[hider=Terran Empire 2: WIP as fuck] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/M8yU0ME.png[/img] [color=Gold][u][h1]The Terran Empire[/h1][/u] [h3]alt. The Panhuman Empire, The Second Terran Empire, The Venusian Empire[/h3][/color][/center] The reformed Terran Empire is directly descended from a multitude of sources, but most notably the Imperial claimants of Novia Belletor and Aulus Gordian to form the new Imperial house of Belletor-Gordian. Generally the Empire views itself as a pure continuation of the old Terran Empire, even if mostly relegated to Venus and small enclaves elsewhere as per what they call the ‘ongoing crisis’. [hider=Government Type]Effectively a limited Autocratic Monarchy with aristocratic elements. Technically, the Emperor or currently the Empress has complete and absolute power over the entirety of the Empire and its citizens. In practice they are limited and supported by the Imperial Bureaucracy, Imperial Senate and the Imperial High Command. The Bureaucracy carries out most actual governance, the High Command is in charge of military matters and the Senate advises, carries out oversight, and formulates new laws and budgets. The Bureaucracy and High Command generally run on Meritocratic appointments while the Senate is limited to the new Imperial Nobility, although the electorate is somewhat more expansive than that, it is still restricted.[/hider] [hider=Notable Locations and Aspects]In the territory dominated by the Imperial government there are several locations that make a degree of particular interest as they illuminate aspects of the modern Empire. [hider=Venusian Defense Grid]The Venusian Defense Grid is in part a modern construction and in another part a renovation of old technology. In particular the energy shielding system originally developed in the terraforming of Venus and later kept for posterity, after the general collapse of Imperial order there began a project to repurpose it into a kind of planetary defense measure. This was largely successful as maintenance had been kept up and some upgrades kept to keep the satellites in full working order. This energy shield in addition to the numerous [i]Humanity[/i] Star Fortresses in Orbit around Venus forms the basis of the Venusian Defense grid, as well as any nearby ships of the Imperial Navy of course. This is no impenetrable defense, nor is it nothing either, the existence of the energy shielding system was one of the primary deterrents that allowed Venus to largely escape the chaos of direct assault that befell Earth and numerous other locales during the collapse. [/hider] [hider=Agricol Complex]While the Agricol Complex and similar structures on the Venusian surface may in general not compete with the sheer efficiency per produce found in some orbital farms, the Complex can compete instead on the ease in and on scale. It is far larger, and far more easily made and expanded Agricultural production. These Complexes form the basis of not just supplying Imperial populations with food, but also the vast amounts that the Empire exports to other portions and parts of the Solar System. It is for this reason that the areas most closely tied to the Empire need not worry for food or other similar basic necessities as the Imperial government makes clear their willingness to use the full resources of the terraformed Venusian biosphere. [/hider] [hider=The Imperial System Wide Broadcasting Array]With the fall of Earth and its infrastructure, the chaos that enveloped the Solar System quickly threw away the idea of Imperial dominance in all aspects of life in the Solar System. Most importantly to the creation of the Array, no longer could Imperial citizens count on the government for aid in many of their needs. The Array was the solution reached towards that end as much as the current government could afford to spend on that. While the Empire couldn’t ensure the safety of belters from pirates, from gas giant stations from radicals, or the citizens of Earth from the horrors of war, it could at the very least provide a measure of the common humanity of the Empire and connection to the great history of all mankind. To this end the Imperial System Wide Broadcasting Array was constructed and broadcasts a wide variety of media on open channels that are easily accessible for any with appropriate equipment throughout the Solar System. From entertainment and education for children, classic programs or documentaries or histories, news and coverage of recent events, and a multitude of other things that would otherwise be accessible to any Imperial citizen. The Imperial System Wide Broadcasting Array and its managers who report to the Imperial Bureaucracy, hope to remind all of the continued shared Humanity and benevolence of the Empire. However it should also be said that throughout the Array’s existence local leaders who have not wanted their populations to have access to the Array’s programs have blocked out said signal with local broadcasts along the same frequencies. A shame of the division of the modern chaotic era to be sure. [/hider] [/hider] [hider=Demographics WIP] Generally the Empire is quite welcoming towards most of any peoples, although widespread discriminiation may exist in quite a number of societal aspects towards non-humaniform peoples, generally there has been a disbandment of the old rigorous slave systems used to dominate some peoples. The new Imperial Order operates under a philosophy of the ‘Human Spirit’, meaning basically how much one has been modified or one's original genetic stock matters less than the general loyalty to the Empire and its Ideals. [hider=Humaniform Humans]Just humans that look mostly human, whether they are of base human stock, have minor modifications to remove and improve some genetic markers such as reducing cancer chances or the like, or even some that are cosmetically altered.[/hider] [hider=Non-humaniform Humans]Humans who have extensive modifications, whether these are visible or not, the difference between these and Humaniform varies by group, under modern Imperial law there is no difference in rights or duties. Widely known types are as follows: [list][*] [*] [/list][/hider] [hider=Non-human Sapients]Such as various uplifted groups or modified groups, such as uplifted apes or other animals, or animals extensively modified with cybernetics that provide labor or service in some fields. Widely known types are as follows: [list][*] [*] [/list][/hider] [h3]Venus[/h3] Notable Groups [list][*][b]Humaniform Humans:[/b] Describing the various human groups that remain relatively similar to the original human stock. Roughly make up 56-65% of the population depending on how rigorously one defines the group and by what metrics. Most of the nobility as well as the Imperial family are Humaniform Humans. [*][b]Non-humaniform Humans:[/b] Describing the various human groups that are extensively modified in comparison to original human stock. Makes up 8-17% of the population depending on definition per Humaniform Humans. [*][b]Non-Human Sapients:[/b] Describing various uplifted and modified groups and populations that remained loyal or otherwise stayed under the new Imperial sway. Roughly make up 21% of the population on Venus. Commonly the majority in some ridgeway arcologies. [*][b]Other:[/b] Roughly 6% of the population on Venus is either not easily applied into one of these categories or is otherwise avoidant of general census efforts to categorize them.[/list] [h3]Earth[/h3] The exact numbers of many of the demographics of areas under Imperial control on Earth are not precisely known due to the overreliance on local administrations which typically are greatly taxed by the general levels of conflict on the planet and are more focused towards preparing there rather than generating precise and accurate measures of local population. [/hider] [hider=Characters]Many colorful and unique characters populate the Imperium in many places and on many levels. More will be added as time goes on. For now see Leadership.[/hider] [hider=Leadership]Although legally the Empress has supreme power over the entire Empire effectively power in the Empire is devolved to several other levels and figures, this is partially intentional given the historic abuses by the last Emperor of the previous dynasty. [hider=Empress Veturia IV]WIP[/hider] [hider=Supreme Marshal Cosconia Tasius]WIP[/hider] [hider=Duke-Senator Cnaeus Augustus Merula]WIP[/hider] [/hider] [hider=Histories]To tell the tale of the modern Terran Empire on Venus one could start in many places and tell some very different stories by it. The terraforming and colonization of Venus, the tragic end to the previous dynasty and the brief interregnum before the new dynasty asserted control. There are many places and positions one could start with, each their own tale. [hider=To Make Venus as it was on Earth - VERY VERY WIP]I told ya it ain’t done, what did ya expect?[/hider] [hider=The Crisis of the Empire]After the tragic accidental death of the last Emperor of the Old Dynasty, Jarus Augustus IV, there was a power vacuum without a clear line of succession. Sure there were claimants, mostly among the nobility, but such ties were forged decades or centuries ago, who exactly had the most clear line of succession had never been decided before in so indirect a measure. The clearest and most direct form of action taken was partially as a result of pressure from the Imperial Bureaucracies and the Imperial Navy in face of increased unrest across the Empire, to form a regency council to decide the best chosen heir. This was significantly unsuccessful. Those nobles on the council mostly tried to leverage the position to put forward their own claims, military staff tried to use the power of the council to fight increasing rebellions rather than actually trying to find a new Emperor. The Ambilene coup that deposed the Regency Council while good intentioned in theory mostly ended to result in a Junta of high officers of the Empire fighting to maintain control against the forces of rebellion and various claimants to the Imperial Throne that all began to converge in the Sol System. The two claimants that would form the basis of the new dynasty, Novia Belletor of New Terra and Aulus Gordian of Ishtar Terra on Venus, played very different roles during this time. Novia Belletor was one of the invading claimants, having subverted the local garrison, committing personal forces as well as partially acquiring a fleet intended to help quell insurrection at the edge of the Empire, turning its attention back to the core systems and Sol itself. Aulus Gordian meanwhile had been a member of the Regency Council although a very minor one, after the Ambilene Coup he returned to Venus to build up a base of support for his own claim, gaining the support of the Garrisons of Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra, although the sea and ridgeway arcology garrisons refused to be mobilized. Needless to say, neither was the most successful in pressing their own claim to the Throneworld, especially with the Sol gate destroyed Novia Belletor was cut off from her base of support on New Terra while still having a sizable fleet in the Sol System itself. Meanwhile Aulus Gordian had managed to further secure himself on Venus, gaining for the further support of the remnants of the Venus defense grid. The match was eventually proposed as a solution to Gordian’s lack of a fleet, Belletor’s lack of a base and to strengthen both their claims. In particular, in the face of so many local powers asserting independence rather than any attempt to claim the old Empire for themselves. Most of the focus of their military forces following the collapse of Imperial Power and the Gate System was working with remaining Imperial Forces on Earth to evacuate key materials and industries as well as generally assisting refugees from various Earthside conflict zones to escape the chaos on the Throneworld by evacuating them to Venus. Generally this pattern of aiding civilians worked to help build the new Imperial State on Venus.[/hider] [/hider] [hider=Economics]Generally the new Empire is pretty well suited in most fields commonly needed. As Venus has been extensively terraformed, water and even the acquisition of base materials is not too great an issue as Venus can generally use resources found on the planet itself. Unfortunately the major issue that Venus faces is not a lack of base resources like food or water but rather the high industry. Venus was never meant to be the center of an Empire and so its industry had been limited during Old Imperial Times. Although new industries have been built, it has not been altogether the easiest situation for the new Empire. Generally the Empire is intensely interested in importing advanced technologies, industrial materials, and of course defense equipment given Venus’s high need for defensive power against the many hostile threats that face the Empire and its citizenry. As for exports the Empire gleefully provides grown foods or raised animal meats to most who require them in the solar system, as well as base water or general consumer products. As well the Empire does subsidize a large scale broadcasting rig to send out civilian media throughout the solar system as a separate affair from their own localized broadcasting which uses much more efficient tight band transmissions. These broadcasts range all across a spectrum of media so that even the most isolated of belter settlements or far flung habitats might still have access to good media and culture from the Imperial government. [/hider] [hider=Relations WIP]Relations with the Empire are a complex subject for many in system. Few of the breakaway states truly care much for the Imperial Government on Venus, yet Venus remains as an important player in the Solar System, especially for colony worlds which lack terraformed environments. Venus for many of them is a source of many of the earthly pleasures of fresh, grown food in excess, or even meat more easily made with the excess biomass in a fully terraformed nearly Earth-sized planet. Especially as the unified Imperial Government keeps good order on Venus, it is a good destination for those growing sick of spacer habitats and long for the open skies, without the dangers of traveling to Earth in these times. [hider=SolSec]Not Good - WIP[/hider] [hider=Mercury]Necessary Evils - WIP[/hider] [hider=Earther States]Protectionist Paternalism - WIP[/hider] [hider=Luna]WIP[/hider] [hider=Mars]WIP[/hider] [hider=Jupiter]Complex between the several states - WIP [hider=Io]WIP[/hider] [hider=Europa]Friendship times - WIP[/hider] [hider=Ganymede]Why does it always have to be AI? - WIP[/hider] [/hider] [hider=Saturn]Trade(?) in face of Distrust - WIP[/hider] [hider=Uranus]Trade(?) and More(?) - WIP[/hider] [hider=Neptune]WIP[/hider] [hider=Pluto and Pals]WIP[/hider] [hider=Other States]WIP[/hider] [/hider] [hider=Military WIP]The Imperial Defense Forces are made up of multiple branches generally carrying forward from modified Imperial Doctrine. All commanded by the Imperial High Command which reports directly to the Empress. Due to the early evacuations of some regions from the old Throneworld of Earth, the Empire has a solid grasp on the technical specifications of most Old Imperial designs and continues use and production of many old Designs that still work. Although most have received extensive modification, either to update technology or better prepare for modern threats, or otherwise to lessen the resource costs of building vessels or certain mainline units compared to the threats faced. [hider=Imperial Navy]Centered on evolving Imperial Doctrine, rather than attempt to mimic either the style or design of Old the new Imperial Navy has focused on updating or otherwise modifying designs so as to better be able to combat modern realities. This in general has had a result of greatly causing a divergence in design of the Imperial Fleet as opposed to factions which merely reproduce or utilize old Imperial design and combat philosophy. [hider=Raptor Space Superiority Craft]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/i2VtvYW.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Viper Space Superiority Fighter]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/hkOgHYa.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Ishtar Terra II Corvette]An updated and mostly stripped down version of the old Ishtar Terra I, the II principally is made to attempt at the same capabilities of the old corvette while requiring less resources to make. Primarily this has come through the stripping of its long-range transport capacity and focusing the corvette purely on Orbital pickets and defense. [img]https://i.imgur.com/VOQTQIB.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Asia III Frigate]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/HTh9HOg.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Mars II Cruiser]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/YX5IRrL.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Emperor Aratus Heavy Cruiser]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/HpTVXzh.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Empress Lucia Taurina II Battlecruiser]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/XN6vQCE.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Jarus Augustus the Great Fleet Carrier]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/C9qqwE0.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Humanity Star Fortress]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/JFjrMXg.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Imperial Star Marines]WIP [img]https://i.imgur.com/CuFF2Yy.png[/img][/hider] [/hider] [hider=Imperial Planetary Forces]The Imperial Planetary Forces are in charge of both managing the defense of Imperial territories on Planets as well as combat operations into celestial bodies that have similar ground conditions to Planets. As such the Imperial planetary Forces are split into three core Branches, the Imperial Army, the Imperial Air Forces and the Imperial Marine Flee. The Last is more commonly referred to as the ‘Wet Navy’ outside of official correspondence. [hider=Imperial Army]The Imperial Army encompasses two different forces, the Standard Units and the Militia. The Standard Units are a professional volunteer army using standard Imperial combat doctrine. They receive the best equipment of the ground forces, tanks, guns, artillery, all that is appropriate according to Imperial Doctrine and supply. The Militia on the other hand are a mixture of conscripts from termed ‘non-essential’ work forces around the age of 16-30, and volunteers and veterans, who receive or have received military training and often substandard equipment to provide supplemental and quick reaction forces to invasion, or as supplemental forces for any other major concern on the local level. In some areas these forces are very similar in ability and equipment to Standard Units, in others they are significantly more lax. [hider=Imperial Standard Forces]The Professional Standing Army of the Empire, the Standard Forces typically train under Earth gravity, even if most centers and recruits are on or from Venus. Typically Standard Forces receive a cocktail of chemicals, steroids and other such things, to boost their effectiveness even if most are relatively unaugmented Humans. The Best in the Standard Forces are optionally allowed to receive and train for various augments for combat duties. Anyone can apply for the Standard Forces, although typically augmented persons are put into segregated units, in part because of still extant attitudes in the Empire but also primarily focused on supply. Finding a gas mask that fits is much easier if you are only sent ones made to fit humans or other close humaniforms. [hider=Imperial Trooper][img]https://i.imgur.com/KgTxeEP.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=Imperial Ranger][img]https://i.imgur.com/VJeUWNG.jpg[/img][/hider] [/hider] [hider=Imperial Militia]The Militia is extant throughout the Empire, although its membership can vary quite a lot. In some areas on Venus it is used as a kind of mixed supplemental work for Veterans, as well as a training means for future possible recruits. Others are a frontline unit such as the Militias in Italy and the Alpine Command Region. In general the Militias are less picky than the Standard Forces, sometimes the equipment is outdated or in general is much cheaper than what the Imperial government allows for the Standard Forces to be equipped with. [hider=South Italian Militia][img]https://i.imgur.com/ViwFlYX.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=North Albionic Militia][img]https://i.imgur.com/fLUXrI3.jpg[/img][/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [hider=Imperial Air Forces]The Imperial Air Forces are primarily focused to provide support for the Imperial Army and the maintenance of Imperial Air Superiority especially when orbital supremacy cannot be maintained. [hider=Imperial Ground Assault Ships]While technically rated for space, the mainstay of their operations are conducted in Atmosphere and generally are commissioned in the Planetary Air Forces rather than the Navy. Shown below are the Yaelius Class vessels. [img]https://i.imgur.com/eT73aeH.jpg[/img][/hider] [hider=New Bornheim Class Fighter-Bomber]While their atmospherics are space rated, they lack sufficient maneuvering surfaces to be effective in that field. Instead their primary job is fast deployment of missiles from range. The New Bornheim Class explicitly is not meant for dogfighting and their pilots are heavily discouraged from attempting such things despite what they may see in Imperial Sponsored War Media. [img]https://i.imgur.com/9DuKNlC.jpg[/img][/hider] [/hider] [hider=Imperial Wet Navy]The Empire maintains and trains the Imperial Marine Fleet, or ‘Imperial Wet Navy’ as is more commonly referred to. Essentially maintaining naval traditions of old as well as taking up new traditions. Commonly required to rescue or intervene at any sea-borne sites of space vessel crashes or police the waters on claimed Imperial worlds to maintain control over water borne shipping. There are also a select number of units equipped with anti-orbital weaponry so as to create a mobile defense battery. Although more commonly the Marine Fleet maintains and transports Imperial Marines and manages various augmented aquatic life. [hider=Imperial Marines]As one of the few powers in the solar system with planetary seas as well as an intense interest in maintaining a presence on Earth the Empire maintains a specialized force for aquatic and amphibious operations. Armored and Heavily Trained for operations on Venus, Earth, and potentially other environs that they may be required to be deployed. [hider=Marine][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZMdYR3i.jpg[/img][/hider] Additionally, the Empire uses a variety of modified and augmented aquatic life for their operations. Some are more explicitly modified and are typically used for direct operations to assist in assaults or reconnaissance. Others however are meant to blend in with the unaugmented wildlife to catch opposing forces unaware or to ambush hostile naval forces. [hider=Imperial Shark Servitor][img]https://i.imgur.com/78Qzwkt.png[/img][/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider]