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Old 11-25-2022, 11:27 AM   #741
jason taylor
 
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Default Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

Target Vessels:

The sophistication of modern simulators has reached the point where they dominate naval training. That said, most navies have not discarded live-fire training. It can be a valuable propaganda tool to demonstrate naval efficiency and it can test weapons and ship construction in a way no simulator can. It can even provide a useful secondary check on crew.

Target vessels are disposable vessels made for this purpose. They are fitted with auto or remote pilot and less than lethal weapons (it is desirable that the crew feels like it is hit, not that they die). They are often old vessels but some are purpose built. But in any case less expense is invested in them because they are meant to be destroyed. Indeed some navies consider this a more honorable end than a scrapyard.

It is a common tradition, especially with purpose-built target vessels to name them after historical or mythical villains. The IMS Adolf Hitler has been blown up more times than can be counted. The Royal Caledonian Navy has commissioned several times the Duke of Cumberland, and traditionally saves the RCN Guy Fawkes for the Fifth of November and reserves the right to destroy it for distinguished officers. Sword Worlders top the list with the SWC Sauron. But they are also fond of the SWC Josef Stalin as a memory of their sentimental regard for the Finnish armed forces of Ancient Terra. Sometimes indeed a target vessel can be a subject of affection. There are however occasions where a living person will get such an infamy as a shaming right. On one occasion after Captain The Earl of Darkwood was convicted of cowardice; his dress sword was publicly broken and it was decreed by Imperial Authority that an IMS Darkwood would be destroyed in the next maneuvers.
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Last edited by jason taylor; 10-03-2023 at 10:22 AM.
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