21 May 4009
1330: Review of the Legion Navy, Duranium Legion Naval Conference
As the Conference attendees reconvened following their light luncheon, Lord Admiral Absolus Criasus again called the room to attention, for the Naval Review was about to begin. To begin, Lord Admiral Criasus would briefly summarize the current ships of the Legion Navy. While this could have been done by simply reading the ship roster from a list, even the patience of the Lords Admiralty had limits, therefore instead the Lord Admiral opted to accompany his presentation with technology, in the form of an optical projector used to show computerized slides with a tasteful 4:3 aspect ratio, to summarize the ship roster graphically as well.
As these graphics have since been lost to history, the reader is referred instead to the following listing:
Duranium Legion Naval Roster
- 2x Invincible class Light Cruiser: Imperator, Invincible
- 1x Judgment Day class Light Jump Cruiser: Judgment Day
- 11x Defiant class Light Cruiser: Dauntless, Devastator, Denouement, Defenestrator, Deadly Poison, Domination, Dissolution, Double Edge, Damnation, Devourer, Direct Fire
- 3x Grand Cross class Light Jump Cruiser: Grand Cross, Gothic, Garrote
- 19x Charybdis class Destroyer: Crushing Blow, Champion, Covenanter, Centaur, Charon, Cry, Ye Wicked, Catharsis, Char, Corrugator, Chimera, Crusader, Chronomancer, Cuirassie Cobalt, Carnivore, Chu Ko Nu, Cretaceous, Credulous Counsel, Charitable Donation
- 8x Furious class Jump Destroyer: Furious, Fade to Black, Final Blow, Final Judgment, Flayer, Flatline Fakhoury, Felstalker, Fight Fire With Fire
- 3x Bellerophon class Frigate: Brutal Legend, Bad Omen, Broken Wind
- 3x Excelsior class Jump Frigate: Excelsior, Executor, Endless Night
- 6x Hellfire class Frigate: Harrier, Heavy Metal, Halberd, Hellion, Harbinger, Homunculus
- 6x Ars Magica class Survey Frigate: Avenging Wrath, Adjudicator, Angel of Ares, Apollo, Athena, Ariadne
- 7x Ars Magica Mk II class Survey Frigate: Aether Net, Adamant, Archon, Archrival, Amalgam of the Void, Aeryn Sun, Argumentative
- 11x R-56 class Recon Fighter
- 6x AR-56 Osprey class Recon Fighter
- 4x JR-1014 class Jump Scout
- 2x B-108 class Buoy Layer
Totaling 691,750 tons displacement with 19,744 crew complement
Duranium Legion Auxiliary Roster
- 34x Phaeton class Freighter
- 4x Olympia class Cargo Shuttle
- 10x Typhon class Colony Ship
- 4x Accatran class Salvager
- 4x Dragon class Tanker
- 8x Salamander class Troop Transport
- 10x Libra class Fleet Tender
- 6x Andromeda class Stabilisation Ship
- 6x Ogre class Tug
- 6x Knossos class Fuel Harvester Platform
- 12x Obsidian class Orbital Mining Platform
- 2x Obsidian Mk II class Orbital Mining Platform
- 6x Achelous class Terraforming Platform
- 5x Achelous Mk II class Terraforming Platform
- 1x Bastion class Barracks Station
- 6x Warden class Traffic Monitor
- 15x Gatekeeper class Traffic Monitor
Totaling 9,594,694 tons displacement with 51,338 crew complement
Former Republic of Belaire Roster
- 1x Kirov class Strike Cruiser
- 5x Zhdanov class Orbital Miner
Totaling 364,122 tons displacement requiring 3,883 prize crew complement
An additional 32 ships were under construction in orbit of Duratus, of which fourteen were new naval vessels totaling 147,500 tons displacement, sixteen were new auxiliary vessels totaling 1,074,347 tons displacement, and two were Ars Magica-class survey Frigates (Adjudicator and Apollo) undergoing refits to the Mk II version of the class. Finally, an additional Mk II orbital mining platform was under construction by planetside factories on Duratus. Notably, three Gatekeeper-class traffic monitors would be commissioned before the Naval Conference was planned to conclude, although this would have little real effect on the plans made by the Lords Admiralty over the course of the coming week.
Status of the Legion shipyards as of 21 May 4009. Not shown is the additional Obsidian Mk II orbital mining platform under construction by Duratus planetside industry.
For the sake of completeness, while it would not make him popular among the members of the assembly Lord Admiral Criasus also briefly listed the ship losses suffered by the Legion:
TABLE OF LEGION NAVY VESSELS LOST, 1 JAN 4000 to 21 MAY 4009
- Lost in the Battle of Gliese 1, 19 April 4003: CL Defiant, DD Carronade, DD Charybdis, DD Conqueror, DD Centurion, FF Bellerophon, FF Battleaxe, R-56 001
- Lost at the frontier in Eta Cassiopeiae, 13 November 4005: FS Ardent Knight
- Missing and presumed lost in Eta Cassiopeiae: MNT Warden 6
- Lost at the frontier in Devil’s Hand, 13 January 4006: FS Ars Magica
- Lost at the frontier in Eta Cassiopeiae, 21 March 4006: R-56 004
- Lost to Belaire action in Luyten 302-89, 7 July 4007: MNT Gatekeeper 3
- Lost to Belaire action in Struve 2398, date uncertain: MNT Warden 7
- Lost while reconnoitering the jump point to Kuiper 79, 15 July 4007: R-56 016
- Lost in First Battle of Kuiper 79, 2 August 4007: FF Barbette, FF Bloodsucker, FF Braggart
- Lost in Operation Eagle, 9 October 4007: AR-56 Osprey 1
- Lost at the frontier in 82 Eridani, 5 July 4008: FS Ascendant Might
- Lost in jump point assault into Belaire, 19 January 4009: DD Chainsaw, DD Creeping Death, DD Calamitous, DD Caliban, FF Bat Country, FF Blastwave, FF Battery
- Lost while reconnoitering jump point to WISE 035-5658, 15 April 4009: R-56 002, AR-56 Osprey 2
- Lost to mutinous action, 19 May 4009: CL Disruptor, FF Hellfire, R-56 006
TOTAL LEGION NAVY LOSSES, 1 JAN 4000 to 21 MAY 4009
- 2x Defiant class Light Cruiser
- 8x Charybdis class Destroyer
- 8x Bellerophon class Frigate
- 3x Ars Magica class Survey Frigate
- 1x Hellfire class Frigate
- 5x R-56 class Recon Fighter
- 2x AR-56 class Recon Fighter
- 2x Warden class Traffic Monitor
- 1x Gatekeeper class Traffic Monitor
Totaling 206,750 tons displacement with 5,869 crew complement
Having given his summary, the Lord Admiral invited each Lord High Admiral in turn to brief the assembly on their respective commands within the fleet. These briefings were largely intended as a review of Legion Naval doctrine and performance in the field, and while a few clarifying questions were permitted the major part of discussion and debate was held for future sessions - most forcibly as the topic of the Hellfire-class frigates was necessarily broached.
Lord High Admiral Jack Macaria, as commander of the Legion Home Fleet, presented the briefing on Legion Navy combat doctrine and performance. This was, it goes without saying, the most widely-anticipated briefing of the afternoon session.
The Lord High Admiral began his briefing by briefly reviewing the existing doctrine of the Legion Navy, noting at the outset that these were the official doctrines but not necessarily those which had been followed in practice on every occasion. Excerpts are presented below:
On Fleet Composition: “The Legion Navy emphasizes modular fleet organization with the aim of streamlining fleet logistics and operational planning. The basis of this modular organization is the squadron-level formation composed of vessels within a single hull type subgroup.”
“Every squadron is capable of carrying out detached, if not fully independent, operations. Critical to this capability is the inclusion of at least one jump-capable vessel in every squadron, ensuring that any squadron can arrive in any combat theater without reliance on jump logistic infrastructure which may or may not be in place… With present jump drive technology, the number of large vessels in a squadron is set as four, including one jump-capable vessel.”
“The standard composition of a Legion Naval battle fleet is specified as: one cruiser squadron; two destroyer squadrons; and one frigate squadron. This organization may be augmented by the attachment of additional squadrons to meet operational needs or to reflect the tactical situation in a theater of operations.”
Organizational chart for a Legion Navy battle fleet, according to the Legion Navy doctrinal manual of 1 Jan 4000. Tellingly, none of the Legion’s three currently-active battle fleets was actually organized in this manner at the time of the Naval Conference.
At this stage, Lord High Admiral Macaria briefly paused to permit a short period of discussion and clarification, during which a few points were raised by the assembly:
- Lord Admiral Glycon Limos was first to take the floor, noting that the ratio of destroyers (8) to cruisers (4) had been set largely for the purposes of ensuring adequate point defense capability for a Legion Navy battle fleet facing a missile-armed opponent of similar strength. However, while this had been a necessary concession due to the lack of point defense armament on the Defiant-class light cruisers the new Invincible-class light cruisers now mounted a point defense battery which could reduce, though not eliminate, the need for destroyers.
- Lord Admiral Criasus responded, noting the validity of his colleague’s points in a general sense, but pointing out that battlefield experience had shown that a squadron of three Charybdis-class destroyers (plus jump vessel) was necessary to counterbalance the volume of light missile fire from a Belaire Slava-class escort cruiser. The same capability would require five or six Invincibles, three times the displacement of the destroyers to accomplish the same purpose. The assembly at large accepted the points of both Lords Admiral as valid considerations.
- Lord Admiral Niobe Chryson, famously the victor of the Battle of Gliese 1, raised a strong argument against the existing squadron composition requiring a jump-capable vessel in every squadron, noting that the Legion Navy fleets in practice fielded only about 80% of the firepower that their fleet tonnages would imply as a consequence of this doctrine. The Grand Cross-class light jump cruisers came under particular criticism, with an unfavorable comparison drawn with the much-maligned Belaire Kiev-class jump cruisers.
- Lord Grand Admiral Tethys Argyron concurred with the judgment of her subordinate, but noted for the benefit of the assembly that squadron-based jump tactics had been essential for the conquest of the Belaire home system, cautioning against rash, reactive action and advising that a measured, considered solution be sought.
Following the advice given at the beginning of the session, specific complaints about the Bellerophons, Hellfires, or any other specific ship classes were held for later sessions. With discussion points made to the satisfaction of the assembly, Lord High Admiral Macaria resumed his briefing, turning now to the discussion of each major warship class which had to date seen service with the Legion Navy:
On the Defiant-class Light Cruisers: “The primary battle role of the Defiant-class light cruiser is to close with the enemy and destroy them with an overwhelming volume of medium-caliber firepower. Its heavy armor enables a light cruiser squadron to serve as the spearpoint for an assault, escorted by destroyers and other support vessels.”
“As a light cruiser, the Defiant class is intended to be capable of independent operations against internal agitators as well as external raiding forces. To support this goal, the Defiants have been equipped with R-56 and more recently AR-56 reconnaissance craft to provide long-range scouting support. However, battle experience has shown that the point defense capability of the 152 mm railgun batteries is insufficient for truly independent cruiser operations.”
“As has been noted by Lord Admiral Chryson and others, the complete lack of armament aboard a Grand Cross-class jump cruiser represents a severe deficiency in the organization of our light cruiser squadrons.”
“The Defiant and Grand Cross classes are slated for replacement by the Invincible and Judgment Day classes, which address these deficiencies while increasing overall firepower which can be brought to bear.”
Aside from a few questions requesting clarification from the Lord High Admiral, no significant points of discussion were raised by the assembly regarding the Defiant class.
Defiant class Light Cruiser 12,500 tons 371 Crew 1,783.9 BP TCS 250 TH 1,250 EM 0
5000 km/s Armour 6-47 Shields 0-0 HTK 81 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 12 PPV 48
Maint Life 3.14 Years MSP 1,070 AFR 104% IFR 1.4% 1YR 163 5YR 2,448 Max Repair 312.5 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 250 tons
Captain Control Rating 3 BRG AUX ENG
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 20 Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards H-625 Cruiser Engine 'Hydra' (2) Power 1250 Fuel Use 35.78% Signature 625 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 580,000 Litres Range 23.3 billion km (54 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 152 mm Medium Battery Mk III (8x4) Range 90,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 9-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 15
Arcadia Weapons Systems Medium Battery Director Mk III (2) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Chryson Dynamics 12 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (2) Total Power Output 24.2 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Grand Cross class Light Jump Cruiser 12,500 tons 325 Crew 1,771.5 BP TCS 250 TH 1,250 EM 0
5000 km/s JR 4-100 Armour 6-47 Shields 0-0 HTK 65 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 16 PPV 0
Maint Life 3.33 Years MSP 1,417 AFR 78% IFR 1.1% 1YR 194 5YR 2,907 Max Repair 371 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 250 tons
Captain Control Rating 3 BRG AUX ENG
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 20 Morale Check Required
Legion Gravitic Corps LG-250 Gravity Drive 'Supernova' Max Ship Size 12500 tons Distance 100k km Squadron Size 4
Hyperion Drive Yards H-625 Cruiser Engine 'Hydra' (2) Power 1250 Fuel Use 35.78% Signature 625 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 570,000 Litres Range 22.9 billion km (53 days at full power)
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Author’s Note: The ship design summaries presented in this chapter are reproduced from those in previous chapters, for the convenience of the reader, and no new technical data is presented.
On the various Reconnaissance Craft projects: The assembly did, on the other hand, have several comments on the efficacy of the various reconnaissance craft projects which had seen service in the field:
- Several Lords Admiral successively expressed the opinion that while the R-56 and its derivatives were quite capable craft, opportunities to use them had been in practice quite limited, particularly prior to a battle as a fleet reconnaissance unit.
- A severe split of opinion developed as to whether the passive sensor-equipped R-56 or the active sensor-equipped AR-56 Osprey class should be considered the primary reconnaissance craft of the Legion for practical purposes. Lord High Admiral Hilaera Antilochus, speaking for Survey Command, was of the opinion that the AR-56 had proven its versatility in the case of Operation Osprey which had led to the recovery of the survey frigate Adamant.
- On the other hand, Lord Admiral Limos pointed out that the active sensor capabilities of the AR-56 were of no use in a combat situation, as the Legion Navy did not mount indirect fire capabilities on any class of warships.
- At this, Lord Admiral Adrien Agamemnon of the Survey Corps interjected out of turn to inform Lord Admiral Limos that there were more naval operation types which a fleet should be capable of besides grand battle.
- Lord Admiral Limos replied that while this was a true statement, the discussion at hand pertained to a battle fleet, and furthermore stated without citations that it was considered rude to interrupt a fellow officer while they had the floor.
- Lord Admiral Agamemnon at this stage requested additional information regarding what Lord Admiral Limos intended to do about this.
At this point, the record indicates that several members of the Imperial Guard detachment were briefly engaged in maintaining order among the assembly. Following this, Lord Admiral Criasus announced a closure of the topic, indicating that the professional differences of opinion on the matter clearly indicated that the question was one of doctrinal review, and thus to be reserved for a later session.
- An informal floor vote confirmed that the unanimous opinion of the Lords Admiral - this being a truly rare occurrence - was that the JR-1014 jump scouts were frankly terrible, strictly inferior to the Gatekeeper-class traffic monitors, and ought to be sold off for scrap. Eager to end on a positive note, Lord High Admiral Macaria quickly closed the discussion and moved on to the next segment of his briefing.
R-56 class Recon Fighter 250 tons 6 Crew 35.6 BP TCS 5 TH 25 EM 0
5008 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 HTK 3 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 3.34 Years MSP 20 AFR 50% IFR 0.7% 1YR 3 5YR 41 Max Repair 12.5 MSP
Subcommander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards HF-25 Fighter Engine 'Erinys' (1) Power 25 Fuel Use 178.89% Signature 25 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 15,000 Litres Range 6 billion km (13 days at full power)
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
AR-56 Osprey class Recon Fighter 250 tons 6 Crew 39.5 BP TCS 5 TH 25 EM 0
5008 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 HTK 3 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 18.15 Years MSP 24 AFR 2% IFR 0.0% 1YR 0 5YR 2 Max Repair 16 MSP
Subcommander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards HF-25 Fighter Engine 'Erinys' (1) Power 25 Fuel Use 178.89% Signature 25 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 20.2 billion km (46 days at full power)
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Traffic Scanner (1) GPS 2400 Range 33.9m km Resolution 150
JR-1014 class Jump Scout 500 tons 14 Crew 73.2 BP TCS 10 TH 25 EM 0
2504 km/s JR 1-50 Armour 1-5 Shields 0-0 HTK 6 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 0 PPV 0
Maint Life 13.39 Years MSP 58 AFR 10% IFR 0.1% 1YR 1 5YR 9 Max Repair 16 MSP
Subcommander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Legion Gravitic Corps LG-10 Gravity Drive 'Dart' Max Ship Size 500 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 1
Hyperion Drive Yards HF-25 Fighter Engine 'Erinys' (1) Power 25 Fuel Use 178.89% Signature 25 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 64,000 Litres Range 12.9 billion km (59 days at full power)
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Traffic Scanner (1) GPS 2400 Range 33.9m km Resolution 150
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
On the Charybdis-class Destroyers: “The primary battle role of the Charybdis-class destroyer is to escort a squadron of light cruisers, or any future class of heavier vessels, providing point defense fire to protect the primary firepower vessels from missile attack until the distance to the enemy has been closed. The defense batteries of this class are also capable of disabling or destroying smaller enemy vessels by sustained rapid fire, and as such may be used to intercept enemy light attack craft while serving in the escort role.”
“As previously noted by Lord Admiral Criasus, battle experience against a comparable enemy such as the Republic of Belaire Navy (the meeting minutes make note of derisive scoffing at this juncture) a squadron of three Charybdis are sufficient to defend against light missile fire from a single Slava-class escort cruiser, or against heavy missile fire from a pair of Kirov-class strike cruisers.”
Aside from clarifying questions, the only noteworthy comment brought to the floor at this juncture was made by Lord Admiral Chryson, who wished to point out that despite an armor thickness only two-thirds that of the Defiant class, the Charybdis class had proven remarkably survivable, able to receive hits from over one hundred light missile or a full laser broadside from the Belaire Sovremenny class and remain structurally intact. In general, the consensus from the assembly was that in spite of several battle losses the class had proven entirely successful compared to its design basis.
Charybdis class Destroyer 10,000 tons 324 Crew 1,467 BP TCS 200 TH 1,000 EM 0
5000 km/s Armour 4-41 Shields 0-0 HTK 68 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 8 PPV 48
Maint Life 3.06 Years MSP 733 AFR 100% IFR 1.4% 1YR 118 5YR 1,765 Max Repair 250 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards H-500 Destroyer Engine 'Cerberus' (2) Power 1000 Fuel Use 40.0% Signature 500 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 471,000 Litres Range 21.2 billion km (49 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 102 mm Defense Battery Mk III (16x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Arcadia Weapons Systems Defense Battery Director Mk III (4) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Chryson Dynamics 12 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (4) Total Power Output 48.4 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Furious class Jump Destroyer 10,000 tons 285 Crew 1,349.3 BP TCS 200 TH 1,000 EM 0
5000 km/s JR 4-100 Armour 4-41 Shields 0-0 HTK 60 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 10 PPV 12
Maint Life 3.07 Years MSP 883 AFR 80% IFR 1.1% 1YR 140 5YR 2,106 Max Repair 250 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Legion Gravitic Corps LG-200 Gravity Drive 'Helios' Max Ship Size 10000 tons Distance 100k km Squadron Size 4
Hyperion Drive Yards H-500 Destroyer Engine 'Cerberus' (2) Power 1000 Fuel Use 40.0% Signature 500 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 471,000 Litres Range 21.2 billion km (49 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 102 mm Defense Battery Mk III (4x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Arcadia Weapons Systems Defense Battery Director Mk III (1) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Chryson Dynamics 12 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (1) Total Power Output 12.1 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
On the Bellerophon-class Frigates: “The primary battle role of the Bellerophon-class frigate is to provide long-range sensor intelligence and support to a battle fleet based around a squadron of light cruisers or any future class of heavier vessels. In addition to general signals intelligence gathering, the Bellerophon class fills a key secondary role of providing long-range missile detection to provide enhanced targeting solutions to the point defense battery directors of Charybdis and other point defense-capable vessels in the fleet.”
“It has not escaped the notice of the Lords Admiral among others that the Bellerophon class has suffered by far the greatest rate of casualties out of all classes currently in Legion Naval service. It is the common opinion of the Lords Admiral and Captain that the Bellerophon class is undersized and under-armored relative to its intended role in the line of battle. This being noted, it is also the opinion of our battlefield commanders that the operational and tactical intelligence and support provided by the Bellerophon class has proven essential in numerous engagements and operations.”
“This class is not at this time slated for replacement, if for no other reason than the salient lack of any suitable replacement for its capabilities. However, it is considered clear and common knowledge that the doctrine which justifies the existence of the Bellerophon class must be at the very least significantly revised, if not rewritten in its entirety.”
As the reader might expect, despite the reservation of most discussion about this class for a future session there were a number of comments on the topic:
- Lord Admiral Chryson once again submitted a comment to the assembly, suggesting that the Bellerophon class had been targeted primarily due to its small size and light armor, representing the easiest target to destroy for light weapons such as the magnetic defense cannons encountered in the Battle of Gliese 1. She noted that during that battle, Bellerophon was only targeted once she crossed into range of these light weapons, which would likely have been unable to destroy any larger or more heavily-armored target.
- Notably, Lord Admiral Criasus granted special dispensation for Lord Captain Selene Styx to take the floor, being recognized as a subject matter expert. The Lord Captain pointed out two mitigating factors in response to Lord Admiral Chryson’s comment: first, that the firepower removed from battle by taking out a Bellerophon was minimal, and the Belaire Navy would have realized this after their first few defeats and adjusted their targeting accordingly, which they did not; second, that despite ample opportunities to do so the Belaire had never targeted an Excelsior-class jump frigate of the same tonnage class, even though the Excelsiors mounted an additional 102 mm railgun battery apiece compared to the Bellerophons and were arguably (slightly) more dangerous. Lord Captain Styx then drew the conclusion that the Bellerophons were targeted principally due to their large active sensors by enemies hoping to reduce the targeting ability of a Legion battle fleet.
- Lord Admiral Criasus himself noted that while the battle record of the Bellerophon class was spotty, losses of that class had occurred chiefly due to (1) poor battle planning at the Battle of Gliese 1, which had seen heavy losses suffered across the entire battle fleet, and (2) deployment as part of a jump point assault fleet, a role which the class lacked sufficient armor to adequately fulfill. Losses in Kuiper 79, when the class had accompanied the fleet for anti-missile work and not been detached prior to entering beam range of the Belaire Sovremennys was noted as a tactical error rather than a failing of the class itself. He thus put forth the conjecture that a fleet role could remain for the Bellerophon class or a close successor, but this role would necessarily have to be limited if not outright restrictive to preserve the vessels.
- As this last comment had pushed into topics reserved for a future session, Lord High Admiral Macaria stated that further comments along the line of inquiry raised by Lord Admiral Criasus should be held at the present time.
- Lord Admiral Gaia Pandia, based on her adjacent expertise as commander of the Logistics Corps, made note that Bad Omen had accounted for some losses of Belaire auxiliary vessels while serving in a surveillance role, indicating that the Bellerophon class had some capability in a commerce raiding role when relying on its powerful sensors to detect enemy convoy routes. No comment was made at this time about possible doctrinal implications of this, in deference to Lord High Admiral Macaria’s previous statement.
- Once comments from the assembly had been exhausted, Lord Admiral Criasus recognized the Lady Imperator Ellen Scamander as a subject matter expert. The Lady Imperator summarized for the assembly how the design of the passive sensor arrays had been optimized to counter-detect alien vessels from beyond the range of their own active sensors. Scamander Corporation research engineers had determined based on the alien technologies encountered thus far that these sensors were not only capable of this, but in fact were over-powered by about one-third compared to what was necessary to defeat any known alien sensor types. Some flexibility therefore would exist for any hypothetical “Mark II” design of the Bellerophon class.
Bellerophon class Frigate 7,500 tons 211 Crew 1,237 BP TCS 150 TH 750 EM 0
5000 km/s Armour 3-34 Shields 0-0 HTK 40 Sensors 96/96/0/0 DCR 6 PPV 6
Maint Life 3.35 Years MSP 618 AFR 75% IFR 1.0% 1YR 83 5YR 1,251 Max Repair 187.5 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards H-375 Frigate Engine 'Gryphon' (2) Power 750 Fuel Use 46.19% Signature 375 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 432,000 Litres Range 22.4 billion km (51 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 102 mm Defense Battery Mk III (2x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Arcadia Weapons Systems Defense Battery Director Mk III (1) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Chryson Dynamics 6 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (1) Total Power Output 6.2 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Long-Range Array (1) GPS 14400 Range 83.1m km Resolution 150
Scamander Corporation Series XVI High-Resolution Array (1) GPS 1920 Range 42.4m km Resolution 20
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Missile Warning Array (1) GPS 96 Range 15.6m km MCR 1.4m km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Array (1) Sensitivity 96 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 77.5m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Array (1) Sensitivity 96 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 77.5m km
Excelsior class Jump Frigate 7,500 tons 217 Crew 972.7 BP TCS 150 TH 750 EM 0
5000 km/s JR 4-100 Armour 3-34 Shields 0-0 HTK 46 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 7 PPV 9
Maint Life 3.33 Years MSP 567 AFR 64% IFR 0.9% 1YR 78 5YR 1,165 Max Repair 187.5 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Legion Gravitic Corps LG-150 Gravity Drive 'Farscape' Max Ship Size 7500 tons Distance 100k km Squadron Size 4
Hyperion Drive Yards H-375 Frigate Engine 'Gryphon' (2) Power 750 Fuel Use 46.19% Signature 375 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 420,000 Litres Range 21.8 billion km (50 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 102 mm Defense Battery Mk III (3x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Arcadia Weapons Systems Defense Battery Director Mk III (1) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Chryson Dynamics 9 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (1) Total Power Output 9.2 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
On the Hellfire-class Frigates: Prior to the presentation of this briefing segment, Lord Admiral Criasus exercised his authority as Speaker of the Assembly to rule that no comments, save questions for clarification, would be permitted during this segment due to the inflammatory nature of the subject. This ruling having been given, Lord High Admiral Macaria then gave his summary of the doctrinal role of the class:
“The primary battle role Hellfire-class frigate is to provide long-range gunnery support to a Legion Navy battle fleet engaged against an opponent with similarly long-ranged direct fire weapons, such as would otherwise preclude a full-speed charge into railgun range.”
As this was the entire summary, several members of the assembly immediately presented verbal accusations of partisanship and dereliction of duty, which cries were only silenced by an extended sequence of gavel-banging and threats of expulsion from the Speaker.
The comment period proceeded hardly much better:
- Lord Admiral Caerus Priapus requested clarification as to whether battlefield circumstances had ever in fact precluded a full-speed charge into railgun range, to which Lord High Admiral Macaria replied, “Not to my knowledge, no.” At this the previous slate of accusations were once again presented by members of the assembly in a less formal fashion, this presentation carrying on for several minutes over the loud objections of the Speaker. Fortunately, a follow-on sequence of more muted objections from members of the Imperial Guard detachment had the desired effect.
- The subsequent questioner, whose name has strangely been stricken from the record, requested clarification on why the class was named Hellfire rather than the arguably more appropriate name of Half-Ass. This request for clarification was not answered.
- At this juncture, Lord Admiral Criasus declared the clarification period completed and requested that Lord High Admiral Macaria proceed to the next segment of his briefing.
Hellfire class Frigate 7,500 tons 258 Crew 1,192.1 BP TCS 150 TH 750 EM 0
5000 km/s Armour 2-34 Shields 0-0 HTK 55 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 4 PPV 42
Maint Life 2.74 Years MSP 577 AFR 112% IFR 1.6% 1YR 111 5YR 1,659 Max Repair 187.5 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards H-375 Frigate Engine 'Gryphon' (2) Power 750 Fuel Use 46.19% Signature 375 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 385,000 Litres Range 20 billion km (46 days at full power)
Priapus Energetics Laboratory PEL-4 Neon Beam Cannon (6) Range 192,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 10-4 ROF 15
Arcadia Weapons Systems Medium Battery Director Mk III (2) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Chryson Dynamics 12 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (2) Total Power Output 24.2 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
On the Invincible-class Light Cruisers: “The Invincible-class light cruiser is intended as a direct upgrade and replacement of the Defiant class, and thus the former fills the same doctrinal role as the latter. Based on battlefield experience with the Defiant class, the Invincible class is armed with secondary batteries for point defense, enabling truly independent cruiser squadron operations against probable missile-wielding threats.”
“Of note, the Invincible class does not incorporate a fighter bay and therefore does not carry a R-56 or AR-56 reconnaissance fighter as part of its mission payload. Minimal fighter reconnaissance capability is provided by the Judgment Day-class light jump cruiser.”
“The Judgment Day class itself is armed with point defense batteries, thus rectifying a particular long-standing embarrassment. However, to accomplish this it has been necessary to reduce the armor thickness of the class by half compared to the Invincible class. Initial experience against the Republic of Belaire Navy has suggested that this is not a severe handicap in a jump point assault scenario, but this has not yet been established as a matter of conclusive fact.”
As the Invincible class had to this point seen limited combat action, few of the Lords Admiral had particular opinions to express during the discussion period - much to the relief of the Speaker of the Assembly:
- Lord Admiral Chryson noted that the point defense battery armament of the class, while useful, would not be sufficient for a full cruiser squadron to defend itself from even one Slava-class escort cruiser, let alone a squadron of them, and therefore the concept of “independent operations” remained doubtful.
- Lord Admiral Priapus raised the counter-point that while complete protection would not be possible with point defense batteries alone, contributions from the main 152 mm batteries along with the heavy armor of the class would allow an Invincible squadron to close the range with minimal damage against a Slava, affecting a net battlefield victory.
- Lord Admiral Gaia Pandia, adjacent to both of these points, noted that while independent operations against a strong enemy fleet would be dangerous at best, convoy raiding against enemy flanks could prove a valuable service and would require sufficiently heavy armament to deal with light escorts, a role the Invincible class was therefore well-suited to.
Invincible class Light Cruiser 15,000 tons 470 Crew 2,122 BP TCS 300 TH 1,500 EM 0
5000 km/s Armour 6-54 Shields 0-0 HTK 95 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 12 PPV 72
Maint Life 2.31 Years MSP 1,061 AFR 150% IFR 2.1% 1YR 271 5YR 4,062 Max Repair 375 MSP
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Hyperion Drive Yards H-750 Cruiser Engine 'Minotaur' (2) Power 1500 Fuel Use 32.66% Signature 750 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 568,000 Litres Range 20.9 billion km (48 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 152 mm Medium Battery Mk III (8x4) Range 90,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 9-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 15
Arcadia Weapons Systems 102 mm Defense Battery Mk III (8x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Arcadia Weapons Systems Medium Battery Director Mk III (2) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Arcadia Weapons Systems Defense Battery Director Mk III (2) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Chryson Dynamics 12 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (4) Total Power Output 48.4 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Judgment Day class Light Jump Cruiser 15,000 tons 449 Crew 2,150.3 BP TCS 300 TH 1,500 EM 0
5000 km/s JR 4-100 Armour 3-54 Shields 0-0 HTK 84 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 15 PPV 24
Maint Life 2.29 Years MSP 1,343 AFR 120% IFR 1.7% 1YR 348 5YR 5,215 Max Repair 514.4 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 250 tons
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 20 Morale Check Required
Legion Gravitic Corps LG-300 Gravity Drive 'Calypso' Max Ship Size 15000 tons Distance 100k km Squadron Size 4
Hyperion Drive Yards H-750 Cruiser Engine 'Minotaur' (2) Power 1500 Fuel Use 32.66% Signature 750 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 594,000 Litres Range 21.8 billion km (50 days at full power)
Arcadia Weapons Systems 102 mm Defense Battery Mk III (8x4) Range 30,000km TS: 5,000 km/s Power 3-3 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Arcadia Weapons Systems Defense Battery Director Mk III (2) Max Range: 96,000 km TS: 5,100 km/s 90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
Chryson Dynamics 12 TW Induction Drive Cell Mk VI (2) Total Power Output 24.2 Exp 5%
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
With this, the review of the Legion Navy proper was concluded, and a weary Lord Admiral Criasus ordered that the session be briefly adjourned for light refreshments.
Lord High Admiral Hilaera Antilochus, as commander of the Survey Fleet, was the next flag officer to brief the assembly, naturally on the status of Legion surveying efforts and doctrine. While this had hardly been the most anticipated briefing of the session, at this stage many of the Lords Admiral welcomed the presentation of what was expected to be a far from contentious subject, after the excitement of earlier discussions. Once again, excerpts are presented below:
On Legion Survey Fleet doctrine: “The Duranium Legion Survey Fleet seeks to accomplish three principal objectives. The first of these objectives is to discover the topography of the galactic jump point network, in particular the routes of travel between our own holdings and those of alien polities. The second of these objectives is to locate new rich sources of trans-Newtonian elements to support and grow the economy of the Legion. The third and final of these objectives is to maintain the security of the Legion’s borders through the detection of incursions made by vessels belonging to alien polities.”
“The Legion Survey Fleet operates two types of vessels to accomplish its objectives. The first two of these objectives are assigned to the Ars Magica classes of multi-purpose survey frigates. The third of these objectives is assigned to the Gatekeeper, and formerly Warden, classes of deep space traffic monitoring vessels.”
In a brief comment period, Lord Grand Admiral Tethys Argyron noted that several survey vessels had been attacked and destroyed by hostile powers, and inquired candidly whether closer cooperation with the Legion Navy proper for reconnaissance and border defense could improve survey fleet effectiveness and reduce casualty rates. Lord High Admiral Antilochus was noncommittal in her response, noting that the Legion Navy after all had more than enough work to do as things presently stood.
On the Ars Magica-class Survey Frigates: “With regard to survey operations, the primary role of the Ars Magica-class survey frigate is twofold: one one hand, to carry out gravitational survey operations in unexplored star systems with the objective of uncovering new jump points in these systems; on the other hand, to carry out orbital mineral surveys of system bodies allowing the Legion high command to assess the industrial value of each system. The Ars Magica class therefore is designed to a multipurpose mission profile, and is equipped with both gravitational and geological survey sensor suites.”
“Operational experience in first contact situations has revealed that the lack of active sensing capabilities aboard the original Ars Magica class led to deficient intelligence-gathering capabilities, a formerly neglected component of the survey mission. The Mark II design has addressed this in addition to a general upgrade of the class propulsion systems to accelerate survey efforts and to improve the ability of the class to flee from hostile contacts.”
As the upgrade of the Ars Magica class was well-understood from previous discussions, few comments were offered at this juncture. However, the comments that were raised followed a common theme, stated first by Lord Admiral Palaestra Abderus from the viewpoint of the Duratus Mining Corps who frankly inquired as to why multipurpose survey vessels were preferable to operating two specialized classes which might perform each task more efficiently. In a well-reasoned reply, Lord High Admiral Antilochus asserted that while specialized vessels could be more efficient once in-system, not every system required both missions to be performed, and the logistics of moving assets to where they were actually needed would in fact be less efficient in the grand scheme. A multipurpose vessel, she argued, was perhaps less efficient but always certain to be useful, thus being logistically efficient. The assembly at large concurred with the wisdom of the assessment, though some of the Lords Admiral remained unconvinced but did not choose to press the Lord High Admiral on this matter.
Ars Magica Mk II class Survey Frigate 8,500 tons 141 Crew 899.7 BP TCS 170 TH 375 EM 0
2205 km/s JR 1-25(C) Armour 2-37 Shields 0-0 HTK 41 Sensors 8/8/2/2 DCR 8 PPV 0
Maint Life 7.04 Years MSP 1,049 AFR 72% IFR 1.0% 1YR 37 5YR 556 Max Repair 100 MSP
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG SCI
Intended Deployment Time: 84 months Morale Check Required
Legion Gravitic Corps LG-170 Gravity Drive 'Hermes' Max Ship Size 8500 tons Distance 25k km Squadron Size 1
Hyperion Drive Yards HC-375 Deep Space Engine 'Cyclops' (1) Power 375 Fuel Use 5.77% Signature 375 Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 401,000 Litres Range 147 billion km (771 days at full power)
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Geological Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
On the Gatekeeper-class Traffic Wardens: “With regard to survey operations, the primary role of the traffic warden vessel type is to provide active and passive monitoring of unsecured frontier jump points, most importantly providing early warning of hostile incursion to the Legion high command.”
“In practice, these vessels have served in a variety of roles beyond the intended mission profile, including reconnaissance, intelligence, and fleet auxiliary support roles. While this in some cases can be considered to detract from the intended mission as a survey fleet vessel, the good service given by these classes cannot be denied.”
“The Gatekeeper class in particular has been designed to rectify shortcomings of the original Warden-class design, including mounting a long-range active sensor in place of the targeting scanner used by the Warden class. More importantly, as the original Warden class required jump escort by the Ars Magica frigates, practical experience quickly showed that self-jump capability was necessary for logistical flexibility and this has been installed on the Gatekeeper-class traffic monitors.”
There were surprisingly a number of comments from the assembly:
- Lord Admiral Limos, among a few others, noted that the displacement of the Gatekeeper class was one-third again over that of the preceding Warden class. A smaller vessel, he posited, ought to be able to maintain a similar performance profile while being less vulnerable to detection by enemy sensors.
- On the other hand, Lord Admiral Chryson complained of the inherent limitations of an auxiliary-type scout vessel in terms of sensor payload and lack of electronic intelligence-gathering capability. While Lord High Admiral Antilochus pointed out in response that the traffic monitors were not, in fact, scout craft, further comments from the assembly made it clear that many in the Lords Admiralty held the opinion that they certainly ought to be scout craft at any rate.
- Lord Admiral Agamemnon noted that the onboard cryogenic capacity of the traffic monitors had proven useful in both fleet and rescue operations, for the benefit of the assembly.
- After a word of caution from Lord Admiral Criasus to refrain from discussing matters of doctrinal evolution, the comment period shortly came to a close.
Gatekeeper class Traffic Monitor 4,000 tons 40 Crew 188.9 BP TCS 80 TH 225 EM 0
2813 km/s JR 1-25(C) Armour 1-22 Shields 0-0 HTK 18 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 1 PPV 0
MSP 29 Max Repair 45 MSP
Cryogenic Berths 600
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months
Legion Gravitic Corps LGC-80 Gravity Drive 'Gatehouse' Max Ship Size 4000 tons Distance 25k km Squadron Size 1
Hyperion Drive Yards HC-225 Deep Space Engine 'Orpheon' (1) Power 225 Fuel Use 3.82% Signature 225 Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 99,000 Litres Range 116.8 billion km (480 days at full power)
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Onboard Targeting System (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
Scamander Corporation Series XVI Traffic Scanner (1) GPS 2400 Range 33.9m km Resolution 150
Scamander Corporation Series VIII RF Wave Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Scamander Corporation Series VIII Infrared Scanner (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
To conclude her briefing, Lord High Admiral Antilochus provided the assembly with an overview of the Legion’s survey efforts to date:
To conclude the Naval Review session, Lord High Admiral Aeneas Chalcon briefed the assembly on the state of the Legion Industrial Command, responsible for colonization, logistical support, and resource extraction operations. As this was after all a Naval Conference, rather than an economic summit, Lord High Admiral Chalcon opted to forego a review of the numerous auxiliary and industrial ship classes currently in operation, a decision much lauded by his fellow Lords Admiral.
A man of few words, the Lord High Admiral briefly described an auxiliary fleet which had pursued a policy of steady, measured growth, most apparent in the increasing size of the Achelous and Obsidian classes of orbital platforms as available shipyard tonnage had expanded over time. In the near future, he said, the Legion would transition away from the current 80,000-ton standard for freighters and similar classes to a larger 120,000-ton standard allowing for 75,000 tons of cargo capacity per vessel.
The chief challenge faced by the Legion Industrial Command, according to the Lord High Admiral, was that of balancing the need for greater shipping speed against the need to conserve fuel stockpiles by using high-efficiency propulsion systems. Despite a concerted and heavy investment in extrasolar colonies, including multiple convoys servicing both Adamantine and Alpha Centauri colonies, no extrasolar Legion colony had yet eclipsed a population of ten million, chiefly attributed to the long distances these convoys had to traverse. As quicker engines would demand more fuel than the Legion’s present fragile equilibrium could provide, expansion of the fuel harvesting operation at Jupiter would be a necessary prerequisite to support further colonial expansion.
Having said all of this, once again the Lord High Admiral was forced to concede that this was after all a Naval Conference, and that the Lords Admiral at hand were chiefly concerned not with the minutiae of Industrial Command assets but rather the importance of these to Naval operations. To this end, Lord High Admiral Chalcon had also provided an annotated map of the Legion’s current colonial operations each of which would eventually require a sufficient frontier defense to be provided by the Legion Navy at large.
In lieu of a more formal comment period, Lord Admiral Criasus opened the floor to a more open-ended discussion, seeking for the assembly to determine the tangible importance of the Legion’s logistical footprint. At this stage the discussion largely took on the form of identifying long-term potential challenges, which would be addressed in the later doctrinal sessions as considerations for the overall fleet organization and deployment:
- Broadly, the Lords Admiral readily agreed that the extent of Legion territory which had to be defended was centered around, but not limited to, the Mongolica Loop as discovered in August of the previous year.
- While one “end” of the Loop would be readily secured by expansion of the base in the Mongolica system itself, a large gap remained between Alpha Centauri and Devil’s Hand which left Sol itself somewhat open to potential enemy incursions. This was recognized to leave Devil’s Hand in particular vulnerable to being cut off logistically - a severe concern, given the as-yet undeciphered construct in that system which could yet prove to be of great value to the Legion.
- The colonies in both Alpha Centauri and Adamantine served well to secure other chief access routes to both the Mongolica Loop and to Sol itself, and thus should continue to be expanded and fortified as feasible.
- A group of Lords Admiral championed by Lord High Admiral Antilochus were strongly in favor of establishing a “Kuiper-style” command post in the Kruger 60 system to secure the gap in the Mongolica Loop and to control the supply route to Devil’s Hand. While this struck many among the assembly as a reasonable plan, some members of the assembly expressed concerns as to the logistical feasibility of establishing yet another operational base, although even these conceded that such a base would be a useful point from which to launch an offensive against the Eta Cassiopeiae Mongolicans.
Carefully avoided in all discussions amongst the assembly was the topic of the pressing economic struggle still afflicting the Duranium Legion. Most pressingly, while supplies of duranium and gallicite had been comfortably augmented by salvage recovery from Belaire shipwrecks, corundium supplies continued to be scarce which severely limited the ability of the Legion economic planners to construct additional mining infrastructure with which to solve this conundrum. Ultimately, a solution to this problem would not be forthcoming from the Lords Admiralty at least for the time being.
With the quite exhaustive business of the Naval Review thus completed, Lord Admiral Criasus dismissed the assembly for the day, after issuing a stern word of caution against instigating any bar fights over the Hellfire class or indeed any other subject of contention. Perhaps due to the strenuous nature of the day’s session, to say nothing of the solemn ceremony which had preceded it, the Lords Admiral for once did not greatly struggle to follow such an order. Thus concluded the first day of the Naval Conference.
OOC Notes: Finally we have a full review of the Legion Navy as it stands having recently defeated the last major Belaire fleet and seized control of the Belaire home system. I hope you are all satisfied, at over 9,000 words requiring two posts to fully present this should meet any demand for exacting detail and hubristic Lords Admiral commentary the readership could possibly make of me - though as I have been known to be wrong on occasion, I shall endeavor to satisfy any additional specific request which is within the realm of reason. Granted, some 3,000 of those words are buried in the statblocks, but even so this remains the wordiest update to date.
As an aside I will note the change in presentation of the statblocks, while some do enjoy perusing the ship designs I do hope collapsing these under the off-topic tags helps with the overall flow of the post and perhaps preserves the scroll wheels of your mice. The preceding sentence is no longer applicable in this brave new world of Discourse and Markdown formatting.
With this out of the way, everything is in place to begin several days of well-reasoned, professional, and utmostly respectful debate about the future of the Legion Navy. Surely nothing will go wrong.
New OOC Note: On the old forums, this post had to be split in two due to post length limits. It seems that this brave new world of Discourse is considerably more permissive in this regard.