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The Chevalier cruisers and Charlemagne heavy cruiser are the mainstay of Alliance cruisers and are able to launch screens of torpedoes in a wide range of fire arcs, as well as lay down heat lances or rocket batteries, when necessary.

Loire light cruisers are at the forefront of Alliance Battlefleets and as such often the first to engage with the enemy. They provide screening and reconnaissance for the rest of the battlefleet and any commodore worth his salt will know how to make best use of any Loire's under their command.

Captains of Picardy monitors understand their role to guard the rivers and waterways of Europe, and further afield, from invaders. While they may not be the most heavily armed of ships, they have the perfect balance of firepower and the ability to operate in shallow waters. Crews are reminded that they are often the last line of defence for civilians and as such are assigned from recruits hailing from inland towns and cities. This ensures they understand what is truly at stake should an enemy vessel get past them and into Alliance territory.

Multiple squadrons of Ecuyere frigates often accompany Alliance Battlefleets, defending their flanks as well as grouping their attacks against key targets of opportunity.

Colloquially referred to as war rockets by the Prussian navy due to their distinctive missile-like shape, the Kriegsturm patrol the skies around the Imperium and beyond. Commonly armed with deadly high-speed Luft Speerschleuders, these weapons are ideal for hunting down submerged targets while its Flak Batteries rip apart aircraft.

Utilising pressurised Blaugas jet engines to achieve exceptional speeds, the Jaeger is a lethal aerial hunter operating in packs to clear the skies of enemy airships or plunge out of the clouds to strike their unsuspecting foes below.

Only moments ago the Alliance patrol was chugging peacefully along. Now there was only chaos and violence. The patrol was making routine rounds 205 Nautical miles from the Bay of Oiapoque that marked the border with SUSA and the Union of Federated States. Merely two days ag this stretch of sea was devoid of any points of interest. Now there was a Farpoint Sentry Platform. The Union had managed to put this into pace with remarkable speed. While technically far enough out to see to not be a breach of any treaties, the Alliance Commodore, Saulo Rezende saw this as an insult. Without any visible backup, he decided to make a name for himself by taking the platform. Had his crew spotted the shapes getting bigger on the horizon, COMO Rezende may have decided against it. Cheyanne Hunter Submarines rose to the surface and unleashed torpedoes against the now outnumbered patrol. Akron Sentry Rotors flew from the skies, hidden in the glare of the midday sun. More terrifying than all of them, a pair of John Henry Vitruvian Colossi had raced in from distance and crushed frigates and cruisers alike with great hammers that annihilated whole sections of a vessel at a time sending men to their watery grave before they could realise what was happening. The last thing that Commodore Saulo Rezende thought of was the skill of the trap that ended him. That, and the crews he had led to their doom.

The military optimism of the Union is exemplified by their enthusiastic bellows whenever a Union dirigible passes overhead. I’ve had multiple reports from assets placed in vital positions describing their, please excuse the term, “hooting and hollering”. Of course, it shows a lack of engineering skill that they aren’t simply appalled by the reliance on newfangled airship designs over our vastly superior, tried-and-tested rotorcraft. Admittedly they seem to be doing well spreading their influence thanks to the smaller fuel requirements of those designs, but I have no doubt that a minor rerouting of supply lines will remedy the problem. We simply have to make recommendations to any of our forces that they should make an effort to destroy any Bogota Carryalls which accompany the airships so as to cause problems with their logistics. I understand that won’t be easy while taking fire from the airships themselves, but my suggestions certainly make theoretical sense.

- Commodore Gerald St.John-Smythe, debriefing to the Crown Military Intelligence Service

The Chevalier cruisers and Charlemagne heavy cruiser are the mainstay of Alliance cruisers and are able to launch screens of torpedoes in a wide range of fire arcs, as well as lay down heat lances or rocket batteries, when necessary.

Loire light cruisers are at the forefront of Alliance Battlefleets and as such often the first to engage with the enemy. They provide screening and reconnaissance for the rest of the battlefleet and any commodore worth his salt will know how to make best use of any Loire's under their command.

Captains of Picardy monitors understand their role to guard the rivers and waterways of Europe, and further afield, from invaders. While they may not be the most heavily armed of ships, they have the perfect balance of firepower and the ability to operate in shallow waters. Crews are reminded that they are often the last line of defence for civilians and as such are assigned from recruits hailing from inland towns and cities. This ensures they understand what is truly at stake should an enemy vessel get past them and into Alliance territory.

Multiple squadrons of Ecuyere frigates often accompany Alliance Battlefleets, defending their flanks as well as grouping their attacks against key targets of opportunity.

"While our discoveries of Sturginium and its uses has ushered in a time of scientific marvels, unrecognisable to those of previous generations, there has also been a recent resurgence of older designs but with vastly more powerful results. The Rostratum Naval Ballista is a perfect example of this. The simple idea of a bolt being launched to impact and pierce a target has been with us since ancient times. The Italian Engineers of the Latin Alliance have advanced this in a way that could only be achieved with hitherto unknown comprehension of engineering. They have designed bolts using current alloys that are a fraction of the weight of a comparable steel structure while losing none of its material hardness. In place of twisted rope they use electro-magnetic rails that fire the bolt at incredible speed. Reports of a projectile impacting on the hull of an enemy vessel and then being hauled in to spin the target to a less desirable facing are troubling and interesting in equal measure. I propose we explore ideas like this further. Imagine the untapped potential we already have in our history. Imagine a trebuchet with a thousand times its previously registered force, Da Vinci’s designs made real or Greek Fire made on an industrial scale."

- Peer of the Enlightened, Robert Abernethy, at a symposium shortly before his disappearance.

Pride of the Castellammare di Stabia shipyards, the Gladius is a superb vessel. Optimised for long sea voyages with comfortable crew berths and excellent fresh-water reclamation systems, the Gladius is a popular assignment in the Regia Marina. Crews of Pilum monitors are reminded that they are often the last line of defence for civilians and as such are assigned from recruits hailing from inland towns and cities of Italy. This ensures they understand what is truly at stake should an enemy vessel get past them and into Alliance territory. Cestus Zebeks are often tasked to defend the flanks of Alliance fleets as well as grouping their attacks against key targets of opportunity.

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.

The Newton class are built by the Yemoja shipyard around a massive spatial displacement drive known as a Void Engine. Able to tear a passage through two otherwise unconnected locations, the Void Engines use technology developed at Wells Chasm.

Dedicated energy transfer conduits allow these floating power stations to augment nearby vessels. Though the Zumeena class is particularly vulnerable to enemy aggression, the benefit to Enlightened scientific advancement far outweighs any loss of life amongst their crews. Not every Covenant Commodore has access to a Descartes Control Ship and so the Yemoja shipyard created the Vesalius to ensure that the welfare and effectiveness of their cetacean allies is maintained. Of course, in a faction that rarely does things by half measures, there are certain fleets that contain multiple Descartes and Vesalius to support hundreds of Physeters.

A battlefleet represents a huge investment of resources and talent for the Covenant of the Enlightened. Deploying several Origen class Lathe Ships in support, ensures that the risks to such an investment are greatly reduced. Technically an oceanid assault automata rather than a true colossus as it lacks a human crew, the Ketos utilise Sturginium Agitators to wreak carnage against enemy capital ships. The insectile Ketos relies on surprise and cold machine logic to maximise the impact of their attacks.

Designed by Paulette Aronnax, Lotan are amongst the most common of her oceanid assault automata. Shadowing Enlightened convoys, these segmented machines strike unexpectedly when needed, bringing their terrifying Coeus Shockmaw down to rip apart vessels like a sea monster of myth.

Since the creation of the first primitive maps, there have been parts of the world where monsters lay and sailors fear to wonder. The Empire have been inspired by this to create their own monstrosities of the deep. Marvels of engineering created not only to sow fear and doubt in the minds of their enemies but also to demonstrate the mechanical mastery of the Empire. Using the most advanced engineering techniques, overseen by Empress Shinzua herself, huge automata in the form of giant squid have been developed and successfully engineered. The instruction cylinders for these submerged creations are among the most complex outside of the Enlightened fleets.

They have become horror stories told about only when crews are safe on shore leave. Any survivors refuse to discuss them while at sea should they incur the wrath of the Ika. In this way the Ika have become exactly what they were designed to be, the monsters that sailors fear.

Commonwealth propaganda states that the Barents Sea is perfectly safe, thanks to its proximity to the sheltered docks of the White Sea from which defensive patrols regularly launch. In truth, however, it is far from tranquil. Raiders from the Scandinavian portion of the Imperium, not to mention the Scions of Jutland, frequently ambush the numerous fishing vessels and exploratory platforms. Loki Shadow Raiders make excellent use of their Ivaldi Shroud Generators to make surprise attacks and then fade away once they have crippled their target. Heimdall Recon Raiders use advanced detection systems to locate enemy patrols with the goal of avoiding contact until their battlefleet has the upper hand while Fenrir Hunter Submarines and Valkyrie Hunt Rotors allow multi-level attacks to be made. Fishermen and other civilian vessels are now being issued military escorts to prevent the damage that the Scandinavian battlefleets have been causing. Time will tell if that will be enough.

The mainstay of the Levant style of ships is the Chasseur Levant Strike Cruiser. Their ability to soar above their enemies if need be makes them hard to precinct as does their various ways of being outfitted. Gun batteries, heat lances or force multiplying generators; even seeing a Chasseur on the horizon makes no guarantee what you might actually be facing in battle.

No captain wants to see an enemy craft soaring above them but the Furieux Levant Grand Corvette make ones blood freeze in terror. That could be the last time the crew feels cold as the Furieux releases deadly thermal cluster bombs. Even the bravest crews know to be rightfully scared if they spot a Furieux rising into the air ahead of them.

As fighter pilots rise in the ranks they may be promoted to become flight crew on a Voliere Levant Support Carrier. The launch catapults put greater strain on pilots and landing on a Levant that could be at almost any height takes incredible skill. Despite this, pilots elevated to this level are often competing with each other to gain more confirmed kills so they can be promoted once again to become the Angels of Death aboard a Saint-Michel Assault Carrier.

Part of Napoleon’s modernisation of the French navy, the Sirene is a powerful attack vessel able to close undetected until it surfaces with its deadly heat Lancette in range to do maximum damage to the enemy. The tactical counterpart to the Sirene class, the Epaulard uses its secretive deployment to surface at a distance and employ its magnetic bombard to deadly effect.

The flight crew of Constantinople Carriers are rightly proud of their assignment. It is said that "the blood of a wingman is thicker than the water of the womb" and that is certainly the case for these pilots. These aerial combatants are like a close-knit family as they know that they can only rely on each other once the fighting starts and don’t let outsiders forget it.

The Mihrimah Flechette Cruiser is armed with a weapon unique to the Sultanate. It can unleash a torrent of Orichalcite Flechettes from its bombards at a target. These light and razor-thin fragments are so sharp they can puncture steel hulls at close quarters, though air resistance prevents them from being effective at longer ranges. While they can certainly cause damage to cruisers, they are deadly against squadrons of smaller ships. A cloud of flechettes can easily envelop multiple vessels and shred through steel and flesh alike.

While the Ferik escort skiffs of the Sultanate are ubiquitous in their battlefleets, they need frequent maintenance to keep their repulsion engines in working order; that's where the Konya comes in. A bay at the fore of the ship allows a skiff to be loaded in and repairs to be made. Though a commodore knows that a Konya lacks firepower, they never regret having one close by.
An Aydin Supply Cruiser is a welcome sight to other crews. Knowing they won’t run out of vital necessities at a moment's notice is a huge boost for morale and for this reason alone they are constantly on the move, heading from fleet to fleet, only heading ashore to resupply themselves.

Morea Minelayers have become more common as tensions escalate. Sultanate commanders understand that they must keep their holdings around the world at any cost while Order advisors push the fact that anything to advance the greater good is necessary. While the merchant navy of the Sultanate might dislike the sea being mined, they are slowly being fed stories that prove how vital they can be.

Typically accompanying the Flagships of the Commonwealth 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.

The Izmir Monitor can often be seen supporting a Mehmed class, making sure that the great rivers and coastlines under the Sultans' protection are well defended. Assignment to an Izmir is often seen as a sideways promotion as the constant presence of a Grand Monitor can make a captain and his officers feel they have little chance to show initiative and that any orders they give their crew may be changed at a moment's notice.

When magnetic impeller advancements were acquired by the Sublime Porte for its navy, it was the Iskandar class that first bore the fruit of the development. Quickly these cruisers have become the mainstay in the highly mobile Sultanate armada, particularly when partnered with Pasha class vessels. These Light Cruisers are often the first to attend a conflict, they are outfitted with extensive observation systems allowing any reconnaissance to be as detailed as possible. This helps the Iskanders and flagships be in the best position to bring their formidable weapons to bear.

Sadrazam Heavy Cruisers are the envy of the world's navies. Advanced Sultanate engineering, the match of even the Covenant of the Enlightened, combines speed and maneuverability with enhanced firepower to deadly effect. Regularly fitted with particle beamers, the sight of a squadron of Sadrazams on the horizon is often enough to shake the resolve of the bravest enemy Commodore.

Often seen as part of large battlefleets, the Temir Frigates are employed as flanking squadrons supporting Pasha or Izmir class warships. These frigates are sometimes tasked with engaging a secondary objective while the larger ships proceed with the main thrust of an attack.

The support ships that escort the Flagship vessels of the Enlightened Fleets fill some very specialist roles. The Plinius Support Carrier carries dozens of Scythe Drones and can launch them from hydraulic ramps. This allows the Plinius to partially submerge when the ramps are closed making it very difficult to see and target. Built around the same hull as the Plinius are a number of other Cruisers. The Quintilian bombardment cruiser mounts heavy rockets that it can launch at distant targets before returning below the waves. The Tacitus Assault Cruiser favours two hardpoints for turrets, most often Particle Beamers. The Claudius Merchantman is designed with extra hull space and is the backbone of Enlightened logistics, the ingenious engineers still managing to squeeze in a number of torpedo launchers to protect them from pirates and other hostiles.

While these Cruisers are able to lurk just below the surface the Diogenese and Praxilla Class Submarines are able to operate at significant depths. These large Automata operate under a number of pre-programmed subroutines and are effective at hunting down and destroying enemy vessels.

While the Frontline Squadrons of the Crown Navy are used to going toe-to-toe with enemy fleets, the Support Squadrons serve a range of unique roles to aid and assist the fleet as a whole to complete their missions. The Hotspur Support Carriers add additional fighter Support. It is common for Hotspur captains to drive their ships at full speed towards the enemy, hoping that their large engines give their Defiant strike fighters an optimal launch position. The Agincourt Bombardment Cruisers are armed with the dreaded Taranis Naval Mortar, capable of hurling all manner of projectiles up to a range of over fifteen miles.

The Athelstan Flak cruiser provides a screen of anti-aircraft fire to ensure that the Defiant Squadrons hit their targets and to defend the decks of the Crown vessels. A Squadron of Athelstan's was used on the Thames to celebrate the Queen's Pearl Jubilee, firing magnesium pyrotechnics above the city to mark the occasion.

The Excalibur Heavy Destroyers are also typically found with the Victory class or other capital ships. Their role is to deter smaller attack vessels from swarming the immense Carrier as well as other large command vessels.

The supporting cruisers that are assigned to Battlefleets through the forces of the Empire vary greatly. From the imposing Hokkaido Heavy Cruiser down to the nimble Kanagawa Monitor there is a cruiser variant for every mission. Japanese Cruiser groups are typically accompanied by Chita Submersible Automata. These engineering wonders are equal to the mechanical creations of the Covenant of the Enlightened and are used to protect the fleet from threats beneath the waves as well as assisting in assaults. While the Chita are designed to operate independently for lengthy periods, they lack the endurance of the much larger Kaiju class automata. Ishikawa strike cruisers and Yamaguchi Attack Cruisers are essential in maintaining these escorts far from a drydock, their moon pools enabling repairs and refuelling of the Chita to take place.

The Okinawa and Miyagi Class Cruisers are equipped with limited numbers of reconnaissance aircraft that act as spotters and limited aerial defence. When needs must they can also perform bombing runs on enemy shipping but usually only when supported by other aerial units.

The Japanese favour Kyoto frigates when running their patrols between the far-flung islands of their homeland. The vessels are ideally suited for this task and for new sailors a year on a Kyoto is their first experience of the proud naval traditions of the Blazing Sun.

The Union fleet has seen a number of technological improvements since the defection of Nikolai Tesla from the Imperium, and a significant overall increase since the end of the Ore War. Support Cruisers and Automata have all been upgraded by the creative team in the Pipeworks. The Washington Missile Cruiser serves to increase the long-range firepower of the battlefleet as well as providing additional cover against enemy aircraft. Armed with Kettering pattern cruise missiles, the crew of Washington class vessels often make use of observation rotors and spotters in fighter squadrons to ensure the deadly payload strikes true.

The Roanoke Strike Carriers provide air support to any fleets they are attached to. These Cruisers employ powerful electromagnetic catapults to rapidly launch their Corsair strike fighters into the fray, the Roanoke carrier is a valuable vessel in the Union fleet. The class was named after the Union naval base on Roanoke Island, destroyed in 1862 during the Ore War.

A rarer sight are the new Discovery Class Arc Cruisers. Given sufficient development from The Pipeworks to be given general deployment in the Union Fleet, the Discovery class are replete with Edwina Houston and Nikolai Tesla's Arc technologies. These deadly state of the art weapons can flash burn through the hulls of the mightiest enemy battleships in a burst of incandescence.

Finally, with a reputation for working miracles, the crews of Montgomery support ships are always a welcome addition to any battlefleet. Scores of repair teams use a combination of flight gear and escort craft to effect repairs and rescue to friendly vessels in need. These ships are also able to provide field repairs to the RC-52 Patriot Automata. These towering simulacra are designed by the brilliant theoretical engineers at The Pipeworks, and are the largest automata in the Union's military. Just like smaller automata, over time their adaptive computations develop quirks that give veteran Automata distinctive personalities.

The architects of the Dystopian Age, the Covenant of the Enlightened wield their formidable intellects to sweep aside those ignorant or deluded who stand in the way of Scientific Progress. These masters of technology covet knowledge above all things and believe that it is only they who can steer humanity on a path to enlightenment. With their wondrous war-engines, the Covenant of the Enlightened take every opportunity to demonstrate their technological supremacy. The discoveries that were intended to herald a new era for humanity are instead used to punish those who would misuse them. Only when the Covenant are lauded as the rightful leaders of the Earth in this new Dystopian Age can the world be brought into a new dawn of achievement and prosperity.

Almost always found in support of large carriers and battleships are squadrons of frontline cruisers built to withstand direct engagement with enemy fleets. The Yorktown, Intrepid, Reliant and Lexington Class Cruisers all boast powerful paddle wheels allowing them to remain agile under fire all the while raining shells upon their enemies. These ships are in turn supported by the ever-vigilant Akron Observers. These rotors watch both the skies and the waves for signs of threats to their squadrons as well as acting as long-range observers for the gun crews on board the ships. Farragut Frigates are also a common addition to any Union fleet. These small but manoeuvrable vessels are able to make fast raids against enemy squadrons or in even greater numbers, larger vessels such as Battleships.

The most common vessel and backbone of the Crown fleet is the Albion Cruiser. This dependable ship is armed with heavy gun turrets, broadside and torpedoes. Several modifications have been made to the Albion Hull design over the years such as the intimidating Lancelot Heavy Cruiser, the fast Picton and the lightly armed Bedivere. With so much coast to cover and such a large fleet the creation of the Sabre Class Command Cruiser enabled high ranking Naval officers to command Battlefleets from more numerous, smaller ships. These Command Ships allow the crown greater reach without the need for so many Battleships.

The warships of China are the most numerous in the Empire's navy. Their prow mounted chemical flame cannons, known as Huoqiang, make them formidable in any conflict and Chinese ships form the core of most of the Empire's Battlefleets. The cruisers of the Chinese mount the deadly Huoqiang along with a mix of heavy guns and rockets. The crews of the Shanghai frigates are extensively drilled in working in large squadrons and can coordinate attacks with devastating effect. With the glut of manpower at its command, China's shipyards are capable of churning out large numbers of cruisers and frigates giving it dominance in naval affairs countered only by the elite vessels of Japan.

The Imperium war machine is built upon a single concept - efficiency. Having the right weaponry for an engagement is often the key to victory and having access to all manner of different ship configurations allows an Admiral access to what she needs, when she needs it. With widespread rail networks extending from Prussia to the other Germanic nations of the Imperium, the navy (known as the Kaiserliche Marine) decided to equip a new generation of warships and support vessels with compatible gauge rails to allow weaponry and goods to be easily changed in short order. This allows the Imperium to be responsive to the needs of the operation at hand without having to go to the cost or lengthy construction times of creating specific ships to fill those requirements. Should a vessel be needed to bombard an enemy shore battery, then a Blucher cruiser can be modified to create an Augustus Bombardment Cruiser in less than a day. At the Wilhelmshaven Imperial Shipyard, the record stands for the refitting of the warship Stralsund. The cruiser had arrived fresh from hunting corsairs off the coast of Heligoland three hours earlier. In those few hours the yard crew removed her (still steaming) Volt Gun Batteries and installed a Gustav Heavy Bombard in their place.

Commonly found in support of larger vessels of the Imperium's Navy are a number of specialised cruiser variants. Built on the ubiquitous Blucher Class hull, these ships can be refitted as fast as any other frontline ship. The Konrad Class Support Carrier bears a flight deck with supply for a small number of Messer class fighters, providing air power where needed. Reiter Class Flak Cruisers are equipped with an impressive array of Vierling cannons, deadly multiple barreled weapons that launch scores of flak rockets into the air. These two vessels ensure that Blitzen Bomber squadrons can safely reach their targets without interception. Finally the Volsung Class deploys the formidable Sturmbringer Cannons on their decks that can char flesh and rupture enemy armour with terrible voltaic energy. The Imperium operates a large number of destroyer squadrons. Superior to the smaller frigates and escorts, Sigimer Class are longer, more heavily armoured and boast additional firepower. Toten Class, are heavier still and are equipped with two Sturmklaue cannons to cast bolts of lightning into the enemy.

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!