Some Historical Inspiration

By Nullius, in Rogue Trader

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Hey all. I just thought I'd start a thread for the names of Historical Ships and their captains. This is merely for inspiration, and I have only included names which might be fit into a 40k universe. Most ships, of course, are purely mercantile Endevours and are so named after their sponsor (often a noblman) or after the town where the keel was laid.

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For starters, here are some Ship's captains from the 18th century's registry of the East India Tea Company (an orginization which had a great deal in common with our very own rogue traders). I've only included names that sound like they might fit into 40k. There were many more commanders than this over the years, but many of their names sound too familiar to use. These more antique names might work for the Dark Millenium.

Many of these captains were, incidentally, lost at sea. Sailing the high seas, like sailing the void, is a perilous business and not for the faint of heart.



Collingwood Roddam
Fasham Nairne
William Elphinstone
Justinian Nutt
Josiah Pryce
Augustus Josiah Applegarth
Lestock Wilson
Sir Nathanial Dance
James Horncastle
Ninian Lowis
Milliken Craig
Palmes Acland
Gratix G. Smith
Horation Beevor
Penderghast Tremenheere
Charles Mortlock
Brook Kay
Tholius MacTaggart
Gugald MacDugall

Perhaps one of these will inspire a hero or a villain for somebody's campaign.

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Most ships of the Merchant Fleet, as I'd mentioned above, were named after the controlling interest or the most famous investor in the endevour (most often a landed nobleman or his dear wife). They were often rewarded by having a ship named after them. They were also sometimes named after politically powerful noblemen as a means to curry favour with the House of Lords. (e.g. there are a great many historical ships called the Lord so-and-so, or the Hon. Sir Blah-blah-blah) There is no reason to think this might not also be the case with merchant ships in 40k. I have mostly not included such names as they are not very interesting. There were also many, many ships named after famous personages like The Queen Elisibeth, the Queen Mary, the Pitt and the Castlereagh (I suppose in order to curry favour in the house of commons, lathough he may have been an investor as well), etc..etc...

The ships below are all from the East India Tea Company, and I have only included names that might work for Merchant Vessels. Brittish Ships of War were often more belligerantly named. I kind of like the simplicity of some of these names...

The Comet
Skelton Castle
Northumberland
Carmarthen
Union
Diana
The Hawke
The Osterley
The Fox
The Boscowen
The Royal
The True Britton (Imperial)
The Hector
The Drake
Albion
The Lady Jane
Neptune
The Lord Melville (there were many like this)
Hope
The Endevour
The Wexford
The Caledonia
The Bengal
The Devaynes
The Minerva
Culland's Grove
The Herculean
The Sovereign
The Success (Lost with all hands in 1716. Ironic, that)
The Latham
The Triton
The Resolution
The princess Royal
The Prime
The Enterprise (seriously. There have been ships with this name for a very long time, and hopefully a long time to come)
The Earl of Sandwich (Just kidding, although this was a real vessel)
The Mercury
The Lioness.
Atlas
The Phoenix
The Rose
The Carnatic
Perseverance
Elphinstone
Marchion of Exeter
The Batavia
The Expedition (taken by the enemies of Briitain, 1756)
The Fortitude (Also taken)
Brilliant (Lost)
The Lord Nelson (Taken and then Taken Back. Three Cheers for Lord Admiral Nelson! Hip-Hip-Huzzah!)

Perhaps this will inspire, perhaps not. I always find that 40K benefits from a good strong dose of historical reality.

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Excellent list!

Here's some more, primarily cargo ships:

The Tug Valour

The Emma Maersk

the Sombeke

The Eton

The Freedom of the Seas

The Kronviken

The Maersk Qatar

The Promitheas

The Eagle

The Moses Taylor

The Drangur

The Genesee Chief

The Bold Buccleugh (a personal favorite)

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The Bold Bauccleugh is indeed a fun name, and alliterative!

And Speaking of Nelson,

Here is a roster of the brittish fleet assembled at Trafalgar. Mostly these name are what you would expect out of Imperial Brittain, but there are some gems in here.

VICTORY
TEMERAIRE
NEPTUNE
LEVIATHAN
BRITANNIA
CONQUEROR
AFRICA
AGAMEMNON
AJAX
ORION
MINOTAUR
SPARTIATE

ROYAL SOVEREIGN
BELLEISLE
MARS
TONNANT
BELLERPHON
COLOSSUS
ACHILLE
DREADNOUGHT
POLYPHEMUS
REVENGE

SWIFTSURE
DEFIANCE
THUNDERER
DEFENCE
PRINCE


EURYALUS
NAIAD
PHOEBE
SIRIUS
ENTREPRENANTE

And, last but not least, the schooner HMS PICKLE

Obviously, Greek iconography was popular. ...Err..So were pickles, evidently.

Next, the Spanish Armada!

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For genuine merchant adventurer trading vessels- here is the complete fleet of the East India Company - so big you have to look at it alphabetically.

www.eicships.info/ships/shipsearch.asp

Some of the ships also have some interesting notes but not many

www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp - bad name

www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp - was supposed to guard against pirates but was then captured by them!

www.eicships.info/ships/shipdetail.asp many owners

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