User:Maloncanth

[SIZE=5][b]Holy Amanatan Army[/SIZE][/b] Considered the highest service in the order of precedence, Amanata's terrestrial army is the only armed forces service prefixed [I]Holy[/I] – a tradition held over from a century past. The Holy Amanatan Army operates under a true regimental system with powerful regimental commanders appointed by and reporting to the [b]Office of Terrestrial Military Affairs[/b]. It is one of two services that reports to this office, the other being the recently split off [b]Dominion of Amanata Aerial Knights[/b]. In general, army regiment commanders have purview over all surface units of maneuver. The Office of Terrestrial Military Affairs in turn conducts the baseline training academies such as for basic ground combat, basic flight, basic officer school etc., coordinates overall army policy and logistics, administers static defense facilities, and has overall control of staffing, including the appointment of assistants to the regimental commanders, generals, and the establishment of [b]Operational Commands[/b] in order to oversee large zones of conflict. However, appointments to upper level positions of the Office are ultimately made by the [b]Regency Council[/b]. The expanding Holy Amanatan Army and the growth in prestige of its commanders has been at the forefront of the Dominion's recent 'with us or against us' attitude towards affairs of its neighbours on Prospect. Its position in the armed forces and strategic posture is informed greatly by the [b]Aleida Doctrine[/b], first presented in 2279 which posits that orbital security is vital to the long term survival of habitation on a planet and can only be truly achieved by political unity among the powers on the ground.

Under the regimental system, every Amanatan regiment, in addition to being a tactical unit, also functions as its own self-contained administrative unit with its own recruitment programs, procurements and a unique unit culture and heritage. Unsurprisingly, Amanatan army regiments are invariably colourful and individualistic in this regard and place considerable importance in their identity. Those that fail to appeal and gain some level of mindshare among the broader public, it is thought, would be unable to survive without excessive personnel costs nor maintain vital esprit de corps. Among the enlisted, many cite that it is comforting to have moral support from home aside from (in these days, often distant) family. The system also lends itself remarkably well to individual regiments conducting mercenary work on the side. Oddly enough there isn't anything actually illegal about this as enlistment with a regiment does not count as a state job. Military materials themselves are state regulated and produced by a limited ecosystem of entities in Amanata, but military [i]services[/i] are not a regulated product. And while the regimental commanders are accountable for their units' readiness to serve the state, they are also collectively a powerful popular force in Amanata. Most argue that small scale mercenary work helps maintain combative edge during peacetime and incorporates valuable experience from various environments. Of course, it also happens to be a rare source of considerable wealth in Amanata's socialist economy and can help get the regiment's name out. Some of the oldest regiments that existed in some form prior to the Collapse, or those formed immediately afterwards that had a hand in the foundation of the state, essentially already had this relationship with the state. They are "mercenaries" to the Amanatan state in the sense they have special funding not derived from the Office of Terrestrial Military Affairs and sanction to, for example, permanently post guard at important locations, supply military escorts for dignitaries, or perform ceremonial roles at religious or secular functions. Among the older population, these "old guard" units are the most prestigious. By contrast, the formations that receive the most attention and volunteers from the younger generation are its newer units, especially [b]Armoured Infantry[/b] regiments, in no small part due to [b]mobile frame[/b] battlesuits getting ever bigger and sexier.

Since an individual unit's reputation and prestige can heavily affect their success at recruitment and potential at expansion, regiments vary considerably in size even within a single tactical type and there have been increasing cases of regiments being relegated due to inability to maintain minimal personnel levels. Especially in the past two decades, a memetic arms race has set in between competing regiments with each year seeing ever more marketing extravagance by regiments in a headlong pursuit of recruits. Commanders of famous regiments are, needless to say, celebrities. The remarkable success of the army's efforts to participate in Amanata's "culture of culture" has in turn led to an explosion of interest in military affairs among the current generation. While Amanata's traditionally prestigious arts-and-culture or high tech career paths have not been displaced, military enlistment has emerged as a well regarded and perhaps even somewhat glorious alternative. At the very least, there seems no danger of the market being saturated.

Most regiments are gender segregated in terms of combat personnel, though some are mixed and there is marked gender bias for specific professions. However, the overall gender distribution of front line combatants and operators is close to even. The ethnic representation is also close to the proportions in the population at large, somewhat favouring non-Japanese. Each regiment has its own colours, cultural identity, variations in uniform, equipment and participates in annual games and ceremonies against other regiments. Many units even maintain functioning civilian fan clubs and sell their own merchandise (which is, of course, tax free if done through the regimental shrine). At one time, a strong public image proved more important to the success of a regiment than combat record, which led to the OTMA instituting the combat oriented regimental games with highly publicised results. According to an old military law, every regiment is also required to have a patron deity. There is, however, no legal definition of a [i]deity[/i]. While various iterations of Bishamonten and Hachiman alone account for nearly a third of the total, especially among the older regiments, many newer units simply unleash creative license and create their own tutelary spirit which is essentially a cute mascot. Such regiments considerably outnumber the old guard, who derisively refer to them as "pop regiments". In late 2290's, a certain regiment attempted to name a particular idol singer as their deity, citing precedent of divinity in human form. After a highly covered court case, this was ruled as acceptable so long as the deity in question agreed (she declined). There are also a few regiments who name, for example, a catholic saint, Satan, Indo-European pagan divinities or (public domain) literary figure Nyarlathotep and so forth, and these are all considered acceptable though more than a few units have found their choice backfiring if everyone thinks it's too silly.

[SIZE=4][b]Disciplines[/b][/SIZE] [b]Light Infantry[/b] (Mechanized Infantry) The humble Light Infantry enjoy little regard among either general staff or the general public, often being seen as just an old fashioned support unit able to do little that the heavier branches can't do better. Indeed, the number of light infantry units in the army has grown quite slowly compared to the army's overall expansion. Some old and many newly chartered regiments intended to be light infantry have been following a trend of "heavy metal", specializing towards capabilities characteristic of the armoured disciplines, for example by adding an additional line of heavily armed, individually operated vehicles that bring the overall unit's capabilities more in line with artillery armour or battle armour regiments. Nevertheless, the purist light infantry tradition retains a future in the force if only because many older regiments are traditionally mechanized infantry (since there wasn't much else back then) and are not under serious pressure to change given they are mostly parade units these days anyway. Newer light infantry units that stick to being such often portray their role on the battlefield as the most humanitarian, acting as ambulances, performing armoured recovery work, and presenting face as peacekeepers in Kajiura and Mukue. Indeed, the light infantry, not being encased in assault armour or mobile frames, do come across as the least intimidating soldiers when the situation calls for a soft touch.

[b]Assault Infantry[/b] (Marines) The Assault Infantry (or Heavy Infantry) branch is characterised by the use of [b]assault armour[/b] and accordingly superior protection and firepower compared to light infantry. In the hands of powered armour, even the 7.92mm C.C. battle rifle is obviously a supporting arm while the primary weapons are grenades, launchers and smart rockets. The main disadvantage of assault infantry is the operating time of their armour which is quite limited for most models. Naturally, a fully kitted heavy infantry soldier is also much more massive than her unpowered counterparts and this further complicates strategic mobility and logistics. Most army assault infantry deploy from wide-hulled medium or heavy amphibious APC or IFV configurations wherein space enough for two light infantry is usually regarded as sufficient for a single power armoured trooper. The most popular model of armour among the army assault infantry are variants of the intermediate-heavy [i]Saber[/i] which generally does not meet the requirements to class as "jumpable" unless very lightly outfitted but generally qualifies for the somewhat less dynamic "air insertion", providing an additional option. Vehicles intending to operate with assault infantry usually carry generous extra capacitors to help extend their infantry's operating time as much as possible.

[b]Armoured Infantry[/b] (Mobile Infantry) Armoured Infantry (or Mobile Infantry) fight in towering [b]mobile frames[/b], a class of extremely large and powerful personal armour distinguished from ordinary assault suits in that they are too large for a human operator to fit inside limb for limb. Indeed, mobile frames greatly outmass the soldier inside and blur the line between infantry and vehicle. This is currently the most popular army discipline among recruits by some distance, largely because they fight in what are essentially small robots that have been getting substantially less small and more stylish over time. Their great size allows much heavier, vehicle scaled weapons such as gauss cannons, integral combat drones and heavy ordnance launchers to be carried routinely and be directed and fired with far more nuance than is possible with a remote internally managed armoured vehicle mount. That said, while they have a considerable advantage over softer units and they have near complete protection against infantry weapons, anti-vehicle weapons can often be employed against them to deadly effect because of their size. Indeed, armoured infantry is a relatively high casualty armed discipline as the forces involved in operating the mobile frame can mangle the human inside quite easily. Some studies show that the added protection afforded by the upsized mobile frame compared to assault armour is more than countered by the heavier weapons that can be brought against t hem.

[b]Battle Armour[/b] (Armour) tbw

[b]Artillery Armour[/b] (Artillery) tbw

[b]Assault and Special Tactics[/b] (Special Forces) tbw

[SIZE=4][b]Provincial Defense Arrangements[/b][/SIZE] Provincial Defence Arrangements are a set of standing but high turnover operational commands specifying a notional minimum force required to defend the sovereignty of an area without conducting any internal or external operations. Not being hugely significant forces in the grand scheme of things, PDAs are hardly expected to stop a full military operation on their own and indeed would be dispersed over wide areas if they were alone. In practice however, given Amanata's army is so large, there will probably be significantly more forces in a given province at a given time. However the units on PDA are the ones undertaking active patrols and likely would be the first wire to trip should an invasion occur. Regiments get rotated through these positions regularly as it is a source of experience. In the unlikely event of a full scale war on Amanatan soil, the general in charge of the Provincial Defence Command would have command over all units involved in the immediate situation in that province until either it resolves or the Office determines further strategy.

(OOC note to self: Goofed on math so gonna have to get these filled up some more in six months!) [b]Miyako, Core Region[/b] ($118) [i]Large Defense Network[/i] 3 x Light Infantry regiment 3 x Armoured Infantry regiment 1 x Battle Armour regiment 1 x Artillery Armour regiment

[b]Nankai, Core Region[/b] ($23) 1 x Light Infantry regiment 1 x Armoured Infantry regiment 1 x Battle Armour regiment 1 x Artillery Armour regiment

[b]Kirisame, Core Region[/b] ($23) 1 x Light Infantry regiment 1 x Armoured Infantry regiment 1 x Battle Armour regiment 1 x Artillery Armour regiment

[b]Kazami[/b] ($63) [i]Small Defense Network[/i] 1 x Light Infantry regiment 1 x Armoured Infantry regiment 1 x Battle Armour regiment 1 x Artillery Armour regiment

[b]Kajiura[/b] ($50) [i]Small Defense Network[/i] 1 x Light Infantry regiment 1 x Armoured Infantry regiment 0 x Battle Armour regiment 0 x Artillery Armour regiment

[b]Mukue[/b] ($73) [i]Small Defense Network[/i] 2 x Light Infantry regiment 2 x Armoured Infantry regiment 1 x Battle Armour regiment 1 x Artillery Armour regiment

[SIZE=4][b]Combined Battlegroup[/b][/SIZE] The Combined Battlegroup is a general purpose battlegroup comparable to a division in other militaries but with a markedly increased availability of heavy vehicles and powered armour assault troops but still being considered more nimble than an armoured battlegroup in some situations. Given it doesn't include the aeroframe combat wing(s) that it deploys with on paper, they are also larger than most divisions on the field in practice. Each battlegroup consists of (1) light infantry regiment, (2) assault infantry regiments, (2) armoured infantry regiments, (2) battle armour regiments, and (2) artillery armour regiments to form the usual strength of nine regiments in an Amanatan battlegroup. The HAA has fifteen such divisions to deploy.

15 x Combined Battlegroup ($795)

[SIZE=4][b]Armoured Battlegroup[/b][/SIZE] An Armoured Battlegroup is a division sized formation for assault purposes. It is the epitome of a "combined heavy metal" type battle formation, featuring a huge proportion of vehicles and a fully mobile frame equipped infantry component that only Amanata is capable of fielding. While many of its elements are vulnerable from the air, it also has significant air defenses and can expect to operate with air cover. Against softer combined arms divisions, it can bring to bear a crushing weight of firepower or present an impenetrable defensive wall of armour. Each Armour Battlegroup is composed of (3) battle armour regiments, (3) artillery armour regiments, and (3) armoured infantry regiments. The HAA has fifteen of these divisions to deploy.

15 x Armoured Battlegroup ($810)

[SIZE=4][b]Assault and Special Tactics Arm[/b][/SIZE] The Holy Amanatan Army's integrated special operations command.

10 x Assault and Special Tactics company ($60)

[SIZE=4][b]Equipment[/b][/SIZE] [b]Armoured Vehicles[/b] Amanatan armoured vehicles are procured by individual army regiments as permitted and prescribed by their regimental charters. While the sourcing of vehicle and fittings are restricted by the state, their specific configurations are not and regiments are expected to customize vehicles with requirements appropriate to their tactics and operator preference. As a result, instead of the entire army all being equipped with a handful of vehicle types that could be quickly analyzed for universal weaknesses, Amanata's enemies may encounter quite different vehicle layouts on variants belonging to different regiments operating in ajacent areas. Likewise, a commander finding herself short on a particular capability may be able to request assistance from a nearby unit that has it. While this systemic lack of standardization sometimes strains interoperability and requires rigorous information gathering by commanders and generals to make informed decisions, these are considered acceptable sacrifices considering the overall benefits. Aside from guaranteeing that no force-wide weaknesses exist, the Amanatan system promotes rapid tactical variation and improvement, initiative, and empowers innovative commanders to specialize and explore small military niches in detail.

To (greatly) reduce cost, a system of modular construction is used. All Amanatan military vehicles are based on the same sets of hardware platforms – Frames – built solely by the state-owned Dominion Frameworks. These frames are constructed of military grade polymer and are thus quite lightweight and highly resilient, especially to mechanical stress. They are rated for the intended vehicle's final mass, with one (regularly improved and updated) series of frames in production for each weight class of vehicles ranging from military bikes to main battle tanks. Each frame has critical features such as module interfaces and hardened resource distribution already present internally and will ship with the specified number of the latest available energy capacitor modules, either pre-installed at the requested location(s) or separately packaged. Regimental procurement will then order and install modular parts produced by a small ecosystem of state approved contractors, starting with the critical drive sets, the control module, unavoidably inflexible sections like protected passenger spaces, and then moving on to desired systems, weapons and stores. Finally the vehicle is given a protection scheme and exterior furniture.

While assembling a copy of a finalized configuration out of its component modules is something that can be done in the base workshop, or even in the field, creating a configuration in the first place that is safe, balanced and not wasteful is an understandably complex puzzle. Many units avoid or mitigate the issue by choosing a preconfiguration already established as fit for purpose by other units and then perhaps base modifications off of that. Units with the means, especially Armour or Mechanized regiments for whom vehicles are of core importance, contract hardware specialists whose job is to realize and constantly refine an elegant whole out of a list of modules or capabilities a commander deems required in the future. The catalogue of available modules is large but sane and the competition therein helps avert the complacency that might otherwise set in. Compared to letting a single megacorp contractor name their price to design and deliver an inflexible "as is" vehicle, many Amanatan soldiers would argue their system delivers superior products at much reduced cost. It is difficult to argue with the second part, and today' Amanatan army commanders have nigh unparalled access to tailored capabilities and able to achieve soldiers-to-vehicle ratios unheard of in most other militaries. With the prevalence of organic additive manufacturing, what would be the logistical nightmare of such a varied force is made remarkably manageable. In addition to ammunition, military nanolathes are able to produce parts out of C85, an Amanatan military grade carbon suitable for general impact protection that also holds paint quite well. This gives regiments vast license to customize their appearance and also allows creation of custom fittings and minor replacement parts that are both functional and reasonably robust.

[b]Sectional Equipment[/b]

[SIZE=5][b]Dominion of Amanata Aerial Knights[/SIZE][/b] The Dominion of Amanata Aerial Knights were split away from the Holy Amanatan Army at the turn of the century and still mostly shares its organizational practices albeit tightened up to help the force as a whole conform to the stricter requirements inherent to aerial combat, aerial insertion and appropriate equipment and training. It is still often seen as a subordinate branch to the army though, given that they [i]fly[/i], most aerial knights themselves have a very different opinion. The service's responsibilities are to provide tactical air support to army operations and act as first responders to military crises across Prospect. The nature of their mission grants generals and officers much greater license for action and as well as demanding more dedication from each individual to maintain formation readiness and these are qualities for which the DAAK has become known. Recently, some units have also conducted cross training aboard Cosmonavy ships and with Cosmic Armoured Infantry units for possible interplanetary deployment, though in what form or situation this might occur is not yet known. Both the Cosmic Armoured Infantry and the Cosmic Knights do draw recruits from the DAAK given there is significant skill overlap.

The main formations of the aerial knights are the division sized, rapid response Aerial Battlegroup and the aeroframe Combat Wing averaging three dozen aeroframes each. With a strength of over a hundred infantry regiments, well over four thousand combat aircraft, and its own special forces arm, the Dominion of Amanata Aerial Knights would alone be Prospect's most powerful deployable terrestrial military.

[SIZE=4][b]Disciplines[/b][/SIZE] [b]Aerial Assault Infantry[/b] (Marines)

[b]Aerial Armoured Infantry[/b] (Mobile Infantry)

[b]Aerial Light Infantry[/b] (Mechanized Infantry)

[b]Aerial Knights[/b] (VTOL Wing)

[b]Special Unit Knights[/b] (Special Forces)

[SIZE=4][b]Provincial Aerial Commands[/b][/SIZE] PACs operate out of a network of major DAAK bases that mostly serve the force's deployable assets when they are not deployed. On the chance that everything is deployed however, there are still infantry regiments organic to the airforce command defending the area around the bases as well as combat wings flying appropriately configured aeroframes for patrol and interception duties. Units are regularly cycled into these commands for short stints as the patrol missions are a good source of peacetime experience even if they aren't altogether glorious. Amanata's early warning networks are also controlled from DAAK bases although they are administered directly by the Office. There have been some plans on the table for deploying counter-orbital batteries to these locations as well as to introduce artillery armour formations equipped with SAMs for the first time to harden these locations.

[b]Touhou DAAK Base, Gensoshi, Miyako, Core Region[/b] ($75) [i]Early Warning System[/i] 3 x Aerial Knights combat wing 1 x Aerial Light Infantry regiment 1 x Aerial Armoured Infantry regiment

[b]Nankai DAAK Base, Nankai, Core Region[/b] ($20) 2 x Aerial Knights combat wing 1 x Aerial Light Infantry regiment 1 x Aerial Armoured Infantry regiment

[b]Misty Forest DAAK Base, Kirisame, Core Region[/b] ($15) 1 x Aerial Knights combat wing 1 x Aerial Light Infantry regiment 1 x Aerial Armoured Infantry regiment

[b]Yuuka DAAK Base, Yuuka, Kazami[/b] ($70) [i]Early Warning System[/i] 2 x Aerial Knights combat wing 1 x Aerial Light Infantry regiment 1 x Aerial Armoured Infantry regiment

[b]Team Edge DAAK Base, Shin Akita, Kajiura[/b] ($65) [i]Early Warning System[/i] 1 x Aerial Knights combat wing 1 x Aerial Light Infantry regiment 1 x Aerial Armoured Infantry regiment

[b]Hyun-ae DAAK Base, Saerason, Mukue[/b] ($75) [i]Early Warning System[/i] 3 x Aerial Knights combat wing 1 x Aerial Light Infantry regiment 1 x Aerial Armoured Infantry regiment

[SIZE=4][b]Aerial Battlegroups[/b][/SIZE] The aerial battlegroup is Amanata's maximum force rapid response military unit deployed as the first step of full military involvement in an area or as a response to a crisis. As their designation implies, they are division sized formations that are aerospace mobile (to a much greater degree than heavier formations) and capable of aerospace or submarine insertion attacks through a variety of assets ranging from traditional VTOL craft to hypersonic glide vehicles at the expense of not deploying with artillery armour or battle armour which would be too massive for some of the deployment capabilities demanded. They also differ significantly from army battlegroups in administrative persistence. While regiments do get shuffled between different commands now and again to cross-pollinate best practices, the full functionality of a combined arms division must be in place in order for the formation to move on short notice. Hence the for the most part, the aerial battlegroups are static and the regiments forming each battlegroup can expect to see a lot more of each other than the more flexible and fluid arrangement seen in the HAA. Moreover, the equipment utilized by each regiment must conform to the stricter standards needed for aerospace mobility qualification. Each aerial battlegroup consists of (3) aerial assault infantry regiments, (3) aerial armoured infantry regiments and (3) aerial light infantry regiments, which are light infantry units equipped with army vehicle configurations that conform to strict mass and cross-sectional requirements for rapid deployment. In addition, any deployed aerial battlegroup is very likely to enjoy the company of at least a full combat air group as well.

10 x Aerial Battlegroup ($480)

[SIZE=4][b]Combat Wing[/b][/SIZE] Combat wings of the aerial knights average three dozen aeroframes each. These are descended from and organized along the same lines as the army regiment but generally come across as much more familiar to foreign observers. There is, after all, no illusion over the fact that only a minority of the personnel in a given combat wing will ever be pilots so an operational combat wing is usually a much more technical and professionally brisk type of organization. At times, however, they do wind up being management agencies for stables of "celebrity" pilots who sometimes get traded like athletes. The army Office overseas these exchanges carefully for negative fallout, though they have historically been okay with them if everyone else was okay with them. This practice does tend to create highly marketable poster idol wings as well as genuinely deadly flying circuses full of the best pilots which some interpret as a benefit. Other wings exchange pilots now and again for the much more sensible reason of spreading best practices.

As in an army regiment, a combat wing is a fully integrated tactical and administrative unit and each wing commander has full authority and responsibility on recruitment and procurement. Compared to army regiments however, combat wings need to specialize, at most flying multiple variants of a single aeroframe due to the much greater level of expertise required to proficiently operate even one type of combat aircraft. The great majority of combat wings fly the RIFL [i]Valkyria[/i] F2, a current generation multirole aeroframe that is primed for precision strike but can also engage other aircraft and overall comes as close as possible to being able to do everything. A minority of wings have been granted charter to fly more specialized aeroframes however. The second most popular is the [i]Virago[/i] in configurations G7 or later, an older and slower but much more dedicated close support ground pounder, followed by the [i]Valerian[/i] A1, a powerfully fast low altitude aeroframe specialized for interdiction missions, taking out other aircraft and, more dangerously, enemy artillery. Finally, the [i]Venatrix[/i] C is a rare, limited production and quite specialized interceptor capable of very high altitudes. It has a pure anti-air role and also punishes space fighters with the gumption to flop about in the atmosphere. In addition to its complement of fighting frames, combat wings also contain a number of ancillary support craft.

108 x Aerial Knights combat wing

[SIZE=4][b]Aerial Special Unit Knights Arm[/b][/SIZE] ASUKA is the Aerial Knights' integral special operations command. When not deployed, they can be found in the main DAAK bases. (You know, if for whatever reason you want to find them.)

10 x Special Unit Knights company

[SIZE=5][b]Dominion of Amanata Cosmonavy[/SIZE][/b] Until fairly recently, Amanata's space forces were quite limited in scope and ambition as most of the nation's post-Collapse history was spent on the ground finding itself. Until the late 2270's, the state depended on a combination of lighter pre-Collapse escorts and mercenary contracts for its needs, which were limited to monitoring Prospect orbit and approach vectors like everyone else since it had no interplanetary assets at all. It was not until 2276 that the [b]Office of Cosmic Military Affairs[/b] was founded and the Dominion of Amanata Cosmonavy was made into a full military service. Since that time, naval construction has steadily accelerated. Nevertheless, with the Principality of Fuso and Triumph Consortium as the obvious inner system naval superpowers having eight and nine capital ships apiece (Amanata has zero), it is obvious to any analyst that the cosmonavy lacks the position of strength enjoyed by the HAA and DAAK on the ground. In this ecosystem, the emerging Dominion of Amanata Cosmonavy has settled into position as a third party spoiler, focused on fancy terms like escalation control, deterrence and assymetric engagement. At the end of the day however, the cosmonavy is designed [i]not[/i] to fight the superpowers directly but to do everything else very well while relying on the threat of surface conquest to deter their major rivals on Prospect from going too far.

In stark contrast to the army, the navy has a reputation as a dour affair with humourless officers and an obsessive adherence to procedure. This is not entirely undeserved but also largely a product of necessity. With stealthy operation a critical component of survival, operational security is of paramount importance and with fighting at a material disadvantage comes the need for strict discipline. Nevertheless, Amanata's often fancifully named ships do have many of the licenses and a similar public presence as enjoyed by popular army regiments, though they are obviously much fewer in number. The main difference is that the naval Office has final control on crewing arrangements and reviews the public presentation of every vessel to avoid the culture of rivalries rife in the army and encourage alliances instead. As such, the cosmonavy's individual units give far more impression of operating as a unified whole than the army which a foreigner might be forgiven to mistake as some sort of football league.

[b]Ship Design[/b] As an emerging naval power, the newness of Amanata's interstellar force has allowed and forced it to build disruptively to be relevant. As such, it focuses on achieving and excelling at capabilities that other naval powers lack and to maintain a highly nimble and persistent fleet that can threaten and punish without fighting a decisive battle. Sleek and edgy like giant space F-117's, Amanatan warships are universally built to fight from stealth and ambush and even its logistical fleet, all of which are essentially light warships, would make decent commerce raiders if it came to that. The cosmonavy has 100% Alcubierre drive adoption and with its sizeable fleet of armed transports and small number of warships overall, it can support most of its strike assets operating from hiding in interstellar space. This ability is one not overlooked in some of the cosmonavy's more apocalyptic case planning. The primary weapons of virtually all ships is either missiles or strike craft with linear cannons in a distant supporting role. No current active Amanatan ship mounts energy weapons, though the fortifications around the nation's two primary strongholds do.

On the outside, stealth shaping give Amanatan ships a distinctive (some claim 'sinister', others 'sexy') appearance and a default matte black coloration although the sophisticated (and expensive) active camouflage tile system can display other camouflage schemes as well as parade colours. Compelling electronics suites reserved for command vessels in other navies are fitted on Amanatan warships by default with the intent to force-multiply every last gram available to the ship and measures often considered passé in other fleets are still being used to save space and mass. Compared to most navies, crews are quite small as automation is very prevalent though the exact number varies depending on where one draws the line on AI. Ships are mixed gender but overall participation in the cosmonavy skews towards females partly because the related Cosmic Knights are more female than male and because there are proportionately more fully sentient airoids in space work, including the ship's main avatar, and they predominantly identify as female.

[SIZE=4][b]Ship Classes[/SIZE][/b] [b][i]Kirisame[/i] class destroyer[/b] (Destroyer) [b]length[/b]: 230m [b]mass[/b]: 63kt [b]modules[/b] (+2) Heavy Weapons (Large) (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (20/0/80) The [i]Kirisame[/i] class is a distilled hunter-killer type destroyer meant for commerce raiding and fleet strike. High grade sensors and stealth measures make it much more difficult to detect than most ships of its class, allowing it to effectively attack targets from distance before fading away ahead of any retaliation. --DACS [i]Kirisame[/i] --DACS [i]Asagiri[/i] --DACS [i]Murakumo[/i] --DACS [i]Yuudachi[/i]

[b][i]Ayanami[/i] class destroyer[/b] (Light Cruiser) [b]length[/b]: 266m [b]mass[/b]: 99kt [b]modules[/b] (+1) ECM suite (+2) Heavy Weapons (Large) (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (20/0/80) The [i]Ayanami[/i] class are the newest ships in the Cosmonavy, the first block having been turned out just within the past three years. Although classed as destroyers due to their role, they are such in name only and were built by Hourai Star Yards at the Houraijima cruiser slipways. Built basically as expanded [i]Kirisame[/i] class ships, they are likewise clearly designed as anti-ship vessels with escort as a distant second priority. Larger size allows them to be built with significantly improved protection, armament and an overhauled active stealth system expected to make them even harder to detect and an even more persistent threat as a solo commerce raider and deterrent. Whether that is worth the additional cost remains to be seen. --DACS [i]Ayanami[/i] --DACS [i]Shikinami[/i] --DACS [i]Makinami[/i] --DACS [i]Takanami[/i]

[b][i]Maiden[/i] class carrier[/b] (Destroyer) [b]length[/b]: 250m [b]mass[/b]: 72kt [b]modules[/b] (+2) Hangar (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (10/0/40) The [i]Maiden[/i] class light carrier is the simplest unit of power projection available to the Cosmonavy, being essentially an Alcubierre drive equipped launch platform for a wing of stratoframes (generally the Type 495舞 for multiple role functionality). The ship has an internal, forward facing main catapult and a smaller, more exposed waist catapult canted ventrally aft for emergencies. Both the strike craft and long range missile bombardment packages are deployed using these catapults. Besides this, the ship only has limited interceptor missiles and a few linear cannons on single turrets for self defense. --DACS [i]Hakurei Reimu[/i] --DACS [i]Kochiya Sanae[/i] --DACS [i]Himemiya Chikane[/i] --DACS [i]Kurusugawa Himeko[/i] --DACS [i]Hiiragi Kagami[/i] --DACS [i]Hiiragi Tsukasa[/i] --DACS [i]Rune Balot[/i] --DACS [i]Miyu Greer[/i] --DACS [i]Solty Revant[/i] --DACS [i]Yaya[/i] --DACS [i]Irori[/i] --DACS [i]Komurasaki[/i]

[b][i]Sword[/i] class carrier[/b] (Heavy Cruiser) [b]length[/b]: 333m [b]mass[/b]: 158kt [b]modules[/b] (+1) ECM/Stealth (+2) Hangar (+2) Hangar (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (7/0/33) The first block of four [i]Sword[/i] class carriers were the first ships constructed by Hourai Star Yards and remain the largest warships in Amanatan service. Like most Amanatan ships, it has a striking appearance due to its stealth shaping. As a cruiser sized vessel however, it is also able to power a more sophisticated active camouflage system, particle jammers and a powerful heatsinks-and-coolant system, rendering it very difficult to detect even when actively engaged in operations. The ship has two internal catapults on the forward axis and two waist catapults canted aft for limited situations. Usual complement is a wing each of Type 495舞 multirole and Type 499柊 strike stratos for a total combat wing of seventy-two plus supporting assets. --DACS [i]Slash Emperor[/i] --DACS [i]Terminus Est[/i] --DACS [i]Lambent Light[/i] --DACS [i]Qisha Tianling[/i]

[b][i]Zen[/i] class cruiser[/b] (Heavy Cruiser) [b]length[/b]: 320m [b]mass[/b]: 156kt [b]modules[/b] (+1) Advanced scanners (+1) ECM/Stealth (+2) C3 facilities (+1) Lab module (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (20/0/80) Fitted with a bewildering array of electronics and gadgetry, the [i]Zen[/i] class cruiser is a command vessel without compare, able to direct fire and maneuver for an entire task force to ambush enemies and escape detection whilst doing so, turning Amanata's small collection of individually small ships into a challenge foreign powers find very difficult to address. Its inclusion of a sizeable laboratory grade working area on a flagship is also quite unique (most other navies fit theirs onto highly specialized subsidiary vessels). This provides flexibility and reduces response time during far flung operations where a laboratory may immediately be required. Alternatively, an exploratory expedition that gets hot will have a command ship already in the area to link up with any reinforcements sent. --DACS [i]Karmic Punishment of the Idle and Unfocused[/i] --DACS [i]Acceptance of Eternal Truth[/i] --DACS [i]Crystallization of the Prayer Named Glory[/i] --DACS [i]State of Freedom from Worldly Thought[/i]

[b]Type 995F/SN class armed transport[/b] (Corvette) [b]length[/b]: 180m [b]mass[/b]: 30kt [b]modules[/b] (+1) Cargo hold (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (0/0/100) The Type 995 is a mature and flexible medium freighter hull that has been available in small numbers from Dominion Star Yards on the international civilian market for years. Most variants, including the latest model F, are not particularly popular since they're more expensive than competing handy sized freighters, except perhaps among types who find their inherent stealthiness useful in their line of work. The militarized configurations used by Amanatan armed services however, are right beasts for their size, being decently enough armed to serve as a light warship and resilient enough to survive on the battlefield provided they don't get focused. They are a common sight in Cosmonavy operating areas, being used as their primary supply vessel in which capacity they typically mount enough disposable missile pods to give even a proper warship pause in numbers.

[b]Type 995F/HA assault transport[/b] (Corvette) [b]modules[/b] (+1) Cosmic Infantry landing force (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (75/0/25) Type 995's are also operated by the Cosmic Armoured Infantry as their primary interstellar assault ship and are fitted with precision guided munitions and linear cannons for direct support in this role. The ship deploys drop shuttles from its assault deck but it can (and does) easily manage any gravity well its troops can handle in order to involve itself directly in the battle. Its dorsal weapons are well positioned for supporting fire when the ship is on a surface.

[b]Type 995F/Z picket ship[/b] (Corvette) [b]modules[/b] (+1) Advanced scanners (+1) ARC drive [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (0/0/100) Another variant of the 995 stuffs a generator and a scanning array into the cargo hold for the ship to act as a picket ship or scout. These are deployed in association with other ships now and again to provide extended search and surveillance support. Such ships are typically outfitted with missile armament similar to the cargo configuration.

[SIZE=4][b]Task Groups/Deployments[/SIZE][/b] Task Groups are based around the [i]Zen[/i] class command ships but other vessels are added to the groups on an ad hoc basis. It is considered acceptable (and currently, necessary) to sometimes have more ships than the command ship can handle. Being as the navy revolves around stealth, a task group's ship generally don't clump up together nearly so tightly as other navies' fleets. Ships not deployed with a Task Group on a mission home port at either of Amanata's space strongholds, either Kashiba Mikoshi in orbit over the Core Regions or Houraijima in orbit around Bunyan.

[b]Task Group 1[/b] DACS [i]Karmic Punishment of the Idle and Unfocused[/i] (Zen class cruiser) DACS [i]Murakumo[/i] (Kirishima class destroyer) DACS [i]Miyu Greer[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Solty Revant[/i] (Maiden class carrier) 3 x Type 995F/SN armed transport --port, Houraijima --dispatched, Tau Ceti (Jan 2316)

[b]Task Group 2[/b] DACS [i]Acceptance of Eternal Truth[/i] (Zen class cruiser) --port, Kashiba Mikoshi

[b]Task Group 3[/b] DACS [i]State of Freedom from Worldly Thought[/i] (Zen class cruiser) --port, Houraijima

[b]Task Group 4[/b] DACS [i]Crystallization of the Prayer Named Glory[/i] (Zen class cruiser) --port, Kashiba Mikoshi

[b]Houraijima[/b] (Bunyan) DACS [i]Ayanami[/i] (Ayanami class destroyer) DACS [i]Shikinami[/i] (Ayanami class destroyer) DACS [i]Makinami[/i] (Ayanami class destroyer) DACS [i]Takanami[/i] (Ayanami class destroyer) DACS [i]Hakurei Reimu[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Kochiya Sanae[/i] (Maiden class carrier) 16 x Type 995F/SN armed transport 3 x Type 995F/Z picket ship

[b]Kashiba Mikoshi[/b] (Prospect) DACS [i]Kirisame[/i] (Kirishima class destroyer) DACS [i]Asagiri[/i] (Kirishima class destroyer) DACS [i]Yuudachi[/i] (Kirishima class destroyer) DACS [i]Himemiya Chikane[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Kurusugawa Himeko[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Hiiragi Kagami[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Hiiragi Tsukasa[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Rune Balot[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Yaya[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Irori[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Komurasaki[/i] (Maiden class carrier) DACS [i]Slash Emperor[/i] (Sword class carrier) DACS [i]Terminus Est[/i] (Sword class carrier) DACS [i]Lambent Light[/i] (Sword class carrier) DACS [i]Qisha Tianling[/i] (Sword class carrier) 16 x Type 995F/HA assault transport 6 x Type 995F/Z picket ship

[SIZE=5][b]Dominion of Amanata Cosmic Armoured Infantry[/SIZE][/b]

[b][i]Kashiba Mikoshi[/i][/b] (Capital Station) (500)

[b][i]Houraijo[/i][/b] (Capital Defense Station – Houraijima) (500) [b]weapons (ballistic/energy/missile)[/b]: (20/40/40)

[b]Houraijima Defenses[/b] (Early Warning System) ($50) (Large Defense Network) ($75)

745

[b]Cosmic Armoured Infantry[/b] (Mobile Infantry) ($5 x 23) [b]Cosmic Assault Infantry[/b] (Marines) ($6 x 20) [b]Special Forces[/b] (Special Forces ($6 x 15) 325

Total: 1070

[SIZE=5][b]Dominion of Amanata Stratos Knights[/SIZE][/b]

Houraijima (Fighter Wings – bomber) (40 x 4) (Fighter Wings – multirole) (40 x 4)

Kashiba Mikoshi (Fighter Wings – bomber) ($40 x 4) (Fighter Wings – multirole) ($40 x 4)