Royal Manticoran Navy

The Royal Manticoran Navy, or RMN, was the main military force of the Star Kingdom and Star Empire of Manticore.
Ships of the RMN used the prefix HMS (His/Her Majesty's Ship).
The RMN's motto was Fortitudo, Fidelitas, Decus (Courage, Loyalty, Honor).
The official motto of the RMN was "The Tradition Lives." ()
The official anthem of the RMN was the Saganami March. ()
== History ==
A professional, career-oriented service, the genesis of the Royal Manticoran Navy could be traced back to before Manticore's official colonization. The initial fund raising for the colony expedition was so successful that there surplus capital remained, capital that was used to create the Manticore Colony Trust. The MCT was used to help protect the colonists' interests as they made their way from the Sol System to Manticore. Part of this fund was used to build four frigates to protect the system from claim jumpers in 1389 PD. These frigates, the first units of the Manticore System Navy, were the first naval force of the Manticore Colony. (, )
When the Star Kingdom of Manticore was established in 1485 PD, the naval forces of the Manticore Colony became the Royal Manticoran Navy.
Around 1604 PD, the HMS Queen Elizabeth I's inertial compensator failed due to sabotage. This was the last time in over three hundred T-Years that a compensator would fail in the RMN. ()
In 1672 PD, Commodore Edward Saganami took HMS Nike to a fight to the death in order to protect a convoy against a pirate attack. His death not only protected the convoy, but also destroyed several times his own tonnage. Saganami's final battle set the "Saganami tradition", which the RMN followed ever since. (, )
In 1884 PD, the acceptance trials for a brand-new warship would involve builder's trials and pre-acceptance trials. The process would eventually be shortened. ()
In the late 1890s PD and the early 1900s PD, the Navy went through a series of expansions to help counter the growing People's Republic of Haven threat.
In 1900 PD, the Navy still had enough command-level officers to fill the ranks. The navy received a Case Zulu, the code for an imminent invasion, from HMS Fearless at Basilisk. ()
In 1903 PD, the RMN destroyer, HMS Madrigal fought at the First Battle of Yeltsin's Star with the Grayson Space Navy. ()
In 1904 PD, the RMN would start using GSN-designed inertial compensators. ()
== Administration ==
The Royal Manticoran Navy was administered by the Board of Admiralty, which consisted of three civilian Lords of Admiralty and seven Space Lords. Broadly speaking, the Lords of Admiralty are responsible for formulating policy while the Space Lords are responsible for implementing that policy.
The Lords of Admiralty are nominated by the Monarch, from a list of candidates selected by the Prime Minister. The final nomination was approved by a majority vote of the House of Lords. The selection of the Space Lords followed a similar process, nominated from a list provided by the First Lord of Admiralty. ()
== Administrative Districts ==
* Home System Districts:
** Manticore Fleet District – basis for Home Fleet,
** Gryphon Fleet District – basis for original 2nd Fleet,
* Stations – administrative basis for independent forces located there:
** Basilisk – established in 1901 PDInitilally 3rd Fleet was planned to be created and stationed there, however finally it was created for the Trevor's Star cover; until 1901 PD, only a limited picket was allowed in the Basilisk System. (HH1)
** Hancock, established in 1904 PD (HH3)
** Elric (HH9)
** Grendelsbane, established before 1905 PD (HH5, HH10)
** Reevesport, established before 1905 PD
** Talbot, established before 1905 PD (HH3)
** Clairmont, established before 1905 PD
** Minette (HH|5)
** Sidemore, established in 1911 PD (HH10)
** Talbott, established in 1919 PD (SI1)
** Silesia, established in 1921 PD (HH11, SI1)
** Lynx Terminus Station (SI2)
* Manticore Wormhole Junction Termini Defence Commands – in charge of small pickets and orbital forts covering termini area:
** Gregor (HH6)
** Hennessy
** Matapan
== Branches ==
:See: Admiralty - Branches
== Independent operational formations ==
=== Fleets ===
* Home Fleet – naval force assigned to the Manticore System
* Second Fleet – naval force activated in 1905 PD for the defense of Yeltsin's Star and later counteroffensive during the First Havenite-Manticoran War ()
* Third Fleet – naval force assigned to the Trevor's Star System, reconstituted following the First Battle of Manticore to cover the Beowulf Terminus of Manticoran Wormhole Junction. (-,)
* Fourth Fleet - naval force in the early stages of the First Havenite-Manticoran War.
* Fifth Fleet - operational formation for the Logistics Command ()
* Sixth Fleet – naval force activated in the early stages of the First Havenite-Manticoran War to act as Manticore's main offensive force. ()
* Eighth Fleet – main offensive force from 1911 PD to 1914 PD and 1919 PD to 1921 PD, during the First and Second Havenite-Manticoran Wars. (-)
* Ninth Fleet - naval force assigned to RMN Silesia Station ()
* Tenth Fleet – naval force assigned to the RMN Talbott Station ()
=== Independent task forces ===
Task forces were generally assigned to RMN Stations - see: Manticoran naval stations
=== Independent task groups ===
* Task Group 1037 - anti-piracy unit sent to the Silesian Confederacy ()
* Task Group Adler ()
* Seaford Nine System Defense ()
* Elric System Defense ()
==Tactics==
By 1900 PD, there were two schools of tactics. The first school was the traditionalists lead by Admiral of the Green Hamish Alexander. The second school was the jeune ecole, which was lead by Admiral of the Red Lady Sonja Hemphill. The jeune ecole viewed the tactics of the time as indecisive, so formalized that waging a decisive campaign was nearly impossible with current weapons. Admiral Hemphill and her group theorized that the growing number of better weapons and technology would make the traditionalist view outdated and outmoded. The traditionalists viewed the jeune ecole's material warfare approach as expensive and wasteful, and were horrified at the loss of life the jeune ecole were willing to embrace in order to achieve that superiority. The RMN has managed to steer a middle course between the two (though not without bitter infighting), with carefully considered new technologies adopted into existing schools of tactical thought. ()
In an effort to provide an adequate defense against Haven, a string of supply and maintenance bases were built that went through many systems such as Yeltsin's Star System and by 1905 PD, the line was completed in the Hancock System. ()
* Hotel-Eight - Hotel-Eight was used in offensive moves. ()
* Yankee-Two - Yankee-Two was used to evade incoming missiles by hiding their emission signature near a larger friendly vessel. ()
* Yankee-Three - Yankee-Three was used to evade incoming missiles by rolling up towards the enemy vessel. ()
* Zulu-Two - Zulu-Two was a maneuver used to evade incoming missiles. In 1903 PD, the HMS Fearless performed a Zulu-Two, when attacked by Navy of Masada LACs. ()
* The use of Recon Drones are an integral part of the RMN's defensive strategies. ()
* Plan Able - Plan Able was a maneuver used to evade incoming missiles while in a fleet formation. In 1903 PD, Captain Harrington initiated Plan Able against a barrage of missiles in the Battle of Blackbird. ()
* Plan Delta - Plan Delta was a maneuver used to evade incoming missiles. ()
==Contingency Planning==
Like all navies, the RMN performed a vast amount of contingency planning in order to be prepared for eventualities that could possibly arise in the future. These plans included:
*Case Lacoön One - The closure of all wormhole nexii under RMN control to Solarian traffic. ()
*Case Lacoon Two - The escalation of Lacoon One through the use of active commerce raiding and the extension of de facto Manticoran control to every wormhole nexii within the RMN's reach regardless of that nexii's ownership was Manticoran or not. ()
*Wartime Commerce Security Act ()
==Duties==
The RMN is primarily a interstellar navy. The RMN has been protecting the Manticore Wormhole Junction and the junction's termini since the junction's discovery. This means of travel have given the RMN an edge against other national navies, primarily the Republic of Haven Navy, as well as a huge economic edge in interstellar trade. Because of the high volume of trade, the RMN is more traveled than most as it deploys many of its light and medium combatants for commerce protection.
The RMN was responsible for the support of Basilisk Traffic Control, in charge of customs, to inspect all vessels and material to and from Medusa, to support the Resident Commissioner for Planetary Affairs and the Native Protection Agency, to ensure the safety of the native people of Medusa and the visitors to Medusa, and to ensure the security to the system from all threats. The RMN is responsible for health and immunization of every visitor to the planet, Medusa.
In 1901 PD, the RMN enlarged the picket force at Basilisk.
== Training ==
Its officers were trained at the Royal Manticoran Naval Academy located on Saganami Island on Manticore.
== Uniforms ==
thumb|175px|Examples for RMN uniforms and skinsuits
=== Officers ===
Uniforms consisted of tunic, blouse, and pants. The tunic was black and gold with the rank strips on the epaulets and the wrists. On the collar of the tunic, the rank was displayed. The left front side of the tunic was used to display medals, hyper-capable command stars, and other. Officers who currently commanded a hyper-capable vessel wore the White Command Berets. Flag officers wore black berets, with the exception of the commander of the HMS Unconquered, who wore the white beret.
Originally, officers wore a visored cap, but it was replaced by the beret in the middle of the 18th Century PD. ()
In 1900 PD, female officers wore their hair in the newer long style.
Blood red sleeve stripes could indicate:
* Recipients of the Monarch's Thanks Medal
* Being wounded in battleSimilar to the Old Earth Allied forces Wound Stripe
* Being Mentioned in DispatchesThe equivalent of the oak leaf on Old Earth British Commonwealth uniforms. See Mentioned in Despatches and gazetted. ()
=== Enlisted ===
Enlisted service uniform was a tailored, one-piece coverall, done in standard Navy black and gold. A nametag was worn on the left breast. Enlisted service uniforms were untrimmed. The trouser seams and shoulders of noncommisioned officers were picked out in piping color-coded by branch. Rating insignia were worn on the left sleeve, color coded by department. Specialist insignia were worn on the upper sleeve as a shoulder patch. The Unit patch (name of ship) was worn on the left shoulder. An RMN patch was worn on the right shoulder. Above the left cuff, one hash mark was displayed for every three Manticoran years (5-T years) of service. A black beret was worn by all enlisted and NCO personnel. ()
=== Decorations ===
* Parliamentary Medal of Valor
* Manticore Cross
* Osterman Cross
* Saganami Cross
* Order of Gallantry
* Conspicuous Gallantry Medal - Multiple recipients add a Cluster
* Distinguished Service Order
==Fleet strength ==
Prior to the First Havenite-Manticoran War:
Class	Units	Tonnage
SD 	188 	1318.5 MT
DN 	121 	694.3 MT
BB 	0 	0
BC 	199 	148.7 MT
CA 	333 	92.0 MT
CL 	295 	30.1 MT
DD 	485 	35.0 MT
Total	1621 	2318.6 MT
== Other Tidbits ==
* The RMN used the color scarlet for the color of their access tube grab bars.
* The dividing line between one ship connected to another in a boat-bay was a line painted on the deck of the bay. You were not officially "on board" a vessel until you had crossed that line. It allowed personnel to exit the boarding tube before formally asking permission to come aboard. ()
* A tradition before every battle was that the crews were well fed and rested. ()
* The Admiralty would send an electronic mail for most purposes, while official letters were sent in paper form. ()
* It was considered bad luck to replace the White Beret. ()
* A portrait of Queen Elizabeth III adorned many high-ranking officer's quarters. ()
* Alcohol such as beer was served on many ships. ()
* Due to Prolong Treatments, various high ranking posts in the Admiralty are rotated between officers regularly to ensure officers to be up to date on modern tactics and technology. ()
* Beta Belt was the RMN's traditional gunnery range. ()
== Standing Orders ==
=== Readiness One or Battle Stations ===
Highest state of alert, in preparation of imminent combat.
This state put significant stress on the crew, and was not intended to be maintained for long.
=== Readiness Two ===
Also known as General Quarters, Readiness Two meant that all engineering and life-support systems, CIC, tactical, and passive sensors were manned. Active sensors were placed on immediate readiness, point defense laser clusters were active and under computer control, counter-missile launchers were loaded, passive defensive systems and EW were ready for instant activation, offensive missile tubes were loaded, half the energy mounts were fully manned, with air evacuated, on a rotating basis, and twenty-five percent of the watch would be allowed rest on rotating breaks. ()
During Readiness Two, which was one step short of Battle Stations, Auxiliary Control would be reduced to a skeleton watch. It was intended to be maintained for lengthy periods of time. ()
== External links ==
* Excerpt from a note posted to Baen's Bar Snerkers Only dated November 29, 2005 concerning possible transtermini reinforcements during battle of Manticore of 1921 PD
* RMN guide
== References ==
Category:Manticore
Category:Military of Manticore
Category:Royal Manticoran Navy