Centran Defence Force

The White Star of the CDF

The **Centran Defence Force** (**CDF**) is the unified military force of the Centrum Assembly. Built around fleets of sophisticated combat vessels, the CDF also comprises the Centran Marine Corps and Centran Provost Corps, fulfilling both expeditionary warfare and internal policing duties.

## History

### Founding

The Centran Defence Force was founded early in the Centrum Assembly's history, having its trial by fire even before humanity left the Centrum System. Its first action was against the rebellious Savaragi-Rota Alliance in the Arasinian Commerce War around the gas giant of Arasin Maxima. After a seven-month journey, a CDF fleet arrived at Arasin Maxima and swiftly dispatched the SRA militia in a number of skirmishes. This culminated in the decisive Battle of Lyrion Point, which forced an unconditional surrender on the SRA. This early victory and test of strength for the CDF cemented its reputation forever.

### Colonial era

The Centran Defence Force's Discovery Service was at the forefront of the Centrum Assembly's exploration of the Tantalus Cluster. CDF ships led the colonisation of the Pioneer System in 0017 PCU, Humanity's first settlement outside the Centrum System. Its most significant opponent for much of the Assembly's history were well-organised bands of pirates: counter-piracy operations such as the Battle of the Wainwright Gateforge in 0107 PCU formed the bulk of the CDF's combat experience.

### Decline and Frontier War

In the 0170s PCU, the CDF fought the forces of the self-proclaimed Pirate-King Jocastus Halpern in Halpern's War. This would be its last experience of large-scale combat for over a century. In a period of peace, the CDF's most active contingent was the Discovery Service, which was responsible for leading the exploration and colonisation of new star systems, such as the ill-fated Braidwood Expedition to the Seravis Major System.

By 0290 PCU, after over a hundred years of relative peace the CDF had transitioned more into a police force than a fully-fledged navy. The *Tripathia*-class Third-Rate Ship of the Line, introduced in 0284 PCU, was the CDF's largest and most modern capital ship at the outbreak of the Frontier War in 0290 PCU.

To face the Frontier Union's first offensive, the Tandil Rush, the Centran Defence Force disposed of only a handful of coastal defence frigates and ageing ships of the line, all of which were manned by inexperienced crews. The CDF's few ships of the line ultimately halted the Unioner advance, but only after the loss of the Seravis Major and Cardeus Brink Systems. The Assembly was saved by the manufacturing output of the shipbuilding giant Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards, which quickly designed and constructed several new warship designs. These likely saved the Assembly from defeat at the hands of the Frontier Union.

By the end of the war, the CDF's fleet, built up to enormous size at the height of the war, had been significantly depleted. The CDF successfully defeated the Frontier Union Militia at the Fourth Battle of Axius, setting the stage for the Frontier Union to sue for peace. In the final action of the war, the Battle of the Atamara Crossroads, the CDF took significant losses, but ultimately emerged victorious, allowing the Centrum Assembly to accept the Frontier Union's surrender in 0300 PCU.

### Post-war

Immediately after the Frontier War, the CDF, in cooperation with Keeper's Dance Fleet Yards, began a modernisation programme to incorporate the lessons of the conflict. This resulted in the design of the *Huntress*-class Ambush Corvette and the construction of a single prototype. However, in 0301 PCU, all such programmes were terminated and all available resources were transferred to the Edric's Gate project and the Avalon Exploratory Initiative.

With the completion of Edric's Gate in 0304 PCU, three CDF warships - the *Shabayev*, the *Bracewell*, and the *Republic* - were assigned to the Avalon Expedition Fleet to travel to the CDC-41-Gamma in search of new resources to mitigate the Great Famine. Vice Admiral Winston Redfield was assigned as Defence Adjutant to the Expedition's Director, Elizabeth Ancelet.

## Organisation

### Headquarters

The Centran Defence Force is commanded by the Admiralty, headquartered at Admiralty House, which liaises with the Prime Minister of the Centrum Assembly and the Office of the Cabinet, the Centrum Assembly's civilian leadership. The CDF's most senior professional officer is the Fleet Admiral, currently Darius Farren. The CDF is governed by the Uniform Code of Conduct and the Centrum Military Manual.

### Fleet

The Centran Defence Force is built around several fleets, which comprise their own fighter and longboat contingents, in addition to large ships of the line such as the *Tripathia*- and *Tetrarch*- classes. CDF warships carry the prefix "CSV".

### Centran Marine Corps

Known across Tantalus for their discipline and extreme training regimen, the Centran Marine Corps (CMC) is the dedicated Naval Infantry within the CDF. They serve a variety of roles, including as both boarding and anti-boarding personnel, and as station garrison troops and combat shore parties. To facilitate this role, CMC Marines under-go vigorous null-gravity training in a variety of environments, preparing them for all manner of combat theatres that they may face.

### Centran Provost Corps

The Centran Provost Corps (CPC) serves as the Military Police and operates Planetary Garrisons across the Cluster. Although not as trained for Astral Warfare as their CMC counterparts, the CPC serves an important function of Civic Security, having rarely, if ever, been deployed offensively. Some Provost Officers are responsible for Military Justice matters, such as Court Martials.

## Personnel

CDF fleet ranks largely borrow from those of Centrum's ancient seagoing navies. Officers begin their careers as Midshipmen, before promoting to Ensign, the most junior commissioned rank. The ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, and Lieutenant Commander together are considered subaltern ranks. The rank of Commander precedes full captaincy, and is commonly held by the executive officers of warships. However, it is not uncommon for a Commander to be given command of a smaller vessel, such as a supply schooner, brigantine, corvette, or sloop, and officers in such positions are referred to as "Master and Commander".

The CDF has no singular rank of "Captain". Commanders who are promoted but not selected for a ship command receive the rank of Staff Captain, and frequently serve on the staff of Admirals or as part of a larger facility or division. Staff Captains may command a fixed installation but never a warship. Officers who command a frigate or ship of the line receive the rank of Post Captain, which carries high status and privilege in Centran society. Flag Captain is a rarer rank, promotion to which is typically associated with nepotism rather than ability, for officers whose names have been added to the prestigious Rakestrowe List. The Flag Captain's notional role is to command an Admiral's flagship while the Admiral directs the larger fleet battle, though the position is often subject to quiet mockery within the CDF as it is often thought of as a means for Admirals to delegate their more onerous duties to a subordinate.

## Equipment

### Weapons

The Calbrook Arms LS-31U EM Carbine, an electromagnetic slugthrower, is the CDF's standard-issue weapon and is commonly issued to Centran Marines. Marines also make use of the Calbrook DM-24 EM Marksman Rifle when the situation demands it.

While impractical for battlefield usage, Centran Provosts carry Pattern 0214 Field Swords as ceremonial dress weapons.

### Warships

The CDF's fleet is built around ships of the line, of which the most recent and most powerful design is the *Tetrarch*-class First-Rate Ship of the Line. The *Tetrarch*-class is supplemented by the older and more numerous *Tripathia*-class Third-Rate Ship of the Line, which was the most powerful ship in service at the outbreak of the Frontier War in 0290 PCU.

Ships of the line are in turn supported by smaller vessels like the *Confiance*-class Frigate and *Leander*-class Destroyer Sloop, and shipboard small craft like the Fletcher-type Support Craft and the S-36 Stardancer Multi-Role Attack Fighter.

### Uniforms

CDF Fleet officers wear grey uniforms with light blue detailing on the shoulders, sides, trouser seam, and chest pockets. Rank insignia is worn on the shoulders and cuffs. The flag of the Centrum Assembly is worn on the left breast, while the current assignment patch is worn on the left upper sleeve. Decorations, if held, are worn on the left breast below the flag. The belt buckle carries the insignia of the Centrum Assembly; Admirals wear a more elaborate belt buckle. Officers in the rank of Post Captain have the right to a more elaborate uniform, including a tailored overcoat worn atop the standard uniform, a ceremonial Captain's Service Sword, and a silk boatcloak that may be worn with dress uniform.

Centran Marines wear dark blue battledress with grey detailing on the shoulders, sides, and chest pockets. The flag of the Centrum Assembly is worn on the left breast, while the current assignment patch, incorporating the CMC insignia, is worn on the left upper sleeve.

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 **The Sojourn Visual Dictionary - Edition One**
2. ↑ Pioneer | Worlds of Tantalus | The Sojourn
3. ↑ The Braidwood Expedition | The Sojourn Lore Short
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Sojourn: Tripathia Class Ship of the Line - Ship Breakdown
5. ↑ The Sojourn: Huntress Class Ambush Corvette (Guinevere) - Ship Breakdown
6. ↑ *The Cold Divide*
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 *Theirs Not to Make Reply*
8. ↑ *Discontinuity*
9. ↑ *Yesterday's War*
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Post Captains and Staff Captains | Official Lore Short
11. ↑ *Volume 2 Launch Trailer*

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