146th Fleet

The 146th Fleet is the Numbered Imperial fleet serving the Third Imperium stationed in the Oreo Subsector .

Description (Specifications)

An Imperial Fleet permanently assigned to the Oreo Subsector of Massilia Sector. It is considered to be the "personal Fleet" of the Subsector Duke. Many of the ships assigned to the Fleet carry family names associated with the Halls, the old noble houses of Oreo Subsector: only the ScoutRon vessels appear to have escaped this pattern.

The 146th is a unit with a proud tradition and a long history, originally being formed from the nascent fleet of the Oreo Worlds, a proto-polity that was absorbed by the young and expanding Third Imperium during the first century of that state's existence. The Fleet has the right to exclusively use locally designed and manufactured classes of ship due to the terms of the "Oreo Settlement", a treaty dating to the earliest years of Imperial rule. However, advances in technology and the passage of time have rendered such an arrangement utterly impractical. For centuries the 146th Fleet has employed standard Imperial designs, though in recent years politicking has resulted in the resurgence of the "Oreo Settlement".

Many of the vessels in the Fleet have close configuration hulls that are constructed locally at a greatly discounted rate: so-called "Oreo-pattern" hulls. Huge sections of hull are manufactured on lower tech worlds and carried to higher tech fitting-out yards across the Domain by enormous commercial transports. These profitable contracts are the result of an agreement reached at the end of the Civil War. They have helped to secure local jobs at local naval shipyards and have served to greatly boost the Subsector's economy.

The 146th Fleet's CruRons are seen as very effective, largely due to the abundance of Meson Gun spinal mount weapons and the numerous destroyers assigned to them. The Meson Guns exceed the number of such weapons in the fleet's two BatRons, which are escorted by lighter corvettes.

Fleet Squadron Assignments

Oreo Subsector contains eight Naval bases, one Scout base, and one Way station. The various elements of the 146th are dispersed across these facilities, with full squadrons and individual vessels carrying out missions among the worlds of the region.

Senior Staff

Senior commanders plan strategy, oversee operations, and act as spokesmen for the Fleet.

• The Subsector Admiral is Baron Gary Brant.

1461st (Cordell) BatRon

Based at Cordell (Massilia 2731 A100203-F)

• x4 Cordell class Battleships
• x20 Kodan class Corvettes.

The unit is organised as a BatRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1462nd (Landis) BatRon

Based at Landis (Massilia 2640 B522123-C)

• x4 Cordell class Battleships
• x20 Kodan class Corvettes.

The unit is organised as a BatRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1463rd (Jenina) CruRon

Based at Jenina (Massilia 2732 B564599-B)

• x8 Hughes class Light Cruisers
• x20 Oreo class Destroyers

The unit is organised as a CruRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1464th (Dobaran) CruRon

Based at Dobaran (Massilia 3131 A793330-D)

• x8 Hughes class Light Cruisers
• x20 Oreo class Destroyers

The unit is organised as a CruRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1465th (Domy) Heavy CruRon

Based at Domy (Massilia 3231 B85A376-D)

• x4 Blake class Heavy Cruisers
• x1 Hughes class Light Cruiser
• x19 Oreo class Destroyers

The unit is organised as a CruRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1466th (Double) Heavy CruRon

Based at Double (Massilia 3233 B10066A-D)

• x4 Blake class Heavy Cruisers
• x20 Oreo class Destroyers

The unit is organised as a CruRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1467th AssaultRon

Based at Quoc (Massilia 2933 B410267-C)

• x8 Heward class Troop Transports
• x20 Montgomery class Frigates

The unit is organised as a AssaultRon

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

1468th Tankron

Based at Granporr (Massilia 3035 B5768AE-A)

• x8 Giant class Tankers
• x20 Montgomery class Frigates

The unit is organised as a TankRon.

• all vessels carry Alfred class Gunboats.

146.S1 (Vonda) Scoutron

Based at Vonda (Massilia 2735 B310102-E)

• x30 Scout/Couriers
• x8 X-Boats.
• x1 X-Boat Tender.
• x1 Tacoolu class Light Cruiser.
• x1 Donosev class Survey Scout
• x1 Dromedary class Tanker/Replenishment Ship.

The unit is organised as a ScoutRon.

146.S2 (Parahee) Scoutron

Based at Parahee (Massilia 2934 C10099D-D)

• x8 Mercury class Long Range Fleet Couriers.
• x4 Magash class Heavy Scouts.
• x20 Scout/Couriers.
• x8 X-Boats.
• x1 X-Boat Tender.
• x4 Panam Ajax class Replenishment Vessels.

The unit is organised as a ScoutRon.

History & Background (Dossier)

Oreo Worlds

A number of worlds in Oreo Subsector survived the Long Night period and emerged with large populations and relatively secure economies. The Oreo Worlds were controlled by Halls, a hereditary and entrenched social elite that nonetheless acted for the benefit of the masses. During the growth of the Sylean Federation in Core Sector the Oreo Worlds had begun to build the foundations of a small interstellar polity, including locally built commercial vessels and a number of powerful warships to protect them. When they were contacted by Sylean Federation Scouts diplomatic relations and trade agreements were established, despite some early tensions.

Oreo Settlement

When the Sylean Federation became the Third Imperium, the Oreo Worlds were offered full membership but were reluctant to accept. They were won over by a display of Imperial firepower and by a treaty known as the "Oreo Settlement". This offered a generous economic and trade package, a great deal of local military autonomy, and a personal declaration from Emperor Cleon that elevated the Halls to the formal Imperial Nobility of the region and granted them certain inalienable rights. The warships protecting the Oreo Worlds were folded into the Imperial Navy, being formally designated as the 146th Fleet.

Civil War

The Subsector initially prospered but as the Imperium expanded and new frontiers and new crises occupied its attention the region settled into a comfortable backwater existence. As the old Oreo Worlds ships became obsolete they were replaced with standard Imperial designs. During the Civil War of the early 7th century the economy of Oreo Subsector suffered badly, and ships of the 146th Fleet were stripped away to support the various factions squabbling over the Iridium Throne.

In an effort to boost the flagging economy, the local Nobility invoked the "Oreo Settlement", Cleon I's agreement with the Halls of the former Oreo Worlds. They were able to demand that the 146th Fleet be brought back to strength using locally designed and (where possible) locally manufactured vessels, but drawing on Navy funding. The Imperial Moot, distracted by the recent internal crisis and keen to restore Imperial strength, readily agreed.

In practical terms, local industry could never produce entire starships, so it was decided that hull sections would be manufactured and then fitted out with drives, weapons and other equipment at more advanced facilities elsewhere in the Sector. Classes of ships were designed that utilized unarmored, relatively low tech and locally manufactured hull sections. They passed their trials admirably and many went on to see distinguished service. The scheme secured local jobs at local shipyards and massively stimulated the Subsector's economy. The arrangement was successful enough to be taken up by many other Subsectors within the Domain and in the present day, almost five centuries later, many classes of warships still utilize "Oreo-pattern" unarmored lower tech hulls.

The 14th Duke

For centuries "Oreo-pattern" vessels were common within the Domain of Sylea: the term generated enough pride within Oreo Subsector to more than satisfy any grumbling within traditionalist circles. The situation changed with the advent of the 14th Duke of Oreo Subsector (born 991, incumbent 1049-1073), who was influential within the Imperial court and also something of a self-taught expert in naval architecture. He was a direct descendant of the aristocratic Halls families, the pre-Imperial rulers of the region, and took his heritage very seriously. He invoked the "Oreo Settlement": this mandated that any vessels that were to serve with the 146th Fleet – the designation given to the former Oreo Worlds flotilla – should be locally designed and manufactured.

Upon assuming his fiefdom the Duke demanded that all vessels currently serving with his "personal Fleet" be replaced with locally constructed ships. The privilege had been granted by Cleon I himself and the Duke insisted that it must be honored. While the navy balked at the lunacy of the scheme and fought to prevent its instigation, the Duke was able to bring his considerable political and Noble influence to bear and pushed his agenda forward. The deadlock was finally resolved by the Archduke of the Domain, who decreed that while standard Imperial designs would continue to be used for the 146th Fleet, any new design of vessel that the fleet would utilize would include an Alfred class Gunboat, a small combat craft personally designed by the 14th Duke.

Present Day

The Oreo Settlement is still in force, but the only stringently-applied aspect of it with regard to the 146th Fleet is the mandated inclusion of at least one Alfred class Gunboat aboard all of its major vessels. All vessels that are to be assigned to the Fleet must still be officially approved by the current Subsector Duke and his staff.

References & Contributors (Sources)

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 Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Rebellion Sourcebook, p. 26.
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis), Captain, and Lead Naval Architect Ronald B. Kline, Jr. of the Imperial Navy
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science