Space Forces (Barrayar)

Space Forces Command
Lesser Coat of Arms of the Imperial Military Service
Active	2857 A.D. - Present
Country	Barrayar
Branch	Space forces
Part of	Imperial Service
Garrison/HQ	Imperial Service Headquarters, Vorbarr Sultana
Nickname(s)	Imperial Navy
Motto(s)	Bastions of the Stars
Branch colours	Zaffre&Carnelian Red
Anniversaries	2857
Engagements	Second Cetagandan War (2876) Komarran Conquest (2896 - 2897) Escobaran War (2899) Third Cetagandan War (2903 - 2904) Hagen Hub War (2921) Polian War (2962) Aslund Crisis (2991)
Commanders
Chief of Space Staff	Admiral Alexis Koupadopolous
Insignia
Branch Coat of Arms

Space Forces Command (SPAFORCOM), also known informally as the Imperial Navy, is the spaceborne combat element of the Barrayaran Imperial Service. While equal in rank and position, the Chief of the Space Staff takes precedence over other Chiefs of Staff following the tradition of the Imperial Navy. The space naval fleet command is mostly de-facto dominated by Vor officers, while ground and other space high ranking posts are more commonly assigned to non-Vor capable officers, such as the Barrayaran jump point defences, although within the highest ranks Vors are spread through the Staff positions. SPAFORCOM is the descendant of the Imperial Navy. In 2901, immediately after the Vordarian Pretendership, the Imperial Navy was merged with the Army to form the new Imperial Military Service, although the reform became effective only three years later. Since 2993 SPAFORCOM's ships are commissioned as His Majesty's Ships, and the initialism HMS designates them.
With its headquarters in Vorbarr Sultana, SPAFORCOM has both the largest share of resources assignment and the command and control of the four space formations framed into the Service Strategic Commands, while other space units are framed under command of other major commands, such as Imperial Security, which maintains a completely separate chain of command, Landing Forces or Transportation Command:

• Space Forces Barrayar (SPABAR): comprises First and Ninth Fleets, and has responsibility for Barrayar's immediate star system including the jump points in the wormholes. SPABAR is based at ISB Tanery Base. SPABAR Command is the sole command to operate system defence crafts, which are not provided with Necklin jumpers, but equipped with extra armour and weapons: these vessels are therefore unable to jump and to use wormholes, but they are more manoeuvrable, fast, and armed than same category ships.
• Space Forces Komarr (SPAKOM): has responsibility for protection, defence and surveillance of Komarran space. It is by far the largest fraction of the Space Forces. SPAKOM is based at ISB Archangels, Vormoncrief District. SPAKOM comprises Second, Fourth and Fifth Fleets. Because of the need to protect each wormhole, at jump-points along the Barrayar-Komarr route is permanently stationed a Fleet.
• Space Forces Sergyar (SPASER): comprises the Third Fleet and has responsibility for protection, defence and surveillance of Sergyaran space. It is the smallest space force. SPASER is based at Vorbarr Sultana and has a detached command, at Sergyaran Capital City, Sergyar.
• The fourth formation is the Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters (EXPRES), located the Imperial Military Complex, in Solstice, Komarr, responsible for the Space Reserve Forces and for space forces sent across the wormhole nexus. Under EXPRES Headquarters there are Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Fleets. It is keen to note that at least one fleet of EXPRES HQ is always deployed into the Komarran star system, as a reserve and rapid reaction force.

The SPAFORCOM has nine active numbered fleets — First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eight Fleet and Ninth Fleets are each led by a Vice Admiral. These nine fleets are further grouped under the Commands Barrayar, Komarr, Sergyar, Expeditionary and Reserves: the Commanders of SPABAR, SPAKOM, SPASER and EXPRES are full Admirals, under the command of competent Field Commanders. Commanders of the jump point military bases rank from Captain, for jump points less relevant, such as wormholes opening on empty space, to Rear Admiral, for most important bases.
In addition to the combatant forces, there are also the Space Surveillance Command, which patrols inner space zones outside orbital ranges, and the Explorations Command, which deals with deep space explorations.

History

The history of the Barrayaran space forces divides into two major periods: the "Early Navy", a small force of spaceships, and the "Modern Navy", the result of a modernization effort that began in the middle 2880s.

Early years

The early and foundative years of the Barrayaran space arm, from late 2850s to late 2880s, were marked by the heavy Cetagandand and Betan influences in developing organizational models, in designing Barrayar's own space assets and in actual ship building and operating.
Although the first Barrayaran space crafts track back to the "rediscovery" years, when Emperor Dorca bought some Betan patrol scouts and army shuttles for orbital defence and surveillance, the military space history of Barrayar begins from the end of the First Cetagandan War in the 2850s, since the Dorca's space assets were all blown away by the very first Cetagandan invading vanguard. The Cetagandans, during the gradual withdrawal, left a considerable amount of ground vehicles and some space assets, among the old and battered ones, as well as the spacecrafts captured by Barrayarans during the final stages of the War. The Barrayaran Imperial Service space forces recognize 2857 as the year of its official establishment, when Emperor Yuri issued a resolution creating the Imperial Star Forces. These Imperial Star Forces, the real precursors of the Space Forces Command, were firstly built keeping as a model the same Cetagandan Navy. Among many changes, this included using traditional naval ranks for space-borne forces, even in the absence of a native-Barrayaran wet-navy strong tradition.
At beginning of Barrayaran space history, in the 2870s, the space navy was composed of some captured Cetagandan ships, and of some less advanced newly built Barrayaran ships. His Imperial Majesty's light cruiser "Revenant", a captured Cetagandan ship, was the first flagship Barrayar ever had, although old and battered and in need of repairs. She had better sensors than any Barrayaran-made ship had at the time. The main task of the early small space fleet was the wormhole patrol and the space-mines detection. The Cetagandan-built "Revenant" was the flagship of the Barrayaran space forces until 2881. In October 2871, the Imperial Star Forces purchased a chaser, the former BASS PC-328 on the Betan civil market with funds raised among its personnel. She was renamed as "Stalker" and became the second significant warship of the newly spacefaring nation. Otherwise, Barrayar had a corvette-based fleet.
The main space formation, the Commodore Kanzian's Red Squadron, which the Revenant belonged to, in these years was assigned to Jump-point Five, the most external Jump-point under Barrayaran sovereignty, with the tasks of mine-clearing, guarding the shipping, anti-piracy patrols, fleet manoeuvres and training. The smart space-mines were the Cetagandan parting retaliation, blocking each jump-point from Barrayar to Komarr, in order to continue to bottle the Empire of Barrayar. The main task of the fleet was allowing at least a narrow shipping passage, in order to reduce the shipping tariffs by cutting down on the danger of bringing galactic goods to Barrayar.
In 2869 the Barrayaran space forces "White Squadron" captured a smuggler convoy which was attempting to avoid custom checks and inspections. The convoy consisted of two large lightly armed cargo ships and - most important - a new Betan Magneto-class survey ship, refitted for goods trafficking. While the cargo ships were refitted as large orbital weapon barges, the survey ship was disassembled and closely analysed, permitting to Barrayarans to build their first survey ship class, the Pathfinder Class.
In 2870, in exchange for some favourable commercial deals, the Imperial Space Navy received from Beta Colony the so-called "escort frigate" "Democracy" (renamed "Paladin"), fourth and last vessel of her class. While being stripped all Betan-only weapons system and other sensitive equipment, the starship was the most advanced and most deadly vessel in His Majesty's service.

The building years: from Betan period to Polan period

From 2871, Emperor Ezar continued with reforms to industrialize and militarise Barrayar to prevent Galactic powers from invading again. On early 2871, the first space review on Barrayar was held before the Dorca Vorbarra Space Station, directly above Vorbarr Sultana, with six ships participating. The following year, in 2872, the Imperial Star Forces changed their name into Imperial Space Navy, absorbing orbital assets previously lent by Beta Colony.
In 2873, the new government drafted an ambitious plan to create a modern space navy (first Space Expansion Plan), but shortly after it was abandoned due to lack of resources. In 2876 a brief but harsh war erupted against the last remaining Cetagandan stronghold around the control of jump-point 6: Barrayaran forces managed to capture an heavy frigate only lightly damaged, the "Celestial Swan", adding her to their fleet as "Dagger". During the 2870s and 2880s, the Imperial Space Navy remained a pure defence force, centred on the two large defence batteries on the Barrayaran moons, although Ezar's government continued to attempt to modernize it. The "Princess Ekaterin Vorbarra" was launched at Jester Shipyards, Beta Colony in 2872. In 2876, an Imperial decree determined that Cetagandan Navy should be the model for military development.
From late 2872 some Betan instructors were put in charge of gunnery practice. In 2873, the General Staff resolved to send 26 trainees abroad for training in space navigation sciences (20 to Beta Colony, 6 to Pol). A 50-member Betan military mission visited Barrayar in 2874 for two years, headed by Commander Andrew Bertie. Later, Commander John Williamson was hired in 2880 to train space forces cadets. Large and bulky starships such as the "Emperor Dorca", "Prince General Xav" and "Count General Vordarian" were built in Betan shipyards specifically for the Imperial Space Navy. Private construction companies also emerged around this time.
A covert but steady arms race was taking place with Komarr, who began to equip itself with some warships and to hire mercenaries to guard jump-points.
In late 2880s, Barrayar added Pol to Beta Colony as military assistance partner, in order to build a large, modern fleet which could stand far away the homeland in the upcoming conflict. Barrayar was uneasy with being dependent only on Beta Colony, a polity radically opposed to the autocratic way of rule.
The Polan doctrine favoured smaller and faster warships, especially cruisers and destroyers, against bigger units. The Ezar's government issued the second Space Expansion Plan in 2886, requesting and requiring the construction of 51 major warships, of which 22 were to be destroyers, an approach which also attractive to the limited resources of Barrayar; other 20 corvettes were added later. In 2887, the leading Polan Navy engineer John K. Nightingale was hired for four years to reinforce the Barrayaran Navy and to direct the construction of the space arsenals of General Vorkraft Orbital Shipyards and Vortala Shipbuilding Industries Ltd, as well as to oversee the fortifications upgrade on the two moons. Altogether, Nightingale supervised the building of more than 25 units. They helped establish the first modern substantial space force of Barrayar. This period also allowed Barrayar to embrace the new technologies.
In preparation for war against Komarr, Barrayar turned again to Beta Colony, with the order of a massive dreadnought, the "Fatherland", in 2888, and with the purchase of the "Honour", the fastest battleship ever seen in that arm of Hegen Hub.

From the Komarran Conquest to the Escobaran War

Barrayar continued the modernization of its navy. The Barrayaran-Komarran War was officially declared on Midsummer 2896, though some fighting had already taken place. Komarr had not any significant ally due its high tariffs. The Conquest of Komarr was planned and executed by Admiral Aral Vorkosigan. Komarr had hired the Selby Fleet for protection, but the Imperial Security disrupted employer-employee relations. After the surprise passing out of jump-points, the Barrayaran Navy captured the Komarran soletta as almost the first thing: this aided the psychological victory.
As a result of the conflict, Komarr was annexed to Barrayar. The Imperial Space Navy took possession of the vast shipyards and of the numerous ships owned by the Komarran government: a large part of these ships were refitted and adapted for military purposes. Following the Komarran War, the War Party was able to manage to continue in efforts to build up a strong national space industry.
Over the years, the importation of whole classes of ships was progressively substituted by local assembly, and then by complete local production, starting with the smallest ships to finish with whole battleships in the very latest years of the decade. In 2898 the Imperial Space Navy was renamed into Imperial Navy and uniforms were changed from black to wood green.
The Escobar War was fought between Escobar and Barrayar in 2899. It was an invasion by Barrayar and resulted in the blockading of the Escobaran wormholes and a failed attack on the planet. The Escobarans were aided by Tau Ceti and Beta Colony; the Betans gave particular help by providing the Escobarans with the brand-new technology plasma mirrors. Barrayaran losses were significant: six battleship and several cruisers were destroyed, most of surviving cruisers and battleships were heavily damaged and Betan aid was, naturally, cut to the end. Moreover, a significant part of the experienced flag officers was killed during the landing attack. However, losses were heavy but not deadly; newest ships had been kept in reserve by Admiral Vorkosigan, and managed to escape the blockade established by the Escobaran navy; several brilliant and relatively young senior officers survived, such as Admiral Vorkosigan himself, Admiral Kanzian, Vice-Admiral Vorkalloner and others.
Emperor Ezar's death and the subsequent civil war caused a minor attention paid to the Navy in its final years as separate Service within the Barrayaran military. The Navy kept itself out of the civil war: Admiral Knollys, commander of Barrayar's space forces during the time of Vordarian's Pretendership, rather than step in and end the battle in favour of one of the candidates for the Regency, he sat back and waited for the fighting to resolve itself, and managed to keep watched all the wormholes.

The New Service

The unified Imperial Military Service in its modern form (the "New Service") dates from the early years of Aral Vorkosigan's regency. In 2904, under the Aral Vorkosigan's Regency, the Imperial Navy, Royal Imperial Orbital Force and Imperial Army were amalgamated to form what is the Imperial Military Service, a single service under the Emperor and the Ministry of War. The controversial merger resulted in the abolition of the Imperial Navy as a separate legal entity. All personnel, ships, and vehicles became part of Space Forces Command (SPAFORCOM), an element of the Imperial Service formed in 2905 as part of the integration reorganization. Space stations and ship-borne spacecraft continued to be under SPAFORCOM command.
For many of the serving space personnel, the transition - giving up the old ensigns - was a very painful process: many Imperial Navy officers retired soon thereafter, as well as the cavalry did. The following years were devoted to the build-up of a strong space defence force, due to the brief but harsh space war against Cetagandans, occurred between 2903 and 2904. This led the Imperial Service to require massive military jump-stations, as well as several cruisers, but no battleship was commissioned.
The Komarran Revolt did not affect greatly the still-establishing Space Force Command, with the exception for some minor space clashes, where three lightly armed freighters, equipped by Komarran rebels, attacked the Barrayaran battleship "Invincible", at the time the Barrayaran flagship. Commander, Komarran Fleet Admiral Lord Dmitrij Vorlakial launched a series of bombings of melta bombs in the middle of the desert, in order to intimidate the civilian population and to induce them to withdrawn their support to rebel groups.

From the aftermaths of the Komarran Revolt to the War of Hagen Hub

After the suppression of the harshest forms of revolt on Komarr, Barrayaran space assets underwent a period of calm, often accompanied by a decline of attention. In general terms, the new Space Forces Command assumed a defensive role, building up its static orbital and space defence facilities, although it maintained a "sailing" mobile force. Since 2905, however, the age of the SPAFORCOM had started to increase, while funding to innovation had started to decline until the 2920s. Operational activity was greatly reduced, due to both absence of significant threats and Barrayaran diplomatic isolation.
Following the unification, SPAFORCOM undertook several changes to its force structure. The few remaining battleships up to Nexus standard, HMS Invincible, HMS Glory and HMS Bonaventure, were slowly nearing the end of their service lives. In the mid of 2910s, it was decided to pay them off and not find an immediate replacement, instead focussing on the medium-term space forces renovation. The fleet was enhanced in 2915 with the addition of the thirty new Dagger-class destroyers. By the late-2910s, the navy was looking at new classes of battleships, cruisers and destroyers, in order to replace the ageing existing classes and to give to the Empire new strategic instruments to project its presence across the Nexus. Continuing the renewal path, 2920 saw the laying down of the HMS Prince Serg, head vessel of the new battleship class.
The gist of the War of the Hagen Hub was the Cetagandan aim to spread its control on the minor powers near the Hagen Hub, a useful and strategic Nexus crossroads. The Cetagandan aims stirred up the planetary governments that neighboured the Hub, causing them to become extremely suspicious of each other and to build up military resources in the Hub. The crisis situation led to the Hagen Hub Alliance, a mutual-defence pact between the Barrayaran Imperium and the planets Vervain, Aslund, and Pol. The affiliated powers - led by a Barrayaran space forces which was engaging a massive renovation work - defeated the Cetagandan forces.
The significant military victory (although not in a major war) allowed Barrayaran space forces to regain the military reputation previously enjoyed; this, in turn, permitted Barrayar to consolidate strategic cooperation and to achieve access to some vanguard military technology. The new deal was successfully exploited thanks to the favourable economic situation, and between 2921 and 2929 - the very late years of Aral Vorkosigan's dominance on the Barrayaran political scene - the Space Forces Command laid down several cruisers and HMS Prince Xav, the second starship of the Prince Serg class, in order to strengthen military presence around the Nexus. In the same years, the Empire started long and lasting military cruises, in order to "show the colours" and to prepare military escorts provided to Komarran merchant convoys and fleets. In 2929 a small flotilla of the Space Forces was overtly detached to the allied planet of Marilac in order to aid them after the failure of the Cetagandan invasion; however, important Barrayaran military space assets were covertly transferred to Marilacan resistance through Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet. The military cooperation between Pol and Barrayar was renewed and, since 2964, joint space exercises had been held.

From the 2930s to early 2960s: economic and military growth

Decades following the rebirth of the Barrayaran military and diplomatic activism were marked more by the consolidation of the Barrayaran presence and achievements rather than new jumps toward power and aggressive politics, also due to the attention granted to the internal economic and political situation. Following the avoided new (fourth) Cetagandan War in 2931, the Imperial Service was reorganized in its space assets under a more defensive structure, passing by a deep-space fleet to a fleet based to operate mainly in the local region of space. All space stations underwent extensive refits, and orbital defences were improved around every inhabited planet. In 2929, 2930 and in 2931 three other battleships were launched or released from refit shipyards: the HMS New Athens, the HMS Admiral Kanzian and the HMS Emperor Ezar. This improvement of the top-level spacecrafts coincided with launch of the general renovation of much of the ships of the line and of smaller vessels. This expansion trend lasted until late 2950s, i.e. until the economic growth phase ended.
From an organizational point of view, the traditional, relatively small fleets and squadrons acting independently and depending only on the central command started to be merged and amalgamated under greater formations, operating at a regional or sub-regional level, although these commands were not actually connected to the ground forces. The new pattern was successfully tested during the brief and almost quiet Polian War: the sub-regional immediate response plan worked well, also thanks to the external threat-role played by Admiral Elli Quinn, leading a vast mercenary coalition ostensibly hired by a third power. The mercenary coalition, which was the hearth of an enlarged Dendarii Fleet, was indeed raised and organised by the Imperial Security.

2960s and early 2970s: planet-based troubles and downgrading of importance

The financial crunch and the following political/economic crisis and the subsequent social unrest determined the end of the space forces golden age and favoured the strengthening of ground forces and repression systems. During the troubled 2960s and early 2970s, the Space Forces Command undertook only ordinary space-faring activity, providing military escorts to trade convoys and carrying out systems defence and surveillance, with the exception of the brief Polian War; alongside ordinary operations, a few large multilateral exercises were held, both in Barrayaran Space and abroad. However, the Space Forces Command managed to keep the ability to operate in the near region of space without capability diminution and until traditional allies (i.e. Ylla and Marilac) out the security ring in a limited way.
The Space forces continued their reorganization and reshuffled the space-based component commands, by organizing three System Regional Space Commands, the predecessor of current Regional Component Commands: differently from today commands, these structures were co-ordination and framework providing agencies, without actual operational powers.

2980s to present days: a reborn fleet

The ending of the 2970s crisis left Barrayar unable to maintain a navy stronger than those of the preceeding decades. The Space Forces thus met a decline: defence expenditures were severely reduced and several ships were scrapped, and the building program was greatly reduced. Almost all older battlecruisers and many other ships were prematurely retired. Funds were only allocated for the completion of ships ordered prior to the 2975. This state of affairs led Space Forces Command to significantly reduce the capabilities and the operations, in order to preserve the fleet.
In 2983 the first expansive space budget was passed (also due to an intensive lobbying activity carried out by the Space Forces) and new vessels were laid out, commissioned and planned, as well as the recovery of the newest scrapped ships. The Aslund Crisis was met the Space Forces in the middle of their renovation effort; nevertheless Barrayar sent a robust force in order to reassert its own prominence among the powers of Hegen Hub Alliance. Since 2987 escort convoys and far-reaching cruises have been revamped, as the fleet did meet again the deep space-faring standards.

Future developments

As of 3003, the Space Forces Command faces an international - and therefore interstellar - situation which sees a growing instability quite far from Barrayaran borders and security warning limit, but within the expanding Barrayaran sphere of interests. This leads to a renewed need of deployment capability, as well as a projection capability. The future of the Space Forces is, as it is in every military in the Nexus, closely linked to the new strategic assets of foreign policy. There are three main tendencies suggested by think tanks associated to the Imperial Service, all advocating a growth of space assets:

• Panamera Project: this project involves the establishment of an additional fleet, to be assigned to the EXPRESCOM, made up of medium ships: beyond to the flagship and its battle group, the supposed Tenth Fleet would include only light cruisers, frigates and destroyers, organized in small flotillas, in order to provide a more widespread Barrayaran military presence, without excessively uneasing foreign powers with capital ships constantly passing through their star systems. The Panamera Project is supported by a foreign policy aiming to build up a solid net of friend or non-hostile partners across the Nexus in order to counter possible hostile actions by the Cetagandan Empire or other aggressive powers (other than Barrayar, of course). The Panamera Project is deemed to be fit with a defensive foreign policy.
• Pastura Project: this project aims to strengthen existing nine Numbered Fleets, introducing relatively few capital ships capable of independent missions. The aim is similar to that pursued by the Panamera Project, but relies more on the firepower of the single capital ship (heavy and/or battle cruisers) in order to let them operate alone in support of minor allies.
• Paladin Project: this project seeks for a massive space rearmament, in order to get the ability to both defend the Imperial borders against an attack and to launch at least a major attack (or at least a major support mission) at the same time. This project includes the establishment of an additional reserve fleet, consisting of several complete battle groups, as well as the construction of new military star-bases at jump points. The Paladin Project also requires the launching of battleships other than those commissioned independently the 3000s modernization programmes.

Space fleet classification

There are ten recognized strenght levels for a space fleet classification:

1. Unlimited Nexus-reach power projection: Multiple and sustained power projection missions can be held through the Nexus at the same time;
2. Limited Nexus-reach power projection: At least one major power projection operation can be held through the Nexus; the Barrayaran fleet is deemed being roughly at this level.
3. Multi-regional power projection: Power projection to regions adjacent its own can be held;
4. Regional power projection: Limited range power projection beyond the immediate vicinity;
5. Regional offshore defence: Defence within and slightly beyond the immediate vicinity;
6. Inshore defence: Defence confined to inner vicinity;
7. Regional offshore constabulary: Space policing within and slightly beyond the immediate vicinity;
8. Inshore constabulary: Space policing confined well within the immediate vicinity;
9. In-system fleet: orbital and intra-sytem defence;
10. Orbital defence: Very basic constabulary if at all.

Strategic context

The position of the Barrayaran Empire in the Nexus is pretty peculiar; while having the capital planet in a backward position, the fulcrum of the Empire - Komarr - is a major Nexus hub for trade and general travel routes. Furthermore, the third planet - Sergyar - has several useful wormholes and routes to/from it: the Betan Route, the Escobaran Run and the Barrayaran Route. By one way, Komarr leads to Pol and, via Pol, to Hegen Hub: this is the most important route towards the Nexus "central" regions (if a "centre" may be identified in the Nexus); on the other hand, Komarr directly faces Rho Ceta, the nearest inhabited system of the Cetagandan Empire, and this is the most important threat to Barrayar. Interstellar Powers in the area of high security concern vary in makeup from firm Barrayaran allies, through other major powers that are at least reliable.
Given the stability of the regions connected to Sergyar, the main security concerns for Barrayar are to maintain access to Hegen Hub and, in perspective, to the more distant Nexus regions (including the strategic allies of Marilac and Ylla), as well as to provide defence and the utmost security to the Komarran System and its uninhabited premises. Alongside with these concerns, also a main goal of the Barrayaran Space Forces is to protect Barrayaran (Komarran) trade from piracy, to deter and counter piracy and armed terrorism within its own borders and to keep vital wormholes accessible.
The Cetagandan Empire, while having a vastly superior resources array, has a slightly technological disavantage, but it does have a fleet befitting its size, thus vastly compensating the slight disadvantage.

Non-military considerations

From a financial point of view, the Imperial Military Service in general does not have to worry about money. The chief constraints are twofold: personnel (given the populations limits) and the political posture. On the one hand, a great role is played by the Barrayaran firm belief that it does not want to be viewed as a sort of giant military fist poised over everyone else’s face; on the other hand, it is an equally firm belief that a massive and credible military power is necessary to deter any (sane) attack.
Technologically speaking, the Space Forces can generally be assured of at least technical parity over its most likely opponents (except for some powers, most notably Beta Colony).

Strategic goals

Barrayaran strategic goals of the Space Forces are defined as the defence and security of the Barrayaran star system, including the jump points, population, habitats, planets and data; the defense and security of jump points between Barrayar and Komarr; the defence and security of Komarran and Sergyaran systems; the maintenance of defences against the Cetagandan Empire, against the Beta Colony and against the Hegen Hub powers; the assistance and defence of Marilac and Ylla; the protection of Barrayaran commerce and trade; intervention, as required, for the protection of the Imperial citizens abroad; enforcement, as required, of the mutual defence compacts; when requested or otherwise appropriate, the defense and security of other allies and general patrol activities to maintain the perception of security, suppress minor brushfire wars, piracy, asymmetrism, and the interstellar slave trade.

Space Forces roles and missions

In the Imperial Military Service, the Space Forces are the power projection and main branch, as tends to be the case for any interstellar polity. While it does not directly control the other branches, space admirals dominate these by the numbers, and military strategy is heavily driven by fleet actions. The Space Forces are, after all, tasked to provide all combat and patrol functions anywhere in the Nexus, while space-based logistics assets carry out the necessary support functions for the ground troops when operating outside the Empire or off-planet within it.
The Space Forces are organized into nine fleets and four Component Commands: the SPABAR, SPAKOM, SPASER, EXPRES; the latter operates outside the Empire, providing patrols and security services from their associated fleet stations, as well as providing the escort system to Komarran trade convoys described below.
The Landing Forces are the Empire’s “terrain” combat organization, including habitats, on asteroids, in microgravity temps, including starship-to-starship boarding actions. They serve as onboard “ship’s troops” – providing shipboard security, boarding and landing forces, and additional damage control personnel. The Space Forces, in turn, are responsible for the Ground and Landing Forces transportation (in conjunction with the Transportations Command), escort, and orbital fire support.
However, the Space Forces biggest relationship is with the Logistics Command, which owns and operates the oilers, the logistics bases, the transportation and supply contracts, the freighter fleet, medical and personnel services, etc., etc., and basically all the other logistical back-end needed to run the Imperial Military Service. The two branches work closely together to get logistics done, and in wartime, ensure that the logistics functions are adequately escorted and otherwise protected.

Escort system

The Imperial Service provides military escort convoys to both Barrayaran and Komarran merchant fleets through the Nexus. The purposes of escorts on trade convoys are numerous. The stated goals include the protection from pirates and hijackers and the opportunity to gain experience scarcely less valuable than war games in the military manoeuvres. The economic positive effects allow merchants and traders to save money, because the trade fleets are now protected by Barrayaran military vessels so they don't have to pay mercenaries and/or expensive insurance premiums for their own security. It also provides a number of officers the opportunity to learn about the foreign galactic cultures.
The presence of the military escort also allows the collection of a wealth of information, of economic, political, social and military nature. In addition, the presence of the fleet enables political surveillance on merchants, mostly Komarrans.
The purely (often omitted) military function is to maintain a discreet armed presence around the Nexus, which in an emergency can quickly turn into a military threat, ready to intervene at strategic points. In case of escort systems, discipline and security are overseen by military officers detached on each ship, but actually enforced by civilian masters-at-arms.
Most Imperial Service ship captains detest convoy duties; wallowing along, nurse-maiding a clutch of merchant vessels does not fit with the glorious traditions of the fleet. A typical convoy might comprise as few as a half-dozen merchant ships to twenty or more commanded by a Quartermaster. The number of warships allocated to protect them depends on the cargo and the circumstances. If no major threat or enemy are known to be prowling the area there may be a single destroyer or light cruiser for five or six merchantmen — still enough to give many pirates pause. Major capital ships are spared for convoy duty only for the most important or most vital convoys or breaking through blockades. Capital ships are more commonly deployed to patrol foreign areas where they can reach several convoys quickly if help is needed.

Space Forces concept of operations

In orientation, SPABAR and SPASER are defensive; EXPRES is mainly offensive and patrol-oriented; SPAKOM, which can be called upon to reinforce either EXPRES and SPASER, splits the difference with a strong bias to the defensive side. On the defensive, the deployment involves a “hard crust” out of Barrayaran space and in both Sergyaran and outer Komarran systems, backed up by a “firm centre” around the inner Komarran system and the wormholes leading to Barrayar. The intent is that the defensive fleets should advance to meet any attacker and take them out, or at least greatly reduce them, before they reach Imperial territory or penetrate in depth. On the offensive, the Space Forces seek the superiority and the avoidance of a frontal war of attrition. Misdirection, whittling flank attacks, deep strikes on crucial nexi, and eventual defeat in detail are the hallmarks of the strategy on the attack.
In terms of scale of operations, the Space Forces approach is to make plans for disaster: conventional readiness standards call for the Space Forces and the rest of the Imperial Military Service to be able to conduct minor military operations simultaneously and/or one major operation, even while sustaining normal operations.

Strategic deployment

The Space Forces strategic deployment is as backward-leaning as they can make it. The three "defence" Commands within the Empire and the EXPRES are kept in almost constant motion, on patrol; EXPRES, in particular, travel on patrol/escort routes from the Imperial border out into the Nexus via various fleet stations and then return, throughout the volume of the Barrayaran sphere of interest. This requires a great many agreements with various other polities for passage of naval vessels. Apart for minor ships on minor garrison duties, constant motion is the watchword: the Space Forces do not want its task forces to be pinned down or for it to be known where they are at any given moment, and this additionally helps make it very likely that anywhere there is a sudden need for a task force, there will be starships available for relatively ready retasking. Part of SPAKOM fleet spends more time in garrison and in training operations, in order to send units and squadrons to other fleets as they are needed.

Space-borne Space Defence Phases

The defence phases is an alert state used by the Barrayaran space-based assets. It prescribes five graduated levels of readiness for Barrayaran military spacecrafts, and increase in severity from Defence Phase BLUE (least severe) to Defence Phase BLACK (most severe). Space Defence Phases are a subsystem of a series of Defence Phases. Different branches of the Imperial Service usually are at the same level of Defence Phase at the same time. An upgrade in the military preparedness of is typically made by the Chief of Operations recommending a change to the Chief of General Staff. This military preparedness level is referred to as Defence Phases.

• Space Defence Phase BLUE: This is the condition used to designate normal peacetime operations. No abnormal activities are taking place at any time and all access is Defence Phase BLUE.
• Space Defence Phase YELLOW: This condition is called upon by the Regional Command when increased intelligence and security measures are taken, these should not be notable to outsiders and only minimally invasive.
• Space Defence Phase ORANGE: This refers to an increase to fleet readiness above normal. No shoreleaves are cancelled, but Service Security and Landing Forces personnel are to be armed and on heightened alert. Jump pilots are recalled on board.
• Space Defence Phase RED: At this condition all shoreleave is withdrawn and the fleet is gathering at pre-defined (classified) coordinates. All transmissions are now secured and no unauthorised ship movement is allowed.
• Space Defence Phase BLACK: This refers to maximum fleet readiness, all shoreleave is cancelled, and all personnel are requested and required to report to their designated battlestations on all ships and stations. It is reserved for imminent or ongoing attack on controlled sectors or outposts.

Space Staff

Although the Imperial Service is a fully unified operational command, SPAFORCOM retains important responsibilities about the majority of space-related issues, but with concern the logistics and transport. The Central Command of the Space Forces structure is centred around the Chief of Staff of Space Forces, who is part of the High Command.

Chief of Space Staff

The Chief of Space Staff (CSS) is a post held by an Admiral in the Imperial Service, and is the most senior officer assigned to serve in the space-related issues. The Chief of Space Staff is an administrative position, and while the CSS does not have operational command authority over operational forces, the CSS exercises supervision of space-related organizations. The CSS reports directly to the Chief of General Staff for the command, utilization of resources and operating efficiency of the operating forces of the space forces and of the space forces landed activities. The CSS also designates personnel and resources to the commanders of Service Strategic Commands.

Organisation

The Space Forces use an overall strategy of focusing on capital ship firepower rather than starfighter superiority.

• Command: An individual command, a single starship, is the building block. Achieving command of a starship, no matter its size, is a core point of pride in an officer's career. Ambitious officers sometimes turn down impressive staff promotions in the hopes of receiving a ship command, although serving as a staff officer on a prominent starship, such as a flagship, is often considered a fast track for promotion. A squadron is normally two ships of the same class, usually part of a larger command. The squadron is intended to increase the firepower/ability of a single ship to make success of the mission more probable. A division of ships is normally commanded by the senior Commander present.
• Battlegroup: A battlegroup is the smallest independent operational unit in the Space Forces. Composed by several starships, a battlegroup is commanded by a Commodore (or even by a Captain (Naval) if the group is composed only of minor spacecrafts). The Imperial order of battle designates three types of battlegroups: light, heavy and attack. Light groups patrol internal or secondary or safe areas; heavy groups engage external zones or which possess known enemy or hostile presences. Attack battlegroups are designed to be the first-line in a major attack.
• Task Force: A Task Force combined several groups under the command of a Rear Admiral. These combined forces are responsible for space actions across multiple strategic areas.
• Fleet: Where all previous units are generally bound to specific tasks, the Space Forces designate fleet as a "sector resource", allowing it to operate on a sector-wide scale (in non-Barrayaran space) or to be assigned to a part of an Imperial System's defence. A Fleet commander ranks Vice-Admiral.
• Service Component Command: The Service Component Command is a command consisting of the Service component commander and all those Service forces, such as individuals, units, detachments, organisations, and installations under the command, including the support forces that have been assigned to the upper command, or further assigned to a subordinate unified commands or joint task forces.

Space Surveillance Command

The Space Surveillance Command is a military command within the Space Forces Command with a law enforcement capacity in a close similar capacity to the Internal Troops Command way. Among the primary responsibilities that are entrusted to the Command there are space search and rescue, enforcement of Barrayaran space transportation law, space vessels safety enforcement, patrols of the dead ending wormholes, maintenance of spacemarks and custom control. The Command contributes to space defence, to ancillary services of Space Forces, applying the rules of interstellar law and the exercise of the military police, in assistance to the Service Security. The command also provides the technical expertise of the Imperial Service for embargo missions, through the control and inspection of merchant ships; as a result of international agreements, it can provide the technical tools for surveillance of the interior space of other countries.
During wartime, the command has additional responsibilities in harbour and spacedocks defence, port security (in co-operation with the Military Intelligence Service). The Command operates spaceships and minor spacecraft: most common types are fast couriers or other auxiliary vessels, although also some destroyers are employed.

Command's Officers roles

Officers assigned to the Command have their own internal organisation due to the distinct duties. When assigned, officers are appointed in the Space Surveillance Command in one of four branches, as either Line officer, Pilot officer or Law officers.

• Line officers: Line officers of the Command are assigned operational tasks, including command of weapons systems, navigation systems, crews and vessels. Command of ships can only be exercised by Line officers. Command of operations, and the safety of crew and ships is the primary responsibility of these officers.
• Pilot officers: Pilot officers may serve on bases (mainly orbital) at a Command Flight Station, or operate auxiliary spacecraft or interceptors from Space Surveillance Command ships.
• Law Officers: Law officers act as legal advisers to their respective commanders. They represent the Imperial Service in legal actions filed by or against the organisation. There is one law officer posted in each Command's ships.

Internal organisation

The Space Surveillance Command operations are split into three regions: Barrayar Region head-quartered in Vorbarr Sultana, Komarr Region head-quartered in Solstice and the Sergyar Region head-quartered in Capital City. The Command is led by the Chief Command, who is an officer of the rank Vice Admiral. Each Space Surveillance Region is led by an Inspector, of the rank Rear Admiral.

Chief Command

The Chief Command is the highest ranking officer of the Space Surveillance Command. Chief Command is responsible for the policy, planning and execution of the service. The functions of the Chief Command are to co-ordinate four main tasks:

• to initiate and co-ordinate civil space search and rescue
• to ensure the public interest is fully taken into account when an accident to a ship might require salvage or other emergency action
• to maintain contingency plans for dealing with major space incidents within Barrayaran space
• to develop and promote a space travel safety and SAR Prevention strategy, also by managing the distribution of information concerning traffic patterns, navigational anomalies, and other unusual phenomena inside Barrayaran space.

Explorations Command

The Explorations Command is a detachment of the Barrayaran space forces which works alongside the Minister of the West, primarily concerning itself with venturing into little known regions of space and charting them. Composed primarily of industrial freighters and scientific vessels, with a light escort, the Command ventures in the uncharted space.
The Explorations Command most notably was responsible for the exploration of Sergyar. In the early days of the space history of the Barrayaran Empire, exploration was primarily done by civilian or even private entities, but with the end of the First Cetagandan War, the Imperial Navy took the reins and the Explorations Command was created to fill the need for exploration. The Command is currently undergoing a minor activity phase.
Thanks to powerful instruments, the existence of planets in orbit around a star are known prior to the actual visitation of the star system. The dominant doctrine in use tends to look for planets in a specific order. If the planet's atmosphere shows signs of civilisation, such as high levels of hydrocarbons or other signs of industrialisation, it is considered a high priority target, mainly because this would mean that an uncharted wormhole leads to a Nexus power. Otherwise, it prioritises systems with habitable terrestrial planets with signs of life, then systems with a large number of planets, and finally the systems closest to its borders. It rarely sees the need to investigate systems without planetary bodies.

Organisation

The Explorations Command is led by a Rear Admiral, and is organised to report to (although it is not part of) the EXPRES Command. The Command has a dedicated Command Staff (headed by a Commodore), a Command School, some Offices and several flotillas. Each Flotilla typically consists of an old Destroyer, a fast courier, a pinnace jump-ship, a long range shuttle and of two to three scientific vessels; often, these vessels are relatively small in size and can land, but a larger scientific vessels always have a landing-capable shuttle.

• Cartography Office: the Cartography Office is a branch of the Explorations Command responsible for creating and maintaining maps and star charts.
• Astronomical Office: the Astronomical Office is responsible for naming and locating new spatial phenomena.
• Astrophysical Survey Office: the Astrophysical Survey Office is responsible for maintaining and updating celestial navigation information.
• Planetary Geosciences Office: the Planetary Geosciences Office is tasked with studying planetary geology.
• Selection Board: the Selection Board considered the eligibility of internal promotion of officers.
• Natural Life Research Office.
• Control Office: the Control Office is responsible for maintaining contact with Explorations Command vessels and for managing their missions. It is the hearth of the Explorations Command Staff.

Space Forces Barrayar (SPABAR)

The Space Forces - Barrayar (SPABAR) is a space fleet command in the Imperial Service, also known as "Home Fleet". SPABAR area of responsibility includes the Barrayaran star system including the jump points in the wormholes. The command comprises the First and Ninth Fleets. Aside from Chief of Operations, the post of SPABAR Commander is among the most senior and coveted billets for a space officer.
SPABAR is based at ISB Tanery Base, Barrayar. SPABAR Command is the sole command to operate also intra-system defence crafts, i.e. spacecrafts which are not provided with Necklin jumpers, but equipped with extra armour and weapons: these vessels are therefore unable to jump and to use wormholes, but they are more manoeuvrable, fast, and armed than jump-capable ships of the same category. In addition to the defence of the star system (including space-borne garrisons on uninhabited planets), SPABAR operates the massive defence points based on the two Barrayaran moons.
The commander of the SPABAR is Admiral Alexandr Vortaine. SPABAR is a component command of, and reports to, Barrayar Command (BARCOM). Under Alexandr Vortaine's command there are two numbered fleets: First Fleet and Ninth Fleet.
The organisation attached directly to SPABAR is relatively small: it consists of the SPABAR staff, some security detached units, the Battle Station commands (including the two moon defence bases) and the HMS Admiral Vorkosigan battle group.

• SPABAR Commander
  • Secretariat SPABAR
  • SPABAR Fleet Orbital Depot Command (dependent on Logistic Command)
  • SPABAR Staff HQ
    • Service Security Liaison Officer
  • HMS Admiral Vorkosigan Battle Group
  • SPABAR Pursuit Groups Task Force
  • SPABAR Patrol Groups Task Force

First Fleet

The First Fleet is led by Vice-Admiral Pjotr Vormoncrief and is composed of nine Task Forces, each led by a Rear Admiral, which are in turn composed of Task Groups, each led by a Commodore. First Fleet's primary area of responsibility is the immediate Barrayaran star system, including planets defence. Differently from the other Fleets, the First Fleet has two Task Forces consisting of corvettes and patrol vessels.

• First Fleet Command HQ
  • First Fleet Staff
  • First Fleet Staff Group 1: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • First Fleet Staff Group 2: Logistics Support
  • Fleet Orbital Depot 1 (dependent on Logistic Command, assigned to the First Fleet): the Depot is a supply and storage facilities for arms, ammunition, and other supplies. Security is usually extremely tight with the highest enforcement in clearance.
  • First Fleet Staff Group 3: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
• TF-11 Commander Strike Force Barrayar
• TF-12 Logistics
• TF-13 Expeditionary Force
• TF-14 Mine Warfare Force
• TF-15 Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• TF-16 Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• TF-17 Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• TF-18 Patrol and Reconnaissance Force (Garrison)
• TF-19 Patrol and Reconnaissance Force (Garrison)
• TF-20 Patrol Groups Task Force
• TF-21 Pursuit Groups Task Force

Ninth Fleet

The Ninth Fleet is led by Vice-Admiral Ivan Vorparadjis and is composed of twelve Task Forces, each led by a Rear Admiral, which are in turn composed of Task Groups, each led by a Commodore. Differently from First Fleet, Ninth Fleet has into its responsibility jump-points surveillance and wormholes patrolling; moreover, it can be requested to provide additional line forces.

• Ninth Fleet Command HQ
  • Ninth Fleet Staff
  • Ninth Fleet Staff Group 1: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Ninth Fleet Staff Group 2: Logistics Support
  • Fleet Orbital Depot 9 (dependent on Logistic Command, assigned to the Ninth Fleet): the Depot is a supply and storage facilities for arms, ammunition, and other supplies. Security is usually extremely tight with the highest enforcement in clearance.
  • Ninth Fleet Staff Group 3: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
• Task Force 91: Battle Force (1 x Forward Strike Group)
• Task Force 92: Landing Force (1 x Expeditionary Strike Group; Expeditionary Strike Group Nine)
• Task Force 93: Mine Warfare Force
• Task Force 94: Mine Warfare Force
• Task Force 95: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 96: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 97: Expeditionary Force
• Task Force 98: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 99: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 910: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 911: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 912: Mine Warfare Force

Specific appointments and positions of SPABAR

During the early era of the space-borne service, when the Barrayaran space forces were confined in the home star system, Emperor Yuri established several positions in order to deal with specific surveillance and protection needs. These positions subsequently evolved from semi-feudal appointments to honorary titles which correspond to ordinary intra-system posts. Holders of the honorary titles nowadays are mainly concerned with the social protection of the Imperial Service assets posted in their ancient positions.

• Lord Admiral of the Asteroids Belt: the position of Lord Admiral of the Asteroids Belt is an hereditary space office: in early times, the Lord Admiral of the Asteroids Belt was a nobleman with responsibility for the defence and protection of Asteroids belt of the external Barrayaran star system. The post was granted to the Vorkeres family. In 2878 the post became obsolete as the Navy took over the defence of the area. However, the post was never formally abolished, and remains a hereditary dignity.
• Vice-Admiral of the Orbit: the holder of the post Vice-Admiral of the Orbit was responsible for the defence of one of the twenty-four space sectors of the Barrayaran orbit. As a Vice-Admiral, the post holder was the chief of space defences for his district. His responsibilities included pressing men for space service, dealing with salvage claims and acting as a judge.

Space Forces Komarr (SPAKOM)

The Space Forces - Komarr (SPAKOM), also informally known as "The Hot Seat of the Empire", is a space fleet command in the Imperial Service. SPAKOM area of responsibility includes the Komarran star system, including the Komarran-side jump points in the internal wormholes and all jump points in the external wormholes, with the exception of jump points towards Sergyar. The Space Forces - Komarr command is a very senior post, although slightly less prestigious than SPABAR. The command comprises the Second, Fourth and Fifth Fleets. SPAKOM is by far the largest space-borne formation within the Barrayaran military, and most elite and loyal units and formations are assigned to this command. it is to note that SPAKOM has three different roles: firstly, guarding Komarr against any independence revolt; secondly, defending Komarran galactic accession gate, from Pol and other Nexus powers whose attack directions hit directly and in their first instance the Komarran star system; thirdly, defending Komarr against any hypothetical threat coming from Sergyar. In addition to the Komarran system defence and security, part of SPAKOM, on a rotational basis, serves as rapid reinforcement forces for EXPRES, alongside with the EXPRES units and squadrons held back; SPAKOM possesses the highest proportion of capital ships in the Space Forces, because it forms its major strategic reserve in the event of war breaking out, and is also the fleet from which flotillas and task forces to handle situations that the lighter units of the EXPRES cannot is formed from.
SPAKOM is based at ISB Archangels, Vormoncrief District, Barrayar, although its Operational Head Quarters are based in Solstice, Solstice Sector, Komarr. The commander of the SPAKOM is Admiral Jean Vorvayne. SPAKOM is a component command of, and reports to, Komarr Command (KOMCOM). Under Jean Vorvayne's command there are three numbered fleets: Second, Fourth and Fifth Fleet. The organisation attached directly to SPAKOM is relatively small: it consists of the SPAKOM staff, some security detached units, the Battle Station commands and the HMS Vorkosigan District battle group.

• SPAKOM Commander
  • Secretariat SPAKOM
  • Komarr Fleet Orbital Depot Command (serving both SPAKOM and EXPRESCOM; dependent on Logistic Command)
  • SPAKOM Staff HQ
    • Service Security Liaison Officer
  • HMS Vorkosigan District Battle Group
  • SPAKOM Pursuit Groups Task Force
  • SPAKOM Patrol Groups Task Force

Second Fleet

The Second Fleet is the Barrayaran space permanent force operating deployed in the Komarran system, with units positioned all around the star system, and particularly to guard the inner jump-points. Therefore it is a key component force of the SPAKOM, representing the fulcrum around which the space security of Komarr is ensured. The Fleet has three major assignments:

• Patrolling of internal Komarran star system and cul-de-sac related systems;
• Defence, surveillance and guard of space installations within the Komarran star system jump-points;
• Defence of the Komarran star system.

The Second Fleet is led by Vice-Admiral Henry Vorgier and is composed of nine Task Forces, each led by a Rear Admiral, which are in turn composed of Task Groups, each led by a Commodore. Differently from the other stationary space formation, the First Fleet, the Second Fleet is more combat-oriented, due to the necessity to be permanently able to crack down any uprising or unrest, as well as any sudden enemy attack or raid.

• Second Fleet Command HQ
  • Second Fleet Staff
  • Second Fleet Staff Group 1: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Second Fleet Staff Group 2: Logistics Support
  • Fleet Orbital Depot 2 (dependent on Logistic Command, assigned to the Second Fleet): the Depot is a supply and storage facilities for arms, ammunition, and other supplies. Security is usually extremely tight with the highest enforcement in clearance.
  • Second Fleet Staff Group 3: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
• Task Force 20: is the Battle Force of Second Fleet and is made up of two distinct components: Line Combatant Force 2nd Fleet, composed of cruisers and destroyers, and Battle Force Second Fleet, made up of a Emperor Dorca class battleship and its group.
• Task Force 21: fulfils the function of Command and Coordination Force, Second Fleet.
• Task Force 22: is the Patrol-Reconnaissance Force of the Second Fleet. It is mainly composed of interceptor aircraft and surveillance platforms.

Task Force 23: is 2nd Fleet's Logistics Force composed of supply ships and other fleet support vessels.

• Task Force 24: is the second front-line force, in charge for the immediate orbital defence of Komarr.
• Task Force 25: is the third front-line force and groups all battlegroups, cruisers and other capital ships that are not assigned as escorts to battlecruisers or battleships.
• Task Force 26: is mainly responsible for supporting landing operations. It is composed of units capable of delivering ship-to-land assault troops, such as landing assault ships, and landing craft.
• Task Force 27: is the 2nd Fleet Mine Clearance Force composed of mine countermeasure, mine hunter, and mine control ships.
• Task Force 28: is the security branch within the II Fleet.
• Task Force 29: is the Landing Force assigned to the fleet, consisting of several Landing command units and formations and their equipment. This Task Force is separate from the Landing Forces.

Fourth Fleet

While the Second Fleet is tasked with the "stationary" surveillance of the Komarran system, the Fourth Fleet is tasked with the highly sensitive task of guarding the several jump-points leading to foreign planets. It is a relevant duty, because the Fourth Fleet faces not only relatively allied or friendly powers such as Pol and other minor Nexus powers, but also the dangerous and threatening planet of Rho Ceta, accession planet to the Cetagandan Empire: between Komarr and Rho Ceta there are only two jump-points.
In order to fulfil these duties, the Fourth Fleet has a slightly different organisation: instead of being an highly centralised force, such as other Fleets, it is subdivided into six quasi-independent fighting forces, each tasked with a particular jump-point, wormhole, route or planet to guard. The "regional" subdivision, instead of a functional one, leads to the multiplication of staff and functional bodies, alongside a greater number of combat formations.
The Fourth Fleet is led by Vice-Admiral Dmitri Vormoncrief and is composed of six Battle Forces, each led by a Rear Admiral, which are in turn composed of Task Groups, each led by a Commodore.

• Fourth Fleet Command HQ
  • Fourth Fleet Staff
  • Fourth Fleet Staff Group 1: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Fourth Fleet Staff Group 2: Logistics Support
  • Fleet Orbital Depot 4 (dependent on Logistic Command, assigned to the Fourth Fleet): the Depot is a supply and storage facilities for arms, ammunition, and other supplies. Security is usually extremely tight with the highest enforcement in clearance.
  • Fourth Fleet Staff Group 3: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
• Expeditionary Strike Group Four
• Fourth Fleet Battle Force 41 Command: in charge for the Rho Ceta border. It is the most elite "Force" within the Imperial Service.
  • Staff Group 411: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Staff Group 412: Logistics Support
  • Staff Group 413: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
  • Battle Force 4101: Mine Warfare Force
  • Battle Force 4102: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
  • Battle Force 4103: Strike Force
  • Battle Force 4104: Line Force
• Fourth Fleet Battle Force 42 Command
  • Staff Group 421: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Staff Group 422: Logistics Support
  • Staff Group 423: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
  • Battle Force 4201: Mine Warfare Force
  • Battle Force 4202: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
  • Battle Force 4203: Strike Force
  • Battle Force 4204: Line Force
• Fourth Fleet Battle Force 43 Command
  • Staff Group 431: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Staff Group 432: Logistics Support
  • Staff Group 433: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
  • Battle Force 4301: Mine Warfare Force
  • Battle Force 4302: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
  • Battle Force 4303: Strike Force
  • Battle Force 4304: Line Force
• Fourth Fleet Battle Force 44 Command
  • Staff Group 441: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Staff Group 442: Logistics Support
  • Staff Group 443: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
  • Battle Force 4401: Mine Warfare Force
  • Battle Force 4402: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
  • Battle Force 4403: Strike Force
  • Battle Force 4404: Line Force
• Fourth Fleet Battle Force 45 Command
  • Staff Group 451: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Staff Group 452: Logistics Support
  • Staff Group 453: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
  • Battle Force 4501: Mine Warfare Force
  • Battle Force 4502: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
  • Battle Force 4503: Strike Force
  • Battle Force 4504: Line Force
• Fourth Fleet Battle Force 46 Command
  • Staff Group 461: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Staff Group 462: Logistics Support
  • Staff Group 463: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
  • Battle Force 4601: Mine Warfare Force
  • Battle Force 4602: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
  • Battle Force 4603: Strike Force
  • Battle Force 4604: Line Force

Fifth Fleet

The duty assigned to the Fifth Fleet is quite different from those assigned to both Second and Fourth Fleets. It consists, mainly, to guard and patrol jump-points, wormholes and normal space areas between Komarr and Sergyar. It is a quite pacific duty, although the Fleet may have to intervene to support either SPASER either Second or Fourth Fleet.
The Fifth Fleet is led by Vice-Admiral Nikon Vorkalloner and is composed of twelve Task Forces, each led by a Rear Admiral, which are in turn composed of Task Groups, each led by a Commodore. Fifth Fleet has into its responsibility jump-points surveillance and wormholes patrolling; moreover, it can be requested to provide additional line forces and is organised on the same basis of the Ninth Fleet, the other "mobile patrol" Fleet.

• Fifth Fleet Command HQ
  • Fifth Fleet Staff
  • Fifth Fleet Staff Group 1: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Fifth Fleet Staff Group 2: Logistics Support
  • Fleet Orbital Depot 5 (dependent on Logistic Command, assigned to the Fifth Fleet): the Depot is a supply and storage facilities for arms, ammunition, and other supplies. Security is usually extremely tight with the highest enforcement in clearance.
  • Fifth Fleet Staff Group 3: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
• Task Force 51: Battle Force (1 x Forward Strike Group)
• Task Force 52: Battle (1 x Expeditionary Strike Group; Expeditionary Strike Group Five)
• Task Force 53: Mine Warfare Force
• Task Force 54: Mine Warfare Force
• Task Force 55: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 56: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 57: Expeditionary Force
• Task Force 58: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 59: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 510: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 511: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 512: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force

Space Forces Sergyar (SPASER)

The Space Forces - Sergyar (SPASER) is a space fleet command in the Imperial Service. SPASER area of responsibility includes the Sergyaran star system, including the Sergyaran-side jump points of the wormholes connecting Sergyar to Komarr. The command comprises only the Third Fleet, being the smallest space formation within the Barrayaran military. SPASER has the main role of guarding external space (towards Escobar) against possible menaces and threats. Sergyar is strategically important because it is a link from Komarr to Escobar, and then Beta Colony. Therefore the surveillance is ensured by an entire Fleet, instead that by a smaller formation. SPASER is based at ISB Bosanklar, Vorpatril District, Barrayar, although its Operational Head Quarters are based in Capital City, Sergyar. SPASER is a component command of, and reports to, Sergyar Command (SERCOM). Under Aral Vorberg's command there is only one numbered fleet, the Third Fleet. The Space Forces - Sergyar command is a senior post, although less prestigious than SPAKOM and EXPRES. Usually, SPASER Commander is not among the officers pool for promotion to Imperial Service-wide positions, although it is not an official rule. The incumbent commander of the SPASER is Admiral Aral Vorberg.
The organisation attached directly to SPASER is relatively small: it consists of the SPASER staff, some security detached units, the Battle Station commands and the HMS Admiral Vorkalloner battle group. However, it is to note that, being the Third Fleet the sole fleet attached to SPASER, the staff of that Fleet carries out also most of duties of SPASER itself.

• SPASER Commander
  • Secretariat SPASER
  • SPASER Fleet Orbital Depot (dependent on Logistic Command for logistic operations)
  • SPASER Staff HQ
    • Service Security Liaison Officer
  • HMS Admiral Vorkalloner Battle Group
  • SPASER Pursuit Groups Task Force
  • SPASER Patrol Groups Task Force

Third Fleet

The duty assigned to the Third Fleet is to patrol Sergyaran space and to guard both Sergyaran side of wormholes connecting Sergyar to Komarr and external wormholes, against possible menaces and threats coming from Escobar and, in perspective, from Beta Colony. The Fleet can rely on immediate support of Fifth Fleet, SPAKOM.
The Third Fleet is led by Vice-Admiral Nikolai Vorlaisner and is composed of twelve Task Forces, each led by a Rear Admiral, which are in turn composed of Task Groups, each led by a Commodore. Third Fleet has into its responsibility jump-points surveillance, wormholes patrolling and normal-space surveillance.

• Third Fleet Command HQ
  • Third Fleet Staff
  • SPASER Staff Support Unit
  • Third Fleet Staff Group 1: Explosive Ordnance Disposal
  • Third Fleet Staff Group 2: Logistics Support
  • Fleet Orbital Depot 3 (dependent on Logistic Command, assigned to the Third Fleet): the Depot is a supply and storage facilities for arms, ammunition, and other supplies. Security is usually extremely tight with the highest enforcement in clearance.
  • Third Fleet Staff Group 3: Space Security (Force Protection of ground operations, as well as point defence of strategic platforms)
• Task Force 31: Battle Force (1 x Forward Strike Group)
• Task Force 32: Battle Force (1 x Expeditionary Strike Group; Expeditionary Strike Group Three)
• Task Force 33: Mine Warfare Force
• Task Force 34: Mine Warfare Force
• Task Force 35: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 36: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 37: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 38: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 39: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 310: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 311: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force
• Task Force 312: Patrol and Reconnaissance Force

Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters (EXPRES)

The Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters is the space branch - and the main component - of the Expeditionary and Reserve Force Command. The Command is located the Imperial Military Complex, in Solstice, Komarr, and is responsible for both the Naval Reserve Forces and for space forces sent across the wormhole nexus. Under EXPRES Headquarters there are three numbered Fleets: Sixth, Seventh and Eighth. It is keen to note that at least part of one fleet of EXPRES HQ is always deployed into the Komarran star system, as a reserve and rapid reaction force, according a rotation system.
EXPRES is the organisation in charge of providing forces and resources to the escort fleets attached to the Komarran trading convoys. The commander of the EXPRES is Admiral Dmitri Vorventa. EXPRES is a component command of, and reports to, Expeditionary and Reserve Force Command: however, although EXPRES is one of the component commands of EXPRESCOM, it is by far the largest. Therefore, the Commander EXPRES is always also the Commander EXPRESCOM, though the two command structures are clearly distinct. The Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters is a senior post, although slightly less prestigious than SPAKOM.
The organisation of the EXPRES differs from that of the other commands, following the Barrayaran sectoral organisation of the so-called outer space and presenting a totally unified command structure, keeping Numbered Fleets only for administrative duties.
The Nexus outside the Imperium of Barrayar is divided into three fleet zones known as the Segments. Every starship assigned to the EXPRES is assigned to one of these Segments, and falls under the command of the respective Vice-Admiral who commands all the space assets of that Segment. The operational spaceborne assets of an entire Segment are named after that division: all of the Imperial Service fleet assets in the Earth Segment are known as the Battle Fleet Earth, all the assets in the Marilac Segment are the Battle Fleet Marilac, and all the assets in the Rho Ceta Segment are the Battle Fleet Ceta. Within the Command, there are five Vice-Admirals: three command the Battle Fleet of each Segment, while the two remaining officers are in charge of reserve forces and of escort fleets. All Imperial shipping, civilian or military, is supervised within the jurisdiction of one of the three Segments. Each Segment has an orbital headquarters called a Segment Station, which forms the base of fleet operations within the Segment itself. It is to note that the Segment Battle Fleet is referred to the relevant Numbered Fleet.
Each Segment is divided into Sectors, regions of space that are the main and most important military subdivision for the Imperial Service and Imperial Security. These Sectors contain several Sub-sectors. The Imperial starships of each Segment are divided amongst the Sectors into further groups called Task Forces. These Task Forces are assigned the task of garrisoning the Sector they are assigned to, and each Battle Group is generally named after the Sector it protects (Task Force Hagen Hub is located in the Hagen Hub space, etc.) and commanded by an officer with the rank of Rear Admiral.
Sectors are further divided into Sub-sectors. Because Sub-sectors are astrographic divisions of worlds (rather than volumes of space) there are vast numbers of star systems within each sector which do not actually fall within a Sub-sector. These are formally referred to as Inter-sectors and are more commonly known as wilderness zones, forbidden zones or empty space. Inter-sector areas may contain gas or dust nebulae, inaccessible areas, unexplored star systems, uninhabited star systems and uninhabitable worlds.
Each Sector Battle Group is assigned a number of cruisers and battlecruisers. Each Sector Battle Group is also assigned multiple squadrons of escort starships, and is also in command of a large number of transports, fast couriers and Barrayaran sectors of space stations. The ships of a Battle Group constantly patrol their Sector and fulfil a variety of roles; protect Imperial merchant shipping from pirates and provide support for allied military, if requested to do so. Because of the vast volume of space that requires policing, a Sector Task Force is normally split into detachments called Battle Groups consisting of one or two cruisers, accompanied by an escort squadron. If a particular situation is more than one Battle Group can handle, additional detachments are sent in to reinforce.

Public Affairs Office

The Public Affairs Office is the body within the Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters serving for all Expeditionary and Reserve Force Command which is tasked with representing the Imperial Service and its interests to both foreign powers and domestic citizens abroad. Members of the Public Affairs Office are specialized and trained officers and enlisted personnel who are experienced in dealing with diplomats and the press. It operates under the strict guidance of the Imperial Diplomatic Corps and in close cooperation with the intelligence agencies.
The Chief of Public Affairs, a Vice-Admiral, is trained and experienced in both the arts of dealing with the press and other parties while also being a diplomat. In the duties he is the principle representative of the Imperial Service to Barrayaran diplomacy and is a direct adviser to the remaining senior staff. As head of the Public Affairs Office he is also responsible for ensuring training and discipline.
The most important position within the Public Affairs Office is the Diplomatic Officer; in every formation under the responsibility of the Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters (from a destroyer to a Segment Command) there is at least one Diplomatic Officer. Diplomatic Officers have to be familiar with a variety of areas: history, religion, politics, economics, and military, and understand how they affect potential threats. He also must provide responsive legal and strategic services to his Commander. He is the chief expert in official functions as prescribed by protocol, and other tasks.

Naval Reserve Forces

Barrayaran warships tend to be kept in reserve before the decommission and the scrapping for longer periods than other Nexus militaries. Starships placed in reserve are hidden discreetly into the blind wormholes that lead nowhere, usually departing Sergyar system. Most of weapons and minor systems are removed (or just sealed, according the interstellar situation) in specialised docks, usually in Komarr system. Then, a skeleton crew bring reserve vessels to the designated deposit.
The Head of Naval Reserve Forces is a Vice Admiral directly subordinated to the Expeditionary and Reserve Headquarters. He oversees the maintenance of hulls, the readiness of skeleton crews assigned to the ships and the security of sites. The Naval Reserve Forces is organised into:

• Staff;
• General Affairs Division;
  • Technical Office;
  • Personnel Section;
  • Crews Section;
• Service Security Division;
  • Komarr Deposit Security Office;
  • Sergyar Deposit Security Office.

Battle stations

A battle station is a term used for any space station armed for combat. A battle station is often defined as a combat spacecraft that uses its primary power generation facilities for combat purposes rather than propulsion. Battle stations are designed for various purposes, including defensive and offensive combat, but not for movement: they bulk up on shield generators, sensor systems, interceptors and evacuation transports, as well as weapons-batteries, anti-ship defences such as point-defence cannons. The main battle station hangars are often large enough to handle smaller ships in addition to the fighters and transports. A notable feature of the Barrayaran Battle Station designs is the scarcity of viewports, since war in space is a matter of calculations, sensors and firepower. Barrayaran battle stations usually range from 45% Defence/55% Weapons to 60% Weapons/40% Defence.
Battle stations are usually situated in orbit of a world and used for planetary defence or logistical support, as well as to guard a jump-point. Ground stations are built on or around asteroids and other small planetary objects.
The station commanders and high-ranking officers often had their own stylish dwellings and there was usually space for visiting diplomats. Travel on board the enclosed battle station is often done with turbo-lifts.
Within the Empire of Barrayar there are 40 major battle stations, including three Orbital Depots, and several minor military space installations. Battle stations are considered as Battle Groups, and are grouped into dedicated Battle Station Commands: each of them depends on the relevant Component Command (SPABAR, SPAKOM and SPASER) and are individually commanded by a Commodore each. Battle stations are deployed both at each wormhole end, and in intra-system positions in order to ensure the strategic defence of the star system critical points.
Out of 40 Battle Station command posts, only two are held by Vor officers; the remaining 38 posts are held by non-Vor officers due to a long standing tradition. This means that best non-Vor Colonels/Captains (Naval) are selected for battle group command posts, while noteworthy-but-not-so-outstandingly-brilliant officers are chosen for battle station command billets.

Command bridge

The standard command bridge a Battle Station is a multi-level operations room resembling to a massive chamber with operational consoles and command chairs being positioned on the front. Holographic tactical screens make the central part of the command area into a flickering picture gallery: the crew move among the images, surrounding some for study, adjusting the data flow of others with finger touches of reactive gloves. In the rear, there are the most advanced tactical instruments, such as the Spherical Tactical Map.
In the centre of the rear part of the command bridge is a Spherical Tactical Map, an instrument designed for complex celestial display and calculation. Attendants man small lectern consoles around it, tapping out adjustments that cause the main frame of it to turn, realign and spin in subtle measures. The hemispheric theatre of the planetarium is used to display a large-scale holographic image of a target area of space.

Starhsips technical elements

Each spacefaring craft consists of several elements which are common to all starships types; and this is true also for combat-oriented spaceships. In this latter case, the main systems are endurance (how long between refueling and re-provisioning), command & control, propulsion, defences and weapons systems and their balance, since there is always a trade off between armour and defences, guns and weapons, and speed and propulsion: each comes at the expense of another. At any point on the balance, the percentages of each variable (guns, shields and engines) add up to 100%, representing 100% of the ship's total mass and energy.

Weapon and defence systems

Both warship and civilian crafts may have offensive and defensive equipment, in order to withstand a foe and to destroy it. Every military starship is equipped with an array of weapon systems and defences.
Weapons are grouped into four broad kinds: matter-based weapons (subdividing in turn into plasma, particle and projectile weapons), direct-energy (i.e. laser and derivatives) weapons and gravity-based weapons. Although still formidable, laser, matter and charged particle weapons are all useless against a modern warship because defence systems which are installed on major ships such as plasma mirrors, sword swallower shields and matter shields. The only weapon system which retains effectiveness is the Gravitic Implosion Technology. Weapons arrays on warships still include lasers, plasma, missile and charged particle weapons in order to deal with targets which do not carry such defences.
The tactical computer on warships seems is a knowledge based system that controls and elaborates best options for both flight and weapons. It helps if the parameters are set by a good tactician.

Gravitic Implosion Lance

The Gravitic Implosion Technology, also known as gravitic lances, is the state-of-art weapon system, both on ground and in space. The physics behind gravitic lances is based on a five-space/three-space interface phenomenon.
Gravitic lances require massive energy outputs, and their power packs mass several hundred kilos. A ship armed with a gravitic lance has to make a close approach (around 100 kilometres for most recent versions) to its target, to the point that the common joke is that two ships attacking each other with lances involve manoeuvring like a game of chicken. Gravitic Implosion Technology effects may be hindered by apposite shield systems developed in latter decades of the XXX century, but it cannot be completely stopped and made useless.

Jump piloting

A jump pilot is a spaceship pilot with a special bionic neural implants and special training allowing him or her to fly a spaceship through a wormhole. Jumpships, as ships capable of wormhole travel are referred to, require pilots who have both special training and a bionic neural implants connecting their brain with a special computer on the starship, permitting the passage through the wormholes. State-of-art jump pilot bionic neural implants are expensive devices, and the necessary training is at least as expensive as bionic neural implants, also because computers are inoperable during and immediately after jumps. The process of linking the human mind to a ship neural interface is very difficult; the Jump Pilot must get control of an extremely complex machine and bind it to its dictates. When the Jump Pilot is linked to a ship, he feels the ship's hull as if it was his own body: his hands become weapon arms, his senses are turned into sensors and his skin becomes the hull. This is an experience of supremacy and escape from human frailty that addicts every Jump Pilot to his or her link with a ship. The Jump Pilot is then able to command the ship intuitively. During this operation, the Jump Pilot does not lose conciousness of his own body, and is able to simultaneously move and act as normal within the cockpit.
Jump pilots are usually assigned to the jumpships; however when required they can fully pilot crafts which are not capable of jump travel. Most intra-system crafts can be interfaced with the bionic neural implants, although they are fully operable without these implants.

Neural Control Unit

A Neural Control Unit (NCU) is a device used to create a neurological interface between a human mind a piece of machinery and control it with thought alone. Neural Control Units are most commonly employed in jump piloting; a Neural Control Unit is more rarely used to operate weapons or devices mounted on the human body. The Neural Control Unit allows the user to instinctively and intuitively control the machine he or she is connected to, as if it were an extension of their own bodies, or to absorb digital information directly into the cerebral cortex.

Fleet command centre

The Fleet Command Centre is a special feature found exclusively on battleships and Vorbarr Sultana Class battlecruisers.
The command centre provides primary operational control of a task force or a fleet being its nerve centre, while the the ship itself and the light attack craft of the ship are controlled by the Command Bridge. It is where coordination between fleet elements and planning for fleet movements are done. In each command centre there are sensor displays, the master systems, and tactical computer terminal. The central area of the Command Centre provides space for the fleet operations console which can display above it a three-dimensional image of any region in space where ships of the task force are located, while the walls are filled with mission operations, intelligence, communications and other consoles. Stations of the fleet commander and of the fleet operations officer are next to the fleet operation console. Usually, the Command Centre is ovoid in shape from aft to forward and is adjacent to the Command Bridge.

Command bridge

The Command Bridge of a starship is the room from which the starship is commanded, directly supervising all primary mission operations and coordinated all departmental activities. When a starship is under way, the bridge is manned by an officer of the watch. During critical manoeuvres the captain is on the bridge, often supported by an officer of the watch, an sailor on the navigation and sometimes a pilot, if required. The command bridge is equipped with the commander's seat and with several consolles, in order to link the bridge with the other parts of the ship. Consolles are of two types: linking consolles, with mere liaision tasks, and operating consolles, tasked with directly executing the operation.

• Engineering Console: Engineering stations on the bridge of starships enable monitoring and control by the chief engineer from the bridge.
• Environmental Systems Console: The environment station was a console from which shipboard environmental operations are monitored and controlled.
• Weapons Stations: the weapons stations are of the primary stations found on the bridge of a starship. This stations allow the chief weapons officer and his subordinates to directly operate starship's weapons from the bridge.

Navigation and Flight Systems Station

The Navigation and Helm Station is among the most sensitive stations of the whole starship. The Flight Systems is responsible for controlling the flight operations of a ship and for controlling the ship during a landing sequence or docking procedure, including monitoring and projecting a vessel's course and velocity. The console also includes sensors to determine the position, speed and trajectory of other objects and ships.
The operator of the Navigation and Flight Systems Station is, on jumpships, always a jump-pilot with Neural Control Units implanted (see above).

Infirmary

Every space-borne installation or moving craft has at least an infirmary in order to treat ill or injured personnel. In an infirmary there are medical supplies, diagnostic equipment, sickbeds, some surgery rooms, suspended animation cryo-freezes to put a seriously ill or injured crewman until the ship can make him to port. On warships, the infirmary has its own separate life support system, as well as the Autodoc (once inside a medical computer diagnoses the patient and cures with the administration of appropriate medication and/or surgery under human supervision).

Medical support classification

The term "Echelon" is used to describe the stratification of the four tiers in which medical support is organised, on a progressive basis, to conduct treatment, evacuation, resupply, and functions essential to the maintenance of the health of the force. "Echelon" is defined on the basis of capabilities and resources, and is not specific to particular medical unit types. The treatment capability of each echelon is intrinsic at the higher level, e.g. an Echelon 3 facility will have the ability to carry out Echelon 2 functions. Each level of support has the responsibility to resupply and otherwise support the levels below them.

• Echelon 1 medical support: is integral or allocated to a small unit, and includes the capabilities for providing first aid, immediate life saving measures, and triage. Additionally, it contributes to the health and well-being of the unit through provision of guidance in the prevention of disease, non-battle injuries, and operational stress. Normally, routine sick call and the management of minor sick and injured personnel for immediate return to duty are a function of this level of care.
• Echelon 2 medical support: is normally provided at larger unit level, depending upon the operational requirements. In general, it is prepared to provide evacuation from Echelon 1 facilities, triage and resuscitation, treatment and holding of patients until they can be returned to duty or evacuated, emergency dental treatment and a lab. Though normally this level does not include advanced surgical capabilities, certain operations may require their augmentation with the capabilities to perform emergency surgery and essential post-operative management. In this case, they are referred to as Echelon 2+. A surgical team is integral to this echelon.
• Echelon 3 medical support: is normally provided on some major warships and on hospital ships. It includes additional capabilities, including specialist diagnostic resources, specialist surgical and medical capabilities, preventive medicine, at least a complete trauma centre every 100 crewmen, an intensive care unit every 50 crewmen, food inspection, pathology and blood laboratories, dentistry, and operational stress management teams when not provided at level 2. The holding capacity of a level 3 facility will be sufficient to allow diagnosis, treatment, and holding of those patients who can receive total treatment and be returned to duty within the evacuation policy laid. Classically, this support will be provided by field hospitals of various types. Some level 3 facilities (mostly hospital ships) also have a MED Unit, i.e. a large enclosed bed with attached medical support equipment in a sterile environment.
• Echelon 4 medical support: provides definitive care of patients for whom the treatment required is longer than the theatre evacuation policy or for whom the capabilities usually found at echelon 3 are inadequate. This would normally comprise specialist surgical and medical procedures, reconstruction, rehabilitation, and convalescence. This level of care is highly specialised and time consuming.

Spaceship types

Starships are manned spacecrafts capable of moving and, since XXVII century, of maintaining an artificial gravity in their interiors; spaceships are designed for interstellar travels and, since XXII century, jump-capable, and this distinguishes them from intra-system space vehicles, such as starfighters or interplanetary cargos. There are multiple types of vessels, ranging from lowly shuttles to small frigates, all the way through bulky industrials, up to large fighting vessels. Each of them has their own specific design, purpose and use. Drawing from wet navy traditions of both Earth and Barrayar, spaceships have individual names, and may belong to a ship class often named after its first ship. On Barrayar, a ship is traditionally referred to as "she", even if named after a man. Military spaceships are usually armed.
The names of ships are officially selected by the Emperor, often to honour important people or places. Additionally, each ship is given a letter-based hull classification symbol to indicate the vessel's type and number. All ships in the Imperial Service inventory are placed in the Vessel Register, which tracks data such as the current status of a ship, the date of its commissioning, and the date of its decommissioning.
The general tendency is of building massive 'door knocker' ships which have an high combat potential and the ability to deploy autonomous jump-travel, as opposed to the way of embarking armed vectors on a jumper. If the jump-capable ship is outnumbered, it and the ships that follow it can always jump back home if they're lucky, while jump-incapable carried vectors cannot do the same if the carrier is destroyed or damaged. However, the reluctance to employ heavy armed jump-incapable vectors apply only to ship-sized crafts, while starfighters, assault shuttles and interceptors are largely employed.
As a distinctive feature, dictated by security and precautionary concerns, Barrayaran ships’ internal architecture is partly intended to thwart mutinies which may occur, as well as hostile boardings.

Capital ships

Capital ships are ships that do not need the rest of the fleet to function, and can operate in a large-scale engagement independently of a fleet while being the main target of other capital ships. In the Barrayaran doctrine, all ships down to Cruisers are considered to be capital ships: they are some of the largest and most heavily armoured ships in a fleet.

Battleships

Starboard schematics of a Prince Serg-class battleship.

A battleship is a large warship with a main battery consisting of heavy weapons. As the largest sub-capital vessel, they are the backbone of the Barrayaran fleet, with battleships capable of filling different roles, also outside of direct ship-to-ship combat and space-control craft. Battleships are the backbone of the war fleet, able to swat down anything that comes at them except other battleships.
Battleships are larger, better armed and armoured than cruisers and destroyers but pay fewer attention to speed; battleships drive systems are extremely advanced, being Necklin complex-imagery drives. Battleships are a symbol of space dominance and national might, and are a major factor in both diplomacy and military strategy. Battleships are long-term deployments: this means that a large segment of these ships are dedicated to living and accommodation. The battleship’s capacity for logistical support, long-term spaces and heavy weapons make these spacecraft rather large.
Battleships are large vessels that are designed for maximum firepower and survivability, with little concern for speed: they are ships with so much defences and weapons that they can move only (relatively) slowly. As a result, they have great energy and crew requirements, with power and propulsion systems taking up a large portion of the hull’s volume. Battleships are specialized in long-term deployments, which means that an equally large segment of these ships are dedicated to living and accommodation. Combining these two factors with a battleship’s capacity for logistical support has made this class of vessel rather large overall.
Battleships have a network of interconnected corridors that weave through the hull. Multiple life support systems exist independent of one another, each covering separate areas of the vessel. In the event of hull breach, such areas can be easily isolated. Similarly, each weapon hardpoint or spaceship engine has its own dedicated engineering section, which is connected to the primary capacitor core in the heart of the vessel. There is usually one deck dedicated to accommodation or recreation, in addition to crew quarters in specific areas (such as in engineering, where rapid response is required to an emergency). Large cargo bays are prevalent on battleships, necessary for carrying ammunition and logistical supplies, as well as sometimes troops and their supplies.
For the senior officer corps on board, an entire section of a Battleship's command deck may be divided into large quarters. Lower-class officers and chief petty officers have fairly large, moderately comfortable quarters, and the mid-class crewmen and petty officers all have decent accommodation, generally consisting of a sleeping area, chemical toilet and storage locker. However, the bottom-class enlisted conscripts and ratings have ten-sized quarters.
The Imperial Service currently deploys 15 battleships and a museum-ship, the HMS Prince Serg. A battleship is mostly deployed along with a host of additional vessels, forming a battlegroup. The supporting ships, which usually include three or four cruisers, a frigate, and two attack destroyers or even corvettes, are tasked with protecting the battleship from threats as well as providing additional strike capabilities themselves. Ready logistics support for the group is provided by a supply ship, while the tactical support is provided by two or more fast couriers.
The main peacetime task of a battleship, with the severe exception of major commands flagships, is to lead the escort convoys protecting the Komarran trade fleets. During wartime, a battleship can perform three main tasks: leading a space squad/flotilla in autonomous tactical or strategic actions, operating without any other support or forming a narrow battlegroup with other battleships or battlecruisers. In active service there are three main classes:

• Prince Serg class (codename: BB-11S): the class is the oldest still in service, being in service since 2920, at the time of Hagen Hub Crisis. The Prince Serg class is one of the classes who ended and crowned the great renovation of the Barrayaran military under Count Aral Vorkosigan's rule, replacing older and slower dreadnoughts. Currently there is only one starship of this class still in commission, the HMS Prince Xav, assigned to ceremonial roles. At the time of its launching, and still for 20 years, the Prince Serg-class was designed with diplomacy as well as war in mind, a ship fit to carry the Emperor on state visits without loss of military efficiency: the class mounts the biggest, longest ranged Grav Imploder Lances capable to be gained around 2920s. In later decades weaponry of each ship was repeatedly upgraded, until the launch of Admiral Vorkosigan class, in late 2980s, which replaced the Prince Serg class.
• Emperor Dorca class (codename: BB-42T): the Emperor Dorca class is the most numerous battleship class currently serving the Barrayaran space instrument. All Numbered Fleet flagships are Emperor Dorca class battleships. The Imperial Service has 10 battleship of this class in commission:
  • HMS Emperor Dorca, HMS Vorbarra District, HMS Imperium, HMS Emperor Ezar, HMS Armsman, HMS Midwinter, HMS Admiral Kanzian, HMS Admiral Vorrutyer, HMS Vordarian District, HMS Captain Illyan.
• Admiral Vorkosigan class (codename: BB-53K): the class is the newest battleship class and it is scheduled to reach ten battleships prior the 3015. All command (SPABAR, SPAKOM, SPASER, EXPRES) flagships are Admiral Vorkosigan class battleships. Five-point proportions are: 10% maneuver, 25% offense, 25% defence, 22% command&control and 18% strategic endurance. Vorkosigan-class battleships are built according the same intent used for the Prince Serg-class, i.e. having both diplomacy and combat in mind: in order to achieve such a result, these ships have advanced diplomatic capabilities; they have enough quarters to house 50 diplomatic guests, at 250 square metres each, a conference hall complex for 300 guests, a 40 seat briefing room, 50 independent communications facilities. Currently there are 4 ship of this class in commission with other 5 already planned or in construction:
  • HMS Admiral Vorkosigan (SPABAR flagship), HMS Vorkosigan District (SPAKOM flagship), HMS Admiral Vorkalloner (SPASER flagship), HMS Admiral Valentine (EXPRES flagship).

Ships of this size are also extremely expensive to operate. As a result, the few battleships are typically reserved as commanding admirals' flagships. Battleships are typically kept out of active duty during peacetime and only sent to first line during times of conflict. Spending time in ordinary could considerably extend a battleship's lifespan. Generally, the experience and service records of crew assigned to battleships vary. Nevertheless, serving aboard a battleship is usually considered an honour and a prestigious opportunity, and as such any inexperienced or rookie crew members assigned to the core ship systems tend to be either naturally skilful or superior to their peers, or simply better connected.

In a sense, battleships are the doctrinal embodiment of space power. While the work of escorting, blockading, and raiding might be done by cruisers or smaller vessels, the presence of the battleship is a potential threat to any convoy escorted by any vessels other than capital ships. The concept of "potential threat" can be further generalized to the mere existence (as opposed to presence) of a powerful fleet. This suggests that even for inferior or medium naval powers a battleship fleet could have important strategic effect. Battleships are the largest and most complex, and hence the most expensive warships. As a result, the value of investment in battleships has always been contested. The presence of battleships had a great psychological and diplomatic impact, serving to enhance a nation's force projection.
In order to counter threats coming from smaller vessels, a battleship or battleship fleet is tied to be protected by destroyers. For major powers, battleship doctrine emphasises the concentration of the battlegroup. In order for this concentrated force to be able to bring its power to bear on a reluctant opponent, battleships operate surrounded by squadrons of destroyers and cruisers. For medium powers, able to field an handful of battlehsips, the doctrine emphasises their role as flagships.

Battlecruisers

Battlecruisers are large capital ships closely linked to battleships. They are similar in size and cost to a battleship, but battlecruisers sacrifice armour protection in exchange for higher speed; battlecruisers are also the largest warships to being optimized for Necklin simple-imagery drive systems. A battlecruiser therefore is a ship meant to be able to outrun anything it can't outgun. Battlecruisers are designed for ship-to-ship combat and endurance, and are notably diverse in their capabilities, with a secondary role in fleet command and communication. They have a wider engagement profile than most battleships. The role of battleships and battlecruisers are related to the deep space. While the battleship maintains its role has the king of the combat warships and the pride of the space fleet, the battlecruiser is an heavily armed, but more lightly shielded warship that has a greater range over its larger battle-brothers and can serve as a long-range patrol vessel in hostile zones of space.
Battlecruisers seek to combine firepower, speed and defences, while remaining adaptable and flexible to a variety of combat situations. They are also designed with long endurance in mind, and therefore are perfect for solo operations, being the real Capital ships other than battleships. Battlecruisers and battleships, thus, often act as the heavy hitters in a fleet; they are the main combatants and are protected by other vessels such as cruisers and destroyers. Battlecruisers have plenty of space for its various crew sections, with engineering areas can take up multiple decks, while gunnery and combat stations are dispersed across the vessel. The dedication to combat systems, however, means that the corridors are not quite like the concourses found on battleships, and are only slightly larger than the passageways found on cruisers. On some deployments, battlecruisers can be outfitted with additional communication and command systems without sacrificing their firepower or offense. This is common when a battlecruiser is deployed with a squadron of smaller vessels or a wider fleet.
The Imperial Service currently deploys 50 battlecruisers in active service, in addition to 23 older ships in reserve and in addition to 15 ships planned or in construction. In peacetime, a battlecruiser is principally used to provide the flagship to escort convoys spread through the Nexus or to squads patrolling the wormholes between Barrayar and Komarr, between Komarr and Sergyar and between Komarr and the permitted wormholes towards the Hagen Hub, replacing battleships, although the battlecruisers can also be employed alone. In wartime, the battlecruisers are used as fast and hard-hitting addition to a battleship battle group or to form battlecruisers-only battle groups.

• General Vorkosigan Class (codename: CC-23W; 15 ships);
• Emerald Class (codename: CC-22J; 14 ships);
• Black Reach Class (codename: CC-91D; 10 ships);
• Vorbarr Sultana Class (codename: CC-11A; 11 ships).

Battlecruisers have all some limited diplomatic facilities, in order to provide a comfortable housing to diplomats: they are usually equipped with a dedicated diplomatic section, consisting of 5 quarters at 50 square metres each, a conference hall complexes for 30 guests and a 15 seat briefing room; Battlecruisers are designed to host an Echelon 3+ medical support. Battlecruisers are heavy battleships, and it is rare the presence of more than four or five such ships from a single power in a foreign star system at the same time.

Vorbarr Sultana class battlecruiser

The Vorbarr Sultana class is one of the very newer Barrayaran classes which are heavily biased toward the combat-support role. The ships carry an extremely heavy armament. An unusual feature of the Vorbarr Sultana Class is the hangar bay arrangements. There are two large shuttle bays in the front section, one at the forward edge and one almost at the middle of the hull. These are linked together through the centre of the ship, allowing large numbers of launch and landing operations to be handled simultaneously. During combat operations these ships often serve as fighter/interceptor carriers; in this role they can carry up to one hundred attack fighters, although a load of thirty six fighters and a dozen utility craft is more usual.
Heavy weapons of this class include the standard plasma cannons set, as well as a powerful array of combined maser and gravitic imploder pulse cannons. Defence systems of the Vorbarr Sultana class are the standard shield system, for a total capacity of almost 2 millions TeraSutt, i.e. almost 2 billions TeraJoules. As physical armour there is the standard Plast-steel hull. Five-point proportions are: 18% maneuver, 22% offense, 19% defence, 17% command&control and 24% strategic endurance.

Cruisers

A General Vorhartung-class (refit) cruiser in flight, seen from starboard.

A cruiser is a mid-sized warship size, smaller than a battleship or a battlecruiser, but larger than a destroyer or an old frigate: cruisers are able to operate independently but are commonly seen within a fleet. Given their size, large enough to be battle-worthy and at the same time still manoeuvrable, the role of cruisers varies greatly according to ship and context, often including escort, group patrol, independent missions, commerce raiding and orbital assault; however, cruisers are not commonly used in front-line assaults of an enemy fleet, because this role is better left to other ships. Although cruiser do not possess the autonomy level of battleships, these spacecrafts are capable of prolonged deployments in deep space; cruisers are mostly designed to host an Echelon 3 medical support. An average cruiser has a crew of about 180, including some security teams. Rapid response and garrison cruisers tend to utilize a smaller crew (usually 80-90), using only the crew needed to fulfil its primary functions and few others. These crews tend to be gunners, engineers, and navigators, with command staff as needed; on the other hand, long-range patrol ships tend to carry more crew to fill other functions, to ease rotations, and cover for cases of sickness or injury. Often, Mount Eyesore Class light cruisers are assigned to flotilla leader roles.
The Imperial Service operates 135 cruisers in active service, in addition to 83 older ships in reserve and in addition to 40 ships planned or in construction. The newest class is Seligrad Class, currently operating only two vessels: HMS Seligrad and HMS Star River.

• General Vorhartung Class Refit (codename: CB-99I; 3 ships);
• Dendarii Class (codename: CA-86S; 67 ships);
• General Pierre Vorrutyer (codename: CB-66X; 51 ships);
• Mount Eyesore Class (codename: CL-44R; 12 ships);
• Seligrad Class (codename: CL-14H; 2 ships).

Newer classes are part of the new belief that smaller, faster, more maneuverable starships are needed to better serve Barrayaran military needs. Many rookie crews are assigned to work cruisers.

Destroyers

In Barrayaran terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship designed to provide escort to capital ships in a larger fleet. However, a destroyer is also capable of independent operations, such as secondary space and wormhole patrolling: such ships were designated as Frigates until 2980s, while smaller vessels were classified as Corvettes until 2970s.
Lighter Destroyers are where larger ships with more firepower are not deemed necessary (such as low-risk areas) or where a larger ship would be unsuitable for deployment. In large-scale operations smaller destroyers would be used to lay down or destroy minefields, uncover stealth ships or for dispatching already crippled vessels. Fleet destroyers operate in support of battle groups, line action and replenishment groups, often led by Mount Eyesore Class light cruisers.
Generally, destroyers have a crew significantly smaller than cruisers (40-60), with the ship’s quarters designed to accommodate half of the required personnel; most Destroyers are designed to host an Echelon 2 or 2+ medical support. Officers share their cabins in rotation, though the captain has his own quarters, as per tradition.
The Imperial Service operates 530 destroyers in active service, in addition to 120 older ships in reserve and in addition to 159 ships planned or in construction: therefore, destroyers are the largest part of the Barrayaran space forces. There are only four destroyer classes, with the Shining Class being quite old and the Buzzard Class its intended replacement.

• Shining Class (codename: DD-83L; 202 ships);
• Buran Class (codename: DD-21P; 152 ships);
• Solstice Class (codename: DD-19C; 130 ships);
• Buzzard Class (codename: DE-39E; 40 ships).

As destroyers are built for combat, there is little need for additional capacity for passengers and diplomatic facilities. As with old frigates, only experienced or highly-trained crew are enlisted onto destroyers.

Shining Class Destroyer

The Shining Class has become one of the most long-lived and well-loved designs found throughout the Space Forces. Sturdy, capable, inexpensive and easily mass-produced, the basic Shining design incorporates successful subsystems and design elements from previous vessels while also introducing new systems and construction philosophies that have made it a major backbone of the Barrayaran fleet since its introduction. The basic Shining was in fact the product of a nearly 20-years long design project. The concept was first proposed in the late 2940s, with designers charged with balancing combat capability and resource management. A number of specialized subsystems were developed as well as new power transfer systems and computer controls. Lessons learned during the numerous conflicts with neighbours lead the Barrayaran bureaus to harden a number of onboard systems, giving the initial design significant robustness when in combat. Officially adopted into the fleet in 2951, the Shining was already well into wide-scale production by the time the first ships were commissioned. The Type-1 used the DY-2w as its main computer system. This allowed the installation of separate beam-weapon emplacements, giving the Shining significant firepower for its size. The forward and aft banks allowed the concentration of significant firepower during strafing runs. Only the primary shields were considered underpowered at the time of launch. However, the Shinings rarely operate alone, giving commanders the ability to englobe and enemy, reducing their ability to concentrate their firepower. But the Shining class is not without it’s faults. The Type-1 Shining suffered from sensor difficulties with reduced range and accuracy a common problem. While combat sensors were accurate, other sensor systems proved less accurate and required the vessel to close with their intended targets to get truly accurate reading.
The Type-2 would see a significant gain in power with the introduction of a new jump-drive as the primary power system. The Type-2 saw the replacement of the computer with more advanced systems. This allowed the introduction of better weapon power transfer subsystems; it would be the installation of the vastly superior main shield system that would make the Type-2 the added value to frontline engagement. Unfortunately, the Type-2 was more difficult to build, increasing construction times by nearly 8 months: almost as long as an heavy cruiser.
The Type-3 would be introduced in 2956 and is still considered the best version of the Shining to date. The Type-3 sees the introduction of several streamlining procedures that allowed the decision to retrofit older Type-1s to the new Type-3 configuration. The Type-3 incorporates the improved CI-4r computers, as well as the last weapon systems. The Type-3 is not the most powerful, but the most efficient and balanced version. Cheap enough to mass produce yet capable enough to remain the primary destroyer vessel of Barrayar, the Type-3 remains in active service despite its age.

Buzzard-Class heavy attacks destroyer

A Buzzard-class heavy attack destroyer with her front gravitic implosion pulse cannons out, ready for fire.

Heavy attacks destroyers, commonly nicknamed "gunships", are spacecrafts designed to perform a limited and very specialized military role, i.e. attacks and assaults against heavily defended battleships or battle stations, although if necessary such vessels can perform escort duty. While having defences/weapons arrays comparable to the battlecruiser or even to battleship's ones, a "gunship" has a far greater manoeuvrability, although it has none of the auxiliary scientific or diplomatic facilities which capital vessels usually have or may equipped with. Such ships are designed around massive firepower and survivability and utilize redundant systems in order to improve their capability to receive fire: all individual craft systems and functions are to have backups in the case of failure.
Due to the high manoeuvrability, the reduced required crew and their small size, they are classed as a destroyer variant, although they are significantly faster than true destroyers and have a smaller crew (usually up to 30); however, gunships are still slower than fast couriers. An additional ability of the newest gunship classes is atmospheric entry and landing: they can enter planetary atmospheres with impunity.
Heavy attacks destroyers or equivalent ships have always been present within the Barrayaran fleet, since its modern beginnings, also due to the need to save resources and materials. Since last years of the XXIX century, a new attention has been paid to the gunships concept, because the minor political cost to obtain the passage rights from foreign powers. Gunships are normally found operating in small hunter packs without an heavier (and slower) flagship, although, due to their size and relative autonomy, their strategic role is a strictly defensive one. Five-point proportions are: 27% maneuver, 28% offense, 25% defence, 10% command&control and 10% strategic endurance.
Currently, the Imperial Service operates 40 Heavy Attacks Destroyers, of the newly launched Buzzard Class. The Buzzard Class was initiated in late 2980 as a test bench programme and was successfully implemented in order to provide a fast-and-hard response to any threat had surpassed jump-points. The design incorporates several new weapons concepts, including the gravitic implosion pulse cannons, as well still powerful weapons, such as maser cannons. The design is aimed to produce a small, tough, simple to build vessel packing the maximum possible level of firepower. The Buzzard Class is a compact and boxy ship, and the central body is a three deck block with the a single deck bridge mounted on the top; wormhole Necklin rods are mounted on the central body's sides. Although not an especially fast ship by contemporary standards, the Buzzard Class is far more manoeuvrable than any vessel of comparable size at both wormhole and normal space travel, and she is the smallest ship to be designed for Necklin simple-imagery drive systems. This, combined with her resistance and with the high level of firepower, makes the ship a significant fighter vessel.
The armament of the Buzzard Class gunship is very impressive for a ship of her size: one maser cannon (front), two batteries of gravitic pulse cannons (two cannons each, rear and front), which are the direct evolution of the gravitic lances, two plasma cannons (front) and four torpedo tubes, capable to fire advanced nuclear missiles and space mines to crush enemy shields. Also the defence systems are designed only for high-intensity combat: the standard system is replaced by an auto-modulated shield, even overpowering medium cruisers.

Fast couriers, corvettes and other auxiliary vessels

The very fastest jumpships are the auxiliary vessels as couriers, heavy interceptors, scouts and pinnaces, which are used to perform a quietly wide array of purposes. To avoid that sensitive or relevant material and documents have the risks of being de-scrambled by others, which is a risk when messages are sent on coded beam-communications, and do not want them sent by a slow freighter either. In most cases fast couriers and jump-pinnaces are small spacecrafts, with very cramped quarters and living spaces, much faster than most cargo ships and fairly heavily armed. Unlike other types of ships, fast couriers and scouts are used mainly by the Imperial Security, in order to move diplomatic documents or field agents; however also the Space Forces Command deploys them in a large number, to operate as perimeter wardens.
Some couriers can also take off and land like shuttles, for maximum speed in getting from one planetary surface to another. A courier (or "Fast Courier" as it is named by the official military designation) can outrun any other warship; if taken by surprise, it has a good chance of surviving an hit or even two. Fast couriers are 3-crew ships, designed to carry very few passengers: most classes have only one passenger room and the wardroom is little more than a lobby between the commander's room and the guest's one, as well as an Echelon 1 medical support. An average fast courier can make a 2 AU run in roughly 15 hours.
Aside of couriers and pinnaces, secondary jump-capable warships include corvettes and patrol vessels (although pinnaces and interceptors may be included in this category). Corvettes are the smallest fighting units, and areused for short-haul and short-persistence scenarios, against significant threats; new corvettes are significantly smaller than those classified as such before 2970s. Patrol vessels, on the contrary, are not considered strictu sensu "fighting units", and as such they employed against poor military relevance threats, but in need of long range and high speed. Corvettes and patrol vessels are not included into line formations, but are organised into Pursuit and Patrol Groups. A Pursuit Group is a formation consisting of twelve corvettes operating in three flights of four ships each, usually based at a starbase; the Patrol Group is a formation consisting of twelve patrol vessels operating in three flights of four ships each, usually based at a starbase. The vast majority of corvettes are employed by the regional commands.
Cutters are employed mainly by the Space Surveillance Command; while lightly armed, the mission of cutters is busting traffickers, preventing infiltration, rescue operations, inspections and investigation of space junk and hulks. Such ships generally do not have jump capacity and have limited crews, drones, and probes; most of the modern cutters are built on the same hulls of deep-space patrol vessels and operate in concert with a sensor network and unmanned long-range probes. If the need is desperate, cutters could be pressed into emergency duty. Often these patrol class starships are the beginning or end of someone’s career. During times of war, light warships may be deployed as early warning/interception unit to hold down enemy ships until the taskforce can arrive.

Sinuous-class fast courier

The Sinuous class enhanced fast courier was born in 2994, when the project managers were appointed to develop a fast courier that would meet the technical requirements current. The result was a ship that departs from the traditional requirements for a fast courier, being slightly slower and slightly more heavily armed, but nevertheless manages to fulfil the typical functions of the category. This class has two decks, with an ordinary crew of 15. The generator is based on M/AM technology, and feeds all major systems. The secondary systems are also powered by the base generator, and have dedicated generators. The Sinuous class, unlike the other classes of fast courier, can perform operations not only in low orbit, but also in atmosphere. Defensive systems are slightly heavier than those of a fast courier: in addition to energy (plasma mirror and laser swallower) and mass shields, a Sinuous-class fast courier is equipped with MS-500 shields, able to offer limited protection against gravitic lances; offensive systems consist mainly of a high-power plasma cannon. The wardroom (deck 1) can be configured as a stellar cartography section. Crew quarters are small and functional: the commander has a studio with a bath cabin, while the other crewmen have rooms for two people with a bath cabin. The eight quarters are mainly on deck 2 and in part on the deck 1. Five-point proportions are: 40% maneuver, 15% offense, 20% defence, 10% command&control and 15% strategic endurance.

STR-704 type freighter

STR-704 type freighters are the most used mass cargo vessel within the Imperial Service. Only a small fraction of these is operated by commands reporting to the Space Forces Command, being the favourite vector of both Logistic Command and Transportations Command. The Imperial Service as a whole operates more than 1,200 STR-704 type freighters in order to supply operational space assets. Such freighters are ordinarily unarmed, although they can be easily equipped with some heavy weapons. STR-704 type freighters are appreciated for their speed abilities, which are significantly higher than those of similarly sized freighters and cargoes.
Differently from the warship typical outline, it is squat and relatively compact, like most of freighters or cargo ships. The unmodified STR-704 type freighter is a bundle of nine huge parallel cylinders: the central-most devoted to personnel and weapons systems, six of the outer eight are devoted to freight. The remaining two nacelles, opposite each other in the outer ring, house the ship's Necklin rods. Normal-space engines are housed behind, linked to the central cylinder, while mass deflector shield are located in front of the same cylinder. The STR-704 can rotate around its central axis to bring each outer cylinder in order to align with the lock for loading or unloading of containers.

ETR-560 type freighter

ETR-560 type freighters are used as general purpose cargo carriers, used both civilian and military fleets. It is a modular design, with a power system and normal space engines in a rear section and the crew quarters, computer systems and bridge in the front section, just behind mass deflectors. Necklin rods are located just under the main hull. Between the two sections of the main hull is anything from one to five cargo sections, each of which carries ten storage pods. The standard pod is capable of carrying normal cargo items, but pods designed for bulk ores, liquids, and frozen items are also available. Front and rear sections are connected by a relatively thin central spine; in order to fit with the modular design, each cargo pod has a spine module built in, to enable the plugging of several modules.
Although most cargo vessels are unarmed, they can be equipped with a relatively light plasma weaponry in order to defend against low intensity threats such as mercenaries, pirates and raiders; however ETR-560 type freighters are not expected to go beyond the Barrayaran borders outside merchant convoys. The ship has only light shielding and no armour of any kind. The ETR-560 type freighter has been out of production since late 2980s, and over two thousand remain in service.

Foskov-Class bulk transport

The Foskov-class transport is the bulk transport vessel used by the Logistic Command (LOGCOM) and by the Transportation Command (TRANSCOM). Only seldom these vessels are used by the Space Forces Command. The name of Foskov class is derived from Field Secured Container Vessels, whose design is somewhat inspired to the ETR-560 type freighter.

Utility Pod

Utility Pods are very small space craft used for building and maintenance in situations where repair drones cannot be employed for accuracy or other reasons. Most models are spherical, barely fitting one or two people, and are equipped with thin walls, manipulator arms, some thrusters and other customizable construction tools. Newest types have a built-in life support system, and can even in an atmosphere, although not in heavy gravity conditions. They are used to build space stations and ships, are almost always found at construction yards, and one or to could be attached to a ship for extravehicular transport or minor repair work. The common OPT-468 personnel pod-type can transport personnel and small cargo from ship to ship, but lacks any manipulators. Occasionally, Utility Pods can be armed and armoured for limited space combat or light security.

Patrol vessel

Analogous to gunboats, although smaller, this craft are usually very small, relatively fragile, and are used as Space Surveillance Command ships and/or for harassment. They are led by a WO or by a junior officer, but in this case is almost always the first command. Some classes and types may be upgraded to become fast attack craft, i.e. heavily armed ships, often with anti-ship missiles or guns. They maintain the speed, agility, and low cost, but retain also their fragility and lack of endurance. These units use extensively the modularity concept.
The deep-space patrol vessels are the among the tiniest ship in the Barrayaran fleet that are large and robust enough to patrol in the deep space. The main features are the long endurance and their capability to sustain operations also without an immediate support. Differently from destroyers and/or cruisers on patrol duty, those patrol vessels operate almost only in permissive environments, without patrolling hostile or even non-permissive environments.

Troopship

Troopships are space vessels used to transport troops from other spaceborne craft (often unsuitable for sustained combat, if any) to a planet or a landing zone; such ships are the frontline in almost any invasion or other military mass land deploying. The Imperial Service basically operates two troopships types. LSD-915 type-troopships are the larger class and they can carry a whole battle-ready armoured Regiment or other troops which require an analogous space; they also carry heavy shuttles in order to actually land troops it carries. On the other hand, smaller HRN-019 type-troopships have the ability to actually land on a planet and directly deploy their assigned forces. Each HRN-019 type-troopship is designed in order to carry a battle-ready mechanized battalion per voyage.

Ship naming conventions

The Imperial Service uses the following convention for spaceship naming. In the Imperial Service a class is always named after the lead ship, that is, the first ship of the class to be approved by the Council of Counts. The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The lead ship almost always has the lowest hull number of her class.

Battleships

Barrayaran battleships are named after:

• Ground and Space Battles
• Royals
• Traditional names
• Provinces (Actual Districts and Geographical subdivisions)
• Admirals
• Barrayaran major cities

Cruisers

Barrayaran cruisers are named after

• Generals
• Cities
• Mythical figures
• Gemstones
• Mountains
• Rivers

Destroyers

Barrayaran destroyers are named after:

• Adjectives
• Weather
• Birds of prey
• Fish or sea animals
• Komarran and Sergyaran major cities
• Places of scenic beauty

Fast couriers and auxiliary vessels

Barrayaran fast couriers and major auxiliary vessels are named after:

• Lakes
• Barrayaran Ocean currents
• Islands and peninsulas
• Minor geographical subdivisions
• Komarran and Barrayaran minor cities
• Smaller birds of prey (corvettes)
• Bridge or station on the arterial road (cargo ships, salvage ships)
• Subject scientsts (research ships)
• Naval officers (training ships)

Minor auxiliary crafts are identified by an hull number.

Ship launching

The Ceremonial ship launching is the process of transferring a vessel to the space deeps. On Barrayar, the tradition has been absorbed by other space powers, as well as by ancient naval traditions. If the launched ship is at least a destroyer, it is a public celebration and a solemn blessing. Ship launching involves many superstitions intended to invite good luck, such as christening by breaking a sacrificial bottle of precious win (or other precious alcoholic beverage) over the hull as the ship is named aloud and formally launched.
A godfather for the new ship presents a godmother with a bouquet of flowers as both said the ship's name before the guests. Usually, the godparents are an high ranking officer and his spouse, but, if the ship construction involved Vors or other civilians, they may be invited to be the godparents along their spouses. Godfathers of major warships are customarily members of the Imperial family.
Following the formal saying of the ship's name, the master shipbuilder traditionally presents the crafting of a special axe for the new vessel; and after the launching ceremony, he present the axe to the vessel's first commander as a commemorative gift. The axe is used to cut the rope which tethers the wine bottle to the place where it is kept before being launched onto the ship.
The launching, especially if the ship is a battleship or a battlecruiser, is shown live, and usually a great concourse of people is assembled in city squares, at least on Barrayar and Sergyar. On Komarr, large crowds assemble only in largest cities, while in minor domes there is a great interest only if the ship has been built in the local shipyard. In addition to the ceremonial breaking of a wine bottle on the hull, the godfather remains in contact with the ship's crew and is involved in special events such as homecomings.

Ship roles and related ranks

Ships operate for months, sometimes years, out of communication with home. A Captain is personally responsible for every nut, bolt, and person aboard. He is responsible for maintenance, training, condition, survival, of the vessel. Thus, the ship is the heart of the spaceborne craft, and the Captain and his command staff are the nerve centre of the entity. A space craft is often dubbed as a city-state, sufficient unto itself, capable of performing varied missions. Therefore, each rank carries out its own very specific responsibilities.

Rank	Small craft (Fast couriers et sim.)	Minor vessels	Smaller ships-of-the-line	Major ships-of-the-line	Battle Groups Space stations	Task Forces Segment	Numbered Fleets	Component Fleet
Ensign	Departmental head	Assistant departmental head	Member of department
Lieutenant	Command	Departmental head	Assistant departmental head	Member of department
Lieutenant Commander	Command		Departmental head	Assistant departmental head	Member of department
Commander	Command			Departmental head	Assistant departmental head	Member of department
Captain (Naval)	Command				Chief of Staff	Departmental head	Assistant departmental head	Member of department
Commodore	-	Command				Chief of Staff	Departmental head	Assistant departmental head
Rear Admiral	-		Command				Chief of staff	Departmental head
Vice Admiral	-						Command	Chief of Staff
Admiral	-							Command

Officers arrive at their first naval command in the rank of Lieutenant, after obtaining the required qualification at the "Space Command School"; the admission to the qualification course takes place from about 11 years after the entry into the Academy. The assigment of units is affected by many factors, including the ranking position and the score obtained in the Space Command School. Basically the most prestigious units are fast couriers, corvettes and patrol vessels, followed by minesweepers and various auxiliary units. The type of spacecraft commanded can say already well on the future career of an officer.
A deeply rooted tradition in the Space Forces is the manner of address for officers assigned to the Space Forces: officers who have obtained the Command School qualification are referred to, at least in space contexts, as "Commander Surname", while other space-assigned officers, who are not Space Command-qualified, are referred to as "Mister Surname" or "Lord Vor-surname".

Internal ship subdivision

A chain of command is maintained on-board each vessel, depending on its size and purpose, and it involves the warrant officers, the non commissioned officers and the other, enlisted ranks, which have relevance only within a ship-related system. Generally the ship is divided up into functional units:

• Work centre: the Work Centre is a group of sailors that concentrate on one specific operation or piece of equipment that they maintain and practice with. Within an Auxiliaries division, there may be work centres that deal with Air Conditioning, Water Distilling, Steering Gear, etc. It depends entirely on the equipment installed and the role of the ship. The commander ranges from an experienced sailor to a senior enlisted.
• Division: the Division is a group of sailors devoted to one specific aspect of the ship's operations, with a warrant officer or senior enlisted for leadership. For example, within an Engineering department there may be divisions devoted to Main Propulsion, Electrical, Auxiliaries, or Repair. The commander depends heavily on size, but usually led by a Warrant Officer.
• Department: the Department is a portion of the ship's officers and crew devoted to a particular broad aspect of the ship's operations, such as Engineering, Combat Systems, Operations, Weapons, Supply, etc as per the ship's role. The commander is, depending on size, from an Ensign all the way to a Commander on very large ships. An exception is the Command Staff, which is considered to be a Ship Department: the Command Staff is headed by the ship commander, and therefore the department head may have higher ranks.
  

Barrayaran ships use the Barrayaran day. The 1,602 minutes-long day is therefore divided into 9 watches, each lasting 178 minutes. The nine watches are grouped into three duty sections. The first officer is responsible for creating the "watch bill" for all crew members. This is a document specifying the watch rotation for the crew, it tells the crew who has to be where and when. The Ship Watch bill is composed of department watch bills created by the department heads. There is a different watch bill depending upon whether the ship is in space or on a planet.
Watches have each a different name:

1. First watch;
2. Mid watch;
3. Second watch;
4. Morning watch;
5. Forenoon watch;
6. Afternoon watch;
7. First Dog watch;
8. Second Dog watch;
9. Last Dog watch.

At the end of their watch, a crewman waits until they are relieved by the crewman in the next watch. The first crewman tells the second that "all is well".

Command Staff

The Command Staff is administratively considered to be the main and foremost of the Ship Departments; it is tasked with overall, tactical and strategic ship management. The head of the Command Staff is the ship commander or, in case of a flagship, the ship's Executive Officer. The Department is also the less numerous department on board of a ship, including two to three Officers and an handful of troops (up to five).

Commanding officer

The commanding officer is the officer in command of a space vessel. The Commanding officer has ultimate authority over the spacecraft, and he is given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law. In this respect, commanding officer has significant responsibilities (for example, the use of force, finances, equipment), duties (to higher authority, mission effectiveness, duty of care to personnel) and powers (for example, discipline and punishment of personnel within certain limits of military law).
"Commanding Officer" is the official title of the commander of any ship, unit or installation. However, they are referred to as "the Captain" no matter what their actual rank, or informally as "Skipper". If the spacecraft is a flagship, he is referred to as "Executive Officer", the nominal commander being the flag officer.
A captain is the space officer in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with military law. All persons on board, including officers and crew, other shipboard staff members, guests and pilots, are under the captain's authority and are his ultimate responsibility. The captain commands and manages all ship's personnel, and is in charge of the ship's accounting, payrolls, and inventories. The captain is responsible for maintaining the ship's certificates and documentation and for compliance with the vessel's security plan. The captain is responsible for responding to and reporting in case of accidents and incidents, and in case of injuries and illness among the ship's crew and passengers. Among ship commanders, there is a clear, albeit unwritten, hierarchy; the top is held by battlecruisers and battleships commanders, who are considered holding the most prestigious and desirable appointments. Battlecruisers commanders vary in their background and experience, with former battleship captains filling in for particularly slow battlecruisers in a sort of demotion, while more agile vessels may require captains with experience in the command of smaller vessels.
Commanders on battleships need extensive experience in managing large volumes of personnel. While it is perfectly possible to defer duties and responsibilities down the very large chain-of-command, only few commanders can survive under the pressure of the survival of several thousand people. Command of a battleship is almost compulsory for ascension to flag rank, and also alone it is considered a desirable end of a quite successful military career.
Ship commanders, assuming their commands, receive the "Navigation Letters Patent", an official commission of the Emperor to operate a Barrayaran spacecraft in space.
A Ship commander, who is also formally the head of the command department, is assisted by a low-ranking soldier as Yeoman, charged of clerical or menial works. It is to note that the Yeoman is not the Commander's aide-de-camp, even if the nominal commander is an Admiral.

First Officer

The title of First Officer is formally used in the Imperial Service: he is responsible for the management of day-to-day activities, such as maintenance and logistics, freeing the commander to concentrate on tactical planning and execution and ensuring the orders from the CO is carried out by the crew. The First Officer also takes charge in the absence of the Commanding Officer. While the experience gained as First Officer is highly beneficial for an officer's professional development, it is not a necessary prerequisite for a command position.

Second Officer

The Second Officer is responsible for taking command of the spacecraft when both the Commanding Officer and First Officer are off-duty, incapacitated, or otherwise unable. He is often a department head (while on battlecruisers, battleships and Space stations he is a distinct officer), and thus is much less involved in the duties required of day-to-day command.

Mission Assistant

The Mission Assistant advises the Commander on mission-specific areas of importance. Many times, the Mission Assistant is a member of the Imperial Service, but it may be a member of another security organisation, a civilian or even a foreigner. The Mission Assistant often knows just as much about the mission as the Commander and First Officer do, if not even more. He (or she) also performs mission-specific tasks, and can take on any roles that a mission requires him (or her) to do.

Command bridge

The Command bridge is the primary command centre of a starship. It is from here that the Captain has control of the functions of his ship and its crew. The executive officer and the operations chief generally sit to the captain's left.
The standard bridge module of Barrayaran starships includes the chairs of senior officers at the middle of the room: ahead of the command officers is the navigation and helm station. Despite many of these functions being heavily automated, their critical nature demanded a neural-integrated human officer to conduct these operations at all times. Flanking the navigation and helm station, are Operations and Tactical Stations. The rear of the bridge comprise the the Engineering Station, the Security Bridge Station, and various auxiliary console stations. The doors to rear exit to the bridge lift stop, while the opposite doors on the port give access to other compartments, such as the Captain's office, the fundamental Tactics Room, conference room, and so on.
The bridge layout of the smaller complass is more compact than the standard design, managing to accommodate the engineering, tactical, navigation and helm, and operations stations. The centre of the bridge features the lone captain's chair. On both sides of the command chair are separate control panels, allowing the occupant access to virtually every system aboard the ship. On assault ships, flanking both sides of the rear of the captain's chair are two tactical stations, which had primary access to the ship's weapons. Working closely with the jump-pilot, the officers stationed at these consoles are responsible for firing the various weapons during combat operations.

Fleet bridge

The Fleet bridge is that part of a flagship or commond ship where the officer in command hold station and where he and his staff direct fleet or task force operations, plan fleet movements and draw up orders. It is the nerve centre of the fleet. It is where coordination between fleet or task force elements and planning for their operations are done.
Fleet bridges can be found onboard battleships and battlecruisers and are located behind the ship's command bridge. Passageways are present, allowing for easy access to and from of the ship's command bridge. The Fleet Operations Desk, a large multi-station console is located at the center of the fleet bridge, which can project above it a three-dimensional image of any region in space that the naval staff would like to view. The Fleet Command Position, where the admiral sits, is located between the Fleet Operations Desk and the wall dividing the fleet bridge from the ship's command bridge.

Security

The Security issue is handled by Service Security personnel. The Master-at-Arms is one of the most important positions of the ship, and he is one of the senior officers. The Master-at-Arms has direct control of all Service Security troops on the ship, and manages the assignment of officers during a crisis. He is the manager during the intrusion alarms and investigates the possible crimes committed on the ship. It is also a reserve officer that can be used to help with the damage control, evacuation, etc. The Master-at-Arms is assisted by the Chief of Ship (or Station) Security. Because Service Security is a task which while aboard deals also with ship security, there is a fair deal of rivalry between Service Security and Landing Forces personnel; at in-ship martial arts or hand-to-hand fight tournaments, customarily the opening fight is between soldiers of Service Security and Landing Forces. A Security Department on a quite large ship usually consists of about 25 Service Security soldiers.
There are several Service Security soldiers aboard each vessel. They are assigned to their duties by the Master-at-Arms and mostly guard sensitive areas (mainly computer core, engines and weapons bays), protect people (mainly the Commander and the Political Officer), patrol (mainly during alerts), and handle other threats as well as guard and manage prisoners or confined soldiers. Normally sip's pinnaces are accompanied by a detail of Service Security soldiers, armed with personal weapons designed to be not powerful enough to pierce a starship's hull, but easily powerful enough to kill.

Security station

The Security station is the Service security complex within a ship or a space station. According the ship's or station's size, it can be as simple as a post manned by a single Service Security officer to an office that allows Service Security to monitor a certain area, control access, or even provide fast response teams. It also makes Security readily available to the crew. A large space station can literally have dozens of security stations about its decks. Usually such posts are located near areas requiring limited access, such as the computer core, weapons bays, and the Tactical Centre. If dignitaries are aboard, Service Security may establish a post near the VIP/Guest Quarters.
Besides controlling its detached posts through the ship or the space station, a Security Station also has some central facilities, such as armoury, the ship prison and offices and interrogation rooms.
The Armoury is the main storage and distribution area of weapons on a vessel or space station. It is the second most-heavily guarded room on board any vessel or station as access to weapons must be monitored at all time. Aboard large vessels or space stations, there are several armouries, dispersed throughout so there is easy access to weapons in case of emergency. Armouries are controlled by the Master-at-Arms, as well as a small team of Service Security Troops. They ensure that access to the armoury is restricted to authorised personnel and that weapons are properly functioning and maintained. Every armoury will contain Plasma hand guns, arcs and rifles, Laser hand guns, nerve disruptor handguns and rifles, plasma automated guns, projectile and particles rifles, additional energy cells and maintenance packs for weapons. A separate armoury exists for landing forces, if present.
The interrogation room is a large room aboard larger classes of ships that can be used for interrogations and hearings. The usual layout of the room features a circular raised riser with a single chair were the accused would be questioned; however, if needed, the layout may be adapted for tougher methods.

Ship Operations

The Ship Operations Department maintains the ship's physical functionality through routine monitoring and repair of the M/AM reactors, thrusters, computer, tractor beams, transporters, weapons, deflector array, sensors and probes, the hull, life support and anything else that it is possible to be fixed. The Department is also in charge for prioritising resource allocation among departments and functions, including hardware and supplies, as well as handling large-scale repairs, and ensuring that the crew has the correct equipment to do their jobs. The Chief of Engineering and Operations (usually shortened as CEO) is a senior officer, and usually holds the position of Second Officers on warships which do not have a separate Second Officer. Being in charge of both Engineering and Operations, the CEO has two Assistant departmental heads, the Chief Engineer (actually in charge of ship's engines and power plant) and the Quartermaster. Being the department the hearth of the ship, departmental numbers are quite high. Usually, on large ships there are 35 to 40 crewmen assigned to Engineering and 15 to 20 soldiers assigned to quartermaster and operations duties per turn. Operations soldiers are also tasked with providing the primary assistance to the ship's Service Security, if the need arises. It is to note that menial services, such as cleaning rotations, are carried out by the whole crew, while Operations department is involved only in the planning the duty rosters.
The Chief of Engineering and Operations, also known as C.E.O., is the head of the department and manages the Engineers in keeping the spacecraft operational. He also advises the commanding officer on technical problems both inside and outside of the ship. Within his department, the CEO has a wider authority than other senior officers: appointments are done with regard to experience and knowledge, rather than seniority, and the flexible Barrayaran rank structure was originally created in order to meet the peculiar spacecraft-related engineering needs; sometimes a CEO may appoint even a particularly experienced Warrant Officer as his deputy, although the case is rare, also because promising troops or warrant officers are actively encouraged to join officers' ranks. The Yeoman of the Tools is a mid-level enlisted position, responsible for all repair bots and drones, tools and the storage and treatment thereof. He reports to the Chief Engineer and oversees the proper storage of the equipment.
Engine rooms are heavily protected also in their entrances: usually a double armoured door and a security corridor are present.

Maintenance Division

On every ship of the fleet there is a Maintenance Division, tasked with maintenance and repair of ship items; on major ships and on space station it is a wholly separate Department, although still under the superivizion of the Chief of Engineering and Operations. Typically, the Maintenance Division has four Workcentres; obviously, if the Maintenance is a Department, Workcentres are elevated to Divisions and in turn subdivided into Workcentres.
The General Service Workcentre consists of a production staff in the processing of hundreds of repairable items on a daily basis. The General Maintenance Workcentre performs repairs on aircraft engines, propeller assemblies, hydraulic components, metal and composite aircraft structures, aviation life support systems and personal survival equipment. The Armament Workcentre performs repairs on assigned test benches/sets and light attack craft electrical and electronic components to support aircraft communication and navigation equipment, computers, radars and electronic countermeasures systems. The subdivision also provides intermediate support for weapons systems such as bomb racks, missiles launchers and aircraft guns. The Support Equipment Workcentre aids flight and hangar deck operations by inspecting, repairing and servicing ground support equipment for work on and around aircraft.

Medical Department

The medical department is responsible for the mental and physical health of the crew, from running annual physicals to dealing with service and combat injuries. The Chief Physician Officer is responsible for the physical health of the entire crew, as well as for the recovering from service and combat injured. In order to keep the crew healthy, his function is to ensure that crewmen do not get sick and to monitor their health and conditioning with regular check ups. If strictly necessary, he can remove anyone from duty, except a commanding officer, unless the commander is physically unable or declared mentally unstable. Besides this he coordinates the medical advice to any individual who requests it and deals with most serious cases. Additionally, the Chief Physician Officer is also responsible for all aspect of the infirmary. Among the Chief Physician Officer's assistants, the Morale Officers holds an important position, being responsible for keeping the morale of the crew high and for delivering regular reports on morale to the First Officer. The Morale Officer also plans activities that will keep the crew's morale and demeanour up.
The vast majority of Barrayaran minor warships do not have fully trained doctors aboard, but only Health Corpsmen, referred to as "Medics". Such Medical Officers are either senior enlisted or Warrant Officers, and receive an initial specific training of 18 weeks. By the time a Medic has served a twenty year career, they may be qualified to receive the civilian designation of "Physician's Assistant," to practice medicine in the civilian field, under the supervision of a doctor. Even larger warships have only an handful of fully trained Doctors.
A typical Barrayaran ship sickbay is capable of hosting around a quarter of crew members; such infirmaries are very austere rooms, in a way similar in feel to locker rooms.

Landing Forces

On each capital ship there is a Landing Detachment, whose size varies according the ship type:

• Battleship or Space station: 1 Company + ground vehicles;
• Battlecruiser: 1 Company (ground vehicles included);
• Cruiser: 1 Platoon + ground vehicles;
• Destroyer: 1 Platoon (ground vehicles included).

Each Detachment is divided into four Teams: Black and Red Teams are lightly armed Scout Teams, the Yellow Team is a Support Team with heavy weaponry and the Blue Team is the Support Team, specializing in the escort. The Landing Detachment also operates as a ground support element, leading armed confrontation in case of boarding. However, Barrayaran crews are all combat-trained, and therefore the leadership role comes up only in assault carried out by Barrayaran forces.
The Detachment Commander is responsible for all the Landing Forces personnel assigned to the ship or facility. He is required to take command of any special ground operation. The Detachment Commander is charged with the training, condition and tactical leadership of the landing element and is a member of the senior staff, reporting directly to the Commander of the ship or facility.

Landing Patrol

A Landing Patrol is a team of specialised personnel from a starship or starbase that are assembled to perform a mission on a planet's surface or aboard another starship. Starship commanders are generally prohibited from leading away missions (unless circumstances dictate their presence), and Landing Patrol missions are usually led by another senior officer. The standard Landing Patrol crew consists of the mission commander (at least a Lieutenant Commander), a combat medic, a scientific officer, two to five Service Security soldiers, with the optional complement of two to five soldiers from the Landing Detachment.
The Hazard Patrol is an advanced strike force of tactical officers, medics, marksmen, and pilots that are utilized to take control of critical situations and high-risk Landing Patrol missions. The Hazard Patrol organization is quite different from the standard Landing Patrol. The commanding officer is a junior officers with a second-in-command being an experienced warrant officer; the other elements of the Hazard Patrol are five to ten Landing Detachment/Service Security soldiers, including at least one technician, one field medic, an heavy weapons operator, a demolitionist, a scout and a sniper.

Starfighters

Each capital ship is assigned a Starfighter Detachment, whose size varies according the ship type:

• Battleship or Space station: 1 Squadron Group - 372 personnel;
• Battlecruiser: 1 Squadron (support personnel included) - 101 personnel;
• Cruiser: 1 Squadron (only flight personnel) - 36 personnel.

In peacetime, not all the capital ships actually embark a starfighter force, but only those assigned to foreign duty. The Starfighter Detachment operates as a reconnaissance support element, in support to the shuttle crafts and to interceptors of the ship. The Detachment Commander is responsible for all the Starfighter personnel assigned to the ship or facility. He is required to take personal command of any star fight and interceptor superiority operation. The Detachment Commander is the most senior fighter officer and he is charged with the training, condition and tactical leadership of the mobile and reconnaissance element and is a member of the senior staff, reporting directly to the Commander of the ship or facility. When deployed, the Starfighter Detachment Commander has authority also over the ship's own mobile force. The Launch Room has two senior Yeomen positions: Yeoman of Launches and Yeoman of Reconnaissance Craft. The former is responsible for being aware at all times of the position of the shuttles, the status of minor mechanical problems and repairs on them and the status of their crews, while the latter is in charge for any drones, autonomous or remotely piloted, that the ship carries for IMINT/MASINT/SIGINT.
The Detachment Deputy Commander is assistant to the senior flight officer. He is tasked to assist the Detachment Commander by overseeing all matters, such as personnel, maintenance and acquisition of supplies. He is usually in charge of the support personnel. The Fighter Squadron Commander is a distinct officer only on Battleships and Space stations, where a whole Squadron Group is deployed. If present, he is responsible for all the pilot personnel assigned to his squadron. He is in required to take command of any flight operations and lease such actions with security. The Flight Leader is responsible for all the personnel assigned to his flight. He is in required to take command of any operations. Affectionately known as the RIO, they are the crew whom occupy the rear seat of the fighter. They watch for enemy fighters, run sensor scans, and are responsible for the payload that the fighter is carrying.

Crew quarters

Quarters are used to describe a living space for members of starship crews. Usually, they are equipped with a bed, storage space and a bathroom.

Commander's quarters

The commander's quarters are usually the largest on the ship, allowing the Captain to have a more relaxing environment. On major starships, if possible, the commander's quarters have four sections: a bathroom, a bedroom, and a dining area, which includes a desk for work. These quarters are typically furnished with standard issue elements: some officers keep personal items. The bathroom frequently is equipped with a sonic shower, and a bathtub with traditional running water and a whirlpool bath. The couch in the living area is frequently a convertible that opens up into a standard-size bed for guests.

Officer's quarters

Officer's quarters are for use by officers. They are generally smaller than the captain's quarters, but allow the individual resting. Generally, the senior officers quarters are composed of three modular sections: bathroom, and a combined bedroom/working area. Senior officers' quarters are located near the relevant department: this is in the event of emergency, the officer is close by. Due to the limited space available on board vessels of the smaller types, crew members have to share their quarters with at least one other crewmate during normal times of operation, with the exception of the vessel's commanding officer, who is granted a separate room.

General crew quarters

The general crew quarters are for use by the rest of the crew. While Lieuntenant Commanders get a room to themselves, down the hierarchical scale, Ensigns and Lieutenants, it becomes necessary to share a room, usually equipped with bunk beds. On smaller ships crew accommodations include dormitories, which may be outfitted extra bunks, allowing for potential extended crews.

Guest quarters

Guest quarters are assigned to senior officers visiting the starship or operating aboard of it. Guest quarters are normally the same size as the commander's quarters, except on smaller vessels. Visiting civilians (except most senior ones) are given shared quarters located close by commander's quarters. All of these guest quarters are immediately convertible into extended treatment wards, with medical hardware and hook-ups for medical gasses located behind panels in the bulkheads.

See also

• Ground Forces Command
• Landing Forces Command
• Imperial Service