The Martian Congressional Republic Navy (MCRN) is the naval force of the Martian Congressional Republic, and the most important branch of its military.
It's smaller in size than the United Nations Navy, but more technologically advanced.
Contents
Ship Construction[edit | edit source]
Most Martian ships are constructed in the same basic configuration, floor by floor from the drive cone and reactors. First is the engineering deck, then specialty compartments, then galley, followed by crew cabins. The next two decks are medical bays and interrogation chambers. The storage deck and airlocks follow, with the command deck and pilot (or the bridge in larger ships) at the “top”. Under thrust, Martian ships are essentially skyscrapers, with elevators and ladders connecting the various decks. MCRN ships generally cruise separately from one another, or in pairs for smaller ships. The third-generation Battleships are well armed enough to be considered fleets unto themselves. The pride of the MCRN is the Donnager-class dreadnought, named after the former flagship of the navy. Donnager dreadnoughts measure nearly 500 meters long, or the length of a 130-story office building, and bristle with torpedo tubes, point defense cannons, and massive railguns. They serve as flagships for MCRN fleets, and are large enough to carry smaller missile or escort frigates or escort within them.[1]
Second-generation battleships still have a place in the MCRN, serving alongside fast-attack cruisers, destroyers and frigates capable of patrolling the entire Sol system. Mars also has advanced stealth technology, though dreadnoughts and larger ships typically avoid this in favor of the intimidating effect of an aggressive battle posture. Larger ships are basically mobile bases, carrying marines and military interrogators aided by pharmaceuticals. By virtue of superior technology, fiercer armament, and better-trained crew, the battlefleets of Mars are unmatched. Martians never cease to remind others of this, and make their military pride known at any and every opportunity.[2]
Rank Structure[edit | edit source]
The Martian Congressional Republic Navy is led by Admirals (four-star).
MCRN known ranks (including MMC)[edit | edit source]
- Admiral (4-star) (J. Peñano, Winston Duarte)
- Captain (Theresa Yao, Chandra Lucas)
- Commander (Thorsen)
- Lieutenant (Sutton, Lopez, Paolo Mayer)
- Ensign (Sinopoli, Loftis)
- Gunnery Sergeant (Bobbie Draper)
- Sergeant (Fermín Beltran)
- Corporal (Sa'id)
- Private (Riko Oshi, Jed Trepp, Hillman, Travis)
Shipyards[edit | edit source]
Shipyards | Appears | Notes |
---|---|---|
MCRN Callisto shipyards | TV[3] and Books | Destroyed by Free Navy asteroid strike. (Book only) |
Mariner Valley shipyard | TV |
Fleets[edit | edit source]
The Martian Congressional Republic Navy is divided into three main fleets. Additional fleets operate as a part of the main ones:
Fleets | Appears | Notes |
---|---|---|
MCRN Home fleet | Books and TV | Stationed at Mars. |
MCRN Saturn fleet | TV lore | |
MCRN Jupiter fleet | Books and TV | Stationed at Jupiter and its moons including Ganymede. |
MCRN 3rd fleet | TV | Lost four battle groups during combat in the UN-MCR War. |
Known ships/Platforms[edit | edit source]
Designation | Class | Ship type | Appears | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
MCRN Donnager | Donnager-class | Battleship | Leviathan Wakes | Scuttled after it was damaged by stealth ships and boarded, all while investigating the Scopuli distress call and Canterbury destruction. |
MCRN Bellaire | Nemesis Games | |||
MCRN Barkeith | Nemesis Games, Babylon's Ashes | Stolen from the MCRN by Admiral Duarte's Laconian faction before being destroyed by a Ring Gate anomaly. | ||
Carcassonne | Tiamat's Wrath | Mothballed then later dismantled and rebuilt for the underground | ||
Armstrong | Tiamat's Wrath | Mothballed then later dismantled and rebuilt for the underground | ||
Bellerophon | Tiamat's Wrath | Mothballed then later dismantled and rebuilt for the underground | ||
MCRN Cydonia | Raptor-class | Fast-attack cruiser | Caliban's War | |
MCRN Hammurabi | Unknown class | Frigate | Abaddon's Gate | One of the first ships to enter the Slow Zone |
MCRN Sally Ride | Unknown class | Destroyer | Caliban's War | |
MCRN Iani Chaos | Unknown class | Destroyer | Caliban's War | Present during Io Campaign. |
MCRN Cavalier | Unknown class | Frigate | Abaddon's Gate | Present during the Slow zone incident |
MCRN Lucien | Unknown class | Frigate | Abaddon's Gate | |
MCRN Hijo de puta | Unknown class | Frigate | Abaddon's Gate | |
MCRN Tachi / Rocinante |
Corvette-class | Light frigate | All novels | Believed to be destroyed, but actually came under the control of the Canterbury crew survivors and recommissioned as Rocinante by the crew themselves. |
Pella | Nemesis Games, Babylon's Ashes | Stolen from the MCRN for the Free Navy. Later destroyed by Ring-Gate anomaly. | ||
Connaught | Babylon's Ashes | Stolen from MCRN for the Free Navy. Later when crew defected the ship fought alongside the Consolidated Fleet against the Free Navy. Eventually heavily damaged in battle. | ||
MCRN Tsuchi | Corvette-class (Presumed) | Light frigate | Nemesis Games | Decommissioned after Io Campaign yet reappeared a year later near Europa. |
Shinakuto | Babylon's Ashes | Stolen from the MCRN for the Free Navy. | ||
Andreas Hofer | Nemesis Games | |||
Koto | Babylon's Ashes | |||
Solano | Babylon's Ashes | |||
Panshin | Babylon's Ashes | |||
Serrio Mal | Babylon's Ashes | |||
Witch of Endor | Babylon's Ashes | |||
Ando | Babylon's Ashes | |||
Dagny Taggart | Babylon's Ashes | |||
MCRN Bandon | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Leviathan Wakes | Alex Kamal served on the Bandon when he was with the MCRN. |
MCRN Carson Lei | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Nemesis Games | Destroyed by Free Navy during the raid on Callisto shipyards. |
MCRN Apalala | Unknown-class | Supply ship | Nemesis Games | Stolen from the MCRN before Free Navy Conflict. |
Designation | Class | Ship type | Appears | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
X5 MCRN Stealth C Ballistic Missile Platform | First Strike Nuclear Missile Platform | Mobile Missile Platform | Season 3 | Whilst tracking Earth all 5 were destroyed by the United Nations. |
MCRN Donnager | Donnager-class | Battleship | Season 1 | Scuttled after it was damaged by Amun-Ra-class Stealth frigates and boarded, all while investigating the Scopuli distress call and Canterbury destruction. |
MCRN Icaria Planum | (TV lore) | Became flagship after the destruction of the Donnager. | ||
MCRN Schiaparelli | (TV lore) | Current Flagship of MCRN Jupiter fleet after UN-MCR War | ||
MCRN Hotspur | Season 2 | Assigned to MCRN Jupiter fleet, Ganymede border Patrol | ||
MCRN Firebrand | (TV lore) | Assigned to MCRN Jupiter fleet, Callisto shipyard defense | ||
MCRN Sagarmatha | Season 5 | Part of the EMC ring gate fleet, destroyed during the battle for the Sol gate by the Free Navy | ||
MCRN Valkyrie | Scirocco-class | Assault cruiser | Season 2 | Launched a torpedo at the Weeping Somnambulist.[4] |
MCRN Scirocco | S2, S3 | Destroyed Phoebe Station to prevent earth reaching it. Later damaged during the Ganymede Incident. | ||
MCRN Xuesen | Season 3 | Sent to the Ring. Bobbie Draper is on board. | ||
MCRN Hammurabi | Season 3 | Part of the MCRN Jupiter Fleet headed by Capt. Sandrine Kirino. Witnesses infighting of the UNN Jupiter Fleet after attempted mutiny aboard the UNN Agatha King. | ||
MCRN Aryabhata | Scirocco-class(presumed)[5] | Assault cruiser | Season 4 | Stolen uniforms of this ship were worn by Belters to enter restricted MCRN facilities. |
Pella | Unknown class | Light cruiser | Season 5 | Stolen from the MCRN for the Free Navy by defected MCR individuals |
MCRN Morrigan | Morrigan-class | Patrol destroyer | (TV lore) | Stationed at Titan |
MCRN Scipio Africanus | Season 1 | High profile incident in media involving rock-throwing attack, in "Rock Bottom".[Citation needed] TV version probably survived. Book version not attacked. | ||
MCRN Cú Chulainn | Season 2, Season 4 | |||
MCRN Kittur Chennamma | Season 3 | During the UN-MCR War, the ship was hit by railgun rounds completely destroying its command deck and taking out its water and life support systems. Would later be found by the Rocinante which salvaged its munitions. | ||
MCRN Shandian | Season 2 | Modified for Stealth. Shadowed the UNS Arboghast over Venus until disappearance whilst entering the atmosphere. | ||
MCRN Damascus | (TV lore) | Part of Operation Silent Wall. | ||
MCRN Iceni | (TV lore) | |||
MCRN Avalanche | (TV lore) | |||
MCRN Hamill-Stewart | (TV lore) | |||
MCRN Ambedkar | Season 1 | Attempted to Board the Rocinante until receiving MCRN Black Ops code. | ||
Koto | Season 5 | Stolen from the MCRN for the Free Navy by defected MCR individuals | ||
Serrio Mal | Unknown class | Heavy frigate | Season 5 | Stolen from the MCRN for the Free Navy by defected MCR individuals |
MCRN Tachi / Rocinante |
Corvette-class | Light frigate[6] | All seasons | Believed to be destroyed, but actually came under the control of the Canterbury crew survivors and recommissioned as Rocinante by the crew themselves. |
MCRN McCabe | (TV lore) | Part of Operation Silent Wall | ||
MCRN Valenza | (TV lore) | |||
MCRN Karakum | Season 2 | Black Ops ship destroyed by United Nations Navy over Ganymede.[7] | ||
MCRN Barkeith | D-class | Supply ship | Season 5 | Part of the rogue MCRN fleet, destroyed by the Ring network anomaly during transit to Laconia system |
MCRN Africanus | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Season 2 | Stationed at Callisto. |
MCRN Askia | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Season 3 | C.O. Captain Lucas was onboard Xuesen during the Slow Zone Incident. |
MCRN Yangtse | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Season 1 | Launched Ambedkar to Board the Rocinante for inspection. |
MCRN R R Martin | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Season 3 | Present at Io Campaign. |
MCRN Asander | Unknown class | Unknown ship type | Season 5 | Alex Kamal and Admiral Sauveterre both served onboard this ship. |
Ship-classes[edit | edit source]
Class | Ship type | Photo | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Donnager-class | Battleship | The largest and most powerful ship-class in the MCRN fleet | |
Scirocco-class[8] | Assault cruiser | ||
Raptor-class | Fast-attack-cruiser | Considered Top-of-the-line during the UN-MCR War | |
Banshee-class[9] | Destroyer | ||
Morgaina-class[10] | Patrol Destroyer | ||
Corvette-class[11] | Light frigate | ||
Asp-class[12] | Fast attack craft | ||
Troika-class[13] | Dropship |
Class | Ship type | Photo | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Donnager-class | Battleship | ![]() |
The largest and most powerful ship-class in the MCRN fleet | |
Scirocco-class | Assault cruiser | ![]() |
Used to deploy Force Recon Marines via externally docked Chariot-type dropships. | |
Unknown class | Light cruiser | ![]() |
One ship of this class was stolen and used by the Free Navy. | |
Unknown class | Heavy frigate[14] | ![]() |
In service during Free Navy Conflict. At least two were stolen and provided to Free Navy | |
Corvette-class | Light frigate | ![]() |
||
Morrigan-class | Patrol destroyer | ![]() |
Heavily used in policing operations | |
D-class | Supply ship | ![]() |
||
Chariot-type | Dropship | ![]() |
History[edit | edit source]
Eros Incident[edit | edit source]
When the Canterbury was destroyed, and James Holden released his broadcast incriminating Mars in its destruction, MCRN Donnager picked up Holden and his crew of Knight. During Holden's debrief, the Donnager is attacked by six unidentified ships and eventually destroyed. Holden and his crew escaped on the MCRN Corvette-class ship Tachi and later claim it as salvage.
When the Donnager is destroyed by what is believed to be OPA ships, Mars declares war on the Belt. Later, when Holden releases information that the ships that destroyed the Donnager were actually made on Earth, United Nations Navy ships fire on MCRN ships in Mars orbit, also destroying the Deimos deep radar station. The MCRN then ordered their ships in the system to return to Mars and declared war on Earth.
After the protomolecule was unleashed on Eros during the Eros incident, and its existence became known to the public, the Martian fleet nuked Phoebe into a thin gas that was sucked into Saturn’s gravity.
Ganymede Incident[edit | edit source]
In the eighteen months since the Eros incident, the MCR and UN have been in a bitter cold war.
The Ganymede incident was an event in which a human-protomolecule hybrid attacked Martian and UN Marines on Ganymede, killing everyone except Gunnery Sergeant Roberta Draper. The initial attack was misinterpreted by both the MCR and the UN as an attack from the other side, which led to a battle above and on Ganymede that claimed nearly three thousand military and civilian lives, as well as causing over five billion MCR dollars of infrastructural damage.
Slow Zone incident[edit | edit source]
The MCRN sends a joint expedition fleet to the Ring with the UNN and OPA navy. Following the MRCN Hammurabi pursuit of the Rocinante, The majority of the joint fleet enter the Sol Ring where the Slow Zone incident occurs.
Rebuilt fleet[edit | edit source]
By the time of the Conflict on Ilus IV, the MCRN had recovered significantly from its fighting with the UN in the war. The navy had sixteen battlecruisers and fifteen thousand nuclear warheads, alongside "high energy proton cannons".[15]
Defections and theft[edit | edit source]
Knowing that the MCR was facing an economic crisis due to mass emigration to new systems MCRN Admiral Winston Duarte organized to form a new government in the Laconia system using radical Belters as cover to escape the system with a third of the entire MCRN fleet. This was done by stealing officially decommissioned ships including many Corvette-class ships and giving them to the Free Navy to start a war.
Unknown to the Majority of the MCRN and the Martian Congressional Republic government when the Free Navy Conflict began Free Navy ships were able to approach the ship carrying the Prime Minister Nathan Smith posing as reinforcements. These ships then attacked the fleet at close range catching the MCRN off guard and forcing them to send the Prime Minister off onboard the fastest ship available the Razorback.
Confusion and war[edit | edit source]
With an entire third of the MCRN fleet gone rogue and heading towards the Laconia system with no known reason the MCR was in crisis that caused the Prime Minister to be deposed. During this time the remaining MCRN fleet was largely kept back and was unable to pursue offensive operations until all personal loyalty could be confirmed.
Despite this at least one MCRN ship carrying Martian Marines was able to join the Ceres Offensive led by the United Nations Navy and arrived as one of the first two ships (the other carrying UN Marines) to easily retake Ceres.
The remaining MCRN forces once reorganized and secured were able to join the Consolidated Fleet Offensive including most of the reserves protecting Mars.
Post War[edit | edit source]
After the Free Navy Conflict the MCRN joined the United Nations Navy as a part of the Earth-Mars Coalition Navy operating more as a single entity.
Defence of Sol[edit | edit source]
In the Laconia-Sol Conflict, MCRN as part of the Earth-Mars Navy with the Transport Union attempted to stop the Laconian Empire's attempt to conquer the Sol system with its battle cruiser, the Heart of the Tempest. The EMC forces are eventually defeated at the Battle of Point Leuctra causing them to surrender.
Laconian Dominance[edit | edit source]
After the defeat to the Laconian Imperial Navy, the MCRN was integrated as part of the Laconian Empire in policing operations in the Sol system.
Discovery on Phoebe[edit | edit source]
The MCRN Donnager was sent to investigate Phoebe after contact was lost. Marines led by Lieutenant Lopez found the Martian scientists all dead.
Later after rescuing the surviving crew of the Canterbury the Donnager was attacked by six Amun-Ra-class stealth ships. Lopez and his marines took James Holden and his crew to the MCRN Tachi in the hangar to escape the Donnager, although only Lopez of the Marines himself would make it onboard dying shortly after. The Donnager self-destructed to avoid capture.
After boarding an illegal mining skiff the MCRN Scipio Africanus was attacked by the skiff. Surviving the attack the skiff was destroyed along with its pilot. The MCRN responded by increasing patrols and inspecting ships passing through its areas of control.
The MCRN Ambedkar was despatched from the MCRN Yangtse to board the Rocinante. However shortly before boarding the Rocinante gave out an MCRN code identifying itself as an undercover MCRN vessel. The Ambedkar then withdrew and allowed them to proceed.
Eros Incident[edit | edit source]
The MCRN did not directly get involved in the Eros Incident. Although a ship had been dispatched to Eros after the OPA travelled to the station to destroy it, the events of the Eros Incident prevented the ship from reaching before the station had moved.
Ganymede Incident[edit | edit source]
When an unknown foe attacked United Nations Marine Corps and Martian Marine Corps troops on the surface of Ganymede ships of the MCRN Jupiter fleet became engaged with UNN Jupiter fleet ships in close range PDC shootouts. The engagement was sudden and confused with each side believing the other had attacked them first. Ultimately the MCRN fleet proved victorious and UNN forces retreated.
A Corvette-class frigate the MCRN Karakum was depatched to the surface of Ganymede to secretly take transport of a Hybrid, however it was destroyed near the moon by UNN missiles.
After peace talks broke down UNN forces attacked the MCRN over Ganymede.
UN-MCR War[edit | edit source]
After discovering MCRN stealth nuclear missile platforms the UN destroyed them all using Earth's railgun platforms, however one missile platform was able to launch a single warhead hitting South America and killing millions.
The war enters a stalemate with the MCRN's more advanced ships and the UNN's vastly larger fleet causing them to be matched in battle.
Io Campaign[edit | edit source]
The MCRN Hammurabi and its fleet divert their course away from Callisto to intercept the UNN flagship, Agatha King. When a Mutiny onboards the Agatha King occurs, the captain on the Hammurabi enters a ceasefire with UNN forces that are firing on each other. Following the self-destruction of the Aagatha king by Augusto Nguyễn, the UN-MCR war effectively ends.
Ring Space Incident[edit | edit source]
The MCRN sends a joint expedition fleet to the Ring with the UNN and OPA navy. Following the MRCN Xuesen pursuit of the Rocinante, The majority of the joint fleet enter the Sol Ring where the Ring space incident occurs.
The blockade Run[edit | edit source]
The MCRN in the coalition with the UNN, Blockade the Sol Ring in preventing any civilian ship from entering the Ring space. Then serval Belter refugee ships run the blockade on the Ring causing the UN and MCR ships fire upon these ships knocking several out before entering the Ring Space.
Post War disarmament[edit | edit source]
Following the UN-MCR war and end of their cold war with Earth, Mars reduces its military size, Causing an increase in ships being retired and veteran unemployment.
Seceded faction[edit | edit source]
Heading out on a supply run with two escort heavy frigates the MCRN Barkeith instead stopped at the Hungaria group meeting a Free Navy fleet and transfered the escort frigates to them. Barkeith then travelled towards the outer planets.
A single MCRN heavy frigate alongside two UNN cruisers engaged five Golden Bough ships at the Engagement near Patroclus. The Frigate was reported lost.
At the Battle for the Sol gate one Donnager-class the MCRN Sagarmatha alongside two UNN Truman-class battleships was engaged by the Free Navy command fleet. Shortly before both sides engaged a large micro-meteor cloud impacted the three MCRN and UNN ships causing massive damage to all three hulls. Despite this the three battleships put up a stiff resistance destroying all incoming missiles with their functional PDCs. At this point several torpedoes came out of the ring space and impacted upon the Sagamatha causing a reactor detonation destroying the ship. Moments later an MCRN fleet appeared on the flank of the UNN battleships. This was however, the Barkeith with a number of MCRN ships officially listed as lost in action. These ships fired upon the UNN battleships destroying both.
This fleet had seceeded from the MCRN and moved into the Laconia system.Worn rank insignias[edit | edit source]
Insignia | Rank | Worn by |
---|---|---|
![]() |
Admiral | J. Peñano |
![]() |
Admiral | Sauveterre |
![]() |
Captain | Sandrine Kirino, Chandra Lucas |
![]() |
Captain | Theresa Yao |
![]() |
Lieutenant | Emily Babbage |
![]() |
Lieutenant | K. Lopez |
![]() |
Gunnery Sargeant | Bobbie Draper |
![]() |
Private | Jed Trepp, Riko Oshi |
- Note that the insignias worn onscreen are inconsistant with different ranks appearing to wear the same insignia and several officers lacking insignias entirely.
See also[edit | edit source]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
References
- ↑ The Expanse Roleplaying Game, chapter 9 - Mars
- ↑ The Expanse Roleplaying Game, chapter 9 - Mars
- ↑ The Expanse TV Series - Season 3, Episode 5: "Triple Point"Referenced in dialogue.
- ↑ The Expanse TV Series - Season 2, Episode 12: "The Monster and the Rocket"
- ↑ Based on ship code seen on back of crew uniform matching that of Scirocco-class ships "EML-"
- ↑ Spacedock Donnager-class video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFoLbsA5Sx0&t=367s
- ↑ The Expanse TV Series - Season 2, Episode 12: "The Monster and the Rocket"
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2020/9/21/21449127/ships-of-the-expanse-rpg-book-rocinante-deck-plan?fbclid=IwAR0g0GZX1N8T_QO0fsXSfZoPKmnbLQY4viWI74n02s9t9EFM7ynBGLeBvYg
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2020/9/21/21449127/ships-of-the-expanse-rpg-book-rocinante-deck-plan?fbclid=IwAR0g0GZX1N8T_QO0fsXSfZoPKmnbLQY4viWI74n02s9t9EFM7ynBGLeBvYg
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2020/9/21/21449127/ships-of-the-expanse-rpg-book-rocinante-deck-plan?fbclid=IwAR0g0GZX1N8T_QO0fsXSfZoPKmnbLQY4viWI74n02s9t9EFM7ynBGLeBvYg
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2020/9/21/21449127/ships-of-the-expanse-rpg-book-rocinante-deck-plan?fbclid=IwAR0g0GZX1N8T_QO0fsXSfZoPKmnbLQY4viWI74n02s9t9EFM7ynBGLeBvYg
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2020/9/21/21449127/ships-of-the-expanse-rpg-book-rocinante-deck-plan?fbclid=IwAR0g0GZX1N8T_QO0fsXSfZoPKmnbLQY4viWI74n02s9t9EFM7ynBGLeBvYg
- ↑ https://www.polygon.com/2020/9/21/21449127/ships-of-the-expanse-rpg-book-rocinante-deck-plan?fbclid=IwAR0g0GZX1N8T_QO0fsXSfZoPKmnbLQY4viWI74n02s9t9EFM7ynBGLeBvYg
- ↑ https://twitter.com/JamesSACorey/status/1320087800125911040
- ↑ The Expanse Novel Cibola Burn - Epilogue: Avasarala