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How much inter-system mobility does an Imperial world have?

I mean, if I have Planet X, and the guy in charge wants to toss together some kind of expedition (colony mission, personal war, etc) to some other planet outside of his system, how exactly does he do it - or can he?

To my understanding the Navigators are pretty strictly controlled, and it seems like most Warp travel is really just for Imperial Business, but I may be wrong. In fact, I'm not even sure what kind of space force planets are allowed to have.

Writing backstory and want to make sure I've got my conventions in a row.

Thanks!

If they are a governor of a normal (as in, industrialised, not feral) planet then it shouldn't be a problem to set one up. The administratum would have navigators to hand and if the governor is REALLY connected might even have an agreement with a Navigator house.

There are plenty of warp capable merchant ships available. Someone as important as a governor would be able to hire one easily. The tricky part is staying off the radar of the Inquisition if he/she wants to do something naughty.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
In terms of space forces, developed systems will have "system monitors" which covers a wide range of non-warp.capable.ships used to.defend the system from raids and incursions and intended to be enough of a road bump to more serious assaults to permit time for the real navy to turn up.

Part of the planetary defence forces.

I think it would be unlikely that a system would have many proper warp capable warships as that encroaches on the Navy's playground. I can see a particularly powerful governor having a private "yacht" that was gunned up to.the hilt but not.much more.

Oh, also, you don't strictly require a navigator for warp travel. You can also travel using 'calculated jumps' where you hop short distances and pop out of warp to reorient yourself.

It's much slower than navigator-led deep warp dives, but more than possible to maintain travel between nearby systems.

An imperial worlds defence fleet (the SDF is the spaceborne component of the PDF) has several ships but they aren't warp capable.

However, there are independent (ish) warp capable ships you can charter - Rogue Traders or Chartist Traders have warp-capable ships, usually (especially the former) with very capable navigators and decent weaponry.

Equally, in addition to the planetary PDF and any personal household guard, you can hire mercenary companies to bulk out your forces.

Cheers; looks like I should have a safe enough means of travel for a bit of backstory hack-ups. At the very least, "hopping" would about do it.

locarno24 wrote:


Equally, in addition to the planetary PDF and any personal household guard, you can hire mercenary companies to bulk out your forces.

I presumed planets can still basically build offensive armies - this one has its PDF, pays men and (mostly) machines/material to the Tithe, and also puts together its own Guard units to take part in Imperial offensives and other personal endeavors (once conquering another settled planet in their own system, now engaging in a feud with another Imperial faction over another).

Navigator houses are quite spread across the Imperium, so as long as you do not commit treason (or at least as long as the treason you commit is supported by aforementioned Navigators) you should not have any problem.

~

 Infantryman wrote:
Cheers; looks like I should have a safe enough means of travel for a bit of backstory hack-ups. At the very least, "hopping" would about do it.

locarno24 wrote:


Equally, in addition to the planetary PDF and any personal household guard, you can hire mercenary companies to bulk out your forces.

I presumed planets can still basically build offensive armies - this one has its PDF, pays men and (mostly) machines/material to the Tithe, and also puts together its own Guard units to take part in Imperial offensives and other personal endeavors (once conquering another settled planet in their own system, now engaging in a feud with another Imperial faction over another).

If it's a 'personal matter', they're not Imperial Guard. You become an Imperial Guard unit by being transferred into or raised by the Departmento Munitorium, at which point you cease to fall under the lord governor's authority.

Essentially, 'dudes with lasguns' fall into four flavours:

1 - Planetary Defence Forces: Raised and maintained by a Lord-Governor in his position as Imperial Commander and answerable to him as long as he retains this position (or until countermanded by his Lord Subsector or Lord Sector).
2 - Imperial Guard: Theoretically the top 10% of the PDF or PDF recruits provided on demand to the Departmento Munitorium. Answerable to the Lord-Generals of the Astra Militarum, regardless of their homeworld, and hence to the Segmentum Command.
3 - Household Guard: Raised and maintained by an Imperial Noble House, but out of their own pocket and as such not answerable to anyone else so long as they're not caught doing anything illegal.
4 - Mercenaries: Sanctioned ones are raised under the authority of an Imperial Warrant called a Pacto Militis (which basically grants the holder the right to raise an independent military but defines what it can contain and what it can, can't and must be used for)


Note that units can move from one type to another and legalistic games are common to get around restrictions.

For example:

Marneus Calgar is, as an Astartes, forbidden from commanding Imperial Guard.
BUT
The Macragge Defence Auxilia, whilst armed and trained exactly like Imperial Guard, are technically PDF. Whom Calgar is allowed to order around because he's also Lord Macragge, a seperate legal persona who's a Sector Governor.

A Cardinal is not permitted to command 'Men Under Arms' (The Decree Passive)
BUT
He's probably a Nobleman, and whilst he is not permitted troops, no-one would expect the entire dynasty to dismantle its household guard. He's not commanding them. His Cousin is.

And so on. The key thing is that 'offensive' forces that can project force to another planet are officially discouraged. But a series of unofficial skirmishes between two factions in the same system (i.e. not requiring a warp-capable vessel) is doable provided it doesn't interfere with either party's Tithe output and/or doesn't irritate anyone more important by damaging Adeptus Mechanicus or Adeptus Terra (or worse, Inquisitorial!) property.

Hm, so it sounds like I am misremembering how Guard *works*.
It seems like I should bill the army I'm constructing more as the "Household Guard" than "Imperial Guard" (or at least the elements in said backstory I'm playing around with).

The way I've got the draft now, based on prior understanding, is this:

PDF - comprised of everyone 16-60 that isn't some kind of essential personnel or cripple. Most serve 1 year, but some serve 2-4, and it all depends on one's service ID number. Mostly bulk lasgunners and defense batteries, but with obsolete or lighter styles of vehicles (think Malkadors and Salamanders instead of Russ).

Tithe - Mostly material (industrial world - indeed some 90% war material produced locally is for this tithe) but some men as well. Given basic training and shipped out to be done with as needed by the Munitorum.

Guard - Comprised of two sub-elements: Heavy mechanized and light foot. These forces take part in crusades/offenses, join in defenses (on world or off), settle matters the planetary governor wants done, and so on. Built around what modern style war machines they're allowed to keep (like, for every 100 LRBT produced, they may keep 2 or something), backed up/bulked out with the older style ones (because the tithes keep taking most of the good stuff and there's production quotas to obey).

This would be an incorrect way to write it, I take it?

 Infantryman wrote:

Tithe - Mostly material (industrial world - indeed some 90% war material produced locally is for this tithe) but some men as well. Given basic training and shipped out to be done with as needed by the Munitorum.

Guard - Comprised of two sub-elements: Heavy mechanized and light foot. These forces take part in crusades/offenses, join in defenses (on world or off), settle matters the planetary governor wants done, and so on. Built around what modern style war machines they're allowed to keep (like, for every 100 LRBT produced, they may keep 2 or something), backed up/bulked out with the older style ones (because the tithes keep taking most of the good stuff and there's production quotas to obey).

This would be an incorrect way to write it, I take it?

"Tithe" is Imperial Guard while "Guard" describes a household guard, if that's what you're wondering.