Warmaster obliged, and B.T.P. became a full-fledged Admiral of the Imperium.

[bluntblade]

"that he would encounter proper void war against Astartes". As a personal preference however, I'd replace encounter with "face the terrifying prospect of void combat against a Legions Astartes fleet."

[Sigismund229]

"that he would encounter proper void war against Astartes". As a personal preference however, I'd replace encounter with "face the terrifying prospect of void combat against a Legions Astartes fleet."

I believe when referring to the astartes as an institution it's Legiones, like the Latin rather than the English

[bluntblade]

It is. My phone is an arse.

[simison]

Rogue Trader Militant "Admiral" Debonair Talon

While not official military, Rogue Trader Militants shared a unique relationship with the Imperial Army. Possessing a Warrant of Trade, in theory, allowed any Rogue Trader to request the support or to serve any Expeditionary Fleet as the Militants could often provide valuable intelligence by acting as either a scout force or a vanguard to the Imperium. In practice, there was considerable nuance, depending on various factors as the nature of the Warrant of Trade, the commander of the Expeditionary Fleet, the kind of service involved, how much wealth and power the Militant commanded, and the character of the Rogue Trader. 

 

Enter Debonair Talon. Once a fleet officer of the Antaran Confederacy, he had surrendered himself and his ship to the Imperium once diplomacy had failed and compliance had begun. Although offered a commission with the Imperial Navy, Talon refused. Instead, he pushed and received a Warrant of Trade and transformed himself into a Rogue Trader, utilizing his ship Mercury's Spear as the first vessel of what would become one of the largest Rogue Trader fleets.

 

Talon would begin accruing his fortunes by safeguarding colony expeditions to their destinations. While danger was not unheard of, the Rogue Trader found himself unsatisfied. Although still unwilling to join the Imperial war machine proper, Talon desired more adventure. After purchasing a small scout ship, Dawn Chaser, Talon took his two ships and joined an Expeditionary Fleet.

 

The 510^th Expeditionary Fleet was in need of such services, being bereft of its scout ships after its last battle and unable to solicit the use of a Drowned tendril fleet. In return for receiving lower pay than a Rogue Trader of his standing might receive, Talon was able to use his Warrant of Trade to secure 15% off any potential trade routes established from newly compliant worlds during his service. 

 

After a near disastrous first campaign that nearly saw the destruction of the Mercury's Spear, the repairs required made it seem that only debts would await Talon instead of promised fortunes. However, Talon would not be dissuaded from his course and would continue his serves to the 510^th. His two ships would forewarn the Expeditionary Fleet of corsairs that sought to waylay them, provide operational information during a campaign against Orks, and once bombarded an enemy bunker with the Spear's batteries. 

 

Although he would risk destruction and danger again and again, Talon soon prospered as trade soon thrived from the newly compliant systems. The debts and fees that had once threatened his enterprise were defeated as propserity finally came his way. What was once two ships became three ships, then four ships. Less than three decades after being granted a Warrant of Trade, Talon commanded and funded an entire fleet. 

 

[Talon, name for a scout ship?]

[Talonair]

Hmm. How about the Dawn Chaser?

[simison]

How big of a fleet do you want, Talonair?

[Talonair]

15% off the trade routes would certainly fund a large fleet. Hmmm. Maybe a battle group of 8-10 if that's not excessive? The flag ship, a couple of line ships, some escorts and a couple of scout ships?

[simison]

With ten ships to his name, Talon's fleet was less of a scout force than its own self-contained battlegroup, complete with proper ships of the line and escorts. Between this and his decades of fighting alongside the Imperium, the Rogue Trader had earned the nickname of 'Admiral' Talon and was more than capable of handling of lesser operations without any assistance from the Imperial Navy. 

 

[Talonair, would Talon ever want to retire?]

[Talonair]

No, he'd want to continue traveling, exploring and generally being a privateer for his entire life. In his later years he might take the odd... Not exactly holiday but take a more backseat role for a bit to actually relax and enjoy his profits, but he'd invariably get the itch to get back into the thick of it sooner or later

[simison]

Despite the slowly advancing creep of age, 'Admiral' Talon refused to entertain retirement. Whether consumed by the spirit of adventure (or bloodlust), Talon would remain active in the Great Crusade. With his enormous wealth, he paid for juvenant treatments to prolong his life. When the Imperium balked at the fees to hire his fleet, he reduced them. In the end, Talon had found his passion and would do everything he could to enjoy for as long as he lived.

 

[i think I can end it there. Do you want me to add a bit more, Talonair?]

[Talonair]

I love it, I don't think any more needs to be added, unless we want to say what he got up to during the Insurrection?

[simison]

I love it, I don't think any more needs to be added, unless we want to say what he got up to during the Insurrection?

 

I figured I'd leave that open-ended. We might be able to give him a cameo here and there. 

[Talonair]

Then that works. Could have a footnote about him 'adopting' a Blackshield force

[simison]

Gentlemen, in the course of writing the first campaign of Insurrection, it has come to my attention that there is some room for development when it comes to the development of battle barges. After some research and conversation with Grifft, Talon, and Raj, I have learned that battle barges originally started as a catch-all term for any Imperial warship that had been modified to better serve as a vessel for the Legiones Astartes, primarily in marine deployment and assistance in planetary invasions. There were no specific classes early on.

 

From what is hinted in Extermination, FW intends (or intended) that standard patterns of battle barges were slowly being introduced in the Imperium, starting with the Legatus-class battle barge depicted in the same book. 

 

Given the extra 30 years of our Great Crusade, there is an opportunity here to come up with standard patterns/classes within BotL. This is both in terms of naming conventions and explaining weapon/equipment layouts. I've already suggested to Grifft and Talon that they can come up with something, but I want everyone to have an equal chance to explore another area of our universe and perhaps leave their own mark on it.

[bluntblade]

Hoping we get indications of power levels between battleship classes sometime.

[simison]

Blind has pointed out to me that both of the Emperor's flagships (the Bucephelus and the Imperator Somnium) seem to simply disappear after the Great Crusade. As always, I find this unsatisfying, especially for two warships that outclasses Glorianas. Blind has suggested, supported by Mikhal and Helter, that the Somnium is destroyed during the Siege of Terra, crashing into an orbital plate on its way down.

 

While cinematic, I'm not sure I like the idea of just destroying one of these two warships with so little screentime. At the same time, I admit it's the easiest solution. The only other idea I've had is to turn one of the vessels into mobile headquarters for the Custodians.

 

What do people think?

[Kelborn]

Will the Custodes stay on Terra after the Siege?

If so, do they have a need for a mobile base if they stay on Terra for like 10K years? How is it in canon?

 

I can see one of them being the main target during the Siege. Like the Executor during the battle of Endor. The other one could be fighting somewhere else, arriving just in time to see the traitor fleet dissolving.

 

It could become the main flagship of the avenging fleet, which sets course from Terra and begins the Scouring. Maybe even as Hec's new flagship? Or the overall flagship of the imperial forces until it is dismantled / destroyed by the first BIG threat after the Scouring: the Nomad fleet or our equivalent of the Beast?

[simison]

Probably, but that's the only idea I had. Given their master, extremely few people could lay claim to them, though Hectarion might be one such individual. 

 

And canon offers nothing. Hence a hole that we can fill.

[Kelborn]

Well, then I'd suggest what I wrote.

 

Let one of them be destroyed act as a command ship and making it one of the main targets of Icarion, while the other one was fighting elsewhere and acting as Hec's new flagship after the Siege.

 

Then, let it be dismantled / destroyed during the next big threat. It only needs to be dismantled as it is a product of advanced technology, it could be "resting" for a very long time. Maybe it could become the new flagship of the terran defence fleet or something comparable, still able to fight but withour Warp travel capabilities.

 

Or it's floating in space, guarded by a AdMech fleet for maintenance / research.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Or habe thw traitors steal the second ship

[Kelborn]

Don't think that this would work.

Imagine what an effort this would be.

 

Like boarding The Executor or The Supremancy. Rather disabling them, too mich of a threat.

 

Or do a cat and mice run, preventing it from participating.