Imperial Fleet

The Imperial Fleet is controlled by the Adeptus Terra and includes almost every ship in the Imperium. The Imperial Fleet is divided into three distinct branches - the Warfleets of the Imperial Navy, the Merchant Fleets and the Civil fleets.^1a The few vessels that are not part of the Imperial Fleet instead belong to either the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Space Marines, the Inquisition, or a small number of honoured and ancient merchant families.³

An Imperial Warfleet

Overview

Segmentae Majoris

The Imperial fleets are arranged around the five Segmentae Majoris that comprise the Imperium, and are based at the five Segmentum Fortresses. Each Segmentum has it's own merchant, civil and warfleets - for example, the Warfleet Solar is the warfleet of the Segmentum Solar, the Merchant Pacificus is the merchant fleet of the Segmentum Pacificus and so on.^2a

Fleet Headquarters

• Segmentum Solar - Mars

• Segmentum Pacificus - Hydraphur

• Segmentum Obscurus - Cypra Mundi

• Segmentum Tempestus -Bakka

• Ultima Segmentum -Kar Duniash

Imperial Navy Warfleets

The Warfleets of the Imperial Navy are based around the five Segmentum Fortress planets.^1a From these worlds the fleets are organised and sent to guard the various sectors and subsectors of that region.^1b Each fleet is comprised of a wide array of different types of ship.

Battleships

Emperor Class Battleship

The largest class of vessel, they often serve as Capital Ships to Fleet-Commanders.

• Emperor Class Battleship
• Retribution Class Battleship
• Apocalypse Class Battleship
• Oberon Class Battleship

Cruisers

Vengeance Class Grand Cruiser

Smaller that Battleships, Cruisers ate the "Ships of the line" in Imperial Fleets.

Grand Cruisers

• Vengeance Class Grand Cruiser
• Avenger Class Grand Cruiser
• Exorcist Class Grand Cruiser

Battle Cruisers

Armageddon Battle Cruiser

• Armageddon Class Battle Cruiser
• Mars Class Battle Cruiser
• Overlord Class Battle Cruiser
• Chalice Class Battle Cruiser^6b

Cruisers

Emperor Class Battleship

• Lunar Class Cruiser
• Tyrant Class Cruiser
• Dominator Class Cruiser
• Gothic Class Cruiser
• Dictator Class Cruiser

Light Cruiser

Endeavour Light Cruiser

• Dauntless Class Light Cruiser
• Endeavor Class Light Cruiser
• Endurance Class Light Cruiser
• Defiant Class Light Cruiser

Escort

Escort Vessels

Escorts provide support in defence of larger ships.

• Sword Class Frigate
• Firestorm Class Frigate
• Tempest Class Frigate⁴
• Cobra Class Destroyer
• Falchion Class Escort
• Turbulent Class Heavy Frigate^6a
• Claymore Class Corvette^6a

Attack Craft

Many Imperial vessels carry onboard various smaller craft for both offense and defense.

• Fury Interceptor
• Starhawk Bomber
• Shark Assault Boat

Obsolete types

There are many older classes of Imperial ship that are no longer in production. Many of these older vessel's are still in service with the Traitor Fleets.

Merchant Fleet

The combined merchant fleets compose almost 90% of all the interstellar spacecraft in the Imperium.^1a

• Fast Clipper
• Galaxy Class Armed Freighter
• Tarask Class Merchantman
• Goliath Class Forge Tender
• Super Heavy Troop Transports
• Super Heavy Fuel Transports

Civil Fleet

The civil fleets contain privately-owned interstellar craft operating along routes liscensed by the fleet authorities.^1a

Space Marine Fleets

Each Space Marine Chapter maintains its' own Battlefleet. Whilst they often fight in concert with other Imperial forces, each Chapter-Fleet is an autonomous organisation.⁵

Adeptus Mechanicus Fleets

The Adeptus Mechanicus have at their disposal alarge fleet of starships. These fleets are often dispatched to seek out lost archeotech and follow rumours of STC technology.⁵

Rogue Traders

Rogue Traders usually have access to their own vessels, sometimes even small fleets.

• Rogue Trader Cruiser
• Xenos Protection Vessels
• Armed Cargo Vessel
• Recommissioned Vessel
• Auxiliary Vessels

Inquisition

Inquisitorial Black Ship

Whilst the inquisition are able to requisition the ships of other Imperial organisations, they also maintain vessels of their own.

• Inquisitorial Black Ship
• Grey Knight Strike Cruisers

Adeptus Astra Telepathica

The League of Blackships - consisting of a substantial fleet charged with collecting and transporting psykers from across the galaxy to Terra.

See Also

• Imperial Navy
• Imperial Navy Hierarchy

Sources

• ¹: White Dwarf 139 (UK)
  • ^a: p. 17
  • ^b: p. 18
• ²: White Dwarf 140 (UK)
  • ^a: p. 50
  • ^b: p. 52
  • ^c: p. 54
• ³: Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook, p. 86
• ⁴: Rogue Trader Rulebook, p. 195
• ⁵: http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat480005a&categoryId=1100007&section=&aId=4300022
• ⁶: Rogue Trader: Battlefleet Koronus
  • ^a: p. 27
  • ^b: p. 22