Linear group actions with at most three orbits of the largest size (Q6191599)

Let \(G\) be a finite group and let \(V\) be a finite completely reducible faithful \(G\)-module. The second author and \textit{Y. Yang} proved in previous work that [Isr. J. Math. 211, 23-44 (2016; Zbl 1353.20007)] \(|G:G^\prime|\leq M,\) where \(M\) is the largest orbit size of \(G\) on \(V.\) They also showed that if \(G\) is a non-abelian group and \(|G:G^\prime|=M,\) then \(G\) is nilpotent and has at least two orbits of maximal size \(M\) on \(V.\) In this paper, the authors deal with the latter case, where \(G\) is nonabelian and \(|G:G^\prime|=M,\) and they classify all linear group actions in which \(G\) has at most three orbits of size \(M\) on \(V.\) In particular \(G=K\times A\) where \(A\) is abelian, and \(K\cong D_8\) or \(K\cong D_8\circ C_4\) if \(G\) has, respectively, \(2\) or \(3\) orbits on \(V=U\oplus W\), and \(K\) faithfully on \(U\) and trivially on \(W\), while and \(A\) acts trivially on \(U\) and faithfully on \(W.\)