Category:Mercenaric Fleet

A Mercenaric Fleet is a subtype of Rogue Fleet that fights explicitely for profit or some other material gain, rather than ideological reasons. Types of Mercenaric Fleets can vary as well, and can include but are not limited to the following:
 * Privateers: these fleets primarily focus on commerce-raiding, and often capture merchant vessels to be able to profit from the ship itself, the cargo and ransoming the crew.  However, there is a fine line between Privateers and Pirates, the primary difference being that Privateers are hired by a recognized nation to target ships flying an enemy flag during war, whilst Pirates are typically indescriminate and rely solely on plunder for their income.  The types of ships these fleets usually employ focus on surprise or mobility; submarines are particularly popular as a result.


 * Merchant Fleet: these fleets are typically focused on logistical support of a nation or another armed force, but may employ combat vessels for defensive purposes, as these are considered prime targets for attack.  Their primary income comes from transporting goods, primarilly war materiel.  Typically, these fleets employ Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers and sometimes Aircraft Carriers, with a heavy emphasis on engaging and sinking both smaller, faster surface vessels as well as ASW capability.


 * Non-Government Combat Fleet: These are full-blown fleets for hire with an explicit focus on combat operations.  With inventories ranging from Corvettes to Battleships, Carriers to Submarines, these are true forces to be reckoned with, and should be treated as a small navy in their own right due to their versatility and sheer power.  However, such fleets are typically prohibitively expensive to build, as they require a large number of powerful vessels, and as a result, these are typically rare to find.