The Company Fleet were the Earth Company warfleet which attempted to conquer all independent systems in the Company War.
History[]
As the star stations and planets of the Beyond broke away from Earth control, the Earth Company built a fleet of FTL ships to bring them back in line. The first ships were repurposed scouts, which had always been armed in the expectation that they could find trouble exploring the Deep. After Cyteen declared independence in 2301, the armed fleet expanded. First merchants were armed, and then construction began on a fleet of 50 purpose-built carriers intended to impose Earth's will. Devil to the Belt explores early construction and the challenges of creating "rider ships" capable of countering Union forces. Typically, four riders multiplied a carrier's firepower. Downbelow Station explores the end of the Company Wars, following the fleet in a rear guard action in which the remaining 15 carriers are attrited to only 6. Downbelow Station reveals that Earth is in the process of building a "second fleet" to counter Union, but the Company Wars end before it can be brought to bear.
Logistics[]
The novel Tripoint hints at the extensive logistics network required to support the Earth Company fleet, including supply transfer points, deep jump routes known only to certain ships, fuel dumps to supply the ships using the deep routes, and unexpected discoveries by the ships working outside the known navigation routes.
Crews[]
Every Carrier had thousands of crew and troop onboard. At the end of the war, very few were originary from Earth, and their ties to the Company, or to Earth, were almost inexistent: like in all merchant vessels, their loyalty, along with their riderships, was only to their ship mates and their captain, having developed a cult personality. Man or woman, he was always called "the old man". The different ships have a deep distrust and rivalry against the others: when they meet others outside their ships, a fight was almost inevitable.
Ships of the Fleet[]
To see the exact list of vessels, see Fleet. About 50 Carriers were built on Sol. 35 were lost in the war. After the battle of Pell Station, only survived 6 loyal to Mazian. About a year later, only 4 remained: Europe, Atlantic, Pacific and Africa.