STGOD2k8 OOB Thread

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2007-11-25 04:29am

OOBs to be posted here. I decided to start one given how many we have almost or totally ready in the main thread. Please post your OOBs and don't post other stuff in here. If you think that somehow you need more space, reserve one under yours and fill it later.

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Space Reserved
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Bold Font indicates Complete OOB or near-Complete.

Nephtys - BETAC - Beta Aquilae Concordat
Spyder - Academy Vanguard
Dahak - Golden Cloud Institute
Darkevilme - Chamaran Exodus
Brianeyci - 117th Crusade
Consqueuences - 5th Battlefleet
Noble Ire - Consolidated Dominion of Gemude
A-Wing Slash - Grand Duchy of Malacaster
Tanasinn - Humanist Union
Beowulf - Achaean
Academia Nut - Metallkonige
Rogue 9 - Republic of Nashtar
dark Hellion - Imperial Territory of Moloc
Hawkwings - Corona Stars Commonwealth
Shinn Langley Soryu - Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya
Covenant - The Quaros Anomoly
Crossroads Inc - The Kushawni
Thirdfain - The Syndicalist Internationle
SirNitram - The Enclave

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2007-11-25 04:33am

EDIT: This is not yet finalized, pending specialzations, improvements to make it 2000 points, and the allotment of the free aggressor fleet.

Beta Aquilae Concordat (BETAC)

Of Earth’s original Daughter Colonies, few were as successful as the original Beta Aquilae system colony mission. While many colonies were closer to Earth, Beta Aquilae V was a world virtually with no need of terraforming. Water and oxygen were on the planet in suitable quantities for rapid growth.

As a subject of the Empire during its peak, Beta Aquilae V (Luminaire) was a highly prosperous planet. It paid its tithes to Terra, kept order in its sector of space with a skilled and highly advanced security fleet, and was the cutting edge of research and development in any of the colonies of Earth. Prosperity ensued for centuries. At the fall of the Empire, the Aquilae Sector was virtually unified and semi-autonomous under the Concordat issued by Terra itself for mutual defense. As Imperial fleets were dispatched elsewhere, the newly formed BETAC was alone for many years in virtual autonomy. Its citizens were on average extremely wealthy and enjoyed a high quality of living compared to many around the galaxy, even on Terra herself. Popular mythos and national identity developed over a century, based on ‘finds’ regarding the ancient origin of Mankind’s expansion into space. Old 2D tapes of space adventures featuring primitive rocketships and spacemen became well enshrined in the popular imagination, defining societal norms over a generation of propagation.

When Terra was destroyed merely ten years ago, the Beta Aquilae Concordat was formed as a confederation between Luminaire and six other major worlds, with several lesser ones in a compact stellar radius. The old system defense force and anti-piracy unit of Spacelane Patrol expanded into the powerful entity of Astro-Fleet, which now moves to expand for the benefit of the revitalized BAC in the power vacuum of the Empire’s collapse.

The people of BAC (or BETAC) are a race of Transhumans with a high degree of similarity with the baseline terran stock. Some differences are noticeable however. Notable variations included slightly larger eyes, somewhat thinner bodies, more angular profiles and a peculiar ability to use popular genetic augmented embedded stem cells to alter or adjust personal shape for aesthetic reasons, or to create particularly dramatic facial expressions for social occasions. Entertainment and epicurean enjoyment are particularly highlighted elements of BETAC society, with extensive interests in space exploitation and colonization.

The ruling body of BETAC is a council of eleven individuals elected from the main bodies of productive society: Science, Medicine, Industry, Military, Art, Entertainment, and so on. They preside over a larger elected body, with paired governors that run each world of BETAC.

In recent years, the so-called ‘Manifest Ascendancy’ faction has gained political power in the BETAC High Council. With support from Industrial and Military branches particularly, it believes in establishing a new Empire on the ashes of the old, and would make use of their extensive power to do so, under the doctrine of ‘proactive defense’ of the Concordat’s own borders.

Astro-Fleet is the military wing of BETAC. While smaller than many, Luminaire’s status as a scientific center for it’s sector of space has given this new navy a fleet of highly modern ships, each packing equipment almost as good as the Imperial Standard.

Powerful defense screens protect the stylishly-shaped fusion torch craft of the fleet, while broadsides of high-powered particle beams lash out on enemies, often directed by powerful localized energy fields to curve for devastating ‘double broadsides’ against a single target, or to adjust a trajectory to hit multiple lighter craft using so-called 'Variable Trajectory Beams', commonly given colloquial nicknames such as 'Death Rays' or 'Homing Lasers' Other weapons include antimatter powered missiles and torpedoes for strikes against craft at long range, often equipped with many, many independently targeting submunitions to saturate point defense. Typical point defense aboard Astro-Fleet ships are conducted by smaller variable trajectory beam arrays set for pulsed fire, or attack drones launched from the secondary engine pods at the ends of drive fins.

The Concordat Marines aboard every Astro-Fleet ship take damage control roles and are in charge of both internal security and boarding disabled enemy vessels. Each are equipped with traditional ‘diving’ styled battle armor, and equipped with destructive ray guns. Concordat ships are co-ed, with different uniforms for male and females in accordance with the cultural mythos in order to create a solid esprit d’corps. Despite it’s excellent training, Astro-Fleet remains mostly unblooded in conflict beyond small regional wars following the collapse of the Empire and local conquests.

Astro-Fleet Naval Strength

'Comet'-class Patrol Sloop
43 x 2
Smallest of the interstellar breed, Comet is a small ship class crewed by a few dozen Spacelane Patrol personel. It is largely used for anti-piracy patrols, where the advanced systems of the tiny ship are more than a match for the typical raider. Long endurance is a key feature of the ship.
(+2D)

'Nova'-class Space Frigate
46 x 5
The Nova is the newest Frigate in commission by Astro-Fleet, designed to slowly replace the older Aurora-class ship. The ships themselves are armed with the new generation of variable trajectory particle beam weapons as well as bow-mounted torpedoes. They typically are crewed by newer captains to Astro-Fleet. 9 Squadrons are operational.
(+2D)

'Aurora'-class Space Frigate
11 x 2
The Aurora is an elderly mainstay of Astro-Fleet service, dating back to it’s origins as a Spacelane Patrol long-range patrol ship. They remain powerful craft armed with potent antimatter missiles, and modernized with expansive sensor suites. Only 2 Squadrons are operational.
(+2 Sensor)

'Illustrious'-class Light Cruiser
24x8
A solid light cruiser, the Illustrious class is a capable, long-ranged unit used for commerce protection, antipiracy work and fleet escort of larger ships. It is armed with a multitude of variable trajectory beams, antimatter intercept missiles and a heavy spinal mounted graser. Four squadrons are operational.
(+5D)

'Triumphant'-class Heavy Cruiser
10x12
Orignially a class of system defense monitors since refitted into heavy cruisers, the Triumphant class is a heavy missile armed cruiser with dozens of antimatter missiles packed into her sides. They are largely relegated to training and station keeping along the outer edges of BETAC Space. Only two squadrons are operational.
(+5O)

'Majestic'-class Heavy Cruiser
20x15
Mainstay of Astro-Fleet, the Majestic class are potent and versatile. Armed with a mixed array of missiles, attack drones and variable trajectory beams, the class is in constant demand. Some are detatched for independent duty and are a choice assignment for rising star captains. Four squadrons are operational.

'Onslaught'-class Battle-Cruiser
8x20
The heaviest ship routinely found on patrol, Onslaught-class ships have only been in service for a few years. Fast and devastatingly armed, these mighty warships are commonly portrayed in a recent sensovision reality series, ‘Captain Bourne and the Thunderer’. Five divisions are operational.
(+5O)

'Repulse'-class Fleet Battleship
8x 40
The mightiest warship of Astro-Fleet, the Repulse-class is rarely seen outside of orbiting the capital worlds of the Concordat. Each one carries the firepower to shatter small planetoids. Commonly they serve as command ships for fleet admirals, or the centers of task forces. Four divisions are operational.
(+10O)(+10D)

Total Naval Points: 2000.

Major Systems and Assets:
60 Beta Aquilae – Capital Planet: Luminaire (V) – Pop: 7.2B (Class 10)
31 Aquilae – Capital Planet: Alshain – Pop: 2.5B (Class 6)
Rasalhague – Capital Planet: Landfall – Pop: 6.5B (Class 9)
72 Herculis – Capital Planet: Prospekt – Pop: 2.1B (class 6)
49 Delta Capricorni – Capital Planet: Oracle – Pop: 4.8B (class

41 Gamma Serpentis – Capital Planet: Tengen – Pop: 2.1B (Class 6)
16 Psi Capriconi – Capital Planet: Hope – Pop: 1.1B (Class 5)
Opiuchi – Capital Planet: Tushima – Pop: 920M (Class 4)
BD4076 (Alperena) – Capital Planet: Genesis – Pop: 800M (class 4)
GI816 (Gradius) – Capital Planet: Faust – Pop: 750M (class 4)
Other Minor Colonies: (38 points worth)

Racial Traits:
+150 Logistics
+100 Improved Technology (Planet Luminaire)
+100 Improved Industry (Planet Luminaire)
+100 Improved C3
+50 Counter-Espionage

Free Aggressor Fleet: '1st Galactic Intrepid Vanguard Expeditionary Marauding Explorer (GIVE-ME) Force'
2x 'Onslaught'-class (20+5O)
3x 'Majestic'-class(15)
13x 'Nova'-class (5+2D)
3x 'Comet'-class (2+2D)
(198 pts)

Spyder · Post by **Spyder** » 2007-11-25 04:40am

"As many of you are already aware, my name is Dr Julius Vance. Allow me to be the first to say, welcome to Via Secundus. Some of you have chosen or have been chosen to relocate to this region for a variety of reasons. Whether your stay is intended to be permanent or if you are merely passing through on your way to parts unknown, you can rest assured that your continued safety and comfort is the Vanguard's utmost priority. This brings us to a very important point which bears discussion.

To summarize the current situation we face, Earth; the birthplace of all mankind, has been destroyed. The survivors of what many refer to as 'The Final War' are scattered throughout the known universe and much of the known universe now lies in complete anarchy. Our goal is to progress from a humanity that seeks only to pursue its own survival to a society that pursues knowledge, wisdom and the innumerable other qualities that first brought us to the stars.

You may be wondering what this has to do with you, the answer is that your skills and knowledge are going to provide the foundation for the society of coming generations of not just our Vanguard, but for all sentient life.

To avoid the same mistakes as our predecessors, some changes will need to be made, changes which will likely be rejected by those clinging to outmoded methods and ideologies."

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2007-11-25 05:19am

Golden Cloud Institute

History:
The Institute started out as a research outpost for a minor survey agency a long time ago. Its responsibilities were the research of gaseous anomalies in gas giants and the study of chemical processes. It was that boring.
Over the years, it grew with glacial speed since the small outpost, floating in the upper atmosphere of a large gas giant in an otherwise uninteresting part of the Empire, did not attract hordes of people.

It changed when Admiral Mullduun needed a space to run his special research from. Being head of the Imperial Naval Bureau of Research and Development he found himself locked in a huge turf war that occasionally seemed to sweep the byzantine world of the Imperial Navy. Hiding the budget in layers upon layers of obscurity, the Institute got a sudden and huge growth.
It ran successfully for decades and except staff from the Admiral, no one really seemed to know or care about it. After the Admiral's death, it didn't change. In the decades that followed, the Institute grew and grew, slowly gaining self-sufficiency and getting an sustainable populace. They still received funds from the Empire, and sent reports back in what looked like a pure tradition by now.
But some time before the Final War, someone got curious about the obscure payments to something no one knew about. A Task force was sent and dicovered the Institute. Both sides were surprised, and in the end the Institute became another vasall of the Empire (given that it had grown to the size of a small nation in itself) and that was the end of it.

In the beginning, the Institute supplied a force to the war as small as it could get away. They were human, but the attachment to the Empire as a political entity had waned over the centuries. As the war progressed and started to look grimmer and grimmer, the Institute concentrated its efforts inwards, building more ships and fortifying the Home system and the outlying colonies.
When it was obvious that the war was a lost cause and others started to get expansionist, the Institute did not want to be left behind and it advanced its own borders. The Miller's World incident that happened during the expansion phase is something the Institute won't talk about to this day.
When Earth fell, it shocked the Institute. Despite their way of living, the changes they made to themselves, they were still human and Terra still was the One Home. The Empire was one thing, but the Earth itself... It was all that it took for them to break away from the finally completely sinking ship.

The Institute began with normal humans in an unnatural environment. Normal humans are not made to live within the upper atmosphere of gas giants. But as time went by and it seemed like the Institute wasn't shut down in the near-future, the humans learnt to adapt. When Admiral Mullduun picked the Institute as his base of secret research, the inhabitants of the already grown floating city were beginning to show deviations from baseline humanity. The people of the Institute were open for change and vividly adapted new technologies into themselves, be it genetic engineering, cybernetic, nanotech, or otherwise. At the end, the result was something that looked like a normal human but was so much more inside.
The most radical development and difference of the Institute people began as a small research team of Viktor Gladstone, a gifted neurologist and computer-specialist. Together with his team he managed to completely integrate a human mind with a computer, forever blurring the line between the two. The leading members of the team, now dubbed the Council of Eight campaigned for the technology and its advantages and more and more people went "digital". It didn't take long and almost the whole Institute had turned digital, though no one knows what happened to the small groups of dissidents.
Viktor Gladstone, pivotal person of the Institute, still serves as the Director to this day. The other members of the Council of Eight either chose a real, and very final, death or migrated. Except Trom Helrum, who never was seen again after some terrible accident aboard his laboratory ship.

Physiology:
They appear to be baseline humans, even though they are all what normal people would consider beautiful. Geneered and stuffed with nanotech and cybernetic enhancements, they are more than just humans.

Culture:
Their physical shell is just one form of the people. The real life is inside a huge datashpere, called the World. Everyone has multiple minds roaming the World, doing whatever they want. Yet they still cling to their humanity and have not abandoned their human shell. This is the topic of heated discussions within the World and a growing number of minds would rather have the Institute move on.

More to come...

Darkevilme · Post by **Darkevilme** » 2007-11-25 06:22am

First draft of the Chamaran Exodus.

History:
Chamaran kind achieved sentience in the jungles of the planet Jewel in the clouds of Magellan. From there they slowly climbed towards the stars, colonizing their starsystem and stepping beyond it. And there the Chamaran kingdom encountered other starfaring races, aliens of myriad forms some of which were friendly, others not. With the rise of these different species in the galaxy war was inevitable, sides and lines were drawn between two powerblocs.

Ah but what price folly, for seeking an edge one side or another in the opening exchange unleashed the doom of all. A precursor device of poorly understood purpose was activated and created a voracious anomaly, ships, planets stars and entire civilizations vanishing into the expanding maw. The Chamaran’s turned to the mothership project, originally intended to colonize a large fraction of this galaxy it was now their only salvation. And so they fled, the limited room on the motherships packed to the limits they left the galaxy as the stars went out. The Chamaran’s now exiles in the void between they set out to the nearest galaxy to try and find a new home, the void not without its dangers they kept and advanced their technological prowess to fight the colossal webspinners and legion swarms on their crossing.

It is a century later, they have reached the Milky-way and the motherships never intended for so long a crossing broke down a short distance from an unremarkable system formed around a red giant star. The motherships parked possibly forever as a necklace around the star the Chamaran’s turned their attention to their neighbours, for with the old home and kingdom in ruins a new one must be formed.

And thusly they came upon the border province of Makay, the humans inadequate defensive fleet falling swiftly to the onslaught of the Chamaran conquest and after a brief struggle smothered under the hypnotic conditioning of the Chamaran’s and forming the first of their vassal dominions of mind thralls.

Humanity as a whole is not yet aware of this development, Makay not known for being very communicative especially after the destruction of the empire. The Makay acting as a front for the Chamaran’s to hide behind.

Chamaran species:

Chamaran’s bare a startling resemblance to the catgirls of Anime fame due to a case of parallel evolution in the cloud of Magellan from whence they came. The average chamaran is extremely similar to humans down to primary and secondary sexual characteristics. Differences follow.

Chamaran’s possess a furred tail of length between three and four foot from the base of their spine assist with balance and more developed dense muscle mass formed tight to the bone which results in little outward signs of their increased strength. To support the extra muscle mass their metabolism’s are faster requiring more calories and resulting in Chamaran’s average height falling between 5’ 6” and about 4’ 4”.

Chamaran’s retain many other features from their feline ancestors such as swivelable feline ears atop their head giving them better hearing, retractile claws, sharp teeth, nightvision and an olfactory sense acute enough to identify people by scent. They possess vestigial scent marking glands on their cheeks, patches containing oils distinct to each Chamaran.

Chamaran’s are omnivorous and capable of digesting a variety of foods from plant matter to raw meat and can peel back their lips to allow for a gape and bite wider and more powerful than humans are capable of.

Chamaran’s are born live and singly with a gender imbalance of female births outnumbering male ones about six to one.

The Chamaran race has conducted a genetic experiment on itself during the voyage, a regimen of retrovirii injected into each and every one amplifying the latent psychic potential of the species. The retrovirus dosage was due to necessity not enough to give the entire population a full course but surplus from the minimum was secured by clans based on their influence. As a result psychic potential increases based on the status of the family, while this is still not enough psychic potential to use unaided it has unlocked to development of psionic amplification technology and similar devices which allow their potential to be realized.

Chamaran Culture:
Due to the gender ratio there’s been an undercurrent to keep the males that are required for the perpetuation of the species out of harms way, the result is a distinct divide in traditional gender roles and a matriarchal society with females controlling most social constructs in the civilization. Males are kept to non harmful and often non strenous tasks and form in general the scientific, philosophical and academic part of the Chamaran civilization though recent days there has been an increase in female participation in this field. Females are typically seen in every other area of endeavour from production and resource acquisition to warfare and leadership.

The Chamaran society still holds to a somewhat antiquated model of family units and loyalty ties formed into a hierarchy. Four distinct classes exist based on family ties. Firstly is the queen as the absolute and near religious figure of ruler for the Chamarans.
Secondly are the various ranked members of the noble clans which have varying standards themselves in relation to other noble clans. Noble clans are generally defined as ones having the loyalty of non noble clans to their banner.

Third down there are the non noble clans themselves, with size, honour, prestige and holdings the only things determining their place in Chamaran society. These elements it should be mentioned apply to noble clans as well though not to the same extent, if a member of a clan becomes known for her feats of bravery and skill this elevates the entire clan by the merit of one within it. Social standing is strived for by the family as a unit, the entire clan rising and falling based on the actions of those in it.

Then there is the clanless whose disgrace or failings resulted in them being dishonoured and cast out of their clan. They’re the lowest you can get in Chamaran society without being non Chamaran though some find redemption in joining the exodus clans.

Movement between clans is possible by being adopted often at an early age by a clan of higher standing and by this honour moving up in the world.

The Exodus clans refer to the clans formed by those left clanless by the destruction of much of the species, those left without such units who chose to form new ones with others of the same predicament. These new clans with no shared bloodline are called the Exodus clans and no exodus clan has yet gained the standing to become noble.

Chamaran goals of conquest of their promised land is tempered by one very important fact, they're all that's left of the species. The Chamaran motherships could only take a population numbering in the mere billions and as a result the Chamaran's do face a threat of extinction if they fail here. This means that Chamaran's are in fact, though the loss of honour is shameful, willing to surrender in the face of hopeless odds. Other effects of this is the tendency for Chamaran infantry to be extremely well protected and means that should Chamaran's surrender or be captured their sisters in the battlefleet will go to great lengths to get them back.

Mannerisms:

Personal greetings: Not for being introduced to a group obviously but a small hug is a normal part of a hello and if it’s the first time you’ve met someone or you’ve not seen them in ages you’re expected to deliver licks to either cheek and receive them in turn. This is because of the scenting gland patches there and allows a Chamaran to identify another by smell from that point on as they’ll have a good familiarity with their scent.

Makay:
Makay was founded mainly to exploit the mineral wealth on the fringe of the empire, baseline humans looking for a new future and better prospects among the stars were simply loaded onto their transports and sent out towards their destination. Records become patchey however as to what happened to this unimportant little province afterwards, they sent their dues but had little involvement with their neigbours or with imperial affairs.

Currently the human government is really just for show in the main systems, control of the populace enforced by the hypnotic wave transmitters on every large ship and in every city which turn on once a day to put the population under so they may receive directives from the public announcement systems. The outposts are not under such control but have not yet realized anything is amiss due to the carefulness with which the flow of information and personnel is handled. A large portion of the Makay province is under this mental conditioning and suggestion and in fact is not even aware of who their alien masters actually are as the information has been buried in their minds by brainwashing.

Holdings:

Pyre: (imperium survey designation Rbm-56) A barren starsystem, a bloated and dull old red giant sitting at its center. No life, what planets there are are either airless rocks, atmosphere lost aeons ago, or gas giants standing watch over the outer edges of the system, asteroid belts llittering the system as left overs or debris from the death of worlds.

Motherships: Holding the entirety of the Chamaran civilization are twelve vessels strung in a necklace orbit around the star, each city sized behemoth unnoticeable compared to the red giant whos light gleams off their hulls.

Makay primary starsystem:
Godwin's hope: earthlike world, orbital shipyard present.
Makay secondus: toxic atmosphere, mining world.
Makay Tertius: barren, minor world.
Makay belt industry: a series of ten stations in the periphery of the belt, and forming a ring around the star, which service a large number of mining ships and freighters.
Makay secondary starsystem:
Odessa: Heated world with wide bands of desert due to being at inner edge of goldilocks zone, has polar seas and a breathable atmosphere.
Makai quintus: Frozen world thawing out due to nudging by nuclear bombardment, minor world.
Makai hextus: minor world.
Makai 3rd system
Caldera, world run previously by imperial megacorporation, many massive mining crawlers and factory complexes still run beneath the bleak sky.
Outposts and asteroid mining systems.
Makai 4th system
Teldus, mostly an agrarian world being the only one other than Godwin’s hope to consistently have the climate for it, the breadbasket of Makay.
more outposts and asteroid miners.

Chamaran technology.

Tech general: All chamaran technology is highly refined and compact with miniaturization and nano scale construction used as standard. On ships this did not overral result in a decrease in ship scale as the ships still retain the design convention of extra habitable internal space to allow for the long deployments Chamaran’s were expected to endure aboard them but in ground combat and other enviroments this compactness allows them to forgo some heavier pieces of military technology for a faster and more agile planetside combat doctrine.

Weapons technology:

Beamcannon: A relativistic fusion plasma beam the fuel for which originates from the reactor and is drawn to the weapon tip where manipulation fields, that glow increasingly as they build to full power before firing, then focus and direct the beam upon the target. Beamcannons are very powerful weapons capable of punching through shields and armour and carving a ship in twain.

Nuclear missiles and bombs: good old high yield atomics used as secondary weapons by the Chamaran fleet, some smaller ships still use them as primaries as guided missiles with atomic warheads remain capable of inflicting quite a punch.

Coilgun: Multibarreled magnetic accelator turrets, each weapon capable of firing rapidly a turret can put down a hail of slugs capable of destroying strike craft, missiles and even enemy frigates and corvettes.

Mass driver: Large spinal mounted weapons used by human thrall cruisers to fire relativistic metal slugs. Weapon works as a scaled up coilgun and while slow firing makes a good bombardment weapon for long range combat.

Pod launcher: a new weapon installed on the experimental stealth raiders, launches an automated weapons pod away from the ship which after a delay hurls volleys of missiles at its target. This mitigates the risk of the raider being discovered based on the origin of its weapons fire and is not prohibitively expensive as a pod is naught but a missile rack with a computer, precomputed targeting details and attitude jets.

Defences:
Forcefields and armour: The forcefields working by splitting, dissipating and deflecting attacks and the armour by absorbing them.

Propulsion:

Hypercorridor: Chamaran FTL forms a gateway into Unrealspace and once this gateway has been utilized the ship travels along a corridor it’s formed between the start and destination of its journey, emerging from a gateway at the other end.

Fusion torches: Reaction drives powered by the reactor, produces a jet of plasma that propels the ship.

Psychewave: Essentially a telekinetic ship propulsion system with the downside of requiring the pilots be of a certain psi potential to steer, on the other hand it creates no drive flare and requires no reaction mass.

Energy:

Sun furnace: Fusion reactors operating at higher pressures and temperatures than the norm and linked directly to the torch unifying the engine and power system of the craft as the fuel for the torch and reaction mass is the spent fuel of the fusion core. Failure of the support machinery for the furnace due to weapon damage will result in the fuel being ejected from the core via the engines though damage piercing the actual reactor chambers will result in hot plasma leaking out of the wound in addition to reactor shutdown.

other tech:
Hypnotic array: A large device mountable on buildings or starships that uses radiative energy of various frequencies and sequences to control human minds. The device is capable of simple effects such as putting them to sleep and more complex effects like putting them in a biddable trance, implanting sentence long suggestions or creating a suicidal urge. The system has no effect on non humans barring an annoying mental whine if run when damaged and can be countered in several ways. Firstly sufficiently dense metal helmets or intervening material can provide some small measure of protection and secondly a contrawave device worn over the head or mental conditioning will block it.

The citadels:
The symbols of Chamaran occupation in the worlds of Makay is for many the Citadels. Towering structures prebuilt elsewhere and dropped from orbit they range from skyscraper to arcology sized based on the importance of the population center in the middle of which they stand. Each citadel holds a force of Chamarans to conduct the occupation and has a multitude of systems. Primarily they raise up the powerful antenna of a hypnotic array to control the surrounding populace but they also include hangars for Chamaran flying machines, defensive laser weaponry emplacements, anti orbit nuclear missile batteries, communication gear capable of reaching even distant worlds and from one to three shields based on size. First layer skin shields are common to all citadels, curtain shields extending a distance from the armoured skin of the citadel exist on larger citadels and these two are the ones most commonly left on by default. The third shield is the city guarding atmosphere barrier that extends above the citadel when its fed its immense energy requirements to protect against bombardment. Around the base of all citadels are the thrall soldier barracks and stores as these mind controlled minions conduct the day to day job of guarding the cities and stamping the jackboot of authority down on upstart rebels.

Spacecraft of the grand Chamaran navy:

Style: All Chamaran ships have a slightly smoothened and flowing form with fluted grooves as if somewhat streamlined for atmosphere in the details even if the overral shape is as often the case totally impractical for such a trip.

Chamaran vessels are more spacious within, being the same size as their equivalents this extra room comes from the miniaturization of Chamaran technological devices and allows for longer deployments of the ship.

All chamaran ships have an FTL speed advantage.

Corvette: scout ship for the Chamaran fleet that is too small to mount beamcannon being only 150 metres long and having to rely on missiles and coilguns for armament though it has no business engaging in combat except in self defence as with enhanced sensors and engines evade is the order of the day. Acts ahead of the fleet, as a picket and anywhere where sensors would be useful. It can also keep up with incursion speed vessels. (5points, 2 base+2sensor+1engine)

Frigate: A 300 metre long combat craft deployed in squadrons to perform various roles from screening larger vessels to raiding and fast attack. Frigates possess standard Chamaran secondaries of missiles and coilguns in addition to a forward beamcannon as its main weapon. This combined with its high FTL speed allows it to strike hard and quickly . (20 points, 16 point base +4 speed)

Hunter: A sleek craft 250 metres long and covered in several layers of emmission and signal dampening panels. The hull completely devoid of engine gaps, gliding in eery silence on psychokinetic propulsion with its skin only broken by the passive sensor clusters and the hatches covering its pod launchers and torpedo tubes.
(20 points, 4 points base +4 active offence +2 speed+10 stealth)

Chamaran operations cruiser: 600 metre long craft that performs a support role for fleets it’s attached to, armament is only Chamaran secondary weapons and the ship is capable of keeping up with Corvettes and Frigates in FTL. Ship possesses a large interdictor field generator and broad spectrum jamming arrays to provide much needed specialist aid to Chamaran battlegroups.
(30 points, 10 base +6 speed +7 interdict +7 jammers)

Monitor: 700 metres long but that figure is deceptive as this ship is very broad with a large volume for its length. The vessel is armed with two beamcannons, heavy armour and several missile batteries making it a good if somewhat poor manouvering light battleship. It was originally designed for a defensive role, hanging back and protecting the motherships from harm during their long voyage, hence the designation.
(40 36 pts base+4 pts speed)

Destroyer: The biggest vessel the Chamaran’s currently field it’s a kilometre and a half in length, possessing three high powered beamcannons firing forwards its purpose more than anything is to find its equivalent in the enemy fleet and turn that battleship into a hulk of twisted metal with the power of those beamcannons.
(60 points, 44 pts base +6 pts speed +10 active offence)

????

Thrall cruiser: Formerly defending the province of Makay these vessels are now being built to serve its new feline masters. Primitive warships though they are in sufficient numbers they can be effective, each ship mounting two batteries of nuclear missile launchers, a point defence laser on the bow and a spinal mounted mass driver for the inflicting of considerable bombardment damage. Nonetheless the designs 200 metre length and inferior technology mean it cannot stand against the ships both of the Makay’s new rulers or the province’s neighbours. (10 points each)

Racial advantages:
250 points planetary conquest bonus (assimilation+ground combat+control)
100 points, extra galactic entity.
150 points, mothership shipyards capable of building 60 point vessels.

Industry distribution:

Pyre
2x12 Motherships

Makay primary starsystem:
10x1 Godwin’s hope
5x1 Makay secondus.
5x1 Makay Tertius
1x5 Makay belt mining installations

Makay secondary starsystem:
10x1 Odessa
5x1 Makai quintus
5x1 Makai hextus

Makai 3rd system
10x1 Caldera
1x2 Makay outpost

Makai 4th system
10x1 Teldus
1x2 Makay outpost
1x6 Makay asteroid mining

ships
240 points, four destroyers
280 points, seven monitors
180 points, six operation cruisers
580 points, twenty nine frigates
120 points, six raiders
100 points, twenty chamaran corvettes
500 points, fifty Thrall cruisers
1880
disposition

First incursion fleet 240 points
nine frigates
six corvettes
one C.cruiser

second incursion fleet 240 points
nine frigates
six corvettes
one C.cruiser

First conquest fleet 440 points
two destroyers
three monitors
two C.Cruisers
six frigates
four corvettes

Second conquest fleet 460 points
two destroyers
four monitors
two C.cruisers
five frigates
four corvettes

Experimental hunter squadron 120 points
Six hunters

Makay cruiser squadrons 500 points
50 thrall cruisers divided into five squadrons of ten each with 100 points of shipweight

Makay ground forces: Makay ground forces contrast with Chamaran by resorting to extremely large numbers of inferior tanks and infantry, though these vehicles and weapons using a lower tech base are very easy to maintain

Chamaran ground forces overview: Chamaran ground forces are few in number and heavily protected with advanced equipment. They’re highly mobile with mechanized or airborne transportation and in general work much better on the offensive than the defensive.

Chamaran ground troop types:

Onnai: The noble clan members who choose to join the warrior way all study the Onnai arts to some extent though the ones dubbed Onnai on the battlefield are those who pursue the arts fulltime. Onnai arts require the Chamaran be of a noble clan as only they have the required psychic potential for it.

In battle a Onnai wears a form fitting and flexible reflex armour that goes rigid momentarily when struck, the typical segmented Chamaran mask and hood for protection against gases and the providence of radio and lastly a Chamaran deflector field generator that creates a bubble shield to defend against projectiles, however the barrier is two way and would need to be lowered to allow beams and projectiles below a certain mass limit to exit. All Chamaran Warrioresses carry grenades and Onnai use them to cause even more havoc when they attack. In addition to this standard gear they share with all chamaran warrioresses they have psychokinetic bands on their wrists and ankles which amplify their psionic telekinesis and focus it upon themselves. This movement amplifying effect is what gives Onnai their incredible speed, agility and strength.

The bands also facilitate the use of their chosen weapon by allowing them to close distances often faster than the enemy can react to them and bring weapons to bear, their chosen weapon is the Shikon, a psychically enhanced sword the blade of which is sheathed in a cutting field produced by the hilt emplaced amplifier. With this energy sheathe the sword is protected against damage, able to deflect some attacks powered by similar forces and has penetrative power of a high order, able to cut through body armour like it isnt there and pierce powered armour with disturbing ease.

The last piece of equipment given to an Onnai as standard is the wailer, a crude psychic weapon that harnesses the Onnai’s psi power to create the mental equivalent of white noise and static on human mind frequencies. This causes disorientation, confusion and fear in humans near the device though more than one wailer field must overlap for best effect especially against foes using psi-shielding.

Non standard equipment includes magnetic bombs for use against heavy armour and various other kinds of psi amps based on user psi power, preference and training.

Onnai are close combat specialist elite infantry able to close the distance with their targets incredibly fast. They operate in small hunting packs to allow for flexibility and also to make sure the wailers work properly. A pack attacking enemy infantry squads from cover, surprise or any location where they don’t have to cover a great deal of open ground can annihilate the entire squad in under a minute.

Special nonstandard Onnai equipment:
Amplimet staff, a long rod between four and five foot long completely straight and unadorned but for a lattice of raised threadwork. These staffs are usually used by Onnai officers such as the battlemistress's in charge of armies, fleetmistress's and rarely the leaders of squads. The psi field around it is variable and results in two very different effects which can be switched between at will, in the first it works just like a shikon capable of oiercing right through a powered armour suit and in the second it does not cut but merely applies massively disproportionate kinetic energy to anything it hits, enough to send people flying.

Lancers: Warriors taken from the non noble clans and wearing standard masks, reflex armour suits and deflector shields. However Lancers in general lack the psychic power to make use of Shikon’s and psycher bands so instead carry the Lance, a heavy laser rifle with a slow cycle time but good penetrating killing power. The nature of Chamaran deflectors mean that to fire the shield must be lowered and then snapped up again a split second later using psi links in the suit to control it. Lancers are an effective form of conventional infantry with Lances capable of harming powerarmoured foes and vaporizing a significant portion of an unprotected human. Lance rifles while precise and devastating of course don’t offer much in the way of auto fire and suppression so Lancer packs often contain members armed with either grenade launchers or machineguns.

Tigers: Generally for those clans who can afford to field them. Tigers wear a modified reflex armour suit with artificial muscle added as an underlay to a segmented carapace of rigid metal plates. The artificial muscle and suit stiffening systems work in tandem to amplify user strength without the use of psi-amps and only using psi links for control to match user motions. Tigersuits don’t mount deflectors but the armour makes them pretty much immune to any small arm brought to bear on them. Tigers are heavy infantry often armed with multi barreled laser lance guns, anti tank coilguns and missile launchers. A Tiger pack brings a large amount of firepower in a small package.

brianeyci · Post by **brianeyci** » 2007-11-25 06:35am

The One Hundredth and Seventeenth Crusade of the Intellectuals and Sixth Army Seeking Glory for the Great Emperor, Defender of the Faith of Transhumanity

Summary

The One Hundredth and Seventeenth Crusade of the Intellectuals and Sixth Army Seeking Glory for the Great Emperor, Defender of the Faith of Transhumanity, or the 117th Crusade, is an exodus of exiled citizens of the former Holy Solar Empire. They possess much of the cultural intellectual background of the Empire, but scant examples of the Empire's technological prowess.

History of the Crusades

Early in its history, before Terra became Fortress Terra, the Emperors of Old knew Terra required cleansing. Many methods were tried, from mass exterminations to appeasement. The Inquest could not simply exterminate every single human who voiced a dissenting opinion, and if scientific creativity was to flourish a certain degree of free thinking had to be allowed. To circumvent revolution, there had to be a release.

At first, the Crusades consisted of the Empire's most loyal subjects. However, successive Emperors and Inquisitors realized the waste of condemning blindly loyal subjects to the void. The most intelligent had to be kept at home, to further humanity's ascendancy. The most deviant had to be executed. But what of those in between, those who voiced doubt but were quite useless? These were to be the ones sent past the Deadland.

Several concerns had to be addressed. Firstly, that any crusade should never return to threaten the Empire. Despite the propaganda fed to the masses of terrible demons and the unholy abyss, Emperors and their advisors knew the greatest threat to the Empire was itself. After the renegade Sixth Crusade, which had to be annihilated by an Imperial ship-of-the-line after a Pope predicted terrible omens and permitted its arming, all future Crusades would possess substandard technology of D-Grade or lower. In theory this would allow for Imperial starcruisers as an escort. However, in practise, Emperors almost never allowed these weapons in the hands of the doomed, and by the 87th Crusade all ships exiled were entirely civilian or manufactured by Barbarians, imported to Terra for the sole purpose of shipping the "Crusaders" from the Holy Mother.

History of the 117th

The 117th Crusade was commissioned by the Inquest after a unique event in the Empire's history: the "mutiny" of a small military unit far in the outer reaches. A Earthly Prince with authority over the Sixth Army (not the Sixth Army of the Empire, which was a fanatical unit devoted to defending the Sixth Capitol of the Sixth Province, but the Sixth Army of a regional National Guard unit) was irritated with the slow delivery of a Frazon Fruit, an apple resembling edible which had a legendary reputation for increasing bedroom performance. The Prince, desiring quick delivery of the fruit, issued an Imperial Edict requiring its embarkment at a specific time and a specific place.

An entire legion of Imperial stormtroopers in training, along with regional reserve units, scoured the planetoid for the fruit. Unfortunately, the fruit was out of season, and its remarkable properties meant only deviants stored the fruit rather than immediately consuming it. Tradition demanded the fruit be peeled on the eighth day of the tenth month, so none were left in public records and private houses were scoured to no avail. In the end, the legion and the Sixth Army failed, and the Commandant was left with an Imperial Edict in his hand. Failure of course, meant punishment, and in this case the Prince had outlined a particularly archaic and grusome method of torture for each of the soldiers and civilians involved should they have failed. And they did fail.

The problem was nearly every single citizen in the sector had taken part in the hunt, with many false alarms and synthesized fruits attempting to claim the honor. The Commandant was now duty bound to exterminate the entire solar system.

He disobeyed.

Normally, this oversight would be quietly shuffled away. But an Imperial Edict was no laughing matter, even an improperly signed Edict by an intoxicated Prince. A zealous follower of the Eighth Inquisitor of the Highest Board happened to be on vacation on the planet. At the next meeting of the Inquest, he extolled the virtues of the Articles of Faith and the Holy Observances, and demanded the guilty be punished.

At the same time, on a college in the Eighth Precinct of the Holy Fortress Terra, a Professor tinkered with the idea of a new model of governance. This one would take into account the opinions of the lowest of creatures, because even the lowest ranking citizen was a human. Furthermore, the ultimate aim of transhumanity was the greatness of mankind, so the Professor reasoned, all of mankind should benefit. He modeled his new government after the Empire of Old, before Fortress Terra and even before Terra, and wrote a paper outlining the Seven Grand Steps to the Betterment of Humankind through Transhuman Compassion.

A junior Inquisitor, desiring quick promotion, mentioned this assault on tradition, and marked it a deviancy of highest grade. The Inquest had little choice but to take the fruit Prince seriously, since any two reports of serious deviancy had to be treated as precursor to revolution. It was by unanimous consent that the 117th Crusade was proclaimed.

The Sixth Army was disarmed, and the Inquest ensured the Wasterburn System stripped of any useful military technology. It was a monumental task, the transplanting of an entire civilization, but well within the logistical and organizational abilities of an empire which had long ago mastered information warfare. The Inquest took advantage of this Crusade, as it had one hundred and sixteen times before, to deport assorted intellectuals and others with a risk factor of 7 or higher. Tens of thousands of Imperial citizens were stripped of their rights in the ancient Rebirthing Ceremony, ordered to regain them by advancing the Emperor's glory.

The 117th Crusade embarked on its holy quest and had settled in for several years at its destination four hundred light years from Sol, and has only now received the first reports of the Empire's collapse.

Composition

The 117th Crusade is composed of the former citizens of the Wasterburn System, along with its Sixth Army. For the first time in eight hundred years, Imperial citizens marched as crusaders, mostly the stormtroopers who failed to discover the Frazon Fruit, and certain naval personnel who were tasked with the fruit's delivery.

The Wasterburn System was not a core world, hence its use for training by stormtroopers who required extra-territorial experience. However, it could not be called a splinter civilization in the strictest sense, since even the oldest citizens were only thrice removed from true Imperial citizenry. Everything in Wasterburn culture modeled the Holy Dictates as closely as possible: Observance of Rites and Worship of Transhumanity, among other traditions.

Order of Battle (Under Construction)

Racial - Electronic Superiority

The Wasterburians have a highly advanced electronics industry. They were the prime importers of second hand electronics to Fortress Terra (first-hand being anything not-manufactured by Barbarians.) However, their engineers frequently obtained schematics from the Empire of first-grade electronics. The Empire was careful not to reveal military secrets, but over the centuries the Wasterburians have amassed a great deal of information of Imperial origin.

Evolutionary computing, quantum computing and artificial intelligence are among the many accomplishments of the Wasterburnians. Artificial intelligence creation was restricted by the Empire after the Disaster of Seven Million, but with their shackles free many among the 117th Crusade have argued for the creation of a transcendental intelligence, to guide their civilization to newer heights. However, there remains a super-majority in favor of the Holy Doctrine, and it would take a great upheval indeed for the singularity camp to gain political traction.

Sensors, jamming and remote piloting are among the key military consequences of their electronics and computing supremacy. Sensors are hardened and insulated, and cover the entire EM spectrum. White noise paints the battlefield, making any firing solution without optical sensors impossible. Jamming lasers with pinpoint accuracy can aim and fire at enemy cameras, rendering enemy starships completely blind.

Despite their mature electronics and sensor technology, the Wasterburians are acutely aware that relying on computers and sensors solely is a disaster in the making, due to their own tactics of blinding enemy vessels at the beginning of a firefight. All fighters have manual ironsights, and battleships have their batteries manned by an officer, in case sensors are destroyed.

Battle Moon - 50 Points x 4

Battle moons are sphere-like warships of death. They serve as refueling points for the fleet, and the flagships of the Merchant Marine Admirals and the small Wasterburn navy. Most Battle Moons were completely stripped of useful military equipment before the exodus, but there is rumor several exist which were refurbished by practical minded explorers who knew the borderlands would have dangers abound.

Like all Wasterburnian warships, Battle Moons are accurate machines of death. They fire their particle beams at several light seconds, with a maximum range of light hours away against stationary targets. Aim is impeccable, aided by the mature Wasterburnian electronics industry, which was the primary export during the xenith of the Empire. Standard tactics include bracketing more mobile, agile ships with light particle fire from the Battle Moons, making it mathematically impossible for a single ship to dodge, while engaging capitals with the longer reloading heavy particles.

However, a Battle Moon's main attribute is its durability. Armored replacable tiles, spaced armor, compound armor, space doors to seal hull breeches and quintuple redundant systems mean a Battle Moon can last long into a firefight. Even when all the weapons on a Battle Moon are destroyed, it can serve as a safe haven for fleet commanders and returning wounded fighters.

The ten Battle Moons are named officially after the ten former greatest Emperors of the now defunct Terra. Unofficially, they were always known to children and naval officers alike as the ten gods of the Wasterburnian pantheon.

Four remain operational, while six have been disarmed and serve as stationary hulks.

Battlecruisers - 30 Points x 30

Battlecruisers, wedge-shaped speed demons, form the core ships-of-the-line of the Wasterburn navy. Bristling with armadments, they are designed to go toe-to-toe with heavy enemy vessels. Of course, a single Imperial warship could utterly devastate a battlecruisers, but that has not stopped the Prime Ministers of the ages from commissioning as many as possible. The ultimate political honor is to have one's name on a battleship, and much political intrigue can form when certain ships are decommissioned, renamed or destroyed.

Unlike Battle Moons, Battlecruisers' tactics are to close the distance with the enemy as quickly as possible and unleash their particle cannon broadsides at zero range. To achieve this, a large amount of a Battlecruiser's armadment is point-defense, to neuter long-range missiles during approach. Wasterburnian naval officers are trained to hold their battlecruisers in reserve, in squadrons of five, behind Battle Moons. Following the "decisive engagement" doctrine, Battle Moons will take the brunt of the enemy assault, while Battlecruisers will maneuver and position themselves at the enemy's flanks. They will arrive behind enemy lines, firing at enemy heavies and carriers, and retreating if enemy capitals attempt to engage. As many enemy heavy ships are to be destroyed as possible, crippling their ability to wage future war.

The decisive engagement doctrine has never been tested, and draws considerable criticism from the more liberal and modern thinkers. Conservatives point that the Empire has vetted their battle plans.

Patrol Vessels - 1x300

Patrol vessels were commissioned after criticisms from the neo-Liberal parties that the large, bulky Battle Moons and Battlecruisers were too intimidating for routine patrol duties. However, their utility proved to be far greater than any anticipated, and sealed a critical weakness in the Wasterburnian navy, the lack of smaller more flexible ships. In a war, they would take their place besides the Battle Moons, to engage any enemy fighters which close to range. Although called patrol vessels, they are truly heavy fighters.

They are agile, capable of near instantaneous thrust in any vector, guided by computers with advanced sensors, the trademark of the Wasterburnians. An incoming missile has almost no chance of hitting a patrol vessel, and even lightspeed weapons can be dodged depend on the distance. Even rapid fire projectile weapons stand little chance, as the onboard computer is close to an artificial intelligence, activating countermeasures and thrusting the ship in directions to avoid destruction. An advanced sensor suite complete with optical and EM sensors, along with faster-than-light scanners, allows for computerized assimilation of the battlefield. A joystick with complete RCS thrust and headgear with an easy to assimilate interface provides a pilot with three hundred and sixty degrees of awareness. Several of them have been refitted to carry a squadron of marines, and can be used as ad-hoc breaching pods with cutting lasers which can eventually penetrate any armor.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2007-11-25 10:42am

Fifth Battle Fleet will arrive in this space to start despoiling your worlds sometime.

Guess what, sometime is now:

The Fifth Imperial Battle Fleet

It is still a mystery as to why exactly Admiral Tarnok chose the time he did to go completely berserk and attempt to tear apart the Imperium. With the advantage of hindsight and years to go over the surviving records after the fact, it has been established that his betrayal must have been years in the making. Carefully orchestrated transfers concentrated the vast majority of Imperial officers with questionable psych profiles in forces under his control, and he took the opportunity presented by previously scheduled wargames to seize or destroy the entirety of the Sixth Battle Fleet in short order. From there, he moved to seize the Imperial Penal Protectorate, granting himself acces to essentially unlimited manpower that was willing to carry out his vile bidding.

Prior to the Enclave's incursion, his forces conducted a carefully calculated campaign of terror and destruction. With the arrival of the Enclave, his forces dropped off the map until after the destruction of Terra. After the Cataclysm, any hint of care and calculation vanished entirely, and his fleets expended themselves in orgies of destruction across the length and breadth of the human sphere.

On no less than three occasions, alliances have been formed to send forth grand crusades to eradicate the menace he presents. Unfortunately his psychosis has yet to significantly diminish his tactical acumen, and all of those efforts have been driven off or destroyed. However, their sacrifice was not entirely in vain, as the Fifth Fleet is now a bare shadow of its former self, pushed back to a small sliver of the territory they once held in terrified thrall.

Fifth Fleet Forces:

The Fifth Fleet is overwhelmingly weighted to heavier, tougher vessels due to constant attrition. It is literally impossible for the few surviving escort yards it controls to keep pace with losses.

Horseman Class Battleship 45(+5D) x30: This vessel was the primary support battleship of the Fifth Battle Fleet, until a suicide run by the Third Grand Crusade obliterated the Fifth Battle Fleet's last fully equipped Imperial shipyard, aong with the Fifth Fleet's remaining superheavy units. Now, it represents the heaviest vessel they are capable of constructing.

Flagellant Class Fleet Defense Cruiser 10(+10D) x20: Smaller fleet defense units have proved non-survivable in the face of dedicated offensive platforms, so the Fifth Fleet has declined to continue building them.

Marauder Class General Offensive Cruiser 8(+1C3 +1I) x10: These few ships represent the overworked anti-raider contingent, or they would if they didn't neglect these duties constantly to commit raids of their own.

Thugee Class Escort 3(+1S +1H) x 40: The latest production run of escort/light raiders. Projections currently indicate that there might be four of them left at the end of the month.

total 2200 points(oh so very much an aggressor)

Racial Bonuses:

Planetary defense platforms: 500 Necessity has driven the Fifth Fleet to turn each of their remaining systems into a defensive stronghold the likes of which has rarely been seen, simply to give their vastly outnumbered forces time to kill some portion of the enemy before falling before them. Five 1+1D ships per planetary point

Offensive Orbital Platforms:100 One 1+1O ship per planetary point

Pacification Techniques-550(100 bonus points) Species of rock banging primitives unknown to interstellar society have heard of the Fifth Fleet's proclivities. By this point, when a planet is faced with the prospect of an invasion by them, dedicated lifelong pacifists start putting on their explosive jackets and calling for all people to resist to the death. The last time the Fifth Fleet occupied a planet for any length of time, the population suffered a 99.9999% casualty rate(there were 37 individuals scattered in the deep jungle who weren't found until after relief forces had driven off the attackers).

Systems:

Beta Carinae, aka 'Mordor'

1 Class ten Hellhole, formerly the Imperial prison colony codenamed Purgatory
15 class one stations, formerly Imperial mobile shipyard units, captured space stations dragged in-system and expanded upon, and the Lunar monitoring facility for the prison colony.

Gamma Hydraxae, aka 'Hell'

1 class 8 Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy, formerly the Imperial prison colony codenamed 'New Jersey'
3 Class one colonies(Newark, Treton, and Jersey City)

Sigma 567, aka 'The Abyss'

25 Class one colonies, formerly The Imperial Ultra-Maximum Security Prison Array

Zeta Kappa Phi, aka 'Limbo'

1 Class Seven planet

Individually placed colonies that will have to wait on clever names

3 Class Three
2 Class Four
4 Class Two
7 Class One

More details sometime.

Editted to comply with current planetary defense rules.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2007-11-25 12:51pm

I'm not getting stuck on the second page again.
The Consolidated Dominion of Gemude OOB is coming promptly.

A-Wing_Slash · Post by **A-Wing_Slash** » 2007-11-25 01:52pm

This post is still holding space for the Grand Duchy of Malacaster; there is more to come.

The Grand Duchy of Malacaster

History

The Grand Duchy of Malacaster’s founding by colonists launched from Holy Terra lies shrouded by the mists of time, yet despite the particulars of its creation, the Grand Duchy had been a vassal state of the Holy Terran Empire since long before the earliest electronic records. Although the Grand Duchy has had its fair share of rebellions, dynastic struggles, and civil wars over its long history, it remained on the whole a loyal, stable, and ultimately prosperous subject of Holy Terra.

Politcal Factions

Expansionists
The Expansionists are a political group which believes firmly that Malacaster’stime has come. They advocate immeadiate annexation of nearby human territory to the Grand Duchy, as well as an explicit declaration of independence from the now-defunct Empire. Expansionists are the most vocal Malacasterian patriots, and call for the Grand Duchy to become a powerful and independent star nation in its own right. Currently the most powerful political faction in the Grand Duchy, the Expansionists draw much of their support from several members of the high nobility, as well as the ambitious lesser nobility. The current Grand Duke, Adolph Zollverein, is understood to be an Expansionist.

Imperialists
The Imperialists are the Expansionists main political rivals. Imperialist are just that: men and women who still feel loyal to both the Empire and the ideal of human advancement that it represented. Imperialists believe that the Grand Duchy should devote its power and energy to rebuilding the Empire of Humanity (though naturally under the rule of Malacaster). While in the short term many Imperialist goals correspond with the Expansionist platform (Imperialist support massive naval build-ups, and territorial expansion, as do the Expansionists, for example), Imperialists believe that these actions must only be undertaken in the name of Empire. They fought the Expansionists tooth and nail over an explicit declaration of independence after Earth exploded, eventually managing to defeat such an act. Although they have some noble backers, the core of Imperialist support comes from the upper middle class, the yeomen and Right Honorable Gentlemen who had the closest attachement with the late Empire. The Imperialists are generally lead by Lady Kristen Zollverein, Heir to the Ducal Throne.

Isolationists
By far the smallest of Malacaster’s main polical factions, the Isolationists are dominated by the ancient noble houses and the landed aristocracy who fear the dilution of their considerable personal power and wealth. They oppose all territorial expansion, and remain largely indifferent to the Independence debate raging between the Imperials and the Expansionists. A main Isolationist beliefs is in the necessity of bribing the working and lower classes through the prehistorical concept of “bread and circuses.” Lead by Fredrick Grevenmacher, Baron Echternacht.

Socialists
The least influential faction in Malacasterian politics is the Socialists. The Socialists are allowed to operate and organize only under intense scrutiny by the Grand Duchy’s security forces, and despite official allowances, Socialist convention and gatherings are regularly broken up by the police and nobleist thugs. The Socialists call meekly for greater economic opportunities and greater social programs for Malacasters numerous poor workers. They oppose expansion, believing that the Grand Duchy’s energies should be focused at home, which leads the Socialists to form uncomfortable alliances with the aristocrats of the Isolationist faction. Socialists also call for non-nobles to have representation in the Grand Duchy’s government, although always explicitly within the current political framework. The Socialist organization is headed by John Thwaite.

Republicans
The Republicans, lead by Heather Corcaigh, the self-declared “Hammer of the Proletariat,” drop the pretext of being a loyal opposition that the Socialists are forced to maintain. The Republicans call for the violent overthrow of the current regime, the summary execution of all nobility, and the forcible redistribution of land and capital to the lower class. Naturally, they are considered a terrorist group of the Grand Duchy’s government, and all Republican leaders are in labor camps, martyred, or in hiding. The Athenry Republican Army was responsible for the ultimately unsuccessful rebellion that erupted on that planet during the final war. While the majority of the Republican base was killed in that conflict, the subsequent harsh crackdowns by the Grand Duchy’s security forces have created many new recruits for Republican groups. Currently, the remains of the Republican core is keeping a low-level insurgency brewing in the Shenanon System, the Republican movement’s home turf, accompanied by sporadic terrorist acts carried out across the Grand Duchy. The Republican leadership has made several contacts with the Syndicalist International.

Planets (100pts)

Malacaster System
Malacaster – 10, Clervaux– 10, Echternacht – 5

Neufenen System
Neufenen – 10, Gedeckt – 5

Shenanon System
Shenanon – 5, Tipperary – 5, Athenry - 5, Crestwell – 5

McMullen System
McMullen – 10, Brookshire – 5

Other Planets
Oberwampach – 5
Diekirch – 5
Widgiwah – 5
Yirka – 5
Tikvar – 5

Grand Ducal Navy (2196pts) (Agressor Nation)

20x Sol Eternal Class DN -65pt, 50 + 10D + 5C3 (1300)
Sol Eternal class dreadnaughts are by far the largest and most powerful warships in Malacaster’s history. Conceived as the centerpiece of Malacaster’s naval build-up, Sol Eternals are some of the most powerful vessels that sail what was once Imperial space. Designed to form Malacaster’s Wall of Battle, these ships represent both a huge chunk of Malacaster’s navy and a significant financial investment. As such, they are not only heavily armed, but are protected by state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems and highly advanced shield batteries. When several squadrons of dreadnaughts form a mutually supporting wall with proper screening elements, it can prove nearly impossible for a lesser force to even damage, much less defeat, the Malacasterian ships. The Sol Eternal class is named in honor of humanity’s ancestral star, and its lead ship was christened on the fifth anniversary of Earth’s destruction, in solemn remembrance.

20x Firebird Class BC -25pt, 15 + 10O (500)
Named after the iconic avian of the planet Malacaster, the Firebird class occupies a primarily supporting role in the Grand Ducal Navy's Fleet Groups. Firebirds are designed to act as fire support ships, using their highly advanced Phase Transit Cannons to pound enemies, under the protection of Malacasterian dreadnaughts and cruisers. Phase Transit Cannons operate by wrapping powerful warheads in a cocoon of phased energy, launched at high speed toward enemy vessels. These warheads only phase back into normal space as they are about to impact, allowing them to bypass many advanced point defense systems. Firebirds have been known to operate independent of the wall of battle, but only with screening units of cruisers.

24x Commodore d'Aviano Class CA -15pt, 12 + 2D + 1C3 (360)
When the Grand Ducal Navy engaged the forces of the Enclave, during the Final War of the Terran Empire, almost the entirety of the Malacasterian forces were destroyed. In fact, only a small group of three nearly crippled cruisers escaped, and them only thanks to the selfless sacrifice of Commodore d'Aviano and his crew. Seeing those three ships struggling to slip out of the grasp of the Enclave's forces, and rather than escaping himself, the commodore drove his heavily damaged light cruiser straight at an massive Enclave vessel. Commodore d"Aviano bought enough time with his life to allow three ships, and the thousands of men and women aboard them, to survive and return to Malacaster. For that, Commodore d'Aviano has been honored as one of the Grand Duchy's most revered martyrs. The Commodore d'Aviano class cruiser, named in his honor, has become the workhorse of the Grand Ducal Navy, and carries advanced shield batteries similar to those found on Sol Eternal class dreadnaughts, as well as finely tuned electronic warfare equipment.

40x Star Pixie Class DD -1pt (40)
Star Pixie class destroyers, named for an insect that inhabits the planet of Neufenen, are used primarily as scouts, and are the fleet's main reconnaissance unit.

Racial Attributes (500pts)

150pts Advanced Shipyard
In orbit around Malacaster

50pts Improved Assimilation

50pts Planetary Jamming System
Malacaster

50pts Improved Salvage

200pts Improved Logistics

Tanasinn · Post by **Tanasinn** » 2007-11-25 02:31pm

This OOB is under construction: all details are currently subject to change.

The Humanist Union

General Overview
The Humanist Union is a meritocracy run by its founder, a posthuman named Ivan Petrov who is commonly (and informally) referred to as "Father," and his favored circle. It is a highly militant, expansionist nation marked for having a general hostility to foreign nations (both from within the Empire and without) and a passionate dislike for alien organisms. Citizens of the Humanist Union believe that it is mankind's purpose and right to expand its reach to the ends of space, improving itself in all ways possible into the distant future. They further believe that it is up to each man and woman to earn his place in that future. All are judged, rewarded, and punished based on their actions and their value to society, regardless of their current social position, lineage, or allies. Petrov's status as an absolute dictator makes this possible; he can and does intervene whenever necessary to assure that his nation remains a meritocracy. Union citizens, naturally, embrace cybernetics and genetic modifications with unreserved zeal: many citizen-forms are barely recognizable as human. It is the Union's open belief that all of mankind deserve a chance to earn their worth, free from the parasitism of the luckily-born or the silver-tongued scum who make up the ruling classes of most human nations. Union dislike for alien sapients is cruel and simple: they are rivals.

History
The Humanist Union's founding Imperial Protectorate, the Khan Union, was an old and reserved state, a small league of planets ruled over largely by military tech producers and a myriad of research corporations. The main export of this protectorate included cutting-edge technology and, more significantly, simple military brawn. The Khan Union focused a great deal of its economic might on maintaining a large, powerful military that it regularly “rented” to the Empire proper and other protectorates in exchange for supplies of necessities such as foodstuffs, as well raw resources to fuel their massive industries.

As time progressed, military dominance of the Khan Union grew to the point where politicians had largely been replaced by or were controlled through hard-nosed, no-nonsense military commanders. Most of these men detested political games and held strong ideas of merit-based rule and species-wide human advancement. These ideas tended to clash with the Earth-worshiping decadence of conservative Imperials and the profit motives of the heads of the Union's powerful military production and research industries. Inevitably, this lead to a clash within the highly militarized protectorate. “Traditionalist” forces included true believers in the Imperial creed, corporate heads who wished to maintain power, and those political officials who had come to resent the growing influence of the Khan Union's military officials. Their opposition, the “Progressives,” were not strictly anti-Imperial: indeed, such would have been suicidal. They instead rallied around a popular banner of “killing the parasites” they felt to be feeding upon and harming society. This faction consisted of the majority of the active commanding naval and army officers, as well as a huge portion of the public and a respectable portion of those in the research industry who felt that they were being exploited for their ideas or held back by moralistic regulations. The civil war itself was relatively brief and extremely savage on both sides: the Traditionalist faction, lacking in popular support and military prowess, found itself almost entirely annihilated. Those leaders who did not flee to other protectorates within the Empire were killed by firing squads arranged by the victorious Progressives.

The Progressive victory did not come easy: the vast majority of the charismatic, idealist military commanders that made up the faction's leadership were killed by their beliefs in battle. One of the few remaining ones, the extreme hardliner Vice Admiral Ivan Petrov, observed the power vacuum and seized as much authority as he could grasp, rooting out and executing those high-ranking officials left who showed even slight Traditionalist sympathies. Few objected to his sudden position at the top of the Khan Union: indeed, he was easily the most experienced and successful of all living military commanders in the state. The Khan Union had been absolutely devastated by its civil war: countless numbers had died in the various battles, and billions now found themselves starving due to the lack of trade with prolific agricultural producers, many of whom thought it unwise to risk sending vulnerable trade convoys into what had been a warzone until very recently. The Progressive leadership of the Khan Union made a fateful decision: it formally declared the protectorate a meritocracy, and then proceeded to strip the nation to the bare bones of survival, shedding the last vestiges of its bureaucracy. Vice Admiral Petrov was unambiguously appointed at the head of the Khan Union, and he proceeded to brutally kick the nation back into shape. Necessities such as power, food, and water went to those individuals, worlds, and cities which worked the hardest towards reconstruction and produced the greatest industrial or agricultural output. Many millions signed onto the military to earn their way to food. The Khan Union, formally renamed as the Humanist Union, resumed its role as an exporter of “military assistance” eagerly and with enthusiasm in order to assure the Empire of its loyalty and to draw economic support through its actions.

As the Humanist Union stabilized it became increasingly isolationist in all ways that it could afford; hostility towards perceived social parasitism in the rest of the Empire and a belief that the Empire's citizens had grown sedentary bred growing resentment in the citizens of the Humanist Union, who had begun to embrace the idea of actively striving to move beyond mere humanity to as great a degree as possible. As the Empire deteriorated the unspoken hostility and desire for advancement grew, Petrov had become so much more than a human: though years of intense medical research, he become one of the Humanist Union's first true posthumans. Petrov was not greedy when it came to the gifts he had been granted. With stabilization complete and his own ascendancy assured, he began to put into place systems designed to reward and enhance those who proved their value to the Union; he offered the gift of posthumanism. Rooted on the Progressive ideals of advancement as a species, the sheer variety of enhancements grew exponentially alongside the reach of the social systems designed to distribute these gifts. Gene therapy, cybernetics, and changes to the very core elements that direct a human being's development all became typical...among those who proved themselves deserving. The desire to become "more than human" became one of the goals that drove not just the idealist leaders of the Humanist Union, but its common men and women, too. This new era was marked by a violent surge in nationalism and humanocentric ideas, the latter of which were had roots both in Imperial Earth-worship and the pursuit of perfection in posthumanism. It was also marked by the death of the last "legendary" command figure of the civil war besides Petrov himself, Vice Admiral Anya Paterson. This left the posthuman as the Humanist Union's most significant living link to the past.

It was following the stabilization of the Humanist Union and during the proliferation of its posthuman enhancement programs that the Imperial-Enclave war suddenly and violently began. At this point, isolationist ideas within the Humanist Union had hit their peak: the outside world was viewed as corrupt and debased, a collection of motley societies ruled by fat, lazy, incompetent bureauocrats who were leading the human race down the road of extinction. The attack on the Empire polarized this attitude in some, who felt that the vulnerability of most of humanity had become apparent even to outsiders. Petrov and his ruling circle, however, knew that the Humanist Union was in a dangerous position. Excess of anti-Imperial sentiments would spell the doom of the nation and its people if the Enclave incursion was forced back. Petrov made the choice to commit significant Union military assets to the Imperial war effort, inviting refugees from the war and appealing to his people to accept them as misled but priceless human beings in an attempt to bring the "common man" closer to the outsider Imperial citizen and muffle radical isolationists during what was a sensitive and unpredictable time. The war dragged on, however, and Imperial inability to claim victory bolstered contempt among the common Union citizen and convinced Petrov that he could begin to drop the charade of the "loyal protectorate." Humanist Union fleets and armies were increasingly recalled until all forces had been reassigned to fortify the Union itself. As the latest days of the war arrived, Petrov felt that the writing was on the wall, and raids on vulnerable Imperial shipping were commenced in order to help fuel the Union and prepare it for what were sure to be chaotic times.

It took the final, decisive destruction of Earth for Petrov to reveal his full hand, however. With the two great powers of the Imperial-Enclave war exhausted, his fleets experienced and well-supplied, and his people motivated and fed, Petrov declared formal independence from the Empire. He went on to encourage remnants to rebel against remaining Imperial authorities and ally themselves with the Humanist Union, attempting to appeal to these fragments with offers of security and freedom from political and religious parasitism. Indeed, the Humanist Union would formally denounce most of the works of the Empire, vowing to free humanity from the shackles of petty tyrants and encouraging mankind as a whole to rally together against those who had laid them so low from both within and without.

Culture
The culture of the Humanist Union emphasizes the importance of personal merit and service to the human race above all things. While the human is seen as almost-sacred, the human form itself and the cradles of humanity are not. Union culture encourages and accepts enhancements of all kinds, from the cybernetic to the genetic; they are seen as proofs of worth amongst the citizens of the state. Interestingly, there are some elements of culture within the Union that actually discriminate against the masses of unenhanced or mildly-enhanced citizens; "chimp" and "ape" are both common epithets amongst the bigoted, who see the unenhanced as lazy, stupid, or worthless. While such attitudes are heavily frowned upon by the authorities that rule the Union, they have proven difficult to stamp out. Indeed, it is somewhat telling that many who work for enhancement openly admit that shame drives them just as much as the genuine desire to have worth to the species. Other forms of bigotry within the Union are under-represented or non-present: racism has been largely dead since the civil war and purges of the Traditionalists, while Union society has always held the authoratative, economically successful woman as a cultural ideal. Ageism tends to exist only where the unenhanced are concerned: the older unenhanced tend to be the target of much more hatred (for perceived uselessness) than the young. The Union might be said to be free of problems concerning the mentally disabled, but that is largely because eugenics and gene therapy programs have made such unfortunate individuals almost non-existent among the state's citizens. Attitudes towards alien sapients are markedly hostile: they are seen as the unambiguous animal rivals for humanity. They are never trusted: it is seen as only natural and completely unavoidable that other species will inevitably seek to secure their dominance at the cost of other sapients. What few alien sapients who do live within Union space live in small, isolated "study" communities. While public hostility towards these populations is quite high, representatives of the government are fierce in protecting them from harm, due largely to their anthropological, sociological, cultural, and biological study uses.

The military is held with particularly high regard by the citizens of the Union. It is thanks to the military that the Humanist Union exists, thanks to the military that the state is kept safe from parasitic pirate filth and interloper jackal-nations, and thanks to the military that the Humanist Union is able to free oppressed, stagnant human populations from the chains of greedy dictators so that they might be allowed to freely propel the human species down the road of advancement. The military is considered by many citizens to be the ideal way to prove personal merit and earn posthumanism from the government. When this palpable prize is combined with cultural attitudes that demand "proof" of worth, it is no wonder why the ranks of the Union's army are so vast and driven.

Technology

General

Cybernetics
Cybernetics are universally embraced within the Humanist Union, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and functions. Some are designed to allow interfacing with military starships, some are designed to deal with hostile atmospheres, and some are designed to augment human mental capabilities. Others enhance the senses or provide extra limbs where needed. Still others are used to make human functions more efficient: certain artificial organs come into play here. Cybernetics are typically awarded by the government, powerful companies, or legal distributors. Basic civilian cybernetics are typically purchased with money earned through working for a paying employer or given as rewards by companies for outstanding performance; government and military cybernetics are usually only available to those who prove they deserve them while in civil service fields such as the army or navy. Cybernetic enhancements are very much status symbols, physical proof that a given holder is earning his posthumanism one step at a time.

Genetic Enhancements
Drastic genetic enhancements tend to be less common and more problematic than cybernetics. These "upgrades" may simply involve making a person a baseline human (a basic healthy human body is a legal right for all Union citizens), or they may involve enhancements that increase strength, improve bodily systems, or even increase natural lifespans. The problem with such genetic level enhancements (besides the difficulty in successfully implementing them), is the fact that they can be "passed on," giving a meritless infant a head-start. This runs directly counter to Humanist Union ideals on rewards going to those who earn them through deed alone. This issue is currently handled mostly though heavy restriction of genetic enhancements: only the most valuable members of society can expect to receive them, and the ability to pass them on is factored in as part of the reward. The alternate approach to handling this problem is limiting the number of children a genetically enhanced person may have: a person who just barely earns genetic transformations may not be allowed to have any children at all in exchange. As a rule, genetic enhancements on a low level are being worked into each generation of citizens born within the Union in order to make them tougher, more disease-resistent, smarter, and longer lasting. These low-key pursuits proceed at a much lower pace than the sudden changes awarded to specific individuals.

Jump Drive
Your standard every-day method of faster-than-light travel. Union jump drives are meant to be rugged, long-term pieces of equipment: this boosts their cost to some degree, but allows ships to operate longer in the field. Few people within the Union actually understand the complex mathematical absurdities that let this exotic drive system work, so they tend to be designed with the ignorant mechanic in mind: parts are highly modular and designed to be disposed of and replaced, not repaired.

Military

Railcannon
Railcannons make up the primary armament of most Union capital ships. They operate by sending an electrical charge through one of the cannon's rails the travels through the projectile to the other rail. Once a force is applied to the projectile, this results in a round being accelerated out of the cannon at extremely high speeds, giving it excellent penetration against even well-armored and shielded targets. Small and medium Union railguns fire unguided projectiles at respectable rate. Heavy railcannons, which fire more slowly and thus must make their shots count, usually fire rounds fitted with small booster rockets that allow for course corrections or an acceleration burn before impact. Overall, railcannons fire fairly slowly, but make up for it in damage.

Missile Pods
Missile pods are typically the secondary armament of any Union capital ship. Modern anti-missile systems make missile-based weapons somewhat risky: missiles must accelerate as they're launched and tend to be bulkier and more fragile than hard rounds. Standard Union missile systems overcome this by firing clusters of independent high-explosive missiles that can overwhelm anti-missile fire with sheer volume of fire. These clutches have the additional advantage of being able to be spread over an area of varying size, unlike a singly-launched missile. Missile pods vary in launch tubes from ship to ship, and the missiles themselves vary in both yield and size based on ship class and launcher purpose. Missile pods are able to launch their payloads all at once or can stagger their firing.

Cruise Missiles
Specialized weapons typically limited to support ships or large capital ships, cruise missiles are expensive and extremely dangerous. Guided by a relatively advanced AI to compensate for their singular nature and large size, Union cruise missiles are adept at predicting and thus avoiding enemy anti-missile defense firing patterns. They are often fired behind large volleys of standard missiles in a technique typically called “screening” or “flak-walling.” Cruise missiles are usually fired at areas perceived to have been weakened by other, lighter fire: they serve to crack open wide what the railcannons gut and the missile pods mangle. Besides precision fire from larger railcannons, cruise missiles are the primary weapon utilized by the Union for capital-ship-based orbital bombardment.

Autocannons
Autocannons are relatively primitive weapons that rely on chemical propulsion to fire streams of fairly large, explosive, unguided rounds at a target. Autocannons are usually only mounted on smaller capital ships to save on energy costs or as defensive weapons for dealing with fighters and missiles. Their primary advantages over lasers as defensive weapons are their far lower power requirement and ability to fire rounds that explode into flak mid-vacuum, making direct hits unnecessary to mangle or kill both missiles and fightercraft. Modern Union warships usually fire “pulse” shells that, upon being fired, are briefly enveloped with a high-temperature energy field that aids in penetration through the massive heat provided. Autocannons are the standard dueling guns of most Union fightercraft, and are found as the main guns on most shipping vessels: their low energy and material costs make them more practical than railcannons here.

Lasers
Union laser arrays are strictly defensive weapons, and specialized at that. Lasers are considered somewhat inefficient due to their low lethality and high energy cost. They are, however, terrifying and efficient anti-fighter and anti-missile weapons: laser emitters will typically drop all by the most lucky or tough fighters and missiles in a single hit. Lasers propagate at light speed, making “dodging” a firing laser emitter literally impossible. The invisible nature of the beam (except when artificially made visible by ship equipment) has some psychological effect, as well. Their slow firing rate and high energy cost, however, means that most capital ships have only a light array of defensive lasers that fire on priority targets; autocannons handle most other riff-raff. Lasers are fairly unpopular on fightercraft: support railcannon or large autocannon are preferred “heavy” weapons due to their usefulness against capital ships and smaller craft.

Energy Fields
More typically called "shields," energy fields are the primary defense for all naval ships significantly larger then a fightercraft, and can also be found on some large vehicles, such as Union Guard hovertanks. Shields possess many advantages that have led to their adoptation: among these are their regenerative properties, their ability to be directed over specific areas facing heavy bombardment, and their greater defensive efficiency on large-scale objects.

Ablative Armor
All armored Union vehicles possess a layer of ablative armor, whether they're shielded or not. Unlike conventional armor, which attempts to stop an attack directly, ablative armor crumbles, breaks, or evaporates, transferring the energy in an impact into the ablated armor rather than the armored object itself. Ablative armor sees its most concentrated use in unshielded vehicles, but also "backs up" energy shields on Union naval craft and gives them a defense when shields fail due to lack of power or intense bombardment.

Humanist Union Military

Army
The army of the Humanist Union is made up mostly of standard, "pure" humans or those who have only light modifications. Troop training emphasizes teamwork over all things, with many men and women instructed in specialized fields, such as demolitions. Standard army troops are expected to work in conjunction with armor assets, but are usually kept seperate from the more specialized Union Guard. The standard trooper sports a standard heavily-refined, high-power automatic rifle that can be submerged, beaten, used as a club, and even buried and still be expected to work. A lightweight pistol acts as a backup when ammunition is depleted or the soldier's rifle somehow destroyed. Army vehicles are designed with simplicity and survivability in mind, and are crewed with specialized posthumans where applicable.

Union Guard
The Union Guard are roughly analogous to the marines in their purpose and are often called such. Made up mostly of advanced posthuman soldiers, Union Guard units are augmented with light armor pieces, such as hovertanks and various light helicopters. On the ground, the Union Guard are used to attack vital weaknesses opened by army units or to spearhead difficult assaults. While their vehicular assets tend to consist of lightly-armored, high-firepower, high-speed craft, individual troopers can take significantly more punishment than a man in most conceivable ways. Cybernetic and biological modifications fine-tune their behavior for ideal performance. The line guardsman is armed with a "pulse rifle," which fires energy-sheathed ammunition, and is invariably equipped with a NBC powered suit that allows the individual guardsman to operate even in extreme environments. These suits display no rank, only unit and national insignia; personal modifications are against regulations.

Air Force
The air force is a division of the Union navy. Most Union aircraft (both terrestrial and vacuum) are compact drones, but intensively-trained posthuman pilots in heavy aircraft and less-heavily-augmented human pilots in lighter "escort" fightercraft supplement and aid these drones. Fighters tend to be specialized to either vacuum or terrestrial combat, but human pilots are expected to and do train for both battlefields. Terrestrial combat is considered easier and safer, and this is where most human pilots are expected to first prove their worth for duty in vacuum units. Most Union naval ships carry only a small complement "meat" fighters to assist the cheaper, more compact drones: the dry navy does not utilize bombercraft in the vaccuum, instead focusing on interception and leaving the bombardment to capital-scale weapons.

Wet Navy
The wet navy is essentially dead in the Humanist Union. The dry navy takes many of the roles that its counterpart served: ferrying troops, providing fire support, carrying aircraft, and preserving trade lanes. Most wet navy ships are light escorts and small terrestrial aircraft carriers. The wet navy is a strictly defensive force for the most part: offense-based wet navies only rear their heads during the conquring of planets where long-term orbital support is limited or unavailable. Recently, a new vessel type has appeared in the wet navy: the orbital strike submarine, a craft carrying a payload of heavy missiles for surface-to-orbit strikes.

Dry Navy
As all military minds know, control of space means control of a planet. This truth has seen to it that the Union dry navy is the most powerful and well-funded of all military branches in the Humanist Union. The navy's duties include delivering troops, blockading planets, and protecting shipping. Without the navy, the Humanist Union's war machine lacks the ability to project its power.

Dry Navy Units
(All ship diagrams are represented top-down unless otherwise noted. Cruise missile tubes are entirely internal weapons. Weapons not necessarily to scale.)

001X-class Recon Prowler - 5 points (2 base, 3 Stealth)
The 001X is designed by a relative newcomer to the naval ship arena, Monolith Technologies. It is speculated that this is part of the reason why the 001X has almost no presence in the Humanist Union Navy: its producers have yet to prove the merit of the company or the merit of their ship to the powers that be. More practically and importantly, the 001X is a super-specialized ship still considered a prototype. Its role is exclusively as a scout or observer: its armament and defenses are at a sub-destroyer level and are mostly intended to ward off lighter craft. What the 001X does do well, however, is hide. Contained within its slender hull are the most modern stealth technologies produced within Union space, and these are what allow this ship to move amongst its enemies to better coordinate strikes from the navy proper. It has only seen limited use in this official role, mostly against pirate "armadas" and Imperial shipping convoys guarded by secondline ships or mercenaries. Whether this ship will perform against a real navy with enough success to be deemed worthy of further production remains to be seen. At the present time, each mobile unit of the navy possesses only one 001X. These test ships are crewed largely by the commanders and crews of destroyers, which are the traditional recon ships of the Union navy.

115-class Destroyer - 4 points (4 base; retired fluff ship)
The 115 was the primary destroyer employed by the later Khan Union and the early Humanist Union, a sturdy vessel built without excess in mind. 115s evolved over their production period, but were never formally replaced by a new ship in their line: the 115b was considered needlessly expensive for its refinements and the 116 never made it past the early prototype stages, largely due to cost overruns. Despite this lack of a formally named successor, a late production run 115 had many differences from the first runs of the ship; newer models tended to be simplified for cost-efficiency, with the occasional "fix" for the vessel's flaws. These flaws included the energy distribution systems, whose main "trunk" could be severed by penetrating hits with catastrophic effect, as well as the ship's modest frame. Modern-day proponents of the 115 tend to dismiss these issues as grossly overstated or acceptable costs for the sake of resource efficiency, but the Humanist Union Navy is not inclined to agree. 115s have largely been broken down for recycling into the new 121s or have been sold off to private companies or foreign nations, where they serve out the rest of their days in the inglorious role of convoy escort or second-line defensive duty. A very select few have made it into the hands of pirate syndicates, where their military-class armor, shielding, and armaments combine with their easily-maintained nature to make them the terror of merchant traffic everywhere.

121 "Wolf"-class Destroyer - 5 points (4 base, 1 Defense)
The flare-headed Tyba Industries 121-class Destroyer, known informally as the "Wolf," is the most recent of Humanist Union, having replaced the aging, venerable 115 amongst all four mobile units in the formal navy. These new vessels are almost universally preferred over their older brother: they sport better-designed energy distribution systems, protecting them from being crippled by penetrating shots as easily, and they also have a more robust (though less bulky) frame. More importantly, however, the 121 can act in the capacity of a light electronic warefare ship, defending its larger bretheren in battle by throwing up jamming fields and filling comms channels with interference; the older 115's EW gear was merely standard. 121s primarily serve in escort, scout, and patrol duty; their small size, EW capabilities, and decent numbers suit them ideally for these roles. Its greater expense is considered an acceptable payoff for its greater ability when compared to the 115, and it seems likely that the 121's lifespan will last well into the forseeable future. The origin of the "Wolf" moniker is not known; some assert that it originates from the "wolf pack" three-ship pirate-hunting units these ships often serve in, while others contend that the name is based upon the piercing howl the 121s can jam comms channels with.

Tyba Industries Type-89; "Crate" - n/a points (industrial fluff ship)
The Tyba Industries Type-89 is a civilian cargo ship that was, for a time, nearly ubiquitous in Union space. It has seen the decline and fall of the Khan Union, the rise of the Humanist Union, and the death of the Empire. It was even born before and managed to outlive Tyba Industries' other old campaigner, the 115-class destroyer. The 89 today may be on the decline (due largely to the rise of the Type-91), but it will still surely be a fairly common sight amongst corporate fleets for years to come. The Type-89's wild popularity is partially a result of its price: Type-89s are, for interstellar vessels, extremely cheap to produce, purchase, and maintain. When these things are considered along with its great cargo capacity, it becomes clear why even Tyba Industries' competitors often owned (and still own) Type-89s. The ship does have its drawbacks, however. It is, like all freighters, lightly armed: it has only two dual light autocannon turrets; these weapons are usually only useful for smashing apart light craft or convincing smaller pirate ships to stay away. They're essentially useless against any serious military ship. Like the (younger) 115, the Type-89 had a highly centralized power distribution system for much the same reasons the 115 eventually would: cost efficiency and easy of maintenence. Unfortunately for the Type-89, its main power trunk runs fairly close to the "spine" of the ship, passing underneath one of the vessel's autocannon arrays and its ammunition bunker. A hit on the Type-89's spinal turret can set off the ammunition bunker, taking out the power trunk and crippling the vessel temporarily. When the thin armor and shielding inherent to all civilian craft are considered, it becomes obvious why this is the most serious drawback of the ship. Type-89s, due to their tremendously common and simple nature, are easy to find parts to and modify. Most pirate "capital ships" are, in fact, just Type-89s with autocannon turrets inserted into the flanks of the boxy craft. In these cases, the robust, centralized power trunk serves the Type-89 very well indeed.

Tyba Industries Type-91 - n/a points (industrial fluff ship)
A new ship for a new age, the Type-91 takes most of its cues from the aging Type-89: it's large, simplistic, and cheap. Maintaining them is easy and costs relatively little. Many of its systems are even designed to resemble the Type-89 specifically, making transition into the new ship easy for both captain and crew. The Type-91, of course, does have its differences. It is slightly larger than the Type-89, with increases in both cargo and crew quarters; the latter allows for longer operations without the shore leave that more claustrophobic freighters demand. It sports four autocannon turrets instead of two: each is a single-barrel design mounted nowhere near the Type-91's energy distribution trunk; this arrangement increases the number of targets the Type-91 can handle. It also has a more robust shield system than the Type-89. The Type-91 naturally has drawbacks; the need for four ammunition bunkers instead of two results in some of the precious new space aboard the cargo sections being wasted. The ship is also more expensive than the Type-89. This, combined with the lower spare parts proliferation for the 91, makes the purchasing these newer ships a riskier investment.

150 "Albatross" -class Support Cruiser - 8 points (4 base, 2 C3, 2 Interdiction)
The 150-class United Shipyards Light Support Cruiser, better-known by the moniker of "Albatross," is one of the Humanist Union Navy's most specialized capital ships. Unlike most Union vessels, which put a premium on balance above all things, the 150 invests heavily in gear designed to enhance the performance of entire mobile units. The 150 is the beating heart of any deployment's C3 and interdiction capabilities. This support gear comes at a cost, however: the 150 has standard firepower and defense on the level of a destroyer rather than a cruiser. This is a disadvantage in its inderdictor role: it typically requires support to deal with trapped ships, and this necessitates greater investment in such deployments. The 150's highly task-specific nature makes it somewhat unpopular among ship commanders, who resent its lack of brawling ability or defensive resilience, as well as fleet commanders, who see them as costly burdens. This resentment is the source of the ship's moniker, in fact: it is a sarcastic reference to the burden borne by the narrator of the ancient poem, The Rime of the Ancient Marinere. Actual 150 commanders, for their part, accept this insulting label with indifference: they know well enough the important logistical role they play, and they are typically proud of it.

202 "Stiletto"-class Cruiser - 10 points (10 base)
The 202-class United Shipyards Medium Cruiser, informally called the "Stiletto" for its narrow dagger shape, is the iconic ship of the Humanist Union Navy, being the most omnipresent "medium firepower" ship in in any given mobile unit. This status is hard-won and well-earned: the 202 is an extremely balanced ship that performs well in a variety of roles, both alone and in conjunction with units of varying size. The 202 serves primarily as a bridge between heavier battlecruisers and light destroyers, serving to support fire by and against both. A fairly new design, the 202 shows marginal improvements over the 201 that preceeded it: its shielding gear is much more efficient and its communications systems are not as easily-jammed. It also sports some improvements to hull integrity that allow it to operate under greater damage. No examples of the 201 currently exist: as with all United Shipyards vessels, a premium was put on modular design and upgradability, and as a result, all 201s were converted to 202s to accompany newly-produced ones. Further typical of United Shipyards is the 202's extremely rugged design: it can operate under tremendous damage for extended periods of time. Were it not for its distinctive shape, this cruiser might be known as the "Invincible"-class instead.

255 "Broadsword"-class Cruiser - 15 points (13 base, 2 Offense)
The 255 United Shipyards Heavy Cruiser, also called the "Broadsword," is a vessel that is seeing increased popularity in the Humanist Union Navy. Originally designed to lead medium cruisers and destroyers into missions where a battlecruiser would be uncalled for, the 255 has become a much more "mainstream" ship: it is almost as common as the 202 in the "medium" capital ship role. This is due largely to its greater tactical flexibility. 255s mount sophisticated fire control equipment that allows them to predict, analyze, and penetrate the myriad of defense systems that can interfere with capital ships' attempts to lay down accurate fire. This makes a group of 255s more effective than a group of similar firepower lacking the same advanced gear. The 255 is not merely known for its precise firepower, however. It is bigger and meaner than the 202, sporting superior firepower and better defenses. The 255, like the 202, is an extremely rugged and modular design, capable of operating under drastically dire circumstances without failing. Unlike the 202, however, the 255 is the first of its line. Its moniker is a play off of the 202's title: it plays a similar role to the 202 and is even shaped similar, but its wider frame and heavier punch has lead to it being called the "Broadsword" to the 202's "Stiletto."

7050 "Ogre"-class Battlecruiser - 22 points (20 base, 2 Offense; retired fluff ship)
The 7050 is a relic of the Khan Union's civil war, a powerful, quick capital ship whose moniker came from its absolutely brutal firepower. 7050s were produced by Parry Solutions, a now-defunct naval company that produced ships on both sides of the civil war, favoring the losing Traditionalist side. It was the 7050's origins with this company that effectively "stained" it and doomed it to be retired. This process actually seemed doomed for failure, at first: the 300 and 320 battlecruisers were failures compared to the 7050, and only the former of the two performed at the same level as the 7050. It was the 340 that sealed the fate of the 7050, however, and not merely because it was a finally acceptable battlecruiser: the new ship was superior in almost all regards, but especially defense. 7050s, while noteworthy for their offensive might, are quite fragile for their size, which forces them to rotate with other ships in heavy brawls or to utilize hit-and-run techniques. Either way, 7050s end up being costly to constantly repair, even if the actual repair processes were simple. Most 7050s were destroyed for materials by the Union, those few Traditionalist vessels that escaped destruction in the civil war either fled Union space (where they likely found oblivion during the Imperial-Enclave war), or ended up in pirate cartels (where they were almost always destroyed by the Union navy or rendered down to make ships that needed less frequent repairs). At least one 7050 is still occasionally sighted within Union space: the Demeter, a former Traditionalist vessel last formally used to evacuate survivors from a space station that had covertly been comprimised with a viral agent inserted by Progressive deep operatives. The crew and passengers supposedly died due to the presence of one or more infected amongst the evacuees. Most experts agree that the vast majority of Demeter sightings are falsehoods or of an unaccounted-for pirate 7050 disguised to take advantage of the grisly story of the supposed ghost ship.

340 "Cheetah"-class Battlecruiser - 22 points (20 base, 2 Speed)
The 340 is the first truly successful battlecruiser produced by Vell Drive Systems, the primary supplier of the Humanist Union's largest ships since its formal creation. It replaces the Parry Solutions 7050 Battlecruiser, a design dating back to the Khan Union which saw most of its action on both sides of the civil war. Parry Solutions' infamous preference for the Traditionalists, however, ultimately saw the dissolution of their arms company and the removal of all of their ships from the victorious Progressive navies, among these the iconic 7050. Vell Drive Systems, whose formative companies had produced battleships for the Progressives, were tasked with replacing this reminder of past times. The project seemed destined for failure, however. The 300 was considered too expensive, and the 320 is still considered the single largest disaster in Humanist Union military equipment: naval commanders refused to use it under any conditions. Forced to eat their costs, Vell Drive Systems was on the verge of bankruptcy when the first 340 saw the cold light of space. This final attempt was a godsend for the ailing company. The 340 is faster, better-defended, more efficiently crewed, more cost effective, and much more simplistic than the classic 7050. The complete expulsion of the older vessel holds the quickest record for a ship type change in the navy's history, edging out the replacement of the 201 with the 202 by a mere month. The 340 is a true battlecruiser, designed to bring blistering firepower into needed areas at great speed, giving it its nickname. Vell Drive Systems is usually not quite as skilled as United Shipyards when it comes to simplicity and modularity, but their ships are still more than up to par in this regard.

500 "Paladin"-class Battleship - 30 points (29 base, 1 C3)
The 500-class Battleship is the iconic vessel of Vell Drive Systems, and is the largest naval vessel currently fielded by the Humanist Union Navy. The 500 is the third in a line of battleships produced by Vell and its formative companies, and is typically considered by experts to be the best of the series for its cost. It is considered balanced in a way only the 202 exceeds, making it a vessel capable of adapting to a variety of strategic situations. The 500 is designed as a command vessel for mobile units and subunits, and as a result mounts a degree of C3 gear to accompany its massive firepower and defenses. This gear is indeed well-protected: the 500 is acknowledged by most as the single-most rugged vessel in the entire Union navy, the only case of United Shipyards being outdone in this regard. This great survivability is owed largely to the redundancies and simple, efficient design choices inherent to the ship's design. Traditionally, the 500 and its predecessors are named for great heroes of the Humanist Union's long-ago civil war; no other class of ship in the Union bears vessels with the names of human beings. It is to this tradition that the 500 owes its moniker; individual ships are named for the men and women referred to the "Paladins of the Union," and so the title has been affixed to the ship class, as well.
Ships: Anya Paterson, Boris Herrmann, Nina Bykova, Alexander Kelly, Patrick Murray, Joachim Nowak, Maria Tremblay, Gerard Delgado, Camille Durand, Victor Aliyev, James Meyer, Cameron Wallace

Unit Breakdown

Mobile Unit One
30 (29 base, 1C3)- "500-Paladin": 3
22 (20 base, 2H) - "340-Cheetah": 4
15 (13 base, 2O)- "255-Broadsword": 8
10 (10 base)- "202-Stiletto":10
8 (4 base, 2C3, 2I)- "150-Albatross": 4
5 (4 base, 1D)- "121-Wolf": 13
5 (2 base, 3S)- "001X": 1

Mobile Unit Two
30 (29 base, 1C3)- "500-Paladin": 3
22 (20 base, 2H) - "340-Cheetah": 4
15 (13 base, 2O)- "255-Broadsword": 8
10 (10 base)- "202-Stiletto":10
8 (4 base, 2C3, 2I)- "150-Albatross": 4
5 (4 base, 1D)- "121-Wolf": 13
5 (2 base, 3S)- "001X": 1

Mobile Unit Three
30 (29 base, 1C3)- "500-Paladin": 3
22 (20 base, 2H) - "340-Cheetah": 4
15 (13 base, 2O)- "255-Broadsword": 8
10 (10 base)- "202-Stiletto":10
8 (4 base, 2C3, 2I)- "150-Albatross": 4
5 (4 base, 1D)- "121-Wolf": 13
5 (2 base, 3S)- "001X": 1

Mobile Unit Four
30 (29 base, 1C3)- "500-Paladin": 3
22 (20 base, 2H) - "340-Cheetah": 4
15 (13 base, 2O)- "255-Broadsword": 8
10 (10 base)- "202-Stiletto":10
8 (4 base, 2C3, 2I)- "150-Albatross": 4
5 (4 base, 1D)- "121-Wolf": 13
5 (2 base, 3S)- "001X": 1

Planet Breakdown

Class 10 Planets: 8
(Khan (capital), Outreach, New London, Olympus, Everest, Kel-Allard, Luthien, Dayab)

Class 5 Planets: 4
(Extension, A Place, New Khan, Argus)

Attributes Breakdown

Improved Logistics - 200 pts
System Defenses - 200 pts
Improved Salvage - 100 pts

Post by **Beowulf** » 2007-11-25 03:10pm

History:
Long ago an expedition colonized a system subsequently named Achaea. The Achaeans expanded, colonizing more worlds, both terraformed, and not. The Terran Empire noticed, and forced the king into fealty to the throne of Terra. While under the yoke of Terra, expansion stopped. Worlds filled up, and only minor colonies were created. With Terra destroyed, the king has been released from his oaths, and so has begun to aggressively eye the territory of others.

Physiology:
They're highly modified humans, both genetically and physically. It's not uncommon to find cybernetic enhancements, mostly of the brain. Amongst the nobility, cybernetic brain enhancement is universal, though other types of cybernetic enhancements are frowned upon. With a cyberbrain, it’s possible for a person to control prosthetic bodies. The number is dependent upon the individual. A master can effectively control a fire team. This ability is degraded by distance, largely due to communication lag.

Political:
Ruled by a king whose rule is limited in term. The royal house of Stark has the king be chosen by previous Stark kings whose terms have ended. Additionally, there are several levels of nobility. Rank of title is dependent on the productivity of the territory the noble is in control of. The landed titles are in order: Grand Duke, Duke, Earl, and Baron. The last remaining possible title is knight. That title is usually obtained through service to the government or humanity. With exception of certain orders of knighthood, the title of knight is not hereditary. All heirs to a landed title must serve in the military or forfeit their right to said title. A peer may not hold more than one title at a time. Peers may have vassals of their own, with lesser titles than they themselves have.

Military:
All landed nobility that are direct vassals of the king are required to raise System Defense Forces of statutorily defined size. Sizes of the SDFs are dependent on the lord's rank. Grand Dukes have much larger forces than Barons. The commander of an SDF is the noble who finances the SDF. SDFs normally contain both a space unit and a ground unit. SDFs are restricted to operating inside the system they defend, and may not be ordered by the king. Space units are commonly manned with ex-Royal Star Force spacemen.

The Royal Legions form the primary ground striking force. They are made up primarily of those wishing to escape their past. As such, they take on pseudonyms upon joining. These are often bestowed upon them by their drill instructor during indoctrination. Due to universal possession cyberbrains amongst the military, advanced technical training usually takes only a matter of minutes. Certain fields which require a specialized mindset, in addition to knowledge, have longer training times.
Battle dress uniforms actually consist of low profile armor, capable of stopping light small arms fire. These uniforms are similar between the navy and the army. Additionally, infantry can usually be found wearing powered armor (excepting those so enhanced as to make it moot).

Stellography:
Achaea - Capital
1x10
1x5
1x3
3x1
Corinthia
1x10
1x5
1x3
1x1
Lacedaemon
1x10
1x3
3x1
Attica
1x5
2x3
3x1
Beotia
1x5
1x3
Larissa
1x5
2x1
Salamis
1x5
1x3
1x1
Arcadia
1x3
3x1

Weaponry:
Missiles
Utilize a VLS-style system. Missiles are held in sealed all up containers. Containers are inserted into revolving cylinders. Each cylinder has a single firing port with armored shutter. This design reduces the vulnerability of massive rows of openings in the armor, which a traditional VLS setup would have, with the trade off of reduced rate of fire. Technically not VLS, due to the fact that missiles are not necessarily launched from the dorsal surface, vertically.

Beam weaponry
Three different designs are used. One is a low power design that mounts without deck penetration. It utilizes an array of solid state lasers with tunable phase. The remaining two utilize trainable ball turrets. One is a high power laser. Despite its efficiency in mass, and against shielding, it's lack against armor dictated the design of the other beam weapon. The other design fires a relativistic beam of anti-neutrons at the target.

EM cannons
Still, neither beam weapon is capable of inflicting serious damage against a major combatant. Thus, the last starship grade weapon was created. It fires boosted, terminally guided, nuclear projectiles at targets. Although the slower speed reduces the range relative to beam weapons, the terminal guidance increases it, resulting in no net change in range.

Small arms:
Commonly use electrically ignited combustible case telescoped rounds. Military small arms sometimes include EM cannons (suitably scaled down).

Starships:
Couriers:
High speed, armed only with whatever the passengers can stick out the airlock. Not much bigger than a shuttle.
Furtim II-class:
.5pt + .5 D + 1H
Furtim class ships redesigned with improved hyperdrives. Stealth systems have been stripped out.

Attack ships:
Packhunters. Rarely found singly. Baronial fleets have no ships larger than this.
Furtim-class:
.5pt + .5 D + 1S
Purpose designed as pack hunters. Rarely found in groups less than 3, if they are found. Used for duties such as convoy escort, and ship inspection.

Patrol ships:
Often found singly. Due to the high cost, these are rarely found with stealth systems. Largest ship found in ducal fleets.
Audax-class:
8pt + 2 D

Ships of the line:
Designed to fight against peer combatants. Only found in Grand Ducal and Royal fleets. So called because they form the thin line between the Kingdom and the outlanders.
Titan-class:
40pts + 10X
These ships have been designed to carry a mission module. These modules are not easily interchangeable, but made it easy to customize the ships to different uses. Subclasses are:
Titan-A - 10D
Titan-B - 10C3
Titan-C - 10I
Titan-D - 10O
The philosophy was that it was better to have one ship with strong abilities in a specific area, and combine it with other ships with abilities in other areas, than to have lesser abilities on every ship of the line. Designed to jointly beat the enemy into submission.

Fleet:
Line Squadron:
1x Titan-A
1x Titan-B
1x Titan-C
1x Titan-D

Attack Squadron:
5x Furtim

Courier Squadron:
10x Furtim-II

7x Line Squadron - 1400 pt
18x Attack Squadron - 180 pt
1x Courier Squadron - 20 pt
Home fleet (600pt):
7x Titan-A
9x Audax
16x Attack Squadron

Racial points:
Orbital Weapons - 100 pt
Planetary Jammers - 100pt
Improved Sensor Networks - 100pt
Improved Counter Espionage - 100pt
Improved Espionage - 100pt

Academia Nut · Post by **Academia Nut** » 2007-11-25 04:20pm

Metallkönige, Lords of Metal

The Awesome

The Metallkönige, or Könige for short, worship what they call The Awesome, a primal cosmic force that holds sway over all things. Belief in The Awesome permeates all levels of their culture, from people attributing bad luck to “Being Un-Awesome” to their scientist referring to the Grand Unified Force as “The Awesome Force”. From religion and superstition to science and technology, all things involve The Awesome.

This is because for the Könige, The Awesome is a real, quantifiable factor in their lives. Looking awesome, doing awesome things, and generally being awesome all allow for the Könige to tap into powers beyond the ken of normal humans. Some outside their nation call it magic or psychic abilities, but the Könige know that while such things are indeed awesome, they are not The Awesome they wield.

The most notable use of The Awesome in Könige society is in their ruling warrior caste, the Rückers. Blessed with Awesome, they can command enormous powers, channeled through their music and focused by enormous amplifier arrays. When combined with an Oblivion Folder amp system, a Rücker of at least gold rank can literally rock so hard as to punch a hole in the universe to allow for FTL travel. What the Könige call a power chord most other people call a broadside. In tactical combat, a Rücker shredding his guitar will cause his enemies to literally shred.

The Awesome is also the motivation behind some of the more nonsensical things the Könige do. For example, they know full well that the gaudy decorations they put on their armour would normally be counterproductive as they decorations would tend to catch blows, but they look awesome, so it actually makes their armour stronger. When it is pointed out that the levels of drugs their leaders take should kill them, not extend their lifespan, the Könige counter by pointing out that its more Awesome this way. And yes, they know that their Trollmäche don’t make sense from a military standpoint, they counter that one cannot deny that a giant robot with a guitar and built in amps is Awesome.

Religion

Religion is very important to the Könige, although the effect is a bit different from other human religions in that actual worship tends to be a bit more self-gratifying for the devotee than normal. This has led to an accusation that their entire theology is cobbled together from a bunch of schizophrenics rambling to one another while under the effects of powerful hallucinogens.

The Könige prefer to retort to such accusations with a flippant, “Yeah, and yours isn’t?”

The head Könige deity in their pantheon is, somewhat surprisingly considering their patriarchal and often excessively masculine society, is the Lady of Awesome. For the Könige, the concepts of Awesome and Fate are somewhat interchangeable, and since they often describe Fate as a “kick in the balls when you’re not looking”, the only way to reconcile such behaviour is for the ruler of Fate, and thus Awesome, to be female, since groin shots are unacceptable between males.

The Lady of Awesome is described as having ten arms, four legs, three faces, and ten thousand breasts. The arms are for playing a double necked guitar-bass, a drum kit, and a double decked keyboard, while the extra pair of feet operates the pedals to the drums while standing. The faces are so that she can accompany herself vocally while keeping an eye on her instruments. The breasts are there because that many boobs on a woman are Awesome. Some also claim that she is some sort of dragon, because dragons are raw Awesome. Those that emphasize worship of the Lady are called Powerbringers, because of their obsession with getting just a bit more power out of their songs by invoking the Lady.

At her side is the Lord of Destruction, a deity so pronounced amongst the Rückers that outsiders occasionally believe that he is the actual head god in their pantheon. If they point out that the Lord of Destruction should be the head god considering how barbaric their culture is, the nearest Könige will proceed to beat the hell out of the ignorant heathen and then clearly explain that while destruction is pretty Awesome, there are other, more constructive ways of being Awesome. Like building a huge building studded with gargoyles and such that is also a giant cannon, or possibly transforms into a robot.

In any case, the Lord of Destruction appears as a towering suit of armour wielding a flaming blade, the only bit of what is beneath the armour being eyes that burn like stars. According to Könige mythology, the Lord of Destruction is the essence of the void made incarnate, and will be there to finish the reaping of the cosmos when the last stars. Some Rückers have dedicated their lives to the Lord of Destruction, seeking to spread his message, and are called Doombringers. Most of the rest at least pay some tribute to the Lord of Destruction, usually a shrine next to the Lady’s and whatever other gods they worship.

There are countless other gods, all with some form of cult around them, and the greatest champions are often elevated to godhood after their deaths. Due to a combination of life prolonging drugs and a religious belief that the only way for a Rücker to get into the Könige heaven, Van Halla, is through an Awesome, typically violent, death, this means that there are thousands of such individuals raised to the level of a minor deity. Images and relics associated with these fallen heroes of past ages adorn the homes and rooms of all Könige, and there are entire museums of weaponry and instruments claimed as trophies in battle and passed down to the next generation.

Surprisingly, despite their often sinister nature, the Könige do not worship their devil figure, but that is more because their conceptions of good and evil are not based around standard human morality but “Awesome and Not Awesome”. Called Riaa the All Consumer, this creature seeks to absorb everything into itself, forcing all those consumed to labour endlessly for little benefit, sucking all the awesome out of things. Foreigners are often considered to be pawns of Riaa until they have proven otherwise.

Könige religious observances are often characterized as a bacchanalia with more sex, drugs, and weapons fire, and even simple, personal reflections often involve the imbuing of small quantities of psychotropic substances, usually hallucinogens or analgesics. There is also some debate on whether or not Könige resistance to alcohol was genetically engineered or if it simply appeared via natural selection due to the near ubiquity of the substance in all aspects, including religious rituals, of Könige life.

Finally, a note must be made about the relationship between Könige religion and their sex lives. To outsiders, the Könige seem to have no rules about sex, but in fact there is a very complex structure and religious undertones to their sexuality. Obviously, they consider sex Awesome, which actually elevates it to a religious experience, but they actually take great care about when and where it happens, primarily to control pregnancy. This is because their civilization would suffer near complete collapse if their women were to imbibe the same amount of drugs as normal while pregnant. Thus a Könige woman will usually only have children after purging herself of all toxins, which tends to interfere with religious activity, as they can’t even enter a shrine without being exposed to airborne pharmaceuticals.

All of this combined leads to extraordinary religious protections for pregnant women and nursing mothers, they are in fact considered minor avatars of the Lady of Awesome. As one scholar puts it, “They’re hormonal, in withdrawal, and they can’t even ask for strength from the gods. In a fight between a pregnant Könige woman and a Rücker warlord in full power armour with a power axe, bet on the one with the kid.”

Social Structure

Könige social structure is a fairly simplistic hierarchy with a great deal of fluidity between layers. The most numerous members of the population are the faans, the lower class of citizens that do much of the manual labour in the society and make up the bulk of the troops. The faans are often described as having an attitude that would make a Marxist’s head explode, in that they like being the exploited underclass, because damn it, they’re not awesome enough to actually do what others do, but someone has to be that cool. Of course, the highly fluid nature of their society means that there is far less resentment in most as most faans are not being actively held in their social position.

Above the faans are the Rhodais, the skilled middle class that include various technicians and range up to professionals such as engineers, doctors, and lawyers. Aside from typically earning more money than faans, the Rhodais tend to have more contact with the Rückers, which has its risks and benefits; although most competent Rückers tend to treat the Rhodais working for them reasonably well as they understand that the Rhodais are what keeps tours going, a few are absolute dicks to those around them. Surprisingly, some Rhodais do not mind, or even enjoy, these more abusive Rückers because that was what attracted them to join in the first place. Additionally, most of the NCO and junior officer cadre tend to be drawn from Rhodai families

The highest “civilian” group are the Gröpais, the privileged upper class. Technically, the only thing that separates the Gröpais from the other classes is the patronage of a Rücker, but many of the perks mean that most Gröpais are actually financially independent of their patrons. There is a highly fluid “under-class” of Gröpais that are little more than faans elevated to the status of Gröpai at the whims of Rückers, who must keep their patron happy to ensure the continuation of their privileges. Above these are the wealthy merchants and former Rhodais who have proven useful enough for a Rücker to induct into the class of Gröpai. These Gröpais tend to be stable over many generations as the resources they can provide their patrons make them immensely useful to entire Rücker families. In fact, sufficiently wealthy families may in fact become the patrons of lesser Rückers, usually providing various resources in the hopes that they will become better, or at the very least provide a back-up should there be a fall from grace with more prominent Rückers.

One interesting form of Gröpai is the Pimp Tsar, a man or woman who can wrangle up kick ass chicks (or occasionally studly dudes) for the Rückers to satiate their often (some times literally!) nuclear-powered sex drives with. The practice of pimping is something of an ambiguous mess amongst the Könige, in that amongst the lower classes it is seen as a being a bit scummy and rather degrading for all involved, but those pimps that can cultivate sufficient Awesome to attract the attention of a Rücker are often held up as paragons of Awesome. Those that work with Rückers are often considered somewhat necessary as many Rückers will find themselves so inundated with offers for sex that they need a filter. The title is also often applied to non-pimps who are friends with Rückers and take on such a filtering role, further reducing the negative associations pimps often bring up.

Finally, there are the Rückers, who have their own parallel hierarchy based on how awesome they are. All Rückers are technically higher class than even the richest Gröpais, but the fiercely meritocratic structure means that some are little better than faans that have learned to wield the power of Awesome, languishing in obscurity. Still, one of the biggest perks of being a Rücker is the right to elevate anyone to the status of Gröpai, and smart Rückers will often form alliances with skilled individuals, elevating them to the status of Gröpai where they will be able to have access to wealthy and influential groups who would not normally associate with such people.

The lowest group of Rückers are those that are driven mad by contact with the Awesome, turning them into raging berserkers. While a few manage to overcome such stability issues, they are typically extremely dangerous to be around, and as such they are typically locked in special cages called Garaugs, where they tend to spend their days in a daze, practicing their combat and musical skills, safely sequestered from others until they are needed as front liners to soak up enemy fire.

Above those locked in Garaugs is a complex hierarchy that is often too labyrinthine for outsiders, including other Könige, to really understand, but eventually the officer class is reached, the Rückers that typically command military groups or captain ships. Called Tsars, they are extremely experienced warriors and commanders. Above them are the various Über Tsars, who lead fleets and armies and govern planets.

The thirteen greatest Über Tsars form the Iron Council and are called the Eisengrafen, or Iron Counts, and they serve as a supreme judiciary council and advisors for the leader of the Metallkönige, the Rück Tsar. The Rück Tsar is the Most Awesome Könige around, and leads them in peace and war. The position is typically decided via a duel to the death. There is a list of successors should the current Rück Tsar die of natural causes (rare) or enemy action (significantly more common).

More to come later

2000 points + 200 for being an aggressor. I am declaring this, so if I act all passive and wishy-washy then I am asking for the mods to drop rocks on me.

Tenacious => 3+1S+1D+1H+2B = 8 * 66 = 528
Cacofonix => 5+1I+10D = 16 * 17 = 272
Rammstein => 15+3I+3D+1C3+10B = 32 * 14 = 448
Dragon => 20+2D+3O+2H+3C3 = 30 * 15 = 450
Manowar => 30+1D+5O = 36 * 7 = 252
Megadeth => 40+5I+3D+2C3 = 50 * 5 = 250

Total: 2200. At 20% maintenance this means I must pay 440 industrial points each turn or I must scrap my ships.

100 points for planets

2 * 10pt = 20
7 * 5pt = 30
9 * 3pt = 27
21 * 1pt = 23

Asgard System- Capital System, contains 1*10pt, 2*5pt, 1*3pt, 2*1pt
Nifelhiem System- Contains 1*10pt, 1*5pt, 2*3pt, 4*1pt
Vanaheim System- Cotnains 2*5pt, 2*3pt, 4*1pt
Jotunheim System- Contains 1*5pt, 4*1pt
Alfheim System System- Contains 1*5pt, 2*3pt, 3*1pt
Svartalheim System- Contains 1*3pt, 3*1pt

Total: 100. This means that I produce 1000 industrial points a round. After maintenance this is 560 points per turn.

500 points from attributes

Barbarian: 50
Improved Logistics: 125
Improved Espionage: 125
Improved Assimilation: 50
Improved Salvage: 100
Planetary Jamming Systems: 50

Total: 500

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2007-11-25 07:55pm

Nashtar, the Cradle of the Stars

Formerly Imperial Subsector Delta 23, the infant star nation now known as Nashtar was a largely agrarian collection of Terran-analog agricultural worlds and asteroid mines located in and around a large nebula cluster, originally colonized by humans descended from the crews of slower-than-light colony ships launched from the United States and British Commonwealth nations. With the recent dissolution of the Empire, the inhabitants of the subsector have seized the opportunity to assert their independence and establish a republic, as their ancestors had intended when they originally left Earth.

History

The history of Nashtar properly begins with the launch of Star Colony Fleet 04 and Colonial Fleet 3 from the United States and the British Commonwealth, respectively. The two fleets were a joint venture, intentionally bound for the same inhabitable planet and traveling together through the long centuries of the journey through space at slower than light speeds, for at the time of their launch, Dr. Prokofiev had not yet invented his faster than light stardrive. Over the long centuries, generations of colonists lived and died aboard the ships, carefully nurturing each successive generation and educating them in the areas of science, philosophy, and government. The colonists were drawn from all walks of life in the English-speaking nations of Earth, and the diversity of American and British culture was present in its full spectrum.

Upon the long-anticipated arrival at their destination, the colonists began to make their landings on the world they were to colonize, only to find, to their amazement, humans already present. The commander of this Imperial expeditionary force, for that is what it was, explained the new order of things to the colonists' leaders and demanded that they submit to the Empire of Holy Terra. The colonists warily agreed, not wishing to fight a group with such superior weaponry, but to their horror soon discovered the truth: The planet they had landed on had been previously inhabited by an indigenous sentient species, and the Imperials had enslaved the original inhabitants.

The leader of the American-origin colony fleet, President Evan Kerrigan, confronted the expeditionary force's leader and demanded an explanation. Upon being informed of the Empire's view of the aliens' proper place and the Imperial commander's surprise that Kerrigan could think otherwise, the colonists ceased cooperation with the Empire. Bemusement turned to anger among the Imperials, and the human colonists were forcefully subjugated.

A generation went by before the Imperial Inquest saw fit to manumit the human settlers' descendants, deeming them sufficiently rehabilitated. Republican sentiment still ran strong among most, but the Inquisitors did not care so long as they remained in line, and remain in line they did for centuries, under the watchful eyes of an Imperial sector fleet.

The resentment against the Empire boiled over approximately a decade before the Enclave invasion. Rebellion broke out on Helios (now Nashtar) and Zambar, in the first case instigated by human idealists and in the second by Zambarim slaves. Imperial troops put down the rebellion on the sector capital quickly, but the Zambarim slave revolt went on continuously until independence, thanks in large part to the planet's undeveloped nature.

But more pragmatic minds had been working towards a more permanent solution to the Empire's dominance over the subsector for some time. Unbeknownst to the Imperial commanders, most of the crews on the local garrison fleets (as opposed to the Imperial sector fleet) were sympathetic to the independence movement, but they did not rise because the Imperial warfleets would crush them in a few weeks at most.

But things had grown to the point where others could not wait. Rebellion broke out again on Helios, this time accompanied by a workers' strike and riots on Orodan and rebellion by the Ronoghan and Ernari slave populations. The Inquest dispatched an inquisitorial fleet and occupation troops to pacify the subsector.

Then the Fifth Battle Fleet went rogue. The Inquest forces sent to Subsector Delta 23 were rerouted to deal with this more urgent emergency, giving the Nashtari revolutionaries breathing room. Months went by and the ground fighting went on sporadically, unable to make much headway thanks to the Imperial Navy holding the ultimate high ground in orbit. Some of the Oro system's heaviest shipyards and their defensive emplacements were destroyed by Imperial warships after rebellious workers seized the installations.

Then the Great War broke out. The sector fleet was recalled to Fortress Terra to hold back the Enclave, leaving the local patrol ships to hold the subsector. This was the chance they'd been waiting for; no sooner was the Imperial fleet gone than the majority of the local ships openly went over to the revolutionaries. Imperial ground forces were stunned by the sudden reversal and were in many cases wiped out from orbit, caught by bombardment while still in their bases outside the volatile city centers. Nashtar was free within months.

Meanwhile, news from the Empire was grim. The Enclave won battle after battle until finally word of Earth's destruction reached Nashtari ears as the provisional government was just starting to pick up the pieces and brace for an Imperial counterattack.

Despite having just fought a brutal war to free themselves from Imperial tyranny, the human population of the subsector was stunned. None had thought that Fortress Terra could actually be destroyed, but here was the news. There would be no reestablishment of government from Earth. Local Imperial forces, including the commander of the secret listening post at Farpoint, joined with the erstwhile rebels out of necessity, cut off from their chains of command and lines of supply as they were.

The revolution's leaders quickly took stock of their situation and began to form a provisional government. While they were offered a place in the revolutionary council, most of the Ernari decided to go their separate ways from the humans after throwing off the Imperial yoke. The Ronoghans and Zambarim quickly agreed to join the promised republic, however, and so plans for a permanent constitution got underway.

This is how things stand now, with the newly formed and named nation of Nashtar trying to bring order from chaos in the shadow of uncertainty borne from not knowing what goes on far outside their own star cluster.

Holdings

The Republic holds seven primary systems and six colonies.

Core systems:

Helios System (13 points total): This system contains two inhabited planetoids; the capital planet of Nashtar and it's moon, Tyche.

Nashtar (10 points): Capital planet and cultural center for the Republic, this planet’s concerns besides government mainly revolve around commerce. It is the second planet in its system. A good portion of the Republic’s ordinary citizens make their homes here. The Revolutionary Provisional Government convenes on Nashtar, from that planet governing the Republic and preparing the transition to a permanent form of government.
Tyche (3 points): Nashtar's single large moon, Tyche, is home to lunar colonies, mainly concerned with mining. The system's defense forces are primarily based on the moon.

Oro System (18 points total): A former Imperial light manufacturing outpost, the Oro system is now the Republic's primary industrial center. It is home to two inhabited worlds and three asteroid mining colonies.

Orodan (10 points): This planet is highly industrialized and oriented towards heavy manufacturing. It is the third planet in its system. The government maintains one continent for military manufacturing, and the main shipyards, both military and civilian, are in orbit. The remaining landmasses are open for private use, with clusters of factories mostly along the coasts; factory workers live in towns nearby. Orodan's Imperial administrators took full advantage of the Imperial technical institutes' great strides in clean manufacturing, so this planet is not as heavily polluted as some suppose when they hear of an industrial world.
Oromos (5 points): This world is almost entirely given over to mining. It is in the same system as Orodan, and is the fourth planet. It is a very old planet, so old that its mantle is mostly solidified. This in combination with its three rather large moons makes it prone to violent earthquakes upon occasion. Advanced seismographic analysis equipment provides plenty of early warning for the miners, who have shuttles ready for quick liftoff when necessary. Ore haulers move back and forth between Oromos and Orodan in a steady stream, taking raw materials to the factories. The planet’s atmosphere is very thin, and breath masks are necessary for humans and other creatures not used to thin air.
Oro Asteroid Belts (3 at 1 point each): The Oro system has three dense asteroid belts in orbits between Oromos and the outer gas giants. All are heavily mined for iron, nickel, and iridium.

Mintar (9 points): This planet is the main agrarian planet responsible for ensuring that the others are well stocked with consumables. It is the third planet in its system, and is almost entirely given over to farmland. While the other planets all have some measure of agriculture, agriculture is almost all this planet does. Gigantic farming machines roam slowly over the fields, planting or harvesting as the crop and season dictates.

Pinnacle (10 points): Pinnacle, the cold sixth planet in an otherwise barren system, is a highly militarized world, mainly serving as a base for the Republic's quick-response fleet. The ships stationed here are ready to respond to distress signals from other systems on short notice.

Ronogho (10 points): Home to the Ronoghan race, Ronogho is an industrialized world. The Ronoghans had a highly advanced society before the Empire came and subjugated them. Thanks to the Empire's ignorance of the Ronoghans' method of storing data in genetic code, the aliens were able to keep their technological data throughout their period of enslavement, and quickly put it to work upon their emancipation. Parts for the Shadow class stealth frigates are manufactured here, among other things.

Zambar (8 points): Considered backwater compared to the other core worlds, Zambar is home to both human colonists and a native race, who call themselves the Zambarim. The planet is settled, but not heavily industrialized; much of the surface is untracked jungle. The Revolutionary Army uses Zambar for jungle warfare training.

Marince (9 points): Marince, much like Mintar, is an agricultural world. While Mintar produces mainly staples such as grains and vegetables, Marince's expansive oceans are home to all sorts of edible sea life, many of which are considered delicacies, which are harvested and exported alongside the more mundane staple foods produced on the land.

Colonies:

Krentos IV (7 points): A very young colony, Krentos IV was a Mars-like planet undergoing terraforming by the Empire at the time of the Enclave invasion. While the Republic does not have the resources to continue the terraforming effort at the present time, enough of the work, including the atmosphere, was done to allow human habitation, though approximately 60% of the planet's surface is not suitable for growing Terran-analogue plant life.

Joyous Gard (6 points): Named for the castle of Sir Launcelot of the Arthurian legends, this is a forward military base. Formerly an Imperial fleet refueling point, Joyous Gard is roughly analogous to Mars, but is built up on a small portion of its surface through the use of colony domes. Fleet tenders orbit the planet in the company of its medium-sized moon, ready to enact repairs and refueling operations on the frontier.

Krynlo Colony (3 points): Krynlo is a dome colony located on a large moon without an atmosphere, orbiting a gas giant. About 800 colonists live here. The moon is rich in iron and titanium, justifying the colony's presence with the rich returns from the mines.

Barrier (3 at 1 point each): Named for the three separate asteroid belts that make navigation of the system along the planetary plane hazardous, Barrier is home to about 1,000 colonists, most employed in light manufacturing or asteroid mining.

Parlan (3 points): Parlan is a mining colony on the second planet of a small yellow star. Rather than mining for industrial metals like Oromos, Parlan’s miners search for, and find, gems and some amounts of precious metals. There are about 600 miners and other personnel here, minus anyone crewing vessels with shipments back to the core worlds.

Farpoint (1 point): A small Imperial military listening post on the ninth planet of a red star’s system, this small outpost is manned by military personnel and armed with highly sensitive electronic monitoring arrays. The system is situated slightly “above” the galactic plane. A single Shadow class destroyer orbits the planet, under strict transmission silence unless an imminent threat is reported by the post or detected by the destroyer, at which point the planned course of action is to load the post’s 53 crew members on and leave as quickly as possible. This hasn’t happened yet, and to the Republic Space Command’s knowledge the post’s security is uncompromised. The post was inherited in a way by Nashtar; upon the fall of the Empire, the commander of the station realized that he could not hold out for long without resupply, and Krentos IV was the closest former Imperial world. The commander threw in his lot with the Nashtari, as there seemed no other hope with the Empire disintegrating around him.

Inhabitants

Human colonists: Thanks to the influence of the Empire, humanity is the dominant race in the subsector. Transhuman augmentations popular in other parts of the Empire never took root in Nashtar; thanks to their longstanding status as second-class citizens and an official "unstable population," the technology was never widespread in civilian use.

Basic physical augmentations are sometimes used by military units, depending on the planet and particular revolutionary brigade the soldiers are from.

Politics and Government

Military

The Republic's military is mostly space-based. Though their army is formidable, particularly the Zambar divisions, it is still in disarray in the aftermath of fighting Imperial troopers in the revolution. (Read: I don't know what the hell to do with ground troops since the rules thus far don't account for them beyond saying "nobody agrees.") The naval forces, however, are relatively unscathed, since the Imperial sector fleet was withdrawn to fight the Enclave, leaving the local garrison ships unopposed.

Naval Forces

Dauntless class battleship (60 points total), 4 in service
40+10O+5C3+5D
The Dauntless class is currently Nashtar's heaviest warship. Though the class is capable of serving as a fleet command ship, it is not used as such, since the Intrepid class serves the role much better. The Dauntless and her sisters are designed to pound enemy fleets with precision, relying on their formidable tactical sensor arrays to punch through enemy jamming and enable pinpoint targeting. The Dauntless class mounts three spinal railguns, heavy beam emitters on the broadside, and massive banks of missiles.

Intrepid class fleet carrier (60 points total), 4 in service
40+10C3+5O+5D
The Intrepid class serves as a battle fleet's command center, as well as a mobile base for the fleet's fighter wings. The carriers themselves are lightly armed, but their wide array of bombers and fightercraft allow a broad range of offensive and defensive capabilities, including the ability to conduct precision strikes impossible with standoff naval artillery tactics. An Intrepid class carrier is never found without its cruiser escort, and is almost always in the company of at least one Dauntless as well.

Kensington class heavy cruiser (30 points total), 12 in service
20+10D
Kensington class cruisers serve as heavy escorts for other fleet elements. Sporting heavy active defense arrays, the cruisers are able to reliably defend themselves and other ships around them from incoming enemy attack. Unlike most other Nashtari ships, the Kensington and her sisters do not have especially advanced sensor suites, and are dependent upon the ships they guard to provide intelligence and targeting data when there is heavy jamming present.

Guardian class light cruiser (20 points total), 12 in service
10+5O+5C3
The Guardian and her sisters are versatile multirole ships, but come into their own as raiding vessels. The heaviest ships likely to be found operating outside of a fleet, the Guardian class is focused on detection and destruction of enemy threats. If faced with superior firepower, the Guardian will retreat, since its own defensive systems are minimal. Standard procedure calls for at least two escorting destroyers to accompany Guardians to make up for this deficiency.

Binder class interdiction cruiser (20 points total), 4 in service
10+10I
The Binder class is an interdiction platform, pure and simple. The ships have one task: Pin the enemy in place while the accompanying fleet destroys it.

Polaris class escort destroyer (15 points total), 25 in service
5+5D+5C3
The Polaris class is an escort ship. Designed to screen for heavier warships as well as escort commercial traffic, the Polaris and her sisters are the workhorses of the fleet.

Bandit class frigate (15 points total), 21 in service
5+5O+5C3
The Bandit class is designed as a shipping raider. They may operate either independently or as part of a fleet, providing a powerful punch in a small package.

Shadow class stealth frigate (20 points total), 10 in service
5+10S+5C3
Made possible in large part by Ronoghan shipbuilding technology, the Shadow class employs powerful sensor absorption and transmission dampening measures and materials, appearing nearly invisible to all but the most powerful sensor arrays. The frigates also sport an advanced sensor package, and are most often used to gather intelligence about enemy fleet movements.

National Characteristics

100 pt Improved Shipyard - Orodan

100 pt system defenses - Oro system

100 pt system defenses - Helios system

100 pt Improved Espionage - result of Farpoint Station

100 pt Improved Logistics

Dark Hellion · Post by **Dark Hellion** » 2007-11-25 11:12pm

Space reserved for the Imperial Territory of Moloch.

Imperial Travel Guide

Welcome to the Territory of Moloch. Named after the beautifully terraformed primary planet of Moloch the IToM as some refer to it is a wondrous tourist experience. From the luxurious crystal hives of Paradiso, to the gothic and artistic city of Dis, Moloch offers something for every sight seer. With no less the 10,000 five star restaurants offering every cuisine from Neo-Asiatic to Malacastarian and even featuring an authentic Konigian Barbecue hovel every taste is fulfilled. Also Le Imperiator Salvacion, an authentic Terran Restaurant voted the best Terran cuisine outside the sol system by the Imperial Cultural Preservation board.

Enjoy snow capped mountains in the indoor sky resorts, have a blast playing mock combat in the training halls the galaxy famous Molochi Technolegion. Meet the glamorous Aristocrats of the Molochi court, and maybe bump arms with an Imperial Consul. The wealth and fun of the galaxy is at your finger tips.

Visit Moloch today, for the experience of a life time!

Molochi Technolegion Recruitment Poster

We are looking for the few and the proud who will meet patriotism's call! For thousands of years the Molochi Technolegion has served with unsurpassed distinction in the Imperial Levies. We are proud of this fact. You can participate in this honor too! Go to your local recruitment stations. A simple half hour test can tell you if you have what it takes. If you are afraid, join! The Technolegion has no fear! If you are weak, join! The Technolegion knows no weakness! If you are poor, join! We have wealth that money cannot buy! The knights of the Technolegion have long protected all of Moloch from the enemies of humanity, have long fought the Empires foes, and crushed them beneath our unsurpassable spirit. The barbarians of the deadlands fear us! Rebels surrender when they hear our names! Dukes and Duchesses fight for the privilege of honoring us! We are the Molochi Technolegion! Wherever we go, whether heaven or hell, we are not afraid!

*************************************************************

"Do you think the kids will buy it"

Of course they will Ted, you bought it didn't you?

"I guess so Allimen, but it seem so... cheesy"

Yah, but we are trying to convince people to join. We can't really really tell them the truth on the first day. Do you really think it would work to say 'yah, you'll probably lose a body part before your tour is over but we'll get you a new one, and when you get back you can probably get into some nobles panties'?

"Maybe we should put the panties part in the add, we might get more recruits that way"

Don't make me tell your wife that Ted

"You know Allimen, there is a reason why the Empire has Rules of War"

How are your daughters by the way?

"Ellie says she wants to be a pianist at the bar on 1132, but I know she is just trying to get Jeshua Parkerson to notice her. He's a nice kid though, Mari is friends with his younger sister, so I've spent some time with his parents. He'd be a good catch for Ellie, and she needs a nice break after the falling out with Mattew."

What happened with Mattew?

"Bastard hit her!"

What did you do to the motherfucker?

"Well... I might have overreacted. I only meant to break his arm, but I sorta removed it at the elbow."

Good! The shithead deserved it!

"So, golf Friday? Alliana is making her Sangria again."

Wouldn't miss it for the world.

The Imperial Territory of Moloch

The Imperial Territory of Moloch is primarily composed of the four small systems on which its primary holdings are located. These systems are as follows:

Moloch System: Circling around the star Imperial Designation 248E6 this system is named after the primary planet of Moloch. Circling Moloch is the highly developed moon Azazel. Also located within the system is the dedicated Agri-world that is technically entitled Imperial Agri-Tithe 248E6 that is known as Fairer Fields to the Molochi. For more detailed information see the following section.

Belial System: The highly developed military system that hosts the main factories and headquarters of the Molochi Technolegion. It consists of the singular planet of Belial, a small and exceedingly built up military hiveworld orbiting the star Imperial Designation 248E8. In Geo-synchronous orbit around Belial is the moon Pandemonium which is also a factory world for the technolegions armoured assets. These two are joined by a linking orbital elevator, the center point of which is the Belial-Pandemonium Space Dock, a large shipyard designed for constructing many of the larger vessels used by the mercenary forces.

Behemoth System: The Behemoth system contains the gas-giant known as Behemoth, the 4th planet of the system of star Imperial Designation 247E3 and has three large developed moons that host large populations. These moons are Behemoth, Dagon and Shoggoth. Behemoth is a highly developed commerce and trade world, while Dagon and Shoggoth are highly populous factory worlds that supply Behemoth with the goods it sells to the rest of the Molochi worlds and many of the surrounding sectors.

Leviathan System: Named after the underwater world of Leviathan, this system is a major commercial center of the Imperial SouthEast. It has three orbiting moons of Caliban, Methusalah and Ziz. The planet orbits the star Imperial Designation 249E6, and is the lone planetary sized body in the system.

Habitable Bodies

Moloch: The political and economic heart of the territory, Moloch is a prosperous hiveworld that is home to nearly 15 billion inhabitants. It is a fully developed world of the Neo-Ilium planetary design school, featuring 6 main hives each surrounding an orbital elevator that leads to the equatorial and meridian orbital rings, used to relay the massive civilian traffic that heads through the system daily. The capitol and largest city is Paradiso, although the home of the old Imperial Consul was in the city of Prospero. The planet supports some light industry and light agriculture, mostly ran by Knights, designed to support the planets populace under siege if necessary, however only via the use of strict rationing. Its major sources of wealth and income come from the financial sectors, which funnel huge amounts of capital around, both for the system itself and the surrounding territories. While trade has slackened since the fall of the Empire, the surrounding territories still need Molochi goods and the assistance of the Molochi economists and financiers. It also features the primary shipyard of the System Patrol fleet, although the largest construction dock is only 1340m long, making it incapable of constructing the largest ships in the fleet.

Moloch- 10 point world

Azazel: The largest moon of Moloch, and the only moon in system capable of supporting a large human population, it is the home to 9 billion people and is a major civilian manufacturing world. It produces most of the plebeian goods used in the territory, as well as some of the lighter vehicles used by the technolegion including some of the Belgium class Logistic classes.

Azazel- 9 point world

Fairer Fields: Located closer to the primary star than Moloch, this planet rotates very slowly, allowing for long day and night cycles, with the temperature rising to nearly 340 Kelvin on the day side, and dropping to a chilly 260 Kelvin on the night. The 4 billion inhabitants live underground, caring for the equipment that slowly rotates the genetically engineered crops that grow year round on Fields. The world has been terraformed completely for agricultural use, and has no landmarks or bodies of water on the surface, just nearly 400,000,000 square kilometers of fields. Fields is considered exceedingly idyllic and many knights and Lords have paid the ridiculously high prices that the land of an Imperial Agri-world costs to have small estates upon the world. It also features a small orbital dry dock used to soak up excess system traffic.

Fairer Fields- 6 point world

Belial: Sometimes nicknamed the Hellworld, Belial is home to the major training centers of the Molochi technolegion, and the primary housing of the majority of the Knights. The majority of the world is covered by the single sprawling city of Dis, which alone supports 73% of the planets 18 Billion inhabitants. The world is dark and brooding, owing to the weak light put out be the systems sun. The world is is primarily built in the Simplo-Aesthetic Gothic Revivalism Style, notable for the large, imposing blank walls, over simplified gargoylery and towering pointed topped buildings that reach low orbit. Originally centered around the primary heavy lunar elevator linking Belial to its singular Geo-synchronically orbiting moon named Pandemonium the city center has moved slightly over the 2500 years of sprawl. Belial is a veritable fortress of a planet, designed primarily by architecturally inclined within the DeathPact and boasting a huge amount of the territories naval and aerospace resources, as well as a significant portion of the armoured divisions. It also boasts one of the lowest crime rates among any Imperial holding outside the Sol System, owing to the intense punishment that the Knights deal out.

Belial- 10 point world

Pandemonium: The sole moon of Belial, of the rare type of worlds similar to Terra, this is a large and fully developed world. It hosts the many heavy factories used to manufacture components for the Molochi Navy plus the majority of the heavy ground armoured assets used by the Technolegion. It also hosts many of the genetics laboratories and cybernetic enhancement facilities, as well as the other end of the connective elevator that links Dis with the immense shipyard splitting the two and Pandemonium itself.

Pandemonium - 10 point world

The Belial-Pandemonium Shipyard- Despite being simply an enormous ship building facility, the Belial-Pandemonium Shipyard has more population and GDP than many worlds, hosting dormitory space for nearly 3 billion employees involved in the manufacturing and maintenance of the Mercenary fleet and the secondary production facilities of the System Defense fleets. A common stopping point for the various naval crew members, the BeeP as it is sometimes called also features numerous spots of leisure, including thousands of bars, nightclubs, and the various mock-combat arenas prefered by the Infantry.

Belial-Pandemonium Shipyard - 5 point world

Behemoth: The largest moon of the planet also known as Behemoth, it was the first terraformed world of the eponymous system, the second system habituated by the Molochi people. As such, it has a large population for its size, hosting 11 billion people on a planet smaller than the Agri-world Fairer Fields. Heavily built up over the years, it still hosts the Feudo-Terranic build style, often found gaudy for the many hundred meter high stones, and the castle like structures. Within the kilometer wide towers and continent sprawling keeps are the mechanisms for a financial and trade world that rivals most in the Imperial Remnant. Along with Moloch itself, 81% of the former Imperial Terraward Southeastern Trade Sector goes through the two port planets. The orbital rings and docks of behemoth are perpetually bustling with small trade ships, and the larger ships of the Molochi Navy which use it as a refueling dump for the intersystem patrols.

Behemoth - 10 point planet

Dagon: The hellish moon Dagon hosts a thriving underground populous of 8 billion, and is home to the manufacturing centers of many of the luxury goods appreciated by the wealthy of much of the Imperial Terraward colonies. It also features one of the secondary cybernetics facilities, mainly used by the Molochi Nobles, but also frequented by members of the Molochi Aerospace, who find it convenient to use the Dagon Cybernetics facilities for enhancements during downtime on patrol. Despite the volcanic exterior, Dagon is often considered one of the prettiest planets in the Quadrant, the architecture of its Mohorovic reaching underground spires is reminiscent of the Lunar Hives, with the gilt effigies of human power and knowledge.

Dagon- 8 point world

Shoggoth- The third inhabited moon of the Gas giant behemoth, it is located extremely close to the planet, at perigee is skims the exosphere of Behemoth. During this period lasting for approximately 8 Terran months, the gas extraction factories located in the orbital rings harvest the billions of tons of gases that are consumed in manufacturing processes across the territory. The majority of the planets 7.7 billion are employed either in the gas extraction planets, the processing plants, and the transportation corporations that ship it to the various plants that need the various gases. It also features a large manufacturing base for basic commerce goods, like datapads, lightboards, and systemnet cyber-peripherals.

Shoggoth- 7 point world

Leviathan: The aquatic world of Leviathan is a financial center for the Imperial Southeast. The entire world is underwater, with only the tops of the highest mountains as the only natural features above the 200m-500m of water that coats the planet. The crystalline undersea hives of Leviathan has thousands of banks, stock exchanges and trade unions, that handle the financial burdens of many surrounding trade sectors. It also hosts a large number of Lords and Ladies amongst its 10 billion member populace.

Leviathan- 10 point world

Caliban: The largest moon of Leviathan, Caliban is primarily an agricultural world, growing many of the more exotic food products that are used be the wealthy of the quadrant. It also features a large orbital ring designed to dock the numerous transport and shipping vessels that are utilized amongst the system. Home to 5 billion people, the moon is a small but prosperous part of the territory.

Caliban- 6 point world

Methuselah: So named because it is over 2 billion years older than the planet Leviathan, Methuselah was an ancient planetoid that was caught in its gravity well during formation. The world is too small to support an atmosphere, but is home to 3.5 billion people primarily employed within the moonside dry docks that construct most of the civilian vessels that are utilized by all walks of Molochi civilians. Whilst the poorest and least beautiful of all the Molochi habitable bodies, it is still far more prosperous that many remnant worlds.

Methuselah- 4 point world

Ziz: The last body of the Molochi territory, Ziz is perhaps the most lackluster of all. Hosting a large number of civilian manufacturing centers, advertising agencies and other simple civilian agencies, the 6 billion people of Ziz prefer the quiet simple life that they have. There is a small DeathPact outpost in orbit around Ziz, but beyond that, Ziz does not support an orbital ring, and ships wishing to dock must do so moonside.

Ziz- 5 point world.

History

Amongst the oldest and wealthiest of all the Imperial Territories, Moloch was founded in the earliest days of faster than light travel. Originally colonized by groups of free thinker, industrialists and various peoples escaping the stifling conditions of pre-imperial Terra, they found the habitable but stormy planet that they would name Moloch. With little more than the resources of the planet they would work to terraform Moloch into a beautiful, stable and verdant world, seemlessly blending the towering spires of hive cites, the sky cutting ribbons of space elevators and the temperate flora of the now peaceful world.

When the Empire formed, they quickly joined as one of the first waves of vassal states. However, the Empire proved to be a more expensive host than they thought, as Moloch lacked any truly valuable natural resources, nor had any exceptional technical skills. The Imperial Patrol fleets and the Logistics core helped to terraform many of the other planets in the surrounding systems, adding them to the territory that was under the rule of the council of Moloch, but debt began to build, and Imperial Creditors were neither kind, nor forgiving. To make up for it, the Molochi population had to provide a large Imperial Levy than normal. With this the foundations of the now famous Molochi Technolegion were set. Those that went to serve in the Imperial Levy did so out of patriotic duty to the country. Respecting this, the Molochi Council spend every resource it could afford, and every favor it had built to acquire infantry technology from the Empire and to integrate this into those souls who went off in battle for their home.

Over the decades, the Molochi Technolegion would become the cutting edge of cybernetic technology integration in the Imperial vassal states, and some would say that the highest stages rivaled the dreaded Imperial Shocktroops themselves. Soon, the 'Legion grew to be too powerful for the normal levy duties, and various members of the Imperial Governance would utilize them as mercenaries, solving problems they did not want to involve the Imperial Fleet and the Imperial Army in. The Empire as a whole would also change their role, utilizing them as shock troops, counter insurgency forces and commandoes, sending them to various hellholes all around the galaxy, secure in the knowledge that the Technolegion would provide a more cost effective solution that tactical bombardment.

This development would lead to increased importance of Moloch as a whole, and within Moloch itself, to the former soldiers and those that manufactured the various weapons, ships, and technologies utilized. Soon, these families grew to enormous wealth, of the kind rarely seen outside of the most ancient Solar families. With this wealth came access to the various cybernetic implants that were originally developed for the soldiery. This was the formation of the Aristocracy. Controlling nearly 99% of the wealth, they were beholden to no one in the system, and had only to obey the most basic tenets of Imperial Law.

However, the spirit of cooperation that had always infused the Molochi mindset did not die, despite the stratospheric rise to power. Of course, money does not buy one more altruism either, and the Aristocracy instead formed the first of their systems of laws determining conduct between the clearly separate nobility and the peasantry that they knew they depended upon. A strict system of nobility was established, with those families controlling the industry being declared Lords and Ladies, and their various family and friend making up the lower baronies and Duchies that fell below. Those who served a term in the Technolegion were declared Knights of Moloch, and held noble titles dependent upon rank and time of service.

Because of their access to great wealth and great technology, not only did Lords exceed the various Barons in political power, but in physical power as well, their integrated cybernetics rendering them capable of overpowering most lesser opponents with ease. Without a military grade weapon, no civilian could hope to seriously injure a noble. At the same time, the knights were to the Lords as many Lords were to the barons, physical monstrosities, with only the shape of humanity, far surpassing all their abilities. And the majority of the Knights were originally peasants, and held similar sensibilities and strong ties. This system prevented most abuses of the lower class, and led to the convoluted political system that today defines Molochi society.

Politics

The maze that is the Molochi political system is not one to wander blindly. It can perhaps be rightly said that no one either on Moloch, or in the old Empire itself, truly understands all the nuances of the system anymore. The squabbling courts of Nobles are most often too concerned with their own petty feuds to greatly affect the laws, most of which mirror those passed centuries ago during the great reforms of the Imperial Bureaucracy. Even more complexly is the great lack of civilian oversight in the military. Such oversight had been provided by the Empire, and has become an ingrained part of the military thinking. How the Molochi government continues to run at all is only thanks to the impressive level of technological integration that is present in every aspect of the society. Almost all currency is computerized Imperial Credits, taxes are deducted automatically and funneled to the proper places by simple AIs designed to run civil and government programs. Laws are enforced by civilian police, and MPs from the Knights assist and enforce the law upon the Nobility. Most city sectors run themselves through democratically elected councils, who ensure that children are taught, housing is maintained and things go smoothly. Communication amongst councils is accomplished via the system nets. To most outsiders the Molochi system of government is a squabbling gridlock of crossed paths, but to the Molochi people it is proof of their grand ability to cooperate, despite differences in social status and location.

The Aristocracy

The Molochi Aristocracy is composed of two main groups, each of which uses a slightly different hierarchal system. The first are the civilian nobility, often simply entitled the nobles. The other group are the knights of the Molochi technolegion.

The civilian nobles have a hierarchy that is mostly based upon influence, lineage and wealth, although lineage mostly determines the massive inheritances of cubic space and stock in the enormously wealthy military, industrial and service near-monopolies that control the majority of the intersystem wealth of Moloch.

The actual classification of a noble is entirely up to the noble in question and claim he or she can make. The general order that one would ascend is to go from gentleman (woman)/noble (normally reserved for distant relations of low nobles and personal friends of higher nobility given noble rank and small holdings), Dukes & Duchesses, Count & Countess, Baron & Baroness, and finally seemingly out of place Lord and Lady. Anyone attempting to claim too lofty a status would quickly become embroiled within the dangerous games that many of the non-lord nobles play. To claim a Lord or Lady status is much different a claim to stake, that is to say, the Lords and Ladies of the Molochi court feel that their names, lineage or their entourages & contacts are so impressive that no need to claim rank is necessary. To declare yourself a Lord is to say that you are far too powerful for the title of Baron, and as such is seen as a declaration of war amongst the nobles. To claim Lordship one must be prepared to fight off almost any foe in the noble hierarchy, either through defensive alliances with other powerful houses, or simple force of arms and influence. The higher Barons and Lords have sizable military forces that can be utilized in the large complex interplanetary conflicts that two larger familial groups can have, although most conflict centers around complex plans to publicly humiliate families that you believe have offended you. The method of accomplishing this can be anything from simply undercutting their business, to more esoteric plans to have agents find embarrassing informations, seduce relations, or just generic public conflict. Above this are the two other extremes, dueling and the all out family war. The former is quite common, especially among the hot headed children of Barons and Lords. The massive cybernetic enhancement common amongst these groups make for spectacularly violent conflicts, that also result in little permanent injury. It is rare for the contestants to die in a duel, unless very specific rules of dueling are thrown out. What rules dictate each duel is very much up to the two participants and whatever third party they have agreed upon to officiate, although completely uninhibited fighting is almost never allowed, both because of the unbelievable destructive potential that two nobles can have, and because of the physical strain that nobles can put on their systems. Finally, when two groups become hopelessly opposed, a familial, clan, or house war may be fought. In doing so, each side attempts to gather allies who will publicly side with them. Those that publicly side with a group are then considered enemies by the opposing house and its allies. All the while the two originating member groups, and any immediate allies are fighting all out small scale war. The only rule for this role is that one only involves allies and enemies within the conflict. Public events, businesses, etc. are considered off limits, unless one can concoct a plot that does not involve the non-participant members. This rule is enforced very strictly by the DeathPact [see Technolegion section] and failure to follow it brings swift, terminal consequences. More than a few hothead clans have been summarily annihilated for acting too indiscriminately.

At the very top of the civilian nobility is the Ghost Council. It is so called because its members are generally unknown to the public, both through complex subterfuge, and the somewhat acknowledged public agreement to keep the organization mysterious. In a world of mass information traffic, and near omnipresent information availability, to assume one could hide you identity as a member of a group with a few thousand members would be foolish, but most of the populace chooses to look the other way, as over the past 3500 years the Ghost Council had made Moloch one of the richest, most prosperous and most politically important Imperial Territories, and had kept the nobles and the DeathPact in check. It also coincides heavily with the Molochi characteristic of artificially injecting whimsey into their lives. Functionally, the Ghost Council are the final arbiters of law-making within the territory. All new laws, and all changes to existing laws are reviewed by the Ghost Council, and then sent to the Judiciary AIs to determine if the laws cause any contradictory, illogical, or paradoxical legal loopholes. If such complications exist, the law is refined until it is either acceptable or scrapped. Besides this function, the Ghost Council consists of the most powerful Nobles, and their close associates, who cooperate to keep Moloch running. Maintenance of the fine balance of power between the hyper-rich nobility, the military monstrosity of the Technolegion, and the peasantry that makes up 88% of the populace is an extremely delicate task, and the Ghost Council represents a huge collection of the civilian power working towards that simple task. It is analogous to the militaries Deathpact in this regard, and as such has always had tenuous ties although the two have a good deal of distrust as well, as certain ideological problems occasionally cause them to oppose each other.

The Technolegion

The military force of the Imperial Territory of Moloch, and one of the most feared militaries in the Galaxy (ranking alongside the barbarians of MetalKonige, and the now extinct Barishiri Slayers of the Hesperian system), the Molochi Technolegion is a collection of biomechanical monstrosities that where once human, and the highly infantry-centric combined arms forces that they serve under. Armed and armoured with technology bordering on the highest levels of Imperial technology, as well as integrating cybernetics of similar calibre, the average Technolegion is a match for any soldier outside the remaining Imperial Army veterans, and a few barbarian and remnant shocktroopers. The Molochi Special Forces, refered to as the Suicide Squads, are second only to Imperial Shocktroopers, and have been known to complete objectives that military tactical AIs have considered impossible. Supporting them, the Molochi armoured corp. consists of a number of heavy Grav. vehicles, including IFVs, APCs, medium tanks and myriad support vehicles (see Vehicles, Molochi armoured Corp.). This operates in close conjunction with the Molochi Aerospace Command, and the numerous aerospace interceptors, strike craft, torpedo/bombers and AWACS craft (see Vehicles, Molochi Aerospace Command) that they command. Their duty is to back up the technolegionares ground holding operations, and utterly destroy any enemy military assets who choose to engage outside urban environments. Most well known though is the technolegionares themselves. They consist of the numerous stages of cybernetically enhanced infantrymen that performed the numerous take and hold, counter-insurgent, and boarding operations that the Imperial Authorities demanded. Capable of being fearless, feeling no pain, performing near any physical task with astonishing competency, and possessing integral shielding and structural enhancement to survive in the harshest battlefield conditions and fight through nearly any injury the higher stages of technolegionnaires, those that are members of the DeathPact, are rightly feared by most remnant commanders. The primary complaint against the Technolegion is the callously methodical methods by which they operate. They often seemingly do not care if they are insulted, forced to retreat, surrender, or even are tortured or killed, as long as they win in the end. Some would say that the DeathPact are little more than monsters in the guise of men, their bodies biomechanical mannequins and their minds crafted kill routines, although member of the DeathPact would agree, that's why they are the best.

***TechnoLegion Enhancements***

The Technolegion uses a number of different enhancements methods to improve its soldiers into the efficient fighting machine that it is. Cybernetic enhancement, Genetic manipulation, and chemical enhancement are all used to create the members. The amount of enhancement present is what defines the stages that the 'legionarres are classified as. They are roughly as follows:

Stage 1: Enhanced military uplink to systemnet(s) installed in brain (GPS, calculation, simple graphical manipulation, file-transfer/download/upload, audio, text and video chat features), optical HUD within inferior eye, mechanically reinforced heart and lungs, chemically strengthened skin, bones, immune, endocrine and adrenal systems, genetically enhanced muscular, circulatory, respiratory, and immune systems, internal battery with ~5 year field life.

Stage 2: Previous stage plus cybernetic sense organs, enhanced sense processing, cybernetic heart, further genetic enhancement to muscles, brain, and physical endurance, stamina and toughness.

Stage 3: Previous Stage plus integral sensor suite, ECM suite, light skinhugging shield, further genetic enhancement to all major attributes.

Stage 4: Previous stage plus addition of cybernetic musculature, integrated shield generators for primary and secondary bubble shields, stronger skinhugging shield suite, redundant mechanical and biomechanical organs, blood-oxygenators installed in brain, further genetic and chemical enhancements to physical endurance, stamina and toughness, armouring of skull with reinforced alloy.

Stage 5: Previous stage plus enhanced cybernetics, stronger shielding, point defense shielding, enhanced ECM, ECCM, additional EM cloaking, weak inertial compensators, replacement of skeleton with reinforced high tensile carbon, replacement of internal organs with biomechanical analogous.

Stage 6: Previous stage, full cybernetic replacement of musculature, Dampening field generator, weak nul-grav generators, further stealth systems, enhanced AI operating system for Uplink, enhanced cybernetic sense organs, enhanced sensors, internal shielding, additional inertial compensation, and internal armouring of ribcage.

Stage 7: Previous stage plus total replacement of body with cybernetic and biomechanical apparatus excepting personallity containing sections of the brain, enhanced nul-grav capability, highly enhanced sensors, stealth, ECM, ECCM, cloaking, inertial compensators, shield strength, point defense shielding capability, dampening field, internal damage management system, and capability of tactical AIs, Uplink AIs, and synchronization between AI command and body output.

At the highest stages, the legionnaire can go for months without sleep, food or water, can go without breathing for over 12 hours, can survive in any habitable climate without protection, and can continue to kill his enemies throughout all of these travails. It is not unknown for higher stage Technolegionnaires to be though dead by Imperial Authorities, only to be found months later in energy saving states, or hiding what was once enemy territory.

Initial enhancement is based upon job requirements, decided generally by merit or the whim of a collection of higher ranking individuals. Additional enhancement is performed with enhanced job requirements from promotion or transfer, or when injury necessitates them. Following such injury, a soldier can either serve in a new unit with the enhancements, or serve in his old unit with the new enhancements. The majority of soldiers will never be enhanced above stage 3, but those that choose to be will probably never be enhanced above 5. In order to qualify for stage 6 or above enhancement, one must have signed a waiver to serve a one year term in the Molochi Special forces. This group is often called the Suicide Squad, because of the famously difficult missions that the Empire would assign, and the Squads propensity for pulling them off, even at tremendous personal cost. The average life expectancy for a soldier in the suicide squad is 7 months, less than 1% survive more than 5 years. All soldiers of the Technolegion, including the crews of the Navy, Aerospace Command, and Armoured Corp. receive at least stage 1 enhancement.

***The DeathPact***

The DeathPact is the upper echelon of the Molochi Military personnel. The requirements to enter the DeathPact are simple, to be able to find out about a meeting, attend, and survive the event. All technolegionnaires enhanced to stage 4 will receive an invitation, although around 25% will not wish to participate, instead choosing to live within the normal lower lord social structure. The DeathPact is little more than a meeting ground where all members consist of two ranks, Deathlords, and the High 13. The High 13 are thirteen individuals who have been unnofficially elected into the position. This election is spontaneous, when a member dies, or a Deathlord overshadows a High 13 member, the Deathlord will be promoted, and the other will lose his place as a member of the High 13. The High 13 are responsible for all political decisions that the DeathPact make, and are concerned with maintenance of Molochi Stability and power above all else. The current thirteen are an esoteric bunch, but are possibly the most skilled, if not the most tactful, in Molochi history since the High 13 that presided over the Salisii Occupation Campaigns, and the Imperial Audit Crusades. As the DeathPact has such integral connection to all sectors of military command, the Deathlords wield enormous power in court, and members of the Deathpact are considered influentially to at least equal Barons, even if they have much smaller holdings.

***Knights as Nobility***

The knights of the Molochi military occupy a unique position, as they have very little of the wealth that defines the nobility, but wield undue amounts of power because of the close personal connections between military members. Upon completion of their military terms abroad, a knight will be allowed to either buy property with their back pay (as opposed to the peasantry, who cannot truly buy property, as the title holding noble may always pay Eminent Domain and reacquire it), or can be given property owned by the Military, usually left by deceased members. The knight is also given a yearly stipend of a very small fractional percent of the budget surplus of Moloch, higher rank giving a higher amount. Often used to frugal living, and avoiding the feuds that can end nobles lives early, knights often acquire large personal fortunes over their years of retirement, and have been known to begin collections or personal projects of massive scope.

***Imperial Armoured Corp.***

The Imperial Armoured Corp. provides both integrated combined arms use of vehicle assets, and provides the logistical support for the infantry forces. Its purpose is to quickly transport troops to problem areas, and to provide firepower in the way of artillery (both tube and missile), tank support, and lighter armoured vehicles. The vehicles utilized are normally of the highly agile Imperial Grav. style of locomotion and as such are capable of fighting at numerous intra-atmosphere elevations. However, the Molochi military does not have vehicles above the Imperial Medium Class. While comparatively heavy and powerful to most remnant states, they can be woefully outclassed by those with access to higher level Imperial Vehicular assets.

***Vehicles***
***Molochi Aerospace Command***
***Vehicles***

Interceptors

MIF-11(D) Bobcat Drone Interceptor - The replacement for the older Lynx class Drone interceptor, the Bobcat is equipped with a relatively smart AI on within its compact frame. It mounts 4 external missile mounts divided between both wings and mounted on the cheap MLS-22f mounting system as well as having two CIWS repeater lasers, usually the RL-44a or RL-44b dependent upon manufacturing world. Unlike most interceptors, the Bobcat has a very weak ECM suite, making it unable to perform sophisticated EW on its own. The Bobcat is often used for swarm tactics, utilizing its cheap costs and large sensor profile to tie up the enemy sensors and interceptors, thus allowing more highly stealthed strike fighters or offensive missiles through.

MIF-16 Cheetah Fast Interceptor - Designed for quick scrambling an interceptions missions, the Cheetah features a massively oversized engine on its otherwise small chassis. It packs four internal missiles, in two MLS-8a mounts, one RL-48c CIWS repeater laser, and two internally mounted AAC-45b1 45mm Medium Aerospace Autocannon. It has a decent EW suite, combining a powerful generic sensor suite, and a combination of EM stealthed armour and a stock but sufficiently powerful ECM system. The Cheetah is capable of exceedingly high atmospheric speeds, as well as rapid orbital exit and reentry, and has a high speed targeting system that allows it to engage enemy fighters and missiles at this blistering speeds.

MIF-21 Cougar Heavy Interceptor - The large and powerful Cougar mounts an extremely heavy weaponry and shielding package for a craft that is nominally an Aerospace Superiority Interceptor. It feature six missiles mounted internally on two MLS-8b mounts, six external missiles mounted on each wing in six separate MLS-20 mounts, six RL-44 CIWS repeater lasers, and 4 AAC-42a2 75mm Medium Aerospace Autocannon. This weaponry package, combined with the powerful DS-11 shield grid allows for the Cougar to serve as a makeshift strike plane, although its sophisticated EW systems make it far more suitable for the Hive fighting it was designed for.

MIF-25 Jaguar Advanced Interceptor - The newest and most advanced interceptor in the Molochi Aerospace Corp. The Jaguar features advanced miniaturized systems, highly stealthed armour materials, powerful EM cloaking technologies, and heavy weaponry. The Jaguar has a miniaturized version of a Norway class Anti-Aerospace Cutters EW system, and can easily leave lesser craft blind, deaf and dumb against the powerful ECM onslaught. The advanced targeting systems are tied to the eight wing mounted missiles, packed internally in two MLS-9d Mounting Systems, the six body mounted missiles internally in two MLS-8b mounts, eight advanced RL-49 Repeating CIWS laser/particle beams, and a nose mounted AAC-42aX 70mm Medium Aerospace Autocannon. The Jaguar is fighter designed to achieve total Aerospace dominance, and to keep this control completely.

MIF-6(S) Ocelot Stealth Interceptor - The Ocelot is a unique craft, packing ECM, ECCM, and Cloaking systems designed to render it all but invisible to anything but the most powerful and sensitive ground or capital ship based sensor systems. It patrols unseen and unknown through enemy Aerospace, destroying targets and creating massive confusion. To do so it is lightly armed with eight missiles, mounted in two MLS-9c mountings slung under the wings, and two RL-44c CIWS Repeater Lasers. The Ocelot is unduly feared by many lesser barbarian peoples, as even a small group can operate from hidden bases within system and slowly but surely destroy all aerospace assets.

Strike Craft

MSF-12(D) Leopard Drone Strike Fighter - The Leopard is the smallest, cheapest and most expendable Strike Craft in the Molochi Aerospace Corp. It features little in the way of EW, similar to the Bobcat, and packs a small internal bomb bay, four external missiles mounted on four separate MLS-20 Mounting Systems located under the wing, and a singular AAC-62 120mm Heavy Aerospace Autocannon. The Leopard is generally utilized when collateral damage is not a concern, and the planes near suicidal AI can be unleashed upon enemy positions.

MSF-18 Panther Strike Fighter - The Panther is an upscaled version of the Leopard, with a cockpit for a human pilot, a larger shield and ECM system, as well as a slightly modified sensor system. It packs the same weaponry as the Leopard, plus two additional RL-44a CIWS Repeater Lasers, although it usually uses a different mix of missiles and guided gravity bombs. The Panther is a cheap and reliable Strike Fighter that can provide support of the Technolegion and destroy armoured assets and be used against many fleet support craft, like logistics craft or munitions vessels.

MSF-28 Lion Heavy Strike Fighter - The Lion is a large, heavy Strike craft, packing a shielding system designed to shrug off most light AAA, ECM systems to throw off missile locks, and the weaponry to crush most ground vehicles. Unlike most Molochi Strike Craft, the Lion doesn't utilize missiles, instead mounting two HRG-37 Heavy Railguns mounted along the fuselage, as well as eight RL-44b CIWS Repeater Lasers. The most common tactic used by the Lion is to patch into the Molochi Sensornet, usually communicated with the MEWC-78 Panda, and then using the Railguns to core targets from several thousand km. The Lion received its name from the 'mane' of ionized plasma that the projectiles produce in atmosphere.

MSF-28(M) Lioness Missile Strike Fighter - Based upon the same frame as the Lion, the Lioness takes the wholly opposite tact, losing the two Railguns and replacing them with two MLS-18f Rotary Missile Mounting Systems, each packing twenty missiles, as well as two smaller MLS-14b Rotary Missile Mounting systems underslung beneath the wings, each packing eight missiles, for a total of fifty-six missiles, which can all be launched in a little under five seconds. The Lioness mounts the eight RL-44b CIWS Repeater Lasers that the Lion does, and has the same shielding and ECM system, although its targeting system has been upgraded, utilizing much of the excess power that the large reactor allows.

MASF-1 Tiger Advanced Strike Fighter - The Tiger is the first eighth generation aerospace craft in the Molochi Aerospace Corp. The design is faster, more heavily armoured, stealthier and more heavily armed than any previous craft, owing to the advanced materials, heavy use of near-imperial tech and the prodigious expense that each represents. The Tiger can shrug off truly massive damage, and deliver it back with its large internal bomb bay, centrally mounted HRG-37(m) Heavy Railgun, two MLS-18d Rotary Missile Mounting Systems each packing fifteen missiles, twelve RL-49 Repeater CIWS Laser/Particle Beams, and a dedicated point defense shield. The Tiger is a demon of a craft, that was capable of matching Imperial Hominus fighters with only a two to one advantage.

To be completed

***Molochi Naval Command***

The Molochi Navy consists of the system patrol vessels utilized for personal defense under the Empire as well as the strike vessels of the DeathPact, utilized for mercenary activity under the Empire. The vessels have sophisticated sensor, ECM, ECCM, shielding and point defense systems, and while having low tonnage (owing to the centralized location of Moloch in the Old Empire, and the presence of a Sector Command Fleet within the Territory) can fight against ships much larger and seemingly more powerful. The Molochi Navy is however overspecialized for the modern era, and its highly sophisticated ships are delicate to the simple slugging matches that can occur. In pitched battle, and set piece combat, they are quite formidable. The Deathpacts ships are vicious strike vessels, designed to quickly close on the enemy, pounding them to death while wethering any return firepower with immensely powerful ECM, shielding, point defense, and specialized armour.

***Ships***

System Patrol Ships

Seraphim Class Heavy Cruiser- The Seraphim Class Heavy Destroyer is the largest vessel in the Molochi Navy. A 1743m long spire, with double symmetry outside the singular observational command deck mounted on Aft Dorsal surface, the craft makes a powerful statement when compared with smaller escorts. The ship is exceedingly heavily armed and armoured for its weight, mounting 4 HMAs, 12 high power relativistic particle beam cannons, 48 large missile/torpedo tubes, 96 medium/light omnilaunchers, 24 Heavy railguns, and 72 Heavy Lasers, as well having a powerful ECM suite, and sophisticated targeting AIs linked with the 8 defensive omnilaunchers, and 144 CIWS mounts. Powerful shields and a very powerful point defense shield system give it amazing durability, and the advanced sensor and communications equipment mounted in place of the Imperial Standard carrier decks makes a Seraphim a perfect fleet command vehicle. Currently there are 2 Seraphim in service, the Odysseus and the Noman.

Seraphim Heavy Cruiser: 25 base points, 10 points enhanced Offense (powerful and accurate weaponry), 10 points enhanced Defense (sophisticated point defense systems and heavy shielding), 5 points C3I (powerful sensor and communication equipment and powerful interpretation and evaluation software).
25+10O+10D+5C3I = 50 x 2 = 100

Valkyrie Class Command Vessel- The Valkyrie is a dedicated command vessel designed to provide a powerful support to any fleet in which it is deployed. At 1217m long, the ship is large enough to mount some impressive firepower, with 72 Medium/Small omnilaunchers, 12 Large Missile/Torpedo launchers, 54 Heavy Railguns, and 54 Heavy Lasers, and has powerful shielding and a point defense suite consisting of 6 defensive omnimounts, 288 interceptor missile launcher, and two point defense shield systems. This is all to assist the powerful C3 gear, including massively powerful sensors, software, communications, and tactical AIs that make the ship such a powerful fleet support vessel. The Valkyrie has often been faulted for its poor ability in slugging matches, its point defenses unable to keep up with the massive firepower that many ships can poor out in such situations. Currently 5 Valkyrie are in service, The Conan, Tarzan, Hercules, Bruce Willis and John Wayne.

Valkyrie: 10 points base, 10 points enhanced Defense (excellent point defense, shields, ECM and vessel durability), 10 points C3I (powerful dedicated C3I suite).
10+10D=10C3I= 30 X 5= 150
To be continued

Gargoyle class Heavy Destroyer- the powerful Gargoyle destroyer is designed to operate in groups hunting down and destroying enemy vessels, disrupting enemy fleet capabillities. To do so, the 738m ship is quite fast and agile, and mounts impressive weaponry, including an HMA, 72 Heavy Missile/Torpedo tubes, and 48 Heavy Railguns, as well as 12 light/defensive omnilaunchers. The ship is not designed for long term combat, failing to mount a point defense shield and only having 12 CIWS, but its shield and hull are durable for its class. There are currently 20.
----Gargoyle class heavy cruisers----
Arthur
Hatori
Lancelot
Marusame
Masamune
Nobunaga
Cao Cao
Lionheart

Gargoyle Heavy Destroyer: 10 points base, 5 points improved Offense (heavy weaponry for class).
10+5O=15 X 20= 300

Gorgon Class carrier- The Gorgon is a lightweight carrier designed to deliver troops carriers and aerospace fighters into 'hot' combat zones. It is lightly armed for its 715m length, mounting just 54 Heavy Omnilaunchers, 12 Heavy Railguns, and 4 Particle Beam cannons. It is well defended though, with a excellent shielding and 54 CIWS mounts as well as 72 interceptor missiles. Its main usage is to haul up to 20 Finland Class assault landers, as well as an Aerospace Fighter Wing, and a collection of Belgium class logistics craft. There are currently 5 in service, the Beowulf, the Gilgamesh, the Leonidas, the Alexander and the Cyrus.

Gorgon Class Carrier: 5 points base, 5 points C3I (advanced tracking and targeting systems).
5+5C3I=10 X 5 = 50

Erynies Class Light Destroyer- The Erynies class Light Destroyer is a 554m long vessel designed for wolfpack tactics and fleet support. It mounts impressive firepower for its size, with 36 Heavy Missile/Torpedo tubes, 54 Medium Omnilaunchers, 24 Heavy Railguns, 4 Heavy Lasers, and 36 Medium Railguns. It also mounts a heavy shield system for its size, and 2 Defensive Omnilaunchers, and 24 CIWS. There are currently 40 in service, including the Abraham Lincoln, the Winston Churchill, the Patton, the R. Lee Ermey and others.

Erynies Class Light Destroyer: 3 points base, 1 point improved offense (heavy weaponry for its class), 1 point improved defense (heavy shielding and point defense for its class).
3+1O+1D=5 X 40= 200

Incubus class Destroyer Escort - The 278m long Incubus class Destroyer Escort is an upgrade to the old Cerberus class Destroyer Escort. While keeping the Cerberus 12 Heavy Railguns, 20 Medium Railguns, 12 Omnilaunchers and spinal Particle Cannon, it mounts additional shield systems, a Defensive Omnilauncher, and adds 6 CIWS for a total of 18 CIWS. It is used to support fleets, flanking vessels and covering with defensive fire, as well as provided a quick strike element to take advantage of enemy weak points.

Incubus Class Destroyer Escort: 1 point base, 1 point improved defense (heavy point defense for its class).
1+1D=2 X 50= 100

Succubus class Interceptor Picket - At 295m the Succubus Class Interceptor Picket is also built off the Cerberus Class Destroyer Escort. It has the same armament as the Cerberus, 12 Heavy Railguns, 20 Medium Railguns, 12 Omnilaunchers, and a spinal Particle cannon, as well as 12 CIWS. Additionally, it mounts a small ECM and Interdiction suite designed to slow enemy vessels, and prevents the fleet from being hit and run upon by those who choose to use higher speed Hyperspace systems for raiding purposes. It was designed to intercept the various smaller pirate and barbarian threats that could arise, and has performed admirably, although its prowess against most remnant military vessels hasn't been tested. Currently 10 are in service, the Penelope, the Persephone, the Psyche, the Lamia, the Juliet, the Viola, the Rachel, the Sakura, the Angie, and the Maggie.

Succubus Class Interceptor Picket: 1 point base, 4 points interdiction (advanced interdiction suite).
1+4I=5 X 10= 50

Heavy Aerospace Wing- Consisting of the large number of different aerospace craft that can fight effectively against capital ships, as well as the smaller carriers such as the Germany class, the China Class, and the U.S.S.R. class these groups provide air support for the technolegion ground forces, interceptor duty to protect from torpedoes and other missile weapons, mine clearing, asteroid clearing, and piracy sweeps, as well as courier service and numerous other small jobs. The craft utilized are listed in the Aerospace Command section. There are currently 50 separate wings in service.

Heavy Aerospace Wing: 1 point base.
1 X 50 = 50

Molochi DeathPact Strike Craft

Void Class Strike Cruiser - The Void Strike Cruiser is the heaviest Cruiser of the strike fleet formerly utilized for mercenary contracts and now used for offensive purposes for the sovereign Molochi State. An austere 1524m spike it mounts the most advanced weaponry and defensive systems in production by the Molochi Navy. This includes four spinal mounted HMAs, 96 Heavy Omnilaunchers, 24 Heavy Particle Cannons, 48 Heavy Railguns, and 36 Medium/Light Omnilaunchers, plus two point defense shield systems, a heavy shield grid, 16 Defensive Omnilaunchers, and 144 CIWS. Extremely powerful sensors, ECM, ECCM, and targeting packages allow for an extremely efficient EW performance, and the powerful high agility propulsion systems make it a deadly ship in all ranges of combat. There are 10 ships of this class currently in operation.

Void Class Strike Cruiser: 15 points base, 10 points improved offense (extremely heavy weaponry), 15 points improved defense (highly advanced and heavy point defense and shielding systems, as well as advanced ECM).
15+10O+15D=40 X 10 = 400

Nether Class light Striker Cruiser - The Nether Class light Strike Cruiser serves as support for both the Void Class cruiser and the Nadir class carrier, providing both powerful support fire and extremely heavy point defense assistance. The 958m long vessel utilizes 2 HMAs, 72 Heavy Omnilaunchers, 36 Heavy Railguns, and 36 medium railguns, as well as 12 Defensive Omnilaunchers, 48 CIWS, and 144 Interceptor Missiles. It mounts a heavy shield grid, and a sophisticated ECM suite. 20 Nether Class light Strike Cruisers are currently in active service.

Nether Class Light Strike Cruiser: 5 points base, 5 points improved offense (heavy weaponry), 10 points improved defense (reinforced shield grids, advanced ECM and point defense).
5+5O+10D= 20 X 20= 400

Nadir Class Command Carrier - The Nadir Class Command Carrier is the primary Heavy Carrier used by the Molochi Technolegion to transport the numerous large boarding, assault, landing, recon, and courier craft necessary to stage an operation. The Carrier is a massive 1640m long brick that mounts the most high tech Electronic warfare and Command and Control suites that the Molochi Territories can produce. Additionally, it is heavily defended by numerous layers of shields and armour, and a strong defensive weapon system. The primary armament comes both in the form of the numerous parasite craft that it brings in, as well as 36 Heavy Particle Cannons, 54 Heavy Railguns, 36 Heavy Lasers, and 36 Heavy OmniLaunchers. It's defense is provided both by parasite craft, and the 208 CIWS systems, 72 Interceptor Missiles and 4 Defensive Omnilaunchers. There are currently 5 Nadir Class in service.

Nadir Class Command Carrier: 15 points base, 10 points C3I (advanced sensor suites and C3 systems), 15 points improved defense (extremely powerful ECM, shields and numerous point defense systems and parasite craft).
15+10C3I+15D=40 X 5 = 200

***Ship Based Weaponry***

HMA- Heavy Mass Accelerator: Based upon old magnetic accelerators designed to push large masses into low orbits, the HMA has been refined into a massive weapon designed to use both gravatic and electromagnetic technologies to propel large projectiles at exceedingly high velocities. It can use a variety of projectiles most all of which are guided and capable of extreme accuracy at astronomic ranges. This included both solid spikes with fusion-furnace propulsion and an AM/M annihilation core to cluster darts with fusion cores designed to pound at aerospace formations.

Projectiles-
KKD-11A Kinetic Kill Spike - A solid slug of super-high density alloys propelled by a high-powered fusion furnace designed to punch through EM shielding and survive most ballistic intercept systems. Upon penetration of outer armour the fusion furnace initiates a complete overload going off like a small strategic fusion device.

KKD-11B Kinetic Kill Spike - A short ranged version of the KKD-11 it replaces the fusion furnace with a heavier fusion device designed to cause internal damage

KKD-11C Kinetic Kill Spike - The KKD-11C replaces the A versions fusion furnace with an AM/M annihilation torch propulsion system that makes it unwieldy to aim, but capable of extreme range or of punching through extremely thick armour. However, the torch is designed for a single flow rate, although destruction of the projectile upon impact sometimes spreads the AM, resulting in most of the damage being purely kinetic.

KKD-21A Tactical Kill Spike - The KKD-21A is the premier anti-cap ship projectile of the Molochi Navy. Larger than the KKD-11 it contains both a vectored fusion furnace for propulsion and a large AM/M annihilation core for explosive power. The hardened spike punches through most armour, and the annihilation reaction can consume most ships under cruiser class.

KKD-21B Strategic Spike - The KKD-21B switches out the annihilation core for canisters of CX-17 "Misanthrope" agent, a powerful nanotech utilizing chemical weaponry system designed to spread rapidly, and mutate in response to many common deterrent systems. This weapon is allowed only under Imperial Secure Territory mandates, in small stockpiles for use against "enemies of humanity". CX-17 hasn't been used since the Fourth battle of Lantris IV 527 years ago, but is still considered amongst the deadliest of all chemical agents.

Molochi Cultural Characteristics

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======Molochi Culture========
///////Imperial Reference Form\\\\\\\

The Molochi, despite the deep divides in class, share a few similar traits.  The first and foremost is the Molochi cultural myth of cooperation, the Molochi people have a tendency to believe that their prosperity is a result of a superior ability to cooperate, regardless of class.  This has made the populace extremely resistant to most cultural revolutions, which combined with the presences of both the conservative progressivist Molochi Military (see ref. Molochi Technolegion) and the Sector Defense Fleet for the SouthEast Defense Sector, has resulted in nearly 5000 years of unchanged civilization, and a cultural stabilization seen in only a few of the First Wave Territories and the Empire itself.  The stabilizing influence of the Empire is not to be underestimated though, as the DeathPact (the political wing of the Military) and the Nobility have highly differing political goals and such divides should be exploited for preservation of Imperial supremacy.

Another characteristic amongst many Molochi is an uncharacteristic love of whimsey amongst the members of the populace.  Often popular comedy will be slap-stick or based on nonsense or word play as opposed to the Black Noir comedy preferred by the Imperial SouthEast.  This also comes through with the occasionally eccentric attack plans of the Molochi Special Forces, which have included using ship based particle beamers to draw obscene images upon the mountains of underdeveloped peripheral civilizations to cow them into surrendering to Benevolent Imperial Rule.

A third Distinct characteristic is the strong pride the Molochi people have in their territory.  Unlike many territories, who's populace rebels against the Enlightened Imperial Governance, the Molochi are not only highly content, but are actively proud of the membership as a Territorial Member of the Empire and the achievements that they place as being their own.  They make little claim to the achievements of the Empire, as many territories attempt to do, nor do they maintain any pretense of superiority to the Imperial Might.  There is no good theory under Imperial Sociosciences that explains this, although Moloch is often used as an outlier example to the Theorum of Hegemony Envy [(qref) all Territories have every rational reason to envy the magnificence that is the Empire, and thus will if given opportunity].  This envy has been a primary weapon in the policy of Minimal Territorial Cooperation that has operated successfully for the past 2300 years. 

Additionally, a characteristic 45$nh*kh&GB$k8$HBJC8ghbj4gUgls;d90]\ njnjahu.<iuh73JKLFNn..jbu7B$>ifp m;ioio;fL$KFM94nv------
---------
--------
Encode lost - reason: Unlawful entry or decryption of Imperial Defense Networks is prohibited.  Citizen- Report to Nearest Imperial Law Enforcement Office, or await Imperial Pursuit.  Subsequent attempts to access will be met with harsher penalty.

Attributes

Molochi Technolegion - Improved Assimilation 150 points
Vast Wealth - Improved Logistics 100 points
Improved Espionage 100 points
Improved Counter-Espionage 100 points
Advanced Shipyard at Belial-Pandemonium Space Dock - 50 points Improved Ship Defense

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2007-11-26 01:08am

Corona Stars Commonwealth info goes here!

Misc Information:

The strange stellar phenomena in the Corona Stars region have resulted in the activation of latent psychic talent in humans, typically manifesting during puberty. This psychic ability, though measurable, is extremely weak. There are only two confirmed aspects of this psychic phenomenon. The first is a form of limited telepathy, where two psychics can share simple thoughts, emotions, and feelings. The second is increased receptivity and coordination with mind-machine AI interfaces. Circumstantial evidence has suggested that psychics also have an ability to know when danger is imminent, but no tests have provided evidence in support of this. It is theorized that psychic ability is an inherited trait, but little research has been done on this.

The close proximity between Imperial Military forces and the CSC have resulted in a laxity towards the strict military/civilian division common in many other Imperial territories. As a result, many Imperial military technologies have been “copied” by CSC military forces, with unofficial help from Imperial scientists and engineers. Many of the technologies the CSC were allowed to copy related to defensive, repair, and maintenance systems, but one important technology shared was the creation of real, fully sentient Artificial Intelligence. Mind/machine interfaces were common in the Commonwealth, but the addition of an AI to the machine side boosted the effectiveness and efficiency of the link. Although the AI technology was not the best that the Imperial military had, it was far ahead of the “fake” AIs that most other territories were operating with. Most CSC military ships now feature hybrid AI/human control systems, and the civilian sector is starting to use them as well.

CSC Shipyard

Standard
50 - Battleship
30 - Heavy cruiser
20 - Cruiser
10 - Destroyer
5 - Frigate

Command
10+10C3 - Fleet Command
5+5C3 - Task Force Command

Interdiction
10+10I - Heavy Interdictor
5+5I - Light Interdictor

Shieldships
10+10D - Heavy Shield
5+5D - Light Shield

Intelligence
5+10S+10C3 - Prowler
5+10H+10C3 - Scout

Bombardment
10+10B - Bombardment Ship

Utility
1+10H+4D - Courier

Offensive
5+10O - Sniper

CSC Fleet

400 pts - Battleship x 8
360 pts - Heavy Cruiser x 12
320 pts - Cruiser x 16
240 pts - Destroyer x 24
160 pts - Frigate x 32

40 pts - Fleet Command x 2
40 pts - Task Force Command x 4

40 pts - Heavy Interdictor x 2
40 pts - Light Interdictor x 4

40 pts - Heavy Shield x 2
40 pts - Light Shield x 4

50 pts - Prowler x 2
100 pts - Scout x 4

40 pts - Bombardment Ship x 2

30 pts - Courier x 2

60 pts - Sniper x 4

Total - 2000 Industrial Points, 124 ships

CSC Planets

Hearth System
10 pts - Archangel - Capital
4 pts - Fields
2 pts - Athena Station
2 pts - Nike Station
2 pts - Artemis Station
1 pts - Devotion Outpost
1 pts - Loyalty Outpost
1 pts - Focus Outpost
1 pts - Unity Outpost
1 pts - Mercy Outpost

Elation System
10 pts - Kindred
7 pts - Sabriel
4 pts - Camerone
2 pts - Hemera Station
2 pts - Nyx Station

Aegis System
10 pts - Brio
7 pts - Malva
5 pts - Sierra
1 pts - Hope Outpost
1 pts - Faith Outpost
1 pts - Spirit Outpost

Redemption System
5 pts - Forgiven
3 pts - Midway Shipyards
3 pts - Normandy Shipyards
2 pts - Persephone Station
2 pts - Hecate Station
1 pts - P1 Station
1 pts - P2 Station
1 pts - P3 Station
1 pts - P4 Station
1 pts - P5 Station
1 pts - H1 Station
1 pts - H2 Station
1 pts - H3 Station
1 pts - H4 Station
1 pts - H5 Station

Total - 100 Planet Points, 1000 Industrial Points per turn, 36 "Planets"

CSC Racial Characteristics

200 points - Orbital Defenses
300 points - Improved Logistics

Total - 500 Racial Points

Shinn Langley Soryu · Post by **Shinn Langley Soryu** » 2007-11-26 01:54am

Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya
From Wikipedia, the Glorious Transhuman Knowledge Database

[img=left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _w.svg.png[/img]
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

The Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya is an interstellar hegemony occupying the the southwestern Deadlands.

History

Main articles: History of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya, Early history of the Terran Empire, and History of the Metallkönige

[img=left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _w.svg.png[/img]This short section requires expansion.

Government and Politics

Main articles: Government of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya, Politics of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya, Law of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Foreign relations of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya

[img=left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _w.svg.png[/img]This short section requires expansion.

Astrography

Main article: Astrography of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya

Soell System [25 pts total]

Threshold [10 pts]
Substance [10 pts]
Basis [4 pts]
Ame-no-Mihashira [1 pt]

Eridanus System [19 pts total]

Eridanus Primus [6 pts]
Harvest [4 pts]
Tribute [4 pts]
Victoria [4 pts]
Eridanus Secundus [1 pt]

Artemis System [24 pts total]

Artemis [10 pts]
Heliopolis [10 pts]
Green Noa I [1 pt]
Green Noa II [1 pt]
Gryps I [1 pt]
Gryps II [1 pt]

Armory System [15 pts total]

Armory One [10 pts]
Mendel (Armory Two) [4 pts]
X-18722 (Armory Three) [1 pts]

Nova System [18 pts total]

Nova [3 pts]
Jachin Due [3 pts]
"Calendar Colonies" (Januarius, Februarius, Martius, Aprilius, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, December) [1 pt each, 12 pts total]

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya

Close government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of basic high technology, and a truly massive military-industrial complex have all helped make the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya one of the largest economies operating out of the Deadlands; in fact, its nominal gross domestic product and purchasing power parity are actually greater than those of many Imperial member states.

Code: Select all

1000 industrial points base, -440 maintenance adjustment; 560 industrial points adjusted

Science and Technology

[img=left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _w.svg.png[/img]This short section requires expansion.

Military

Main article: SOS Brigade

The Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya's military, the SOS Brigade, is an offensive force with two separate commands: Terrestial Command and Space Command.

SOS Terrestrial Command is divided into ground, air, and maritime commands. Ground Command forms a good portion of the Brigade military machine, providing the sheer manpower required for planetary conquest and defense. Air Command is a primarily defensive force tasked with shoring up Space Command in the event it fails to defend a planet and providing close assistance for Ground Command operations. Maritime Command is a purely defensive force that fulfills the exact same roles of the wet navies of years past.

SOS Space Command is the premiere arm of the entire Brigade. For a barbarian space force, it is notable for rivaling those of many Imperial member states in terms of numbers and sheer brute force; all ships, from the relatively humble Wendee Lee class destroyer to the truly formidable Hare Hare Yukai class dreadnought, are all designed with offensive power in mind.

Code: Select all

10 x Hare Hare Yukai class dreadnought [50; 40 base + 2O + 4C3 + 4I; 500 total]
20 x Kyoto Animation class battleship [30; 20 base + 2O + 4C3 + 4I; 600 total]
40 x Aya Hirano class cruiser [15; 10 base + 1O + 2C3 + 2I; 600 total]
100 x Wendee Lee class destroyer [5; 3 base + 1O + 1D; 500 total]

[2200 ship points total (2000 base, +200 aggressor bonus)]

Code: Select all

Barbarian tag [50 base; +30 counter-espionage adjustment, -30 espionage adjustment]
Improved logistics [100 base]
Improved espionage [100 base; 70 adjusted]
Improved salvage [50 base]
Improved assimilation [50 base]
Improved sensor networks [50 base]
Planetary jamming systems [50 base]
Orbital weapons platforms [50 base]

Culture and Society

Main articles: Haruhiism, Religion in the Holy Empire of Haruhi Suzumiya

[img=left]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _w.svg.png[/img]This short section requires expansion.

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-11-26 01:55am

--all plagarism and odd spelling/formatting is strictly intentional--

===============================================
BEGIN LOG FILE - SOLDIER 173478
ENTRY 12
===============================================

I apologize for my tresspass but this soldier's logbook is the only thing I can find with enough storage capacity to contain what I've discovered. Though I praised Earth in life, now that I am at my end I can say without the horrors I have witnesses here do not match those delivered unto our own kind. I have also come to understand why they were necessary.

I am not soldier 173478, and though it would be best if my name and all of me were lost to history, I with trembling hand reveal my ---

=LOG DAMAGED=
===============================================
BEGIN LOG FILE - SOLDIER 173478
ENTRY 14
===============================================
=LOG DAMAGED=
--- ouse at the end of the warren where we could seek our refuge. Border trading was always risky, but terra willing we were often protected. It would seem the vessels of our noble birthworld are needed elsewhere, and thus we muttered darkly in this most ancient keep and passed about us what fragments we could dredged up of what we saw.

Ghastly whorls of grey-blue smoke that bent themselves into crooked forms and hideous shapes that were all too solid--spheres and cubes that seemed to groan as they went, bending the light around them in what I would humbly submit as a gravitic engine. It gave the spheres a terrible grip which they would use to fling men and debris, or rend as they went and leave naught upright. The shock of seeing the soldiers torn to vapour served to loosen several tongues, and embarrassed whispers were exchanged once the tremors had calmed.

A tendril of the blue smoke clung to us as we clustered, much to the dismay of our last surviving resucer. "It spreads on everything intelligent that's been around here," muttered the military engineer. No one replied, but the man who had been in the mining ship gave a hint that his crew must have stirred up something intangible in the macabre ruins of the xenos' long-dead city. "It was awful," he added. "There was no bottom at all. Just ooze and blackness and the feeling of something lurking under there." Ammi's dead robot still rattled and screamed deafeningly in the road outside, and nearly drowned its owner's faint quaver as he mumbled his formless reflections. I did not know metal could scream.

"It come from that hulk - it growed up thar - it got everything thinkin' or computin' - it fed itself on 'em, mind and body and circut- Thad an' Merwin, Zenas an' Nabby - Nahum was the last - they all hauled that scrap - it got strong on 'em - it come from beyond, whar things ain't like they be here - now it's goin' home -"

xeno sphere after land engagement.

===============================================
BEGIN LOG FILE - SOLDIER 173478
ENTRY 3
===============================================
Recon Soldier 173478, Gunthar Hundgurussan reporting on this glorious day of our risen sun a victory for the green bosom of Our Mother. Praise be our humanity, awesome be our burden.

Survivors Accounted for: 312
Soldiers Accounted for: 845

We now take our leave of these deadlands, I would never go near the dread place again, so long as I shall breathe, terra willing. Our ships are still badly damaged but I have confidence in our human superiority, and we can afford to delay no longer for repairs. It is forty-four days now since the horror happened, but I have never been back there, and will be glad when the fleets of Earth burn it out a second time. I do not think I shall visit the border countries hereafter.

Three of the guards who had been with Citizen Ammi 48414 returned the next morning to see the xeno ruins by daylight, but there were not any real ruins. The weapons of the Empire were cruel, and gave the deadlands their name in earnest. Five eldritch planets of dusty grey desert remained, nor has anything ever grown there since. To this day they sprawl under sky like a great spot eaten by acid in the stars and glory, and the few who have ever dared glimpse them in spite of the Imperial warnings have bothered not to give it name, lest it be thought real. Some horrors should stay the stuff of Nightmares, but I will commit this injury upon my mind and put into permanence what knowledge I have gained, so should we fall it be guide to our purging flame. By the light of Sol I would have it read and hope this blot be stricken from our space.

Quaros Anomoly
(care-ose)

Summary

Widespread Xeno quantek remnants, apparently laid dormant and reactivated by accidental civilian mining operations. Robotic shells of unusual manufacture combined with remnants of Beta Aquilae Concordat colonization equipment apparently under control of unknown alien quantek apparatus. Effect is localized and quantifable--no new Imperial machines appear affected. A vast region of space is now to be considered hostile.

Repeated claims of actual xeno transentience/psionic presence is to be considered unfounded, regardless of actual evidence to that effect. Please see the engineer's report with regard to the Xeno presence. Recommend removal of this paragraph after review.

Quantification of Known Phenomena

xxxxthisspaceisreservedforimperialministryofinformationxxxx

Appearence of Psionic Behavior in nonlocalized action:

xxxx

Gravitational topography of uncharted Quaros sector dark matter nebulae:

xxxx

Analysis of 'Sargasso Sea Effect' as natural and not hostile act:

xxxx

===============================================
DATA FILE - ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT - SOLDIER 245267
"QUAROS XENO THREAT ASSESSMENT"
===============================================
Combat Engineer 245267, Art Miskato reporting on this glorious day of our living mother a victory for the Empire of the Holy Sun and all her light may touch. Praise be our humanity, awesome be our burden.

There is a lack of available information to use to evaluate properly the threat posed by the reappearence of this xeno species. Cursory examination would lead one to believe the aggressors are malfunctioning robotic elements, but further examination of the Primitives revealed this not to be the case. In light of this, a recommendation is made to commit further study of all available records, including sealed documents, for a proper evaluation on the methods to easily remove this element from our space. Imperial reassessment may be required.

Until such time, a further recommendation is made that the barrier emitter be redeployed to these worlds and that further salvage operations and commercial exploitation halted.

The primary threat appears to be from the psionic entities in the Quaros Anomoly, matching transhuman characteristics of a prototypical ascended form, though lacking the defining characteristics of transentience. Examination of Sphere revealed further evidence that Quaros xenos still exist in transformed elements, as discussed elsewhere. Quantek shielded vessels should be considered standard engagement procedure.

Available reference materials added, though stressed to be insufficent. The veracity of several of these claims is questionable, specifically in culture and technology. Quaros xeno technology is fully functional, and non-ceremonial in application.

-as appended from Wikipedia: The Glorious Transhuman Knowlege Database.

History of Quaros

This article is about the Xenos of Quaros. For other sector information, see Quaros (disambiguation).

This Article is part of a series on Extinct Xenos.

Government

Quaros politics focus on the rule by debate, wherein leadership is decided only have protracted discussion over matters of small importance. Large groups begin debates on a range of subjects until only two debaters remain. The leader is chosen by approval of the entire body of nominees, with some unknown input required from the second place debater. It is widely believed by some Imperial citizens that this is one of the primary reasons they failed to defend their worlds properly from summary obliteration.

Also see, Extermination of Xenos

Religion

The subhumans of the Quaros sector enjoy a placid existance of attempted humanlike transcendance. Their primitive religion appears to focus on the idea of ascending to a more advanced plane of existance, though this is based entirely from records recovered after extermination, and it may not be important for Imperial study.

Terratories

The Xenos of Quaros maintained a territory within the deadlands long thought to be uninhabited, but wasn't, and now is. Their ruins can be found across five main worlds and several small outposts, and are considered exciting locales for cavers and ruin hoppers. The best locations are the xeno capitol world and the ancillary Quaros ruins.

Capitol: Anak

Anak is named for the famous treasure hunter Savanna Anak, who was the first explorer to ever set foot on this world and explore it's secrets. Anak is richly carpeted in extensive ruins that penetrate nearly to the core, and the world is nearly entirely built through by layer upon layer of xeno housing. These extensive 'urban caves' are dangerous to traverse in complete darkness, and many have ventured into the mysterious caverns never to be heard from again. Damage to the planet's crust, much of which was unknown at the time to be metallic sub-crust structures, has made it extremely difficult to rely on most available forms of direction-finding, and only experienced cavers should penetrate Anak's surface. Savanna Anak herself has only ventured in twice, and the second ended in tragedy with the death of most of her team. She made disturbing claims about the planet's interior that have since been debunked by Imperial exploitation teams and the public attributed the outlandish stories to her failing entertainment line.

Also see, Savanna Anak's Unexplored Universe (cancelled)

Weaponry and Technology

The Xenos of Quaros appear primarily defenseless, but subsequent encounters proved that they did have some minor military infrastructure prior to being reasessed by Holy Sol. Furthermore, speculation about the nature of their technology--specifically quantek--is widespread amongst excavators. Items of interest are listed below.

Primitive Psi-Amp Prototype: It appears that despite their interest in pursuing psionic technology, their xeno scientists never could grasp the theory of Psionic Amplification. Several primitive psi-amps have been found in areas assumed to be xeno research centers or shopping centers, none of which would have functioned properly or to full power. Furthermore without The Awesome such psionic assistance is likely to have been extremely limited.

Gravitic Manipulation: Some interesting gravity motor designs have been recovered from the warfleets of the Quaros military outposts, though it appears to rely on the same flawed technology as their primitive psionic amplification technology. Extensive modifications for the purpose of research did bear out the theory though, and the gravitic drive could be made to function with the infusion of Imperial technology.

The widespread deployal of this nonfunctional technology leads to the theory that the Quaros built these vessels and psionic devices to travel with them to the afterlife, where their souls could power them free of the limitations of body. This is teh Ofical ideaologie concerning Karos, may the Light of Sol be ForEver praized. This charming ideology is somewhat confused by anecdotal evidence of these warships being used in actual combat against Imperial Forces, but all recovered Quaros active battlefleet wreckage was tragically lost when the Battlesphere "Legal Act of Mercy" while on patrol in Quaros.

This article is Locked any may not be edited without Offical Writ.

Gamma-ray Laser: These massive weapons appear to be of ceremonial use, as their firing arcs are incompatible with the design of actual engagement theory. Firing such weapons would require some sort of light-bending ability (such as gravity manipulation technology that was far beyond the reach of Quaros designers). However, testing the weapons revealed that the ceremonial demonstrations they must have been used in would have been spectacular, with the energy output able to turn entire asteroids into glittering fragments. Though some say this level of output is consistant with ship-to-ship weaponry, Imperial encounters with these weapons showedxxxx.

Though some say that that the fragments would re-enter the atmosphere like fireworks and celebrate the return of their Moon God to his Place of Glory during their Festival of Origin.

Military

Quaros military forces were cheaply produced and designed as kitbashes, allowing elements to be added to existing hulls and re-deployed despite damage or otherwise unfamiliar arrangements of parts. Their vessels tended to maximize advanced defensive technology and also had extremely o-ver-developed sensor and communication equipment,, which is unusual for a species as technically backwards as teh unintellectual Quaros xeno subhumans.

--new information added below, ~~~~gunthar

Upon reactivation of the remaining quantek remnants of the Quaros Anomoly, the military forces of Quaros require reclassification. Their spaceforces are as of yet unobserved though contact with Anomolous phenomena has proven extremely dangerous to Imperial shipping and is to be avoided at all costs until the Battle for Sol is won and we can redeploy military forces to the deadlands. There do seem, however, to be a great number of semi-active derelicts in the region, and such indeterminate weaponfire--possibly the result of confused travellers or active self-defense systems with long-dead crews--has been of great detriment to our forces. Of particular note is the mining vessel Luft Maricelset, whose initial contact with the Anomoly in salvage operations has left the craft derelict and active with some quantek contamination, and is to be considered extremely hostile to Imperial shipping.

Anomolous activity on planetary surfances has also been reported and confirmed, particularly in combat with the robotic spheres that the miners reported appearing at random. The spheres employ a weaponsystem of undetermined type and are often accompanied by more of the unusual blue smoke that characterizes Anomolous regions. Samples of this haze have been taken, but there appears to be no component to it other than hydrogen and helium, with trace heavy elements.

The Xeno Spheres appear to be the most hostile and most commonly encountered variety of geometric aggressor, and they appear to utilize some variety of space-skipping technology that allows them to blink from one location to another in combat, though the timing of this seems arbitrary. Spheres often appear from the single least likely location, which is a mathmatical breakthrough of our chief Engineer that lead to our first and only confirmed Sphere kill.

The one we eliminated actually had minor biological components, primarily of a brainlike variety, so they may be somewhat closer to cyborgs than robots. However, it is important to specify in offical reports that they are indeed merely automatons. The extreme difficulty of eliminating a sphere dictates that it is an unnecessary risk to take on in an infantry capacity, and high explosive impact would remove any trace of the braincase, thus achieving a more ideologically contingent military force theory.

===============================================
BEGIN LOG FILE - SOLDIER 173478
ENTRY 25
===============================================

I have found another battery, but the timestamp has not updated. I apologize for this discrepency, but we do not know how much time has passed.

As the only one to have set foot in the orbital hulks before they had grown angry with sleeping malignance, Ammi commenced his descent of the dark stairs when he heard a thud below him. He even thought a scream had been suddenly choked off, and recalled nervously the clammy blue vapours which had brushed by him in that frightful room above. What presence had his cry and entry started up these days before?

It was then he called to us, stirred by observance to your loyal servants' mission of devotion, good sir of the Green World! Our scanner was incapable of capturing the awe of it, but every trifle of the scene burned itself into my brain. The sounds of space, the sense of dread expectancy veiled in gauzy blue smoke, the darkness, the steepness of the inhuman angles - and merciful Terra! - the faint but unmistakable luminosity of all the living machinery in sight; ships, stations, exposed spaceyards, and debris alike.

I have done what I can to add my own deducations and reflections, as learned from a lifetime aboard our glorious starships, to add to the engineer's assessment of the enemy forces we see. I felt it was also important to give names to their vessels--such changes are in italics. I must also urge you to fear the ghostlights. I do not know what to else to call them, but they arrive and depart as they will and make mockery of your common sense.

Ghostlight Psionic Spectre: 2 Points
1 (+1 Stealth)

They seem to harm little, but I fear whatever their grim intents are. They follow the spheres, and they follow us. Dancing lights and twisting curls of smoke, they are everywhere just out of sight.

===============================================
DATA FILE - ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT - SOLDIER 245267
"QUAROS XENOTECH SPACEFORCE ENGAGEMENT GUIDE"
===============================================
Combat Engineer 245267, Art Miskato reporting on this glorious day of our living mother a victory for the Empire of the Holy Sun and all her light may touch. Praise be our humanity, awesome be our burden.

Despite civilian interference I have expanded upon the survey conducted by soldier 173478 to include individual ship assessments. Below is listing of common ships, organized by mass and theoretical threat level, as could best be determined by scans made by recon soldier personal scanning and informetry gear.

Xeno Ship Registry

AKA-1 Tomb Imperial Military Derelict: 50 Points
generalized imperial military wreck
xenotech additions, apparently xenotech powerplant
imperial iff / distress codes functioning, extremely visible, easily avoided
theoretically salvagable
50 (+0)
Engagement:
Even hulked, an Imperial ship is a difficult target to destroy, praise be Terra. Without need for crew, these ships travel bidden by their new owners in a state of partial ruin. Power generation and movement appears provided by a network of Primitives (see section "Geometric Primitives in Xenotech Design") rather than actual onboard systems, leading the ship to appear 'cold'. Weapon systems active, minimal xenotech material added to hull.

Among the haze I saw a great many derelicts. They glittered and glowed with alien lights, but the Xenos did nothing to make them appear alive again. Like corpses they drifted on graviational eddies, and travel in deathly silence. Nearly indistinguishable from the agents of Terra's mercy. Be advised. Do not answer their hails.

IX-7 Miasmata Interdiction Matrix: 50 Points
distributed interdiction field projector
basis in gravitic technology
apparently the cause of the thick, atmospheric haze in space
salvage not recommended
30 (+10 Sensors and Comms) (+10 Interdiction)
Engagement:
A clever implimentation of gravity manipulation technology, the interdiction matrix creates a real gravity well rather than an artifical one, leading to vast amounts of trapped materials sworling around them like a distended gas giant. Entering these fields is dangerous and seems to alert the derelict vessels therein, but they are easy to spot and avoid. Venturing deeply into the field is necessary to target the Pyramidal emitter bodies, however. Analysis of the false atmosphere reveals high concentrations of hydrogen and helium with small amounts of atmospheric terraforming nanites, purpose unknown though likely related to some secondary use for these matrixes.

Our ship fell into one such field, and was unable to escape to Hyperspace before we were buffeted apart by gravitational shearing effects and other pieces of debris. They seem to be the hallmark of the enemy force, extending their hideous smoke lightseconds from their center like a grey-blue funerary veil.

CLC-10 Caretaker Xenotech Stealth Picket: 25 Points
actual xeno vessel, not wreck
sensor stealthed pursuit picket
fragile structure, poor armament
do not salvage
5 (+5 Sensors and Comms) (+5 Hyperspeed) (+10 Stealth)
Engagement:
One of the few actual xenotech vessels seen in more than a one-off capacity, the CLC-10 is nearly cruiser scale in size, but has a low mass. Should be rated as a frigate-level threat, and lacks adequate ship-to-ship armament. Engage freely when sighted, consider high priority due to the wide range of command equipment apparent. Sensor resistant.

The one I named the Caretaker was truly of alien design, though it did not have the horns and legs of popular depiction. Instead it was all angles, like a rectangle, and moved with ghostly grace. Functional but lean, almost sickly looking compared to the healthy curves of a Battlesphere, the Caretaker drifted about and appeared to take great interest in us.

CA-5 Lantern Xenotech Weapon Platform: 20 Points
drifting weapon suite
reinforced superstructure
highly sensor visible to thermal
10 (+10 Improved Offensives)
Engagement:
These robust weapon systems are common, but are not actual vessels--they do not contain their own engines and appear only to function within a gravity well capable of steering them, as the debris fragments are steered. It is a simple gamma ray cannon, and the blueness of the mist is in part a result of the braking radiation these devices emit.

They hang and glow like lanterns, and so they are named. It is fitting they guide you to the graveyards.

AKA-3 Grave Civilian Derelict: 15 Points
noticable xenotech presence as compared to military derelict
moderate threat level despite size
occasionally attempts suicide charges
salvage options limited to parts
15 (+0)
Engagement:
Frustratingly superior to their average incarnations, the AKA-3 is a broad range of civilian derelicts apparently being powered by a replacement Sphere. Civilian vessels are generally small enough to permit the sphere to use it's own ship to ship weaponry in addition to that which the vessel had already. Suggest detaching a fleet for the elimination of these civilian wrecks entirely.

Just as I saw warships, I saw freighters, transports, colony ships... and buried shallowly within each civilian derelict is a single Sphere, hooked to it in place of the hyperdrive like some sort of strange dark eye bored within a lidless skull. They are relentless, and will fight even when torn down to a lattice.

X-1 Flotsam Debris Fragment: 3 Points
kinetic kill vehicle
causes sensor ghosting and problematic firing solutions
ignore, focus attacks on interdiction matrix instead
theoretically will disperse outside of gravity
2 (+1 Active Defenses)
Engagement:
Frustrating amounts of debris fragments seem seem to follow strange orbitals, making them into projectiles as well as deflection bodies and fleetwide sensor chaff. It seems likely these fragments are being directed by another body, such as the interdiction matrix' gravity well, as suggested by the fract many are covered in the small atmospheric nanites.

Every ghost fleet seems to be accompanied by an equal mass of twisted hull fragments, and they seem to move unbidden by some alien will. When the soldiers came to save us great swarms of jagged metal projectiles drifted lazily before them, deflecting much of their retributive fire, and causing great harm

xenotech space hulk as viewed from nearby orbital body

===============================================
BEGIN LOG FILE - SOLDIER 173478
ENTRY 6
===============================================
Recon Soldier 173478, Gunthar Hundgurussan reporting on this glorious day of our risen sun a victory for the green bosom of Our Mother. Praise be our humanity, awesome be our burden.

Survivors Accounted for: 8
Soldiers Accounted for: 26
Many Missing, Presumed Alive

Upon attempting spaceflight, we were once again harried by debris fields and our ships were forced apart. Some were destroyed, but it is my estimation many took refuge in the xeno spacehulk along with our detachment, or descended to the planet once more. Unfortunately, we were attacked promptly upon landing by a pair of spheres. Few remain, and so I took my leave from the triage to make some scans of the surrounding system with my personal recon equipment. Though I worry that this will alert the Xenos to our presence, my life is less important than the tactical information I can procure while I await inevitable rescue.

Xeno Fleet Disposition

11 Military Derelicts (50) = 550
5 Interdiction Matrixes (50) = 250
31 Xenotech Weapon Platforms (20) = 620
7 Xenotech Pickets (25) = 125
4 Civilian Derelicts (15) = 60
173 Debris Clusters (3) = 519
13 Unidentified Objects (2) = 26

From these numbers it should be assumed that the Xenos have achieved a successful industrial capacity for offensive action. Advise first strike against Quaros before sector becomes lost to human control.
(+200 aggressor bonus)

Xeno Infrastructure Disposition

Confusing Barbarity: 50
Logistical Adaptability: 150
Salvage Economy: 300

===============================================
DATA FILE - ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT - SOLDIER 245267
"GEOMETRIC PRIMITIVES IN XENOTECH DESIGN"
===============================================
Combat Engineer 245267, Art Miskato reporting on this glorious day of our living mother a victory for the Empire of the Holy Sun and all her light may touch. Praise be our humanity, awesome be our burden.

The use of geometric primitives seems indicative of the xeno techlevel. Though most of their active equipment appears in bad repair, the spheres and other primitives reveal a great attention to function, and just little to form. Internal analysis also confirms suspicions of nonlocalized pisonic activity in Quaros Anomoly xenos.

The sphere itself contains little to no functional machinery whatsoever, and is primarily a braincase for a biological circutry hooked to a psionic amplifier network and a gravitic drive. The brain does not display any signs of intelligence, but it does display great amounts of psionic atrophy, demonstrating that it has been acted upon rather than acting on it's own accord. Disturbingly, this tissue seems human originated, but it allows us to make scientific analysis with a basis in the familiar. Spheres are unlikely to posess any actual intelligence whatsoever.

Quantek scans detected discrete psionic activity that did not halt with the destruction of the sphere, though without a functional amp the activity did not create much physical phenomena besides swirling of the smoke and small scale telekinesis. We lacked quantek weaponry to attack the disembodied phenomena, but I believe this to be an example of the half-transcended Quaros xenos that remain after Imperial exterimation. But without a smallscale intelligence such as a primitive brain or an unshielded computer, the xeno is unable to do more than twist mist. The discrete psionic entity did move off into orbit after following the batallion for a half hour flinging small debris and rattling the civilians. Direct engagement may be possible at a future date.

It is also theorized that these psionic entities are partly to explain the function of the unusual gravitic technology, which does not appear to operate properly in it's current configuration when not psionically activated--something the gray matter brain would have been unable to accomplish. Soldiers skilled in psionic technology were able to create mild gravitic phenomena with elements of the recovered corpse, and at one point caused the corpse to disappear. It was rediscovered after two hours of searching, leading to interesting theories about their movement pattens and abilities. I previously correctly interperted their angle of attack as the mathmatically least likely one.

Other primitives were located. Interdiction matrixes are created from pyramidal bodies that resemble pyramidal structures seen on Anak during civilian rescue operations. Rarely seen were cubes and rectangles, though one stumbled across planetside, half destroyed. Confusingly, it appeared hollow and completely black and nonreflective. Sensors could discern nothing of it, as the surface was completely absorptive. Samples were procured. I theorize these cube forms may be common, but difficult to detect. It is unknown if a functional cube would have optical camouflage.

=POWER LOW=

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2007-12-01 12:53am

===================================
Ships of the Kushawni Starfleet
===================================

“ Kushawni National Guard ” ((1050 Points))
Before the Collapse of Holy Terra, The Kushawni Province needed only a marginal home defense force. With only six planets in a small and compact sector of space, the CityMind calculated that heavy militarization was not needed, and only a small set of duel fleets would be sufficient to patrol the Province. If threats of a significant level ever presented themselves, the plan was for the National Guard to hold until Imperial help arrived. Unfortunately with the collapse of Terra, the Kushawni have found themselves woefully ill prepared for the oncoming storm.

“Tekonotron Class BattleShip” – 20 +5O = 25 x 4

Once the pride of the twin Kushawni Fleets, these ships seem woefully underpowered in the face of an angry and vicious galaxy. While not up to par with anything the Imperium once had, they can still hold their own against many large Capital ships.

“Benta Class BattleCruiser” - 15 +5H = 20 x 10

Built to flank the Battleships in combat, these ships we’re constructed to compliment the Battleships raw firepower with a high-speed weapon system. Far more meanvurable then larger ships, their can engage several small capital ships at once.

"Support Destroyer" - 10 +5D = 15 x 20

“Combat Destroyer" - 10 +5O = 15 x 20

The primary Escorts and patrol ships in the Kushawn Nationa Guard. They were constructed in two distinct types for either offensive or defensive actions. Support Destroyers have been constructed with additional layers of amour shielding and extensive redundancies and backup systems to maximize active life during combat. Mean while the ‘Combat Class’ Destroyer has an extensively upgraded weapon system including high powered long range forward Turbolasers.

"Sensors ship" - 10 +5C3 = 15 x 10

With the intense focus on trade and cargo ships going in and out of the Kushawni Province, smugglers and cloaked ships have always been a problem. Also illegal broadcasts for shady business deals have needed to be stamped out as well. To combat this, a standard Destroyer hull was retrofitted with advanced Electronics for both functions. As a result a Sensor ship is ideal for ferreting out cloaked ships, or jamming long range communications that don’t have explicate Kushawni authorization.

===================================
“The Imperial Kushawni Starforce” ((135 Points))
The Instant Terra was destroyed, everything changed. The CityMind knew it could no longer relay upon the Imperium for help from large threats and thus began a rapid and radical Militarization of it’s forces. It scraped designs for the current “National Guard” and drew up plans for a proper military that could go toe to toe with threats to it’s people. The result was a line of ships that looked radically different from what was currently in production. The new ships we’re design directly for Long range focused attacks. They would be cold and functional Wedge ships, designed to focus all fire upon a single target at any one time.
More so they would be including military technologies that would ordinarily be out of reach or specifically banned from small-scale systems. Now with the Imperium gone, exotic weapon systems we’re fare game.
However such a leap of Scale in production was not without a price. So far, only the Heaviest ships of this new production, the new Exelion class Battleships have been built.

Exelion Class Battleship - 38 +5O +2D = 45 x 3
Luxion Class Cruiser –30 +3O +2I = 35x0
Hexeon Class Destroyer. –20 +3D +2C3 =25x0
Durexion Class Corvette –5 +5H = 10x0

CityClass Trade Vessels ((270 Points))
Since the expansion of the Kushawni Province, the CityMind has been keen to create visible symbols of their business connections as well as wealth. Up until the collapse of the Imperium, many Titanic tradeships cruised the space as Avatars of the provinces wealth.

Bentuselion - 40 +10D +5H +5S = 60 x 1
The single largest ship in the Kushawni Starfleet. It was constructed to dwarf even the immense Tradeships of the province as the ultimate symbol of power and the Mobil ‘Avatar’ of the CityMind itself.

Tradeship – 30 +3D +2I= 35x 6
At the height of power in the Kushawni Province, the City mind decided to make a visible statement of the growing prominence of it’s System and the vast amount of trade goods passing in and out. Each of the primary star systems within the Kushawni Province along with the Capital of Teknotron itself, was commissioned to construct a titanic trading vessel to become both the public face of the Province fro the rest of the Imperium but also a symbol to show their strength and project their power through their systems.
At the height of the Provinces power under Imperium rule, more than a dozen of these ships lumbered elegantly across the systems. However, with the destruction of Terra, the immense cost of them could not longer simply be written off. More than half were sadly sent to scrap as the rest we’re, like the Bentusilion, put into drydock for militarization. After years in retrofitting, the once friendly and inviting harbors present a cold and stern line of defence for the Kushawni people.

===================================
“Civilian Conscripts” ((315 Points))
When Terra Collapsed, The CityMind looked for new ships everywhere it could. In this regard, it called for a public Conscription of any able bodied Tradeship that could be fitted with small, yet powerful military grade weapons. While even the larges of private cargo ships we’re ill equipped for military duty, the numbers of new ships have filled a vital roll in system Patrol and escort duties.
One down side has been the vast amount of different ships to work with, nd any sort of Standardization with them has long since been given up by the Military.
((A Note. Any self respecting Cargo Captain has their ship tweaked one way or the other, so far, most of those who have been conscripted all have highly enhanced HyperDrives))

Large Cargo ships – 5+1H x 25
Small Cargo ships – 3+1H x 40
“The NovaOutlaw” –4 +1H x 1
A small sub standard 80metre Cargoship that is piloted by the fearless ‘Genea Solwynn’ while categorized as a sub-escort, one must never underestimate its pilot or history.

===================================
BUSTER MACHINES ((220 Points))
With the advent in perfect Man/Machine interface, a new leap in military application was applied. Since embracing the mix between Man and Machine, more and more construct began to resemble Humanoid shapes. Indeed many standard machines, from construction equipment to military gear, became more humanoid and functional as people ‘Became’ those machines. The Pinnacle of these Humanoid machines came to be known as “Busters”. For Decades this name was given to any Humanoid warmachine that distinguished itself. However in the past 50 years, the CityMind drew up plans for a standardized ‘BusterMachine’. These machines we’re immensely more sophisticated then anything that came before them. Their ability to move across space at blinding speeds and come to asset the neddy in moments earned them a Heroic status amongst many of the Kushawni people.

ProductionLine BusterMachine:
06 +1O +1D +1H +1S= 10 x 17

Specialized Busters
BusterMachines have always been thought of as “Living Machines” and the oldest among them have indeed grown beyond their normal production standards. Adding components and in some cases completely overhauling their original structure. Of these, numbers 12, 14 and 8 are the most radically different.
BusterMachine #12
09 +1O +2D +2H +2S = 16 x 1
BusterMachine #14
10 +2O +2D +1H +2S = 17 x 1
BusterMachine #8
10 +2O +3D +1H +1S = 17 x 1

Thirdfain · Post by **Thirdfain** » 2007-12-06 02:39pm

The Internationale

Syndicalism is a popular ideology across the former Empire. Many of the Empire's integral states were oppressive, and even those which were not often exibited wide disparities between the rich and working poor. As a result, even before the war there were Syndicalist secret societies, and in some nations, open Syndicalist parties- some even had small shares of government. However, Syndicalism was explicitly anti-Empire. The First Syndicalist International established an ideology based around the concept of a "Trans-National Union For All Peoples." Nordkaldic syndicalists in particular saw it as their duty to promote revolution across the former Empire. The eventual goal is to bring about a world in which every nation is Syndicalist, united under the Internationale. Since the fall of the Empire, the Union of Nordkaldian Syndicates has made it it's policy to support every possible Syndicalist movement- this has been most successful in the neighboring states of Caliphon and Esperance, which experienced brief and bloody revolutions- in the case of Caliphon, with only minimal assistance from Kaldigrad, in the case of Esperance, with the direct and bloody intervention of Caliphoni and Nordkaldic forces.

Almost every nation in the former Empire has a Syndicalist underground of some sort, ranging from what ammount to little more than clubs of disgruntled students all the way up to fully functional, legal political parties. The recent successes of Syndicalism in the Kaldic region have lead to an upsurge of Syndicalist sentiment. However, not all Syndicalist movements trust the Syndicalist Internationale- some view it as a mere tool of Nordkaldian imperialism. However, many others have established contact with Kaldigrad, and the First Syndiclaist Internationale was attended by representitives from a dozen nations.

Beta Aquilae Concordat

Syndicalism in the Beta Aquilae Concordat was helped by the relatively libertine sensibilities of that advanced, wealthy nation. Where other states, such as pre-Revolution Nordkaldia, crushed Syndicalism ruthlessly, BETAC's Industrial sector allowed workers to join Syndicalist organizations and unions. However, the Concordat was also willing to play ball with Syndicalist bosses and often reached compromises as to wages and working conditions which kept workers from developing towards radicalism. This policy has been widely successful with the well-fed and free workers of the Concordat, something which has kept Betan syndicalists from turning towards Nordkaldia. However, the revolutionary Betan Anarchist-Syndicalist Federation sent representitives in secret to the First Internationale. This small, radical group enjoys only limited support from the greater Syndicalist population in the Concordat, much less across Transhuman society.

Betan Anarchist-Syndicalist Federation: 10 points

Academy Vanguard

The Imperial Academy of Science was the birthplace of modern Syndicalism- Weston Vries was an Imperial Academic, an economist ot be precise, whose realization of the fragility and inefficiency of the Imperial system lead him to write "The Prophecies of Sorel," known as the Black Book. Syndicalism is well known in Academy circles, and many of the Academics who backed the secret plot by Julius Vance against the Empire did so due to their Syndicalist ideology. However, the eventual goal of Syndicalism is quite different from that of the Academy Vanguard, and as time passes, more and more Syndicalist supporters of the Vanguard have begun to whisper that the time for further revolution is at hand. Vance knew the risks of bringing Syndicalists into his plot, however, and has taken steps to keep tabs on Syndicalist sentiment within the Academy. Former Provost of the Mars Academy of Philosophy Genji Murasake is the Academy's leading Syndicalist, and a minister of some influence within the Vanguard. His contact with Kaldigrad has been limited. Of greater concern to Vance is the Scholastic Union, a group of young academics who have been observed by internal security forces organizing unions in the recently conquered Vanguard provinces. Two of those groups, the Wellon Fraternity and the Worker's Revolutionary Front, sent representitives to the First Internationale.

Wellon Fraternity, Worker's Revolutionary Front:
Worker's groups, supported and organized with help from the Scholastic Union: 20 points

Scholastic Union:
A secret organization of Syndicalist students which has, since the fall of the Empire and the establishment of the Vanguard, come into the fore; widely known in the Vanguard: 10 points

Murasake Faction:
Syndicalist leaders in the Vanguard government, currently allied closely with Vance, but with some influence: 10 points

Grand Duchy of Malacaster

The unsuccessful Malacastran peasant uprising was the spark which set off the general Syndicalist uprising in the Nordkaldic region. Its eventual defeat was less important than the fact that it proved that without Imperial support, the constituent states were vulnerable to the wrath of the proletariat. The establishment of the Internationale as an independent force has lead to a growing movement aimed at supporting Malacastran leftist groups- Malacaster is, even now, an important symbol of the Revolution. Within Malacaster, however, the nobility and the Duke have succeeded in establishing a stable and prosperous state, pushing the original rebel groups into the periphery of society. The Internationale has made it it's business to reverse that frightening trend. The Republicans sent representitives to the First International, and insidious Syndicalist agents have infiltrated even the mainstream leftist parties in Malacaster.

The Republicans: Violent, anti-government militias and politicians, along with a number of worker's guilds and combines associated with Republicanism: 15 points

Malacastran Republican Militia: Group of warships sent by the Syndicalist Internationale to assist the Republicans. Mixed crews of Malacastrans with 'advisors' from the Internationale filling many important positions.

2 "Shenanon go Brach"-class Fleet Tenders(15 pts each)
6 "Jonas Rijksworth"-class Protected Cruisers (12 pts each)
6 "Eternally Vigilant are the Defenders of the Revolution"-class Scout Cruisers (8 pts each)
2 "Inimical"-class Interdiction Pickets (4 pts each)
4 "Comrade-Lieutenant Rikenbacher"-class Destroyers (5 pts each)
11 "Light Against Ignorance"-class Fleet Pickets (2 pts each)
-200 points total (Aggressor Points)

Makay

The conquest of Makay by insidious mind-control aliens went unnoticed by the rest of the galaxy at large. The nature of Chamarran occupation is such that resistance is sporadic and limited, particularly in the big cities and on inhospitable worlds where the population is concentrated in small areas and easily quashed through hypnotism. However, prior to the Chamarran invasion, Syndicalist uprisings had taken place on a number of Makayan worlds- some of the last news from Makay was of violence in the streets, strikes, and even rumors of defections in the army. This has lead many to believe that Makay's recent silence on the Sphere is due to an ongoing internal civil war.

The hideous truth of the matter has so far gone un-noticed. The Chamarran mind-control snuffed out the Syndicalist forces in the cities and major factor complexes- Caldera, which had been the center of Makayan Syndicalism, ceased to be a problem overnight.

On Godwin's Hope and Teldus, Syndicalist guerillas had quit the populated cities, and were engaged in low-intensity warfare in support of the urban unions. These groups, along with small numbers of lucky refugees and a handful of surviving Makayan government troops, continue the struggle. The Makayan National Liberation Army is a hodgepodge of groups, Syndicalist only in that Syndicalists make up the majority of their fighters- many are staunch nationalists, or even government forces who were fighting the uprising right up to the invasion itself.

Makayan National Liberation Army: Poorly equipped guerilla fighters, constantly faced with the threat of discovery, destruction, and mind-control. Countless members have been captured or killed, but a strict cell system and the diffusion of the troops into the wilds have allowed the Resistance to continue to fight: 30 points

The Stockpile: In preparation for a major civil war with the intent of turning Makay into a Syndicalist state, the old liberation army managed to purchase and steal a small number of civilian asteroid mining devices- 15 20-kiloton bombs. This fact was not known to the Makayan government, and may not be known to the Chamarrans today. The weapons are hidden out in the forests of Godwin's Hope: 15 points

The Metallkonige

Among the Metallkonige, there are Ruckers and there are Faans. The line between the two is fluid and ever-changing, but the simple fact of the matter is that most people rate are mere faans, and only the exceptional make it to the halllowed halls of the Ruckers. For the vast majority, however, the religion of the Awesome is a source of contentment- a powerful opiate to which the masses addict themselves wholeheartedly; made more attractive by the fact that among the Ruckers, the myth of social mobility has more than a grain of truth.

Like all societies, the Metallkonige are not perfect.

The life of a Faan is brutal. Those who are unambitious, stupid, or just plain unlucky, are doomed to a life of servitude and poverty (in comparison to the high halls of the Ruckers.) The Konig system, effectively one of meritocracy, disenfrachises many and relies upon the highly effective tool of religion to control those left in the gutter- helped immensely by the very real effects of the Awesome.

Like all societies, the Metallkonige have their dissidents.

The Little Black Book was never popular outside of the Empire. Syndicalism was tailored specifically for the situation of those within a centralized miltary/industrial complex; a description which has not fit the Metallkonig since the early days of the Kaldic diaspora. However, influenced by Syndicalist ideology, a movement has slowly risen from the bottom of Konig society. Impoverished Faans have grasped the idea that social worth is not tied only to power and influence; and that even those who do not Ruck can be Awesome. This belief has given rise to a small but growing movement in Konig society that believes it is possible for one to gain access to the gifts of Awesome independent of being a Rucker. This belief has planted it's roots among the lower classes, promising success and awesome outside of the hideously competitive and violent lifestyle of the Ruckers. Even Gropais have caught on to the idea, to the delight of the few Syndicalist elements who have managed to infiltrate Konig society.

There is only one problem with the Independents as a faction of the Internationale- the actual truth of the Awesome. Those rare few Independents who manage to be Awesome without Rucking gain access to the powers reserved only for the highest among the Konig. Former figureheads of the Independent movement against the Ruckers have become Ruckers, most famously in the form of Stroke, and the Almost Giant- two Faans who, almost overnight, gained control of the power of the Awesome and became, in the eyes of mainstream barbarian society, Ruckers. These "Indy Ruckers" are a new and growing force in Konig society, completely loyal to the throne and anathema to the rest of the Independent movement.

The Independents: Faans who secretly meet and discuss alternate methods of Rucking. Not associated with the Internationale; but aligned against the current social order and in opposition to the Tsar:15 points.

Humanist Union

Syndicalism was a divided ideology in the Humanist Union. Many Syndicalists sided with the Progressive movement, famously in the form of the Urban Brigades, militias formed from union members who provided a significant percentage of the Progressive's manpower, bolstering the thinly stretched professional forces. However, the aftermath of the revolution left Syndicalists embittered. Rather than freedom and plenty, they were faced with starvation and harsh rationing. Moreover, the Humanist Union, rather than pulling away from the Empire, seemed to redouble it's efforts as an Imperial client state. In many ways, Father's totalitarian government was less democratic than the preceding one. Social programs were limited to the distribution of cybernetic/genetic enhancements- to "those who proved deserving.". Working stiffs were often at the bottom of the lists, and many found themselves in a new society which seemed to be even more class stratified before- the cybered at the top, the "primates" at the bottom. Though some were granted Father's gifts, it was often seen as betrayal. Famously, wartime Brigade leader and respected union head Eloise Demarche lead a number of strikes against Father's government and championed the worker's cause. After promising limited concessions to the government, she was granted enhancement. Soon after, she became little more than a mouthpiece for Father's government.

Today, the Syndicalists in the Humanist Union are an embittered, dangerous minority. Their public faces are, as always, the worker's unions, which still exist legally. The underground Third Path organization is the militant arm of Humanist Syndicalism; their bombings appear in the news every few months. Communism is also popular, though it is an ancient belief, it gained a great deal of legitimacy among liberals who opposed the Progressive platrom and were uncomfortable with the initial Syndicalist alliance with the Progressive cause.

The 135 Loyal Syndicates of the Humanist Union: Legal worker's unions which often agitate for improved social programs and working conditions, the 135 Loyal Syndicates contain many ordinary workers who just want better wages and are loyal to the government; however, some are sympathetic to the Third Path, and most are at least a little discontent with the current state of the Union: 20 points.

The Khan Soviets: Communism is still popular in the Union; if the Syndicalists were disconent with the results of the Progressive revolution, the Communists were positively livid. Despite lacking the support of International Syndicalism, the Khan Soviets are stringent opponents of Father's government who hold disdain for the semi-approved Syndicalists and utter hatred for the government: 20 points

Third Path: A Communo-Syndicalist organization which harshly opposes Father, the Third Path often organizes pan-worker actions, as well as sabotage and bombings. The Third Path is in active contact with the Syndicalist International: 10 points

The Syndicalist Powers

Key:
Large Squares, Numbered: Major and important worlds in the Syndicalist sphere.
1: Kaldigrad (20 pts): The center of the Syndicalist alliance. Kaldigrad was the old center of the Nordkaldic Kingdom and hosted an important Imperial shipyard and fleet-base. The planet itself is densely inhabited and contains the Council of the High Syndicates.
(2 1-point Minor worlds in-system)
2: Vervunstok (10 pts): Kaldigrad had the primary Imperial shipyards and the Imperial fleet base; Vervunstok was the site of the primary fleet base of the old Royal Navy. Today, it is also the site of the headquarters of the Nordkaldian Naval Militia Union, though central command for all the Syndicates is at Kaldigrad.
(2 4-point Medium worlds also in-system, as well as Vervunstok's moon, a 1-point Minor world)
3. Caliphon (10 pts): The capital of the Commune of Caliphon.
(1 4-point medium world also in-system)
4. Esperance (10 points): The capital of the Esperansic Social Republic.
(1 4-point Medium world and 1 1-point Minor world also in-system)
Circles: (4 points) Medium worlds of average population with modest defenses. 4 points each. There are 8; not counting those in the primary systems.
Small Squares (1 point): Minor colonies and border worlds with small populations and weak defenses; 8 besides those in other systems.
Total- 100 points

The Naval Militia Union

The Syndicalist International's fleet is organized along Syndicalist principles- it is essentially a hierarchy of soldier's unions. At the lowest level are ship unions, which encompass the crew of a single vessel. Above them are a variety of national Naval Unions. Each of the three current nations of the Syndicalist International has a highest-level Union, representing the entire fleet of that nation. These three unions are subordinate to the recently established International Naval Militia Union, which consists of representitives from the high commands of Nordkaldia, Caliphon, and Esperance.

Nordkaldic Naval Militia Union:

The largest and most powerful of the three forces which make up the INMU, the Nordkaldic Naval Militia Union was formed the day after the Great Strike. When the Lord Admiral Speigel-Lutzen was ordered to land marines in support of Royalist forces, a group of junior officers executed Admiral Grafis and the ship's captain. Syndicalism was highly popular among ship's crews and marines, who were very poorly treated by the Royal government, and among young officers, who saw Syndicalism as a route to personal advancement. As a result, the Nordkaldic Naval Militia Union's leadership consists of a hodgepodge of upper-class liberal officers and recently "promoted" Union bosses from groups of ship's ratings and marines. This organization also contains a number of old guard officers who were released from prison or spared execution due to the necessity of establishing a general staff.

Caliphoni Naval Militia Union:

This organization was established shortly following the successful revolution on Kaldigrad, when the Caliphoni 13th Squadron defected en masse, officers and all, rather than opening fire on Syndicalist mobs. Caliphon was far more liberal than Nordkaldia, and as a result, many of it's higher officers were willing to side with the strikers against what they saw as unconstitional orders from the increasingly violent and panicked Caliphoni government. Though organized along similar lines to the Nordkaldic forces, Caliphon's navy lost fewer higher officers and is the closest of all the Militia Unions to a traditional force- there is even a Shipmaster's Union, consisting of predominantly upper-class captains and base commanders.

People's Republican Navy

The navy of the Esperansic Social Republic sided almost exclusively with the government, seeing Esperance's syndicalist uprising as a foreign invasion- an assessment with more than a little founding in fact. Most of the anemic Esperansic navy was destroyed by Caliphoni and Nordkaldic ships; a few others were taken by local syndicalists or crew uprisings. Only one Esperansic naval base fell without heavy fighting. As a result, Esperance's People's Navy is plagued by inexperienced crews and a weak, inexperienced officer corps, supplemented heavily by Caliphoni and Nordkaldic officers.

Capital Warships

6 "The Triumph of Masterless Men"-class Armoured Cruisers (50 points each)
Values: 25+10O+10D+5R
(The Triumph of Masterless Men, Monarchs and Fascists Fear the Revolution, Long March, The Independent Will of the Working Class, All Workers Marching to Victory, Sundered Crown)

These very large heavy cruisers were previously Lord Admiral Spiegel-Lutzen-class vessels in the old Nordkaldian Royal Navy. Though older designs, these large and powerful ships have been upgraded with more modern fittings and electronics suites and are some of the more powerful warships in space. This class carries a large missile armament, and prefers to fight other capital ships at a distance

8 "Merciless Punishment for Class Traitors"-class Battleships (25 pts each)
Values: 17+4C3+4D

(Merciless Punishment for Class Traitors, Constant Struggle, Anne Katrin Vervunstok, A Living Wage for All Workers, Arabenz Mikel, Chainbreaker, Syracuse, The Red and Black Flown High.)

These pre-revolution small battleships were the pride of the Royal Nordkaldian warship-building business. A number of vessels of this class were sold to Caliphon and Esperance before the revolutions, only to be re-absorbed into the Nordkaldian sphere when their nations fell to Syndicalist revolts. Though well armed and armoured, the "Merciless" class of battleship has weak engines and is actually fairly small, smaller significantly than a "Triumph" armoured cruiser. Naval Militia doctorine has turned to a more mobile form of warfare based around cruisers, so these warships are being left behind by modern Nordkaldian tactics.

3 "Chairman Istvan D'Armitage"-class Battleships (45 points each)
Values: 35+10D
(Chairman Istvan D'Armitage, Union Secretary Alan Wyckz.)

These two craft were ordered for the Caliphoni Navy from a near- Earth major shipyard. They were delivered for trials when the Revoution came, and were finished later by Syndicalist groups with local components. These large, fast battleships are the most powerful ships in any of the Naval Militia Unions, though they are somewhat slower and smaller than "Triumph" armoured cruisers. However, components are expensive, and many need to be imported to this day, so repairs and maintenance costs are high for the "Chairman" class.

15 "The Soaring Grace of Freedom"-class Armoured Cruisers (20 pts each)
Values: 10+8O+1R+1C3
((The Soaring Grace of Freedom, St. Pyotr's Day Massacre, The Spirit of 9230, Vengeful Masses, Cascade, Wellon Karbist, Riotous Celebration of Victory, Irrepressible, Death to the Reactionary Pigs, Kasimir Garund, Hornet, Merciless, Assiduous, Light of Civilization, Comrade-Admiral Innsbruck.)

The "Freedom" class of armoured cruiser is the most modern class of Syndicalist capital ship. Built recently post-Revolution, the "Freedom" emphasizes economy and ease of manufacture rather than firepower or defenses. The "Freedom" is one of the weakest vessels to be classified a capital ship, and it's usage reflects the "jeune ecole" which dictates modern Syndicalist doctorines- it is fast and armed with missile batteries which provide a fairly weak but quite long-ranged punch.

Medium Warships

4 "International Character of Class Warfare"-class Assault Carrier, Support (15 pts each)
Values: 5+5B+5C3

The "International"-class of cisorbital assault carriers represented the cream of the old Nordkaldic Royal Marine Corps' amphibious capability as well as space combat capability. These ships, traditionally operated by the Marines, carry large contingents of troops, and use their advanced C3I suites to provide support for both fleet and ground actions.

10 "89,240 Martyrs of the 9228 Massacre"-class Assault Carrier, Support(10 pts each)
2+2B+6C3

The "Massacre"-class cisorbital assault carrier is a cheaply built smaller vessel, capable of carrying only a little less than half the landing capacity of the larger "International"-class. The "Massacre" also mounts significant command, control, and intelligence facilities for the co-ordination of assaults. "Massacres" are the most recently designed and launched Syndicalist CVS's, and are present in all the Militia Unions.

8 "Shipwright's Strike of 9223"-class Protected Cruisers (15 pts each)
10+2O+1C3+1FTL

The "Strike"-class of protected cruisers are light, swift vessels, unencumbered by heavy armour and equipped almost entirely with long-range missile batteries. This class actually consists of a number of similatly equipped and designed ships from the old, pre-revolution navies of Nordkaldia, Esperance, and Caliphon, and is expected to act as a scout, raider, and battlefleet escort.

14 "Jonas Rijksworth"-class Protected Cruisers (10 pts each)
Value: 10+2FTL+2D

The "Jonas Rijksworth"-class is a budget version of the larger and more lavishly equipped "Strike" class of protected cruiser, designed to be rapidly manufactured by the post-revolution Syndicalist governments. The "Jonas Rijksworth" is a single class with interchangable parts, unlike the myriad of similar vessels which preceded it.

14 "Eternally Vigilant are the Defenders of the Revolution"-class Scout Cruisers (8 pts each)
Values: 2+1H+4C3+1S

These small cruisers are lightly armed and equipped, being designed almost solely as patrol and picket vessels. "Vigilants" have extensive fuel and supply stores for long patrols, as well as improved sensors and some rudimentary stealth systems.

Small Warships

45 "Light Against Ignorance"-class Fleet Pickets (1+1C3)

20 "Inimical"-class Interdiction Pickets(2+1I+1C3)

20 "Roaring Cannon"-class Destroyers(3+1D+2C3)

24 "Comrade-Lieutenant Rikenbacher"-class Destroyers(2+2O+1C3)

20 "Inestimable"-class Frigates(2+1D+1C3)

Total:
Capital:32 ships
6x50 "Triumph of Masterless Men" CA
8x25 "Merciless Punishment for Class Traitiors" BB
3x45 "Chairman Istvan D'armitage" BB
15x20 "The Soaring Grace of Freedom" CA
Capship Total Points: 935
Medium: 50 ships
4x15 "International Character of Class Warfare" CVS
10x10 "89,240 Martyrs of the 9228 Massacre" CVS
8x15 "Shipwright's Strike of 9223" CP
14x12 "Jonas Rijksworth" CP
14x8 "Eternally Vigilant are the Defenders of the Revolution" CS
Medium Total Points: 560
Light: 129 ships
44x2 "Light Against Ignorance" PFG
20x4 "Inimical" PI
20x6 "Roaring Cannon" DDG
24x5 "Comrade-Lieutenant Rikenbacher" DDG
18x4 "Inestimable" FF
Light Total Points: 495
Fleet
Fleet Total Ships:205
Fleet Total Points: 1987

National Points:
200 pts: Assorted Syndicates All Over (too be expanded upon)
150 pts: Planetary Sensor Networks
100 pts: Planetary Jammers
50 pts: Intelligence[/img]

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2007-12-18 03:31pm

Enclave Expeditionary Force Epsilon.

As of this recording, the Expedition can be decreed an unqualified failure. While we found Earth, it has been destroyed. Our fleet is in ruins. We struggle, now, simply to survive, violating deployment protocol and all other rules to last a few moments longer. The Cityship Aphrodite has been secured and is Gaiaforming a world. The fleet is in defensive posture, and we have resources enough to begin long-term repairs of the hulks. I have done what I could. Send aid.. Please.

- Final Log Entry of Legatus Legionis Bjorn Tiberius, Leader of the Expedition To Earth. He was found in full dress uniform, having shot himself.

The Enclave remains a mystery, for the most part, too distinct and too strange to truly comprehend. Yet the tiny fragment of it now among the Milky Way and the former Empire is understandable: Driven now by oaths and grief, despair and desperation, they seek to hold their own surrounded by foes. They control planets with almost tyrannical absolutism, but protect those on them until the last Legionnaire is killed.

Discipline is the only thing holding the Enclave together anymore. Endlessly drilled to military perfection, it is the sole refuge from the horrors they have seen.. And inflicted.

Racial Bonuses: Supreme Shipbuilders, 500 points. An Enclave warship can obliterate it's equal in weight or classification without difficulty. Even their smaller vessels are deadly. The sole upside is that they are few in number.

Planets:

Nova Reme: Formerly the Cityship Aphrodite, this city sits on a volcanically active world normally considered at the far end of habitability. For the Enclave it's a normal colony world. 10 points.

Hephaetus, Fleet Foundry Station: The only fragment of Enclave industrial science in the former Empire, sitting within a heavy debris field. It constantly manufactures supplies, munitions, parts, and other materials needed. 10 points.

Canamix 3, Agriworld: The breadbasket of the Enclave's outposts, a civilian world that surrendered during the Last War. A constant source of headaches for the Enclave's colonial officers. Strikes are common. 10 points.

Scattered mining outposts and farming satellites: 2 pts each, 35 sites, 70 pts in total.

Fleet:

The battle is joined, and we proceed with the plan. The Ares has foolishly exposed herself to my cruisers. We will be victorious within the hour. - Last Transmission of Fleet Lord Alberto Gavant, Sol Home Fleet.

Olympian-class Battleship, Ares. The flagship following the destruction of the Battlefortress Dominus. An unrivaled vessel of incredible power, well-balanced for all the duties it might have to endure. 1x 100 points.

Of course we surrendered without a fight! Those cruisers were tearing battleships in half! And it was a damn better treatment for a prisoner of war than I'm getting here at home! - From the debriefing transcript of an unnamed fleet officer captured in the Battle Of Wolf 359.

Asgardian-class Cruisers. Capable of operating indepedently or commanding a fleet, Asgardians are as well known for their apparent battlefield omniscience as they are for their devastating volley fire. They sport massive arrays of advanced communications and sensor arrays, capable of sniffing out trouble and coordinating fire. 70+10C3 x 5.

They will come in multitudes, they will come in hordes, they will burn the land and boil the seas. In their wake, we shall be free at last. - Prophecy uncovered on a now-dead Imperial military outpost, following it's destruction.

Gladius-class Light Cruisers. Deceptively strong for their small size, a Gladius stands equal to the heaviest vessels of most navies. These fast ships theoretically operate as screens for Asgardians and Olympians. Since the war, they now operate independently, few in number and unable to muster into their traditional role. 50 x 10.

I'm reading multiple contacts on closing vectors.. Unknown profiles, no recignition codes... Uh.. They're not ours. - Sensor officer of the border fleet making first contact with an Enclave starfighter patrol.

Enclave Assault Space Wing. A mixed wing of fighters, bombers, sensor craft, and other fighter-scale craft, a Space Wing is capable of ranging far from it's base or carrier, carrying out strikes with terrifying precision. Massed against an enemy, they can be in and out before most fleets realize they're there. The Legio Aetherus are utterly fearless following the failure of the mission; they now seek only to capture territory and burn the opposition. 20 x 10

Those sensors readings must be spoofed. No one would send unprotected tanks through space to launch an assault. - Commander Calidan, Agriworld Of Canamix.

Legio Oblivion. The last tattered remnants of the Enclave's siege ground warriors, the Oblivion is aptly named. Having lost everything to the war, even their comrades, they have rallied together and now utilize their hyper-pods to send their Palisades towards new worlds with a simple ultimatum: Surrender or be cleansed with holy fire. 10+10B x 10

What do you mean it's gone?! I promised the Admiral he would have an intact Enclave hull! - Anonymous Pirate Lord.

Enclave Space Tug. Working overtime now to restore ships lost in the war, the Tug now pulls double-duty as a last-line defender of worlds, having just enough throughput to endanger frigates. 5 x 120

Fleet points: 2000.
Maintenence: 400
Production income: 600.

Tanasinn · Post by **Tanasinn** » 2008-02-25 10:24pm

OOC: This will be updated periodically. It's mostly flavor text.

The Humanist Union
(cont.)

Map

Politics, Political Parties, and Political Warfare

The Humanist Union, despite its common face, is a nation of many vying political ideals and parties of various powers, all seeking control in the lower government and influence on the higher government headed by Father and his advisors. There are no explicitly banned parties or ideologies in the Union, but leaders of controversial or subversive ideologies such as theism or monarchism tend to frequently find themselves in legal trouble under the nebulous "anti-human individual" laws. Political "warfare," such that it is, is typically seen as a screaming match between various believers. In reality, however, violence motivated solely by political ideology is quite common in the Union.

Specific Political Ideologies and Parties

New Humanism
The New Humanist Progressive Party (NHPP) is the current dominant party in both the higher and most lower governments. Its ideals were the ones pushed by the so-called Progressives during the Union Civil War, and its ideals are the only ones officially endorsed and backed by the higher government. New humanism, as an ideology, endorses a system of constant expansion and species-wide improvement for the human race, placing the survival of humankind at the peak of ideological importance and railing against things held to be degenerative, such as religion. New Humanists hold all of mankind as their brothers and sisters foremost. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, new humanism endorses a system of meritocratic rule in any human institution, with the individual of the highest merit serving as an absolute ruler and judicator. This particular facet can sometimes clash with the "species brotherhood" facet, and the proper balance is a constant issue of debate among party leaders. New humanists generally believe that multi-nationality is anti-human, and tend to favor actions that unite nations under one banner, through diplomacy where possible and violence where not. New humanism is particularly hostile towards alien life and "full" artificial intelligence: both, as seperate entities that wish to preserve themselves and maximize their comfort, are seen as imminent threats to the survival of humanity.

Theism
Not a specific ideology or party per se, theists tend to be lumped together based on some of their common principals and because of their individual political irrelevance. Indeed, many seperate theistic factions, when not busy killing each other or denouncing one anothers' prophets, band together to attempt to influence politics in ways that broadly favor them. Theists, as a whole, tend to believe in a Divine Creator who is typically held as omnipotent, omniscient, and occasionally omnibenevolent. Theists believe that all nations should be built to serve laws set down by this diety, typically through holy scripture or prophets as interpreted by religious scholars. It is characteristic of theists blame large disasters (such as plagues, famine, terrorist attacks, etc.) on the spruning of the Divine Creator. The main draw of theism is its promise of life after death: almost all religions offer the faithful eternal life in happiness while promising eternal suffering for non-believers and the wicked. Individual religions in the Union include the official earth-worship of the Empire, Second Christianity, Holy Islam, and Modern Buddhism, one of the few religions with no gods. While no two religions are exactly alike, they tend to hold beliefs that promote brotherhood crossing even species. Communists in particular distrust common religion, seeing it as a tool of control manipulated by the elite or would-be elite. Humanists, with their emphasis on rationality, tend to view religion as a mental illness.

Democracy
Democracy comes in a myriad of shapes and sizes that puts even theism to shame, but tends to be united under one key principal: rule by the majority. This belief can appear in other political ideologies (such as communism or even in new humanism), but is central to democratic ideology. Democracy has wide appeal in the Humanist Union, and the lower government is shaped largely by it, with citizens voting for reperesentatives who then on policies important to those that put them in power. Democracy is seen as a way to control the sort of cronyism that sprouts up in lower governments where figures are appointed by higher figures only: a politician answerable to his voters is a politician who must continue to prove his merit. In order to prevent political apathy from lessening this advantage, all Union citizens are required by law to vote and are encouraged throughout their lives to be "active" citizens who follow and understand what their representatives are up to. The face of democracy in the Union comes from two primary parties: the Democratic and National Representation parties. The former favor replacing the Union's absolute leader with a regularly-elected figure, while the latter advocate that absolute leaders be abolished entirely in favor of a council of high representatives. The Communist Party, with its belief in direct democracy, is sometimes called the "third party."

Monarchism
Monarchism is one of the more bizarre political ideologies in the Union, and is considered by many to be the bastard relative of theism and new humanism. Monarchism supports the idea of an absolute ruler, to be succeeded by his or her most able offspring. Monarchists tend to believe that a leader is "more" than human and afford him or her a religious significance that disallows for disrespect or rebellion. Monarchs are thought to "appoint themselves" by monarchist thinkers, and these individuals are held to be prime examples of humanity who will produce prime examples of humanity to continue a nation's rule through careful breeding. Monarchists tend to emphasize the importance of the ruler's will over merit when it comes to governance and the appointing of government officials, and this is considered particularly anti-human by the New Humanist Party. There are many minor pseudo-parties that advocate monarchism, but most are individuals who held the Emperor to be of particular importance.

Syndicalism
As cited from Thirdfain:

Syndicalism is a popular ideology across the former Empire. Many of the Empire's integral states were oppressive, and even those which were not often exibited wide disparities between the rich and working poor. As a result, even before the war there were Syndicalist secret societies, and in some nations, open Syndicalist parties- some even had small shares of government. However, Syndicalism was explicitly anti-Empire. The First Syndicalist International established an ideology based around the concept of a "Trans-National Union For All Peoples." Nordkaldic syndicalists in particular saw it as their duty to promote revolution across the former Empire. The eventual goal is to bring about a world in which every nation is Syndicalist, united under the Internationale. Since the fall of the Empire, the Union of Nordkaldian Syndicates has made it it's policy to support every possible Syndicalist movement- this has been most successful in the neighboring states of Caliphon and Esperance, which experienced brief and bloody revolutions- in the case of Caliphon, with only minimal assistance from Kaldigrad, in the case of Esperance, with the direct and bloody intervention of Caliphoni and Nordkaldic forces.

Syndicalism has both public and private faces in the Humanist Union, and radical Syndicalists of the Third Path are one of the most active sources of terrorism within the Union. Official Syndicalist Party influence in government has suffered as a result of this terrorism, and the ideology as a whole is often considered the more unpleasant, violent brother of communism. New Humanist ideologies on species brotherhood, combined with the actions of pro-syndicalist fighters in the Union Civil War, have stalled any real attempt to quash the party and ideology.

Communism
Often thought of as syndicalism's bigger and less volatile brother, communism. Communism typically promotes a classless society wherein means of production (and indeed, the country) are controlled by citizens at large. Modern communists usually advocate direct democracy in the ruling of a nation. Communism and the Communist Party has had a great deal of presence in Humanist Union politics. Along with syndicalists and some socialists, sommunists frequently rallied with the New Humanist Progressives against a common foe (corrupt, plutocratic businessmen and politicians) with common goals (the advancement of the people as a whole, reward fitting of effort). Communists today are somewhat at odds with the New Humanists, who tolerate capitalism and allow for inequality based on individual merit. This rubs many communists in the wrong way: so go as far to insist that it merely establishes a plutocracy in disguise. While Communist Party politicians get the occasional representative in the lower government, general sentiment concerning communism is that it is unworkable at a national scale, perhaps by human nature. The rife corruption that plagued many "communist" nations throughout history does not help this. There are some radical communists within the Union, and they are often known to work along the same line as (if not always in coordination with) Syndicalists of the Third Path.

Socialism
Socialism is a somewhat nebulous group of ideologies united under the belief that a nation's wealth, property, and resources should (to some degree) be distributed or controlled by the citizens through the government. Unlike democracy, whose adherents cover a wide spectrum of economic beliefs, socialists almost universally distrust or despise "free" markets, which they feel are easily corruptable by the rich, ultimately transforming a nation into a de facto plutocracy. Socialists often favor any variety of forms of democracy, and tend to agree strongly with the new humanist ideal of social reward based on merit. Time and comraderie has caused the Socialist and New Humanist Progressive parties to grow very close together: the modern Socialist Party tends to follow the NHPP on most issues, occasionally demurring on issues such as hostility towards non-human sapients or objecting to Petrov's status as a de facto dictator. Socialists tend to be at least sympathetic of Syndicalists and Communists.

Terrestrial Military Vehicles

Air

AH-120 Raven
The AH-120 is the primary attack helicopter employed by the Humanist Union's terrestrial militaries. Advances in material science allow it to not only carry a great deal of weaponry, but also to carry a modest troop complement and be somewhat stealthy, making it highly flexible in a variety of situations. AH-120s are heavily armored for helicopters: even the cockpit possesses retractable plating. This, combined with a belly-mounted AMS laser, allow the AH-120 to operate in some of the most dangerous of modern battlefields with relative safety. The AH-120 has a crew of two posthumans: a pilot/navigator and gunner. The troop bay has a capacity of eight Union Guard troopers and is guarded by a lightweight machine gun slaved to the gunner's interface. It is a frequent practice for AH-120s to use their heavy ordinance to extract or insert squads of infantry in highly sensitive areas. Two primary variants of the AH-120 exist: the AH-120-A mounts a light autocannon, four smart rocket pods, and paired light cannon pods, while the AH-120-B trades out the nose-mounted light autocannon for an expensive, high-powered railgun with a limited arc of movement. AH-120s see a great deal of use in highly mobile warfare against terrorists and insurgents, where they can maximize the benefits of their design.

Ohma · Post by **Ohma** » 2008-03-29 02:51pm

Okay well I'm not finished with the mechanics for my faction yet, but I've got the first bit of fluff for my faction's back story.

The Stellar Dominatrixiat

Part 1: Aftermath
It had been two weeks since that day, but to her it felt like only hours had passed. She knew that thinking about what had happened to lead up to this could only bring her pain. She knew that many of the women they had lost since that day had been trapped in the past, just as she was now. But try as she might, her memories would not leave her, she-

There was a knock at the bulkhead door.

Acting mission commander Amal Xi tensed for a moment, quietly stood and cracked open the door. She untensed. It was Dama.

"Permission to enter?"

Amal nodded, adding a quiet "yes, granted", as she opened the door to the control room wide.

Dama moved to the table in the center of the room, set her floppy on it, and turned to face her commander.

"The damage is much worse than we first thought."

Something clicked in her mind, in an instant, Amal straightened. "Can the engines be brought back online?"

"Yes, but it'll take longer than we have with my current crew. I think we're going to have to revive the rest of the crew."

"Fuck. I'd hoped we could wait to tell any of the sleepers about this."

A shadow passed over both women.

"...There is something else."

Amal closed her eyes.

"Yes?"

"My people found the ship's log entry for when we were hit."

"Did something else get destroyed?"

"Yes, our atomic clock apparently, because according to the logs we got hit about two years out of Sol."

It took a moment for that to sink in. "...So how long have we really been going without the main engines?"

"They aren't sure yet. ...Probably over a thousand years though."

"Fuck"

The two women suddenly felt very alone.

**********
There were several colony ships never accounted for from the first wave of colonization from Sol. The Imperium was unwilling to spend the resources necessary to scour deep space around Sol for them so long as more pressing matters were at hand, and any civilian effort was hampered by the sheer cost in time, equipment, and personnel such endeavors require.

One such lost vessel was the colony ship "Asherah". The Asherah was launched from Sol with a full complement of 200,000 colonists and crew, on a nearly 300 year long journey to the star G-23984. However when an Imperial survey vessel arrived in the system around 400 years after the Ashera's launch, no trace of the ship, or human habitation on the system's sole habitable planet were found. The system was marked off on imperial charts as low desirability, and the Asherah later marked as "missing, presumed lost".

In truth, the Asherah was still en route to its destination. Roughly two years after its departure from Sol, the Asherah was hit by a cloud of meteorites, severely damaging its primary engine assembly and much of its external instrumentation. The onboard computers initiated an emergency shutdown of the primary engines, and attempted to revive the Asherah's mission critical crew. However a small group of colonists and crew had altered the computer's cryogenics protocols before launch. As a result, a partial revival process triggered for the majority of the mission's male crew and colonists (resulting in their deaths), and the Asherah was left to continue to its destination using inertia and maneuvering thrusters alone.

When the Asherah finally neared G-23984, the second part of the conspirator's program activated, reviving the remaining male crew and colonists (the conspirators). The conspirators sought to live in their idea of a perfect world, and to that end they had murdered every other man on board, and had ensured that they would have time to "break in" their prospective spouses. What followed was a year of horror inflicted on a handful of women that was mercifully ended when one of the revived "replacements" (the highest ranking officer left aboard) secretly unlocked the Asherah's small arms cache and led the women in a fight against their abusers. The few surviving men were rounded up into the main airlock and spaced.
**********

Part 2: The Visitor
***230 Years later***

The councilors looked through the one way at the subject. It was...strange, since childhood they had been taught to fear and loathe these beings, but now, when one was just in the other room, they only felt curious. It looked like a deformed person, sounded like someone deeply ill (despite what they had done to heal the burns and other wounds on its body), its personal affects spread on the tables before them. A uniform of some kind, with a computer sewn in the left sleeve, some kind of energy firearm, numerous small items ranging from what looked like plastic key cards to what the scientists said was some type of preprocessed food, and more that they could yet only guess at.

The project's leader, Jahil Nausicaa, looked across the table, her smile looked like it could reach around her head if it tried. "And this is only what we found him wearing."

One of the councilors shifted her gaze to Jahil. "And what have you found out about the craft it was on?"

"It's an amazing piece of work. Millennia beyond what we could hope for on our own. Even though it is badly damaged we think we can at *least* rework the FTL and anti gravity systems."

Another councilor tilted her head at the thing in the other room. "Have you been getting any information from it?"

Jahil glanced toward the subject. "Nothing yet we're still trying to learn his language, unfortunately he hasn't been particularly cooperative". The man stood. "Ah, he's awake." Jahil tapped the comm button on her floppy. "I'd like the translators and keepers here ASAP."

The man was walking towards the one way. As it got closer the differences between it and the rest of them became startlingly apparent. Its face was square and heavily defined by the bones in its cheeks, a thick coat of hair covered nearly its entire bulky, square, body. Was that really how they normally looked? Or had this one been modified to better suit its presumed job as a military officer?

It raised its hands and pounded and shouted at the one way, tears running down its cheeks.

"Do you have any idea what it's saying?"

"I can't be entirely sure." Another councilor interjected. "But I think it may be ready to cooperate."

**********
The Asherahn colonists faced a daunting task when they arrived at their new home world (eventually dubbed Tara). Not only would they have to build a functioning, sustainable society on a new world, they would have to do so in the wake of monstrous atrocities committed against many of them, as well as the loss of every male in the colony, and consequently any possibility of their population growing via natural reproduction. However, despite those setbacks the colonists soldiered on, founding the first settlement on Tara (Hope), and birthing the first native Taran child within the first decade.

Over the next two centuries Taran society flourished. The Asherah was put into geosynchronous orbit, and used as an orbital hub. The original colonial council grew from a group of less than 30 women organized around the loose guidelines set out for the original crew of the Asherah, to a parliamentary body including well over 60 councillors, representing a populace numbering in the hundreds of millions.

Throughout this time, the colony remained undisturbed by the rest of the universe. That would change after the destruction of Earth when a small Imperial picket ship narrowly escaped its own destruction by jumping to hyperspace. As chance would have it, the badly damaged craft emerged in the little known, G-23984 system. The Taran government swiftly dispatched several craft to the anomalous star ship. Several days later the imperial vessel was docked with Asherah station, and the sole surviving crew member brought aboard.

For months Tara's best scientific minds went over every millimeter of the imperial craft. The corpses of the former crew were thoroughly analyzed.

The discoveries found aboard the imperial craft jumped Taran space technology forward centuries. However the most valuable information would come from the ship's only survivor: Lieutenant Commander Saephod Tehg.
**********

Part 3: War Council
***Tara, Hope, Dominatrixiat High Council Chambers***
"I don't think we can legitimately claim to have authority over trans-humans."

"Why not? They're just as much our sisters as baselines."

"Yes, but they *aren't* baselines anymore, you can-"

High councilor Bandu stood. "I know that many of you are eager to exercise the authority we've been granted. However our objective at the moment is to identify the the nearest, least protected systems we can liberate from chauvinist hands. We can discuss how to handle trans-humanity at a later date."

"As I said before, Alpha Cephi and Theta Mira are both low priority imperial systems with a few agri-worlds and resource extraction facilities. They should have minimal resistance, a low non-human population, and give us plenty of additional resources to construct a larger space force to field."

"I still don't see why we need a large space force at all. With the empire gone-"

"No, only Earth, you forget the scale we're talking about here. The empire has only fractured, there are still plenty of factions with weapons who may either oppose us or simply take what we have."

"Well what should we do about these 'Haruhiists'? While there are men among them, they do apparently worship a woman."

Alini Bandu sighed. It was going to be a long evening.

**********
The relatively small, homogeneous, and isolated population of Tara had made an ideal environment for historical revisionism. With each subsequent generation, an interpretation of Human history farther removed from experience took root. The modern belief was that men had been the cause of nearly all human suffering throughout history, the women who boarded the Asherah did so in the seemingly vain hope that life on an alien world would change the dynamic between men and women, and that the tragedy aboard the Asherah had been a blessing of a sort, allowing the survivors to found a new, Utopian world free from the caustic influence of men.

Indeed, to any Taran native, such an outlook made perfect sense. Historical records from Earth held numerous examples of men abusing power, Taran society had experienced no internal strife of note since the Asherah's arrival, and serious crime was unheard of to the point that a single murder could make news planet wide. However, such an outlook ignored the extensive work done by previous generations to change and condition their progeny in order to create a more equable society.

When the Taran council announced the findings of the research conducted on the imperial craft and its male survivor, Tarans saw the first period of major political turmoil since the Asherahn Tragedy. Two vocal political groups emerged, both wanting to shape the future of Taran society.

Liberationists follow the modern interpretation of human history to the letter. They state that so long as human men exist, human women throughout the known universe will not be free, and humanity will never see peace. They advocate annexation and reunification of human space under the banner of human sisterhood.

Humanitarians, while a distinct minority, are still the highly vocal and visible opposition to Liberationist ideology. Humanitarians disagree with the modern interpretation of history. Humanists assert that the historical fundamental flaw in human society is not men, but human tribalism, and the willingness of those in power to manipulate that behaviour to further their own ends. The Humanitarians advocate forming alliances with other human powers, and working with them to bring about better lives for all sentient life.

In the following elections Liberationist candidates won the vast majority of seats on the council, with a handful of Humanitarian candidates also seated. Soon after the election, the Liberationist majority announced their intentions to re-organize Taran society around the banner of the Stellar Dominatrixiat, and to thunderous applause, vowed to dedicate themselves to the cause of female dominion over human space.
**********

Part 4: Propaganda
***2 years ago, Alpha Cephi, Ninhursag (formerly Planet Bob)***

"-the last relocation shuttle left Ninhursag today, carrying the final 2000 men who refused re-integration to the quarantined moon of Dis. A protest against the actions taken by the new Dominatrixiat government was broken up by police after protesters attempted to breach the security perimeter around the Ninhursag City spaceport. Newly appointed councilor Helene Vae has said that while she disagrees with the actions of the Dominatrixiat occupation forces, that she also does not want her supporters breaking laws quote: ' to simply to make a point'.

And with that I'm Sarah Vertani.
And I'm Vree Sai. We'll see you tomorrow evening at 2400."

"We now conclude our broadcasting day"

*music*

"Striking at the darkness,
Breaking from our chains,
Murdering the tyrants, who keep our sisters enslaved!

Toppling the iron phallus!
With our sisters,
Hand in hand!

Cleansing humankind,
-"

*click*

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