[hider=Federal Free States of Asteria]
[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/6e/f7/576ef7ad95999e7778b79662cf43b61d.png[/img][color=0054a6][h1][b]Federal Free States of Asteria[/b][/h1][/color][/center]

[color=0054a6][b]Name:[/b][/color] Federal Free States of Asteria (FFSA)
[color=0054a6][b]System(s):[/b][/color] Olympia System
[color=0054a6][b]Capital:[/b][/color] Daper City, Moon Artemis
[b][color=0054a6]Government Type:[/color][/b] Federation (officially, at least)
[b][color=0054a6]Type:[/color][/b] Independent

Asteria is a thriving yet wild nation found at the Western Frontier. It possesses extensive mining and industrial sector, providing resources for the Confederacy as a whole. Asteria built a fortune exploiting the neighboring Falconcrest Nebula and they are prime exporters of fuel and exotic gases. It was the land of opportunities and numerous settlers journeyed to Asteria in such hopes. Yet the Black New Year dashed these hopes and Asteria just narrowly escaped collapse. Over the years they established relative autarky and Asteria was saved. Being independent in all but name the Asterians embrace the new freedom and wish to bring liberty to all.

[color=0054a6][h3][b]History/Summary[/b][/h3][/color]Asteria began as multiple individual mining colonies set up within the asteroid belt of Olympia. Eventually these colonies grew too large and colonization of the system's habitable belt became necessary. Each group chose to conquer the environment of a different moon or planet. After a while Asteria developed its own culture and became a nation in its own right. Unlike many other governments though Asteria didn't have a single major population center but multiple. And given the focus on resource exploitation the importance of the original mining colonies never went away. Asteria became a federation with thirteen founding states. With astronomical units between the various members each state was encouraged to have a large degree of autonomy. Asterian culture as a whole embraced liberty and independence as their core values which made them further resistance to proper unification attempts. With great distances and came exorbitant fuel consumption. To feed their thirst Asteria began exploiting the Falconcrest Nebula extensively. This turned out to be a massively successful enterprise and soon Asteria became one of the Confederations prime fuel exporter. This also led to the construction of Cygnus Station a Rift Gate orbiting planet Cygnus.

The collapse brought forth by the Black New Year hit Asteria immensely. Yet it only inspired them to embrace independence all the more. They scaled back on fuel operations and offered aid to local enterprises to survive. They hastily sold their surplus fuel to neighbors and began restructuring Asterian industry once again. Rather than being purely governmental in nature the lion's share of investment came from donations and the private sector. To ward off pirates the Astarians formed the Federal Forces, mostly from local military organizations uniting under one banner. Yet not everything was peachy. Poverty is on the rise and rural settlements receive almost no government attention. Banditry is on the rise and with the economic boom over the government is hard-pressed to support its increasing expenses. Though Asteria seems to be a success story for an independent nation there's more going under the surface. Regardless the Federal Government is intent maintaining the facade. Political leadership spreads anti-Confederation views and there's a growing urge to liberate the world from an oppressive regime.

[color=0054a6][h3][b]Location/Resources[/b][/h3][/color][hider=Claim --- Light Blue, Southwest Corner]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/2vQWd23.jpg[/img]
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The Olympia System is a trinary star system with the brightest star being Olympia A (Olympia B and C aren't even tenth in size). Regardless this trinary arrangement resulted in an exotic system with multiple habitable zones spread dozens of astronomical units apart. While Olympia doesn't have a true gaia planet it has no less than 7 astral bodies which can support some kind of life. Cronos is a super Jupiter type gas giant and it has no less than 31 moons. Out of these 4 of them are fit for life and are the population centers of Asteria. They are Apollo, Artemis, Eris and Triton. Aside from these there are the planets of Eos, Mercurius and Plato. These seven astral bodies house 85% of Asteria's population with the rest living in various space habitats ranging from artificial colonies to hollowed out asteroids. Another important region of Asteria is the Falconcrest Nebula. This large formation of interstellar gases is at the northern border of Asteria and covers multiple lightyears. Millions of people from Asteria wander the nebula and collect interstellar matter.

Asteria is a highly industrialized nation with their main focus on resources, especially fuel and exotic gases. Their significance in the Coalition is shown by the Rift Station established above the planet Cygnus. Back in the glory days this allowed Asteria to reliably transport untold tonnes of fuel to distant Coalition planets year-round. The collapse of interstellar economy hit Asteria hard at first but they could shift their focus on local services and exported resources for neighbors. The fuel industry which absolutely dominated Asteria had to be scaled down and manufacturing plants absorbed the freed up workforce. Asteria has a relative autarky and produces its own goods, including weapons.
 
[color=0054a6][h3][b]Administration/Society[/b][/h3][/color]Asteria is nominally a federation with 48 member states. Yet given the sheer autonomy of each member it could be closer to confederation. Leaving Asteria is forbidden for the states but otherwise they can overrule federal actions and could keep the Federal Government in check. Asterians are fond of their personal liberties and fear their own government becoming too powerful. In general the Federal Government has a mixed image, they are both viewed as selfish parasites and also the protectors against enterprises that grow too powerful. Asterians are very resentful of tax increases or introducing new taxes yet also complain about the government not doing enough. This actually led to an unique situation where private groups took over a lot of activities typically fulfilled by the government. Small settlements appoint sheriffs who usually have no government authority. Mobs form to fight bandits and even social services are handled by local firms. And of course the average citizen expects the Federal Government to step in if either of these private groups become the public enemy. Asterian governance may look downright chaotic to the outsider but for the locals they would not settle for anything else.


[color=0054a6][h3][b]Military[/b][/h3][/color]Weapons hold a key importance in Asterian civilian life for as long the nation stands. Every adult Asterian owns at least one type of gun, both as status symbol and for self-defense. With the threat of alien wildlife, bandits and space pirates they had a constant need for militia groups. Finding [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/3dc28afe-1f5e-457a-9e3c-0053885d74fc.png] potential soldiers[/url] for the Federal Army is easy yet keeping them employed is difficult. As such the Federal Forces is often a skeleton army made of volunteers. Instead much of the military budget during peacetime is spent on weapons procurement. Asteria has strict laws supporting locally produced weapons which allowed arms manufacturers to become some of the most powerful entities within the nation during these last 16 years. Anyways, the Federal Army has an unique doctrine which supports large groups wielding mass-producible weapons and Asterian marksmanship. They utilize shock weapons, a type of concentrated plasma which blows targets to pieces. Though hover vehicles are common the most typical combat machine in Asteria is the [url=https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pbEAAOSw1LJeQmNJ/s-l640.jpg] Personal Trooper (PT)[/url]. They are humanoid mechs only 3.5 meters tall and can fight in all environments, including outer space. Their predecessors were exosuits meant to work in hazardous regions but Asterians modified them for war. Nowadays Personal Trooper armors are widespread, even civilians can buy simpler models. They are small and rather inexpensive to produce which combined with their simple maintenance makes them very popular in Asteria.

With the disappearance of the Confederation Navy it was Asteria's duty to survive within this new age of pirates. They initially used armed shuttles and civilian spaceships but ultimately thanks to local manufacturing plants the Federal Fleet utilizes warships of their own design. [url=https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/033/257/769/large/josheua-technically-designed-rapier-class-definitive-edition.jpg?1608953763]Freedom-class corvettes[/url] are distinctive products of Asteria which forms the backbone of the Federal Fleet. They sacrifice cruising range and endurance for considerable firepower which makes them a ideal for the nation's needs. Yet the main force of the Federal Fleet are their shuttlecraft, gunships and fighters. With the majority of Asterians experienced at navigating with shuttles the Federal Fleet has a seemingly bottomless supply of eager youth to become combat pilots. For this purpose the development of a "carrier ship" was absolute necessity. The [url=https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/023/309/907/large/alvin-benter-earthforces-ship-1.jpg?1578792804] Ranger-class escort carrier[/url] may be a heavily modified cargo ship design but it does fulfill its purpose. Lacking orbital dockyards the ship has a modular design built from multiple large blocks. Each individual piece is just light enough to be transported up via the space elevator and the final assembly is done in orbit. Similarly repairs could be done by just exchanging the damaged parts to a new one. While rather inefficient in both design and construction measures this is the only way Asteria could make them.

[color=0054a6][h3][b]Strengths[/b][/h3][/color]

[b]Industrialized Frontier: [/b]
For a frontier colony which declared its independence Asteria is doing pretty swimmingly. Even the economic crash only slowed them down. Since the collapse of the world economic network Asteria began rapidly developing their own local industry and they were largely successful. With the region's resources and connections to neighbors Asteria could remain self-sufficient.

[b]Arms of Liberty:[/b]
Every adult Asterian owns at least one gun and weapon usage is widespread in the nation. Asterians are known for their marksmanship and combat ability. Shuttlecraft ownership is also a must for a self-respecting Asterian and space travel between various states is almost a commonplace. Overall this means the Federal Forces hardly has any trouble to recruit soldiers or even military pilots for their needs.

[b]Shock Weapons:[/b]
Asterians fully embraced plasma technology and have their own take on it, the so-called shock technology. It uses ultradense plasma at immense pressures contained within a canister. Using this they can have powerful energy weapons without needing bulky power sources. Each canister can only hold limited shots, though. Shock weapons shoot concentrated bolts of plasma which explodes on impact and damages with its raw force. They can range from handguns to naval cannons. Shock rifles are limited to semi-auto fire because rapid firing needs a much more bulkier mechanism (reserved for shock repeaters used by weapons teams). Shock weapons are versatile and you can adjust the plasma to explode in various ways including airburst, delayed blast or even shaped charge effects.

[color=0054a6][h3][b]Weaknesses[/b][/h3][/color]

[b]Libertarian To the Core:[/b]
Asterians culture celebrates liberty and does not like government authority. Although they accept government power as a necessary element they protect their rights and privacy with fervor. Asterians are notoriously difficult to tax. Any new form of taxation or tax increase would meet resistance. In spite of their good economy the Federal Government actually has limited funds. Luckily the Asterians somewhat understand this and don't expect the government to maintain good social services but ever since Asteria's economic growth slowed down the Federal Government finds themselves in debt.

[b]Space Cowboys:[/b]
Asteria is a wild region where gunfights and gun violence is everyday news. Whenever outlaws pop up they are heavily armed and riots can easily turn into a massive firefight. When recruiting soldiers from such region your troops would be obviously more than a little trigger happy. Asterian soldiers are stereotypically gung-ho and hard to discipline. While they know their trade there are various marks of corruption within the military system. Rumors of hedonism, property damage and even outright illegal activities are known about almost every unit. While the Federal Government strives to straighten out the military they don't have the funds and manpower to resolve this anytime soon. Another problem is motivation. Though fresh recruits are eager once they taste the terrors of warfare they could easily become jaded. When the Federal Forces lose soldiers fighting in foreign lands they are often drilled by media. Depending on severity there could be entire protests and political campaigns against continuing the war.

[b]Clankers Go Home:[/b]
Asterians don't reject technology, nor they are hating industry. Yet they are extremely suspicious to anything related to worldwide information networks, AI development and transhumanism. Cyborg technology is heavily regulated in Asteria and neural implants are almost entirely outlawed in every state. Augmented reality networks are rejected and sapient AI is viewed with suspicion. Conspiracy theories about thinking robots and them supposedly being secret government agents are very popular in Asteria. In general Asterians are staunchly guarding their privacy and are very averse to anything which might allow "soulless machines" to govern them.
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/RBZnaE1.png[/img][hider=The Asterian Arsenal][color=0054a6][h1][b]The Asterian Arsenal[/b][/h1][/color]

I use this post to record the Asterian military equipment. It isn't a complete list and actually we miss on a lot of equipment which is more or less standard across the Confederation but I have fun writing this and hopefully you have fun reading it so let's go.

[h3][b][color=0054a6]Infantry[/color][/b][/h3]Asterian soldiers nowadays make use of shock rifles which makes them distinct from the usual infantry. They are semi-automatic weapons which emphasize good marksmanship instead of suppressive fire. On the other hand each shot is like a micro explosive which can do considerable hurt. It's a very different approach which puts confidence in the shooting skills of the soldier.
[hider=Standard Infantry Weapons][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/3dc28afe-1f5e-457a-9e3c-0053885d74fc.png[/img]

[b]- Amerilite M2A4 Shock Carbine:[/b] Standard armament of the entire military service. It has power settings ranging from P1 (stun) to P8 (airburst and door-buster) with the standard being P5. The weapon is powered by plasma clip which is sufficient for 20 shots. Although in special situations the soldiers can be equipped with L-size plasma clips sufficient for 50 shots total. The weapon has an internal flywheel which charges the weapon's electric systems by channeling the surplus energies behind each shot. The weapon has built-in sensors and optics to allow precise usage of the weapon. Soldiers can also buy various attachments to the rifle to customize it to their needs.

[b]- Blaser AA-12 Shockgun:[/b] Close combat weapon mostly associated with Marines and those put on base guard duties. Shock rifles are powerful but maybe too much. They can cause too much collateral damage and their effect in room cleaning isn't stellar. The AA-12 has a mechanism to break its plasma bolt 4-36 individual "pellets". The detonation of each pellet is smaller but they can cover a much wider area together which makes them fearsome. The shockgun can also shoot a lower velocity singular plasma bolt which can reach up to P10 firepower. This allows the weapon to demolish barriers rather efficiently. One of the weapon's weaknesses is consumption. Even at normal power the weapon can only manage 12 shots before needing a new plasma canister.

[b]- Barbarossa M9 Shock Pistol:[/b] The most popular shock sidearm in Asteria. Rated P6 as its maximum with P4 being average the S-sized plasma clip can lasts for 12 standard shots.

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[b]- Ordnance M60 Squad Shock Repeater:[/b] Lightweight and heavily simplified shock repeater meant to support troops. The weapon is rated P6 and is capable of higher penetration and plasma bolt velocities than the plasma carbines. The weapon is powered through a feed tube leading to a backpack mounted plasma pack and depending on size it could unleash anywhere from 200 to 500 shots before emptying out.

[b]- Barney M82A5 Heavy Shock Rifle:[/b] Effectively a sniper rifle meant both against distant targets and anti-material use. The weapon is usually rated P12 but can be pushed towards P16 when needed. The long accelerator coil allows it to penetrate relatively hardened targets and its advanced optic enables a wider range of utility.

[to be continued...]

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NOTE: P-ratings are a semi-objective way to tell firepower between these. Rather than a linear scale think of these like bore diameters so a P10 shot is at least 4 times stronger than a P5 shot, for example. I very much use this as a replacement for bore diameters on the energy weapons.

[h3][b][color=0054a6]Combat Vehicles[/color][/b][/h3]Aside from the shock technology Asterian AFVs are mostly conventional. Asteria has some propensity with hovercraft but they aren't exclusively the only vehicle. Another odd factor is the reliance on tiny mechs called Personal Troopers.
[hider=Military Vehicles]
[b]- [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f6/d5/4d/f6d54de59dab6fa3523a7288e3846f4e.jpg]M113A2 All-Terrain Transport[/url] (ATT):[/b] Armored hover transport meant for carrying troops and act as the Federal Army's general utility vehicle. It has numerous variants specialized for differing roles and perhaps the most popular military vehicle in Asteria by far. It sports a quad-jet configuration for hover propulsion. Unlike less bulky variants this works in all environments, including space, without any modifications. The vehicle is protected against blast effects, small arms and some arcs are even durable enough to withstand light autocannons. The M113A2 is the standard variant in Asteria meant to be their designated APC. It has a P20 shock cannon for self-defense and can carry up to 12 mechanized infantry in full gear. Compared to conventional transports the M113A2 is quite a fuel-guzzler but in return it can seamlessly pass through any terrain and could skim over terrain at fairly good speeds.

[b]- [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/798022544359161916/803706689039499324/B1.png]Medium Tank M4A8 "Grizzly"[/url]:[/b] Simple tank designed during the early periods of Asteria meant for surface patrols and police actions. Originally equipped with a large-bore grenade projector the tank is completely overhauled after the Black New Year creating the A6 variant which is effectively a new tank in all but name. The Grizzly has a P75 shock cannon and only has composite armor on the front and turret but the new fusion turbine makes it rather nimble. The tank is 2.4m tall and only 4.8m long and has a crew of 3. While the tank has active protection and other features it has a notoriety as "rolling coffin". This is mostly due to the fact that the Grizzly is often mistakenly used like an MBT and fared poorly. The inherent danger of large plasma canisters which the Grizzly uses as munitions also gave it the unsavory nickname "Zippo", because they always lit up on the first strike.

[b]- [url=https://static.turbosquid.com/Preview/2014/07/07__14_43_27/Side.jpga99871e9-bbfe-402f-826b-f9ecf7ced0dcDefaultHQ.jpg]M103 "Kodiak" Heavy Hovertank[/url]:[/b] Asterian tank designed in response to the terrible attrition rates of the Grizzly. Initially it was meant to replace them but the high brass caught up in the feature creep and demanded more and more about the project. The end result was the Kodiak, a large hovertank with heavy armor and armed with a P105 shock cannon. The vehicle is slower than the Grizzly and less maneuverable but its air cushion jet propulsion allows it to traverse all terrains. In the end the production was delayed by a decade and even after that it's only made in limited quantities because the tank is almost prohibitively expensive. The Kodiak is considered a "breakthrough tank", forming armored spearheads closely followed by Grizzly medium tanks.

[/hider][hider=Personal Troopers][img]https://i.imgur.com/0ZrknuF.jpg[/img]

Small mechs evolved from power loader and utility labor mechs. Compared to the much more sophisticated battlemechs a Personal Trooper is inexpensive, easy to maintain and fairly economical. Though they aren't walking tanks a Personal Trooper is still a decent match for medium vehicles while being lighter, more agile and overall flexible. In a sense Personal Troopers are between Battlemechs and Power Armors. Actually, a stronger power armor may outperform a Personal Trooper. The reason why Asteria fully embraced them is because they are very affordable and when armed with shock weaponry they can have considerable firepower. Being mechs and even at that having relatively simple controls a Personal Trooper doesn't have the same range of motions and they are very much walking vehicles.

[hider=M48 Schwarzkopf Battle Trooper][img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/7efd9026-38d6-4e8f-967f-e75c1a9d8497/de937eh-8933c20b-1d75-4dc5-9c79-15dba99926cf.jpg/v1/fill/w_350,h_350,q_70,strp/atm_09_sttc_scopedog_turbo_custom_by_bzak_de937eh-350t.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD0xMDI0IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvN2VmZDkwMjYtMzhkNi00ZThmLTk2N2YtZTc1YzFhOWQ4NDk3XC9kZTkzN2VoLTg5MzNjMjBiLTFkNzUtNGRjNS05Yzc5LTE1ZGJhOTk5MjZjZi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.t0a4batE7Lo7KrYgQPFFC-tNvvoQwEDeBytpN6cTbEY[/img]

[b]Height:[/b] 3.63m (standing), 1.98m (standby/transport mode)
[b]Weight:[/b] 5.05 metric tons (standard)
[b]Powerplant:[/b] Honeywell APT-480c Compact Fusion Turbine
[b]Armor:[/b] Protected against shrapnel and up to light autocannons
[b]Fixed Armaments:[/b] M60E2 Shock Repeater (mounted in the head unit), Shock Knuckles x 2 (wrist mounted)
[b]Optional Armaments & Equipment:[/b] See bellow

Standard-issue Personal Trooper with a long lineage. It started as the M26 Custer Heavy Trooper at the tail end of the 22th century and each successive model retained roughly the same dimensions and appearance. It originally was a type meant for assault units with several different Personal Armor types fulfilling different roles each. Over the time this simplified down and its successor the M46 Schwarzkopf was considered a Medium Trooper with no heavy counterpart to complement it. As such when it came to the update the M47 Schwarzkopf was called a Battle Trooper, a type of PT which is utilized in nearly every type of combat. The M48 is the latest member of the Schwarzkopf family with the current variant called M48A5. That being said R&D is underway for its replacement M50 and the future next generation counterpart the M60 Schwarzkopf.

The Schwarzkopf has a 360 degree rotating head and torso, laminate durasteel armor the capability to operate in all environments. The machine can walk or even run but for quicker movement it uses hover propulsion emanating from the soles of its feet. This allows the mech to hover a handful inches off the ground so it can glide over most terrains seamlessly. Like most of the Personal Troopers the Schwarzkopf's main armaments are handheld and look like oversized infantry weapons. This allows the PT to switch armaments on the field but the mini mech also has hardpoints for optional armaments. PT are kind of like a mix between power armors and ordinary combat vehicles. They seem like oversized infantry, even taller than power armors but aren't as huge as battlemechs. At the same time their purpose is similar to heavily armed recon vehicles and they can't do the same range of motions as power armor.
[hider=Equipment List]
[b]- Shock Knuckles:[/b] The wrists of the PT often hide tiny projectors which can unleash a concentrated plasma blast at point blank range. This weapon is meant for melee combat where at very close ranges the blast could easily punch through armor. Each usage of Shock Knuckles uses up a cartridge and the M48 Schwarzkopf has 12 cartridges in each hand. The current variant is Aerospace Arms M434.

[b]- [url=https://www.mahq.net/mecha/votoms/atvotoms/lineart/gat-22.jpg]Amerilite M16A3 Shock Blaster[/url]:[/b] P30 Shock Cannon made into an oversized rifle. The most common weapon of the Schwarzkopf PT. It has a changeable plasma pack meant for 60 shots and can either fire semi-auto or 3-round burst modes. The weapon's firepower allows it to clean buildings and take on modestly armored vehicles. It can also attach a plasma projector for short range anti-tank/anti-fortification firepower.

[b]- [url=https://www.mahq.net/mecha/votoms/atvotoms/lineart/sat-03.jpg]Mirkon M32 Plazooka[/url]:[/b] Mech-sized "bazooka" which launches concentrated blasts of plasma. Basically it's an old P90 shock howitzer tube stripped down to be just light enough to be carried by PTs. The weapon can only do direct fire but its power makes the Plazooka best against heavy armor and fortifications. The weapon has a magazine containing 12 plasma canisters to power just as many shots.

[b]- M61 Firestorm Gunpod:[/b] P12 shock repeater utilizing multiple weapon assemblies to achieve phenomenal firing rate. The weapon can also operate as a pseudo-shotgun and unleash a spread of 24 plasma bolts at once. This gun has its own external reservoir which can vary in size but regardless it tends to run out of ammo rather fast.

[b]- Missile Pods:[/b] The Schwarzkopf can also equip missile pods of varying sizes and loadouts. These are generally fire and forget missiles meant for saturation, anti-fortification, anti-vehicular or short range anti-air purposes. There are many kinds of missiles and while they tend to slow down the mech they can be really useful when extra firepower is on demand.

[b]- Mission Packs:[/b] The Schwarzkopf has a wide range of add-ons and mission packs to customize them for various purposes. This includes a hoverpod for high-speed patrol, plasma boosters for high altitude jumps, glider kits for drops and even a roundmover space kit for some mobility in outer space.
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[h3][b][color=0054a6]Smallcraft[/color][/b][/h3]Nearly every Asterian has space shuttle piloting experiences. Traveling space for hours is something like a daily routine for a good portion of Asterians. As such it comes as little surprise that the Federal Forces put so much emphasis on their smallcraft pilots.

[h3][b][color=0054a6]Warships[/color][/b][/h3]TBA


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