Freethinker Royal Navy
| Freethinker Royal Navy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Freethinker Royal Navy (alt. Freestian Royal Navy), referred in-country as the Royal Navy is the oldest and arguably the most powerful component of the Freethinker Royal Armed Forces. The service is tasked with the defence of the Freethinker Commonwealth and its territorial waters and with providing, in the modern era, the main force projection power of the Freethinker Government in international affairs. It is the main component of the Maritime Forces, alongside the Freethinker Coastguard, the Freethinker Royal Marines, and the Maritime Auxiliary.
The fleet also provides important secondary functions, including logistical support for the Ground Forces of the Commonwealth, civil protection against piracy, exclusive economic zone policing and survey and colonisation work in the Mainland and other provinces. The FRN also supports maritime operations on colony worlds.
The service is one of the most internationally visible components of the FRAF, and has been involved in the majority of Freethinker military actions in recent memory. The Freethinker Royal Navy is considered one of the best on the planet, and though it no longer boasts the largest tonnage in maritime circles, its professionalism, advanced and unparalleled equipment, and historical support and tradition means it can count few peers on the world's oceans. Initially organised in colonial times and tracing its origins to the precursor to the Mainland Squadron, the service became the Freethinker Royal Navy on the onset of independence in 1885.
Like the rest of the Armed Forces in the Commonwealth, personnel are recruited without regard to gender, race or sexual orientation. Acceptance is based on competancy, fitness and commitment. Around 20% of the Navy is made up of National Service candidates, almost all in onshore support roles. The FRN has overarching control of the Maritime Auxiliary, although the latter is considered a seperate component force.
History
Founded in 1660 with the purchase of the ex-Midlonian sloop Adventure, the force had grown to twelve ships by the time of the War Of The Mainland, where, under the command of Sir John Barham, it scored several victories against the numerically superior Knootian navy in the area. A total of twenty enemy ships were destroyed for the loss of just four colonial vessels, and the part the force played in the war is seen as vital to the eventual Midlonian victory. Several captured Knootian ships were also added to the ranks of the fleet, meaning a net gain in terms of tonnage because of the conflict.
With the capture of Navarre, a new base of operations was established, alongside huge resources of timber, iron, and in the coming years, manpower.
In the aftermath of the war, the service was seen as vital to protecting the coastlines and trade routes of the Mainland, and thus the late sevententh to the eighteenth century saw an exponential expansion of the force.
These disparate forces were combined at the end of the conflict into the Mainland Squadron of the Greater Royal Navy.
The Mainland Squadron
The Mainland Squadron was a large, semi-autonomous organisation, its independence a necessity given the remote, dispersed nature of its area of operations.
Service to Midlonia
From 1800 onwards until the 1880's, the Mainland Squadron served as the regional fleet and patrol group in support of Midlonian policy, defending cities, discouraging other country's attempts at settlement and of course mapping and scouting the huge untamed areas of the Mainland accessible by boat. The voyages of Admiral Rush and Sir Herbert Pelios in particular are noteworthy for their epic scale during the Great Age of the Explorers, and their feats are remembered today in many place names along the central and southern coasts.
The Mainland Squadron also supported the civilian domestic government's colonisation efforts both within and beyond the Mainland, including supporting the Fargon Colonisation Campaign, bringing the northern arctic archipelago under the reach of the Dominion.
Independence
See Also: The First Moonstone War
It is generally believed that the first shots fired in anger came from the Mainland Squadron's guns, firing on the <> barracks of the Midlonian Garrison sent to put down several mutinous groups of sailors and marines.
By 1884, the force had grown considerably, and soon comprised a huge array of vessels, including many protoypes, monotype warships and submarines and a flotilla of converted civilian craft.
By the end of the war the Mainland Navy had establish its ascendancy over the Midlonians, and was even able to engage capital ship squadrons on an equal basis far from littoral waters.
The Freethinker Royal Navy offically came into existence on the 1st May 1885, at the end of the First Moonstone War.
Alongside the Freethinker Royal Army, the Freethinker Royal Navy formed the back
The Secession War and the Falcon Isle War
The Navarre Fleet formed the nucleas of a new, more centralised FRN in the aftermath of the conflict.
Provincial militias instead took over the role of providing localised naval support for the other cities and increasingly the
The Second Moonstone War
See Also: The Second Moonstone War
The Third Battle of Navarre devastated the majority of the Freethinker surface fleet within the opening days of the war, losing a third of its tonnage and the majority of its most advanced capital ships.
Development
In the aftermath of the Second Moonstone War several structural changes were carried out to the Royal Navy. In particular, the haphazard but effective, highly decentralised structure the force had adopted over the seven years of war was formalised, leading to a divergence with the more vertical organisation of the Greater Royal Navy.
Freethinker warships completed 'Neutrality Patrols' during the Oyada Emergency, protecting Freestian shipping from predation from both sides. Clandestine operations were also undertaken on behalf of both the Oyadan rebels and later on in the conflict the Midlonian forces.
The Royal Navy participated in the First Fargoni Insurrection from the outset, losing the destroyer HMS Lion to the rebels in their initial attack on Fargon City Naval Base.
Today
The Freethinker Royal Navy has evolved into one of the most powerful maritime navies in the world today, equiped with arguably the finest and most powerful warships of their breeds ever to be laid down and crewed by well trained and highly motivated forces. The Freethinker Royal Navy has taken part in several conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world, proving itself proud time and again with impressive discipline and a potent combat record.
A small deployment was made to Rosdivan Crete in support of domestic independence moves. The deployment consisted of a small number of Freethinker Royal Marines special forces alongside the deployment of the SSGN FRNS Neptune, which was sadly lost later in the final stages of the war after sinking and heavily damaging several Easy Green escorts and troop transports. The service lost 34 crew members of the submarine.
The Royal Navy on several occasions successfully challenged the imperialist ambitions of Communist Mississippi through the display of force.
The largest deployment of Freethinker warships to a foreign war-zone was the Fourth Edolian War, with the deployment of over a thousand warships and auxiliaries to the South-western Allanean coast in Haven in support of the Freethinker contribution to the UnAPS armed expeditionary forces, which also included around 24,000 Freethinker Royal Army paratroopers and 32,000 Freethinker Royal Marines. Though the Royal Navy suffered light losses (around two hundred dead and several escorts moderately damaged) and conducted several immensely destructive gunnery and missile strikes, the Royal Marines themselves suffered heavily after the fall of the Prophet. The Freethinker fleet withdrew from the coast as Allanean reinforcements arrived and placed the vulnerable troop supply and transport ships under threat, though not prior to the recovery of the Freestian Marines post the Great March.
The Royal Navy played a relatively minor role in the Outback Insurrection and the Great Southern Invasion, providing monitoring and logistical support but had very little military involvement save in a small number of cruise missile attacks and providing Men-At-Arms for the subsequent mopping up operations.
The Freethinker Royal Navy also played a vital part in the colonisation of Olympia, providing 85% of the maritime settlement fleet and were instrumental in establishing and seucirng the newly claimed territory. The fractal disappearance of the colony was managed to avoid any material loss to the FRN.
Royal Navy forces suffered heavily during the Fargon Crisis. The Northern Fleet in particular was heavily damaged, being reduced from an operation force of nearly three thousand vessels down to just two hundred combat capable ships. This was primarily due to losses in The Shelter raid and the Battle of the Bay.
Fortuna and Nova Olympia
In 2152 (SC), FRN forces were successfully deployed to counter organised piratical activity under the guise of anti-whaling protests. The operation successfully dissuaded further activity without further loss of life.
Later on that same year, small Freestian naval contingents provided cover for neutral shipping and a Kouralian humanitarian mission in the Taros Islands.
Traditions & Culture
Naming Conventions
- Of the Navy:
The Freethinker Royal Navy is commonly referred to simply as the Royal Navy in-country, and the service is formally known as such in national legislative and legal documents. The official long form of the name is the Royal Navy of the Freethinker Commonwealth.
- Of ships;
Freethinker Royal Navy ships in commission are prefixed since 1885 with Freethinker Royal Navy Ship, abbreviated to FRNS. Submarines are styled Freethinker Royal Navy Submarine, similarly FRNS. Auxiliaries under the auspice of the Maritime Auxiliary use the prefix FRA.
Names are allocated to ships and submarines by a naming committee within the MoD and given by class, with the names of ships within a class often being thematic (for example, the Bay Class Frigates are named after Mainland bays and coves, or the Admiral Class Cruisers are named after famous Freestian admirals).
Names are frequently re-used, offering a new ship the rich heritage, battle honours and traditions of her predecessors. Often, a particular vessel class will be named after the first ship of that type to be built.
As well as a name, each ship and submarine of the Royal Navy and the Maritime Auxiliary is given a pennant number which in part denotes its role. These follow similar lines to RL NATO prefix codes.
Bases
See Main Article: Freethinker Naval Bases
The Freethinker Royal Navy owns and operates a wide variety of bases around the Commonwealth (including facilities in all provinces and even offworld colonies), often attached to and indeed often using the same dockside facilities as many of the large civilian ports dotted along the coasts.
The primary bases are located near major ports and harbours, both to take advantage of these facilities but also to provide protection to trading hubs.
Most other facilities tend to be fairly limited in scope, and though capable of expansion are primarily designed to support small local coastal defence forces and visiting warships on longer ranged patrols or deployments. A large number of bases are also shared with the Freethinker Coastguard and the Freethinker Royal Marines, as well as hosting other FRAF forces and Ministry of Defence staff.
Doctrine
The FRN is a modern, blue water capable navy, designed around a heavily decentralised organisational structure. The Navy itself is split into two parallel organisational strands, Administrative and Operational.
Rank Structure
| Class | Freethinker Royal Navy | Freethinker Coastguard | Maritime Auxiliary | Freethinker Royal Marines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officer Ranks | ||||
| TM-2* | Tribune Marshal of the Freethinker Commonwealth | |||
| TM-1* | Tribune Marshal of the Maritime Forces | |||
| OF-13* | Admiral of the Fleet | Admiral of the Coast | Supreme Marshal of the Royal Marines | |
| OF-12* | Fleet Admiral | |||
| OF-11* | March Admiral | Port Admiral | ||
| OF-10 | Line Admiral | Line Admiral | Master Admiral | Sea Marshal |
| OF-9 | Admiral | Admiral | Admiral | General |
| OF-8 | Vice Admiral | Post Admiral | Vice Admiral | Lieutenant General |
| OF-7 | Rear Admiral | Port Commandant | Rear Admiral | Major General |
| OF-6 | Commodore | Commodore | Brigadier | |
| OF-5 | Captain | Captain | Captain | Colonel |
| OF-4 | Commander | Commander | Commander | Lieutenant Colonel |
| OF-3 | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Major |
| OF-2 | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Captain |
| OF-1 | Sub Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant | Sub Lieutenant | Lieutenant |
| Student Officer | Midshipman | Officer Apprentice | Midshipman | Aspirant |
| Enlisted Ranks | ||||
| OR-9 | Chief Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer 1st Class | Sergeant Major |
| OR-8 | Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer | Master Sergeant | |
| OR-7 | Chief Petty Officer | Petty Officer | Petty Officer 1st Class | Colour Sergeant |
| OR-6 | Petty Officer | Lead Specialist | Petty Officer | Sergeant |
| OR-5 | Seaman Specialist | Specialist | Seaman Specialist | Corporal Technician |
| OR-4 | Lead Seaman | Lead Technician | Lead Seaman | Corporal |
| OR-3 | Able Seaman | Technician | Able Seaman | Lance Corporal |
| OR-2 | Seaman | Crewman | Seaman | Marine |
| OR-1 | Junior Seaman | Landsmen | Seaman Apprentice | |
- Freestian-only designation
Vessels
The fleet is comprised of a broad range of vessels designed to fulfil all aspects of modern naval warfare. Freethinker warships are famous for their versatility, firepower and size, all consequences of the particulars of Freestian doctrine the necessity of maintaining and defending a geographically imposing homeland and territories.
| Class | Image | Use | Ships | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Carriers | |||||
| Ironclad Class Aircraft Carrier | Fleet Carrier | 360 | |||
| Battleships and Battlecruisers | |||||
| Leviathan Class Battleship | Command Battleship | 300 | |||
| Cruisers | |||||
| Destroyers | |||||
| Centaur Class Destroyer | Surface Warfare Destroyer | 3,168 | |||
| Sabre Class Destroyer | Helicopter Destroyer | 2,208 | |||
| Frigates | |||||
| Ardent Class Frigate | Multirole Frigate | 4,480 | |||
| Bay Class Frigate | Air Warfare Frigate | 480 | |||
| Broadsword Class Frigate | Escort Frigate | 2,480 | |||
| Corvettes | |||||
| Submarines | |||||
| Tyrant Class Submarine | Ballistic Missile Submarine | 1,200 | |||
| Vengeful Class Submarine | Fast Attack Submarine | 360 | |||
| Patrol and Attack Craft | |||||
| Amphibious Warfare Ships | |||||
| Auxiliaries | |||||
See Also: Freethinker Naval Design
Systems
See Main Article: Equipment of the Freethinker Royal Navy
Current Components, Fleets and Deployments
Administrative
- The Surface Fleet;
- The Submarine Fleet;
Controls the administrative and logistical support function for various submarine squadrons and the associated land facilities, including submarine dockyards, training schools and dive centres. Also has command of a number of auxiliaries such as submarine tenders.
- The Strategic Fleet;
- Fleet Support Group;
The FRNAS is the air arm of the Royal Navy.
- The Fourth (Special) Group;
4SG is the official research and development arm of the FRN.
- The Fifth (Special) Group;
The official label of the FRN Special Intelligence Service, known in the Navy as the Fifths or 5SG, and is the primary military intelligence unit of the Royal Navy. It cooperates with the CNIO to a large extent, providing in particular intelligence in regard to foreign naval capabilities and supporting clandestine operations utilising FRN assets.
The Military Police, Provost and Garrison force of the FRN, notable in part for being one of the few 'combat' forces in the Commonwealth to still have a significant human presence. These men utilise light vehicles and mounted infantry units alongside traditional military police equipment to secure Freethinker Naval Bases. They are often complemented by Freethinker Royal Marines in this role, especially on Joint Command facilities.
Operational
- Home Fleet
- Garrison Fleet
- Expeditionary Battle Fleet
- Reserve Fleet
- Strategic Fleet