Archduke's Factions
Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2021 4:07 pm
The Imperial Federated State of Space Austria
After over a year of modification, almost the entire faction has been overhauled and improved. My primary goals were to introduce more standardization and replace some of the filler that didn't really fit with more and better looking units. I must admit I'm rather proud of all my hard work, and despite a lot of waiting for bricklink orders and my first draft of this getting deleted at the end, here they are in all their glory!
Infantry:
Planes and Drones and stuff:
In order to fully understand the armed forces of Space Austria, one must first understand the Empire itself. Controlled by the ruling Habsbrik family and the Imperial Senate, the Empire of Space Austria maintains its stability through a form of hero worship. It is believed that the only way to achieve immortality is by doing something suitably heroic, which furthers the aims of the nation. There are monuments and shrines to heroes in almost every house and street corner in the Empire, the largest of which is a massive statue garden on the Empire's Capital world of Vienna I which holds thousands of statues of deceased heroes from the Empire's past, although vast areas of the garden yet remain open, the citizens of the Empire eagerly hoping for the chance to fill them. (Other important worlds include the shipbuilding world of Vienna II, the fortress world of Vienna III, and the Moon Orchard, where many of the wealthiest Space Austrians have their residences.)
Although one can achieve heroism through scientific discovery, or service to the people, by far the easiest way to do so is through decorated military service. The Imperial government controls nearly all facets of life within the Empire, from transportation to production to corporations, and having a military service record is also an effective way to increase one's social status and have easier access to things such as interplanetary travel. Because of this 70% of Space Austrian Men and 50% of Space Austrian women will serve at least one tour of duty in their lifetime. Although the empire's population is comparatively somewhat small, this high rate of enlistment allows them to possess a military on par with many major powers.
Space Austrian Soldiers are known for their almost fetishistic dedication to heroics, with grunts frothing at the mouth to do something suitably cool before being killed in combat, as long as there is someone on hand to get their name and likeness recorded for the inevitable statue.
Army: Commonly referred to as Burghers, serving in the Space Austrian army is widely considered to be a rather cushy job. Primarily tasked with occupying planets and serving as mobile garrisons for important officials, Army units rarely see combat outside of the Empire's ever-expanding borders. The Army serves as the public face of the military, often appearing in parades or combat exercises, although all soldiers are still well trained in urban combat, vehicle use, and vacuum operations. Space Austrian Empire soldiers wear ornate blue helmets which are atmospherically sealed. They wear armor which is blast and shock resistant, even able to deflect some plasma blasts. Army grunts are most commonly armed with the M118-A submachine gun, which is known for its accuracy and high rate of fire.
Marines: Considered to be tough and often unruly, the Marines do the Empire's dirty work. Most commonly involved in invasions and campaigns, Marines see far more of the worst of combat than any of their counterparts. Marines are given a greater deal of customization over their uniforms than Army soldiers, with many marines decorating their helmets with special insignia, as well as wearing special visors, and adding armored vests or ammunition storage to their uniforms, which consist of red helmets, white undersuits and blue pants. Marines are trained to fight in all climates and conditions, learning how to operate without any support, although they often spend long periods attached to ships between combat deployments. Marine units most commonly use A27 "Wachsmalstift" plasma launchers. Powerful guns able to fire a barrage of plasma slugs and even punch through armor. Each marine squad has its own trained sniper equipped with a scoped rifle. The Marines also have a large and eager officer core.
Navy: Relatively well liked by the other branches, the Imperial navy crews and defends the Empire's ships, space stations and dockyards. Navy soldiers will often stay detached to one ship or station throughout much of their service, while Marines are not attached to any single ship, navy soldiers are also not deployed onto planets. Troopers in the Empire's navy wear white and gray uniforms with red belts and carry a variety of light weapons. The medikal corps are also a subdivision of the navy, and mediks are typically deployed alongside all of the other branches. Space Austrian mediks carry a wide variety of tools, and utilize stabilded robotic arms to assist in rapid battlefield surgeries. This has been done in part because the Empire needs all other branches to serve well with the Navy. This seems to have been a success, as soldiers saved by a battlefield medik or unexpected orbital barrage often refer to the navy as "Angels." Soldiers not so happy to see that orbital barrage are also usually too dead to call naval personnel any names.
Police: The front line of the Empire's defense, the Space Austrian Police are considered a branch of the Empire's armed forces. Police wear dark blue uniforms and soft caps. Frontline officers only carry clubs, needing to call in special response officers if guns are required. Space Austrian police are mostly Imperial natives, but often work with Empire-friendly local authorities when on deployment, as their numbers are likely too low to police the Empire's many planets on their own. This allows the police to primarily focus on protecting Imperial assets and weeding out dissent, rather than taking an active role in local politiks.
Drones: Able to be assembled from scratch and trained to the competency of an average soldier in a matter of hours, drones are rapidly becoming one of the Empire's most utilized assets. Developed as a cheap alternative to garrisoning the Empire's many far-flung systems, Drones are highly effective at carrying out orders, and are even able to make decisions on their own. Imperial drones currently serve alongside all branches of the armed forces as support for organic troops. As they also do not require air or sleep, it is far easier to transport large numbers of drones on spacecraft as well.
Ritter: The shadowy personal bodyguards of the Imperial family, the Ritter are the Empire's deadliest soldiers. Known for their distinctive shiny black Armor, Ritter serve to protect Imperial officials and important people from assassination or ambush. Often recruited from the most dangerous and loyal military veterans, Space austrian Ritter are equipped with many of the hardest-hitting weapons in the Empire's arsenal. Even a lone Ritter can be a terrifying force on the battlefield, although perhaps it is the frightening nature of their quiet secrecy that makes them so feared. Although their primary purpose is to serve as protection, Ritter are also effective and rigorously trained shock troops who serve as the Empire's special forces. Ritter are commonly deployed to assignments deemed too delicate or dangerous for the other branches of the armed forces.
Generals and Field Marshals: Distinguishable by their smart uniforms and tall hats, Generals command large operations for the Empire. Each of the three main branches of the Armed forces is led by a Field Marshal (Left to right: Army, Marines, Navy.) Field Marshals are skilled soldiers, often even fighting on the front lines alongside their men. Following their service, many generals also run for positions in the Imperial Senate.
SAINT: The Space austrian Information News Team is a government-run news organization, and a powerful tool of propaganda. Typically reporting on the front lines of battle across the galaxy, SAINT gives ordinary citizens a look at the horrors of war.
Hardsuits: It is every Space Austrian child's dream to be experimented on by the government and turned into a super soldier. For some lucky few, this dream becomes a reality, and through heavy augmentation they are able to become one with their armored exoskeleton, able to wield the heaviest guns and survive massive amounts of damage.
Leaders: (From Left to Right, QS Archduke, Archbot [sig-fig], Empress Ante, Archduke Holmes, High Wizard Emandiputs.) Alongside the Imperial Senate, which includes representatives from all of the Empire's territories, Space Austrian is still led by the Imperial Habsbrik family and its current head, Empress Ante. Highly popular with the people, Ante has revolutionized the army, and begun creating a national identity for the people. Despite moving away from Magik, the empire still employs the Wizard Emandiputs as it's chief Magikal researcher. The Empire's government is also staffed by hundreds of capable diplomats, workers and statesmen.
Ambassadors: Long gone are the days of broken promises and half-kept oaths, the Empire currently keeps a staff of full-time ambassadors and diplomats from all of its RC allies, it recently undertook a project known as "Redification" replacing much of the empire's blue color scheme with a beautiful Red in order to reaffirm its everlasting commitment to the RC.
Lienz Light Transport: A small, lightly armored, mass produced vehicle, the Lienz transport serves as a way to rapidly get firepower to the front lines. The transport carries one driver as well as a gunner,
Salzburg Half-Track Humvee: A quintessentially Space-Austrian design, the Salzburg comes equipped with a weapons and comms array, as well as durable armor. The side back panels swing open to allow troops inside to rapidly deploy.
Linz Light Tank: The workhorse of the Space Austrian armored corps, the Linz is a durable and reliable tank designed for urban fighting. It's small size makes it ideal for traveling down streets and through destroyed buildings. The tank also has more than enough firepower to hold its own. Linz tanks can also be controlled remotely or even automated.
Horseshoe Crab Medium Tank: A large tank meant for operation in wide-open spaces, the Horseshoe crab can also carry and deploy multiple squads of infantry. Aside from its primary weapon, the tank also possesses a swiveling anti-air turret in order to protect itself in the case of an attack from above.
Trilobite Heavy Tank: The Empire's largest ground vehicle at over 16" long, the Trilobite functions as a mobile support platform, capable of delivering a blast large enough to level buildings in a single blow. Most commonly deployed on the back lines of an engagement to provide heavy fire support, the Trilobite rarely sees front line combat, although it is still equipped with heavy armor and a multi-function point defense turret capable of liquidating any enemies who get too close.
Goshawk Fighter: The standard fighter of the Imperial Navy, the Goshawk is intended for high speed attacks out of atmosphere. Equipped with twin railguns and four missiles, the Goshawk is able to deliver a devastating strike, despite its relatively small frame.
Murau Escort Fighter: Capable of long voyages without need for refueling, the Murau is intended for close support to larger ships or shuttles. A capable dogfighter in it's own right, the Murau is also highly agile even in atmosphere. These fighters are also well equipped, with four missiles apice.
Feldkirch Heavy Bomber: Equipped with powerful engines and quad-wings, the Feldkirch bomber is the primary weapon in the Imperial arsenal for leveling cities. Many Feldkirch pilots even choose to carry limited fuel in order to squeeze more missiles onto their vessels. The Murau bomber is typically controlled by a crew of two, with space for a third if necessary.
Melk Class Shuttle: The preferred method of transport for important people in the Empire's government and Military, the Melk class shuttle is considered to be quite comfortable to ride in. The shuttle possesses no weapons of its own however, and us usually accompanied by at least two escort fighters. The example shown here is Empress Ante's personal shuttle, as denoted by the two golden circles on the roof.
Amstetten Transport: Its primary function being to ferry squads of troops onto a planet's surface, the Amstetten is one of the oldest designs still employed by the Space Austrian armed forces. The transport is able to carry multiple squads and their equipment at a time, as well as a small crew of its own. The transport has thick armor on its hull and a powerful rotating point-defense turret on its top.
Innsbruck Armored Frame: A powerful infantry support mecha, the Innsbruck is equipped with a rotary cannon as well as high-impact weapon. It's primary purpose is to disable enemy vehicles and boost morale. The mecha's pilot sits in its backpack.
Amadeus Class Missile Corvette: An angular SHIP commonly used for fleet Support, the Amadeus Class is heavily armed, with 4 railguns, 48 energy missiles, and multiple point-defense systems. The ship has powerful engines that allow it to keep pace with much larger ships. The Amadeus class is most commonly used to support larger ships, or patrol systems. IT's greatest strength is the ability to deal heavy damage to other capital ships. The Amadeus class also travels with four exterior drones, which can be rapidly deployed to serve as fighters, screening vessels, or even repair units.
After over a year of modification, almost the entire faction has been overhauled and improved. My primary goals were to introduce more standardization and replace some of the filler that didn't really fit with more and better looking units. I must admit I'm rather proud of all my hard work, and despite a lot of waiting for bricklink orders and my first draft of this getting deleted at the end, here they are in all their glory!
Infantry:
Planes and Drones and stuff:
In order to fully understand the armed forces of Space Austria, one must first understand the Empire itself. Controlled by the ruling Habsbrik family and the Imperial Senate, the Empire of Space Austria maintains its stability through a form of hero worship. It is believed that the only way to achieve immortality is by doing something suitably heroic, which furthers the aims of the nation. There are monuments and shrines to heroes in almost every house and street corner in the Empire, the largest of which is a massive statue garden on the Empire's Capital world of Vienna I which holds thousands of statues of deceased heroes from the Empire's past, although vast areas of the garden yet remain open, the citizens of the Empire eagerly hoping for the chance to fill them. (Other important worlds include the shipbuilding world of Vienna II, the fortress world of Vienna III, and the Moon Orchard, where many of the wealthiest Space Austrians have their residences.)
Although one can achieve heroism through scientific discovery, or service to the people, by far the easiest way to do so is through decorated military service. The Imperial government controls nearly all facets of life within the Empire, from transportation to production to corporations, and having a military service record is also an effective way to increase one's social status and have easier access to things such as interplanetary travel. Because of this 70% of Space Austrian Men and 50% of Space Austrian women will serve at least one tour of duty in their lifetime. Although the empire's population is comparatively somewhat small, this high rate of enlistment allows them to possess a military on par with many major powers.
Space Austrian Soldiers are known for their almost fetishistic dedication to heroics, with grunts frothing at the mouth to do something suitably cool before being killed in combat, as long as there is someone on hand to get their name and likeness recorded for the inevitable statue.
Army: Commonly referred to as Burghers, serving in the Space Austrian army is widely considered to be a rather cushy job. Primarily tasked with occupying planets and serving as mobile garrisons for important officials, Army units rarely see combat outside of the Empire's ever-expanding borders. The Army serves as the public face of the military, often appearing in parades or combat exercises, although all soldiers are still well trained in urban combat, vehicle use, and vacuum operations. Space Austrian Empire soldiers wear ornate blue helmets which are atmospherically sealed. They wear armor which is blast and shock resistant, even able to deflect some plasma blasts. Army grunts are most commonly armed with the M118-A submachine gun, which is known for its accuracy and high rate of fire.
Marines: Considered to be tough and often unruly, the Marines do the Empire's dirty work. Most commonly involved in invasions and campaigns, Marines see far more of the worst of combat than any of their counterparts. Marines are given a greater deal of customization over their uniforms than Army soldiers, with many marines decorating their helmets with special insignia, as well as wearing special visors, and adding armored vests or ammunition storage to their uniforms, which consist of red helmets, white undersuits and blue pants. Marines are trained to fight in all climates and conditions, learning how to operate without any support, although they often spend long periods attached to ships between combat deployments. Marine units most commonly use A27 "Wachsmalstift" plasma launchers. Powerful guns able to fire a barrage of plasma slugs and even punch through armor. Each marine squad has its own trained sniper equipped with a scoped rifle. The Marines also have a large and eager officer core.
Navy: Relatively well liked by the other branches, the Imperial navy crews and defends the Empire's ships, space stations and dockyards. Navy soldiers will often stay detached to one ship or station throughout much of their service, while Marines are not attached to any single ship, navy soldiers are also not deployed onto planets. Troopers in the Empire's navy wear white and gray uniforms with red belts and carry a variety of light weapons. The medikal corps are also a subdivision of the navy, and mediks are typically deployed alongside all of the other branches. Space Austrian mediks carry a wide variety of tools, and utilize stabilded robotic arms to assist in rapid battlefield surgeries. This has been done in part because the Empire needs all other branches to serve well with the Navy. This seems to have been a success, as soldiers saved by a battlefield medik or unexpected orbital barrage often refer to the navy as "Angels." Soldiers not so happy to see that orbital barrage are also usually too dead to call naval personnel any names.
Police: The front line of the Empire's defense, the Space Austrian Police are considered a branch of the Empire's armed forces. Police wear dark blue uniforms and soft caps. Frontline officers only carry clubs, needing to call in special response officers if guns are required. Space Austrian police are mostly Imperial natives, but often work with Empire-friendly local authorities when on deployment, as their numbers are likely too low to police the Empire's many planets on their own. This allows the police to primarily focus on protecting Imperial assets and weeding out dissent, rather than taking an active role in local politiks.
Drones: Able to be assembled from scratch and trained to the competency of an average soldier in a matter of hours, drones are rapidly becoming one of the Empire's most utilized assets. Developed as a cheap alternative to garrisoning the Empire's many far-flung systems, Drones are highly effective at carrying out orders, and are even able to make decisions on their own. Imperial drones currently serve alongside all branches of the armed forces as support for organic troops. As they also do not require air or sleep, it is far easier to transport large numbers of drones on spacecraft as well.
Ritter: The shadowy personal bodyguards of the Imperial family, the Ritter are the Empire's deadliest soldiers. Known for their distinctive shiny black Armor, Ritter serve to protect Imperial officials and important people from assassination or ambush. Often recruited from the most dangerous and loyal military veterans, Space austrian Ritter are equipped with many of the hardest-hitting weapons in the Empire's arsenal. Even a lone Ritter can be a terrifying force on the battlefield, although perhaps it is the frightening nature of their quiet secrecy that makes them so feared. Although their primary purpose is to serve as protection, Ritter are also effective and rigorously trained shock troops who serve as the Empire's special forces. Ritter are commonly deployed to assignments deemed too delicate or dangerous for the other branches of the armed forces.
Generals and Field Marshals: Distinguishable by their smart uniforms and tall hats, Generals command large operations for the Empire. Each of the three main branches of the Armed forces is led by a Field Marshal (Left to right: Army, Marines, Navy.) Field Marshals are skilled soldiers, often even fighting on the front lines alongside their men. Following their service, many generals also run for positions in the Imperial Senate.
SAINT: The Space austrian Information News Team is a government-run news organization, and a powerful tool of propaganda. Typically reporting on the front lines of battle across the galaxy, SAINT gives ordinary citizens a look at the horrors of war.
Hardsuits: It is every Space Austrian child's dream to be experimented on by the government and turned into a super soldier. For some lucky few, this dream becomes a reality, and through heavy augmentation they are able to become one with their armored exoskeleton, able to wield the heaviest guns and survive massive amounts of damage.
Leaders: (From Left to Right, QS Archduke, Archbot [sig-fig], Empress Ante, Archduke Holmes, High Wizard Emandiputs.) Alongside the Imperial Senate, which includes representatives from all of the Empire's territories, Space Austrian is still led by the Imperial Habsbrik family and its current head, Empress Ante. Highly popular with the people, Ante has revolutionized the army, and begun creating a national identity for the people. Despite moving away from Magik, the empire still employs the Wizard Emandiputs as it's chief Magikal researcher. The Empire's government is also staffed by hundreds of capable diplomats, workers and statesmen.
Ambassadors: Long gone are the days of broken promises and half-kept oaths, the Empire currently keeps a staff of full-time ambassadors and diplomats from all of its RC allies, it recently undertook a project known as "Redification" replacing much of the empire's blue color scheme with a beautiful Red in order to reaffirm its everlasting commitment to the RC.
Lienz Light Transport: A small, lightly armored, mass produced vehicle, the Lienz transport serves as a way to rapidly get firepower to the front lines. The transport carries one driver as well as a gunner,
Salzburg Half-Track Humvee: A quintessentially Space-Austrian design, the Salzburg comes equipped with a weapons and comms array, as well as durable armor. The side back panels swing open to allow troops inside to rapidly deploy.
Linz Light Tank: The workhorse of the Space Austrian armored corps, the Linz is a durable and reliable tank designed for urban fighting. It's small size makes it ideal for traveling down streets and through destroyed buildings. The tank also has more than enough firepower to hold its own. Linz tanks can also be controlled remotely or even automated.
Horseshoe Crab Medium Tank: A large tank meant for operation in wide-open spaces, the Horseshoe crab can also carry and deploy multiple squads of infantry. Aside from its primary weapon, the tank also possesses a swiveling anti-air turret in order to protect itself in the case of an attack from above.
Trilobite Heavy Tank: The Empire's largest ground vehicle at over 16" long, the Trilobite functions as a mobile support platform, capable of delivering a blast large enough to level buildings in a single blow. Most commonly deployed on the back lines of an engagement to provide heavy fire support, the Trilobite rarely sees front line combat, although it is still equipped with heavy armor and a multi-function point defense turret capable of liquidating any enemies who get too close.
Goshawk Fighter: The standard fighter of the Imperial Navy, the Goshawk is intended for high speed attacks out of atmosphere. Equipped with twin railguns and four missiles, the Goshawk is able to deliver a devastating strike, despite its relatively small frame.
Murau Escort Fighter: Capable of long voyages without need for refueling, the Murau is intended for close support to larger ships or shuttles. A capable dogfighter in it's own right, the Murau is also highly agile even in atmosphere. These fighters are also well equipped, with four missiles apice.
Feldkirch Heavy Bomber: Equipped with powerful engines and quad-wings, the Feldkirch bomber is the primary weapon in the Imperial arsenal for leveling cities. Many Feldkirch pilots even choose to carry limited fuel in order to squeeze more missiles onto their vessels. The Murau bomber is typically controlled by a crew of two, with space for a third if necessary.
Melk Class Shuttle: The preferred method of transport for important people in the Empire's government and Military, the Melk class shuttle is considered to be quite comfortable to ride in. The shuttle possesses no weapons of its own however, and us usually accompanied by at least two escort fighters. The example shown here is Empress Ante's personal shuttle, as denoted by the two golden circles on the roof.
Amstetten Transport: Its primary function being to ferry squads of troops onto a planet's surface, the Amstetten is one of the oldest designs still employed by the Space Austrian armed forces. The transport is able to carry multiple squads and their equipment at a time, as well as a small crew of its own. The transport has thick armor on its hull and a powerful rotating point-defense turret on its top.
Innsbruck Armored Frame: A powerful infantry support mecha, the Innsbruck is equipped with a rotary cannon as well as high-impact weapon. It's primary purpose is to disable enemy vehicles and boost morale. The mecha's pilot sits in its backpack.
Amadeus Class Missile Corvette: An angular SHIP commonly used for fleet Support, the Amadeus Class is heavily armed, with 4 railguns, 48 energy missiles, and multiple point-defense systems. The ship has powerful engines that allow it to keep pace with much larger ships. The Amadeus class is most commonly used to support larger ships, or patrol systems. IT's greatest strength is the ability to deal heavy damage to other capital ships. The Amadeus class also travels with four exterior drones, which can be rapidly deployed to serve as fighters, screening vessels, or even repair units.
Everyone else is a pretender.
