And there’s another country,

I’ve heard of long ago,

Most dear to them that love her,
most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies,
we may not see her king;
Her fortress is a faithful heart,
her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently
her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of
gentleness, and all her paths
are peace.

Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice

.

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 Earth Alliance
Spacecraft
Although the Earth Alliance is relatively new to the Galactic
scene, having been an interstellar power for only about a
century, much of their technology is homegrown. This is in
sharp contrast to the Narn Regime, which is also fairly new to
the region. Narn technology is almost exclusively constructed
around stolen Centauri concepts or devices purchased from their
immediate neighbours. For example, their standard G’Quan-
class heavy cruiser utilises construction concepts and internal
systems taken from pilfered Centauri hulls, and the ship’s
primary weapons - the heavy lasers, twin arrays, and light pulse
cannons - are stolen from the Republic or purchased directly
from the Earth Alliance. Only the energy mines are exclusive
products of Narn research and development.
Humanity, on the other hand, has shown remarkable innovation
for a race so new to such advanced technologies. While many
of their weapons began from a common root purchased or
taken from a foreign source, virtually everything in the Alliance
inventory has been improved or developed far beyond its
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original purpose. Nowhere is this more apparent in the area of
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pulse weaponry. Prior to 2240, many races operated particle
guns that launched a single blast of energy in a powerful
destructive bolt, and indeed, this concept was quite effective
when used to combat fighters. During the Dilgar Invasion, the
Imperium improved upon these guns by developing rapid-fire
and multi-shot versions. EarthForce was not content to simply
copy these ideas, but made several technological breakthroughs
after the war that culminated in the original light pulse cannon
first seen in prototype form in 2239. Shortly thereafter,
advancements resulted in medium and then heavy cannons,
which proved surprisingly flexible against both fighters and
enemy starships.
This ability to innovate also proved its worth in the area of
spacecraft. When the Alliance began its first forays into space,
it began with simple designs intended for use in asteroid
mining and cargo transport. The need to defend against raiders
produced the first military craft, which sported weapons and
external fighter links designed to hold early Delta-class vehicles.
In the decades prior to Centauri arrival, the first true warships
appeared, among these the original Tethys, Orestes, Laertes,
London, and Tyche classes (see detailed timeline hereafter). It
was from these that the EarthForce navy was built.
The acquisition of interstellar technology gave the Alliance
an opportunity to reverse-engineer and copy several alien
designs, including certain old Centauri hulls as well as wrecks
and derelicts brought in by the Deep Space Exploration
Command. Early on, however, the Alliance leaders made
a deliberate decision not to utilise these craft for anything
other than research. They did not wish to see Earth become
dependent upon any foreign technology, nor did they intend to
antagonize some distant alien race once word of what they had
done became public. After all, it would be difficult to hide an
obviously re-engineered hull from the Centauri Republic or
someone else they had not yet met.
To this end, the Alliance continued to construct their own
designs, incorporating improvements and advances as they
came. The ships that resulted were in no way pretty to look at,
but were surprisingly functional and powerful for such a young
race. In addition, they were, for the most part, designed for easy
upgrades and refits, as well as for longevity. Where many races
intended for a single ship of a given class to operate for only a
few decades, the Earth Alliance, seeing through the long-range
eyes of the Aegis Program, produced ships perfectly capable
of operating - with the requisite maintenance, of course - for
well over a century. Indeed, many of the first Oracles build in
the 2160s are still around today, and quite a few Laertes-class
vessels are still in service, albeit as pirate sloops. In a similar
vein, a number of Hyperion and Tethys hulls have been through
so many refits and upgrades that they barely resemble their
original design, except in basic exterior shape and form.
Earth’s ground forces and surface vehicles have also followed
this same general pattern. Tanks, such as the Odin and Thor
class, are little more than improved versions of armoured
vehicles operated in one form or another for centuries. Except
for internal differences in internal engine capabilities, the
ground cars seen zooming around open-air Alliance cities are
similar to those seen back in the days of fossil fuels. Earth’s
refusal to copy alien designs, coupled with its ability to invent
and improve new technologies, is a matter of great national
pride, and seems unlikely to change at any time in the future.
Ranks in the EarthForce Fleet
• Commisioned Officer (All Fleet service is at officer
rank)
o Ensign
o Second Lieutenant
o Lieutenant
o Lieutenant Commander
o Commander
o Captain
o Rear Admiral (1 star)
o Vice Admiral (2 stars)
o Admiral (3 stars)
o Fleet Admiral (4 stars, only during times of
war)
Starship Design
History
No discussion of Earth Alliance spacecraft can begin without a
thorough understanding of the history of ship development. In
the early days, prior to World War III, space exploration was
slow and expensive. Most of those nations actually occupying
space were in competition with each other, instead of acting in
concert. The symbol of cooperation, the International Space
Station, began to see less and less use as the various nations
- the United States and its allies, the European Union, Russia,
and China - began to construct their own independent facilities.
By the time the war arrived, each also possessed a rudimentary
set of fighting spacecraft, although these were little more than
manoeuvrable satellites with crude lasers or missiles attached.
The most sophisticated of these were operated by the United
States in support of the EarthShield project, which was actually
made up of sophisticated communications satellites that also
happened to possess highly accurate anti-missile lasers.
True fighting ships did not begin to appear until the period of
raider activity that followed the first expansion into the solar
system. The first recorded use of a weapon was a modified laser
used by one prospector to defend a claim against another. Soon,
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pirates were using similar devices as standard equipment, and
the belters responded by installing not only laser guns but the
first external fighter linkages as well, employing simple one-
man craft of the Alpha and Beta designs. These crude fighters
were little more than frameworks built around a thruster and
pilot-aimed laser cannon or missile rack. They had no armour
or superstructure, and a typical pilot’s life expectancy was only
two or three sorties. Still, the prospectors were willing to take
the risk considering the profits available from a valuable claim,
while the raiders figured they could make a lifetime’s fortune
with just one or two successful attacks.
As the raiders grew in power, two things happened. First, the
Belt Alliance organised into a fighting force, producing the first
armed freighters and guard carriers, intended to protect small
outposts and convoys. Then, in the 2130s, EarthForce built its
own naval elements, spearheaded by the Orestes dreadnought,
which existed for the sole purpose of leading strikes on pirate
strongholds. These expensive command ships were assisted by
Tethys frigates, Laertes destroyers, and London light combat
vessels (short-ranged craft rather like large fighters). In the
days prior to the Starfury program, the Alliance operated the
Raptor-class attack fighter as well as Beta and Gamma fighters,
which had originally been designed by the Belt Alliance. Also
appearing were a variety of civilian freighter hulls, as well as
EarthForce One, the well-known presidential transport that later
came to be a mobile symbol of the Earth Alliance.
Naming Conventions: Early spacecraft, such as America’s
Space Shuttle, Russia’s Near Earth Orbiter, the European
Union’s Lunar Transport, and the wide variety of combat
satellites were not given specific class names. It was not until
the actual formation of a space navy appeared that the Alliance
began to contemplate naming a specific type of ship as a class
name.
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 Of course, the military did not build spacecraft on its own,
but instead employed civilian contractors from a variety of
nations. The basic process involved was to solicit design
proposals, choose finalists, accept bids, and employ the lowest
bidder. Early on, a wide variety of design firms competed for
the potential profits involved, but only one, Lockheed-Hyatake
Aerospace, proved capable of actually coming through with
most of their promises. This particular company was actually
the product of a dozen mergers of American, European, and
Japanese firms dating back to the 20th Century. In their internal
documentation, they referred to early ship classes by Greek
names, and it was these that eventually wound up on the final
prototypes.
Actually, not all Earth Alliance craft use the Greek naming
convention. Ships like the London, Avenger, Cotten, Condor,
Nova, and even Warlock are well-known examples of exceptions
to the usual progression. In most cases, these represent ships
not designed by Lockheed-Hyatake Aerospace, either because
they were not the typical combat vessels, or for reasons of
security. The Warlock, for example, is so top-secret that no one
is truly certain which space design firm is actually building it.
Over the next twenty years or so, only one additional ship class
appeared, the Tyche light cruiser, built as a faster alternative to
the lumbering Orestes. However, improvements were made to
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the existing designs, showcasing the early Alliance commitment
to modularity and longevity. Significant improvements were
also made to early weapons technology, resulting in the
production of the first non-laser guns in the form of early
plasma cannon and particle beam devices. These were added to
new version of the Tethys and Laertes, as well as the emerging
Delta fighter.
After the arrival of the Centauri, the Alliance began its first
efforts to construct ships capable of interstellar travel. Existing
hulls were improved to survive the rigors of hyperspace, and
new designs began to appear that were specifically intended
for use away from Sol. Of particular interest was the new
exploration ship called the Oracle, named for a Greek legend
involving a seer who could provide information to anyone who
desired it. Other new ship designs included the Epimetheus
command cruiser, which replaced the Orestes in that role once
that hull proved unsuitable for hyperspace missions. Also
appearing were the Avenger, Earth’s first dedicated carrier; the
Aries, a product of the Starfury program for use specifically in
the Avenger’s internal bays; the Hermes, a military transport
capable of high-speed travel between systems; the Artemis,
an advanced frigate with better armour and weaponry than
the existing Tethys; and the Orion, a ring-shaped starbase that
could be constructed in highly modular sections. The first truly
capable Prometheus defence satellites, armed with rapid-fire
missile racks, also began to appear in this era.
These new units operated weapons captured or purchased from
alien races and then improved by Alliance scientists. These
devices included missile racks, light particle beams, medium
lasers (at the time referred to as ‘heavy’ lasers, of course), and
the first interceptors.
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The years that followed saw the appearance of several new
designs intended to support existing military vessels, not just
fight on their own. These included the Cotten tender, a sort of
mobile repair and resupply craft, as well as large bulk freighters,
ore barges, and even the first Q-ship designs. The need for a
ground invasion capability resulted in the first assault vehicles
capable of carrying troops to a target world, and while these
were capable enough, they did not exist in any sort of quantity
capable of truly fulfilling the mission at hand. The Galahad
class assault transport, along with its array of Bolt assault
shuttles, could likely capture a single small installation or town,
but would have no hope of actually invading and controlling a
populated world. This lack of ground strength was one of the
major contributors to the Alliance’s unwillingness to take armed
conflict into alien space, despite the opportunities presented by
the Ch’Lonas and Koulani, and later the Narn frontier.
The final years of the 22nd Century saw new improvements
in weapons technologies. The Alliance finally perfected
the interceptor, and produced its first railgun, heavy plasma
cannon, standard particle beams, and particle cannons.
These advancements resulted in new models of the Laertes,
Epimetheus, Orion, Orestes, Artemis, Tethys, and Hermes,
as well as the next generation of Starfury, the Flying Fox. In
addition, Delta-V fighters, the pinnacle of Delta advancement,
made their appearance and rapidly entered widespread service,
not only in the Earth and Belt Alliances but also by raiders
and even foreign powers. New support ships included the
short-lived Tahiti fleet collier, which was later supplanted
by improvements to the Cotten tender; and the Perseus
minesweeper, which - coupled with a suite of new captor mine
designs - greatly improved the defences at most major Earth
Alliance installations.
It was the early decade of the 23rd Century where the Earth
Alliance first began to develop the strength that would be so
sorely tested during the Dilgar War. Several important hulls
appeared for the first time, without which the Alliance would
have had terrible difficulty defeating the Imperium. These
ships included the Olympus corvette (actually a destroyer), the
Hyperion heavy cruiser, the Nova dreadnought, the Condor
long-range troop transport, the Sagittarius missile cruiser, and
the vastly improved Starfury known as the Tiger. Although few
new weapons appeared during this period, advancements were
made in missile technologies as well as engine, thruster, and
reactor capabilities that vastly extended the range of older ships
in the inventory. This resulted in new versions of the Tethys,
Artemis, Oracle, and Orestes.
The latter vessel, long limited to only its home system, received
a better engine suite enabling travel through hyperspace
at a tremendously ponderous rate. Rather than retire the
class, the Orestes was assigned the role of monitor, a sort
of pocket dreadnought intended only to defend fixed points.
Meanwhile, the addition of the Hyperion and Olympus to
the inventory allowed the Alliance to finally retire the aging
fleet of Epimetheus and Laertes class vessels, although some
examples of those classes continued to operate for years after
they technically became obsolete. Similarly, the London light
combat vessel, which had the short range of a fighter but lacked
the guns of a frigate, was finally shelved once the capable Tiger
fighter came on the scene.
The advent of the Dilgar War saw new, hastily built versions of
the Olympus, Cotten, Sagittarius, Hyperion, Tethys, Condor,
and Artemis, not all of which were particularly effective.
Wartime experimentation also resulted in the Midway-class
fast carrier, which traded fighter capability for speed and was
quickly retired; the Valkyrie fighter, a design produced in
competition with the recently developed Starfury Nova; the
highly capable Hades assault shuttle, which quickly replaced
the ponderous and poorly named Bolt; and a variety of military
conversions of civilian units including advanced Q-ships,
missile barges, and even the Dionysus mid-range base for use as
a logistical hub in occupied systems. Considering that the Earth
Alliance was only in the war for a couple of years, the number
of new ships, improved variants, and conversions is actually
quite staggering.
The decade that followed the war produced some of the most
intense changes in the Earth Alliance navy that had ever been
seen. Just about every ship class in service, and indeed nearly
every individual ship, underwent at least some form of refit to
upgrade its capabilities and take advantage of new technologies.
The Hyperion alone saw no less than five new variants appear
during the decade of the 2240s.
Those ships that benefited most from advancements were
the Hyperion, Avenger, Orion, Nova, Olympus, Oracle,
Artemis, Tethys, and Orestes. The Aurora Starfury also
appeared, quickly forcing the existing Tiger and Nova designs
into retirement. Several new ship designs were also tested
and prototyped, including the Kittyhawk carrier, Valiant
minesweeper, Myrmidon light combat vessel, and several other
civilian ship types. Most of these were considered failures,
although the Myrmidon was adopted for use by several colonies
for independent local defence. Mars, for example, intended to
use these against Earth should a war of independence come to
pass.
The Cyclops: One ship of particular interest was the Cyclops,
a heavily modified Nova Dreadnought constructed around a
spinal laser. This huge weapon was heretofore only in use
by the Hyach, one of the races the Alliance helped rescue
during the Dilgar War. The Hyach did not provide Earth with
specifications on this weapon of their own free will, and yet,
shortly after the war, EarthForce came into possession of this
technology through some means never revealed to the public.
The spinal laser was the largest single weapon the Earth
Alliance had ever attempted to install on a starship. On paper,
it appeared simple enough - the barrel was almost as long as the
Nova it was to be built upon, and the rest of the ship was to be
filled with power generators and cooling devices. Work on this
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black project proceeded for almost a decade of cost overruns
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