Difference between revisions of "Romulan Star Navy"
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The Romulan Star Navy is a rare constant in the dynamic and unpredictable politics of the [[Romulan Star
 +
 +
Empire]].  The Navy and its command and senatorial fleets--as well as the ground forces--embody the militant
 +
 +
spirit that burns at the heart of the Empire.  While Starfleet's primary mission objectives are strictly
 +
 +
nonmilitary (exploration, relief, research, diplomatics and others), the Star Navy has a much more martial feel
 +
 +
to it as its main missions are those of conquest, pacification, and war.  As a result, much of the Empire's
 +
 +
infrastructure is geared toward the support of the Military and long term needs of its command such as
 +
 +
shipyards, dilithium mining, and foodstuffs sent to military centers.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 +
  
  
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See Also: [[Romulan Ranks]]
 
See Also: [[Romulan Ranks]]
  
−
=== Navy ===
+
Even though on the surface the Romulan military may seem parallel to the Cardassian Central Command or the
 +
 
 +
[[Klingon Defense Force]], it is actually quite different.  The Navy may possess the normal rank and operational
 +
 
 +
structures one would expect, but the loyalties of the rank and file are often directed in many and unexpected
 +
 
 +
ways.  For instance, the loyalties of a [[Starfleet]] [[engineer]] are extremely clear: the [[Chief Engineer]],
 +
 
 +
then the [[Commanding Officer|Captain]], then to [[Starfleet Command]], and finally the [[Federation]] as a
 +
 
 +
whole.  The hierarchy is easily understood and clear-cut.  A Romulan department head, however, is not only loyal
 +
 
 +
to the fleet and the [[Romulan Empire|Empire]], but might also have political or coalition loyalties too.  In
 +
 
 +
some cases a Centurion may have to defer to a sublieutenant who is extremely well-connected in the Romulan
 +
 
 +
Government.  As a result, by the time an officer reaches the rank of Centurion, he is already well adapted to
 +
 
 +
playing politics and capable of numerous loyalties and favors to others to gain the greatest personal benefit. 
 +
 
 +
As such, it is no surprise that many Romulan senators started in the Star Navy.  While this engenders paranoia
 +
 
 +
that may seem destructive outsiders, the [[Romulan]]s think it useful--a watchful officer is a strong officer
 +
 
 +
and if he is not totally loyal, then he may as well be thrust out of the system.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== The High Tribunal ===
 +
The organization of the Romulan Star Navy, at its highest levels, is almost republican compared to a similar
 +
 
 +
organization such as [[Starfleet]] or the [[Klingon Defense Force]].  The High Tribunal controls the entire
 +
 
 +
military, making sweeping decisions regarding military policy and budgetary expenditures.  In times of crisis,
 +
 
 +
it serves as the primary advisory body for unified fleet actions and operations-level planning.  It is composed
 +
 
 +
of representatives of the various commands and fleets, and several Senate representatives and the Praetor.  In
 +
 
 +
it, the senators and fleet representatives jockey for position.  As in other areas of [[Romulan]] politics,
 +
 
 +
alliances are forces and broken with the blowing of the winds.  Tribunes ally to support each other on a
 +
 
 +
particular vote, such as fleet deployments and allocations, or undermine rivals.  The Praetor, as the foremost
 +
 
 +
military leader, is considered the first among equals and his opinion often shifts the tides.  In this climate
 +
 
 +
of give and take, a strangely "democratic" process takes place and usually puts the needs and security of the
 +
 
 +
Empire over individual ambitions.  While the system it supports seems less than perfect to many officers lower
 +
 
 +
down, most flag officers and senators recognize and respect both its utility and its necessity.  In certain
 +
 
 +
fleets these delegates, called tribunes, are elected while in others the most senior flag officers serve as
 +
 
 +
representatives.  In the Praetorian and Tullan Fleets, the most honored officers are selected, while many of of
 +
 
 +
the senatorial and coalition fleet tribunes are selected by their patron senators or their coaltion members. 
 +
 
 +
Most Tribunal representatives serve in this capacity for years, after which the honor transfers to a new
 +
 
 +
representative.
 +
<br><br>
 +
Over the years, the High Tribunal has become the principal advisory arm for the Praetor as he formulates long-
 +
 
 +
range planning and policy directives for ongoing and future military endeavors.  It also provides the Praetor
 +
 
 +
the opportunity to keep apprised of the circumstances and morale of the militiary and allows him to keep an eye
 +
 
 +
on ambitious or self-serving senators.  He can effectively squash political coups through fleet deployments, or
 +
 
 +
with a few words, reshape a debate.  Senators and admirals use the High Tribunal to gauge their standing with
 +
 
 +
the Praetor; an admiral with the Praetor's favor might receive additional resources or choice assignments, while
 +
 
 +
a senator out of favor could see his budget slashed.
 +
<br><br>
 +
The modern Tribunal is a badly needed system of controls in an otherwise politicized around and only in the
 +
 
 +
halls of the Tribunal on [[Romulus]] does the snallest senatorial unit command the same respect as the greatest
  
 +
consular fleet and its very existence serves to temper the ambitions of the powerful.  The fleets of the Romulan
 +
 +
Navy represent a disparate military assortment, and an even more diverse array of command ideologies.  The
 +
 +
presence of it serves as the ultimate balance, a body before which all units are equal.
 +
 +
=== The Fleets ===
 +
The Romulan Star Navy's interstellar ships are divided into various fleets, each under the nominal control of
 +
 +
the Star Command.  Unlike the purely organizational divisions in [[Starfleet]], [[Romulan]] fleets are also
 +
 +
divided by political and sometimes philosophical lines.  They are often semiautonomous and self-sufficient
 +
 +
command in their own rights.  Each fleet owes its first loyalty to its own and there are numerous examples of
 +
 +
this.  Fleets are divided into Centuries which normally include around 100 vessels along with the attendant
 +
 +
support craft necessary to maintain the fleet's peak operational status.  These numbers were the optimal
 +
 +
numbers, however, before the [[Dominion War]], the Hobus Incident, and the [[Romulan-Geminite War]].  Now each
 +
 +
Century includes somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-85 vessels, far fewer than what it once was.  Shipyards are
 +
 +
at maximum capacity to resolve this and more are being built.  In recent years, the concept of the "Century" has
 +
 +
gone out of favor with many younger and more progressive commanders and senators, slowly becoming an outdated
 +
 +
tradition rather than a fact.  Emphasis in many of the newer fleets has shifted to make room for larger numbers
 +
 +
of small incursion vessels and quick frigates, vessels strong in firepower and stealth but weak on personnel
 +
 +
requirements and maintenance drain.  Very few personnel know what one means now by "two centuries" worth of
 +
 +
vessels.
 +
 +
The various fleets are responsible for specific sectors or regions of space within the [[Romulan Empire]],
 +
 +
similar to Starfleet's numbered fleets accepting stations at a given area of space within the Federation. 
 +
 +
However, these assignments are often the result of political maneuvers.  A powerful senatorial fleet may be
 +
 +
banished to an outlying frontier sector by a weak Praetor, while an understaffed coalition fleet may gain a
 +
 +
station along the Neutral Zone by calling in a favor with a Tribunal member.  The maneuvering and posturing
 +
 +
among the fleets for posting and station is neverending and serves as a reflection of the waves of influence
 +
 +
within the highest echelons of the Romulan government.  Certain fleets never lose their station such as the
 +
 +
Praetorian Fleet that is always stations on [[Romulus]].  Other fleets were not allowed to entier the homesystem
 +
 +
without permission from these commanders until 2387 when Hobus went nova.  The last factor are the various
 +
 +
Command fleets.  The Command fleets are those directly under the supervision of Star Command and the High
 +
 +
Tribunal.  For this reason, these centuries are normally posted to the most sensitive or crucial regions of the
 +
 +
Empire while the senatorial fleets must push and pull at each other for position.
 +
 +
==== Command Fleets ====
 +
The core forces of the Star Navy are the Command fleets and are under the control of the High Tribunal and thus
 +
 +
the Praetor.  However sometimes these fleets become political pawns and their missions and loyalties shift with
 +
 +
the political winds.  A strong Praetor can secure a measure of control from the Star Command while a weak
 +
 +
Praetor, unable to do this, is forced to coexist with powerful flag officers and their own ambitions.  When an
 +
 +
outsider thinks of the Romulan Star Navy, he is likely thinking of a Command fleet.  This natural since these
 +
 +
units are the ones assigned to sensitive regions and frontier duties and nearly every hostile encounter with
 +
 +
Romulan vessels has involved ships from one of the Command fleets.  In fact for many years [[Starfleet]] was of
 +
 +
the opinion that only these fleets were in service which was later proven false.  There was once 21 fleets, each
 +
 +
composed of three centuries though the ships do not adhere to this out of practicality.  Before of their nature
 +
 +
as threat response and patrol units, most Command fleets are split into "command wings" (similar to [[task
 +
 +
group]]s) with each one commanded by a "wing ship" and the ones farther from the Imperial core tend to be larger
 +
 +
than those closer to [[Romulus]].
 +
 +
==== Senatorial Fleets ====
 +
Since many senators achieved their status through military service, they continue to retain ties to their former
 +
 +
fleets.  These fleets owe their allegiance to their former comamnders first, becoming senatorial fleets.  Some
 +
 +
have remained under the nominal control of a particular Senate seat for generations.  The infrastructure of
 +
 +
these fleets is more transferred than built as the senators will pass their allegiance down from one senator to
 +
 +
the next in that seat.  Most senatorial fleets are small, serving as a physical representation of that senator's
 +
 +
power and prestige.  Only the fleets of the most powerful senators near the status of the Command fleets (either
 +
 +
in numbers or location).  Most senatorial fleets are comprised of only 100 vessels though consular fleets are
 +
 +
often the exception and benefit from the political and monetary powers of their patrons.  Consular fleets often
 +
 +
are temporary or de factor coaltion fleets and in the contemporary Empire, only consular fleets boast multiple
 +
 +
centuries.
 +
 +
==== Coalition Fleets ====
 +
Less common than senatorial fleets, coalition fleets are often temporary creations that come to be in times of
 +
 +
crisis or political upheaval.  In nearly every case, a coalition fleet is composed of several senatorial fleets,
 +
 +
or portions of them.  Most coalition fleets possess more than the usual amount of legates to assure smoth
 +
 +
transitions among the various fleet command structures.  Such fleets attract more than the normal amount of
 +
 +
tribunes or tribunal representatives since the massing of these forces makes the Star Command nervous.
 +
 +
==== Praetorian Fleet ====
 +
The naval arm of the Praetorian Guard, the Praetorian Fleet falls under the direct command of the Praetor.  Its
 +
 +
primary duties include escort and patrol missions throughout the core of Imperial space and specifically the
 +
 +
home system of [[Romulus]] and [[Remus]].  A Praetorian escort is considered a high honor for visiting
 +
 +
dignitaries from other powers, sentaors, or high-ranking military personnel.  The fleet also accompanies the
 +
 +
Praetor to wherever he travels, as the fleet and the ground forces of the Praetorian Guard are together
 +
 +
responsible for his safety.  In times of celebration or victory, this fleet has the privilege of leading
 +
 +
triumphant cruises through the home systems.  According to ancient tradition, the Praetorian Fleet is also the
 +
 +
only fleet permitted to enter the home system of Romulus and all other fleets are anchored to nearby systems or
 +
 +
bases in the core of the Empire.  While this tradition is often waived during crises such as the Hobus incident,
 +
 +
strong Praetors still enforce it even in modern times.  The Praetorian fleet consists of three centuries plus
 +
 +
the Praetor's own command wing and has the added distinction of being the youngest unit in the navy, both in
 +
 +
personnel and individual service lifetimes.  While loyal officers may serve in a senatorial fleet for their
 +
 +
entire careers, members of the Praetorian Fleet are chosen on the basis of merit and loyalty.  For this reason,
 +
 +
the turnover rate is the highest of any branch of the Star Navy. 
 +
 +
==== Tal Shiar Fleet ====
 +
The Tal Shiar fleet is ruled only by the Tal Shiar and its chairman.  The chairman of the [[Tal Shiar]] answers
 +
 +
to the Praetor, but the Chairman has a considerable amount of power for classified operations in and outside the
 +
 +
[[Romulan Empire]].  The names of the officers and crews of these vessels are classified as are the missions. 
 +
 +
These officers often do not see their families until the end of their careers and it is unknown where these
 +
 +
vessels are stationed.
 +
 +
==== Fleet Markings ====
 +
Most outsiders are familiar with the standard "green birds" that make up the Command fleets though many other
 +
 +
fleets mark or modify their vessels to distinguish them from one another such as simple insignia embossed on the
 +
 +
sides of the vessel or color such as crimson red.  The Praetorian Fleet traditionally employs ivory and silver
 +
 +
embellishments.
 +
 +
 +
=== The Commands ===
 +
 +
==== The Star Command ====
 +
This is the administrative nexus of all [[Romulan]] naval operations whether strategic, military, supply, or
 +
 +
infrastructure-related, similar to Starfleet Headquarters and these offices are located in the government
 +
 +
district of Ki Baratan on [[Romulus]].  This complex handles all elements of interfleet organization and
 +
 +
assignments, the maintenance of Naval appropriations and funding, and specific supply and logistics problems. 
 +
 +
In addition, the fleets and other line units report to the Star Command and High Tribunal while other commands
 +
 +
such as Occupation, Outpost, Pacification and Liaison report directly to Star Command.  Their special officers
 +
 +
such as legates and sensors form a link between the Star Command and the sector and individual fleet commands.
 +
<br><br>
 +
The Office of Appropriations handles all Naval budgets and approprations issues and dispersing state funding
 +
 +
among the various fleets and standing units of the Navy.  This causes tense situations among the different
 +
 +
operationala nd fleet comamnds as generals vie for increased allocations. 
 +
<br><br>
 +
The Office of Logistics handles personnel and supply and includes integrated fleet resupply for large actions or
 +
 +
engagements, materials and construction planning and approvals for both vessels and outposts, large scale
 +
 +
dispensation of hazardous materials such as housing for singularity drives, as well as basic supply routing and
 +
 +
integreation for the various fleets and Commands of the Navy.  Officers in this line of work are found
 +
 +
throughout the Empire, especially along primary routes and spacelanes.
 +
<br><br>
 +
The Star Command is a very political animal though a wel disciplined one and must placate favored line comamnds
 +
 +
and influential Tribunal members alike.  It maintains a reasonably firm hold on the Command fleets and the
 +
 +
ancillary divisions of the Navy but the hold it has on the various senatorial and coalition fleets depends on
 +
 +
the current standing of the Praetor.
 +
 +
==== The Exploration Command ====
 +
Because of its emphasis on exploration and research, fewer officers desire to enter the Exploration Command. 
 +
 +
Glory is found in conquest and occupation endeavours rather than exploration and research.  Its mission is a
 +
 +
necessary one, though personnel find military endeavours far more glamorous and prestigious than charting space
 +
 +
dust and unknown planets.  This also carries over into other careers such as government seats and patrons.  The
 +
 +
Exploration Command doesn't group vessels into fleets but rather wings that are approximately 15 to twenty
 +
 +
ships, or a small [[Task Group]].  These wings are mainly found along the frontiers of Romulan space, especially
 +
 +
along what was once known as the Empty Frontier and is now known to be Geminite space.  The Exploration command
 +
 +
currently has 32 wings in active service, mainly due to the fact that exploration is last in most budgetary
 +
 +
debates and as a result most of the wings are not at optimal efficiency maintenace levels.
 +
<br><br>
 +
The personnel who have been with Exploration for years maintain that theirs is a true "calling", a response to
 +
 +
the lure of discovery and the unknown, similar to why many join [[Starfleet]].  The more militant officers
 +
 +
criticize them for this, though it does not bother the Exploration officers and crews.  Some of the greatest
 +
 +
accolades in Romulan history have been given to Exploration officers who have made critical or important
 +
 +
discoveries such as the Artaleirh system.  While Exploration is sometimes considered a political dead-end, most
 +
 +
of the personnel wouldn't have it any other way.
 +
 +
==== The Outpost Command ====
 +
All starbases, whether in space or on planets, are under the authority of the Outpost Command which is charged
 +
 +
with the construction, placement, patrol, and maintenance of the [[Romulan Empire|Empire]]'s numerous short- and
 +
 +
long-range bases and it is due to this that the Outpost Command is the most populous division in the Romulan
 +
 +
military.  Because of the stationary and often remote nature of [[Romulan]] bases and outposts, officers in this
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 +
division normally serve out their entire military tour at a single starbase.  This command works closely with
 +
 +
the Occupation and Pacification Commands, providing orbital and planetside bases to enable them to complete
 +
 +
their missions.  Temporary Occupation and Pacification bases are constructed using one of many modular designs
 +
 +
that can be tailored to each planet's specific needs or mission profile.  The design of a starbase depends on
 +
 +
the individual region and its needs, such as being near a volatile border or near a large number of conquered
 +
 +
colonies.  Most bases have at least one wing or more of a command fleet assigned to them.  These fleets use the
 +
 +
starbases as staging areas for operations and the vessels provide security for the base.  The two main
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 +
categories of starbases--whether spaceborne or planetside--are supplied and sustaining.
 +
 +
===== Supplied Bases =====
 +
Supplied bases are the most common type of starbase in [[Romulan]] space, usually found in more heavily
 +
 +
populated areas or along main military supply lines.  These require regular resupply to continue operating
 +
 +
normally, although most can go for months without resupply in times of crisis.
 +
<br><br>
 +
'''Star Outposts'''<br>
 +
'''Star Outposts''' are the largest type of spaceborne base, and the most common throughout the core of the
 +
 +
[[Romulan Empire]] and in other highly sensitive regions.  The military uses several different designs and
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 +
depending on the design and the base's function, an outpost couold have between 6,000 and 50,000 people aboard.
 +
<br><br>
 +
'''Command Bases'''<br>
 +
These are slightly smaller than most star outposts with crew complements ranging from 2,000 to 15,000 officers
 +
 +
and soldiers.  While star outposts often have large cilivian complements, command bases are purely military. 
 +
 +
Most sectors contain at least one command base, which is usually the command post for that sector.  Command
 +
 +
bases may also be planet-based, unlike star outposts.
 +
<br><br>
 +
'''Staging Arrays'''<br>
 +
These '''arrays''' are vast, open, space-based structures, serving as staging areas for large fleet actions or
 +
 +
missions.  They have smaller crews, and most contain state-of-the-art vessel maintenance, fueling and supply
 +
 +
facilities.  They are normally found in war zones or other high-threat regions.
 +
<br><br>
 +
'''Support Outposts'''<br>
 +
'''Support Outposts''' form the final category of supplied base and include mannel listening arrays and subspace
 +
 +
relay stations, orbital shipyards and weapons construction factories, and secret military research facilities. 
 +
 +
The [[Tal Shiar]] is thought to have several, though the locations are unknown.  Bases for the Outpost Command
 +
 +
are found throughout Imperial space, and their crew complement sizes vary according to the facility's size and
 +
 +
function.
 +
 +
===== Sustaining Bases =====
 +
The Star Navy typically establishes sustaining bases in outlying section or along frontiers, far from
 +
 +
conventional military supply lanes.  These bases are capable of going for months, some years, without resupply. 
 +
 +
Since their function varies with their missions and locations, their crew complements also vary.  Many of these
 +
 +
are older designs, retired to outlying sectors after years of service, and others are state-of-the-art
 +
 +
facilities and responsible for defending key border regions or hostile frontiers.
 +
<br><br>
 +
'''Frontier Outposts'''<br>
 +
These outposts are often linchpins in the [[Romulan Empire]]'s defensive operations and are larger because of
 +
 +
this.  Many of these are self-sufficient, either incorporating extensive hydroponics or zero-g agricultural
 +
 +
facilities, or located near a Class-M world from which they receive supplies and resources.  These bases are
 +
 +
normally found along frontiers or border regions.
 +
<br><br>
 +
'''Deep Space Outposts'''<br>
 +
'''Deep Space Outposts''' are generally assigned to sparsely populated regions of [[Romulan]] space, or in
 +
 +
distant sectors that remain largely unexplored.  These are generally smaller and older in size and tend to be
 +
 +
uneventful postings, serving as way stations for Exploration and Occupation teams.  Some well equipped deep
 +
 +
space starbases do exist and are placed adjacent to active client worlds or along distant long-range trade and
 +
 +
supply routes.
  
 
=== Ground Forces ===  
 
=== Ground Forces ===  
 +
==== The Pacification Command ====
 +
When most people think of Romulan military forces, they think of the typical green warbird decloaking to attack
 +
 +
its target.  However, there are also the elite Imperial Shrikes.  These forces are specially trained for
 +
 +
insertion and pacification on member worlds, and are roughly equivalent to the [[Klingon Defense Force]] ground
 +
 +
troops and [[Starfleet Marine Corps|Starfleet Marine]]s.  These unites are almost exclusively under the
 +
 +
authority of the Pacification Command and are a separate branch of the military, unlike [[Starfleet]] and the
 +
 +
[[SFMC]].  The Pacification Command is much more militant than the [[Federation]]'s Colonization Division in
 +
 +
that they conquer worlds and do not colonize them.  The insertion forces conquer and occupy planets in the name
 +
 +
of the Empire and transport vessels move Shrike brigades into position for landings and orbital drops over
 +
 +
hostile worlds while starships provide escort and orbital cover.  These forces seize key locations, move out and
 +
 +
suppress those who live or have fled to the countryside while ships detailed to this command provide planetary
 +
 +
support in the form of orbital bombardment and perimeter defense.  These forces, from the Tal Shava marines to
 +
 +
the infamous Ventava Legion, are trained to do whatever is necessary to pacify a world completely, including
 +
 +
torture.
 +
 +
==== The Occupation Command ====
 +
Once the Pacification Command forces accomplish the task of establishing Romulan dominance on a planet, units
 +
 +
from the Imperial Occupation Command move in to finish the job of transforming a world into a respectable
 +
 +
Imperial client state.  Led by officers known as censors, Pacifiation units combine with elements of a
 +
 +
propaganda corps and planetside military police force with long-term logistical support.  Censors serve as
 +
 +
temporary planetary governors until senatorial directives establish permanent settlements or grants on newly
 +
 +
established [[Romulan]] worlds.  Even after a new grant takes effect, most censors remain in place for a time to
 +
 +
maintain military support.  Members of the Occupation Command often become paternal towards the worlds to which
 +
 +
they've been assigned; censors serve the [[Romulan Empire|Empire]] as direct informants to and from a world and
 +
 +
its cultures.  Censors typically assume many of the more social duties of diplomacy and cultural interaction
 +
 +
iwth these planets, and serve as direct intermediaries between a conquered world's culture and the Empire.  In
 +
 +
face, other divisions, especially those in Star Command, refer to the censors as T'shara meaning "those with
 +
 +
sympathy".  This division also arranges for any new infrastructure a colony or newly conquered world might need
 +
 +
such as roads, starports, orbital facilities and the like.  The Imperial Corps of Engineers exists as a
  
 +
subdivision within the Occupation Command and its ranks consist of highly trains naval architects and structural
 +
 +
engineers, most of whome remain in high demand due to the need for their services and their low numbers.  The
 +
 +
Star Command and various command fleets often monopolize the Corps, appropriating the personnel needed to build
 +
 +
and design new vessels.  This also helps the Star Command maintain centralized control over the construction of
 +
 +
new ships far from [[Romulus]] and [[Remus]].
 +
 +
=== Positions ===
 +
''For Ranks See [[Romulan Ranks]]''
 +
 +
==== Command Officers ====
 +
All [[Romulan]] vessels have both a Prime Officer ([[Commanding Officer]]) and a Second Officer ([[Executive
 +
 +
Officer]]).  The CO, who usually has the rank of Commander, is always the officer in command of the vessel and
 +
 +
many commanders stay with the same ship for many years.  In most senatorial fleets, the XO is also an officer
 +
 +
from the Command branch as these officers are normally being groomed for a future command of their own.  In most
 +
 +
command fleets, the vessels Prime Tactical Officer is the ship's XO.  Many larger ships, especially those in
 +
 +
senatorial or coaltion fleets, have a legate, an observer from the Tribunal to see if the ship is ready for a
 +
 +
certain mission.  Additional administrative Command positions also exist on most larger ships.
 +
 +
==== Tactical Officers ====
 +
The Prime Tactical Officer on a Romulan ship possesses a great deal of power as the position combines elements
 +
 +
of the Ops, Mission Ops, and Tactical roles on a [[Starfleet]] vessel of similar size.  Several Second Officers,
 +
 +
such as Prime Security, Prime Comm, and Prime Weapons, allos the Prime Tactical to handle a diverse array of
 +
 +
duties.  On larger vessels, a unique position known as Prime Internal is responsible for a small subdivision of
 +
 +
ship's security, almost a shipboard internal affairs division.  Additional specialist, duty, administrative, and
 +
 +
technical positions also exist in each department, much as they do on a Starfleet vessel.
 +
 +
==== Operations ====
 +
The Prime Operations Officer oversees the functions of the remaining departments on a [[Romulan]] vessel.  Like
 +
 +
Prime Tactical, Prime Ops supervises a staff of second officers, who in turn are in charge of specific Ops
 +
 +
departments such as Mission Ops, Prime Systems, Prime Flight, Prime Engineering, Prime Sciences, etc.  Larger
 +
 +
shps support a large array of additional Operations personnel and support staff, including spaceframe and
 +
 +
quantum engineers, sensor, transporter, cloak, and computer technicians and specialists, departmental duty
 +
 +
officers and maintenance personnel, shuttle pilots, and a myriad of other systems and scientific specialists.
 +
 +
==== Medical Officers ====
 +
The Prime Medical Officer is independent of every other Prime Officer except the XO and CO due to the nature of
 +
 +
their work.  The medical staff has only one other Prime, the Prime Surgeon, who reports directly to the Prime
 +
 +
Medical Officer.  The medical staff's work is of saving lives, and as such its personnel are rather unconcerned
 +
 +
with issues such as politics, who is watching whom, etc.
 +
 +
==== Intelligence Officers ====
 +
Intelligence officers in the Romulan military have not only the same job as those of [[Starfleet]]
 +
 +
[[intelligence officer]]s, but also that of ensuring the loyalty of the commanders, officers, and crews.  Their
 +
 +
loyalty is to the Praetor and Tal Shiar, then the [[Romulan Empire|Empire]] at large.  These officers rarely
 +
 +
feel much if any loyalty to the ships or their commanders.  In return, the commanders usually resent the
 +
 +
presence of these officers onboard their ships, and these personnel sometimes die due to "accidents".  Some of
 +
 +
the Tal Shiar officers are not known aboard the ship, further ensuring the loyalty of the crews and creating an
 +
 +
environment where one must watch what one says lest their career be ruined.
 +
 +
===== Flag Officers =====
 +
The highest ranking officers in the Star Navy, these personnel may be Fleet Generals, Wing Generals, or Sector
 +
 +
Generals.  The only personnel to hold the rank of Admiral are those on the Tribunal and the head of Star
 +
 +
Command.  Unlike [[Starfleet]] admirals, generals in the Star Navy rarely command their own vessels or outposts
 +
 +
and instead serve as administrative overseers for broad operational areas or fields.  Unlike Starfleet where the
 +
 +
distinction between a fleet admiral and a rear admiral is slight, the flag ranks in the Star Navy are rigidly
 +
 +
enforced.  However, due to [[Romulan]] ambition, Romulan flag officers are perhaps more eager than their
 +
 +
coutnerparts in other forces to see front-line action.  It is common for a sector general to command his own
 +
 +
wingship during a routine pacification operation, due to the opportunity for greater military prestige.
 +
<br><br>
 +
Fleet Generals normally handle the operations-level planning and fleet deployments and also command the various
 +
 +
regional command staffs and divrse admiralty commands.  In this capacity, the fleet generals take charge of all
 +
 +
major military divisions, from the Occupation offices to the Command ships.  In times of crisis, fleet generals
 +
 +
occasionally take direct charge of large mobile task forces or operations groups which normally include several
 +
 +
fleets.
 +
<br><br>
 +
Under the Fleet Generals are the Wing Generals, who are misnamed as they normally command entire fleets and are
 +
 +
usually restricted to specific sectors or groups of sectors.  They also command smaller admiralty commands such
 +
 +
as the various offices within the Exploration or Occupation Comamnds or serving on larger operations staffs
 +
 +
under fleet generals.
 +
<br><br>
 +
Sector Generals often command individual Imperial sector commands, or serve staff adjutnts on regional admiralty
 +
 +
commands as high-ranking tribunes, or as century or wing commanders in the Navy's command fleets.  Normally
 +
 +
assigned to specific regions of space, sector admirals are the "rovers" among the flag ranks, moving from place
 +
 +
to place as needed to fill in where leadership is lacking.  This is especially true during times of crisis or
 +
 +
war.  Most of the comamnders in the Navy's innumberable ancillary departments (Medical or Colonization for
 +
 +
example) hold the position of Sector General.
 +
 +
== Romulan Naval Vessels ==
 +
*[[D'deridex class]] warbird
 +
*[[Norexan-class]]
 +
*[[Science Ship]]
 +
*[[Short Range Scout]]
 +
*[[Long Range Scout]]
 +
*[[Shuttle-class]]
 +
*[[Scimitar-class]]
 +
*[[Scorpion-Class]]
  
 
== Uniforms ==
 
== Uniforms ==
 +
The Romulan Star Navy has a wide variety of uniforms to help identify officers and enlisted personnel by branch,
 +
 +
division, and fleet.  The common officer's uniform is black with a metallic "checkerboard" pattern, while the
 +
 +
Praetorian Fleet utilizes a scaly, almost "chainmail" design.  Black pants made of stretch fabric, black boots,
 +
 +
and a gray undertunic round out the unifrom. 
 +
<br><br>
 +
A sash that tucks into a utilitarian belt is the last item.  These sashes are woven from metallic fibers, with similar color tints representing each of the Navy's branches--dark silver for Operations, silver with green for Tactical, silver with bronze for Command, and silver with red for Medical.  Rank is identified by small metal insignia pins worn on the collar of the tunic.

Revision as of 03:42, 23 March 2013

Romulan Star Navy
RomulanStarEmpire.png
Active:

Circa 1842

Allegiance:

Romulan Star Empire

Type:

Intelligence Service

Role:
  • interstellar navy
  • ground forces
Source


The Romulan Star Navy is a rare constant in the dynamic and unpredictable politics of the [[Romulan Star

Empire]]. The Navy and its command and senatorial fleets--as well as the ground forces--embody the militant

spirit that burns at the heart of the Empire. While Starfleet's primary mission objectives are strictly

nonmilitary (exploration, relief, research, diplomatics and others), the Star Navy has a much more martial feel

to it as its main missions are those of conquest, pacification, and war. As a result, much of the Empire's

infrastructure is geared toward the support of the Military and long term needs of its command such as

shipyards, dilithium mining, and foodstuffs sent to military centers.

History

Organization

See Also: Romulan Ranks

Even though on the surface the Romulan military may seem parallel to the Cardassian Central Command or the

Klingon Defense Force, it is actually quite different. The Navy may possess the normal rank and operational

structures one would expect, but the loyalties of the rank and file are often directed in many and unexpected

ways. For instance, the loyalties of a Starfleet engineer are extremely clear: the Chief Engineer,

then the Captain, then to Starfleet Command, and finally the Federation as a

whole. The hierarchy is easily understood and clear-cut. A Romulan department head, however, is not only loyal

to the fleet and the Empire, but might also have political or coalition loyalties too. In

some cases a Centurion may have to defer to a sublieutenant who is extremely well-connected in the Romulan

Government. As a result, by the time an officer reaches the rank of Centurion, he is already well adapted to

playing politics and capable of numerous loyalties and favors to others to gain the greatest personal benefit.

As such, it is no surprise that many Romulan senators started in the Star Navy. While this engenders paranoia

that may seem destructive outsiders, the Romulans think it useful--a watchful officer is a strong officer

and if he is not totally loyal, then he may as well be thrust out of the system.


The High Tribunal

The organization of the Romulan Star Navy, at its highest levels, is almost republican compared to a similar

organization such as Starfleet or the Klingon Defense Force. The High Tribunal controls the entire

military, making sweeping decisions regarding military policy and budgetary expenditures. In times of crisis,

it serves as the primary advisory body for unified fleet actions and operations-level planning. It is composed

of representatives of the various commands and fleets, and several Senate representatives and the Praetor. In

it, the senators and fleet representatives jockey for position. As in other areas of Romulan politics,

alliances are forces and broken with the blowing of the winds. Tribunes ally to support each other on a

particular vote, such as fleet deployments and allocations, or undermine rivals. The Praetor, as the foremost

military leader, is considered the first among equals and his opinion often shifts the tides. In this climate

of give and take, a strangely "democratic" process takes place and usually puts the needs and security of the

Empire over individual ambitions. While the system it supports seems less than perfect to many officers lower

down, most flag officers and senators recognize and respect both its utility and its necessity. In certain

fleets these delegates, called tribunes, are elected while in others the most senior flag officers serve as

representatives. In the Praetorian and Tullan Fleets, the most honored officers are selected, while many of of

the senatorial and coalition fleet tribunes are selected by their patron senators or their coaltion members.

Most Tribunal representatives serve in this capacity for years, after which the honor transfers to a new

representative.

Over the years, the High Tribunal has become the principal advisory arm for the Praetor as he formulates long-

range planning and policy directives for ongoing and future military endeavors. It also provides the Praetor

the opportunity to keep apprised of the circumstances and morale of the militiary and allows him to keep an eye

on ambitious or self-serving senators. He can effectively squash political coups through fleet deployments, or

with a few words, reshape a debate. Senators and admirals use the High Tribunal to gauge their standing with

the Praetor; an admiral with the Praetor's favor might receive additional resources or choice assignments, while

a senator out of favor could see his budget slashed.

The modern Tribunal is a badly needed system of controls in an otherwise politicized around and only in the

halls of the Tribunal on Romulus does the snallest senatorial unit command the same respect as the greatest

consular fleet and its very existence serves to temper the ambitions of the powerful. The fleets of the Romulan

Navy represent a disparate military assortment, and an even more diverse array of command ideologies. The

presence of it serves as the ultimate balance, a body before which all units are equal.

The Fleets

The Romulan Star Navy's interstellar ships are divided into various fleets, each under the nominal control of

the Star Command. Unlike the purely organizational divisions in Starfleet, Romulan fleets are also

divided by political and sometimes philosophical lines. They are often semiautonomous and self-sufficient

command in their own rights. Each fleet owes its first loyalty to its own and there are numerous examples of

this. Fleets are divided into Centuries which normally include around 100 vessels along with the attendant

support craft necessary to maintain the fleet's peak operational status. These numbers were the optimal

numbers, however, before the Dominion War, the Hobus Incident, and the Romulan-Geminite War. Now each

Century includes somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-85 vessels, far fewer than what it once was. Shipyards are

at maximum capacity to resolve this and more are being built. In recent years, the concept of the "Century" has

gone out of favor with many younger and more progressive commanders and senators, slowly becoming an outdated

tradition rather than a fact. Emphasis in many of the newer fleets has shifted to make room for larger numbers

of small incursion vessels and quick frigates, vessels strong in firepower and stealth but weak on personnel

requirements and maintenance drain. Very few personnel know what one means now by "two centuries" worth of

vessels.

The various fleets are responsible for specific sectors or regions of space within the Romulan Empire,

similar to Starfleet's numbered fleets accepting stations at a given area of space within the Federation.

However, these assignments are often the result of political maneuvers. A powerful senatorial fleet may be

banished to an outlying frontier sector by a weak Praetor, while an understaffed coalition fleet may gain a

station along the Neutral Zone by calling in a favor with a Tribunal member. The maneuvering and posturing

among the fleets for posting and station is neverending and serves as a reflection of the waves of influence

within the highest echelons of the Romulan government. Certain fleets never lose their station such as the

Praetorian Fleet that is always stations on Romulus. Other fleets were not allowed to entier the homesystem

without permission from these commanders until 2387 when Hobus went nova. The last factor are the various

Command fleets. The Command fleets are those directly under the supervision of Star Command and the High

Tribunal. For this reason, these centuries are normally posted to the most sensitive or crucial regions of the

Empire while the senatorial fleets must push and pull at each other for position.

Command Fleets

The core forces of the Star Navy are the Command fleets and are under the control of the High Tribunal and thus

the Praetor. However sometimes these fleets become political pawns and their missions and loyalties shift with

the political winds. A strong Praetor can secure a measure of control from the Star Command while a weak

Praetor, unable to do this, is forced to coexist with powerful flag officers and their own ambitions. When an

outsider thinks of the Romulan Star Navy, he is likely thinking of a Command fleet. This natural since these

units are the ones assigned to sensitive regions and frontier duties and nearly every hostile encounter with

Romulan vessels has involved ships from one of the Command fleets. In fact for many years Starfleet was of

the opinion that only these fleets were in service which was later proven false. There was once 21 fleets, each

composed of three centuries though the ships do not adhere to this out of practicality. Before of their nature

as threat response and patrol units, most Command fleets are split into "command wings" (similar to [[task

group]]s) with each one commanded by a "wing ship" and the ones farther from the Imperial core tend to be larger

than those closer to Romulus.

Senatorial Fleets

Since many senators achieved their status through military service, they continue to retain ties to their former

fleets. These fleets owe their allegiance to their former comamnders first, becoming senatorial fleets. Some

have remained under the nominal control of a particular Senate seat for generations. The infrastructure of

these fleets is more transferred than built as the senators will pass their allegiance down from one senator to

the next in that seat. Most senatorial fleets are small, serving as a physical representation of that senator's

power and prestige. Only the fleets of the most powerful senators near the status of the Command fleets (either

in numbers or location). Most senatorial fleets are comprised of only 100 vessels though consular fleets are

often the exception and benefit from the political and monetary powers of their patrons. Consular fleets often

are temporary or de factor coaltion fleets and in the contemporary Empire, only consular fleets boast multiple

centuries.

Coalition Fleets

Less common than senatorial fleets, coalition fleets are often temporary creations that come to be in times of

crisis or political upheaval. In nearly every case, a coalition fleet is composed of several senatorial fleets,

or portions of them. Most coalition fleets possess more than the usual amount of legates to assure smoth

transitions among the various fleet command structures. Such fleets attract more than the normal amount of

tribunes or tribunal representatives since the massing of these forces makes the Star Command nervous.

Praetorian Fleet

The naval arm of the Praetorian Guard, the Praetorian Fleet falls under the direct command of the Praetor. Its

primary duties include escort and patrol missions throughout the core of Imperial space and specifically the

home system of Romulus and Remus. A Praetorian escort is considered a high honor for visiting

dignitaries from other powers, sentaors, or high-ranking military personnel. The fleet also accompanies the

Praetor to wherever he travels, as the fleet and the ground forces of the Praetorian Guard are together

responsible for his safety. In times of celebration or victory, this fleet has the privilege of leading

triumphant cruises through the home systems. According to ancient tradition, the Praetorian Fleet is also the

only fleet permitted to enter the home system of Romulus and all other fleets are anchored to nearby systems or

bases in the core of the Empire. While this tradition is often waived during crises such as the Hobus incident,

strong Praetors still enforce it even in modern times. The Praetorian fleet consists of three centuries plus

the Praetor's own command wing and has the added distinction of being the youngest unit in the navy, both in

personnel and individual service lifetimes. While loyal officers may serve in a senatorial fleet for their

entire careers, members of the Praetorian Fleet are chosen on the basis of merit and loyalty. For this reason,

the turnover rate is the highest of any branch of the Star Navy.

Tal Shiar Fleet

The Tal Shiar fleet is ruled only by the Tal Shiar and its chairman. The chairman of the Tal Shiar answers

to the Praetor, but the Chairman has a considerable amount of power for classified operations in and outside the

Romulan Empire. The names of the officers and crews of these vessels are classified as are the missions.

These officers often do not see their families until the end of their careers and it is unknown where these

vessels are stationed.

Fleet Markings

Most outsiders are familiar with the standard "green birds" that make up the Command fleets though many other

fleets mark or modify their vessels to distinguish them from one another such as simple insignia embossed on the

sides of the vessel or color such as crimson red. The Praetorian Fleet traditionally employs ivory and silver

embellishments.


The Commands

The Star Command

This is the administrative nexus of all Romulan naval operations whether strategic, military, supply, or

infrastructure-related, similar to Starfleet Headquarters and these offices are located in the government

district of Ki Baratan on Romulus. This complex handles all elements of interfleet organization and

assignments, the maintenance of Naval appropriations and funding, and specific supply and logistics problems.

In addition, the fleets and other line units report to the Star Command and High Tribunal while other commands

such as Occupation, Outpost, Pacification and Liaison report directly to Star Command. Their special officers

such as legates and sensors form a link between the Star Command and the sector and individual fleet commands.

The Office of Appropriations handles all Naval budgets and approprations issues and dispersing state funding

among the various fleets and standing units of the Navy. This causes tense situations among the different

operationala nd fleet comamnds as generals vie for increased allocations.

The Office of Logistics handles personnel and supply and includes integrated fleet resupply for large actions or

engagements, materials and construction planning and approvals for both vessels and outposts, large scale

dispensation of hazardous materials such as housing for singularity drives, as well as basic supply routing and

integreation for the various fleets and Commands of the Navy. Officers in this line of work are found

throughout the Empire, especially along primary routes and spacelanes.

The Star Command is a very political animal though a wel disciplined one and must placate favored line comamnds

and influential Tribunal members alike. It maintains a reasonably firm hold on the Command fleets and the

ancillary divisions of the Navy but the hold it has on the various senatorial and coalition fleets depends on

the current standing of the Praetor.

The Exploration Command

Because of its emphasis on exploration and research, fewer officers desire to enter the Exploration Command.

Glory is found in conquest and occupation endeavours rather than exploration and research. Its mission is a

necessary one, though personnel find military endeavours far more glamorous and prestigious than charting space

dust and unknown planets. This also carries over into other careers such as government seats and patrons. The

Exploration Command doesn't group vessels into fleets but rather wings that are approximately 15 to twenty

ships, or a small Task Group. These wings are mainly found along the frontiers of Romulan space, especially

along what was once known as the Empty Frontier and is now known to be Geminite space. The Exploration command

currently has 32 wings in active service, mainly due to the fact that exploration is last in most budgetary

debates and as a result most of the wings are not at optimal efficiency maintenace levels.

The personnel who have been with Exploration for years maintain that theirs is a true "calling", a response to

the lure of discovery and the unknown, similar to why many join Starfleet. The more militant officers

criticize them for this, though it does not bother the Exploration officers and crews. Some of the greatest

accolades in Romulan history have been given to Exploration officers who have made critical or important

discoveries such as the Artaleirh system. While Exploration is sometimes considered a political dead-end, most

of the personnel wouldn't have it any other way.

The Outpost Command

All starbases, whether in space or on planets, are under the authority of the Outpost Command which is charged

with the construction, placement, patrol, and maintenance of the Empire's numerous short- and

long-range bases and it is due to this that the Outpost Command is the most populous division in the Romulan

military. Because of the stationary and often remote nature of Romulan bases and outposts, officers in this

division normally serve out their entire military tour at a single starbase. This command works closely with

the Occupation and Pacification Commands, providing orbital and planetside bases to enable them to complete

their missions. Temporary Occupation and Pacification bases are constructed using one of many modular designs

that can be tailored to each planet's specific needs or mission profile. The design of a starbase depends on

the individual region and its needs, such as being near a volatile border or near a large number of conquered

colonies. Most bases have at least one wing or more of a command fleet assigned to them. These fleets use the

starbases as staging areas for operations and the vessels provide security for the base. The two main

categories of starbases--whether spaceborne or planetside--are supplied and sustaining.

Supplied Bases

Supplied bases are the most common type of starbase in Romulan space, usually found in more heavily

populated areas or along main military supply lines. These require regular resupply to continue operating

normally, although most can go for months without resupply in times of crisis.

Star Outposts
Star Outposts are the largest type of spaceborne base, and the most common throughout the core of the

Romulan Empire and in other highly sensitive regions. The military uses several different designs and

depending on the design and the base's function, an outpost couold have between 6,000 and 50,000 people aboard.

Command Bases
These are slightly smaller than most star outposts with crew complements ranging from 2,000 to 15,000 officers

and soldiers. While star outposts often have large cilivian complements, command bases are purely military.

Most sectors contain at least one command base, which is usually the command post for that sector. Command

bases may also be planet-based, unlike star outposts.

Staging Arrays
These arrays are vast, open, space-based structures, serving as staging areas for large fleet actions or

missions. They have smaller crews, and most contain state-of-the-art vessel maintenance, fueling and supply

facilities. They are normally found in war zones or other high-threat regions.

Support Outposts
Support Outposts form the final category of supplied base and include mannel listening arrays and subspace

relay stations, orbital shipyards and weapons construction factories, and secret military research facilities.

The Tal Shiar is thought to have several, though the locations are unknown. Bases for the Outpost Command

are found throughout Imperial space, and their crew complement sizes vary according to the facility's size and

function.

Sustaining Bases

The Star Navy typically establishes sustaining bases in outlying section or along frontiers, far from

conventional military supply lanes. These bases are capable of going for months, some years, without resupply.

Since their function varies with their missions and locations, their crew complements also vary. Many of these

are older designs, retired to outlying sectors after years of service, and others are state-of-the-art

facilities and responsible for defending key border regions or hostile frontiers.

Frontier Outposts
These outposts are often linchpins in the Romulan Empire's defensive operations and are larger because of

this. Many of these are self-sufficient, either incorporating extensive hydroponics or zero-g agricultural

facilities, or located near a Class-M world from which they receive supplies and resources. These bases are

normally found along frontiers or border regions.

Deep Space Outposts
Deep Space Outposts are generally assigned to sparsely populated regions of Romulan space, or in

distant sectors that remain largely unexplored. These are generally smaller and older in size and tend to be

uneventful postings, serving as way stations for Exploration and Occupation teams. Some well equipped deep

space starbases do exist and are placed adjacent to active client worlds or along distant long-range trade and

supply routes.

Ground Forces

The Pacification Command

When most people think of Romulan military forces, they think of the typical green warbird decloaking to attack

its target. However, there are also the elite Imperial Shrikes. These forces are specially trained for

insertion and pacification on member worlds, and are roughly equivalent to the Klingon Defense Force ground

troops and Starfleet Marines. These unites are almost exclusively under the

authority of the Pacification Command and are a separate branch of the military, unlike Starfleet and the

SFMC. The Pacification Command is much more militant than the Federation's Colonization Division in

that they conquer worlds and do not colonize them. The insertion forces conquer and occupy planets in the name

of the Empire and transport vessels move Shrike brigades into position for landings and orbital drops over

hostile worlds while starships provide escort and orbital cover. These forces seize key locations, move out and

suppress those who live or have fled to the countryside while ships detailed to this command provide planetary

support in the form of orbital bombardment and perimeter defense. These forces, from the Tal Shava marines to

the infamous Ventava Legion, are trained to do whatever is necessary to pacify a world completely, including

torture.

The Occupation Command

Once the Pacification Command forces accomplish the task of establishing Romulan dominance on a planet, units

from the Imperial Occupation Command move in to finish the job of transforming a world into a respectable

Imperial client state. Led by officers known as censors, Pacifiation units combine with elements of a

propaganda corps and planetside military police force with long-term logistical support. Censors serve as

temporary planetary governors until senatorial directives establish permanent settlements or grants on newly

established Romulan worlds. Even after a new grant takes effect, most censors remain in place for a time to

maintain military support. Members of the Occupation Command often become paternal towards the worlds to which

they've been assigned; censors serve the Empire as direct informants to and from a world and

its cultures. Censors typically assume many of the more social duties of diplomacy and cultural interaction

iwth these planets, and serve as direct intermediaries between a conquered world's culture and the Empire. In

face, other divisions, especially those in Star Command, refer to the censors as T'shara meaning "those with

sympathy". This division also arranges for any new infrastructure a colony or newly conquered world might need

such as roads, starports, orbital facilities and the like. The Imperial Corps of Engineers exists as a

subdivision within the Occupation Command and its ranks consist of highly trains naval architects and structural

engineers, most of whome remain in high demand due to the need for their services and their low numbers. The

Star Command and various command fleets often monopolize the Corps, appropriating the personnel needed to build

and design new vessels. This also helps the Star Command maintain centralized control over the construction of

new ships far from Romulus and Remus.

Positions

For Ranks See Romulan Ranks

Command Officers

All Romulan vessels have both a Prime Officer (Commanding Officer) and a Second Officer ([[Executive

Officer]]). The CO, who usually has the rank of Commander, is always the officer in command of the vessel and

many commanders stay with the same ship for many years. In most senatorial fleets, the XO is also an officer

from the Command branch as these officers are normally being groomed for a future command of their own. In most

command fleets, the vessels Prime Tactical Officer is the ship's XO. Many larger ships, especially those in

senatorial or coaltion fleets, have a legate, an observer from the Tribunal to see if the ship is ready for a

certain mission. Additional administrative Command positions also exist on most larger ships.

Tactical Officers

The Prime Tactical Officer on a Romulan ship possesses a great deal of power as the position combines elements

of the Ops, Mission Ops, and Tactical roles on a Starfleet vessel of similar size. Several Second Officers,

such as Prime Security, Prime Comm, and Prime Weapons, allos the Prime Tactical to handle a diverse array of

duties. On larger vessels, a unique position known as Prime Internal is responsible for a small subdivision of

ship's security, almost a shipboard internal affairs division. Additional specialist, duty, administrative, and

technical positions also exist in each department, much as they do on a Starfleet vessel.

Operations

The Prime Operations Officer oversees the functions of the remaining departments on a Romulan vessel. Like

Prime Tactical, Prime Ops supervises a staff of second officers, who in turn are in charge of specific Ops

departments such as Mission Ops, Prime Systems, Prime Flight, Prime Engineering, Prime Sciences, etc. Larger

shps support a large array of additional Operations personnel and support staff, including spaceframe and

quantum engineers, sensor, transporter, cloak, and computer technicians and specialists, departmental duty

officers and maintenance personnel, shuttle pilots, and a myriad of other systems and scientific specialists.

Medical Officers

The Prime Medical Officer is independent of every other Prime Officer except the XO and CO due to the nature of

their work. The medical staff has only one other Prime, the Prime Surgeon, who reports directly to the Prime

Medical Officer. The medical staff's work is of saving lives, and as such its personnel are rather unconcerned

with issues such as politics, who is watching whom, etc.

Intelligence Officers

Intelligence officers in the Romulan military have not only the same job as those of Starfleet

intelligence officers, but also that of ensuring the loyalty of the commanders, officers, and crews. Their

loyalty is to the Praetor and Tal Shiar, then the Empire at large. These officers rarely

feel much if any loyalty to the ships or their commanders. In return, the commanders usually resent the

presence of these officers onboard their ships, and these personnel sometimes die due to "accidents". Some of

the Tal Shiar officers are not known aboard the ship, further ensuring the loyalty of the crews and creating an

environment where one must watch what one says lest their career be ruined.

Flag Officers

The highest ranking officers in the Star Navy, these personnel may be Fleet Generals, Wing Generals, or Sector

Generals. The only personnel to hold the rank of Admiral are those on the Tribunal and the head of Star

Command. Unlike Starfleet admirals, generals in the Star Navy rarely command their own vessels or outposts

and instead serve as administrative overseers for broad operational areas or fields. Unlike Starfleet where the

distinction between a fleet admiral and a rear admiral is slight, the flag ranks in the Star Navy are rigidly

enforced. However, due to Romulan ambition, Romulan flag officers are perhaps more eager than their

coutnerparts in other forces to see front-line action. It is common for a sector general to command his own

wingship during a routine pacification operation, due to the opportunity for greater military prestige.

Fleet Generals normally handle the operations-level planning and fleet deployments and also command the various

regional command staffs and divrse admiralty commands. In this capacity, the fleet generals take charge of all

major military divisions, from the Occupation offices to the Command ships. In times of crisis, fleet generals

occasionally take direct charge of large mobile task forces or operations groups which normally include several

fleets.

Under the Fleet Generals are the Wing Generals, who are misnamed as they normally command entire fleets and are

usually restricted to specific sectors or groups of sectors. They also command smaller admiralty commands such

as the various offices within the Exploration or Occupation Comamnds or serving on larger operations staffs

under fleet generals.

Sector Generals often command individual Imperial sector commands, or serve staff adjutnts on regional admiralty

commands as high-ranking tribunes, or as century or wing commanders in the Navy's command fleets. Normally

assigned to specific regions of space, sector admirals are the "rovers" among the flag ranks, moving from place

to place as needed to fill in where leadership is lacking. This is especially true during times of crisis or

war. Most of the comamnders in the Navy's innumberable ancillary departments (Medical or Colonization for

example) hold the position of Sector General.

Romulan Naval Vessels

Uniforms

The Romulan Star Navy has a wide variety of uniforms to help identify officers and enlisted personnel by branch,

division, and fleet. The common officer's uniform is black with a metallic "checkerboard" pattern, while the

Praetorian Fleet utilizes a scaly, almost "chainmail" design. Black pants made of stretch fabric, black boots,

and a gray undertunic round out the unifrom.

A sash that tucks into a utilitarian belt is the last item. These sashes are woven from metallic fibers, with similar color tints representing each of the Navy's branches--dark silver for Operations, silver with green for Tactical, silver with bronze for Command, and silver with red for Medical. Rank is identified by small metal insignia pins worn on the collar of the tunic.

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