How Do You Organise Your Space Forces?

[ShapeShifter]

All of my Military History background ends not long before the advent of the Flying Machine (hot-air balloons don't count, really), and so I have no knowledge of modern Air Forces. Consequently it is proving a challenge for me to design a similar "space force" with its suitably detailed organisation. For the time being I'm tentatively going with the basics of Wing, Group, Squadron, Flight, Section, but when it comes to anything else I'm at a loss. How do you gents undertake such a daunting enterprise, if at all? Is there a good resource on modern Air Forces with which to use as a pattern for a space force in the far future?

 

[D. Foxx]

I see it more in Naval terms rather then Air Force terms. Mongoose has a resource called Sector Fleet that might help, but I haven't purchased it yet so I can't really give it a thumbs up or down.

 

[Grim Nefari]

You can probably use this as a rough idea for your space forces. For ships, such as anything from corvette/frigate/destroyer (these being the smaller end of naval vessels, as opposed to service craft like fighters, shuttles, pinnaces, etc) up to the scale of battleships, dreadnoughts (even superdreadnoughts.. or larger!), the following scale is recommended.

Most naval forces are organized into a division at the lowest level, and a division is two to four ships (typically two or three at most). You would then have at least two, sometimes three and perhaps four, divsiions to assigned together into a squadron. Some navies may also call this a task group or task force, as well, but squadron would be the typical name.

Squadrons are then organized into task groups, task forces or groups depending on the hot naming trend of the time. Think of divisions and squadrons having tactical objectives, or supporting a strategic objective. Task groups/Groups/Task Forces are responsible for the strategic objective, such as securing a system or planetary system of lunar bodies, or something close to it.

Above the Group level you have your fleets, where there are a few groups working togehter for a strategic or national level of objectives - defend a sector/subsector or whatever.

Divisions are commanded by senior ship captain or a commodore
Squadrons can be the realm of rear admiral, vice admiral or even admiral if you like (it is, after all, your space force!)
Groups and larger are typically commanded by a vice admiral at a minimum. In my personal experience Groups are commanded by Admiral, while a fleet is the purview of a Fleet Admiral. And armada, or collection of more than one fleet with the same goal in mind, is typically under the command of a Grand Admiral.

Hope this helps - and don't be afraid to go with what you know or an amalgamation of what you know and the info provided here in this thread! Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Chaos]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midway_order_of_battle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_battle_at_Jutland

Hope this helps illustrate Grim Nefari´s explanations.

 

[Dragoner]

Ship

Flight/Wing (depending on tonnage of vessels, >1000dT Flight, >10,000dT Wing)

Division (independent assignment, usually two ships ie a CruDiv of two Lightnings)

Squadron (BatRon, CruRon, etc.)

Fleet (such as in Spinward Marches Campaign)

Group/Task Force/Front (ie Rhylanor Front for a defensive formation, Esalin Front for offensive)

Sector

Domain

First Lord of the Admiralty

Emperor

 

[Spinward Scout]

If you're talking fighters, bombers, and such, that's handled by COAAC (at least in the MT Era). There was a discussion about month or two ago about squadron organization. It sounds like you're asking about Fighters and such.

If you are talking ships, that's handled more like the Naval warships.

If you're looking for a combination, I'm not sure...

 

[BillDowns]

All of my Military History background ends not long before the advent of the Flying Machine (hot-air balloons don't count, really), and so I have no knowledge of modern Air Forces. Consequently it is proving a challenge for me to design a similar "space force" with its suitably detailed organisation. For the time being I'm tentatively going with the basics of Wing, Group, Squadron, Flight, Section, but when it comes to anything else I'm at a loss. How do you gents undertake such a daunting enterprise, if at all? Is there a good resource on modern Air Forces with which to use as a pattern for a space force in the far future?

If you are wanting an air force style structure, here are some relevant links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Air_Force#Structurehttp:

//usmilitary.about.com/cs/airforce/a/aforganization.htm

http://rhorta.home.xs4all.nl/jgstruc.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Air_Force#Structure

 

[BillDowns]

I lean to the naval style organization myself. Air forces are not really geared to the concept of one vessel going out for days, weeks, months with self-contained maintenance capability, living conditions, etc. After an air force adapted to those conditions, it would wind up looking like the navy.

 

[Putraack]

I'd recommend the Rule of Three.

Any commander is supposed to be able to handle 3-5 subordinates when under stress. If a commander has more than 5 subordinates to give orders to, then his force should be divided again. Thus, most forces organize with three similar elements, leaving "space" for up to 2 support attachments.

For a navy, that means a cruiser division commander should have 3 cruisers assigned to him, preferably of the same class. The division may belong to a squadron, also with ~3 divisions. Above that, if you have that many ships, I would go for Wings or Flotillas.

That's the other thing-- navies usually want to keep ships of the same class together, so that the commander doesn't have to remember that Ship A doesn't have the same defensive suite as Ships B and C. It also makes things easier on the supply and repair officers, both on board and back at base.

When you're mixing ship classes and types, it's usually for a less-permanent formation than a division or squadron. Then, your commander will have to remember different capabilities and supplies and so on.

That's my 2Cr.

 

[Enoki]

Call the units what you want. As far as orgainzation goes, ship types would be in uniform units with all of the ships being of the same type and generally of the same class when possible like naval units are today and historically. I'd put their sizes as:

The largest 'planet busters' like very large battleships or carriers in units of one or two. There would be few of these in service in any case due to their immense cost of construction and operation.

The next tier would be battleships, battlecruisers and carriers in units of 2 to 4 depending on their numbers. I'd think units of one or two would be most common.

Cruisers, light cruisers, scout cruisers and, other non-battleline ships that are still fairly large would be in units of 2 to 4 also. Here they would minimally have two in the unit.

Destroyers, frigates and other larger escorts would be in units of 4 to 8 possibly with a small cruiser as a command vessel.

Smaller ships than that would be in units of 4 to 10 depending on function and need for control.

Auxiliary ships like tenders, repair vessels or supply ships would normally operate independently even if they administratively were attached to some larger orgainzation like other ships.

 

[whartung]

I'd recommend the Rule of Three.

Yea, I've heard of that anecdotally as a Marine thing. Whether its a rule, or a guideline, or doctrine or nothing to do with Marines at all, it was basically any one person should have 3 reports to them. Use that as a guideline and go from there.

 

[aramis]

Carriers are almost NEVER in uniform units. Many battlegroups historically weren't, either.

A BB Group in WWII was a BB, plus a few CL's and CA's.

A Typical CVA group is a CVA, 2xAegis Escort ships (Frigates or Cruisers), 2 guided missile cruisers, an ASW FF or DD... And used to include an SSAN, and often a jet fuel supply collier.

Usually, Capital ships are not grouped with other capital ships, but with lighter ships of the line; only smaller ships are usually in uniform squadrons.

 

[BillDowns]

And also keep in mind with current military organizations, there are "administrative" and "operational" structures. For example, a carrier in the Atlantic, Med, or West Indian oceans me be administratively assigned to Second Fleet, but operationally assigned to Seventh Fleet. The Aegis flagship may be administratively part of Seventh Fleet, the destroyers from Second Fleet, the submarines from Submarine Force Atlantic, the stores ship from Military Sealift Command, and for a mission or two, they may have amphibious forces from Navy Expeditionary Command or perhaps a Team from Special Warfare Command.

Gets a bit confusing at times

 

[Dragoner]

Spiward Marches has a Fleet organization, as well as one of the JTAS has an article as well I think.

 

[Matt123]

IMTU, the squadron types are built around three tasks. Winning Main Fleet Engagements (BB squadrons). Power Projection (CR squadrons). And Support (all other squadrons). CV's can play any role, very much depending on the Tech Level being used.

The mileage of others will vary, which is all good. This is merely my 2credits.

A BB squadron is intended for main fleet battle and consists of 2-4 BB's plus escorts in the 400tn to 5000tn range. The escorts are there to ensure my BB commanders are not risking damage by engaging with nuisance craft. BB's should meet other BB's in top fighting condition. In addition, my doctrine is that BB squadrons do not fight alone, instead they group into Fleets of several BB squadrons, plus support squadrons.

A CV squadron will be built around one or two medium to heavy CV and will include escorts in the 400tn to 5000tn range. plus a Cruiser. I should mention that while its often the case that Traveller CV's are armed & armoured for combat, mine are not, generally they are un-armed and without armour (much cheaper & the real weapon is the fighters they carry). I prefer to keep my CV's out of the fight and risk smaller, more easily repaired ships in combat (like a Cruiser). A CV squadron may operate independently. Depending on the prevailing TL (eg TL10 to TL12/13), my fleet may comprise predominantly of CV's & fighters.

A CR squadron consists of one to four Cruisers plus escorts (as above). While some Cruisers are tasked to support BB's & CV's in Fleets, the majority are used singly or in pairs to achieve strategic goals. For example a single Cruiser operating in an enemies rear area will divert the attention of several times its tonnage from other tasks, like fighting my BB's. Other Cruisers in war may guard worlds from raids done "on the cheap" by nuisance craft in the 400tn to 5000tn range. Whilst BB's are used en-masse as a sledgehammer, Cruisers do the donkey work of being everywhere and requiring the enemy to use bigger ships (ie: BC's & BB's) to counter them.

For support squadrons, I use;

• Transport squadrons carrying Battle Riders (BB's without jump drives) and Super Heavy Fighters (Fighters in the 200tn to 1800tn range without jump drives).
• Courier Squadrons including a system refueler, pocket carrier to defend the refueler and as many couriers as needed for that run.
• Fighter Squadrons, generally of 10 fighters (no real reason other than multiples of 10 are easy to count).
• Refueling squadrons, similar to transport squadrons. Usually the same design, but mounting very very large drop tanks (used for fuel carrying, not dropping).
• Escort squadrons of 2 to 8 ships. Usually split among other squadrons, but sometimes useful in other roles. Eg raiding, system defence, GG guard. They, relatively cheaply, do "stuff" on the cheap whilst preventing En ships doing stuff "on the cheap".
• SDB squadrons. Organised as Fighter, Escort and BB squadrons.

Cheers
Matt

 

[scubamatt]

To me it depends on whether your 'space force' is responsible for a single planet, a single system, or several systems, or an even larger scale of operations.

The command structure is dictated by your responsibilities (who are you protecting, and from what). Your strategy and tactics (and your order of battle) will be determined by your command structure and your responsibilities. The bigger the area you have to protect, the more power your fleet commander will have to do what he thinks needs to be done.

I generally arranged my fleets around one or more capital vessels, then added support/defensive units to protect the capital ship, and then small/auxiliary ships to provide patrols and 'die screaming' early warning. Fleets have a general assignment of 'defend this system' or 'patrol this route', and I adjust their order of battle based on that general mission statement. In general, I consider Battleships offensive units, while Carriers are defensive units. The most common ship in the naval forces is a cruiser, and these are usually the flagship of any non-capital task force or battle group. Cruisers are the smallest naval ship that I ever send out solo to do something, too. Anything smaller than a cruiser is either defending a specific thing (a refueling station, a mining base, etc) or assigned to a cruiser/capital group as a support unit.

All planets of sufficient TL will have SDBs, and any such system that doesn't have an actual Fleet deployed to defend it will have designated 'emergency couriers' on duty (Xboat style small jump capable ships that lie hidden and quiet for long periods of time, who's job it is to 'run for help' if an enemy fleet jumps in system without warning). SDBs always work in teams of three, with one of the three designated as the team leader. SDB forces are always homogeneous, so their supply and training is as simple as possible to maintain.

In my games, there are never enough ships to make anyone feel 'totally safe and secure' and usually 25% of any given fleet is undermanned, in need of repair, or running low on supplies...this always provides a plot hook if I need one, LOL.

 

[Mithras]

I don't slavishly follow naval (wet navy) doctrine and terminology, I think that's short-sighted and simplistic.

There's alot of stuff you can take from modern naval organization, and also from modern air force organization. But this stuff is so far beyond our military capabilities, you can create your own organizational templates and rationales if you think carefully, especially if you have your own Traveller universe, as I do.

 

[aramis]

I use

Ship or flight (2-12 Small Craft)
Line (2-5 ships, stable)
Squadron (8-12 core units, plus auxiliary ships, Stable)
Group (2-5 squadrons, ad hoc)
Wing (2+ groups ad hoc)
Fleet (5-20 squadrons, stable)