▼ E X T R A I N F O R M A T I O N ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► DOB - 02/21/1911 ► Height - 5'10" / 182cm ► Weight - 153 lbs / 69 kg ► Hair Color - Argent ► Eye Color - Stardust ► Classification - Scout ► Specialization - Infiltrator ► Rank - 1st Lieutenant ► Sexuality - Bisexual
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D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E
Maxi is in some ways a typical Imperial; Fair hair, fair toned skin, and otherwise possessing more alabaster features usually synonymous with the image of its denizens. Her silver-toned hair flows freely on most occasions, as Maxi found out early on that having a ponytail with long hair was an easy invitation for any manner of tug-based assaults on behalf of one of her brothers. When necessary, she'll take a few moments to tuck her locks into the back of her shirt, but otherwise, Maxi has accepted her vision suddenly becoming a bit more argent to be a fact of life. There's clearly enough care put into it to keep it from becoming overly knotty or tangled, and the apparent care clearly ends there.
Equal parts gifted and developed with a spry body, her lithe frame and swift posture often gives the appearance that Maxi is ready to spring to life at any given moment, even if she's completely laying down. A typical expression depicts her with a smile that is a rather coy one, as if to make the onlooker question whether it's one of a jovial nature or one of unbridled mischief. Given her position, she's almost always found in some variation of the fatigues, but off-duty, her fashion tastes can be described as...all over the place. There aren't many articles that you could not find her wearing. One moment she could be in simple shirts and trousers, the next in elaborate dresses, the next in combined vestments, and so on until all possibilities of clothing have been exhausted.
---P E R S O N A L I T Y
The first rule of growing up in a multi-sibling household: Nothing is fair, even when they say it's going to be fair. Especially if they say that it's going to be fair.
Maxi knew her entire life that she was going to get got. Not getting back at the getter meant getting whatever semblance of respect you had got thrown straight into the gutter, until you just got got again. The natural conclusion? She had to get them before they got her. And she got pretty good at getting. Yes. That means she's going to get you before you get her, too. After growing up with a deep admiration for all things physical, Maxi had a natural inclination toward any involvement which necessitated moving about...combined with her natural, insatiable curiosity, such a conjoinment culminated in a very vivid upbringing. At a very young age, Maxi had already prescribed to herself a doctrine of trickery; One such thing that has only solidified with age.
Although trickiness is almost tantamount to her core characteristics, Maxi is not entirely without recourse. During intense moments, Maxi's eyes widen and her grin deepens into the corners of her cheeks, pooling together her options as she connives her next plot. At the moments where she is in the greatest of peril, the typical attitude is one of silent machination, softly shutting out the world whilst the woman does her best work. A cornered animal is the most dangerous in the jungle, for Maxi does such poetic justice to the phrase.
If not up to some manner of antic or stratagem, she possesses a rather cool demeanor, preferring to make affirming - yet firmly controlled - motions of expression. Although many would describe Maxi to be a fairly expressive individual, still is it infrequent to see her display such that it is the height of any emotion, even in instances where such exuberance is expectation.
---B I O G R A P H Y
Maxi was far too young to remember much of anything about living in the Imperial Alliance. She hazily remembers moving a lot, she knew she only had a slightly older brother then, and she got told very often that it'd all be over soon. From the many, many stories - most of which categorized under the, "We'll tell you when you get older" label - the story of the Höfler household wasn't one to be particularly envious of. Herr Höfler was a distinguished political thinker of Freisinnigen thought, dedicated toward a guided democratic transition into a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Similarly, Fraü Geißler was an ardent activist for the rights of Darcsens and other indigents. To both, the reaction within their home country was one of increasing backlash, until the point of undesirable status. In the days leading up to the First Europan War, the fledgling couple was faced with one of two possibilities: Exile, or silence.
To be raised in a household so lively and with such plentiful siblingship - whether that be a blessing or a curse - Maxi's dynamic with only brothers to abide by would develop much of her foundational years. There were many a moment at which her birth nationality would subject her to some ridicule, yet, just as soon was it discovered Maxi had quite a disposal at her fingertips. From a young age, then, Maxi had to learn how to use everything she had to access. If there were, in one instance, a clique of bullies intent on making sure that she receive "her fair share", then too would hatching a plot even the odds. Whether that be by humiliation, assertion, or inconvenience, from her youth Maxi knew full well how to "get even." Besides, if any of that didn't work out, she always had Walther.
Truth be told, throughout her adolescent years, Maxi was never quite one for following in the family footsteps. Activism, on her mother's side, was one thing she hadn't a particular interest in, for many a year of seeing an unfruitful endeavor quickly turned her away in favor of a less "preachy" career path. To be lead along in her father's path on the road to political theory was one that she found herself a dilettante; One such path that became increasingly clear she was never going to truly adhere to. And while she had many a trick up her sleeve, an enterprise at the travelling circus was one whose emolument would be one to ensure that she'd be a fool. Late in her teenage years, a final elucidation came about, sparked by a discussion with both her parents; Perhaps the Officer Corps of the armed forces - to follow in the footsteps of the Foreign Legion as they did - would give her the guidance she needed.
There was a slight problem, however...
Maxi was described by her instructors as a very...odd student. There were many aspects of such a dictum which she excelled at (Maxi could awaken at the earliest hours of the morning with greater keenness than even her awakeners had), there were quite a few things which held her back from being a definitively good cadet. Though she displayed a skilled ability at the absorption of information, her scores were often held back by a lack of organization by which this could be condensed and reiterated. Similarly, while she was quite adept at coming to solutions, the unorthodox means by which she did so made her thought process seem quite errant when the time came to inevitably explain her logic. Paired with what was - to put it mildly - a very chaotic dorm room record, Maxi had been at the forefront of the minds of her instructors...for perhaps the wrong reasons.
At the time of her graduation arose the opportunity for Ranger Corps certifications, for such any and all cadets were encouraged to make their go at what was a new and exciting opportunity to lead the Federation's finest. With strenuous questions and very tight tolerances for acceptance, the probability of anyone getting acceptance was slim, to say the very least of what many thought of Maxi's chance. Yet, they all, too, forgot how much a schlenter Maxi was, for Maxi would be among the few who received a passing grade on their exam. They of course had their skepticism, their doubts, but at the end of it all, Maxi was rightfully entitled to her position in the Rangers. It has been there, at the 21st Armored Rangers Corps, where Maxi has pridefully taken her band, and there too, partaken in the traditions of such elites.
---P O T E N T I A L S
Troublemaker: There's no denying that Maxi has a penchant for getting herself into tight spots. Sometimes, it's her getting overly confident. Sometimes, she makes the wrong calls. And other times, the girl just wants a challenge. No matter the cause, the simple truth is that no matter where Maxi winds up, she's walking arm-in-arm with trouble. Carnie: From a young age, Maxi's favorite hobbies have included performing handstands on two fingers atop a glass bottle, folding her legs behind her head, and diving off balconies into swimming pools while doing a few backflips. As one might expect, Maxi is very deft, her evasive maneuvers excelling at throwing off the aim of others and reaching difficult spaces an elementary task. She's great at parties, too. Thorough Trickster: Anyone who has been in the Ranger Corps for longer than 5 minutes will be more than glad to point out Maxi's famed reputation as a practical jokester. Her plans are meticulous, planned and set up over several months at a time, and set up in such a fashion that they're always sprung whenever need be. Maxi's aptitude for planning extends into making battle plans, often finding intrigue in improvisation that blossoms in the form of finding out how to ambush her foes in very...creative ways.
|Country Size:| 3,449,603 Square Kilometers |Cities:| Self-explanatory, I hope. Important cities, basically. |Natural Resources:| The Republics within the Federation are vast and many, and the immense variety of climates and terrains within Vilturia produce a wide range of resources for the harvest. From the rubber plantations of Vatn to the lush fields of Oran where sorghum grows like weeds, Vilturia has made plentiful use of its varied landscapes. With no shortage of metals nor lumber, the internal market of Viltura's construction resources has been able to keep up with the demanding needs of the Ministry of Industry; After all, to produce more requires to build more, and the wheels of progress cannot halt.
Unlike many of its neighbors, Vilturia possesses only adequate deposits of oil; A far cry from the Dominion to the north or Geisel to the southwest, Vilturia's oil reserves are remain both within difficult lands, beneath scores of porous rock which collapses easily, and do not nearly reach the immense depths that the Dominion boasts about. Widespread expansion of the most prominent oil deposits in Macha and Helia would be an invasive and costly procedure, to say little of the ruination of its surrounding lands which rely greatly on pasture-based agriculture. As such, what would otherwise be the most prominent deposits in all of the Union remain exploited only to a fraction of their potential.
In turn, Vilturia has taken upon itself to do its best with alternate sources of energy: The rich volcanic ranges along the Skadtin Mountains which span across much of the country provide ready sources of geothermal electricity, and the wide-reaching development projects of the First Ten Year Plan have steadily led to a series of dams and reservoirs, which in turn provide much of what was once undeveloped countryside into new industrial cities with electricity and water. To accommodate for the pressed supply of oil, a linked urbanization initiative was undertaken, instead incentivizing citizens to use mass transit options. Urban rail lines, walking, and cycling are all the most numerous means of transport; Almost no citizens who reside within urban spaces own automobiles, and only agricultural laborers on them for the sake of their work. A majority of Vilturian gasoline is synthetically produced or refined; E-50 (50% petrol, 50% ethanol) and E-100 gasoline are the most frequently-utilized fuels, and Vilturia's immense agricultural yields have ensured that - no matter what - a steady source of cheap, plant mass-based fuel will always be ready.
Helians: Helians are the native inhabitants of the Helia marches; A rich and fertile land accompanied by wide rivers, cavernous valleys, and beauteous gorges. Hardy, fair-complected, and typically with pale platinum or white hair, even the most humble of Helians can boast of a resilience to the elements. The average Helian is portrayed as a cynical, hard-nosed one - and perhaps a bit gruff in tandem - yet will always speak politely and softly. While they may seem cold on the surface, such sentiments only show due to the cultural value of stoicism the Helians have expressed: An unbemused, stoic face shows a great amount of discipline, and self-control is only the first expression towards respect when making an impression. Statistically, all Helian-descended peoples are counted as being Helian, the most notable subgroup of which include Estewaldians, which in recent years have made a rapid influx in Vilturia's population as swathes of Landsmanner peasants flee the drudgery of Coraxian servitude in search of opportunity inside of Vilturia.
Oranian: Known in Eilíftir times as tribal hill-folk, the denizens of Oran are a far-flung ancestor of the ancient Geisel peoples. Academics agree that Oranians are broadly under the Geisel-Helian ethnic tree, yet the exact relationship they have between any one particular ethnic group remains a hotly-contested question. Most Oranian peoples have black or dark brown hair, light complexion, and are generally not the tallest of peoples.
Machanese: The peoples of Macha were historically a seminomadic, seafaring peoples who braved the treacherous Sølvi Bay and Northern Sea. Distant relatives of the Zengravi ethnic group, they were typically thought to have been an ethnic isolate until recent discoveries had linked the two, given the differences in language between Zengravi and Machanese peoples. As of such, they bear many outward similarities to many Zengravi peoples, the most notable being their more deep-set, pointed eyes, though they differ in many others; Machanese peoples will almost always possess reddish hair with amber or even crimson eyes to match, and take on a more fair, pinkish complexion. In spite of their cold surroundings, the Machanese are known to be a warm and welcoming people, with strongly valuing hospitality and giving to others in times of need.
Ilestrians: The mountainous folk of Central Vilturia, Ilestrians are slender (some might say "gaunt") people
Vatnians: Linguistic and cultural ancestors of the seafaring Sairish and Manticorian peoples, Vatnians were a historically seafaring people who had settled along much of the southern coasts of modern Vilturia, where their relatives still reside. Bright eyes - fitting of their maritime heritage - are the telltale feature of the Vatnian, which pierce through their reddish hair and equally burgundy complexion.
Sumetzi: The Sumetzi peoples of the Southwest are of the Dinnen ethnic family, related to the peoples who dwell within the Conclaves. With Umber or Deep Bronze skin tones, Sumetzi peoples are perhaps odd in that they have a likelihood to possess blonde hair complexions. Most find the Sumetzi to be curious by nature; Certainly inquisitive, Sumetzian culture is famously loquacious. A common joke goes that a Sumetzi cannot answer a question with an answer: Only another question.
|Government:| Officially, the Union of Vilturia regards itself as a Unitary Multi-Party Federative Socialist Republic. Unlike their socialist or social-democratic brothers, the Union is opposed to a liberal concept of democratic government: They believe that a strong Vanguard of the most class-conscious people can best run society like the mild leadership of a conductor of an orchestra, and appropriately have taken it upon themselves to ensure that any counter-revolutionary elements in the post-revolutionary Vilturian society have no say in the affairs of the government. Instead, a selection of approved political parties are allowed to organize and engage in elections, themselves preferred to be organized on a municipal basis.
|Ruler:| The Revolutionary Union Congress acts as the primary legislative and executive party of the Vilturian Union. It is composed of elected officials, first from the six Federative Republics of the Union, then from each individual district within (itself based upon population). |Volksgeist:| Revolution is not simply a one-time event. It is a continuous process by which the wheels of history must churn, and for such wheels of history to turn as they do, the revolution - by its very namesake - must turn as well.
Socialism, in turn, is not merely a means of governance or economics. |Religion:| Following the Revolution of 1911, officially the Vilturian Union has adopted an atheistic state policy, and as such actively decries religion as illegitimate.
|History:|
Give me something meaty to work with here.
|Armed Forces:|
|Vilturian Revolutionary Army:| Forged in the fires of the Eilíftirian Civil War, the modern VRA traces its ancestry back to the hardened guerilla fighters of the Eilíft Peasant's and Worker's Red Army. In bloody ideological struggle the foundations of the VRA were forged, and has since tirelessly marched forwards into the present. Transformed from their humble beginnings as a simple peasant militia, the VRA has come far from its scattered beginnings, and now stands as the sword and shield of the Worker's Revolution.
M/1896 Revolver: First produced in Eilíft Ljós, this revolver was once the standard sidearm of Vilturian military forces. As befitting for a revolver, the M/1896 is a rugged piece of equipment. With a top-break cylinder and firing in double-action, the M/1896 remains an ergonomic and functional sidearm.
M/23 Pistol: The first native pistol of Vilturia, the M/23 is a crisp-firing, semi-automatic pistol, introduced to address concerns over the M/1896's limited cylinder capacity and relatively slow loading speed. Rechambered for a new automatic pistol cartridge - the 7.7x25mm Kara round - the M/23 has generally been regarded as a fine sidearm.
A machine pistol variant also exists - the M/23-AP. With a heavier barrel, ribbed slide vents, and a folding front grip, the M/23-AP is normally given to tank and vehicle crews in need of an automatic defense weapon. It is typically also seen with 16-round magazines and a full-wood shoulder stock, attached to the pistol grip.
M/19(u) Rifle: The M/19(u) is a license-produced copy of the Belzarovian IR-19. Noteworthy differences between the two include a "swivel"-styled safety located just ahead of the trigger, a feeding lip atop the ejection port to accomodate loading via 5 or 10-round stripper clips, redesigned hood-and-post styled iron sights, and a difference in banding processes to accommodate for the differences between Belzarovian and Vilturian lumber. As a result, the M/19 tends to have a lighter complexion than its native counterpart.
M/27 Rifle: Following army inspections during the post-revolutionary period, the army inspectorate noticed a distinct correlation between volume of fire and combat effectiveness. When combined with the rapidly aging arsenal of the IRA, this created a drive to create a thoroughly "modern" service rifle. Taking light inspiration from the Estewaldian SK-18, the M/27 is a semi-automatic battle rifle, utilzing Belzarovian 7.92x54mm ammunition in 5, 10, or even 30-round MK/21 detachable box magazines. While thoroughly modern in its design, the M/27 has only recently entered full production, and as such, only Class A units have been fully issued with the M/27, with the remainder of troops either having a mix between the M/27 and the M/19(u) or only having the older M/19(u).
MP/14 S2 Submachine Gun: Based on one of the very first submachine gun designs, the MP/14 was originally conceived in the midst of the Revolution of 1911 by Loyalist forces. The S2 iteration is an effort by Vilturia to modernize its old design, reworked to utilize a tubular buffer tube and a modified magwell design to improve feeding reliability. The MP/14 S2 is known to be a simple, yet effective submachine gun.
MP/24 Submachine Gun: Manufactured and designed by the Saki Machinery & Design Works (Saki Industrianlæg, abv. SI), the MP/24 is an open-bolt submachine gun with remarkable durability and excellent control-ability even when fired full-auto, thanks to an innovative floating firing pin. It is chambered for 7.7x25mm Kara ammunition, and furthermore is typically assigned with 35-round curved magazines. Alternatively, it can use 60-round drum magazines, but these have fallen out of widespread use due to reliability concerns, as well as their annoying tendency to "rattle" during long marches.
HG/15(u) Shotgun: A modification of the Belzarovian Vantash shotgun, the HG/15 has been rechambered to use Vilturian standard 12-gauge, 3 1/2 inch shotshells. Aside from a different bore size and an adjusted bayonet lug to accommodate for the Vilturian M/1917, the two are practically identical to one another.
MK/21 Machine Gun: During the onset of the 1911 Revolution, there was an increasing demand asking for a support weapon with the mobility of being transported and operated by just one man. The MK/21 emerged as the most standout model of this desire. Featuring its long-stroke gas piston operation and top-mounted feeding mechanism, the MK/21 is an outstandingly quality firearm.
MK/30 Machine Gun: Although far from a poor design, one of the key issues most troops had with the earlier MK/21 was the magazine-fed nature of the weapon reducing its sustained fire capabilities. As a means to address these concerns, the MK/30 is intended to be an upgrade to the earlier MK/31. With the capacity to use both a bipod and a tripod with portability of just one man, the MK/30 is a general-purpose machinegun that is rapidly gaining good marks among troops in the field.
TMK/2: The TMK/2 is the VRA's standard heavy machinegun. Typically firing either 7.92mm Belzarovian or 13.5x101mm Rive rounds, the TMK/2 is an air-cooled machinegun with an average cyclic rate of about 700 RPM.
APG/29 Anti-Tank Rifle: From the basis of the earlier M/1919 Antipansargevær, the VRA quickly realized the importance of infantry-deployable anti-armor equipment. Largely heralded as a direct improvement to its more primitive cousin, the APG/29 is a magazine-fed antitank weapon, meant to be fired in crews of two, accompanying a spotter and an operator. Reworked to utilize new 13.5x101mm "Lansiär" incendiary rounds, the APG/29 can punch through armor, igniting its aluminum and tungsten sabot upon the immense impact velocity of hitting hard armor plates. The result is a weapon devastating to the crew within, as molten-hot shards of burning metal ricochet within the vehicle's quarters.
F1 Raketstyr 82mm: A simple stick-and-tube mechanism, the F1 propels 82mm rockets from a reusable, muzzle-loaded tube. Its simplicity, ease of use, and light weight compared to the AGP/29 give it much-coveted status among the troops. Capable of firing flak, antitank, and antipersonnel rockets, the F1 is a versatile piece of equipment that can be tailored for almost any situation.
M/28 Hand Grenade: A simple fragmentation grenade in a classic "handle" style. Possesses a "pull-cord" style design and is normally issued with a 4-second timed fuse, although variants for instantaneous (intended to be used for tripwire traps) and up to 12-second fuses exist.
Atg/30 Antitank Grenade: This is a primitive, hand-thrown grenade with a shaped "lancer" head, intended to crack open thick armor and field fortifications. Typically, it requires either a very brave or a very desperate soldier to use against an approaching tank or mech.
Moli: The affectionate nickname of this device, the "Moli" came into widespread prevalence throughout the IRA following revisions to the Vilturian Manual of Arms during the 1925 Army Reforms. Originally conceived as a means for the average infantryman to have a ready means of disabling enemy vehicles even when faced with a shortage of materials, the Moli is a makeshift incendiary grenade, lit by a primitive fuse.
22mm M/7 Geværgranåte: One of the more recent changes to the Vilturian Tables of Organization and Equipment was the addition of a dedicated Grenadier to all Rifle Squads, replacing one of the riflemen. Able to be mounted onto either the M/19(u) or the M/27, the M/7 is a simple launching mechanism, intended to allow the average unit a bit more squad-based firepower. The standard 22mm fragmentation rifle grenade offers enhanced range against traditionally thrown grenades. Antitank and smoke grenades also exist, but tend to be issued on a situational basis.
T/30: A half-track troop transport, the T-30 is one of Vilturia's newest attempts to fully update and mechanize its army. Unlike previous army trucks, the T-30 is armored to provide some modicum of protection against infantry fire, and is capable of carrying a squad of 10 into battle.
KV/18: One of the first armored vehicles ever created by the Vilturian Armed Forces, the Kampvagn 18 was designed in the immediate aftermath of the Revolution of 1911. Seeing increasing necessity for mechanization - as the actions of improvised armored cars and trains had proved their viability - Vilturia had rushed the KV/18 out to production. In contemporary times, the design is considered somewhat dated; It's multi-turreted layout has shown to reduce ammunition capacity for each weapon and makes for a rather cramped crew space. However, the KV/18 is built upon a solid chassis and a reliable transmission, and has since paved the way for further armor improvements.
LKV/25: As the cavalry tank of the VRA, the Letkampvagn 25 is designed with an unusual suspension chassis which allows it to easily traverse almost any kind of terrain. The relatively light weight, combined with its 47mm cannon, make it an effective tank for exploiting breakthroughs to their fullest potential.
TKV/24: A titan of a tank, the Tungkampvagn 24 serves the role of the breakthrough tank in VRA service, and is intended to smash through enemy strongpoints and fortifications with the support of its accompanying infantry. Boasting 100mm of angled frontal armor as well as a 76mm main gun, the TKV/24's capabilities are nothing short of impressive.
LKV/30: The most recent design from the famous Markian Technical Institute, the Letkampvagn 30 is an attempt to hybridize the best aspects of faster, lighter "cavalry" tanks and the heavier, better armored "breakthrough" tanks into one effective platform.
PKV/27 "Puma" When they were initially presented with combat walkers, the board of the VRN were initially very skeptical about the viability of mechs, citing the slower speed of an ambulatory gait as opposed to that of wheeled or tracked vehicles, in addition to the higher profile of an upright walker being a much larger target without the armor to compensate. As such, experimentation with combat mechs was only briefly done with things like the Projekt 1918, before unimpressive field tests and poor troop reports had the project cancelled in 1920 and had the concept of a front-line combat walker considered to be a dead end. With the reformation of the Alpiner Corps in 1923, several reports indicated that mountain troops requested a more mobile weapons platform for fire support, as mountain guns had to be manually towed either by horse or motorcycle.
1x Mortarman - Private armed with 8cm M/5 Mortar and 1 M/23 Pistol / M/1896 Revovler.
2x Ammunition Bearers - Private armed with 1 M/19(u) / M/27 Rifle or 1 MP/24 / MP/14 S2 Submachine Gun.
For M/19(u) Rifle:
40 rounds (ready) - 4x clips (10 rd) held in front vest pouches
30 rounds (reserve) - 3x clips (10 rd) held in front belt pouches
70 rounds (extra) - 7x clips (10 rd) held in rear belt pouches
For M/27 Rifle:
60 rounds (ready) - 3x magazines (10 rd) held in front vest pouches
40 rounds (reserve) - 2x magazines (10 rd) held in front belt pouches
40 rounds (extra) - 2x magazines (10 rd) held in rear belt pouches
For MP/14 S2 and MP/24 Submachine Guns:1
120 rounds (in gun) - 2x drum magazine (60 rd) held in rear belt drum pouch
170 rounds (ready) - 5x magazine (35 rd) held in front vest pouches
1) The Vilturian Manual of Arms states that submachine gunners are to enter all engagements with the drum magazine initially loaded, and to reload using the box magazines in combat. In practice, this clause tends to be ignored.
For MK/21 Machine Gun:
30 rounds (in gun) - 1x magazine (30 rd) loaded in gun
150 rounds (ready) - 5x magazine (30 rd) held in front vest pouches
For MK/30 Machine Gun:
80 rounds (in gun) - 1x ammunition belt (80 rd) loaded in gun
240 rounds (ready) - 3x ammunition belt (80 rd) held in front vest pouches, carried by ammunition bearers
For Grenades:
3x M/28 Hand Grenades (in pouch) or;
2x Atg/30 Antitank Grenades (in pouch)
|Class A|
Class A units (Vilturian: Klasse A) are those ranked by the General Army Inspectorate (Vilturian: Allmänna Hærinspektorat, Abv. AHI) as the most properly trained and staffed units within the VRA. As special standards are required to meet Class A certification that go above and beyond the general guidelines for army inspections, Class A units are generally considered to be, "The cream of the crop" of the VRA, and as such typically receive advanced funding from the Ministry of Defense. All special units - including mountaineer, marine, and airborne units - are of Class A rank, as are a number of particularly distinguished divisions.
|Class B|
Class B (Vilturian: Klasse Be) units refer to all standing military units which have been ranked by the AHI to meet the general army standards for front-line combat, yet do not meet the qualifications to be classified as a Class A unit.
|Class K|
Class K (Vilturian: Klasse Ka) is the mark given to combat units which do not meet military qualifications for front-line action, but are still in well enough shape to engage in limited operations. Such shortcomings can be a result of a lack of proper equipment, shortage of qualified personnel, limited tactical-operational organizational capacity, or poor performance. Many reserve divisions are given this qualification in peacetime, as many "on paper" reserve infantry divisions are clearly not mobilized during peacetime, and as such would only rise in categorization during war.
|Class D|
Class D (Vilturian: Klasse Da) denotes that a particular unit is in need of reorganization or restructuring. During wartime, Class D units would likely be ones that have suffered particularly bad losses of manpower or materiel, and unless they are also a specialized unit, they will likely be merged with another Class D unit to bring a unit back up to strength. However, in peacetime, this mark typically suggests that the group in question is simply awaiting resupply.
|Class S|
Class S (Vilturian: Klasse Es) is a special qualification that is given to units that are not directly handled by the VRA, and instead operate under the command of another organization. As a result, Class S units do not typically receive direct funding or assignment from the AHI, but instead will be organized and equipped to the regulations of their handler. The wide range of the Class S ranking also means that the average capabilities of Class S units varies greatly: Some Class S units are simple, irregular civil defense groups formed along border towns, while others are highly elite partisan groups organized under the authority of SIGA. (Vilturian: Särskiel Ifterretnings Gruppe Avingdren)
Infantry Divisions:
Division Number + Division Headquarters + "Infanteri Afördeling"
Example: "12te Grønfæltske Infanteri Afördeling"
Reserve Infantry Divisions:
Division Number + Division Headquarters + "Sikkerhetskopi Infanteri Afördeling"
Division Number + Division Headquarters + "Kavælri Afördeling"
Example: "2st Fjällströmske Kavælri Afördeling"
Mechanized / Armored Infantry Divisions:
Division Number + Armored Corps Signifier Code + "Pansaretinfanteri Afördeling"
Example: "7de KVIO Pansaretinfanteri Afördeling"
Armor / Tank Divisions:
Division Number + Armored Corps Signifier Code + "Pansar Afördeling"
Example: "23je JKO Pansar Afördeling"
Mountaineer Divisions:
Division Number + Division Headquarters + "Alpinjægar Afördeling"
Example: "1st Skadtinske Alpinjægar Afördeling"
Marine Divisions:
Division Number + Division Headquarters + "Sjøjægar Afördeling"
Example: "4de Mädsenske Sjøjægar Afördeling"
Airborne / Paratrooper Divisions:
Division Number + Division Headquarters + "Falskärmsjægar Afördeling"
Example: "6te Kitäske Falskärmsjægar Afördeling"
|Vilturian Revolutionary Navy:| For much of Vilturia's history, the Navy received the lion's share of the defense budget. Considering the raw naval potential of neighboring Sairish Empire to be one of their largest threats - the still-young Vilturian Union still reeling from civil war - the choice for the Navy's prioritization in turn was spurred by a scare within the population at large that opportunists within the Empire's Expansionist Party would push for quick land grabs during the revolutionary period. At the conclusion of the First People's Congress, it was soon after decided that a serious effort at naval buildup would be necessary to deter any would-be powers. Outlined in the First Ten Year Plan, the priority of the VRN would be to:
Establish a surface fleet that was capable of defending the Union's vast coastline.
Create a naval force that was - at bare minimum - capable of withstanding an assault effort from Geisel or the Sairish Empire.
Have a fleet capable of power projection across the Southern and Eastern Oceans.
With the conclusion of the First Ten Year Plan in 1925, budget reallotments - as well as the creation of the Vilturian Revolutionary Air Force - largely signaled the conclusion of Vilturia's period of naval buildup. The resulting conclusion heralded the VRN's status as one of the most impressive naval forces in the world; A novel fleet, unrestrained by past doctrine or tonnage. Yet as it stood, the Vilturian Navy faced a crossroad of design philosophy: Some proponents of the school of power projection suggested the development of an aircraft-carrier focused battlefleet, supplanted by cruiser and destroyer screens that could easily strike well above their weight while having an operational range that surpassed any naval gun known. Others insisted on a more traditional-styled battleship focused fleet, in which the VRN would be engaged in a tonnage race with the Sairish Empire's mightiest vessels. As of 1930, the former's design philosophy has edged over the latter's, as the Union has pushed the majority of their efforts into their carrier fleets. All this said, the VRN remains nothing short of thoroughly impressive.
S2-Class Submarine: At their inception, the S2-class of submarines were themselves an upgrade of the Eilíftir-era Fjord class. Although they were accordingly upgraded with contemporary parts - and as such possess modern engines and propellers - their armament is still distinctly decades behind the norm, and are most commonly used for coastal defense or for training crewmen.
S3-Class Submarine: It was soon discovered that simply making improvements to the venerable Fjord-class would not suffice, and in 1920 a new series of submarines were laid down. The S3-class were Vilturia's first "true" homegrown blue water submarine designs. Possessing twin two-shaft diesel-electric engines and armed with 6 torpedo tubes, the S3 class are a versatile, swift vessel that have proven incredibly promising for convoy raiding in both blue and green water operations.
Skál-Class Torpedo Boat: An Eilíftir-era design, the Skál class of torpedo boats have widely been relegated to green-water use in recent years. Though perhaps impressive for their time, the years have not been kind to the then-contemporary design of their engines and rotor outputs, and as such, many Skál-class boats remain much more sluggish than their modern counterparts. However, their armament of torpedo tubes is nothing short of admirable, and for this reason the capable armament of these torpedo boats have prevented them from being scrapped altogether.
Räpija-Class Destroyer: One of the most common vessels in service, the Räpija-class of destroyers was designed in 1922 with the sole intent of being the "backbone of the fleet". True to its design, the Räpija-class of destroyers are capable of a mind-boggling assortment of loadouts.
Halebård-Class Light Cruiser:
Krigsværd-Class Light Cruiser: Known outside of Vilturia as the "Claymore", the Krigsværd-class is an impressively-outfitted blue water patrol vessel. Armed with M/1926 "Helstrjyk" torpedoes - magnetically-charged, hydrodynamic torpedoes propelled by a novel oxidizing aerosol - the Krigsværd has shown outstanding results in naval exercises. The Krigsværd punches well above its weight, and accordingly has immense verisimilitude. Most newer Krigsværd-class cruisers have been outfitted with an ablative "scale" armor plating, improving their durability in direct naval engagements.
Jestät-Class Heavy Cruiser: When the Vilturian Federation first came into being after the Revolution of 1911, they were quickly confronted with a pressing problem: As the Eilíftir loyalists had scuttled a majority of their naval ships to avert their capture, the few capital ships the Revolutionary forces could capture were rapidly aging. To confront these issues, it was decided in the first outlining of the VRN that there would be a twofold solution to this problem: The Jestät-Class of heavy cruisers, and the Minä-Class of battleships. Designed as a stopgap between lighter screening vessels and true ships-of-the-line, the Jestät-class has nevertheless proven to be a rapidly adaptable heavy cruiser design.
Lofi-Class Heavy Cruiser: The most modern of the heavy cruisers in the VRN's service, the Lofi-class was designed with the sole intent of providing an adaptable chassis upon which a long lifespan of variants could be concocted. Displacing just over 13,000 long tons, the Lofi-class has proven to be an adaptable ship design - and although time has not yet passed to see if it will live up to the legacy of the Jestät-class - it has nevertheless shown incredible promise...and has some very big shoes to fill.
Karina-Class Escort Carrier: As the prominence of airpower in warfare became increasingly more clear, it was obvious to the VRN that they would inevitably be required to have a capable escort ship with the capacity to support both the main battlefleet as well as supporting air fleets. To address this, the Karina-class of escort carriers are the smaller cousins to the Kotka and Ørn classes of proper carriers, and is intended to guard the main flanks of screen group from submarines, forwards, and light airgroups. As a result of its smaller constitution, the Karina-class are much more nimble compared to a full-grown carrier, but it also possesses a smaller flight deck.
Takka-Class Battlecruiser:
Sjáva-Class Dreadnought:
Minä-Class Battleship:
Freja-Class Superheavy Battleship:
Kotka-Class Carrier: At the onset of the VRN's birth, the newfound navy was set with a distinct problem: As experiences in naval warfare had shown, the role of heavy dreadnoughts had become increasingly challenged by the rising potency of air power. The viability of airfare in naval warfare confirmed to the higher-ups within the VRN that they should shed tradition in favor of a fully modernized naval force. However, naval strategy is built strategy, and the young Federation had not yet the time to indulge fully in a completely modern navy. In response, the Kotka-class was a hastily-created concoction to fit the VRN's experimental needs. As it is, it is a conversion of ocean liners to accommodate a flight deck and a few rudimentary flight control towers.
Ørn-Class Carrier: With the success of the Kotka-class proven in naval exercises, the VRN further authorized the creation of a "true" aircraft carrier. First laid down in 1925, the Ørn-class boasts notable improvements to the previous Kotka-class conversions. Without the limitations imposed upon the nature of being conversions, the Ørn-class boasts a number of improvements upon its predecessor, of which include an enlarged flight deck and under-deck, additional lifters, an enlarged control tower, and an enhanced radio relay for improved sortie efficiency.
|Vilturian Revolutionary Air Force:| After the onset of the Revolution of 1911, the Revolutionary Army was swift to notice the ever-more increasing importance of air power on the modern battlefield. Initially organized as a subdivision of the Vilturian Revolutionary Army, eventually the subdivision itself grew too large to be considered such for much longer, and was reorganized into the Vilturian Revolutionary Air Force in 1921.
TIK Cyklon Produced by Titänia Industrielle Köretage (Abv. TIK), the Cyklon primarily serves as a light reconnaissance plane, and only has passable offensive capabilities. With a long operational range and a modified diesel engine, the Cyklon is also famously quiet.
Name: Age: Species: Abhuman (-ish) Appearance: Image, along with height in feet and inches. Role in the ship: Basically what you do as part of the expedition. Are you in charge of maintaining the engines, leading boarding actions, or what? Notable Equipment and Augmentations: No need for a detailed list for literally everything. Just need what weapons, armor, and cybernetic enhancement your character has, if any. Make sure to describe their capabilities. Skills: What are you good at? Are you a good shot? Great at stabbing heretics? If you're a psyker, add what psychic disciplines you specialize in. Biography: Basically your life story. Two paragraphs minumum. It is essential that you add how they got to be part of the Rogue Trader expedition to begin with.
Greed has poisoned men’s souls - Has barricaded the world with hate. Has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.
We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.
Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much, and feel too little.
More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness.
Without these qualities, life will be violent, and all will be lost."
- The Great Dictator's Final Speech
All the world of Uniya shook to its very core with the outbreak of the Great War in 1909. With the powers of the landship and aeroplane, poison gas and machine gun, the consequences of the industrial revolution finally came to unfurl in a war so great - so horrid - that none might ever think to repeat it again. Promethium engines and sprawling industrial complexes produced death machines on such a scale that the world had never known before - and so far, has yet to know again. The War to End All Wars fractured every corner of the world as the full capacities of the world's war machines sprung to life, and so with them did the Great Power's multitudinous colonies and allies did throw themselves into the fray.
Untold millions lost their lives in the seven bloodiest years of history - scars which some say will possibly never fully heal. And others yet say that we are headed straight away onto a path to a second, far more insidious war. But, such talk is surely just rumor and unwarranted anxiety. Right?
The year is 1956, and some forty odd years have passed since the inception of the most deadly conflict of all history. The rise of communism and fascism have radically altered the global political scene since their inception after the Great War, as part of an eternal struggle against the role of the state and revolution. Needless to say, the world is a radically different place - the pace of industrialization only steadily marching onward - and the horrors of the Great War are, to most, but a distant memory. Yet, not all are content with the status quo which was so proudly proclaimed those four decades ago. All nations of the world seek peace, of course - but a peace on their own terms. And the peace that was settled on that fateful day in 1916 has certainly not gone so well for some...
In the wise words of a certain Brazilian NRPer, "It's been too long since there's been a good Dieselpunk NRP on RPG".
For about the 4 or so people who are around for that long and are still in the loop, this is an attempted re-rendition of the Dieselpunk Nation RP The Fumes of War. Sadly, the originals never got too much in the way of IC traction, but the high concept has always been a fun one to me, and i've always toyed around with the idea of it finally getting something underway for a long time.
Thankfully, the original writer has allowed me to take it into a new edition, and for that, i'm proud to present: The Fumes of War. Inspired by dieselpunk and film noir works like Iron Harvest, Bioshock, Wolfenstein, DUST Tactics, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the themes of FoW, to put it in simpler terms, is what happens when the idealism of steampunk runs out. The horrors of the Great War brings the Victorian romanticism to a clothesline stop, and the rise and fall and rise and fall of society in the wake of this upheaval brings around a black-and-white renaissance. Flappers. Avant-Garde style. Jazz. Futurism. Swing. Muties. Weird Science. Rock and Roll. Wardenclyffe Towers everywhere. Mobsters. Big, grandiose mega-projects and modern marvels. Bright, glitzy, electric-buzzing cities of the future.
All of these things - if nothing else - are anything less than unsubtle.
Now, to keep things semi-tethered, i'm going to implement a couple of tricks i've kept up my sleeve throughout my time doing NRPs. There will be a couple of important Great Powers - and their overseas colonies - that anyone will be able to implement events for as NPCs. How you interact with them can keep the global political scene tethered to something apropos a global "flash point" for various scenes of intrigue. When the OOC goes live, there will be a "Country Bible" that lists out the actions that are acceptable or not for each respective country, as to assist with your endeavors. For just this IntCheck, i'm proposing a Council of Nations similar to the failed OTL League of Nations that intends to have its varied flaws - if not also its purpose.
If you look at the claims map then back at the world map, you'll notice that this takes place in a specific region of the world - not the entire planet. Again, it helps keep things tethered, and it's also in part due to the superpowers of the world. There will be 3 world superpowers - none of which are directly played or playable. Instead, they help align the world into a handful of approximate power blocs that represent spheres of influence and ideological inclination. They're going to be made in such a way that
FAQ:
Promethium? What's that? Promethium is a fictional substance refined from promethite - a porous, clay-like sedimentary rock that often formed from the decay of prehistoric mountain ranges due to extensive weathering. Unrefined promethite is an acrid substance with a dull orange hue evocative of sulfur and the smell of burning salt. When refined into promethium, however, it becomes a translucent, reddish-yellow liquid much denser than conventional petrol. When used in internal combustion engines, promethium fuel engines burn at some nine times greater efficiency when compared to gasoline. The chemical reaction that results as a result of oxidized promethium burning results in the creation of water vapor.
Promethite refining leaves behind a solid mass of alkaline compounds that take on the form of a bluish or purple slag, known as Veryllium. Veryllium can be alloyed with metals to make them incredibly hard. It is also used to tip the shells of special armor piercing rounds, giving them unparalleled penetration. When used in the synthesis of ceramics or plastics, Veryllium compound polymers make fantastically good conductors for heat and electricity.
Naturally, promethite deposits are highly coveted, and the production of promethium has fueled the industrial revolution of Uniya.
What's The Rules About Mechanics and Stats? If you need to ask, you're in the wrong place. If I need to ask you to not pull a magic nuke out of your pocket, you're in the wrong place.
WhAtS tHe TeCh LeVeL? So, you've played Wolfenstein, right? Like, the new ones published by Bethesda, yeah? And Bioshock, too? Think of that sorta aesthetic. I'm pretty willing to let there be some "rule of cool" shenanigans going around with flying airships and mecha and that sort of thing. A lot of the inspirations come from 50s-era comic book super-science and pulp fiction, so there's bound to be some fairly out-there stuff. Keeping a consistent "feel" and tone is more important - so think of everything with a heavy dose of retro-ism dashed onto it. Jets and rocketry technology are still relatively new and are in their infancy of design when compared to OTL - Think like medium-range SSMs and 1st generation fighter jets. Just try not to masturbate over it and remember to actually write about something that isn't the Uberpanzerkampfflauger XVII Ausf. J and it's 200 millimeters of frontal armor.
TL;DR Think like a more 1950s flavor of Dieselpunk that's bleeding into Atompunk. Basically, think of like Pre-War Fallout and Wolfenstein: The New Order.
What about nukes and nuclear devices? While nuclear science in its theoretical state is quite advanced due to the overall theme of "SCIENCE!!!" at play in the FoW-verse, uranium-based nuclear engineering remains in its relative infancy due to the extreme costs and limited applications compared to promethite and veryllium-based chemical engineering. Uranium enrichment is almost entirely a military concern in most cases.
While most nuclear bombs aren't immediately discounted, their development likewise came during a time when other fields of super-science advanced just as quickly - if not quicker - than the development of nuclear weapons. As such, the capacities for nuclear defense will likely have matched (if not surpassed) those of nuclear attack, so even utilizing a nuclear device will also mean is likely to be intercepted.
So what's the mention of Psykers and Muties and Weird science all about?
It's a core component of this rendition of FoW. Taking more influence from pulp fiction and very early science-fiction, the laws of physics and reality here are much more...malleable than what we're used to. Super-science projects are fully alive and well and thriving in the technological advancements made since the Great War and the decades to follow.
Think of it as Fallout's equation of science to "SCIENCE!!!". Fantastical super-science experiments (gone horribly wrong) are definitely a thing and the morality of utilizing super-science in the age of rampant industrialism and immense cultural change are big themes here.
Spearheaded by internationalist thought, the ComBloc is a league of socialist, communist, syndicalist, and other far-left nations that have coalesced under common policy. Currently, it is headed by the superpower, The Union of Vilturia.
For all the democratic freedom-lovers and all the facade republics who are propped up by bribes to the military, the Alliance of Free Nations is an alliance for democracy the world over. It is headed by the Belzarov Republic.
Also known as UNICORN. Broadly coined as a general reaction against liberal capitalist and communist thought, rexapositionism is an umbrella name for various third-positionist, fascist, and other ultra-nationalist movements. It is led by the superpower Estewald.
For one reason or another, many of the nations of the world have not aligned themselves with one power bloc or the another. Whether it is due to maintaining internal security or due to not wishing to forsake its trade benefits by dealing with all sides, the reasons for maintaining neutrality are many. "True" neutrality is practically unheard of - as it is impossible to please everyone, and the process of doing so almost always alienates one or another power bloc to some extent.
Flag: Put your flag and / or emblem here. A quick search on Google Images, Pinterest, or DeviantArt will probably give you one that you like.
Name: List down the official and shorthand name for your country here.
Government: What style of government is currently in power. List out their prevailing ideology as well.
Territory: Area under the de jure and de facto control of the government in question. Ask me if you need a colorization or crop. History: You don't need to go write an entire book, here. It's assumed that the country has been around in some shape or form for centuries, if not millennia. Instead, do your best to answer the following prompts:
Current Regime's Founding: What were the circumstances that brought about the current government's rise to power?
Notable Events: In the past few years - think about 20 to 60 years - what were some of the most influential events to happen to or within the country?
The Great War: Nary a country on Uriya was left unaffected by the Great War - directly, or otherwise. What was its involvement in the greatest conflict the world had ever known? Was it victorious, or did it suffer defeat in spite of its valiant efforts? Or did it maintain its neutrality at great cost?
Influence on Governance: How have these events shaped the face of the nation in recent years? And how will they affect how it tackles issues further on in its future?
Pressing Issues: You got 99 problems; You better give me one. More than that, actually.
Economy: List out a brief overview of the country's most noteworthy economic industries, as well as their primary imports and exports. You don't have to kill yourself with things like GDP or Growth Per Sector, just give a general overview of its industrialization and general activity.
Foreign Relations: When first submitting this, feel free to leave it out. You can develop this as the IC progresses, but if you have any pre-determined alliances, treaties, embargoes, etc against any other nation at the start, list them out here.
The Flash Quiz: This isn't a segment you will write out on your initial application: I want to try something new in every RP that I start, and with this one, I had an idea come about. I'm going to ask you four semi-random questions broadly about your country, and i'd like some substantive answers back on them pertaining to culture and values. These will be unique to every application, and i'll give them when the sheets are posted up for review.
In charge of all oversight regarding industrial and civic developments, often involves the coordination between municipal councils on a federal level.
Minister of Science and Technology:
Hei-Kyul Reikyan
Social Conservative
Coordinates all federal research programs, appoints federal research grants, prioritizes energy priorities.
Minister of Defense:
Feng Xian-Kyan
Social Conservative
Balances and prioritizes national defense budget, overviews equipment procurement, assesses military projection capabilities.
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Summary of Nation: WIP
History: TBD
Pressing Issues: The Looming Oil Crisis
Are We Getting Closer, or Are We Getting More Lost?
The Lion and The Zookeeper
Macha is incredibly proud of its triumphant history of revolution, much like a zookeeper is proud of an old lion.
Many prominent politicians in the Crimson Court have largely rejected communist "orthodoxy", believing that such steadfast, uncompromising ideals are the bygone relics of a former era. Embittered and hardened by decades of realpolitik and Cold War opportunism, the idealism of communism has all but evaporated from the ethos of Machan politicians. Their heroes - their icons - have mellowed with age, follow rules that they once disobeyed, now being led when they used to lead the way. The spirit of revolution that once propelled the Machan nation from a backwards kingdom into the forefront of the world is kept by ball and chain in its cage, where it may be taken out in ceremony and returned to its incarceration when its veneration is no longer appropriate.
Does Macha still believe in all the things that it stood by before? Does it care to be the architect of what it may create? Or are the ideals of the past a death-spiral that will seal its undoing?
Let The Bad Times Roll
Machanese culture has undergone something of a renaissance with the blossoming of its film industry, but not in its limelight. The birthplace of Macha's famous music and greatest artworks had no place in cinemas or galleries, but in basements and garages, where its most acclaimed musicians, painters, and filmmakers passed cassettes between hands in private parties. Formally, the act of publishing without license by the Press Authority of Macha is illegal, yet the ubiquitous presence of these "pirate pieces" leaves the effectiveness of this legislation to be questionable. In one district, the artist of pirated art may find himself jailed for ten years, while in the district not 5 kilometers away, he will be discharged without even a warning by the same authority.
The Press authorities have largely had a...lethargic response to these illegal activities. Hardliners in the Party insist that the Machan cultural underground will be a breeding ground for counterrevolutionaries and reactionaries, but others say they're just kids. Even so, the exotic, illicit appeal of these quasi-legal art pieces bring incredible prestige to Machan culture.
Maybe the Party's hold on media should finally come to an end? Yet, hardliners warn the old time-tested adage: If you give a mouse a cookie, the entire pantry will follow soon after...
___________________________________ Leonore-Zofia Küchler-Sokołowšky, 22 ________________________________________________________________________________________ Volhynia | Hoznán / Horazan, Volhynia, East Europan Imperial Alliance ___________________________________
▼ E X T R A I N F O R M A T I O N ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► DOB - 10/31/1893 ► Height - 6'0" / 183cm ► Weight - 173 lbs / 78 kg ► Hair Color - Blonde ► Eye Color - Light Blue ► Classification - Sapper ► Rank - Foreign Legionnaire - Acting Corporal ► Sexuality - Bisexual
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D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E
Leo towers over most women from the Federation in an almost statuesque posture, her fit and able frame honed from years of hellish regimen. Fair-haired and with two sparkling azure eyes, Sokołowšky's presence is - barring all else - nothing short of thoroughly impressive. Nestled beneath her army cap and helmet belies her back-length blonde hair, pinned up before battles. No matter where she may find herself, nor with how few resources, Leonore makes a point to take care of herself, and takes immense pride in presenting her best appearance. Always presenting with a unshakeable smile, standing as upright as a mighty ancient oak, the Volhynian is always certain to exude an air of confidence about herself.
Leonore's uniform is a piecemeal assembly of uniforms, strewn together over years of scavenging and stitching. Her singular constants are the iconic white, red, and navy armband of the Volhynian flag, which proudly adorns her left sleeve. She makes note to keep it spotless, always rubbing down any grime or gristle which taints it after each and every engagement.
---P E R S O N A L I T Y
"Extrovert" does not even begin to describe the aggressively outgoing demeanor by which Leonore carries herself. There are few instances in which Leo will refuse discourse..and even fewer in which she will not begin to indulge in all manner of queries and commentaries until exhaustion. This, compounded by Leo's rapid pace of speech, couples together to form a thoroughly colorful vocabulary which leaves its audience wondering if what is spoken is truly what she had meant, or if she simply lacks the diction to hold a more fitting conversation. Perhaps a result of years spent around the Federation's most crass soldiers, Leo seems to be very comfortable asking the more blunt questions in life. She may come across as incredibly to-the-point, and perhaps a bit crude, yet Leonora finds no fault in, "telling it how it is", as she puts it.
---B I O G R A P H Y
The twin daughter of a Volhynian comedian and a Leican-Imperial priestess of Valkyrur, Leonora came to in the eastern city of Hoznán (Known in Imperial Standard as Horazan). In the Volhynian capital metropolis, she was immediately immersed into a turbulent period of Imperial history. From the moment she was born, Leo was exposed to the national rebirth of Volhynia, with more and more voices raising their support for the long-awaited recognition of the historic region within the greater Imperial Alliance. These wishes often clashed with the views of the more conservative hardline Imperialists in Schwarzgrad, who frequently decried this national sentiment as being disruptive to the unity of the Empire. Battles in academic circles soon accompanied fights in the streets and countryside. Citing the composite nature of the Empire, many within the upper echelons of the Imperial Alliance felt that the continued nationalist sentiments of Volhynia's distinct culture - as well as many other subject nations within it - were unfounded. In contrast, the Volhynian volksgeist more frequently decried Schwarzgradian dominance over Imperial politics and culture, claiming the Alliance - in truth - was little more than a formality to High Imperial hegemony.
Leonora, even from birth, was thoroughly torn between the Imperial and Volhynian worlds. Torn between two languages and with two names, the young woman was thrown right into this rift. Instructor after instructor would give contrasting views, the wedge between the two nations only driving between the use of Volhynian and Imperial Standard even in daily life. Her childhood was filled with news of insurrections by paper, and dinnertime conversations of national awakening. Confused and looking for guidance, a young Leo often turned toward her father, asking what to make of the incertitude. He would simply give a gentle smile, put a kindred hand upon her shoulder, and spoke the simple words, "It is better to do the right thing and lose than to do the wrong thing and win. Do what is right, not what is easy."
In the words of her benignant dad's advice, Leonore found her sympathies trudging more and more towards the cause of so many who had bravely stood before the Imperial authorities for the sake of an entire nation. Come the fated day where the Imperial prince saw himself assassinated at the hands of of separatists, Leonore had no doubts in her mind; This was the line in the sand, and the Empire would never be willing to allow the cause of any beneath its iron grasp to be free. Then, it was decided. She searched high and low, traversing all manner of old Volhynian societies before finding the group that would eventually become the Volhynian Legionnaire's Society. In the dead of night, Leonore explained her plans, and gave her last farewells to her siblings with a smile on her face, promising them that - when she returned - it would be to a free Volhynia. With a joyously tearful response, Leo departed her home with the phrase, "Just don't tell mom i'm in Valois."
Upon her treacherous arrival across the Adriats and into Federation soil, Leonore's reception along with the Legion's was met with a rather...lukewarm response. It was clear that the additional help was more than welcome - and from Imperial separatists, no doubt - yet these volunteers, Leonore included, arrived to the Federation with a classical Volhynian uniform, a mishmash of whatever arms they carried from home, and what paucity of Federal language they could pick up from the journey over. Simply put, in 1911, the Federation had no clue what to do with this influx of volunteers from Imperial territories, nevermind how to fit them into the Federation's military structure. Yet, it was ever-clear early on that these men and women who arrived had come to fight, and it was quickly decided in the Federation that they would merely do just that. Leo and her compatriots were put through the standard training regime, and in the weeks of training just before the journey to the front, Leo would march and sing the legendary Volhynian marching tunes with nothing but jubilance, confident that this war would be over by the new year - and with the new year would come a new Volhynia, with a hero's welcome.
The years have not been as kind to her as the initial prospects of war had suggested. Through Maren, Chartreuse, Voiseilles, and Sarrebourg, Leonore has persisted through bloody battle and hellish conflict. Many of her comrades have come and gone, yet her determination remains ironclad. Leo has swore unto herself not to let the many deaths of her friends and compatriots go to waste, and now drives her further and further to see the conflict unto its absolute end, with the proud white, red, and navy flying majestically over Hoznán...no matter the cost.
---P O T E N T I A L S
Fierce Patriot: Leonore will die for the Volhynian cause with nothing but joy in her heart and a smile on her face. Overbearingly outspoken about her admiration towards The Fatherland and its noble plight for freedom, she will never cease to "enlighten" others about the glories and wonders of Volhynia. To her, The Empire is a despotic, tyrannical regime which only desires total Europan domination - and if Volhynia and millions of others trapped within Imperial chains are to be free, it must be military defeated. She borders on fanaticism in her beliefs, and will seldom give any ground on any issues related to the cause.
"Ščo?": When Leonore first signed on to the Volhynian Legions and arrived in Federation lands, she came not knowing a single word of the Federal language. Four years of immersion have helped her comprehension immensely, yet Leo is far from "fluent" in any regard; Her speech is heavily accented, and she often interchanges words she doesn't know with those of her native tongue, fishing for a response. She has heard commands and general phrases aplenty to not be confused with battlefield orders, but in more technical, verbose conversations, Eleonora may have trouble keeping up.
"Marš, Vołyniny, Marš!": East Europans are notoriously stubborn, and Eleonora fits this mold quite well. Equal parts valiant, foolhardy, and utterly obstinate, Leonore refuses to allow any obstacle to slow the inexorable advance of her iron heart. She takes this in stride, often urging her comrades when they find themselves in despair to hold their heads high, always proud, and to forever march forward no matter the bleakness of their battle - For when the dust inevitably settles and the storm is weathered, Leo will say: "Never forget that we are saving nations and enslaved people!"
Veteran Legionnaire: From the moment the Great Europan War erupted, Leo immediately dedicated herself to the Volhynian Legion, trudging off to an unknown land with her comrades-in-arms to fight for a free Volhynia. She has spent four hellish years along the trenches and fields of Europa, and has survived some of its most brutal battles.
▼ E X T R A I N F O R M A T I O N ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► DOB - 09/13/1895 ► Height - 5'10" / 182cm ► Weight - 153 lbs / 69 kg ► Hair Color - Midnight Blue ► Eye Color - Bright Blue ► Classification - Shocktrooper ► Rank - Lance Corporal ► Sexuality - Bisexual
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D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E
Where once may have lain the face of a Junoesque savateuse has since washed away in the fires of war. Where once a jovial keenness gently softened toward a natural Darcsen beauty now shows in its place the sharpened, ardent features of Inès' stone-cold demeanor. Inès has received many a compliment for her fairness, yet, the incendiaries of war are rarely a beautifier, for where once the young woman smiled in confidence at every turn has she instead produced a steadfast scowl. A world-exhausted tinge spatters across once clearly-bright blue eyes, accompanied by a regular cake of grime and sweat which - in spite of her efforts - pertinaciously reappeared each and every day. The typical attitude by which Inès portrays herself to others is thoroughly exhausted unto apathy, yet one which belies a perhaps uncharacteristic anger towards the common onlooker. Beneath her unassuming Valoisian uniform lay a fit frame, honed from times far prior to her entry in the Great Europan War. Part agile, part powerful, and all thoroughly impressive.
With scant access to any such manner to style her hair, to look at a photograph from when Inès joined the war and compare it to her now is to find a likeliness to an untended park. Long since grown unchecked for the past two years, what once was a short, shaved cut along her sides with an over-fold along the top has since naturally grown to near shoulder's length. Its brilliant, Persian Blue hue shines with the unmistakable heritage of a Darcsen - and its blued, matte muting bears the indubitable conditions of the frontline.
---P E R S O N A L I T Y
Inès is easily irritated, but difficult to make genuinely angry.
---B I O G R A P H Y
---P O T E N T I A L S
Hard-Tempered: The poverty-stricken districts of the Ostende metropolis bred hardships aplenty. Between rampant gangs, squalid housing,
Gant D'Argent: Inès has not earned such an esteemed title for nothing, for the esteemed rings of Valois do not grant such titles willy-nilly. Indeed, Inès has only earned the title of Gant D'Argent through rigorous trial and tribulation - one which has seen much intermittence in the midst of the Great War - and will surely no forefeit such easily. Inès has earned her title, tried and true, through many fights and arrangements throughout the Valoisian underground circuit, and such a mastered savateuse is surely a desired skill admidst the trenches of the Great War - No doubt, a circumstance as to why so many famed savateurs the likes of she have found themselves recruited in the midst of the Great War.
Body Sense: When coupling together her extensive experience in fighting and the nefarious social web of Ostend, Inès has long since developed an acute sense of "sizing others up". Naturally suspicious by necessity, she is able to pick up on even minute changes in posture and positioning, and as such has a honed talent for sensing one's future movements and true intentions.
▼ E X T R A I N F O R M A T I O N ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► DOB - 02/29/3976 BBY ► Height - 5'10" / 179cm ► Weight - 157 lbs / 71 kg ► Hair Color - Red ► Eye Color - Amber ► Specialization - Sith Acolyte
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D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E
Azhari are - if utterly forced at blaster-point to choose - just shy of "Human". The near-Human race of their eponymous homeworld are accustomed to a humid, temperate, and windy climate which permeates throughout the world's vast hills and dotted with shallow oceans. They have sharp eyes with slit, dark pupils evocative of reptiles and are possessive of long tongues, through which their olfactory systems perceive the world in scent and taste.
Yerka speaks with the same wispy rasp that permeates through her race, and finds it simple to hiss and difficult to make harsh, cut sounds, which instead translate to a phenomenon not dissimilar to that of a snake hissing at its prey.
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Yerka is very direct, handling most issues head on and never being one to shy away from confrontation. Though she certainly possesses drive, her temper can prove to be rather short. When provoked by actions she sees as short-sighted or foolish, she doesn't hesitate to interject her own thoughts on the matter, leading her to often question their capabilities or intelligence. Yerka is not particularly shy, seeing displays of herself as natural - and finds it odd that others don't have the willpower to do so in turn. From her old roots at home she developed an appreciation of song and dance, and to this day she still practices the latter. After leaving Azhar and receiving some exposure to the wider galaxy, Yerka took up to playing the Synthtone.
While she can come off as a closed and cold young Sith Acolyte, Yerka is very loyal to her friends and people she has come to respect. Though she's spent a good number of her formative years now in the training of the Sith, Yerka still has tied herself down to something resembling a moral code. She holds betrayal and forsaking of promises in utter disdain, leading to many clashes with both other students and her instructors at the academy. Her experiences in tribal life - with its focus on communal survival - has lead her to view most Sith at the academy as nothing else but petty thugs or small-minded bullies. Although she's hasn't found the greatest appreciation for the Sith, she views them as at least somewhat superior to the Jedi, whom she views mostly as either spineless cowards or as apathetic hypocrites.
---B I O G R A P H Y
Born to the somewhat isolated Outer Rim planet of Azhar, Yerka was born among her primitive people who had earned their livelihoods hunting and foraging along the planet's rugged surface for parts and technology in one of Azhar's dotted spaceports. At a young age, her planet was visited by Jedi, who had come in search of finding force-sensitives to be taken for training. Force-sensitives such as Yerka were highly prized in Azhari culture for their utility as witch-doctors and fortune-tellers, and when the Jedi had come, most all the Azhari refused for any of them to be taken. Although some had been taken to the Jedi after a struggle, Yerka remained on her planet, where she grew up alongside the hunters and witches of her people. Yerka was raised suspicious and distrustful of the Jedi Order as a result of these actions.
Although Azhar's relative isolation had saved it from the initial conflicts of the Mandalorian Wars, in due time it would find itself occupied by the Mandalorians, who sought out more sources of manpower. Seeing the Azhari as capable scouts and warriors, a teenage Yerka would be dragged alongside the conflict in its closing days, a trial by fire against the Republic and their Jedi allies against her nascent Force proficiency. After a brutal fight, Azhar was freed of the entrenched Mandalorians by 3960 BBY, but at the cost of grievous scars across Azhari society and life. Much of the planet was brutalized in the fighting. Yerka's disdain for the Jedi only grew, and soonafter she learned of the revival of the Sith against the Jedi. Making pilgrimage to Korriban, she found herself undertaking perilous trial after trial, until she was finally accepted into the Academy late into her teenage years, just to be greeted by academy life which rewarded pettiness and scheming over actual learning.
Appearance: Illya's colossal height of 171cm is hardly going to intimidate anybody, but at least his stature lets him fit into cockpits with ease. He's an athletic sort, light in build and quick to react, and always gives an energy that he's always ready to spring to life. Illya never had a whole lot of experience with the "upper echelons" of life, and with it comes an unfamiliarity with the conventions some in the academy might find utterly banal. His uniform is always just slightly off - a crumpled collar, an undone button, his tie loose and crooked, so on.
Personality:
Illya usually comes off as fairly easygoing, if a bit jockish, getting competitive with a lot of mundane contests as a form of camaraderie and a healthy dosage of energy. He's a person who enjoys pushing boundaries, not just for the things he cares about, but also those around close to him: Illya will usually encourage others to push themselves beyond their usual limits through these little contests, which he can get particularly heated over. He doesn't mind a bit of roughhousing and generally is pretty open to new experiences.
Illya's drive for becoming the best pilot the galaxy has ever known is matched only by the most arrogant and self-centered of Knight Aces: For every other subject of his studies, Illya is a straight C student, and it's not for lack of trying. He isn't unintelligent by any means, but he does lack the discipline to really shine when it comes to doing things that don't occupy the forefront of his mind. When he puts his mind to something, the results are often fantastic and innovative, but Illya doesn't do well with "busy work" and other humdrum things that one also needs just for basic education. Organization isn't exactly his strong suit; he's a bit messy and tends not to get chores and homework done right away, usually waiting until the absolute last minute to get them into gear. What he might lack in tidiness he sure doesn't lack in loyalty. He's a very upfront person and is fairly easy to get down-to-earth with, and it's usually fairly difficult to truly get on his bad side.
History:
Born as Alexandra Karamazov in the Velara metropole, the child of a mid-level manager at a faltering pneumatics engineering firm and a data analyst was viewed to be among the many unassuming children who would call the many arcopoli of Mars "home". Money was never really a concern to the Karamazov household: Data analysis across the numberless manufactorums of Mars was a thankless position from which ceaseless new reports and corrections emerge, while the ailing Svarov Engineering Works had fallen to the wayside as investors and contractors got cold feet, but kept afloat to a steady stream of royalty payments and bond invetments. The Karamazovs were housed in one of Mars' many apartments with few luxuries and little downtime to enjoy the ones they had together. Their parents were loving but rather distant: Both of them could rarely spend time with them and dedicated much of their time to their work duties, leaving their child to be raised in the care of others.
Come secondary school - like a lot of teenagers - Illya thought that the coolest thing you could possibly be and do was pilot a Knight. Piloting a Knight was cooler than being Grand Marshal of the United Front. Piqued from a young age, Illya strove to enroll in one of his secondary school's piloting clubs. The club of the school had officially mandated that 18 was the age of self-entry - much too young for him when he started secondary school, but could be shortened to 14 with their parent's permission. They took the initiative in this circumstance and forged their mom's signature on the document and sent in the papers. When Illya's parents found out, they were understandably disappointed, but whereas their mom grew to be more supportive of the endeavor as time went on, his dad never really caught on to the idea - he insisted that the whole affair was far too risky with too little payoff for it to really catch on into a career, and insisted that Illya put his schoolwork ahead of any pursuits of piloting. He would do well, scoring in several championships, but his school wasn't anything on anybody's radar. Sponsors passed the place up - it was one of countless thousands of secondary school clubs all over Mars and none of any particular prestige or homage. And for a time, his father was right to say that his future as a pilot would go nowhere.
Until Svarov Engineering Works was purchased as a subsidiary under AMKA group.
Illya's father was now a proud engineering manager at AMKA, and at his inauguration party, he spent that entire fated night in various state of inebriation, storming about the party space ranting and raving and pacing as he dithered on his diatribe against virtually every disappointment he had in his now-son - said and unsaid. This lasted for about an hour, when his final remark had struck an otherwise aghast audience of promoters and executives at their new firm, when he remarked how he had wished,"(he) spent his time studying and not becoming 'champion' of that stupid knight-sim club."
The director of promotion had just looked up from his datawatch. He looked back down, re-checking something. He nodded back, and his eyes widened at the confirmation of his thought:
It was about to be Pride Month. And either, they could do another boring campaign - a little story here about some nonsense about 'equal opportunties in engineering', a few flags there - and maybe some modest returns on an utterly overused generic feel-good tirade...but that never looked good to the board and superiors.
Or, he could push his bets on an underdog - give a kid a dream who never had a whole lot and run with it - and make an advertising campaign off him that'd push AMKA from a niche mobile knight developer to the forefront of people's hearts and minds. And spend a tenth of the budget of an advertising campaign on a sponsorship, too.
So, he stepped forward, almost ready to allow himself to be punched or toppled or have a glass smashed over his head for what he might say against an impassionate drunkard's flesh and blood, and spoke curiously:
"Mister Karamazov...how old did you say they were?"
Mr. Karamazov blinked."Eighteen." he answered.
The director nodded. He cracked a warm smile back at him. He was drunk out of his mind, sure, but this was a chance: A chance to capitalize on an opportunity, to get an in, to get them to look good - and if this worked, they'd be killing a whole flock with a single stone toss. The lean man took another step forward, folding his hands behind his back.
"Has he been accepted to university or academy?"the director inquired. Mr. Karamazov looked down into his glass, shaking his head once.
"Hasn't accepted anything yet."he snorted. He gestured to take another sip of his near-depleted drink, but stopped at his lips."Nobody has given 'em sponsorship."
The news delighted the director into bloom, stretching the corner of his lips ear-to-ear.
"Oh."he nodded back politely. That caught his attention. Mr. Karamazov looked up, pulling his glass down. Right where he wanted.
"He's the champion of his knight-sim club, you said?"Mr. Karamazov rose an eyebrow, slowly nodding in perplexion. The director gestured behind his back. Seconds later Mr. Karamazov felt his datawatch buzz; He'd received a contact invitation.
"What was his name, again?" Capability:
If nothing else, Illya has heart. He doesn't give up on things easily and is ready to go in for a penny and in for a pound. For those of us who like more quantitative measures, Illya is very quick to react to things, good in making quick decisions and thinking on his feet. Coupled with some sharp eyes and good perception, Illya is good at noticing threats at a distance and being able to engage first. With much of his time spent towards engagement exercises and their review, he's good at predicting movements and adjusting himself in turn.
Yona • Shell • 9m
Appearance:
The Yona is a medium Knight frame, built from a modified skeleton of the Vovchek program. Standing at 9 meters tall and weighing in at 15.7 metric tons unspecced, the Yona is a general-purpose knight frame that serves as AMKA's second product offering into the knight's field. Illya's Yona is currently painted with its default desert tan and black color scheme, though there have been plans made for different coloration schemes to be present.
Manufacturer:
AMKA (Аерокосмічна та механічна конструкція аргір / Aerokosmichna ta Mekhanichna Konstruktsiya Argir, Argyre Design for Aerospace and Mechanics) is a rapidly-growing engineering group specializing in aerotech and hydraulic technology. AMKA is one of the newest hounds in the pack - young, sharp of teeth, and full of energy - but they're far from top dog. No doubt though, they have some ideas about changing some of that...
Originally founded as a specialized producer of gravitational technologies for spacecraft and outer colony platforms, AMKA has grown considerably in the past few decades, the result of smart business decisions and keen company buyouts. The company is most well-known for its civilian applications, specializing in industry and commercial tech, but in the past decade they have begun to make long strides in military technology. Their flagship project, the AMKA Vovchak, was far from the most innovative Knight design, but placed a unique selling point in its ease of maintenance, modularity, and low cost.
Design & Specification:
After the success of the Vovchek's market penetration, AMKA was ready to undertake a truly fledged knight project. Pulling out all the stops from their previous project - the Vovchak - AMKA felt that it was time to stop producing just above cost and instead focus on the failings of its past project. Key shortcomings of the Vovchek typically included limited hardwiring, narrow field of vision, and sluggish responsiveness.
Projekt Yona was specifically developed in order to counteract all of these main issues. Boasting an improved panoramic vision system, stronger transmission, and refined electronic wiring, Yona retains all of the strongest points of its predecessor in being a versatile, all-rounding system without the issues that plagued the Vovchek, while maintaining its modularity and ease of maintenance and enhancing its handling.
Though it shares over 80% commonality in skeletal parts with the AMKA's earlier Vovchak line, the Yona's external composition is vastly different. With superior composition in PLET and beryllium carbide ablative overlay on top of a titanium alloy frame, the Yona sports a fantastic power-to-weight and defense-to-weight ratios. As with its predecessor, the Yona sports several hardpoints for various weapon and support systems, giving it a significant degree of mission adaptability.
Armaments:
The Yona is capable of the utilization of all but the most niche of UFAF weaponry, but has been outfitted with a number of specific weapon systems for its initial display.
The M127 is a general purpose laser cannon system, designed originally for ASB and AA gunnery systems. Utilizing a 512nm Gd:YAG (Gadolinium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet) crystalline focus and a Beryllium-ion battery, the M127 is a powerful short-burst laser system that can rapidly diffuse even puncture the thickest or refractive of materials. Owing to its secondary-state battery feed, the M127 is capable of using replenishing "recycler" batteries, extending field longevity and operational range. However, it's rate of fire is often limited to conserve its energy, as rapid fire of the weapon tends to defuse the power output to less-than-optimal rates.
The T-28 is a dependable vibration blade intended for close combat. Using a rapid array of vibro-pulse microwires, the T-28 can hold its own against most conventional weapon arrays in close combat. Unlike most beam-based weapons, the T-28's strength as a virbo-weapon comes from the capacities of disruption in its initial strikes due to its rapid pulsation, not in the sheer penetrative power of a beam or blade itself.
Usually mounted on the shoulder or arm hardpoints, the P-46 Ballistic Weapon System is a laser-guided belt-fed gyrojet system. Firing 40mm APDSS gyrojet rounds, the P-46 packs quite a punch for its size, though due to the inherent nature of the gyrojet system, its effectiveness is limited in extreme close quarters.
Subsystems:
The Yona comes with following additional systems:
The PM-09 is a medium-frequency electromagnetic force projector intended to deflect or diffuse impacts across the general surface area of the Yona just prior to its collision. It operates in both short-burst and extended-burst modes, the former providing much greater deflection at the cost of greater energy usage and limitations to movement while the ADS is in effect. In a pinch, it can be used to disengage objects or targets latched onto the unit itself and potentially fry their own electronics due to the EMP effect, at the risk of potentially causing an electron discharge which could short-circuit the system entirely.
The M236-B is an advanced rangefinder and targeting CPU which provides supine detection against medium and short-ranged targets. Capable of a 270 degree operating radius in tandem with the Knight's regular camera systems, the M263-B variant comes with additional systems for VRNV and Ultrasound modes of operation, further improving detection against electromagnetic cloaking and smokescreens.
The SV3 is a deployable A/T drone that can easily be stored on the Iona unit's back, shoulder, or arm hardpoints. Equipped with its own Y2000 GPU and twin-linked M33 Multilasers, the SV3 unit is capable of teller-operation from the Yona host unit as well as autonomous performance.
