[bigchunk1]

Without biasing the poll... each of the 3 UEF fleets has its own culture, command structure and place to call its home. Which one do you take a liking to the most? Do you find that one of the 3 fleets fits your personality, or do you just take a liking to the Admiral at the top? Do you empathise with any of the 3 fleets' situations, or do you agree with that fleet's strategy for handling the buntu-tev conflict? How about a specific character? Do you find that person to emulate the persona of that particular fleet as a whole?

There are many reasons why one of the 3 fleets can be your favorite, but the catch is you can only pick one!

"It is the way of things, you must choose." -Ken

I remember reading a nice bit of fiction which broke down the 3 fleets in terms of general attitude, home population's struggles etc. but I am unable to find it. If anyone knows what I am talking about let me know and I will update this post with links.   

[Darius]

There's a brief mention of fleet culture in Battuta's Ubuntu FAQ.

[Dilmah G]

First fleet is probably my favourite, can't really put my finger on why at the moment.

Admiral Calder on the other hand is a bloke I like. Go fast and hard.

[Qent]

Second Fleet because Simms.

[Dilmah G]

Gah, Simms is a *****, bro.

Also, I think I'm going to change my vote to go to the JRF. They were tough bastards.

[Ypoknons]

First. Sounds like they'd have the best cafeteria. But the second fleet probably has a better bar... hmm.... not sure then.

[Pred the Penguin]

I'd go with 3rd fleet. Their experiences say it all. They're awesome!

[-Norbert-]

First fleet: too passive
Second fleet: too hotshot
Third fleet: .... too destroyed

Can I vote for Fedayeen?

[MatthTheGeek]

3rd Fleet know what war is like. 2nd fleet has the gut to fight. 1rst fleet is hardly more than target practice - winning a pure defensive war against the GTVA war machine is pointless. My vote go to 3rd fleet, but it's close between it and 2nd.

[pecenipicek]

what matth said.

[Nyctaeus]

3rd Fleet. Admiral Calder and Toutatis are cool!

[T-Man]

Its pretty close between 2nd and 3rd in my book, but i went with 2nd in the end as they regularly support the 3rd in operations, so they're only a good battle force but they're willing to support others in their efforts and don't try to hog all the glory for themselves. Though I imagine 3rd and 1st fleet are no different in that regard, and 3rd fleet was willing to essentially get themselves butchered to cover the Jupiter evacuations, so they're definitely not far at all behind.

I do prefer the "offensive only as last resort" and "think things through" mindset of the 1st Fleet, but as is shown in BP you can't hesitate when faced with a violent antagonist like the GTVA; you need people like in the 2nd and 3rd fleet willing to get out there and exploit the now. All Defensive and understanding normally, but if someone else invades or is extremely violent, take off the gloves and make 'em bleed.

Admiral Calder and Toutatis are cool!

Aye that was my favourite bit of the whole campaign, so he does deserve honourable mention.

[Deadly in a Shadow]

Calder and the Toutatis AND his fleet. They are the only ones that are able to stop Steele.

Or better said, they have a little chance.

[pecenipicek]

you mean to say that they'd have some chance if the 3rd fleet wasnt whacked around horribly during jovian skirmishes and ensuing evacuation...

[Buckshee Rounds]

The man that has the balls to say "Tell Steele I'm coming for him," has my vote.

[bigchunk1]

Just some comments to balance the scale a bit. I think Admiral Byrne is misunderstood and I think in R2 the reasoning  for his passiveness will become more clear. Also, 1st fleet keeps the UEF in the fight just as much as 2nd or 3rd fleet. In Darkest Hour, Steele launches a huge attack on Earth. If first fleet was off playing subspace chess with Serker team or something like that there would be little to keep the UEF infrastructure intact. I believe that would be the end of the war right there. Defense is deadly!
 
The interesting thing about the UEF military breakdown is that they all are playing an important part in the war, even though the Admirals disagree with one another.

And about first fleet culture, you gota love the rooks. Cockpit jockeys fresh out of school with attitude to spare. Kassim for example: Ubuntu vs. War, Cooperation vs.  Barbarism, Thought vs Instinct. These ideas tear the character back and forth. Kassim might come off as immature, but he's hard not to identify with at some level. It's also true that 2nd and 3rd fleets have their rooks(or had them as the case may be), but from my understanding these fleets don't appear as 'green' for some reason.
 
And here's why Admiral Byrne is a good guy, he's calm. Not calm as in 'this guy doesn't get it' kind of calm rather more thoughtful. That's important when you are leader of a fleet. An informed mind and a stalwart resolve. Understated and underestimated.

Just being a counterweight, this does not mean I have a bias towards first fleet or anything like that.     

[The E]

Kassim has only one problem: For all his bravado, he really can't handle the stress.

[Rodo]

2nd fleet.

stained red blood.

[Dilmah G]

Kassim has only one problem: For all his bravado, he really can't handle the stress.

TBH, I didn't really *believe* Kassim, he didn't feel real to me. Or at least, the way I remember him, since his dialogue did change a little bit over the course of development. Having spoken to military pilots and watch them converse (more helpful than you'd think), I really couldn't take seriously the fact that he had come at the top of his flight school class and passed operational conversion. He did seem interesting though, which mitigated his dickishness.

It's also true that 2nd and 3rd fleets have their rooks(or had them as the case may be), but from my understanding these fleets don't appear as 'green' for some reason.

Well from memory, 2 and 3 fleets face the brunt of the combat, so there is a lot more 'sink or swim' going on. And experienced pilots get more experienced, as do those that survive. Downside being that they can't afford to rotate pilots off the line, which as anyone whose read their history books knows, is a recipe for disaster if it isn't rectified soon; as well as the factors that contribute to it. Solution: Win the war faster, dammit!

[-Norbert-]

Another reason for 2nd and especially 3rd fleets being less "green" is the asteriod belt. What little terrorist and pirate activity there was in Sol before the invasion was outside of the first fleets terretory of jurisdiction and thus the other two fleets had more battle experiance if you want to call it that.

As for Admiral Byrne: I got the impression that he puts all his hopes into the secret project. He doesn't fight to win, he fights to buy time for the secret project to finish and deliver them somehow....