Sailor Armed Militia

From FenWiki
Revision as of 02:15, 4 December 2013 by Robkelk (Talk | contribs) (Cruisers)

(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search
Senshi Sailor Armed Militia
Senshi roundel.png
SSAM roundel/shoulder blazon
Active 2010 - present
Headquarters Crystal Hiroshima
Nickname Sammies
Royal Venus Lifeboat Institute
Colors Blue, Gold and White
Engagements Boskone War
Commanders
Commander in Chief Serenity II
Commander Crystal Senshi Beverly Hayakawa
Aerospacecraft flown
Attack Hornblower class cruiser
Patrol Aubrey class Search & Rescue patrol vessel
Bolitho class pocket patrol vessel
Transport J4500 University Coach


While the term “sailor-suited warrior” is integral to the base description of the canonical ur-senshi, the “Sailor” part has, over the years, become something more generic. Despite being the default woman’s lib faction of Fenspace, even the Justice subfaction have to admit that women get a more fair shake than they’ve ever had on the “old dirtball.” This has led to quite a number of residents of the Crystal Cities being people who don’t really cleave to the concept of “girl power” that the Crystal Cities draws its central image from.

These folk (mostly female, but other genders are not excluded) have latched onto the “sailor” appellation and made it their own, forming the Senshi Sailor Armed Militia. The various countries on Earth have long and, in the most part, honorable and glorious naval traditions. To be a sailor in the British Navy or U.S. Coast Guard is an honorable thing, and provides a set of goals and rules to live a good life by.

The Sailors have done their best to put this concept into work in Fenspace, borrowing heavily from the naval traditions of Earth, ignoring most of the bits that simply don’t apply anymore (the practice of “casting the log” has survived, but is now a hazing ritual designed to make newbies realize that yes, they actually are in outer frigging space).

The crowned-golden-anchor insignia of the Sailors is a very recognizable symbol around Fenspace. It strongly implies that the bearer is trustworthy, honest, and courageous.[1]

Sailors are colloquially called “Sailors” or “Sammies,” and these terms apply equally to all genders.


Capoeira - the official martial artform of the Sammies. Because you just gotta look good while kicking ass.

Benjamin Rhodes, 15 March 2012

Organization

Many Sailors are not full-time military members; many people who have full-time occupations maintain a Reserve rank (usually simply an organizational convenience – ranks below OF-06 are assigned on a fairly ad-hoc basis in the Sailors) and membership in the Sailors organization. As Reserve Sailors, their duties are primarily to live by the Sailor code, to respond to high-priority requests for assistance by Sailor central command, and to maintain a “State of Readiness to Act Against the Enemies of Humanity.” (Sailor bureaucratic plumage has taken a close dramatic resemblance to Age of Sail British nomenclature.) Notable Reserves include Hermes, the AI majordomo of Hephaestus; ‘Mizz’ Nezumi of the Blue Blazer Irregulars; R. Yayoi Fujisawa, Sailor Stellvia; and the entire crew of the Pinafore.

Active Sailors are those who are full-time members of the Sailors corps. They can be found on patrol, training new recruits, researching, or active in the other main pursuit of the S.S.A.M. – search and rescue. No-one has responded to more distress calls and automated beacons than the Sailors, and while they carry that as a mark of pride, they search and save because they believe it’s the right thing to do.

Uniforms

Trainee Senshi Betsy Hounslow, in high-visibility-orange duty uniform
Duty uniforms for the Sammies are no-nonsense, since they're often called upon to take part in search-and-rescue missions. The "Emma Peel" catsuit, in various colours, is popular; it's iconic of the Action Girls and easy to wear under a spacesuit (if it isn't the spacesuit in and of itself).
Grade Scale
See the Operation Great Justice Grade Scale for comparable ranks in other services.
Officer Ranks
OF-10 Eternal Senshi[2]
OF-09 Crystal Senshi
OF-08 Starlight Senshi
OF-07 Crisis Senshi
OF-06 Super Senshi
OF-05 Cosmic Senshi
OF-04 Star Senshi
OF-03 Planet Senshi
OF-02 Moon Senshi
OF-01 Senshi
OF(D) Trainee Senshi

Males use "Knight" instead of "Senshi" in their rank titles.

Enlisted Ranks
OR-09 Midshipwoman
OR-08 Midshipwoman's Mate
OR-07 Able Seawoman
OR-06 Able Seawoman's Mate
OR-05 Rated Seawoman
OR-04 Rated Seawoman's Mate
OR-03 Seawoman
OR-02 Seawoman's Mate
OR-01 Lubber

Males use "Midshipman" or "Seaman" instead of "Midshipwoman" or "Seawoman" in their rating titles.

Dress uniforms tend toward the seifuku or tuxedo, but (much like 18th- and 19th-century England) individual units have their own uniforms, so there are a few ships out there where the crew wear something out of a Horatio Hornblower movie when being presented to Serenity II. (Crystal Senshi Hayakawa has been known to dress in this sort of uniform on occasion.) There are also a few squads where the dress uniform is something out of the Sailor Moon movies (sleeveless, strapless, full-length dresses), or Kim Possible, or Card Captor Sakura, or something else that caught the captain's fancy.

Fleet

Reserve Sailors tend to use their own vehicles, but full-time Sammies have ships dedicated to their calling - not many, but enough to be notable.

The naming convention of the Sammie standing fleet is where the British Age of Sail Fen's influence is the most noticeable.

Patrol Vessels

Aubrey class Search & Rescue patrol vessels are the prestigious postings for Sammies. As of the end of 2014, the Sophie, Polychrest, Surprise, Boadicea, and Leopard have entered service, with the Ariel still under construction.

Bolitho class pocket patrol vessels are smaller than Aubrey class ships, but are more numerous. While they can take part in a search, they are not equipped for rescue operations.

Cruisers

The Sammies' Hornblower class Cruisers - Lydia, Sutherland, Witch of Endor, Le Reve, Atropos, and Hotspur - are the only heavily-armed ships in the Sammie fleet, coming close as a fleet to reaching the limit allowed by the PEPPER Treaty. They are all based out of the Sammies' headquarters facilities in Crystal Hiroshima.

Transport Vessels

The Sammies have a number of OGJ Troop Transports at their disposal for personnel transport.

Notes

  1. Although there has been at least one exception.
  2. OF-10 Rank is not used within the Sammies; it is reserved for the current Queen or King, and awarded only if the ruler was a Sammie before being elected.