Dive into the Sky

Introduction

The Principality of Belka has stood unbowed and unconquered for all of its five centuries of existence. In the last few decades it has withstood the impact of the Ulysses asteroid and the Hofstadter uprising, only to rise even stronger than before. Through these turbulent times and all of those that preceded them, Belka’s Knights have risen to the challenge of defending it from opportunistic foreigners and from those who would try to break it from within. Today they stand ever ready to destroy Belka’s enemies be they foreign or domestic; they stand as a flaming sword in the righteous cause of national survival.

You are an Ordinary Belkan High School Student. Or perhaps not so ordinary. You have scored well in aptitude tests and show promise in your rudimentary pilot training. One day, a representative of Gründer Industries, Belka's largest defence conglomerate with close ties to the Knights approaches you with an unprecedented offer: Join a top secret program and you stand a good chance of joining the Knights themselves...

Overview

Concept

Ace Combat meets Strike Witches

Rules

Rules can be found here: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Dive_into_the_Sky
The Wings United supplement will be used as well

Factions and Organizations

The Principality of Belka

Belka boasts the second largest economy, size and population on the Osean Continent after the Osean Federation, as such, it is a key player in the continent's politics. Throughout the 20th Century, it has been in a number of wars with its neighbours which are a cause of numerous border disputes that continue to this day. The wars, along with close ties to Osea due to its support during the long Cold War with Yuktobania, have led to an economic boom in Belka in the late 20th Century, though this has begun to slow down as well, and this has only been exacerbated by the impact of the Ulysses asteroid. These economic problems, along with lingering effects of the war, were a major impetus for the defeated fascist uprising in 1997.

Belka maintains its strong military tradition through universal conscription for all able bodied males and females at the age of 18, who are required to serve for 12 months in the military. Civilian service exists as an alternative for conscientious objectors, but the longer 36 month service term means that it comparatively uncommon.

The Belkan Chivalric Order of the Rose

More commonly known as "The Belkan Knights", the Order dates back to the original founding of what is now known as North Belka. The knights swore an oath to protect and defend the people of the Belkan Confederation against all enemies, an oath that is still sworn at induction, and repeated annually. Today, it is essentially an independent arm of the Belkan military, with its own command structure, logistics and so on, all of which answers to the Supreme Grand Master of the Order, who is responsible only to the Council of Grand Masters. Numerous monarchs and governments have attempted to assert control over the Order, but none have succeeded due to their large base of popular support, and their independence is now constitutionally enshrined. This support comes primarily from the Order's central role in Belka's national myth, one of the toppling of tyrants and of struggle against external invaders.

The Order poaches the best and brightest from the regular military, and its equipment and funding are provided by the industrial conglomerates of North Belka which have strong historical ties with the Order.