Still very much a WIP.
[hider=Humankind Empire of Ithica][h2]Humankind Empire of Ithica[/h2]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/Darkspleen/OtnemarcasEmpireFlag.jpg[/img]
[b]Ruler (De Jure):[/b] Emperor Adrien III Karling
[b]Ruler (De Facto):[/b] Chancellor Lucien Chardin
[b]Species:[/b] Terrans (40%)
Near-Human Species (26%)
Nerkin (17%)
Nalloth (15%)
Other Xeno Species (2%)
[b]Species Description (Only For Non-Humans):[/b] WIP
[b]Allegiance:[/b] Human Aligned
[b]Government Type (De Jure):[/b] Constitutional Monarchy
[b]Government Type (De Facto):[/b] Fascist Dictatorship[hider=Government Structure]The government is ruled by the reigning monarch, whose powers are limited by a constitution. A parliamentary body, elected by individual planetary populations, helps with the administration of the government while ensuring that the needs of the citizens are met without infringing upon their constitutional rights. The reigning monarch assigns viceroys to govern over star systems and individual planets. These viceroy assignments are held until the viceroy either dies, retires, or is recalled by the monarch.

That is, of course, according to the constitution. In reality a fascist pro-humanity political party known as Humanity United has control over the Imperial parliament and has used its immense influence to essential usurp power from the Emperor, while keeping him on the throne as a figurehead.[/hider][hider=Civil War factions][b]Humanity United:[/b] The current dominant force in the Empire, Humanity United is the enemy of all the other warring factions in the civil war. Humanity United is a fascist pro-human supremacy group that currently controls the Imperial parliament. Their power is greatest amongst what is known in the Empire as the “core worlds”, with the “rim worlds” having widely resisted its attempts to exert control to this point.

[b]The Coalition for Imperial Constitutionalism:[/b] Commonly shortened to the Constitutionalists, this group was the first of the rebellious groups to rise up and is also the strongest. The Constitutionalists are made up of planetary governments, viceroyalties, and military officers who wish to the monarch’s power brought back and the Constitutional rights of the citizenry upheld by the rightful and legal government.

[b]The Alliance for Liberty:[/b] Made up of the remnants of the Liberty Party, the political party in power before Humanity United, the Alliance for Liberty is now considered a fringe group in the Coalition for Imperial Constitutionalism. The Alliance for Liberty is significant in that it wishes to not only defeat the Fascists, but also replace the monarchy with a fully democratic power, or at the very least see the parliament empowered after Humanity United is defeated.

[b]The Nerkin Nationalist Front:[/b] While fighting alongside the Constitutionalists, the Nerkin Nationalist Front has the end goal of either achieving independence or at the very least being recognized as a semi-autonomous state within the Empire. While comparably weak now, and operating with little to no supplies, the Nerkin Nationalist Front has the potential to become fairly powerful should they receive supplies and training.

[b]The Viceroyalty of Cormyral:[/b] A powerful viceroyalty and home to the Nalloth species, the Viceroyalty of Cormyral has thus far remained official neutral in the conflict while providing material, logistical, and intelligence support to the Coalition for Imperial Constitutionalism. Home to a large industrial base, not to mention one of the largest shipyards in the Empire, the Viceroyalty of Cormyral has the potential to tip the balance of power in the Constitutionalists’ favor given enough time and should it enter the conflict in full. Unfortunately the native Nalloth species fears the Nerkin Nationalist Front enough that, should they grow in power, the viceroyalty may withdraw its support for the Constitutionalists and attempt to achieve independence for itself.

[b]The Imperial Guard:[/b] Another faction that could make a difference in the outcome of the conflict is the Imperial Guard. While comparably small in size, the Imperial Guard is well trained and equipped, even possessing a small fleet of its own that contains a few battleships. The Imperial Guards answer only to the Imperial family, thus are not required to aid Humanity United. Only time will tell if the Imperial Guard will cave in to pressure from Humanity United, aid the Constitutionalists, or continue to watch from the sidelines.[/hider]
[b]Military[/b][hider=Imperial Ground Force][b]Doctrine:[/b] The Imperial Ground Force (IGF) employs a doctrine of superior firepower. While the IGF may bring less men and machines to the field, they tend to be of higher quality. They prefer to throw bullets and shells at a problem instead of bodies. A common doctrine employed by the IGF is called the Citadel Doctrine. Essentially it revolves around establishing defensive positions in important regions and forcing the enemy to attack these positions.[hider=Infantry][url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/3d/4c/5f/3d4c5f454f587c5732e08f97f95c4516.jpg]Black Shirts[/url]: Originally a paramilitary group, the black shirts aided Humanity United in its rise to power and is loyal only to the party. The black shirts are comparatively poorly trained and equipped, but make for it in having high morale. They are usually employed only in cities and act as police, military police, and, at times, basic infantry.

[url=http://img11.deviantart.net/1292/i/2016/033/2/b/tactical_knight_by_johnsonting-d9q88uw.jpg]Imperial Infantry[/url]: The bread and butter of the IGF, Imperial infantry are well trained and decently well equipped soldiers. They are notable for being great marksmen and excellent and holding positions, however they are somewhat weak on the offensive, especially in urban environments.

[url=https://cdna2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/000/653/922/large/joshua-carrenca-emperor-battle-armor.jpg?1429912380]Knights of the Seraphim Order[/url]: Known commonly as seraphim knights or simply the seraphim, the Knights of the Seraphim Order are a special forces unit made iconic by their armor capable of sustained independent flight. They are trained to operate in any environment, be that in atmosphere or the void of space, but excel in supporting ground forces. They are commonly equipped with a plasma sword, long range particle beam rifle, and array of support equipment depending on what their mission is.

[url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a4/64/9a/a4649ac1bf2ff373a721b26cf6a41797.jpg]Praetorian Guard[/url]: Originally established as an organization tasked with protecting the Imperial parliament, the Praetorian guard’s role has expanded to protecting all high level government officials and the Imperial capital of Carth. They excel on the defense, but aren’t equipped or trained for offensive operations. While it is common for them to work alongside the Imperial Guard, the Praetorian Guard are neither part of the Imperial Guard nor required to follow the Imperial Guard’s orders.

[url=https://cdnb1.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/000/542/713/large/donovan-liu-t64.jpg?1426198853]Imperial Guard[/url]: Tasked with protecting the Imperial family and Imperial Capital of Carth, Imperial guards are well trained and equipped, but typically serve a ceremonial role more than anything. They take orders from the Imperial family alone and are not technically even part of the IGF.

[url=http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18yvuj6355xb1jpg/original.jpg]Order of the Magi[/url]: The Order of the Magi was initially formed by the Emperor to serve as a proof of concept unit for the creation of psionic capable troops and to develop tactics to employ these troops. One hundred years later, after Humanity United seized power, the Order of Magi broke ties with the Imperial throne and declared itself a semi-autonomous order. The order now pursues a generally nationalistic, pro-humanity agenda.

[url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/6f/07/b9/6f07b9c99792cc149e31ba4290dc9bdc.jpg]Paladins of the Cross[/url]: Based in the rim worlds of the Ithican Empire, the Paladins of the Cross are a catholic military order. They view their primary duties as being to protect the rim worlds of the Ithican Empire and spread the word of god. They receive the bulk of their funding from the rim worlds and are not linked to the Imperial government in any way.[/hider][hider=Armor][url=http://img02.deviantart.net/99ba/i/2009/329/2/a/mechanical_knight_by_hgjart.jpg]Heavy Imperial Guard[/url]: Imperial Guards outfitted with mechanized armor, Heavy Imperial Guards are a more combat oriented version of the Imperial Guards. Like their infantry comrades, Heavy Imperial Guards are tasked with the protection of the Imperial family and Imperial capital world of Carth. Historically they have been tasked by the Emperor to oversee battles and act as elite soldiers on the battlefield, although this has fallen out of practice recently. The mechanized armor of Heavy Imperial Guards are equipped with a shield general, is capable of prolonged independent flight, and there are even some variants made specifically for use in the void of space. These soldiers are commonly equipped with a plasma sword and heavy particle beam rifle.

[url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9b/1d/64/9b1d644cf34726da62cdfae548598b37.jpg]Tetrarch Tankette[/url]: The Tetrarch tankette is a tiny tank with a single person crew. Strictly speaking it is a tank-walker hybrid vehicle, capable of switching between the two modes during battle. It was designed to support infantry in combat and serve as a reconnaissance vehicle. Towards this end the Tetrarch tankette has good top speeds, acceleration, and agility. Its main cannon is capable of loading a variety of different types of rounds ranging from high explosive and armor piercing to shrapnel and EMP; it is important to note that even with armor piercing rounds the Tetrarch tankette struggles to pierce the armor of any vehicle larger than a light tank. On top of this the Tetrarch tankette’s armor is very thin, so much so that some of the larger infantry based rifles can pierce it given the right circumstances. The Tetrarch tankette is capable of being dropped into combat both from the air and orbit. Because of its drawbacks the Tetrarch tankette sees a lot of use in an auxiliary and logistics capacity instead of actual combat. Even so these vehicles excel in rough terrain and urban environments and should not be underestimated as they are a potent tool when used correctly.

[url=https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/bytl0mx1fpc6tj8t1dmw.jpg] Scorpion Light Hover Tank[/url]: The Scorpion light hover tank is small sized, thinly armored hover tank intended to serve as an armored reconnaissance vehicle, artillery observer, and skirmisher. Its main cannon is almost identical to the Tetrarch tankette’s and is capable of loading a variety of different types of rounds ranging from high explosive and armor piercing to shrapnel and EMP. Although the Scorpion possess superior armor to the Tetrarch, the Scorpion is also a much larger target. In addition to its main cannon the Scorpion has one anti-air missile and two anti-armor missiles.

[url=https://cdna2.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/000/337/666/large/cameron-archer-arbalestfinaldesign1.jpg?1417755485]Striker Anti-Air Artillery[/url]: The Striker is an old, almost ancient design, even so it has more than proven to be a highly reliable piece of equipment. Originally outfitted with ballistic flak guns, most modern Strikers have either railguns or particle beam cannons. The Striker excels at destroy hostile aircraft. More importantly some of the particle beam variants, when equipped to an outside power source and extra cooling systems, have been able to hit objects in low orbit, including both satellites and starships. In addition to destroying aircraft, the Striker is quite good at engaging infantry and can even fight head to head with light armor.

[url=https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/1494553669147697220.jpg]Chariot APC[/url]: The Chariot APC is a hover transport designed to carry two full squads into combat. These combat transports possess decent armor and speed. Their only armament is a heavy machine gun, meaning they can not engage other armor. Chariots also serve as logistics vehicles, carrying ammo or serving as a combat medical vehicle.

[url=https://cdnb3.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/000/443/551/large/jarold-sng-tank-demo.jpg?1422682351]Crusader IFV[/url]: The Crusader IFV was designed to replace the Chariot as Ithica’s primary ground combat transport. While this certainly hasn’t occurred, due to a variety of issues, the Crusader is still a widely used vehicle in the army. The Crusader has two different variants: the Crusader IFV and the Crusader Tank Destroyer (picture above). The IFV variant is equipped with a railgun and can carry a squad of soldiers into combat. The tank destroyer variant sacrifices its ability to carry troops in exchange for a heavy particle beam cannon capable of destroying even the most heavily of armored vehicles. While reliable, the Crusader doesn’t handle rough terrain as well as the Chariot and, due to having wheels, is prone to be knocked out when moving out rough terrain.

[url=http://orig15.deviantart.net/6ccf/f/2013/082/b/b/hover_tank_by_therollingman-d5z0vot.jpg]Warrior Hover Tank[/url]: The Warrior tank serves as Ithica’s main battle tank. It is noted as possess phenomenal mobility and firepower, but at the cost of armor. Typically, the Warrior is outfitted with a railgun for its main armament, however particle beam cannons are not uncommon. Because of its comparably light armor, the Warrior suffers in engagements where it is close to its foes. There have been known instances of light tanks or IFVs disabling or destroying a Warrior at close ranges. Despite this the Warrior excels at long range battles, where its superior cannon often times outranges those of contemporary main battle tanks and its comparably superior mobility allows it to better dodge incoming fire. Even with these comparative advantages the Warrior struggles against contemporary main battle tanks, especially in defensive engagements.

[url=https://img-new.cgtrader.com/items/308451/sci-fi_future_tank_concept_3d_model_max_obj_fbx_682523ee-6a15-4453-97f5-fa6df18a10d7.jpg]Conquerer Heavy Tank[/url]: The Conquerer is an old but reliable tank. The use of treads allows the Conquerer to keep a low profile, especially for a vehicle of its class, increasing survivability. These tanks possess one of the largest particle beam cannons in use by a ground vehicle and are more than capable of fighting one on one with any other tank currently in use; in fact battlefield experience has shown that in many situations fighting the Conquerer head on is suicide. Despite these strengths, or perhaps because of them, the Okibo is extremely slow and vulnerable in the rear, making it easy for lighter tanks to swarm it. A high cost to produce also ensures that Conquerer numbers will also remain low.

[url=https://cdnb1.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/000/774/745/large/timo-kujansuu-m-1.jpg?1432818074]Colossus-class Mobile Base[/url]: The Colossus is a hovering vehicle so large that it can serve as a mobile base. Carried between planets by either a destroyer or Titan ship, Colossus support troops on the ground in a variety of ways. In many ways Colossus acts simply as a premade base or airfield, however it can also serve as a large scale transport or supply depot. Although massive in size and possessing some armor, Colossus are essentially defenseless besides anything based inside of it.

[url=http://www.igorstshirts.com/blog/conceptships/2015/fernando_campos/fernando_campos_01.jpg]Titan-class Planetary Assault Ship[/url]:The Titan-class planetary assault ship is a specialized warship designed to operate in any environment. Titan-class ships are roughly the size of the average corvette and can operate in space; however, they are designed primarily to function within a planet’s atmosphere. Their primary purpose is to transport troops and equipment to planetary battlegrounds and support those troops in battle. Titan-class ships possess a single heavy particle beam cannon, missile launchers, railguns, and a variety of point defense systems.[/hider][/hider][hider=Imperial Space Force]WIP[/hider]
[hider=History]Sensing that the end of the Terran Empire was on the horizon roughly two hundred years before it actually fell, the Karling family, rulers of the then comparatively unimportant world of Carth, began to prepare for the inevitable. The construction of a shipyard allowed the creation of Carth’s self defense forces. This action was initially met with some resistance from the Imperial government, which assumed that Carth was preparing to rebel. When Carth instead used its military forces to force rebelling planets to return to the Empire, the Imperial government decided to name the Karlings as the defenders of the region and gave them additional military forces, as well as allowing them to administer the planets that they reconquered for the Empire.

By the time that the Empire had fallen, Carth had created its own small empire within the Empire. When Emperor Justas died, the Karlings were amongst the first of the nobility to declare their independence. The next day they declared that Carth was now the capital of the new Kingdom of Ithica. For the next fifty years Ithica expanded by any means possible. It was towards the end of this era of rapid expansion that an event called the Cormyrean War took place. Thus far Ithica had conquered only planets with predominantly human populations, but this came to an end as Ithica’s borders reached the waring xeno countries of Cormyral and the Nerkin Empire.

Using the pretense of protecting Cormyral’s native population from the bloodthirsty Nerkins, Ithica invaded the Nerkin Empire. When the Nerkin capital fell to Ithican forces three years later, marking the end of the war, Ithica wasted no time in establishing viceroyalties over what had previously been the Nerkin Empire and formally declaring the creation of the Ithican Empire. Several years later a referendum in Cormyral saw its peaceful annexation into the Ithican Empire in exchange for the local populations to be granted citizen status. While they were still considered to be second-class citizens, it was the first time that a xeno had been granted even the most basic of rights in the Ithican Empire.

This would lead to the Ithican Emperor granting expanded rights not only to its human citizens, but also its xeno citizens. While there were still many xeno slaves and “noncitizens” in the Ithican Empire, there was also a growing xeno-citizen population that held the same rights as human citizens.

It was this, amongst a few other factors, that would result in the Ithican-Enlightened War of 120 AT (After Terran). The war ended in an uneasy truce between the two warring powers after neither side made any significant gains in five years of combat. While the Ithican Empire officially won the war, it's arguable that the Enlightened State was the true winner. The war allowed the fascist pro-human supremacy party Humanity United to assume control over the Empire’s parliament. After the war ended Humanity United quickly took power away from the Emperor, while keeping him around as a figurehead, and consolidated its power over the Empire. Following its rise to power Humanity United declared the formation of the Humankind Empire of Ithica.

Finally, after thirty years, things have come to a head within the Empire.[/hider]
Other:[/hider]