Overview
The Taln Protectorate is a region of space commonly defined by the southeastern edges of the Oortung Nebula and the midsection of the Arlas Belt. As such, it encompasses a significant number of worlds, many of which are habitable and serve as major population centers. It is not an exceptionally prosperous nation, but nor is it a failing one, thanks in no small part to the decentralization of government in recent years that made the Protectorate possible. Still warding off the debts induced by the disastrous Third Galactic War, the late Taln Sovereignty was forced to annex a plethora of neighboring unclaimed solar systems in the forlorn hope of jumpstarting its economy. The current state of Taln space is evidence enough as to what measure of success the action achieved, but in bringing systems within the fold, the Sovereignty was forced to make concessions to peoples already living upon them, most of its military strength having dwindled by the closure of the war. The result was a complete restructure of government, culminating in the establishment of the Taln Protectorate - a region whose planetary leaders pledge tribute and recruits for military protection and representation on the Directorate. While the Protectorate comprises the bulk of Taln space, the systems that composed the Sovereignty in its prime are almost always referred to as if nothing has changed, and are under constant patrol by elite naval units of the Centurion Home Guard.
The Protectorate's government is that of a meritocratic republic - member planets are responsible for the provisioning of elections for each one's representative on the Directorate, the committee that meets daily to decide courses of action in the nation's affairs. It is a rarity for these meetings to ever occur outside Sovereignty sectors.
Races
Tiens
commission by the talented roguesareth
Tiens are an avian race originating from a galaxy millions of light years away, and are the predominant race within the Protectorate – many of the assimilated worlds were actually independent colonies of the species, left to their own devices during the war. Since, consequently, every aspect of social life is dominated by the Tiens, they are very reserved and somewhat xenophobic, much to the frustration of the pockets of foreign life that call Protectorate space home. Nonetheless, they are a proud race with a strong sense of obligation to their fellows and government, amply evidenced by the percentage that elect to join the armed forces.
This does not come at the expense of free will or intellect; quite the contrary, Tiens have been responsible for a number of innovations in the past decade, one major development being the Plasma Burst Offense System, or PBOS, a weapons technology that masterfully increases energy efficiency while utilizing the tried and true destructive capability of condensed plasma projectiles.
Equines
Data unavailable.
Humans
Did you suddenly forget what you are?
Military
Centurion Home Guard
Largely unaffected through the course of the Third Galactic War due to being assigned on missions of defense rather than offense, this branch of the armed forces stands as a near impenetrable bulwark to any opposing force that might seek to harm any Taln citizen. The CHG is comprised of elite guardsmen units that ceaselessly patrol Protectorate space in search of invaders and violations of established law, utilizing the very latest in military technology to swiftly bring any and all threats to heel. Due to the intensive training, however, Centurions are not in particularly excessive supply, especially after the reallocation of many companies to the military's offensive branches following GW3. Consequently, while Guardsmen often fulfill the role of Judge, Jury, and Executioner, they more often than not are forced to rely on the support of local judicial forces and planetary government cooperation to fulfill their duties.
Taln Naval Command
Once the pride of the Sovereignty, the navy is a shadow of its former self following the war. Many of Taln's most experienced officers and promising personnel were lost aboard vessels fighting abroad. However, even as the Fleet rebuilds itself, it remains a potent fighting force composed of a significant number of vessels. At present, it consists of a handful of oversized fleets; it will be a while before the Protectorate's manufacturing capacity constructs enough craft for the TNC to be at Armada strength again. In the meantime, Taln officials tend to avoid conflict, joining organizations like the Stellar Defense Initiative, so as to preserve what little ships it has left until the day comes when the navy can be restored to its former glory.
Ships:
Lithe class corvette
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Undoubtedly the most numerous vessel in the TDF, the Lithe is a minute 3-man vessel used for reconnaissance and more often than not, combat. It's a matter of consternation what class the ship *officially* is; some fleet personnel have noted that its bulk is very near to that which is considered normal for a frigate, others joking as to whether the Lithe is a pocket frigate or an oversized corvette. Regardless of what class it falls under, the ship serves as an effective interceptor for strikecraft threats and can easily slip into enemy battle lines to deliver devastating payloads on opposing capital ships. The Lithe also serves as an excellent patrol ship when in border integrity fleets, launching on remote scanning missions and reporting back to their respective battlegroups, greatly increasing the amount of space that can be covered within a single deployment of a patrol task force. It's low crew count combined with a stellar survivability rate and low manufacturing cost make it a welcome addition to the Navy.Spoiler:
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The Pathos frigates are not a new addition to Taln's fleet, and in fact have been serving in it for well over a dozen centuries. This particular model is but an upgrade of its ancestor, the now rebranded Pathos-C, boasting a third engine tube and advanced weaponry. From a fleet commander's perspective, the Pathos fills the role of a gunboat within a fleet, slow enough to realistically escort the larger cruisers, but nimble enough to evade threats to the ship itself. The frigate is used primarily to augment the firepower of its larger cousins, maximizing the damage output of a battlefleet at a single point in time, though in sufficient numbers it can threaten bigger warships without the need of cruiser support. The bread and butter of Taln's Navy.Spoiler:
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The first Excelsior cruiser was laid down sixty years ago in the Century class shipyards above Hiigar, and ever since it has served as the Sovereignty's workhorse - patrolling its borders and serving in task forces alongside escort vessels. While the design has changed to adapt to technological advances throughout the decades (the latest revision in fact something of a collaborative effort with the Futurecraft Commonwealth), the core concept remains the same: a pocket cruiser mounting overwhelming firepower with the speed necessary to mediate conflicts along Taln's border swiftly and decisively. The ship is also equipped with a small forward hangar bay to service long range strikecraft as a means to defend civilian elements from pirates and to screen the cruiser's battlefleet against fighter threats when corvettes are otherwise occupied. A well-rounded ship with minimal weaknesses.Spoiler:
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A tried and true carrier design that serves as the centerpiece of many Taln task forces. (note, MC build incomplete, currently just for reference purposes)Reorganized after the dissolution of the Sovereignty, the PPC represent every naval commander's deepest fear - ground combat. Though through the course of the war, units of the previous Planetary Corps suffered tremendous rates of attrition, Taln commanders have re-evaluated the gear loadout of the common trooper and made changes were necessary. The end result is the most heavily armored and well armed infantrymen on the battlefield, equally capable of surface warfare and exo-atmospheric operations. While this makes the average soldier all that more costly, the dramatic increase in both survival rates and effectiveness was deemed worth the extra expenditure for each individual trooper. The Planetary Corps are currently comprised of well over a dozen full regiments, with more anticipated as military-hopeful citizens are turned away from the Navy on account of its dearth of ships and instead elect to join the ground forces, making the branch a formidable force in foreign affairs.
I forgot what else I needed.
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