Fleet Contact Management System (CMS)
Fleet Contact Management System (CMS) is the contact tracking and designation protocol used by the Planetary Union Fleet in The Crypt series. It is a comprehensive naming and visualization system used to monitor ships, torpedoes, missiles, fighters, and unknowns within a combat environment, especially within the navigation orb (nav-orb) of the PUV James Keeling.
Contents
Overview
The CMS allows Fleet personnel to:
- Track unknown or hostile contacts in real-time
- Assign unique designators to new contacts (e.g., "Master One")
- Transition contact names as information becomes available
- Visually identify contacts on tactical displays, such as the nav-orb
Naming Protocol
- Unidentified contacts are initially assigned the designation Master [number] (e.g., Master One, Master Two).
- As a contact is identified (e.g., as a torpedo, missile, or specific ship), its designation is changed to a role-based name:
- Torpedoes: Tiger-One, Tiger-Two
- Missiles: Cross-One, Cross-Two
- Fighters: Fang-One, Fang-Two
- Ships: Maintain Master designation until fully identified
- Surface launches (from a planet): Sierra-One, Sierra-Two (if used)
- Once positively identified via STC signature or other means, a contact may be referred to by class and name (e.g., Komodo-class cruiser Shuurga), and may be color-coded on displays.
Visual Display Conventions
Contacts are represented in the nav-orb using shape and fill conventions:
Visual Display Conventions
The nav-orb displays contacts using standardized shapes and colors for quick visual parsing under combat conditions. This table summarizes the conventions used aboard Planetary Union vessels, including the PUV James Keeling.
| Contact Type | Icon | Color | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friendly Ship | Circle (outline) | Blue | Includes Keeling |
| Enemy Ship | Circle (solid) | Red | Assigned codename upon ID |
| Friendly Fighter | Delta (outline) | Blue-Green | Salamanders |
| Enemy Fighter | Delta (solid) | Red-Orange | Labeled as Fang |
| Friendly Torpedo | Triangle (outline) | Purple | Mark14/15/16; labeled Tadpole |
| Enemy Torpedo | Triangle (solid) | Rust | Labeled as Tiger |
| Friendly Missile | Cross (outline) | Indigo | Rare use |
| Enemy Missile | Cross (solid) | Yellow | Labeled as Mallet or Vampire |
| Friendly APC | Square (outline) | Blue | Ochtheras |
| Enemy APC | Square (solid) | Rust | Labeled as Tusk |
| Unknown Contact | Hollow Hexagon | White | Labeled Master One, Master Two, etc. |
| Under STC Distortion | Any shape (fuzzy) | Gray static overlay | Tracking unreliable |
The nav-orb displays contacts using standardized shapes and colors for quick visual parsing under combat conditions. This table summarizes the conventions used aboard Planetary Union vessels, including the PUV James Keeling.
| Contact Type | Shape | Fill | Color Family | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friendly Ship | Circle | Outline | Blue | Confirmed friendly; fill remains outline even under STC |
| Enemy Ship | Circle | Solid | Red | Confirmed hostile |
| Friendly Fighter | Triangle | Outline | Blue-Green | SPAC or voidcraft under friendly control |
| Enemy Fighter | Triangle | Solid | Red-Orange | Small hostile craft |
| Friendly Torpedo | Diamond | Outline | Blue-Purple | Includes bat-brain–guided Mark 16s |
| Enemy Torpedo | Diamond | Solid | Rust | Rust is Fleet-standard for enemy torpedoes |
| Friendly Missile | Cross | Outline | Green-Blue | Typically ship-launched |
| Enemy Missile | Cross | Solid | Yellow-Orange | Ship- or fighter-launched |
| Unknown / Unconfirmed | Circle (fuzzy or blinking) | Variable | White / Gray | Indicates STC distortion or insufficient data |
| STC-Affected Contact | Any | "Fuzzy" | Distorted color | Visual representation shimmers or pulses |
Transition Examples
- A new blip appears in the nav-orb: it's assigned Master One.
- Once confirmed as a torpedo, the name changes to Tiger-One.
- Once trajectory, engine profile, or signal signature confirms it as a Mark16 torpedo, it is renamed Tiger-One (Fleet Mark16).
- If it is intercepted or destroyed, its designation is removed.
Use in STC Environments
Because of STC distortion, contacts often appear distorted, "fuzzy," or incomplete. CMS operators must use experience and limited signal data to update contact designations. Visual aids and callouts help the Conn and Weapons stations react under combat stress.
