Commonwealth

<p>Flagship of the Black Wolf Mercenary Fleet and commanded by the charismatic Volodymyr Nikonov, the Death Bringer is feared around the globe. Stolen from the Enlightened during a presentation to the Tsar, Nikonov ensured the Death Bringer was an utterly unique masterpiece by destroying the blueprints and setting the shipyards ablaze.</p><p>Extrapolated by Ukrainian engineers from charred blueprints of the stolen Death Bringer, the Akula is still the most powerful in the Ukrainian Submarine Command. One element that was successfully replicated was the Akulas magnetohydrodynamic drive enabling the boat to approach virtually undetected before striking.</p><p>Based in Odesa, Ukrainian Submarine Command (UPK) has the lead in subnautical warfare and exploration for the Commonwealth. With an impressive training academy in nearby Zatoka, the UPK provides a steady supply of skilled submariners and vessels like the lethally fast Khyzhak class.</p><p>Fast and deadly, the Piranya hunter submarines patrol in packs along the Black Sea and the Bering Strait. With a complement of twelve, the Piranya make for a close-knit boat crew, ideal for such vessels with sparse living comforts on month-long duty beneath the waves.</p>

Black Wolf is the nickname of the former Russian Commonwealth submariner and Commander of the prototype Death Bringer submarine, Volodymyr Nikonov. Though he usually operates under contract to the Commonwealth he now runs a large and powerful mercenary outfit. Funded, in part, by the Tsar himself, the Black Wolf Company have a reputation for daring assaults and sudden ambushes that make them a force to be feared the world over.<p>Nikonov has a lifestyle and status that he believes befits him. He can see a future where he marries the Tsar’s daughter, Anastasia and claims the throne for himself. When not at court or in action Nikonov operates out of a converted gigantic Murmansk class vessel near Novo-Arkhangelsk. From this fortified harbour-ship he not only has safety but has established a planning room to help with the execution of even more daring raids for pleasure and profit. The Tsar’s favourite story features the Black Wolf in a daring exploit to sink the Union battleship Hornet and Crown carrier Wessex. This attack was all the more thrilling (when Nikonov retells it) as the commanders of the two vessels were allegedly discussing a potential alliance and that the Black Wolf had to infiltrate the heavily-guarded Thames Estuary in London in order to sink them.</p><p>In between carrying out missions for his future father-in-law, Nikonov has the latitude given to his growing fleet of submarines and assault craft to allow them to be deployed as mercenaries alongside many rival nations around the globe. Each battle adds not only to the coffers of the Black Wolf but also his prestige at court, even when to some observers such raids do little to further the Commonwealth.</p>

The main warhorse of the Commonwealth Naval warmachine is the Borodino Class Battleship. These vessels are of solid construction and the first of them to come out of the shipyards are still going strong after almost three decades of service. Bearing a formidable loadout of cannons and equipped with thick ablative armour, the Borodino is able to weather a return volley from the enemy and keep fighting. As a result the Borodino Class are often found in the thick of battle. Battleships are typically accompanied by frontline cruisers, who's durable armour and heavy gun turrets make them solid companions for the fleet. The Norilsk Heavy Cruiser has a distinctive long and sleek silhouette and it's extra turret gives it that little extra firepower needed to hit at larger targets. The mainstay of the frontline cruisers are the Kutsov Class; solid and dependable they can be utilised in any number of operations. The Oleg Class Monitors and Sineus Class Fast Cruisers act as rapid response when speed is more sedated than firepower. In and amongst these larger ships are scattered squadrons of Rurik Frigates, their captains are adroit hunters and enjoy finishing off damaged larger targets.

Commonwealth engineering is often a case of forcing something to work, whether it wants to or not. This is surely the case with the Irkutsk Skydrill. While checks and balances of the laws of physics must be adhered to, it doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to work around them. Overpowered repulsor generators keep the vessel in the sky but have little spare energy to move it, this is what the aft pulsejets are for. The one example of engineering elegance to make it through is the massive amount of heat produced by the repulsors is then syphoned into the propulsion system. Even the weaponry is a case of maximum power for a minimum problem. The Semyenov Assault Bore is a perfect transmission of momentum into force. The destruction caused is often enough to bring down the largest sky fortress. While the design of the Irkutsk appears to ba a fever dream of the Dystopian Age, no one can dispute its effectiveness as it powers through the skies. While these Skycruisers soar above the waves, the Commonwealth Hovercraft skim across their surface. Again the simplicity of these machines is testament to their efficiency. They are as effective over water as they are on land and are incredibly effective at landing troops on land-bound targets.

Tempered by revolution, civil war and failed conquests; forged in the fires of invasion and the minds of brilliant men and women, the Commonwealth stands as a beacon of hope to oppressed humanity. A democracy that stretches from the industrial centres of Poland-Lithuania to the snowy wastes of Siberia and the steppes of Mongolia, the Commonwealth's people come from a hundred or more cultures and groups but are united by the loyalty to their state and the Tsar who safeguards it. Required to serve their country and fellow-citizens in whatever capacity they can, the Commonwealth can call upon huge reserves of strength to ensure its survival and prosperity. Enriched by the technological bounties rested from the jealous hands of those who sought to manipulate the world, the Commonwealth stands as a testament to the will and perseverance of the common man. Long live Mother Russia, long live the Commonwealth, long live her People, long live the Tsar!

The Marena Vitruvian Colossus is a wonder of engineering that inspires ice-cold fear in the hearts of the enemies of the Commonwealth. A towering sight on land and no less impressive at sea, it is as versatile as it is imposing. Its Mag-Rail Axe can be used to make crushing attacks that rain down upon enemy vessels or be launched at range causing a magnetic field that can stick a vessel on its current course. This can be particularly troublesome when combined with the Cryo-Generator that stands as the head of the machine, creating icebergs ahead of the opposing craft that it now may find itself impossible to avoid.<p>The Boyar Heavy Frigate packs a surprising punch for its size. Woe betide any captain who mistakes these vessels for a standard frigate. Their combined firepower can be surprisingly devastating if one makes a mistake identifying them. The squadron captains have used this to their advantage by meeting their opponents head on, appearing to be less threatening Rurik Frigates to the unaware, only to turn and show their second gun batteries at the last second where they unleash twice the firepower that was expected. This is often the last mistake that their enemies make.</p>

"The decadent and corrupt so-called ‘Enlightened’ of the world will have you believe that Helsinki Markov is a traitor. This could not be further from the truth. He is a great man who risked everything to give us the wonders of this engineering age. The short-sightedness of those calling themselves ‘custodians’ was anathema to him. He knew the common man would be uplifted by the machines that the Covenant of the Enlightened wanted to keep for themselves. Not a world of equality for them but singular authority engineered by their cold, unfeeling minds. Without the heroism of Markov, a steel cage might have been built around the world, fashioned by those greedy intellectuals. Now, everyone can access the marvels that supply power to the homes of the workers; tireless machines can take the strain in the fields and the factories to keep the Commonwealth the beacon of greatness it is known to be across the globe. We humbly give thanks to Helsinki Markov and the Ministry of Technology for their efforts in empowering the people of the Commonwealth".<br /><br />- An intercepted transcript from the Commonwealth Ministry of Propaganda.

Though the Commonwealth places less emphasis on air support than the other Great Powers, they still appreciate its uses in achieving victory. The Mozhayski Fleet Carriers are integral to this combined arms doctrine and the expansive internal spaces for officers make them preferred command ships for Commodores. Typically accompanying these large carriers are support squadrons of cruisers and Stoletov Ekranoplans. The Pravda Support Carriers are equipped with short flight decks and limited aircraft capacity compared to the Mozhayski, but can launch a supporting screen of fighters or bombers to assist in attack runs. The Morosko Heavy Cryo Cruiser builds on the Norilsk hull design with the integration of an advanced cryo generator capable of forming deadly icebergs in their enemy?s path. The Khatanga Cryo Assault Cruiser is favoured by northern commanders as it takes this art of war one stage further with addition of the ferocious Semyenov pattern assault bore in the prow.