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A '''Battlefleet''' comprises the vessels responsible for protecting a [[sector]] of the [[Imperium]]. A battlefleet is commanded by a [[Lord Admiral]] and is the largest operational naval organisation, usually consisting of between 50 and 75 ships of varying size. Depending on the importance or enemy threat level of a sector this number may be more or less.^{{Fn|1}}

A battlefleet is made up of destroyers, frigates, cruisers, and battleships, as well as countless small vessels such as transports, shuttles, messenger craft and long-range patrol craft. In addition there will also be numerous non-warp travel ships such as system patrol ships and defense monitors. These are all backed up by stationary defenses such as space stations, orbital defense platforms, orbital mines, and ground-based defense lasers and missile silos.^{{Fn|1}}

A battlefleet's roles include routine patrols, protecting merchant shipping from pirates and alien attack, transporting and escorting [[Imperial Guard]], giving orbital support for planetary armies and providing vessels for exploration fleets.^{{Fn|1}}

Each battlefleet is divided down into a number of '''Battlegroups'''. The majority of battlegroups are not permanent but are assembled to perform particular functions along the lines of task forces, convey escorts or patrol flotillas.^{{Fn|1}}

==SourcesSource==*^{{Endn|1}}: [[Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook]], ppg. 86