Parliamentary Empire of Crobuzon
Great Power
"New Crobuzon, the Civil Empire, the Pax Crobuzona"
Government:
The Parliamentary Empire is an anarchist's wet dream- it is a radical's view of what a capitalist society is, with every fear and overblown concept brought to life. The wealthy conspire to rape the people for every cent, using materialism, jingoism, and raw physical force to keep the working classes in line.
The Parliamentary Empire is nominally a unicameral Republic. Legislative power sits with the Parliament, while executive power sits with a Mayor nominated by the Parliament and then voted on by the people. Suffrage comes through the Suffrage Lottery, where people purchase tickets, each of which gives them a chance of reciving a vote. The extremely wealthy can purchase as many tickets as they want, and it is standard practice for small, rich organizations to cash in thousands of votes.
The dominant party is the Fat Sun coalition. It is centuries old, and has maintained power by absorbing competitors and constantly playing off fringe groups against one another.
Economy:
Pure capitalism, with a strongly entrenched group of politically powerful monopolies essentially calling the shots. What results is essentially State Capitalism, where those who control industry are the same as those who control government. As a result, however, small businesses are lightly regulated. Slave labor, in the form of Remade criminals or indentured servants, is extremely common. Industry's control of government leads to a strongly protectionist external policy, which is economically adverserial to foreign powers.
Ideology:
Bas-Lag, the homeworld of the City of New Crobuzon, is completely dominated by the Crobuzon empire. Large sections of the world were under the sway of the Witchocracy of Tesh, a power close in strength to Crobuzon, which recently collapsed and was absorbed following a long series of colonial and proxy wars fought amongst the two nation's colonies in space. This being the case, the Empire is extremely diverse, and almost a third of it's subjects were under Tesh only two decades ago.
New Crobuzon's society is generally permeated with Parliament's influence, forming a jingoistic society which has largely bought in to the party line, bowing to constant propoganda, Frozen War seige mentality, and fear of crossing the constantly vigilant Militia's internal security apparatus. However, the State is not omnipresent, and there are many in the educated and working classes who share dissident literature and hold liberal views. The xenian (non-human) population of the Empire differs strongly by species. Some species have been almost completely integrated into the structure of the Empire, complete with their own bloated plutocrats in the Fat Sun party (the scabmettlers and the khepri, for example.) Others have made co-habitation agreements, and though under the power of the Parliament and the Empire, live in largely independent ghettos throughout the worlds of the Empire(Cactacae and Voydanoi, for instance.)
In general, the people of the Empire are either with the Fat Sun party and cheer every new victory of the Navy, and spit in anger with every defeat. Dissidence is kept in control by the might of the Militia, divisiveness between minorities, and the simple fact that Colonial success *has* lead to increased prosperity for the nation.
The Remade are human and xenian criminals who are stipped of citizenship and physically altered, through thaumaturgy and surgery, as a sign of their crimes. Theives will have extra arms attached, cheaters will have metal coins permanently embedded in their skin, and all manner of slave-gladiators, specialised soldiers, and exotic prostitutes are created by the Magistrates for any crime. Most Crobuzoners hate Remade and treat them like animals, but some decry the practice as barbaric and refuse to use Remade as slaves.
Military:
Crobuzon has two branches to it's military. The first is the Militia- despite it's name, the Militia is a professional force. Militia troops are well-armed and equipped with technological and thaumaturgical weaponry. The Militia manages planetary defenses, peacekeeping, and even police work. Militia combat troops form the main striking weight of the Empire in large-scale interplanetary invasions.
The second branch is far and away the most prestigious. From it's time as one city-state of many on Bas-Lag, New Crobuzon has labored to rule the waves. That same mindset extends to their more recent history as a spacegoing empire. First with modified ships of the fallen Ghosthead Empire, and today with mighty dreadnoughts and fast torpedoboat-destroyers, the Imperial Crobuzon Navy has striven to command the aether. Doctorine focuses on main fleet engagements between largely gun-armed capital ships guarded by escort cruisers and destroyers, but there is a
jeune ecolé in the Navy staff which has pioneered such new concepts as fast battlecruisers as raiders, and special tender vessels designed to supply squadrons of fast torpedoboats and gunboats, using those small vessels to swarm larger targets and demolish them with close range torpedo attack.
The Navy incorporates the unusually large Imperial Marine corps, This is due to the fact that the Navy manages ground combat operations throughout the colonies, and in fact Crobuzon fights most smaller conflicts exclusively with Marines. Thus, there are some Marine units which have never even left the colonial worlds they were raised.
Xenian Physiology:
The Parliamentary Empire is dominated by humans, and the nation's population is 65% human, but there are a variety of xenian races under it's banner.
There are literally dozens of Xenian races on Bas-Lag. It is theorized that the Ghosthead Empire which left ruins all over the region was a multispecies empire before the fall. However, the strange genetic and physical similarity of most Xenian races to humans has lead some to suggest that many of the Xenians *are* humans- allbeit turned into new species by the presumably superior biothaumaturgy of the Ghosthead.
Some of the most common Xenian races are:
Scabmettlers: These creatures are almost indistinguishable from human beings, being grey-skinned and stocky. It is only when their skin is cut that their difference is shown: Scabmettler blood flows freely for a handful of seconds, before suddenly congealing into an iron-hard armor. Scabmettlers are fully accepted by even the racist New Quill party, and are found at every level of Crobuzoner society.
Khepri: Khepri women resemble humans with large, black beetles for heads. Khepri men are mindless, lobster-sized beetles who exist only to copulate. Despite their very different appearance, Khepri have integrated well into the Empire, and though rare in military service, they hold a number of powerful positions in industry and government. Because of their influence and importance to Fat Sun, even the New Quill racists do not cause trouble for the Khepri.
Cactacae: These bizzare conglomorations of man and plant are covered with spines, and reproduce by flowering. They are looked down upon by the common man, but have considerable autonomy in their great ghetto in New Crobuzon, the Glasshouse, and other communities across the deserts of Bas-Lag and the colonies. They are common in the Militia, thanks to their burly physique.
Voydanoi: The 'frogmen' used to have a vital place in Crobuzoner society, acting as stevedores and barge crews in the days when the rivers on which New Crobuzon sat were her source of power. Today, their role has diminished in usefulness to the government, and they are a declining, repressed minority.
Imperial Crobuzon Navy
Crobuzon has been a maritime power since ancient times, and it's Navy has been the primary arm of Crobuzoner power projection. Since the Pirate Wars over five centuries ago, the Navy's vessels have acted to protect Crobuzon's far-flung colonial possessions. However, The modern Navy, a fleet of spacegoing warships, was built for very different reasons. Crobuzon found it's way into space as part of the century-long "Frozen War" against it's last great adversary, the Witchocracy of Tesh. The "Battleship Race" erupted soon after the two powers rode their first primitive ships into space. The reverse engineering of ancient Ghosthead technology quickly allowed the two powers to produce vessels capable of interstellar flight, and colonial conflicts were not far behind. The construction of vast fleets began, as the two nations tried to keep neck-and-neck, building ever-larger and more powerful warships.
The Witchocracy collapsed decades ago, and it's holdings have been incorporated into the Parliamentary Empire. The Venomfleet, over four hundred hulls, was scuttled when the Witchocrats were overthrown.
By all accounts, the Imperial Navy should have changed then, modifying it's threat model and reforming into a force better suited for enforcing the growing Empire. However, the great Steelshatter Yards Corporation and it's subsidiaries had long since buried deep into the positions of power in the Fat Sun party. Powerful men had built vast fortunes in the Battleship Race, and they did not wish to see the well dry.
The build-up has continued. Larger and ever-more powerful capital vessels have been deployed. The Imperial Fleet continues to be focused on confrontation with other major forces, designed to engage and destroy an enemy fleet in open battle.
There is a small
jeune école in the Navy hierarchy which continues to press for new ideas and a more flexible force. Some innovations have been deployed, but the majority of the military budget continues to pour into the vast building slips at Steelshatter.
Small Craft
1.
"G1" Class Torpedoboat Squadron [10][Bomber]
Squadrons: 10
-100 pts total
the old G1 torpedoboats are found across the Empire, acting as police vessels and local defense craft in a number of systems. They are armed with a single torpedo tube and an assortment of light fighter and frigate scale guns. These vessels are very short ranged, but compensate by being cheap and well armed for their size. Atmosphere capable. Each squadron contains 5 craft.
2.
"G5" Class Torpedoboat Squadron [20][Bomber]
Squadrons: 15
-300 pts total
The more modern G5 class Torpedoboat is part of the
Jeune ecolé. this vessel is specifically designed to act as a parasite on a Dominion-class tender, operating in squadrons to attack enemy capital ships. Atmosphere capable. Each squadron contains 5 craft.
3.
"B3" Class Gunboat Squadron[20]
Squadrons: 30
-600 pts total
The B3 is a contemporary of the G5. Mounted on a similar hull, the B3 dispenses with the single-shot torpedo tubes and instead mounts an array of light defense guns. This vessel is designed to hunt enemy small craft, and is specially designed to operate in atmosphere in a CAS role. EAch squadron contains 5 craft.
Escorts
4.
"Ghul" Class Destroyer Escort [5][+2 F]
Hulls: 24
-120 pts total
The venerable "Ghul" class has been the escort vessel for the Crobuzoner Wall of Battle for almost a century. Long of tooth, this class has been redesigned and upgraded a dozen times. The launch of the new "Pax Crobuzona"-class superdreadnought Battleships and their "Vampir" modern escort destroyers means that this class will likely be phased out.
5.
"Vampir" Class Destroyer Escort [8][+4 F]
Hulls: 130
-1040 pts total
The Vampir is a very modern escort destroyer, equipped with excellent point defense and the most advanced OCOS.
6.
"Grindylow" Class Destroyer Leader [8]
Hulls: 20
- 160 pts total
This large destroyer is almost a light cruiser, and is specifically designed to operate for extended periods at long ranges. The "Grindylow" class is equipped with a mix of missile, point defense, and light gun armament, making it a solid light combatant.
Cruisers
7.
"Tarmuth" Class Protected Cruiser [10]
Hulls: 11
CL-1 ICNS
Tarmuth, CL-2 ICNS
Steelshatter, CL-3 ICNS
Ostmarch, CL-4 ICNS
Cobsea,
CL-5 ICNS
Cymek, CL-6 ICNS
Basilaerus, CL-7 ICNS
Tarsis Center, CL-8 ICNS
Khasher,
CL-9 ICNS
Gaspar Island, CL-10 ICNS
Dreer Samher, CL-11 ICNS
Trogdopolis, CL-12 ICNS
Gnurr Kett,
CL-13 ICNS
The Brothers, CL-14 ICNS
Qé Banssa, CL-15 ICNS
Nova Esperium, CL-16 ICNS
Salkrikaltor City,
CL-17 ICNS
Maru'ahm, CL-18 ICNS
Neovadan, CL-19 ICNS
Gharcheltist.
-190 pts total
Description: The Tarmuth-class Protected Cruiser is a light, fast vessel designed specifically to enforce the Empire, hunting pirates and projecting the Parliamentary Oligarchy's will. The Tarmuth class is modern, and continues to be mass produced.
8.
"Bered Kai Nev" Class Armored Cruiser [15][+5 W]
Hulls: 6
CA-1 ICNS
Bered Kai Nev, CA-2 ICNS
Desdemona, CA-3 ICNS
Gengris, CA-4 ICNS
Celebrantus,
CA-5 ICNS
Imrha's Reach, CA-4 ICNS
Sanguine Straights.
- 90 pts total
Description: Contemporary of the "Urbis Victorious" class of Dreadnought, this vessel is showing it's age but continues to be a successful fleet auxiliary, acting as a battlefleet scout or raider.
9.
"Ghosthead" Class Armored Cruiser [20][+10 F)
Hulls: 6
- 120 pts total
Description: Built to act as a fleet escort, the "Ghosthead" class mounts only a single pair of heavy guns, and is armed instead with a great variety of antifighter weapons and systems. It is somewhat under-engined, but very well armored.
10.
"Dominion" Class Torpedoboat Tender [20][carrier]
Hulls: 5
- 100 pts total
This lightly armed large cruiser is built to act as a tender for squadrons of torpedo and gunboats. This design is new, and is part of a
jeune ecolé in the Navy staff which is experimenting with tactics diverging from main fleet battleship doctorines.
11.
"Admiral Stevanaphulis" Class Battlecruisers [20][+10 W]
Hulls: 5
- 100 pts total
These massive cruisers are another newer class, contemporaries of the Mayor Radaghast VI-class dreadnought Battleships. They mount similar main armament, in the form of 10 350cm heavy cannon, and are very fast, approaching the speeds of most heavy cruisers. However, it should be noted that this is achieved by skimping heavily on point defense and armor.
Ships of the Wall
4340 pts
12.
"St. Jabbar's Writ" Class pre-dreadnought Battleship [25][+5 S]
Hulls: 8, out of an original class of 50 registered as BB-90 to BB-139. It should be noted that BB- 124, originally ICNS
Honorbound, was re-named
St. Jabbar's Writ when the original nameship, BB-90, was considered too expensive to repair and broken up in 1922.
BB-97 ICNS
Hieraeophant, BB-106 ICNS
Warlock, BB-124 ICNS
St. Jabbar's Writ, BB-132 ICNS
Endurance,
BB-136 ICNS
Maelestrom, BB-137 ICNS
Tempest, BB-138 ICNS
Stormborn, BB-139 ICNS
Thunderchild.
Description: This class was ancient before the current Fat Sun coalition came to power, and time has done little to improve these veritable hulks, which originally were not even capable of FTL travel. Underpowered engines make these vessels far slower than modern capital ships, but their batteries of heavy guns remain potent. These older vessels also mount seige torpedo tubes, a feature abandoned in more modern Imperial Crobuzon Navy vessels.
Armament:
4 1000cm Torpedo Tubes
-to be redone-
48 100cm Cannon
4 300cm Cannon
13.
"Oligarch" Class pre-dreadnought Battleship [25]
Hulls: 12, out of an original class of 20 vessels numbering BB-140 to BB-159.
BB-140 ICNS
Oligarch, BB-141 ICNS
Hegemon, BB-143 ICNS
Overlord, BB-145 ICNS
Colossus,
BB-152 ICNS
Gladiator, BB-153 ICNS
Warrior, BB-154 ICNS
Victor, BB-155 ICNS
Champion,
BB-156 ICNS
Dominant, BB-157 ICNS
Majestic, BB-158 ICNS
Paramount, BB-159 ICNS
Preponderant.
Description: These older vessels represent the last class of pre-dreadnoughts built by the ICN. Large and powerful in their day, these ponderous ships are now being slowly phased out. The remaining vessels are too slow to keep pace with a Dreadnought fleet at full acceleration, but still pack a hefty punch.
Armament:
-to be redone-
20 150 cm Cannon
6 300 cm Cannon
14.
"Urbis Victorious" Class Dreadnought Battleship [40][+20 W]
Hulls: 20, numbered BB-160 to BB-179, in order:
BB-160 ICNS
Urbis Victorious, BB-161 ICNS
Urbis Imperialis, BB-162 ICNS
Urbis Pietous, BB-163 ICNS
Urbis Virtuous,
BB-164 ICNS
Urbis Glorious, BB-165 ICNS
Urbis Auspicious, BB-166 ICNS
Civitas Superior, BB-167 ICNS
Senatus Excelsior,
BB-168 ICNS
Humanity Imperator, BB-169 ICNS
Great Easterly, BB-170 ICNS
Great Westerly, BB-171 ICNS
Southern Queen,
BB-172 ICNS
Northwatch, BB-173 ICNS
Urbis Militant, BB-174 ICNS
Urbis Benevolent , BB-175 ICNS
Urbis Munificent,
BB-176 ICNS
Urbis Belligerent, BB-177 ICNS
Viribus Unitas, BB-178 ICNS
Viribus Potens, BB-179 ICNS
Viribus Firmus.
Description: The first Crobuzoner vessel to abandon medium-sized gun batteries for a maximized battery of heavy weapons. This vessel also utilized the first high-efficiency Crisis Engines, providing far better acceleration and power generation and providing enough thaum flow to power an anti-capship Sunlance. This vessel is starting to show it's age, but is still a vital and powerful fleet combatant.
Armament:
64x1 50cm Cannon (dual purpose)
32 8cm "Gatling" Autocannon
32 9mth Sunspears
20 300 cm Cannon
6 9-tube missile batteries (external box/internal magazine)
1 50gth Sunlance
15.
"Mayor Radaghast VI" Class Dreadnought Battleship [50][+25 W]
Hulls: 32, numbered BB-180 to BB-199. The last ten vessels of the class re-started the number scheme, being BB's 1-10. Two more ships, hulls 21 and 22, were recently launched.
BB-180 ICNS
Mayor Radaghast VI, BB-181 ICNS
Mayor Rudgutter, BB-182 ICNS
Mayor Stem-Fulcher II, BB-183 ICNS
Mayor Beyn the Great,
BB-184 ICNS
Indefatigable, BB-185 ICNS
Redoubtable, BB-186 ICNS
Assidious, BB-187 ICNS
Audacious,
BB-188 ICNS
Bellicose, BB-189 ICNS
Challenger, BB-190 ICNS
Steel Prince, BB-191 ICNS
Iron Lady,
BB-192 ICNS
Black Queen, BB-193 ICNS
Red Duke, BB-194 ICNS
Ambitous , BB-195 ICNS
Unwavering,
BB-196 ICNS
Fearless, BB-197 ICNS
Valiant, BB-198 ICNS
Conqueror, BB-199 ICNS
Courageous.
BB-1 ICNS
Mayor Triesti XII, BB-2 ICNS
Mayor Tremulo the Reformer, BB-3 ICNS
Mayor Turgisadi III, BB-4 ICNS
Mayor Askane II,
BB-5 ICNS
Mayor Cantiwine IX, BB-6 ICNS
Mayor van der Gharabus VIII, BB-7 ICNS
Mayor Weathers IV the Explorer, BB-8 ICNS
Mayor Saxe-der Krimage II,
BB-9 ICNS
Mayor Wrightby IX, BB-10 ICNS
Mayor Kasmir-Fennec, BB-21 ICNS
Irrepressible, BB-22 ICNS
Dauntless.
Description: Affectionatly called the "MRV" class in Navy shorthand, vessels of the Mayor Radaghast VI class are the mainstay of the Crobuzoner Wall of Battle. The MRV class is a basic dreadnought, with a balanced armament of heavy guns and guided rocket batteries, as well as a pair of powerful sunlances. This vessel premiered the mainstream Naval obfuscation/counterobfuscation suite(OCOS) which is mounted on most Navy vessels.
Armament:
40x2 50cm Cannon (dual purpose)
34 8cm "Gatling" Autocannon
34 10mth Sunspears
18 350 cm Cannon
8 10-tube missile batteries (VLS cell/internal magazine)
2 50gth Sunlances
16.
"Pax Crobuzona" Class Superdreadnought Battleship [120][+60 W]
Hulls: 14
BB-11 ICNS
Pax Crobuzona, BB-12 ICNS
Cardinal of Myrshock, BB-13 ICNS
Sovereign of Rohag, BB-14 ICNS
Emperor of Shankell,
BB-15 ICNS
Empress of Tesh, BB-16 ICNS
Empress of Bered Kai, BB-17 ICNS
Emperor of Suroch, BB-18 ICNS
Diarch of Armada,
BB-19 ICNS
Queen of Jesdul, BB-20 ICNS
Prince of Chromlech, BB-23 ICNS
Autarch of Vadaunk,
BB-24 ICNS
Burgher of Khadoh, BB-25 ICNS
Vox Populus Crobuzon,
BB-26 ICNS
Res Publica Crobuzon
Description: The "Pax Crobuzona" class represents the pinnacle of Crobuzoner naval engineering. Designed to outgun any othe known warship in a wall of battle, the "Pax" class has only started to be deployed in small numbers. This vessel also mounts the most modern OCOS, a system which may one day be deployed on all ships of the Navy.
Armament:
-pd to be redone-
24 400 cm Cannon
10 12-tube missile batteries
1 1tth Sunlance
"Battle of Castervanae Bight" Class Battlecruiser Battlecruisers [25] +[12 W]
Hulls: 4
BC-6 ICNS
Battle of Castervanae Bight, BC-7 ICNS
Commodore Ghalchrist, BC-124 ICNS
Sergyaran Bay, BC-132
Battle of Restitia.
Description: These vessels represent the current pinnacle of skirmisher design in the Civil and Imperial Navy's OOB. These craft are large and powerful enough to be called capital ships, though their slim, lightly armoured hulls make them poor craft at best for usage in the battle-line. Their high speed and powerful guns, however, allow them to slaughter enemy cruisers or engage in fleet reconnaisance with ease. This design is a testbed for a new, high-velocity capital ship gun.
Armament:
14x2 50cm Cannon (dual purpose)
20 8cm "Gatling" Autocannon
16 10 mth sunspears
8 360 cm Cannon
2 10-tube missile launchers
"Thunderer" Class Dreadnought Battleship [80][+40 W]
BB-27 ICNS
Thunderer,
BB-28 ICNS
Typhoon.
Description: Designed as an improvement over the Mayor Radaghast V-class Dreadnought, the new Thunderer class mounts a heavier point defense battery in addition to the new 360-cm high velocity naval rifles. However, she's smaller and cheaper than the
Pax Crobuzona, acting as a temporary measure until trial and developement for the 430-cm supercapital naval rifles is completed.
Armament:
60x2 50cm Cannon (dual purpose)
40 8cm "Gatling" Autocannon
40 10mth Sunspears
18 360 cm Cannon
8 10-tube missile batteries (VLS cell/internal magazine)
2 50gth Sunlances
-160 points
-400 points total
Ground Forces
The Militia
900 pts:
- The Militia's name belies it's purpose and it's nature. It is a well-trained, fanatically loyal organization which acts as the enforcement arm of the Parliament. It is the mirror-faced troops of the Militia that maintain order on conquered worlds. It is their extensive counterintelligence, blackmail, and informant network that protects the Empire from foreign and internal dissidents. It is part Gestapo, part Army, and part FBI. The reign of terror it maintains is complete. It's arrests are swift, brutal, and unexpected.
The combat units of the Militia are the bulk of the Empire's forces, but are generally used only in long campaigns and planetary defense.
Civil Militia Section H
4 pts
-CLASSIFIED-
Civil Marines
500 pts
- The Civil Marine Corps is the battle-hardened elite of the navy. These soldiers handle most offensive operations for the Parliamentary Empire, and most short campaigns are handled entirely by the Navy and it's Marines. The Marines have none of the policing and enforcement doctrine of the Militia, and are purely a combat organization.
System Fortifications
100 pts
Bas-Lag: 75 pts
Steelshatter: 25 pts
Talon: 30 pts
The Lesser Library: 50 pts
Shearwater: 20 pts
Pheonix Line, Nordost Segment: 5 stations, 24 pts per, 120 pts total
- Attention!-
A note on the "Oligarch" and "St. Jabbar's Writ" classes of pre-dreadnought battleships. These vessels are of great age, with the oldest vessels being literally constructed of iron and steel, and some nearing a century in age. Many of these ships are battle-scarred, and their equipment is generally hugely out-of-date. They are, however, huge, battleship-sized vessels regardless (though smaller than their modern composite-alloy grandchildren.) They may be easy matches even for light cruisers of modern design, but this is not due to their weak firepower (though it is sub-par by far in comparison to modern warships,) rather, it is due to the abysmal state of their construction and their antiquated systems.