Carriers
Continuing the mini-descriptions of the Deep Patrol universe, here's a brief description of the what and how of the Patrol's major starship class, which are:
Carriers
A carrier is the standard independent field unit of the Deep Patrol. There are many designs, most of which have been modified or upgraded at various times so it is difficult to generalise accurately. What they all have in common is the ability to perform long range and long term missions, acting as a tender for cutters and cruisers that perform scouting sorties.
Essentially a Carrier is equipped and manned to be a mobile exploration base for the Patrol, sending cutters on short range scouting missions and the larger cruisers for longer or more complex follow up operations. In the event of an encounter requiring the full commitment of the Carrier’s complement it is usual to request back up from Carriers in adjoining exploration zones and from those refitting in the reserve.
Carrier captains have enormous discretion in their actions due to the vast distances between nodes and poor communications in uncharted space. For security reasons, one Carrier will have little information on the planned route of another, which in any case they are increasingly unlikely to have followed as time passes. Messages have to be sent to arranged rendezvous points and message drops and wait to be collected. A call for backup has no guarantee of being honoured in a timely fashion. As such it is doctrine for each Carrier to act as though it will not be relieved when under threat.
However the loss of a Carrier must not mean the loss of a war or failure in other, more threatening events. Carriers are constantly sending cutters and drones to the rendezvous and drops to pick up and send out information. In this way data, technology, and even supplies and personnel are spread throughout the Patrol.
This post is supported by my Patreon, where the main Deep Patrol stories are hosted.
Carriers
A carrier is the standard independent field unit of the Deep Patrol. There are many designs, most of which have been modified or upgraded at various times so it is difficult to generalise accurately. What they all have in common is the ability to perform long range and long term missions, acting as a tender for cutters and cruisers that perform scouting sorties.
Essentially a Carrier is equipped and manned to be a mobile exploration base for the Patrol, sending cutters on short range scouting missions and the larger cruisers for longer or more complex follow up operations. In the event of an encounter requiring the full commitment of the Carrier’s complement it is usual to request back up from Carriers in adjoining exploration zones and from those refitting in the reserve.
Carrier captains have enormous discretion in their actions due to the vast distances between nodes and poor communications in uncharted space. For security reasons, one Carrier will have little information on the planned route of another, which in any case they are increasingly unlikely to have followed as time passes. Messages have to be sent to arranged rendezvous points and message drops and wait to be collected. A call for backup has no guarantee of being honoured in a timely fashion. As such it is doctrine for each Carrier to act as though it will not be relieved when under threat.
However the loss of a Carrier must not mean the loss of a war or failure in other, more threatening events. Carriers are constantly sending cutters and drones to the rendezvous and drops to pick up and send out information. In this way data, technology, and even supplies and personnel are spread throughout the Patrol.
This post is supported by my Patreon, where the main Deep Patrol stories are hosted.
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