Escort

Line Combatants (Primary - Capital)				Escort Combatants (Secondary - Subcapital)				Military Auxiliary (Tertiary)
B- Battleship	C- Cruiser	O- Ortillery	V- Carrier	D- Destroyer	E- Escort	F- Fighter	H- Defense/Security	I- Combat Transport	Q- Combat Support	S- Scout	U- Utility	X- Commo	Z- Special

Mercantile Commercial Ships (Trade & Profit)				Non-Mercantile Commercial Ships (Industry & Profit)					Non-Commercial Ships (Nonprofit)			System Craft (Intrastellar)
A- Tramp	M- Freighter	R- Liner	T- Transport	G- Industrial	J- Prospector	K- Expedition	P- Corsair	U- Utility	L- Science	N- Medical	Y- Private	WB- Barge	WA- Satellite	WO- Space Station

E-class Escorts are vessels intended to protect and assist larger and smaller vessels.

• The majority of Escorts are considered ACS craft between 100.0 to 2,499 tons in displacement.
• A few larger Escorts are included in the BCS category from 2,500 to 249,999 tons in displacement.
• They are capable of independent action, but are usually assigned to support Battleships, Cruisers, convoys, battle squadrons, and the like.
• Many call them escorts or secondary combatants.
• The Supraclass designation is also known as Ship Mission, Ship Mission Code, Mission, or Ship Hull Designation.
• It is a starship supraclass.

Library Data Referral Tree

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Starship:

• Starship User Types
  • Civilian Ship
  • Military Ship
  • Non-Commercial Vessel
  • Paramilitary Ship

• Advanced Ship Classifications
  • Ship Mission Code / Supraclass
  • Ship Type Code / Superclass
  • Ship Class Code / Class
  • Model (TL)
  • Bloc (Lot)

• Basic Ship Classifications
  • Adventure Class Ship
  • Battle Class Ship
  • Capital Ship
  • Fleet Class Ship
  • Size-Role Classification
  • Subcapital Ship
  • QSP
  • USP
  • World Class Ship

• Ships by Function
  • Bigcraft
  • Boat
  • Capital Ship
  • Largecraft
  • Non-starship
  • Smallcraft
  • Spaceplane
  • Spaceship
  • Starship
  • Subcapital Ship
  • Subcraft
  • System Craft
  • Warship

Speed of Travel

• Astronomical Unit (AU)
• FTL
• Light Speed (c)
• Light-week (lw)
• Light-year (ly)
• NAFAL (STL)
• Parsec (pc)

Description (Specifications)

Escorts: Escorts are vessels intended to protect and assist larger vessels. They are capable of independent action, but are usually assigned to support battleships and cruisers.

Small starships of up to 20,000 tons intended to be light support craft for larger ships, primarily cruisers. Escorts are also widely used for convoy protection and commerce raiding roles.

Image Repository

Type EB Brigantine:

1. No image yet available.

Type EC Standard Corvette:

1. No image yet available.

Type ECE Escort Corvette & Close Escorts:

1. A side view of a Hatchet class Light Corvette.
   

Type EE Line Escort / Multipurpose Escort:

1. No image yet available.

Type EEM Missile Escort:

1. A Malory Francis class Missile Corvette with its distinctive sensor booms.
   

Type DE Destroyer Escort:

1. An Agrippa class Destroyer Escort on patrol in deep space.
   

Type EF Frigate:

1. No image yet available.

Type EFE Fleet Escort:

1. A "Sloan" under transit within a Star System.
   

Type EG Military Corvette:

1. No image yet available.

Type EH Heavy Escort:

1. No image yet available.

Type EL Light Escort:

1. No image yet available.

Type EM Medium Escort:

1. No image yet available.

Type ES Sloop:

1. A Victrix class Multimission Sloop knocking out defensive satellites before a surface mission.
   

Escort Combatants (Secondary) - The Lightcraft Hierarchy

A number of smallcraft and ACS combatants exist:

1. Smallcraft (F or U) (0 to 99 tons)
2. Bigcraft (W or Other) (100 or larger tons)
3. Escort (E) (100 to 2,499 tons)
   1. Brig (EB) (100 to 2,499 tons)
   2. Close Escort (EC) (100 to 2,499 tons)
   3. Frigate (EF) (100 to 2,499 tons)
   4. Corvette (EG) (100 to 2,499 tons)
   5. Sloop (ES) (100 to 2,499 tons)
4. Destroyer (D) (2,500 or larger tons)

Escort vs. Frigate vs. Cruiser?

CONFUSING TERMINOLOGY: Escorts are small vessels; they aren't meant to duke it out in line combat situations like cruisers and battleships. They are meant to flexible vessels with strategic mobility, a sort of skirmisher combatant, not meant for the main line.

The term frigate can be used with different meanings. Most use it as a subset of the escort class of secondary combatants meant to be smaller than a cruiser or destroyer. Others have used it as a near-cruiser class that can weigh tens of thousands of tons. In most applications, it means an ACS or smaller BCS-sized vessel.

Then there are Cruisers who lack size and hitting power, but typically possess speed and endurance. They cruise or move speedily compared to larger capital ships. These are often small, speedy vessels that hit over weight for their size class, but would stand next to no chance against a naval fleet sized slugger of a combatant. Vessels such as the Lightning class Frontier Cruiser or Broadsword class Mercenary Cruiser are this smaller, latter type, not the larger vessels of the line. In the same vein, man-powered surface vehicles called bicycles are also called cruisers. They are cruisers in name only.

Strategy & Doctrine (Operations)

The mainstay of the escort fleet is the ED series. These escort destroyers are typical of Imperial needs. The ED-13, derived from the ED-12, was relatively unsuccessful, and the naval architects returned to the ED-12 for inspiration for the later ED-14. The EF-12 served as the design basis for two divergent ship types: the escort fleet (...and later escort strike designs) and the escort missile EM-13/-15.

They often serve on orbital patrols, police operations, garrison duties, and even limited strike missions.

Supraclass Roles

Escorts typically serve the following roles:

Largecraft & Bigcraft:

E-class Escort Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code
Assault Gunship	(EG)
Attack Torpedo Boat	(EEM)
Brig	(EB)
Brigantine	(EB)
Close Escort	(ECE)
Corvette	(EC) or (EG)
Destroyer Escort	(DE)
Escort	(E) (Namesake)
Escort Corvette	(ECE)
Escort Destroyer	(DE)
Fast Escort	(EF)
Fast Attack Craft	(EFAC)
Fleet Escort	(EFE)
Frigate	(EF)
Gunned Escort	(EG)
Gunboat	(EG)
Gunship	(EG)
Ketch	(EL)
Light Fleet Corvette	(EG)
Line Escort	(EE)
Military Corvette	(EG)
Missile Corvette	(EEM)
Missile Escort	(EEM)
Missile Sloop	(EEM)
Multimission Sloop	(ES)
Multi-purpose Escort	(EE)
Multi-role Escort	(EE)
Patrol Cruiser	(HT)
Patrol Ship	(HT)
Pursuit Ship	(HT)
Rider Escort	(BRE)
Sampan	(ES)
Schooner	(ES)
Sloop	(ES)
Strike Escort	(ESE)
Torpedo Ship	(EEM)

Size-Class Roles for Lighter Vessels

1. Utility Craft (U) (1 to 99 tons)
2. Light Escort (EL) (100 to 999 tons)
3. Medium Escort (EM) (1,000 to 1,499 tons)
4. Heavy Escort (EH) (1,500 to 2,499 tons)
5. Superheavy Escort (ES) (2,500 or larger tons)
6. Destroyer (D) (2,500 to 9,999 tons)
7. Capital Ship (Various) (10,000 or larger tons)

Military Subcraft

Military subcraft (...both smallcraft and bigcraft) are carried by some of these vessels:

1. Battle Rider (BR)
2. Combat Barge (WBG)
3. Combat Transport Smallcraft (UI)
4. Fighters (F)
5. Militarized Utility Craft (UQ)

Supraclass Archetypal Roles

These vessels typically serve the following archetypal roles:

E-class Escort Supraclass Archetypes
Archetype	Type Code	Exemplar	Remarks
Escort	E (Namesake)	Gazelle class Close Escort	Escort is an often used term for any ships whose primary focus is on providing escort duty to either military or civilian vessels. These ship range in the 200 - 5,000 ton category. The classification of "Escort" is usually reserved for larger vessels of this class and is often commingled with that of "Fleet Escort", but they lack the ability to support longer term deployments of the later type. E = Escort
Brigantine	EB	Analex class Brig	None B = Brig, Brigantine, etc.
Corvette	EC	Ueghzgi class Corvette	Standard Corvettes are the smallest class of escort usually massing about 200 tons. Although they do possess jump capability they are more often used as an in system defense asset. Their jump capability gives them a little more flexibility then SDBs and some systems use them as armed couriers. 200 tons on average. Corvette
Escort Corvette	ECE	Fiery class Gunned Escort	Escort Corvettes are at the other end of the spectrum from "Fleet Escorts" and only range about 200 - 500 tons. They do not have much in the way of weapons, armor, or crew, but they are usually enough of a deterrent to most pirates, especially smaller ones, that they do fill a valued role in convoy duty. 200 to 5,000 tons. EC = Escort Corvette
Close Escort	ECE	Gazelle class Close Escort	Close escorts tend to be one of the smallest class of escort vessel and are primarily found in the 200 - 500 ton range. They are considered to have low endurance and are tend to be cramped, uncomfortable vessels with small crews. Although they are jump capable, they can conserve their resources by clamping to unoccupied hardpoints on other vessels when not in jump space. This feature is source of their designation. 200 to 5,000 tons Originally, the close escort was designed and produced by the Imperium for fleet operations. The small, fast close escorts were committed as the flank screens for cruisers or small fleet task forces. Their speed and size also made them ideal for naval courier and personnel transfer duties. But ultimately, they found their true niche. Many close escorts have been assigned to specific star systems or groups of systems for commerce protection. Close escorts may be encountered in nearly any star system, including in amber and red coded zones, protecting local merchant traffic. Because of this duty, they may be expected to stop much of the local traffic for inspection of cargo and to determine the correctness of ship's papers. Close escorts may also be encountered in nearly any star system in convoy with merchant ships or on naval operations in a task force with larger naval ships. Close Escorts (ECE) are very small starships intended for anti-piracy operations in organised squadrons. An example is the Gazelle class Close Escort. CE = Close Escort
Line Escort	EE	Type A7 class Cruiser	None E = Multipurpose, Line, etc.
Missile Escort	EEM	Ramrod class Missile Boat	Escorts of any size whose primary weapon load is missiles. These are not common vessels and they are usually pair up with other types of escort vessels. When that is the situation, they can add an unsuspecting punch to an unwary opponent. M = Missile
Destroyer Escort	DE	Chrysanthemum class Destroyer Escort	None D = Destroyer E = Escort
Frigate	EF	Rr'xighik'ker class Frigate	None F = Frigate
Fleet Escort	EFE	P. F. Sloan class Fleet Escort	Fleet escorts are small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, usually in the 1,000 - 5,000 tonnage range. The main difference between fleet escorts and others of the type of vessel is that they tend to be larger and be equipped with fuel scoops and purification plants. They have the jump and maneuver performance to keep pace with the capital ships with which they are assigned. The goal for these vessels is to be able to support fleet deployments and pose the least burdens on fleet supply capabilities. Typical missions include protecting fleet refueling, assault or carrier operations from enemy strike elements. They are noted as necessary but not necessarily glamorous fleet assignments for officers. 200 to 5,000 tons. Fleet Escorts (EFE) are the largest of the escorts. They are primarily designed to accompany Imperial fleets. However, some classes have often been sent on independent missions - gunboat diplomacy, showing the flag, orbital support of ground operations, transport of diplomats or refugees, fleet courier operations, and even flagship duty for some smaller squadrons. An example is the P. F. Sloan class Fleet Escort. These are relatively low displacement vessels (1-10,000tons) designed to support larger squadrons of ships. They are typically deployed for support and play a defensive role for the formation. The usually have the jump and maneuver performance to keep pace with the capital ships with which they are assigned. They might be tasked with protecting fleet refueling, assault, or carrier operations from enemy strike elements. They are noted as necessary but not necessarily glamorous fleet assignments for officers. F = Fleet, Combat Support, Strategic, etc.
Military Corvette	EG	Fiery class Gunned Escort	None G = Gunned
Heavy Escort	EH	Blade class Frigate	None H = Heavy
Light Escort	EL	Ekawsiykua class Escort	None L = Light
Medium Escort	EM	Chrysanthemum class Destroyer Escort	None M = Medium
Sloop	ES	River class Sloop	Strike escorts share similar characteristics of other ships of the "Strike" designation. They tend to be larger vessels to support an enhanced jump and maneuver capability, but nevertheless still sacrifice weapon loads and armor to achieve those capabilities. They are not a common ship type and are usually deployed with strike fleets. These are one of the smallest vessels carrying a "Strike" designation. 200 to 5,000 tons. S = Superheavy, Strike, etc.
Patrol Cruiser	HT	Shivva class Patrol Frigate	None H = Security Vessel P = Patrol
NOTES: There is semantic overlap between many of the classes and codes. Some codes organize by mission or capability, others by size and tonnage, and yet others by other characteristics.

History & Background (Dossier)

Escorts are the smallest, capable warships that are still capable of viable interstellar force projection.

Selected Variant Types & Classes

Military Vessel - Escort - Brig:

1. Type EB class Brig
   1. TBD class Brig

Ship Summary List

Some of the most commonly used vessels in this role or these roles include:

14 Representative Escort (E) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Biter class Close Escort EL 11 500 2 2 Sword Worlds Confederation EL-ES22 Cerberus class Gunboat EB 12 500 3 5 Charted Space No HT-S553 Chaiik class Frigate EF 11 800 2 6 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Hotspur class Sloop of War EH 12 2,000 2 5 Unity of Sed No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD KE6c Plague class Brigantine EB 12 600 3 4 Korsumug Empire EB-6P43 Leedos class Frigate EF 11 1,200 2 6 Yimin Jiti No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. FG-MS62 Musuna class Frigate EF 11 2,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Phoebe class Armored Escort EB 12 600 3 4 Charted Space No EB-6P43 Sii'kha class Escort Corvette ECE 11 400 2 6 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Sirocco Converge class Attack Boat E 9 3,000 0 6 Uffan Strategic Space Forces No information yet available. Sirocco Converge class Attack Boat E 9 3,000 0 6 Uffan Strategic Space Forces No information yet available. Taranil class Patrol Frigate EF 10 1,600 1 1 Maujen Defense Bureau No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Turku class Light Escort EL 12 400 3 5 The Reach No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Yarostnaya Ataka class Combat Sloop E 10 200 1 5 Maujen Defense Bureau TBD

3 Representative Brigantine (EB) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Cerberus class Gunboat EB 12 500 3 5 Charted Space No HT-S553 KE6c Plague class Brigantine EB 12 600 3 4 Korsumug Empire EB-6P43 Phoebe class Armored Escort EB 12 600 3 4 Charted Space No EB-6P43

1 Representative Escort Corvette (EC) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Sii'kha class Escort Corvette ECE 11 400 2 6 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

1 Representative Close Escort (ECE) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Sii'kha class Escort Corvette ECE 11 400 2 6 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

0 Representative Destroyer Escort (DE) Classes
No results

0 Representative Multipurpose Escort (EE) Classes
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0 Representative Missile Escort (EEM) Classes
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4 Representative Frigate (EF) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Chaiik class Frigate EF 11 800 2 6 Sath Alliance No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Leedos class Frigate EF 11 1,200 2 6 Yimin Jiti No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. FG-MS62 Musuna class Frigate EF 11 2,000 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Taranil class Patrol Frigate EF 10 1,600 1 1 Maujen Defense Bureau No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

0 Representative Fleet Escort (EFE) Classes
No results

0 Representative Military Corvette (EG) Classes
No results

1 Representative Heavy Escort (EH) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Hotspur class Sloop of War EH 12 2,000 2 5 Unity of Sed No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

2 Representative Light Escort (EL) Classes
Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Biter class Close Escort EL 11 500 2 2 Sword Worlds Confederation EL-ES22 Turku class Light Escort EL 12 400 3 5 The Reach No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

0 Representative Medium Escort (EM) Classes
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0 Representative Sloop (ES) Classes
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5 Representative Patrol Cruiser (HT) Classes

Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile Class Mission Code TL Tons Jump G Origin Canon Quick ship profile KE5 Cataclysm class Patrol Boat HT 10 500 1 5 Korsumug Empire No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. HT-TBD KE5 Cataclysm class Patrol Boat HT 10 500 1 5 Korsumug Empire No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. HT-TBD KE5 Cataclysm class Patrol Boat HT 10 500 1 5 Korsumug Empire No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. HT-TBD Xadis class Patrol Ship HTP 11 200 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD Xadis class Patrol Ship HTP 11 200 2 2 High Senate No. Unpublished, non-canon fan design. TBD

References & Contributors (Sources)

This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it.

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• This article is an amalgamation of many different materials published since 1977.
• Timothy B. Brown. Fighting Ships (Game Designers Workshop, 1981), TBD.
• Loren Wiseman. Challenge 25 (Game Designers Workshop, 1986), TBD.
• Marc Miller. Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium (Game Designers Workshop, 1990), TBD.
• Bryan Steele. Traders and Gunboats (Mongoose Publishing, 2008), TBD.
• Marc Miller. T5 Core Rules (Far Future Enterprises, 2013), TBD.
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science