Star Wars Empire
The following are the classes of naval formation.
Line
Commander: Captain. The captain of a single vessel is given the designation "Captain of the Line" along with command of the ships in his Line.
This is the smallest organzational unit used for space combat, and is traditionally made up of four ships. Many Lines - particularly those established with specific purposes in mind - exceed this number, depending on the needs of their mission. There are x types of Lines deployed:
- Attack Line: 3 heavy cruisers or 6-8 light cruisers. A Line intended to attack the enemy. A Star Destroyer Line often has an Attack Line attached to it; in such instance, the Attack Line's job is the harrying of enemy flanks.
- Heavy Attack Line: 4-8 medium cruisers. As an Attack Line, but intended for heavier conflict. May include a Victory-class Star Destroyer.
- Star Destroyer Line: 1 Star Destoyer. When deployed, Star Destroyers are considered a Line in and of themselves.
- Skirmish Line: 4-20 corvettes. Made up of corvettes or similarly-armed gunboats, Skirmish Lines engage starfighters and frigates, and provide backup for TIE fighters.
- Pursuit Line: 4-10 light cruisers or frigates. A Line composes of ships with enough speed to give pursuit to fleeing ships.
- Troop Line: 2 assault transports, 2 medium cruisers. Troop Lines are used to ferry Imperial Army and Stormtrooper Corps troops onto active battlefields.
- Recon Line: 2-4 light cruisers. The vessels of a Recon Line are always fitted with superior surveillance and communications technology. They have standing instructions to avoid direct combat.
Squadron
Commander: Admiral.
A squadron is the standard unit assigned to a single star system.
- Light Squadron: 1 Skirmish Line • 1 Reconnaissance Line. Light squadrons are assigned to low-threat systems.
- Heavy Squadron: 2 Heavy Attack Lines. Heavy squadrons are assigned to systems with suspected enemy activity.
- Heavy Squadron (Flushing): If the Empire shifts to operations intended to pinpoint or root out opposition, one Heavy Attack Line is replaced by a Reconnaissance Line.
- Heavy Squadron (Offensive): One an enemy has been pinpointed and the squadron goes on the offensive, it may be changed to up to 3 Heavy Attack Lines and 1 Skirmish Line until the enemy is dealt with.
- Battle Squadron: 2 Attack Lines • 1 Pursuit Line • 1 Star Destroyer. Battle squadrons are used as forward offense against known enemy systems.
- Bombard Squadron: 1 Skirmish Line • 1 Pursuit Line. Used to penetrate planetary shields and quell uprisings on rebellious worlds, the Bombard squadron also frequently includes the use of torpedo spheres, a type of Imperial superweapon.
Systems Force
Commander: Systems Admiral, given the title of Commodore.
A systems force is given wardenship over several star systems, deploying individual squadrons to those systems as the need presents itself. A systems force is made up of multiple squadrons, typically averaging around ninety ships in all.
- Superiority Force: 3 Battle Squadrons • 1 Light Squadron. Superiority forces are designated as the means by which the Empire maintains its superiority in a given collection of systems. These are in place for those systems aligned with the Empire quite solidly.
- Escort Force: 2 Heavy Squadrons • 2 Light Squadrons. Escort squadrons are assigned to the protection of important Imperial assets.
- Transport Force: 2 Troop Squadrons • 1 Heavy Squadron • 1 Light Squadron. A transport force is assigned to areas where the Empire expects that infantry are going to be required, ready to deploy Army troopers and Stormtroopers.
- System Bombard: 3 Bombard Squadrons • 1 Light Squadrons. Systems in active pacification by the Empire play host to these systems forces.
- Force Technical Services: 8 transports • 2 armed escort frigates. Though every Line has its own active technical personnel aboard, when the Empire's operations call for a higher population of engineers and techs, one of the "auxiliary systems forces" is called in, made up mostly of technical personnel whose skills are put to whatever task is required of them.
- Support Force: 100+ cargo vessels. Specialized systems forces whose primary purpose is the resupplying of Imperial depots, outposts, and bases. If the sites are tactically important, this force may be escorted by an Escort Force.
Fleet
Commander: Admiral, sometimes given the title of Commodore.
A fleet is made up of multiple Systems Forces, with individual ships numbering around four hundred vessels, on average. A fleet's purpose is usually operating within a single sector, although there are multiple fleets within each sector.
- Superiority Fleet: 4-6 Systems Forces, including six Star Destroyers. A Superiority Fleet is assigned to low-threat sectors.
- Assault Fleet: 2 Transport Forces • 2 Escort Forces. These fleets are tasked with bringing troopers to hostile sectors.
- Bombard Fleet: 2 System Bombard Forces • 2 Escort Forces. Assigned to HTLV (High Threat, Low Value) sectors where the forces may annihilate opposition without concern for maintaining local populations or infrastructure.
- Support Fleet: 5 Support Forces. These fleets oversee the logistics resupply of Imperial fleets and sites.
- Deepdock Fleet: 1 Escort Force • 3 Support Force • 2 Shipyards. The Deepdock facilities are where most Imperial vessels are transferred to when damaged. Each of these shipyards not only has over a hundred repair bays, but they are also equipped with hyperdrive engines to allow the entire shipyard to escape should they be compromised.
Sector Group
Commander: High Admiral or Sector Moff.
Sector groups are made up of multiple fleets, usually totaling an average of 2500 individual vessels or so. Such groupings are the sum totality of Imperial naval forces within a given sector, and include at least 24 Star Destroyers.
- There are seven total Sector Groups: The Core Worlds Group (which includes the Deep Core), the Colonies Group, the Inner Rim Group, the Expansion Region Group, the Midrim Group, and two Outer Rim Groups.
