[hider=Divine Republic of Fenice --- WIP] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/735316037674729513/765554920287895573/Fenixe_Flag.png[/img] [color=f7941d][b]Name:[/b][/color] Republique Sainteté Fénise, Fénisian Republic, Fénise/Fenice [color=f7941d][b]Government:[/b][/color] Divine Republic [color=f7941d][b]Capital:[/b][/color] Fenice [color=f7941d][b]Dominant Religion:[/b][/color] Dionism [color=f7941d][b]Dominant Species:[/b][/color] Elavis (deertaurs) [color=f7941d][b]Population:[/b][/color] 75 million Fenice used to be part of the once might Chevroiéren Empire. With the tyranny of Chevroiére overthrown and the empire fragmented, Fenice came to prominence. They formed the Fenician League which absorbed its neighbors in a series of crusades. The revolutions of the 19th century overthrew the clergy, exiled the Archpriestess and established true republic. With the nation completely reformed the Fenisians bravely look forward to the new century. Fenice is a lively country with lots of history.[hider=Rolls] Land Area: 11 Land Fertility: 19 (imported) Natural Resources: 14 Social Development: 15 Technological Development: 19 (switched, 15+4) Industrial Development: 13 (18-5) Total Economic Strength: 9 (5+4) Land Power: 14 (12+2) Naval Power: 10 (switched) Air Power: 2 (-5) [/hider] [h2][b][color=f7941d]Territory[/color][/b][/h2] The Chevroiéren Plains are a fertile land between the tropical and continental climate belts. Compared to the anomaly which is Voldoyouki this might not seem special but these bountiful lands empowered a number of empires throughout history. Diverse flora and fauna lives in this region and it's known for their exotic flowers and timber. When it comes to raw materials though their chief source is in the Montelanse region at the southern borders. Fénisian iron is well-known for its remarkable quality and some rare elements are chiefly found here. Yet overall the amount of raw materials Fénise could mine aren't sufficient for their growth and require considerable imports. In comparison Fénise is known to be unusually rich in magic crystals and they even have a type unique to this region called Solarite. This material is the basis of many Fenisian magitech. [h2][b][color=f7941d]History[/color][/b][/h2]TBA [h2][b][color=f7941d]Government[/color][/b][/h2]Fenisian governance has little to no parallel across the whole world. They chose a form of federal republician direct democracy which might hardly even make sense for an outsider. The so-called "citoyen" are the official citizenship of Fenice but can be considered a social elite. They are the upper class who agree to pay huge taxes in order to exert the right to participate in politics. They participate in votes and can pursue political career. This is a huge responsibility which Fenicians don't take lightly. As such the citoyen are tested annually to prove their knowledge and overall ability to make correct judgement in these matters. The Fenician philosophy sneers at the idea of universal suffrage and considers it being lead by fools. Instead they want only those with both the commitment and abilities to actually make calls. Given how every citoyen/citizen has direct influence in political decisions in their eyes this method truly conveys the will of the nation. Of course aside from votes from citizens there are various offices, representatives and other institutions. As a federal state ruled from Fenice the other regions can only influence decisions through their representatives in the Senate. Another interesting facet of Fenisian politics is that direct democratic institutions aren't exclusive to the capital and federal central of Fenice alone. Every region has its own capital city where the "citoden" (cityfolk) could exert their direct democratic power. In the Divine Republic of Fénise you have to earn your voting rights. Yet this doesn't bother the ordinary folk. Commoners who don't have citizenship can live their lives in peace and don't suffer much if any social consequences for lacking the ability to vote. Unless they want to participate in politics this doesn't impact them negatively at all. A number of commoners started up their own enterprises, although after a certain point you might still want to acquire citizenship given the prestige and ability to influence politics.[hider=Dionism] Fenisian state religion which is uncertain whether it's Gestalt or Elder in nature. As its name states Fenice views the Sun as their god. It has numerous branches with some taking this literally while others consider it in the philosophical/metaphorical sense. They celebrate the Sun and view it as the source of all goodness in life. Archodionists are the "old guard" who believe in the origin myths surrounding the Sun while Neodionist faiths approach the Sun as a concept and consider it a core of their philosophy. Dionism teaches enlightenment, joy and fills believers with a certain "inner fire". A Dionist lives for the present and values experiences over calm everyday life. Many of them want to live like fire, short yet blazing. Dionism's teachings are the most likely source of the stereotype which associates Fenisians with energetic positivity but also shortsightedness. The Fenisian national creature is the phoenix which is the central figure of Fenisian creation myths and often shows up in myths as divine messenger. The Phoenix was said to be effectively immortal. Short-lived yet constantly reborn. This creature is also the namesake of the city of Fenice. [/hider] [h2][b][color=f7941d]Demographics[/color][/b][/h2]According to the last census Fénise has 75 million souls. Among them about 33 million are Elavis (deertaur), 20 million Nain (gnomes), 10 million humans, 2.5 million Volyudki, 2 million centaurs and the rest being a mix of other races. Fenisians don't discriminate on race, although they have a hard time tolerating other faiths. 98% of the population are believing in some type of Dionism. Gnomes in particular are somewhat unique in the fact that they historically have been slaves or indentured servants to centaurs/deertaurs. As a consequence even though slavery is no longer tolerated in Fénise the gnomes usually find job working as servants and assistance to deertaurs.[hider=Elavis (deertaurs)][img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/84e858b4d1398c7da3260a9ff4b65ca4/tumblr_oetbsl8NT01s6nzr5o3_250.jpg[/img] Official Name: Elafer (male), Elafé (female), Elavis (group name) Common Name: Deertaurs Average Dimensions: height: 176cm, length: 142cm Average Weight: 90kg (runner), 140kg (worker), 220kg (warrior) Maximum Lifespan: 200 years Small yet very agile type of centaurid found chiefly in the western portion of Yevrazha. Before we delve into this race let's fix some misconceptions about centaurids. First off, they aren't human-horse hybrids. There aren't two bodies sewn together but a large body with its own unique anatomy. The chest of a centaurid holds two giant hearts pumping blood at a rate which might seem insane. This fills the centaurid with energy but also speeds up their metabolism, requiring more food. The abdominal portion of the upper body also has the first stomach, out of the three in total. The lower body has the lungs and intestines. Just as the hearts, this place holds almost every organ in twins or having a duplicate. Even if one pair of the organs fail the centaurid will not be hindered, though their vital functions will decrease. Elavis are an unique part of the Centauridae family. They are light and small in stature by centaurid standards. Their lower body resembles a mix between deers and goats, inheriting advantages of both. Compared to the more robust centaurs the Elavis are very nimble. They could could climb trees, scale cliffs and do tasks you normally wouldn't associate with centaurids. Thanks to their superpowered hearts the Elavis has powerful arm muscles, although the chief portion of their strength is held in their lower body. Elavis are fast runners, capable of reaching between 40-70km/h and their stamina allows them to maintain this for surprisingly long. Elavis has 3 breeds: runner, worker and warrior. A runner breed centaur is slender and are the best at traversing great distances. They are comparatively weak but still fairly large overall. Worker-breed are made stout-bodied with shorter legs. They adapted to carry heavy weights for long distances but they quite slow compared to the other deertaurs. Warrior-breeds are the largest and most rare. They approach the size of ponies and maximize strength while also have very decent speed. As their name implies they used to compromise the elite of the army and most of them still do. [/hider][hider=Nain (Gnomes)] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/38/39/f0/3839f036962ee11608c63c6e0be0e48b.jpg[/img] Official Name: Nain Common Name: Gnome Average Height: 120cm Weight: 25kg Maximum Lifespan: 150 years Gnomes are a race bound to centaurid service for over a millennia. Their weakness and small stature made them an easy conquest after which the gnomes became the attendants of centaurids, helping them in many ways. Gnomes are distant relatives of dwarves and their hardiness can be perhaps attributed to this. They have oversized heads and limbs which makes them appear a bit child-like. They are socially in an odd place right now. Many of them still consider themselves servants to centaurids but a growing minority promotes complete independence. Gnomes are respected for their assistance but looked down upon when they try to do something outside their stereotype. This produces a growing discontent which could erupt as yet another gnome uprising like the ones lead to their (formal) emancipation. [/hider] [h2][b][color=f7941d]Technology/Industry[/color][/b][/h2] Fénise is a developed country with decent industry yet they aren't anywhere groundbreaking. Fénise is mostly known for their agriculture and light industry and their production capacity is limited. Fenisian artistry and craftsmanship is known worldwide yet during the age of factories the skill of artisans are of lesser concern. Fénise does have a very specific expertise in their own brand of magitech, though. They chiefly use Solarite, a type of magic crystal attuned to their own spells. This is chiefly useful at producing heat and light, the main aspects of the Sun. Although Fénisian magic is the best known for healing. Filling the recipient with inner fire they speed up metabolism and otherwise accelerate healing. The Circle of Fire is an international organization of healers chiefly established to support war-torn places. To flip things over the Fenisians also have reputation for gunmaking. Obsessed with fire they fully embraced firearms and the region has numerous ancestral workshops dedicated to guns. Of course we are in the industrial age and compared to the old times Fenisians lag behind in processes to make the most powerful guns. Yet their reputation is virtually untarnished when it comes to small arms. The Volcanic Arms Factory is known worldwide for supplying pistols and other small arms to civilian markets. Lastly it's known that Fenisians and their spiritual practices managed to communicate with the element of fire itself. Thanks to this they can command fire elementals and use them in various applications. Most famously Fenisian furnances and powerplants often include a fire elemental within them. Thanks to this Fenisian heat machines tend to be more compact but they are also quite temperamental in nature.[hider=Solarite][img]https://www.ajsgem.com/sites/default/files/ajs/Sphalerite-SPR-00001_0.jpg[/img] Vibrant gemstone in the color of flames. Solarite is an unique type of magic crystal transformed by the subconscious Gestalt energies of Dionism. For this reason Solarite can only be mined in Fenise and it has specific interaction with the arts of Dionist spellsmiths. Solarite has the attribute of the Sun which makes it more effective at casting heat and light based spells. It's also the primary medium of Fenisian healers to treat wounds and various ailment alongside the fruits of modern medicine. Solarite also finds common use in any technology related to light or heat. Solarite crystals at the end of lightbulb filaments create clean and efficient light. Solarite crystals can power enchantments in steam turbines to improve efficiency. Solarite also finds its way in firearms technology. Fenisian gunpowders use specks of grounded solarite to improve their guns. They can also have a "Solarization Device" attached to imbue projectiles with explosive solar energies. Yet the most famous use of Solarite is to power the Fenisian "star blades" also known as Estoiler. [/hider][hider=Estoiler (starblade)][img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/53/55/2e/53552e62c9e3dfe4af7bfd727dd33385.jpg[/img] Starblades are unique melee weapons and the product of centuries of spellsmithing knowledge. They are seemingly nothing but enchanted hilts using Solarite core as their focus. When activated the starblade ignites in the air, forming a blade of plasma like a miniature sun. Yet that's just partially the truth. In effect this shining blade concentrates all its energy around the edges, leaving the sides much colder. Touching the side of the blade might be akin to a boiling kettle, painful but not immediately dangerous. Yet the edge is so intense it can effortlessly cut through people. Starblades of course can't cut through everything. For example they have ten times more trouble to cleave non-combustible materials. They could slice through certain tree hunks with ease yet they can barely scratch a lamppost. The exact reasons for why are unknown but as a consequence even plate armor provides a degree of defense against these. Of course some of the heat passes through and also repeated strikes cult melt the thin pieces of steel but it's better than nothing. Starblades used to be a mark of prestige and many bear elaborate decorations still. Yet heavily simplified versions with lower output nowadays see widespread use in the Fenisian military. Starblades are very quick to use and deadly, although they can be also immensely dangerous to the untrained user. The blade is weighless and provides no feedback to the user so you have to operate it with your eyes and general experience, otherwise you might lose the position of your blade in the heat of battle. Shorter starblades like those put on as bayonets are less powerful and chiefly focus on thrusting. As such they are much easier to handle by the average soldier. This is called the bayonet-estoiler which has a modestly powerful cutting edge and a fairly strong point for thrusts. They are also considerably shorter, with blades usually being 35-55cm long. [/hider] [h2][b][color=f7941d]Military[/color][/b][/h2] Fenisian military traditions run deep while it's no longer as mighty as it used to be they are still formidable on their own right. Elafer mercenaries were well-known across the continent and the adventurous youth can be still charmed by free companies which then offer their services to various foreign militaries. As living cavalry the Elavis fighting style embraces maneuvering and sheer speed. They are highly drilled soldiers with great coordination. Companies often have a certain family-like feel. Yet of course this also got some dark sides. Fenisian military borderline refuse to accept non-deertaur soldiers, only taking in a smaller amount of auxiliary and specialist troops. As a consequence the Fenisian military, also called Force Fédérale du Fényx (Federal Phoenix Force), is struggling to maintain adequate number of soldiers. Even then the Fenisian army is formidable and they are decently equipped. It's just that Fenisian perception of their military power is certainly inflated which may cause problems in the future. [h3][b][color=f7941d]Army Overview[/color][/b][/h3]The Fenisian army is a staunch member to the "cult of offensive" who believe any defensive measure can be overwhelmed by adequate offense. Their army is all about the speed of their action and generally the best prepared to face enemies on the open field. They view fortresses as staging points and defense is only required until relief forces arrive. Combined with cultural reasons it isn't surprising that Fenise is reluctant to accept non-centaurid soldiers. These troops are trained for long marches and could traverse up to 100 miles within a day. This is deemed necessary as the Fénise-Volsrtanlyudkovka border is massive and any attempts at invasion should be thwarted fast. [hider=Infantry] [hider=Common Infantry Gear] [b]- [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/guns/images/4/4d/EvansNew.png/revision/latest?cb=20190420070618]Chapuis M98 Rifle[/url]:[/b] Lever action rifle firing 9.2x42mm cartridges. The buttstock is also a helical magazine holding 24 rounds which can be loaded by 8-round stripper clips from the top feed. The rifle is fairly accurate and the 9mm tubular bullets can achieve close to 1000m/s. In contrast these bullets have mixed reputation in terms of firepower, struggling to penetrate tree hunks or sandbags. Similarly some question the lethality of tubular bullets but in practice it's more down to personal experiences. [b]- [url=https://genesiscustomsabers.com/wp-content/themes/echoes_1.4/timthumb.php?src=https://genesiscustomsabers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_8752-slider-wmark.jpg&h=0&w=600&zc=1&q=72]M99 Plasma Bayonet[/url]:[/b] A much cheaper variant of the traditional starblades, allowing them to be issued to the common soldier. Plasma bayonets have a shorter, usually 45cm long plasma blade which has less cutting power but comparable strength at the thrust. It cannot burn through tree hunks or cut people cleanly in half but the edge can still cut deep and in general this compromise worked out in the soldiers' favor. [b]- [url=https://cdn.rockislandauction.com/dev_cdn/64/1438.jpg]Leclair M03 Pistol[/url]:[/b] Standard sidearm of the Federal Phoenix Force. It uses special 8x24mm cartridges with tubular bullets to achieve phenomenal velocities. The bullet only weighs about 2.4 grams but has the muzzle velocity of 640m/s. To achieve this the Leclair has an unique "bullpup" feed and long recoil mechanism, giving it exactly 300mm in barrel length. The original trial in 1901 was sabotaged by the Chasseur Corps because they wanted a long ranged sidearm that can effectively supplement their shotguns. Uncharacteristically to many other pistols the Leclair M03 has a double-stack magazine holding 19 cartridges, something again motivated by the Chasseur Corps' demands. Thanks to its long barrel and muzzle velocity the pistol can theoretically shoot up to 200m but in practice it's used like every other military sidearm. Other pistols like the Bergeux M01 and M05 also circulate in the army, not to mention the M88 Revolvers which are rechambered for 8x24mm now. [b]- [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/53/55/2e/53552e62c9e3dfe4af7bfd727dd33385.jpg]M88 Pattern Starsaber[/url]:[/b] Typical armament of Fenisian military officers this is the mass produced variant of the famed starblades wielded by the legendary knights of Fenise. It has a set of focusing prongs and twin set of focus rings providing better control while also functioning as guards. The blade length is adjustable between 80 to 120cm and same could be said for other characteristics to fit the wielder's style. Since it's merely a hilt it only weighs 300 grams, lighter than a military knive. As such starsabers are remarkably fast which could make them terrifying in combat. Contrary to legends a starblade doesn't need mythical skills, divine blessing, nor it could slash through armor with ease. Most officers who wield starsabers also like to wear special gauntlets made to resist plasma cuts just for safety. [b]- Benelin Auto-19 Shotgun:[/b] Shotgun adopted by the Chasseur Corps as their combat weapon of choice (aside from their standard rifles). It fires 19mmm shells standard in Fenisian use and has a long recoil mechanism allowing semi-automatic fire. It has a tubular magazine capable of holding 8-10 shells depending on their size and has a pump-action as backup in case the mechanism fails to load the next round. These shotguns can fire slugs with effective range up to 125m, various shots&flechette ammos and even smoke and high-explosive shells meant for special purposes. Chasseurs are aggressive and this weapon is perfect for their style. [b]- Chapuis M08 Auto Rifle:[/b] One of the newest rifles designed by Chapuis Arsenal for civilian markets. It's a semi-automatic rifle using medium cartridge and a simple blowback mechanism, feeding from detachable magazines between the capacity of 8 to 25 rounds. It uses a 9.8 x 29.4 mm cartridge (also called the 10mm SL) and it's popular with hunters. In terms of military use their compact size and high capacity makes them a good competitor with the Chapuis M98 Carbine variant. [b]- Field Grenade No. 7:[/b] Fenisian grenade made for storming enemy lines and overcoming fortifications. In terms of construction they are both simplistic and overcomplicated. The cylindrical grenade body is constructed out of washer-like iron rings fixed by thin iron rods with the internal space filled with TNT. The top of the grenade has a large spring clock which can be set anywhere between 1 to 12 seconds by just twisting the body accordingly. The countback is mechanical and upon reaching zero it activates a tiny solarite sparker thus detonating the grenade. In addition the grenade has a long wooden stick attached to it, increasing its throwing range. Given a running start and a decent throw the No. 7 Field Grenade can be throw to over a hundred meters. Compared to models used by Volstran and Astalia these grenades are actually rather light, without the stick they are only about 250 grams. Chasseurs, assault teams and grenade-carrying specialists tend to carry these, at times over a dozen of them. [/hider] [b]- Voltigeur:[/b] The nickname of common infantry, they are the bulk of Fénise's combat force. They are almost exclusively deertaurs which means can run like a horse and traverse surprising distances on a trot-like march. Their main armament is of course their rifle which is unique in the fact it uses lever action and has a high-capacity helical magazine. In general Fenisians are less squeemish about ammo consumption and want to make full use of their comparably larger volume of fire. Instead of volleys they perfected a sorts of "gallopping fire" when teams of Voltigeurs fire their rifles in a constant series rather than alterating between large volumes of shots. This is meant to suppress enemy positions and allow deertaurs to get closer and generally dominate via maneuver. At least that's what military theorists say. Voltigeur means "vaulter" and it's only used for centaurid soldiers. For less speedy infantry the semi-derogatory term piéton is used. [b]- [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a9/f6/fb/a9f6fb46ddc3fbd3efcd7572ab478b6e.jpg]Chasseur[/url]:[/b] Elite recon, skirmish and assault specialists troops recruited from the most capable youth. They undergo hard drills which usually have 90% of the recruits rolled back into the regular army. Those who pass these trials would become part of the famed Chasseur Corps. They are the advance forces of the Fenisian military but also their elite assault specialists. They are a "light troop" without much in the way of heavy weapons or artillery support. Yet the Chasseurs themselves are often rather densely packed as they carry various weapons, tools and twice the normal amount of necessities. Their "Battle Dolman" is seemingly a ceremonial piece yet in fact the elaborate stitching hides wood-backed steel plates that could even stop bullets. Yes, the Chasseurs wear armor at critical parts to increase their survival. It's neccessary since they are some of the hardest risk takers in the world. The bravery, fearlessness and exploits of the Chasseurs are known worldwide and at one point these people were welcome everywhere as mercenaries. Chasseurs are known for using semi-automatic shotguns in combat but they also carry the carbine versions of the M98 rifles. [b]- Zenteau:[/b] Special troop usually recruiting from the large-bodied centaurs. Thanks to their size they can carry considerable weights and hence they are ideal for carrying heavy equipment with more ease. While originally this category was exclusive to centaur auxiliaries who helped with logistics it currently a term used for those responsible for transporting large amounts. It typically applies to specialized weapons teams like machinegunners, grenades, rocket stands, flamethrowers or those who transport "fast artillery" (see later at the artillery section). The Zenteaux aren't exclusively centaurs anymore and they make use of specially tamed pack animals. These soldiers are responsible for fire support and allow Fénise to have an effective army while also being highly mobile. [b]Paladine:[/b] Though knights are rendered obsolete by modern doctrines they are far from extinct in Fénise. The Holy Dionist Church also maintains a grand militant order who are called the paladins. These modern knights are religious champions trained from youth to serve the Dionist faith and Fénise in general. They are warrior-monks of high status and blessed in the art of magic. They wear blessed plate armor which utilizes more sophisticated technologies to resist at least pistol rounds and have a chance to deflect higher caliber rounds. Paladines are also accompanied by their own retinue of devout soldiers called the [url=https://irongatearmory.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/p-8901-MHR-H0937-14th-and-15th-C-Kettle-Hat_03_LRG.jpg]Lansequet[/url] who also don armor and their duty is to support their superior in battle. The Paladines aren't the only combat magic user in Fénise but they are the best known. [hider=Infantry Support Weapons] [b]- [url=https://www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/m0712.jpg?w=640]Riebel M07 Machine Gun[/url]:[/b] A standard Fenisian machinegun made to replace the old models still mounted on artillery carriages. Outwardly it's the same water-cooled machinegun as many others with typical belt feed. Yet the Riebel uses an unique rotary cylinder mechanism which divides it to 4 pseudo-chambers. It separates the feeding & chambering process into separate steps thus improving reliability. In theory this mechanism can handle insane rates of fire but calm heads prevailed and they settled on a modestly high 960RPM. As a machinegun it fires 9.2x42mm rifle rounds and can only use linked ammo. [b]- [url=https://64.media.tumblr.com/1e0be390867070ca08ec58e4dba615d2/tumblr_o6vijuxuAB1s57vgxo1_500.png]Col. Caseneux M13 Cavalry Machine Gun[/url]:[/b] For a long while Chasseurs lacked machinegun support. While they could carry the weapons issued for the infantry the idea of standing fire didn't endear them. Furthermore the rifle munition these machineguns use was a scarcity for Chasseurs. In 1908 a bright colonel with the name Cédric Caseneux suggested a simplified machine gun using the new 8x24mm pistol cartridges. The end result is a water-cooled "light machine gun" with fabric belt feed which only required a simple blowback mechanism. With the new service pistol 8x24mm rounds were abundant among the Chasseurs and its high velocity of 640m/s made the cartridge fit for supporting fire. The belt feed and water supply could be both placed on the backs of a warrior-type deertaur hence it provided no issue. The weapon has 1200RPM rate of fire which is fairly high but given the weak power of individual bullets it was deemed neccessary. The so-called Mitrailleur carried everything which normally needed an entire machinegun team, including over 2400 rounds of ammunition. As a weapon introduced recently and for the Chasseurs it has no presence in conventional army compositions. [b]- Darche-Vallée 1903 Monster Gun:[/b] Massive lever action rifle meant for hunting huge creatures, especially monsters created through magic anomalies. These are civilian weapons meant for hunters but the military also bought thousands of these in case they need to face an onslaught of wild monsters. It uses a propertiary 27x81mm cartridge with a tubular bullet weighing around 72 grams and muzzle velocity of 850m/s. This is a massive projectile designed to fragment into pieces after impact, making it shockingly effective at stopping dire beasts with only a single shot. Yet Leonard Vallée wanted to make sure, hence it has a 3-round detachable magazine and a sturdy lever action to reload the weapon. Obviously this gun is cumbersome and very much an overkill against human targets. - [url=https://701917059799153244.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/0/5/11051156/7290363.jpg]M99 Rocket Stand[/url]: Modernized and compact variant used as special artillery. It's the modernized variant of the old M77 rocket stands made sturdier to reliably use modern rockets that use smokeless powder propellants. Called M92 it's a 55mm rocket with steel body and enough payload to rain fire and shrapnel on the enemy. Thanks to its De Larval nozzle and smokeless powder propellant these rockets could traverse surprisingly far, up to 7km. On the other hand they aren't very accurate thus usually a group of twelve stands are used together for greater effect. Given the size of the rockets and its innate poor accuracy these rockets aren't the most effective but they are very portable hence part of the Fenisian military. Towed pieces mounting 24 tubes are also known, although they are getting slowly phased out. [b]- M11 "Starlight" Flamethrower:[/b] Fenisians are obsessed with fire and they utilized flamethrowers since the middle ages yet this particular variant is rather unique. It uses Solarite ignition which evaporates portion of the fuel and serves as motive force for the flamethrower's stream. This means the fuel stream is always ignited and it spreads in a turbulent spiral. Fenisian flamethrower jets are often described as being "alive" and performing odd feats. While a lot of these are tall tales the innate enchantment of the M07 Starlight might also explain some. [/hider][/hider][hider=Combat Vehicles] Fénise is a country of deertaurs and as such vehicular development has a large competition in the populance's innate mobility. For the average deertaur traversing a hundred miles is something they can already do on their own. In addition the large deertaur body makes developing efficient cars troublesome. Inventions like rubber tired rollerblade shoes did make road traveling convenient and there are many unique deertaur contraptions made for them. Militarily this issue is compounded further by the fact that most automobiles can't traverse rough terrain like a deertaur and their pack animals. As such while Federal Phoenix Force is interested in mechanization it didn't get very far yet. [b]- [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/bc/3e/cf/bc3ecfa3ce0a37ab28bb18b25cdf92da.jpg]Creauset Mle. 1911 Autochenille[/url]:[/b] Halftrack transport truck developed with explicit military demand. It has increased size and more powerful engine compared to older models while remaining cheap. These are chiefly used to ferry supplies but can also function as tractors. Of course compared to significance of railways or pack animals their presence is somewhat negligible. [b]- [url=https://i.pinimg.com/600x315/6f/35/3a/6f353ac890f51d25a0cf6df00fd094a9.jpg]Mogamber de chenillé Mle. 1903[/url]: [/b]Mogamber is a type of motorized 3 to 5-wheel platform which replaces motorbikes in Fénise. They are a mix between a scooter and skeleton of a car with the frontal trike wheel tasked with the purpose of steering. In spite of their skeletal appearances these vehicles are remarkably stable and could compete with contemporary vehicles. Yet this vehicle is a step further from bikes, adopting caterpillar tracks for anything but the front wheel. This and the large 20kW engine makes it a versatile scout and utility vehicle with the top speed of 45km/h. The single deertaur rider places their legs in special rests while picking up the collapsible steering bar which is directly connected to the steering wheel. The engine is started with a solarite spark plug and the front leg rests also have a pair of brake pedals connected to each side of the tracks. Also called as the MCh 03 these are used by logistics personnel to transport goods or even tow anything up to 3 tonnes of weight. [b]- [url=https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Killen-Straits-Tractor-1-1.png]Sollac Autoblindé 1912 "Triens"[/url]:[/b] The "armored car" of Fénise, some may call it a very early form of tank. Though the idea of armored cars circle around since the turn of the century, the Fenisian military experts weren't too impressed by any of these. As such they pursued the idea of high-speed armored tractors. The Sollac Steel Works company finally came up with the Triens, a small armored tractor with 3 individual caterpillar tracks. It is powered by a Celestial-made 60kW rotary engine which provides road speeds up to 30km/h. It has the crew of two deertaurs and a pair of gnome assistants and its only armament is a turret mounted machinegun. Its sheet metal 5mm armor is sufficient to resist rifles. The vehicle was accepted in 1912 and since then they are produced at a slow rate. [/hider] [h3][b][color=f7941d]Artillery Overview[/color][/b][/h3] Fénise has a decent industry and famous for gunmaking. Through this focus their forges have a great lead in developing artillery. In spite of the fact they build a good portion of the battleship gunnery in the Celestial Sphere the Fenisian military doctrines have a borderline aversion to heavy artillery. Their army doctrine is obsessed with mobility and hence they refuse to accept guns that are unable to keep up with the rest of their forces. Their overall strategy relies on open battlefields where a large number of small artillery are far more effective. If they need more firepower the Fenisian military wants to utilize railways. In particular they invested a considerable amount in railway artillery, turning their network of rails into a mobile fortress system. The idea of using rails for offensive purposes is likely impossible but the strength of the railway guns for defense shouldn't be underestimated. As such the Federal Phoenix Force currently acknowledges 3 classes: Fast Artillery, Field Artillery and Railway Artillery.[hider=Fast Artillery]Very light type of artillery designed to be easily portable by deertaur artillerymen. They are almost always lighter than 500kg which means they can keep pace with the rest of the army. [b]- [url=https://i.pinimg.com/474x/ef/58/1a/ef581aaa8e383b2118ad62c7bfa30ee1.jpg]Canon de 55 Toussaint[/url]:[/b] Light gun made in the Toussaint National Armoury firing 55mm high-velocity shells. It has a hydro-pneumatic short recoil system and automatic breech for rapid fire capability. It fires elongated 55mm shells which have less range and less than half the weight of typical 75mm shells. This is compensated to a degree through the utilization of special tubular shells which fly much faster and thanks to the solarization devices these can explode to cover infantry in a spray of shrapnel. Indeed, the main purpose of the 55mm guns is to lay down shrapnel and rapidly decimate the enemy. With such projectile the gun actually has the range over 10 km and almost comparable shrapnel effects to the larger 75mm guns. Of course when it comes to pure destructive power the 50mm gun is largely inferior. Canon de 55 Toussaint has two models, M98 and M08. The latter model is cheaper and more refined. More importantly it can be quickly broken down into several pieces and reassembled on the field, thus giving another convenient means of transportation. [b]- [url=http://landships.info/landships/artillery_articles/images/65mm_Mle_1906_10.jpg]Obusier de 81 Modéle 1906 Toussaint[/url]:[/b]Light howitzer lobbing medium velocity 81mm shells while only weighing 451kg with carriage. It could fire standard HE, smoke and shrapnel shells but for anti-fortification purposes it could also utilize so-called "skeleton shells". These projectiles are hollow with an internal grid structure to support them but thanks to solarization devices the body can turn into an explosive. The end result is a faster shell which flies further and can pierce concrete, dig deep into earthworks before detonating. Just as the M08 this gun is designed to be broken down to pieces and quickly reassembled on the field for easier transportation. [b]- [url=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/V122DigtlSPoU1acjDWGVfqlXl25cE36c6en2mLEhSTAJ74KFLHJd4lMlKDs81RjULYElF5xJ3U3gr25WOJNTUcN1hr_bWSAeNkC4n_3kdpGVS9e]Affut Fusées M05[/url]:[/b] While rocket stands are easily portable they have their limit. For more firepower Fenisian designers came up with the modernization of an ages old weapon. Affut Fusées or "rocket mount" is just a simple cart mounting anywhere from 24 (M05A), 32 (M05B) or 48 (M05C) rocket tubes. While relatively primitive this setup allows launching a large volley of rockets in a small package. The relatively short range of the weapon and its inaccuracy still renders it a niche in the Fenisian arsenal but they could be fairly demoralizing for the enemy given the right conditions. In spite of the numerous improvements the rockets are still unreliable and as such they are phased out in favor of fielding more "light howitzers". [b]- [url=https://www.britishempire.co.uk/images/armpompom.jpg]Canon de 27 Contre-dirigeables[/url]:[/b] Anti-balloon gun meant to destroy lighter than air craft like observation balloons from a good distance. It's a simple yet robust scaled up machine gun firing 27x108mm cartridges. It uses hollow bullets to achieve 660m/s which is more than sufficient to hit a stationary balloon from 6km away. More importantly these bullets are enchanted via solarization devices thus acquiring explosive/incendiary properties. The weapon is fed diagonally upwards from a pair of 15-round magazines and has the rate of fire of 450RPM. Although it's chiefly intended for anti-balloon use the weapon soon found its way on ships and even adopted for the role to fight infantry formations. [/hider][hider=Field Artillery] These pieces are heavier but still easy to tow by dire stags and other beasts which Fenisians use for pulling carts. They are often limited to roads thus not fast enough to keep up with the fastest of the army. [b]- Canon de 95 Modéle 1907 Toussaint:[/b] 1.5-ton field gun firing 95mm shells. In a sense it's a heavy gun but for Fenise these are effectively field pieces. Compared to the ubiquous 55mm guns these are only really seen at regimental level and more often at divisional level. They use the same recoil and breech technology as the 55mm, just scaled up. The shells they fire are the semi-tubular type which sports a hollow center but the majority of the projectile is still intact. [b]- Obusier de 122 Modéle 1909 Toussaint:[/b] Towed howitzer firing 122mm shells of various type. It has a much shorter barrel than field guns which alongside other things helps reducing the weight to just under 1500kg, slightly lighter than the 95mm field guns. [b]- Mortier de 163 Modéle 1911 Toussaint:[/b] Shorter range artillery meant for lobbing massive 40kg shells with modest velocities. Unlike the howitzers which fire medium velocity shells at high angles the mortars have less than half the typical artillery range but compensate with pure firepower. These weapons can destroy earthworks with ease. [b]- Canon de 81 Raoult:[/b] Late 19th century breech loading field gun firing 81mm shells. It's slightly lighter than the M03 95mm guns but they are generally fielded just as reserves. Same for the heavier 122mm Raoults which are often found in fortresses. [b]- Mortier de 220 Modéle 1866 Bozzonet:[/b] Modernized variant of the early 19th century "[url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/f1/c4/3af1c45fa09db23a50c8a9520d9acefb.jpg]Bozzonet Mortars[/url]".They are given a carriage and other upgrades but largely remained unchanged. The border tensions of 1895 warranted another upgrade which added a caplock mechanism and the capability to shoot cylindrical smokeless propellant shells for twice the range. Regardless they have abyssal velocity in the 160m/s range but they are fairly handy for their caliber, only weighing some 1500 kilograms. [b]- Obusier de 244 Modéle 1882: [/b] Heavy howitzer developed in the 19th century for coastal defense, using old breechloader ironclad guns as their basis. It soon also found utility as a siege gun meant to destroy fortifications. In the 1890s they are upgraded to fire with smokeless propellant. Yet they ended up never being used and now they are in storage. While this artillery skirts the heavy side it still has a road-mobile carriage pulled by dire stags. [/hider][hider=Railway Artillery]Fénise has extensive railways and they capitalize on this via using trains as war engines. Railway artillery are usually but not always are naval guns repurposed for artillery work. [b]- Canons des 122 Modéle 1908 sur Affût:[/b]Modified railway cars mounting heavy artillery on rotating pedestrals. Depending on the size and type of the car it could mount anywhere from one to four guns in this fashion. As for the weapons while built like cannons they had the mounting of howitzers, allowing high angle fire for long range, in excess of 20km. [b]- [url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/111-SC-32640_-_NARA_-_55224436_%28cropped%29.jpg]Canon de 300 Modéle 1911 á Berceau[/url]:[/b] Fénise is known for producing large-caliber naval guns and their most common product is the 300/55 Mle 1903 cannons, used by many dozens of warships (also known as the BL 12-inch Mk. IX. in Dastria). As such Fénise has a considerable surplus of these barrels which they used in various ways. One of these included mounting the 70-ton gun in various train car designs until the army chose to standardize them under the Modéle 1911 and ordered conversion of each piece to this new standard. As expected from a 300mm piece it has dreadful firepower and thanks to the new mount and extra propellant charge it could reach out for about 45 kilometers. Of course without a robust loading mechanism its rate of fire suffers but its reach and terrifying power keeps it effective. [/hider] [h3][b][color=f7941d]Air Force Overview[/color][/b][/h3]It simply doesn't exist. Deertaurs like speed but also want their feet planted on the ground. Combine this with the fact that deertaur bodies would have an awful time to pilot these tiny airplanes and it seems obvious why they didn't invest much if any in the idea of aeroplanes. Even airships didn't have much luck due to the stagnating Fenisian economy. What the Federal Phoenix Force has is just a Balloon Corps tasked with early warning and observation. Aside from the standard one man balloons the Fenisians also invested in kytoons. The latter are a merge of balloons and kites, with the wing surfaces providing lift and stability in windy conditions while the balloon portion keeps the craft afload during calm weather. The Balloon Corps itself is surprisingly large, with many hundreds of tiny observation crafts. Their service rifle of choice is the Chapuis M08 medium-powered semi-automatic carbine. [h3][b][color=f7941d]Navy Overview[/color][/b][/h3]Fénise only has a modest coastline and a fleet which is only held up through sheer pride and to protect their commerce fleet. The Federal Phoenix Fleet is overall a decent navy with an approach which uniquely focuses on speed. They love destroyers and married into the idea of a squadron of small ships defeating capital vessels. Fénise only possess a handful battleships but great amount of cruisers and surprising amount of destroyers and similar small vessels for a county of this size. Fénise has no plan to become a major naval power but they can ensure their opponents think twice before plotting naval aggression. [hider=Small Ships] [b]- BM242-class Motor Patrol Boat:[/b] Small 35m long 80-tonne class speedboat fit for multiple roles. It was originally devised as a light "submarine chaser" meant to fan out and catch enemy submarines near the coasts. As such its octuple inline petrol engines are capable of speeds in excess of 24 knots and it comes armed with three machineguns, a 55mm gun and later a pair of 27mm autocannons. Yet they more often found place as general patrol vessels meant ward off pirates. The class was so successful it became the most common military speedboat in Fenisian use. [b]- Champlain-class Aviso:[/b] Avisos are multi-purpose ocean-worthy corvette sized vessels. They are originally meant to be messengers (hence their name) but currently they are gneric gunships fulfilling various goals. The Champlain-class is a 69m long 500-ton avisio armed with a single 135mm L/55 gun, four 27mm autocannons and 6 machineguns. It has a modest speed of only 22 knots which improves its fuel economy, allowing it to match cruisers in range. As an avisio it also has room for a company of troops, including logistics and light artillery pieces. [b]- Lagune-class Monitor:[/b] Small ship with shallow draft and a specific duty to patrol the rivers or provide fire support at the coast. It sports an unique turret with triple 122mm L/60 guns which can be raised up to 50 degrees. This provides adequate firepower while the long guns can also serve for shoreline/riverside bombardment tools. For self-defense it has four 27mm rapid fire guns and a pair of pedestral-mount 55mm guns. As a riverine monitor the Lagune-class can only achieve 17 knots of speed which doesn't neccessitate possession by fire elementals.[/hider][hider=Escort Ships] [b]- Tigress-class Torpedo Ship:[/b]Destroyers in Fénise are split into two categories: torpedo ships and vessels that are meant to destroy such. The T family of torpedo ships are the former. Following the reforms of 1907 every "destroyer" class is arranged by letters which was effective retroactively. The Tigress is the first ship in the T-class of torpedo vessels, as such it's also called the Tigress-class. It's a 72m long vessel with 640 tonnes of displacement. Its main armament is a twin 95mm L/50 gun turret with only a trio of 27mm autocannons as auxiliaries. Its most important weapons are the 488mm torpedo tubes in 2x3 arrangement. Thanks to its fire elemental possessed steam turbine the Tigress-class can achieve speeds at around 36 knots. [b]- Chercheuse-class Torpedo Destroyer:[/b] Large 108m long destroyer with full displacement exceeding 2000 tonnes. Unlike the other class of Fenisian destroyers (torpilleur) the letter classifications for torpedo destroyers (contre-torpilleur) started over from the letter "A". Chercheuse being the first ship of the C-class torpedo destroyers also became its namesake. It carries the same 95mm L/50 guns but using a trio of triple turrets in 3x3 arrangement (2x3 aft, 1x3 stern). This is further amplified by six 27mm autocannons on pedestal mounts. As a destroyer it also carries 4 single 488mm torpedo tubes. Most amazingly though the elemental-possessed steam turbine provides it with blinding 40 knots of flank speed, allowing it to chase down any vessel. [b]- Dévastation-class Battleship Destroyer:[/b]A very unique kind of destroyer derived from the hull of the Chercheuse-class. Instead of contre-torpilleur (anti torpedo ship) its role was defined as contre-cuirassé (anti-battleship) and it's meant to overcome the Fenisian disadvantage in terms of capital grade firepower. They reinforced the destroyer's hull, pushed the funnels to the very back alongside with most machinery to make room for a pair of 300mm L/60 guns within a casemate mounting. While limited to +45/-45 degrees of horizontal traverse the guns have decent elevation and feature loading mechanism almost comparable to battleships. Of course in the age of dreadnoughts a single pair of big guns is no longer enough so they needed something more. This is how the Spirit Table Network was secretly developed. This linked the individual ships together to a central spirit table usually found within cruisers and capital vessels. This constantly relayed the relative position of vessels while gyroscopes helped out with the rest. The end result was a squadron which could act like a single battery. With this a group of 4 destroyers and a cruiser could deliver the same firepower as battleships. Of course this meant that the Fenisian navy invested in destroyers that technically had nothing to do with their original role. As such Fénise started pumping out even more conventional destroyers to compensate. The Battleship Destroyer is overall a novel concept but isn't without significant drawbacks. First off, the ship only has a quartett of 27mm pedestral mounts for self-defense. Second, the ships need to orient towards their intended target before firing, "Crossing the T" is exactly what you want to avoid. Lastly the increased mass and structural changes brought down the ship's speed significantly, just barely enough to keep up with cruisers. [/hider][hider=Capital Ships]Unlike the small ship classes which are mostly freshly built vessels the majority of the Fenisian capital ships are at least a decade old if not something out of the 19th century. This list, like the rest, is only mentioning the most significant classes. [b]- Loudet-class Light Cruiser:[/b] Bordering the gap between cruisers and the larger destroyer this 4500-tonne warship is Fénise's most recent cruiser design, made to fill up gaps left after mass decomissioning all unarmored cruisers still on primary fleet duty. The SGS Loudet was laid down in 1908 and incorporated a number of new features which shaped naval designs since. It also pioneered Fenisian obsession with quad-gun arrangements and it sports an impressive array of 3x4 guns of the 122mm caliber. Its auxiliary armament includes four 55mm guns and ten 27mm autocannons all on pedestal mounts. In addition it sports a 5-tube torpedo system mounted on a turret to enable launching from both sides. This is accompanied with a doubled set of the C-class destroyers' power plant and propulsion to achieve impressive 31 knots of speed. Overall the Loudet-class is a very capable cruiser for its size, although somewhat anemic when compared to anything more substantial. By early 1914 there are 29 Loudet-class vessels which makes up almost half of Fénise's fleet of capital ships. Each vessel is named after a particular town or city of the country. [b]- Faure-class Protected Cruiser:[/b] Dastrian vessels bought between 1894-1899. They started their life as a Nino-class protected cruisers but they were intentionally unfinished. Following that they are given guns and machinery of Fenisian origin thus creating the G.A. Faure class, named after the 18th century Fenisian navy officer. The original weapons layout included a pair of twin 244mm guns and twelve 135mm secondary guns. The retrofits soon after the turn of the century changed this to a semi-dreadnought arrangement twenty 135mm guns where the large bore cannons were replaced by a modern quadruple 135mm turret (so it's 2x4 + 6x2 in terms of gun placement). It also has 2x2 95mm guns and 4x2 55mm guns, both using twin-mount turrets. In addition it carries six 27mm autocannons but usually only four are mounted up at the time. The ship also occasionally carries the typical 488mm torpedoes in four individual tubes. Thanks to its relatively recent retrofit and design which was already meant for turbine propulsion the Faure-class can approach 27 knots of speed. [b]- Quinotaur-class Armored Cruiser:[/b] Cruiser hull designed in Fénise but produced by Dastrian shipyards in 1906. The heaviest cruiser in Fenisian use they are armed according to the new "dreadnought" idea and are meant for cheaply supplementing Fénise' lacking fleet of battleships. For this purpose it's armed with 4x3 212mm guns in a triple mount arrangement. Combined with the elemental turbine enabled speed of almost 30 knots this ship can actually be fearsome against cruisers and could challenge battleships if given the opportunity to get close. Of course with the new doctrines distancing battleships as much as possibly accomplishing such feat is generally out of question. In terms of auxiliary weapons the Quinotaur-class ships have 4x2 secondary 95mm guns in twin mount turrets, 4x3 55mm triple mount turrets and twelve 27mm autocannons in just pedestal mounts. While the original draft had torpedo armaments these were quickly discarded to make room for the fourth main battery. Quinotaur is a type of magic monster occasionally showing up in the Fenisian seas. Generally, all ships of this class are named after various sea monsters. [b]- Formidable-class Semi-Dreadnought:[/b] Pre-dreadnought laid down in 1903. It had a 142m long hull with the displacement of 15,000 tonnes. It was the most impressive battleship for the grand total of one year before rendered completely obsolete by the Dastrian Dreadnought-class vessels). In spite of this it remained the mainline battleship of Fénise for years. During this time it received a number of improvements, new boilers, new turrets and so forth. Thanks to these the Formidable-class is effectively a semi-dreadnought. It has four twin 244mm "secondary" batteries while its main battery is replaced by a pair of quad-mount 244mm turrets. This provides the Formidable-class with an array of 16 guns. The machinery upgrade meanwhile pushed the old vessel in the range of 25 knots. [b]- Fédération-class Battleship:[/b] The crown jewel of Fénise, the Fédération-class embodies their vision for the future. It's a 207m long battleship with surprisingly low displacement of around 28,000 tonnes. It achieves that by a new armor scheme focusing at long range encounters instead of point blank range brawls. Its aft space is filled with 24 boilers each with their own fire elementals which provided pressure for 8 steam turbines geared to 4 screws. This arrangement allows the Fédération-class to achieve top speeds of around 33 knots. In terms of armaments the Fédération-class mounts sixteen 300mm L/60 Mle. 1909s in quad-gun turrets in a 4x4 array. The caliber might be underwhelming but the sheer volume of fire is commendable. It also has eight win 122mm gun turrets, eight 55mm gun pedestals and twelve 27mm autocannons. The Fédération-class doesn't have any torpedo lunching capabilities, nor it is designed to get within torpedo range. These features overall make the Fédération-class more like a battlecruiser than a proper first rate battleship. Its speed and firepower makes the vessel especially deadly against enemy cruisers while against the latest battleships it might perform worse. The Fédération-class embodies the Fenisian naval doctrine with all its positives and negatives. [/hider] [h2][b][color=f7941d]Foreign Relations[/color][/b][/h2] [/hider]