Naval Depot vs Naval Base

[Barsanuphius]

Two Questions:


Could someone perhaps explain to me the difference between a Naval Station, Depot, Base?

Also in the map keys, there are markers for 3I Navy/Scout/Research locations as well as for Zho. all others are marked as Other base type. Does anyone know why Soli bases don't have there own identifiers? In other words why not just mark it as Imp bases, other empire bases and then independent non aligned bases.

Thank you all so very much.

Joe

 

[whulorigan]

Two Questions:


Could someone perhaps explain to me the difference between a Naval Station, Depot, Base?

From T5.09 p. 269:

Naval Base. The Navy may maintain a port facility for the support and maintenance of its vessels. The base includes administrative sections, warehouses for provisions and resupply, and some security personnel.

The continuing interest of naval personnel in their service makes naval bases favorite stopovers for veterans (even of other navies).

Sometimes a specific naval base may be considerably more extensive than the typical installation. Their facilities and equipment come to dominate the starport rather than complement it.

Scout Base. The exploratory scout service may maintain a port facility for the support and maintenance of its vessels (including those vessels which it may have out on loan to detached duty scouts). It is possible that the world on which a scout base is located is not a member of the interstellar community which the scout service serves (for example, Imperial Scout bases may be located outside the Imperium).

Many scout bases make the information they have accumulated available outside of their service (including maps, charts, and world surveys).

From T5.09 p. 272:

THE SPECIAL CASES
There are two special cases for starports: the Depot and the Way Station.

The Depot. A depot is a world-dominating naval base capable of supporting extraordinary numbers of ships (primarily warships) and extraordinary levels of repairs. A depot is present on about one world in a thousand.

The Way Station. A way station is a larger-than-normal scout base dedicated to support of official interstellar courier activity. The Imperium’s xboat system carries communications between worlds on an expedited basis. The way station services and maintains the xboats. A way station is located on main xboat routes about one per 40-50 parsecs.

 

[whulorigan]

Also in the map keys, there are markers for 3I Navy/Scout/Research locations as well as for Zho. all others are marked as Other base type. Does anyone know why Soli bases don't have there own identifiers? In other words why not just mark it as Imp bases, other empire bases and then independent non aligned bases.

Probably an oversight on the map codes.

I would ask inexorabletash here on CotI.

 

[Garnfellow]

GURPS: Traveller also has "Naval Stations," which are Imperial Navy facilities that are not as large as bases and are not marked on subsector maps.

 

[Whipsnade]

GURPS: Traveller also has "Naval Stations," which are Imperial Navy facilities that are not as large as bases and are not marked on subsector maps.

They're in A:5 TCS too. In that game they're little more than message drops.

Historically, they'd be a small staff or even one man who helped with the purchase of fungibles, liaised with local officials, bailed drunks out of jail, arranged currency exchange, and generally provided information about local conditions.

 

[Barsanuphius]

Well Thanks guys...This really is helpful. I guess I could have look in my T5 material...but as I have said in other posts ...I don't think of these things...lol
...My wife said...Lazy.:coffeesip:

 

[BlackBat242]

Yes - a Naval Station would contain admin offices, and deal with Navy-local liaison needs (including contracting with a local shipyard for maintenance/repair on Naval vessels), but would not itself have any maintenance/repair facilities for Naval starships.

A Naval Base would contain such facilities, as well as supply warehouses etc. to support normal operations for such vessels as are stationed there (and a normal amount of vessels "in transit" through the area).

In addition to the definition cited by whulorigan, a Naval Depot could also be a major supply facility, intended to provide materiel support for several Naval Bases.

 

[Condottiere]

A naval depot is the focus of naval activity in a sector.

Supposedly, not just vast repair facilities, but also storage of surplus spacecraft and boneyard, if it's simpler to cannibalize the ship systems from these ships than manufacture new ones.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Imperial Navy Depots
The focus of the Imperial Navy’s base and support system is its network of depots. The navy maintains 19 depots (with one exception, one per sector) to support its fleets.
Naval depots are huge harboring areas for starships, naval personnel, and supporting services. A depot typically encompasses an entire star system and has an unlimited capacity for starships. The navy provides three distinct types of services to its ships at depots: maintenance (which includes upgrade, repair, overhaul, and even construction), personnel services, and training....
Typically, each depot maintains three fleets (each of several squadrons) on station: a training fleet, a mothball fleet, and a defense fleet. - Rebellion Sourcebook pg 33

And of course this is over and above any ships currently receiving service. The defense fleet does not or cannot leave the system.

The Security Fleet: The depot’s security fleet has the mission of defense of the depot from all possible dangers The fleet maintains system defense boats, early warning squadrons, and normal battle squadrons which provide comprehensive security for the system.

 

[Garyius2003]

Also, not sure why these never showed up in Traveller

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expeditionary_Transfer_Dock

Sort of a take off of the service squadrons used by the WWII US Navy in the South Pacific. They had a mobile drydock that could lift carriers and battleships, not a concern in Traveller-- but the fleet of commercial quality support, supply, and repair ships make sense, as does this new version

 

[BlackBat242]

Also, not sure why these never showed up in Traveller

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expeditionary_Transfer_Dock

Because all versions of Traveller were either published or well on the way to being published before these ships came into existence.

 

[Ex_Pendable]

Bases and depots have been well-addressed in this thread. I thought I'd talk about stations.

In most cases, a station is a small base with a specific function. Stations can be independent or working with a depot or base as a supporting facility.

Communications stations are the most common, acting as relays between the fleet and headquarters, or monitoring the boarder.

Weapon stations handle various weapon systems and ordinance such as sandcasters up to nuclear weapons, storing them in re-enforced bunkers well away from other facilities or bases to minimize damage should the station's ordinance explode. Ships about to undergo major repairs will deliver the contents of their weapon magazines to the depot, and receive new ordinance when repairs have completed. Specialized ammunition ships can deliver ordinance to ships at remote bases or meet ships at designated systems. Weapon stations are usually a semi-detached command assigned to a depot.

Smallcraft stations handle the storage, maintenance, and repair of smallcraft, with an emphasis on combat units.

Not mentioned are Commands, which handle recruit and advanced training.

Also, not sure why these never showed up in Traveller

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expeditionary_Transfer_Dock

Sort of a take off of the service squadrons used by the WWII US Navy in the South Pacific. They had a mobile drydock that could lift carriers and battleships, not a concern in Traveller-- but the fleet of commercial quality support, supply, and repair ships make sense, as does this new version

Yes, yes it does.

 

[savage]

Well Thanks guys...This really is helpful. I guess I could have look in my T5 material...but as I have said in other posts ...I don't think of these things...lol
...My wife said...Lazy.:coffeesip:

There are other threads that go into more detail on Depots and Bases. The Corridor Fleet thread for example. A couple years ago we covered the canon in great detail beyond recent T5 quotes. It is important to note that some of it has changed with T5 including the map. Some changes were good and some were personal preferences. I stick with the old definitions and a bit of a mix.

 

[vegas]

There are other threads that go into more detail on Depots and Bases. The Corridor Fleet thread for example. A couple years ago we covered the canon in great detail beyond recent T5 quotes.

Mind posting a few links to said threads. Not finding much with a google search.

 

[whartung]

The Depot. A depot is a world-dominating naval base capable of supporting extraordinary numbers of ships (primarily warships) and extraordinary levels of repairs.

So, why do you think something like this needs to be this large. "World Dominating." When I see "World Dominating", I'm these a large percentage of the worlds economy is based on supporting this Depot. And I don't think this is one of those small worlds with a 100K of population. That's a Chinese electronics factory.

Therefore, it would suggest millions or billions of people working directly or indirectly for the Navy.

How many ships can such a world build/service simultaneously? What percentage of the Navy's inventory is docked, landed, or orbiting this place at one time?

Just seems like a lot of centralization, not sure what the real benefit is for something of this scope.

 

[Ex_Pendable]

Just seems like a lot of centralization, not sure what the real benefit is for something of this scope.

Manufacturing capability, mining, position on major trade lines, probably an already important world politically. Although realistically, this could be a series of bases and stations spread throughout a system or laid out on an orbiting moon.

 

[sfchbryan]

So, why do you think something like this needs to be this large. "World Dominating." When I see "World Dominating", I'm these a large percentage of the worlds economy is based on supporting this Depot. And I don't think this is one of those small worlds with a 100K of population. That's a Chinese electronics factory.

Therefore, it would suggest millions or billions of people working directly or indirectly for the Navy.

How many ships can such a world build/service simultaneously? What percentage of the Navy's inventory is docked, landed, or orbiting this place at one time?

Just seems like a lot of centralization, not sure what the real benefit is for something of this scope.

A Naval Depot takes up the entire system. See the Rebellion Sourcebook chapter on Naval Depots. There is also a bit in the Imperial Navy Handbook (part of the HIWG CD).

You can also have millions of people working on a planet but not part of the planetary population (They are there temporarily). We've had that loophole for a while.

How many ships? - Depends on what the gamemaster wants. Traveller's Digest 7 had an adventure that took place in a Depot.

It's probably just like it is in the Real World. - All of your strategic reserves are going to be there and a large portion of your Capital Class ships would be homeported there. They will go do their sweeps & tours, but the rest of the time they will be there.

 

[Garyius2003]

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/BBBO/BBBO-24.html

Service Squadron 10 in WWII. Seems like some adventure seeds here

 

[savage]

Mind posting a few links to said threads. Not finding much with a google search.

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=31705&highlight=Corridor+Fleet

Here is one. We discussed Depots, fleets, etc.
You should find a lot if you do a search and read many threads...

A depot is an entire system dedicated to the Navy sector efforts not a single world under the earlier versions of Traveller canon. There are 3 adventures that visit depots. Depots are mentioned in Rebellion materials.