The will to never again experience a war as brutal as the Outbreak was the first steps in the creation of the U.G.C. Its challenges were great. A fallen empire and her colonies, slavers and slaves, dictators and rebels. The Solus was the name given to the most contested area of the known galaxy and the site of major conflicts, mainly from the lower, less resourceful planets trying to climb higher and achieve new colonies. This event was known Outbreak and it lead to a few major players coming out on top. The great nations of Eagilita, Persi, Werqau, Sphsi, Nabunka, Ernay, Doratan and Dagan with other smaller planets all agreed that something of this magnitude should never occur again, even though many had made huge gains.The Galactic Concord was the event where each nation decided their future. The small, peaceful nation of Galactica became the negotiators for the mighty pact that would unite some and drive apart others. To this day, the Concord has not broken, although it has been threatened many times. The democratic Neo-Imperialistic process involves the Halls Parliamentary body advised by the eldest Doran who acts as Emperor. Each nation forms another part of the infrastructure of the U.G.C, allowing for excellence in all fields and minimal squabbles that had brought down unions near and far.
The U.G.C has just finished lengthy peacekeeping operations in the Tordillian Strait against the Provisional Army Remanent that took part in the Tordillian Insurgency only a period ago. These final steps in the securing the Solus after the Great War was met with great approval from the Halls and continued the dream of Emperor Carolus II for a galaxy at peace.
The two major threats posed to the U.G.C is the rise of Solicao and the possibility of mega-corporations forming in Galacticia and the other hubs of the Solus. Many measures were put in place to hold back the rise of Solicao. Their enlightened ideas of reordering the social hierarchy of planetary governments has resulted in the falling of three kingdoms and an armed rebellion in Concannon has started fears in many members of the U.G.C. The Expeditionary Forces were eventually sent to relieve the banished royal family from the gallows under strict guidelines to avoid the breach of the Freedom of Governace Act, the 2nd Right of the Concord. Mega Corporations have been tackled by the mass disruption of their expansions and purchasing of companies as well as the LSC Tax that targets specific companies that hold monopolies on business, manufacturing or real estate on planets. Local systems and those further than the Solus have suffered huge corruption and inequality because of these ‘Mega Corp’ Businesses that destroy their economies and landscapes of their finest planets. The U.G.C has taken Government action to halt the advance of companies like Caribak, UNi-t and Toryu Trading Co.
The Members of the Concord
Eagilitians give to the U.G.C Imperial Navy and the Common Fleet as well as a to the many Universities and the Trooper Corp. The Avian people are known for their combat and academia, but still miss their Imperialist days although many still preach the Eis and their Architecture is still imbedded in all governmental buildings across their previous colonies. They have always fought for the right of the sword and other principles of their society. Their large collections of data and large education in ethical values have made their people into mighty leaders, tacticial generals and fair judges.
Persi and Sphsi give to Agriculture as their huge worlds are perfect for feeding the masses. Their population of Nadir remain the backbone of all ranks of the military and civil servants all across the Solus. Their worlds suffered gravely during the Great War that happened after the formation of the U.G.C as their food production was seen by the Asig as an ideal target. When they refused to surrender or retreat, many bio-weapons were used to destroy their fields and stores but eventually the Eagilitian 3rd Dragoons relieved them in an event still honoured to this day. Werqau has been the pride of the Solus in the mass production of vehicles, weapons and starships. The hardy crustaceans are known for their stubbornness and vast knowledge of spacecraft and the engineering process. They stood by the U.G.C and were one of the only nations that wasn’t invaded during the Outbreak or the Great War. The Crustacean people were the first foreign colony of Eagilitan Empire and it is these links that make them such allies today.
Nabunka decided against joining the U.G.C on the issue of finance. Their nation had prospered with their sale of starfighters and luxury shuttles; the Outbreak had been a large source of wealth for them as they profited from the new navies and fighter-forces being formed and it solidified CariCo as a mainstay of the military world. Joining the U.G.C would mean an end to these profits. Their hostile neutrality has resulted in the deaths of thousands who wander into the Shard Nebulae only to perish at the guns of Commonwealth forces. Although tensions are high, the marriage of Crownprince of Eagilita, Ersko Livnuis to Lady Hessen significantly reduced the chances of conflict between the two people.
Ernay is a rare case of a system that left the Shard Commonwealth to join the cause of the U.G.C. The Outbreak gave them new lands and an entire system but it turned out to be a poisoned chalice as these new lands were Tordillian property. The Great War brought a huge Agnis force made up of masses of poorly armed Tordillian troops against the Ernay system. The battle line was drawn along three planets, Simmu, Rautu and Mannerheim, all covered in glaciers and drifts of snow. Their cries to the Commonwealth fell on deaf ears and they lost Simmu to the horde. But Mannerheim was held by tooth and nail, as their camouflage and knowledge of snowfall and the surroundings led the natives to victory at the 3rd Battle of the Cry. A U.G.C force was dispatched and with that, the system was annexed into the new victors of the Solus.
Dogan is the sister system of Doran and became her first colony. Its vast pools of liquid Intilium has allowed her to grow profitable and their many space stations are proof of their huge incomes. Although new reserves have been found and exploited for much lower prices, the Royal Reserve still produces the much needed refined Intilium need for the AO Drive Class I, the fastest and most reliable drive used in most Cruisers. They have an interesting relationship with the Doran, as a republican government was declared that has lead to sectarian violence along the Suut Belt. To this day, the Dogan has had a neutrality agreement put in place to stop any military personnel from the U.G.C landing planetside but they are allowed to get the Intilium at huge discounts.
In the end, many say that the U.G.C failed in its goals. A war started purely out the Concord’s existence, with the Heig-Jaeur Powers uniting only to break down the U.G.C. There is still pirates, homelessness and hunger in the Solus. But, the way of the sword, the purest of hearts and minds of gold still stand triumphant. The latest Concord Convention put forward plans to look to the future, exploration, fair treatment of the Socilao Movement and the total disruption of mega-corporate trading. As the U.G.Cs iconic flag shows, life is an infinite loop, intertwined with fate.
In order to traverse a galaxy, amble around a cluster or go sightseeing in a system, you need a few essential things. Transport for one (Very Important), Food (No need to be hungry) and, if the situation arises that those you meet are also hungry and they fancy you as a good snack, a Weapon wouldn’t be half bad. So that’s what we are talking about. The Livnuis Project presents its knowledge on the subject of weaponry in Science Fiction…
In short, there are an awful lots of ways of dispatching your enemies in the cosmos. To put it bluntly, a big stick or a pointy rock would work against people with big sticks or sharp rocks, or even those without weapons. But you’re in Space, its worth trying to experiment. Sci-Fi loves lasers, be they Plasma, Ion, Nadion or Gama. Everyone uses them, so don’t forget that there’s a variety. You have your multipurpose types, the Phasers of Star Trek that can kill, stun, heat, melt and massage (Probably…). They’re fun, good for the Swiss Army Knife type but its a tad indecisive and quite simple, point and shoot. They can be big, they can be small. But if your running and gunning, you’ll need some more firepower!
A Variety of Phasers, every new show brings a new style
Star Wars offers the Crème de la crème of weaponry. The Star Wars arsenal consists of your pistols, like the Clone Wars DC-17, the Chrome DH-17 and the iconic DL-44, perfect for the small ‘n mighty type. For the sub-machine gun types, what more can you ask for than the famous E-ll or DC-15A, both capable of spewing out tons of red hot plasma into their foes (Note; E-ll may feature slight inaccuracy combined with a helmet, this is not the fault of BlasTech Industries but due to new Rebellion Protection; Plot Armour). That not enough? If you have the back for it, why not strap yourself to heavy rifle and pray. The DLT-19 is based off of the German MG-34, enough said, and the Z-6 is a plasma mini-gun. That should give you a fair idea of what’s available in the arsenal of the Republic, Rebellion and Empire.
A selection of the Imperial Arsenal
Z-6!
The Rebel DH-17
Han Solo’s DL-44
Now, if you’re that noble and stoic type or just really like Camelot, a selection of melee weapons are available. A lightsaber is sure to light up your day, and slice through any door, ship or arm in your way. Used by the Jedi, this is a weapon for a more civilised age, capable of deflecting blaster bolts or throwing it to turn it into a laser boomerang and you can duel with literally any other weapon in the galaxy. Note; Force Powers do not come with the lightsaber, to check if you have such powers, please contact your local Jedi Temple. Now, if glowing blades are not your thing, then strap in for this one. Halo offers a range of energy swords, pointy things with huge gaps in the middle of them to trap other swords or to toast marshmellows :). Very fine things if you want to have more formal fights.
Now, if your different and want something that reflects that, you could be interested in a weapon that’s not a weapon. There’s plenty to choose from, why not invest in a Sonic Screwdriver from Galifrey. A sonic device that shorts out machinery, opens many doors and works very well against all manner of alien life, such as Daleks, Cybermen and whatever reincarnated toaster the prop makers have developed for that episode. It also lights up! Now, if you don’t know what Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is 1. You’re missing out 2. This next weapon will tell you all you need to know. The Towel is a weapon of legendary fame, capable of a range of tasks, not just trying, and it can be used as an effective bludgeoning device when paired with H20. I highly recommend SpaceDock’s Video on this mighty thing.
And that’s a brief guide to the weapons of the universe. It’s dangerous out there, with Pirates, Parasites and People out to get you in the great unknown so be prepared and keep your friends close, and your enemies within disintegration range. Good luck, enjoy the week and may the Solus bless your travels!
The Red Prince is back in action with a new blog on the concept of flagships in Sci-Fi. We’ve got an impressive bunch here, the biggest and baddest from all walks of Science Fiction. The Flagship is the beacon a fleet falls behind, a leading force and an impressive foe. So let’s see what I think are the very best examples:
#5 UNSC Infinity (Halo)
The Beautiful Infinity
Built after the humans and the Covenant began bashing each others heads in, the United Nations Space Command commissioned this super carrier to be a scapegoat; if humanity was ever to fall, the survivors could hop onto her and escape. Linked to this idea, the Infinity is also fully self-sustainable. That’s pretty cool. She’s also packed with four MAC Cannons, which is incredible in the Halo universe. Inside huge hangars, plenty of marines, tanks, drop-ships and Warthogs are contained in the craft. The Infinity can bring an entire fleet inside itself and is one of the speediest ships in the Halo Universe. Eckhart’s Ladder was right, it is certainly the greatest capital ship in Halo!
#4 Enterprise-D (Star Trek)
Picard’s pride, the NCC-1701-D served with Star Fleet for eight years and was indeed the flagship of the Federation. The vessel is iconic, featuring the hallmarks of federation engineering with a huge saucer section and the classic stem and warp cell design. It was built for luxury as much for anything else, a large amount of amenities were present to allow the crew that could reach 6,000 and the 15,000 or so passengers the ability to survive and thrive on the Enterprise. The Enterprise also has 14 Phaser banks, Photon Torpedo Tubes and mine laying capabilities as well as bars, schools and tons of crew quarters. The vessel is truly a balanced craft and a fine warship and flagship. But the Dominion had to go and blow it up, didn’t they!
#3 Executor(Star Wars)
The Executor is easily one of the most feared craft in all of the Empire’s fleet. The personal flagship of Darth Vader himself and an icon of the Empire, this vessel was seen all over the galaxy, namely in the Battle of Endor. The arrow head shape of the vessel is paired with hundreds of turbolaser batteries and TIE fighters. With no other peer in the Rebel fleet, the Empire would have been able to walk over anything put in front of them. But an unfortunate mix of internal sabotage and kamikaze A-Wing Pilots doomed the mighty warship into a unrecoverable dive into the other big Imperial Vessel present, the Death Star II. When the dust settled, the impressive feat of military and engineering was gone with the bulk of the Empire.
#2 Glorina-Class Battle Cruiser (Warhammer 40k)
This is a Flagship. Like most things in Warhammer, bigger is better and the Glorina follows that doctrine. With all the flair of the Imperium, gold plating included, most can imagine these floating cities flying through subspace in all their shininess. With literal gilded cities, palaces, churches, houses and town halls included, among countless batteries and other weaponry. Surely suitable for even the God Emperor himself, the Glorina is a fine addition to this list.
#1 Home One (Star Wars)
And this is it. My very favourite Flagship. The Home One is a Mc80 Cruiser made by the squid like Mon Calamari people. This thing is a total beast, housing thousands of passengers and boasting and impressive compliment of A-Wings, B-Wings, Y-Wings and, of course, X-Wings. The Mc80s are built in rather organic shapes, with multiple bumps and lumps all over them housing shield projectors or turbolaser batteries. Admiral Gale Ackbar of “It’s a trap” fame is the commander of this craft that served as the flagship of the Rebellion’s Navy for the near entirety of the Galactic Civil War and was a key factor in the victory at Endor. From rescuing the rebels at Yavin, to turning the tide against insurmountable odds, the Home One is a thing of legend.
I hope you enjoyed this short blog, best of luck with all ventures in the future and stay awesome until I get back next Sunday!
Hello all! The Red Prince back again with a new concept. In this series, I intend to explain Science Fiction terms, ideas, stories and universes in order to help all manner of people. Those who haven’t a clue about what FTL means or what the Battlestar Galactica is that want to get into Sci-Fi and those who are big into Sci-Fi but want to explore other bits and bobs of it. So let’s begin at the very start;
Science Fiction
Science Fiction or Sci-Fi, is the genre giving to stories that explore advanced technology, space adventures and time travel. It can be linked to other genres, like Fantasy and Horror and most consider Mary Shelley’s Gothic horror classic Frankenstein one of the first Sci-Fi books. All the 19th and 20th century wonder about space travel and all the 60s ‘World of Tomorrow‘ stuff also qualifies as Sci-Fi. The genre has grown a fair bit, with most Sci-Fi now focused on stories about Space Travel and Intergalactic intrigue, with scientific speculation now more in the field of inventors.
The biggest names in Sci-Fi are arguably Star Wars and Star Trek, with the movie franchise starting in 1977 capturing moviegoers attention to this day and the television series that started all the way back in 1966 is still a mainstay withStar Trek: Discovery on Netflix and CBS. They are the classics of Sci-Fi and a fierce rivalry exists between the two. More recent Sci-Fi Programs include;
Battlestar Galactica (1980 and 2004)
Babylon 5 (1994)
Red Dwarf (1988)
The Expanse (2015)
The Sojourn (2019, Coming Soon)
They are only a few of the best Sci-Fi series, with their release dates mentioned. Sci-Fi has been rather resilient, surviving all these years and receiving huge revival in recent years. Dr Who, the longest running of any Sci-Fi series, started all the way back in 1963. It has changed, sure, but just as all the series have had to evolve to the times. The new age has heralded in such series like the masterpiece The Expanse, Black Mirror, the cult hit Stranger Things and a new wave of online Sci-Fi experiences like the sure to be amazing audio-comic series, The Sojourn, set to be released this very year. YouTube and other services have brought about new people and ideas, like the producers of the Sojourn, Spacedock, the Templin Institute with their Greater Terran Union Saga and a variety of others, fined tuned to their own universes, like Star Trek, Star Wars, Halo and others. I hope to be part of that new wave, a shining, Irish accented light in Science Fiction.
Sci-Fi, along with other nerdy culture has become more mainstream as time has gone on. Part of what I like to call the ‘It All Started With A Big Bang Effect‘. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the 3rd Highest Grossing film on the Opening Weekend, the other two are the Avengers flicks that are still part of the once ‘Nerdy’ niche. Sci-Fi will continue to grow it seems and the new age of extremely talented creators are a testament to how the genre is evolving. Here’s to the next few years!
FTL: Faster Than Light. Used to describe technology that allows a craft to accelerate beyond light speed, thus allowing them to traverse a galaxy rather quickly. Also known as Warp, Hyperspace/Hyperspeed. Fuel types include Coaxium, Dilithium and Drift. Also the name of an excellent short film, FTL!
Phaser: A type of weapon in Star Trek that discharges Nadion particles to create a particle beam that can break, stun or kill. (A far better, more complex video from Lore Reloaded!). It can be handheld or used on huge Starships!
Canon: Refers to a piece of material, information or lore that is official and licensed or just accepted by the owners of the Intellectual Property (IP) as part of their universe
Acronyms; In general, a whole lotta confusing Acronyms in Sci-Fi:
TGN: Star Trek: The Next Generation. Also known as ‘The Next Gen’
ROTJ & ESB: Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Empire Strikes Back
WY: Wayland – Yutani, the big, bad, mega-corporation from the Alien Franchise
EU: Not only the European Union, also the Extended Universe in the Stars Wars Universe. A bit weird and non-canon (Refer to above), also referred to as ‘Legends’
That’s it for now. Thanks to the amazing work of people like George Lucas for creating these amazing series and franchises and good luck to all who are diving into the wonderful genre that is Science-Fiction. So, keep up being awesome, thanks for all the views and likes! And see you next Sunday…
‘Tis I. The Red Prince, back again. Deepest apologies for the lack of content over the last three weeks. I’ve been cracking down on Academia for a while and keeping myself fit and healthy. All well and good now since the Summer has arrived, so I can do both without any pressure or stress (Except that I now have to mind a lamb called Socrates. Long Story…). So lets get into it.
Plot Dynamic
To start, I’ll explain the idea of Plot Dynamic. In short, I believe it to be the interaction between different elements in a story. A book needs different elements to work. It stops it getting stale, it allows the author to explore different concepts and it helps to progress the plot. In the Science Fiction genre, there is two big elements. Entertainment and Realism.
To get an excellent story, you need to decide how these two elements interact. Their dynamic. Some universes are uber-realistic, such as TheExpanse. Others lean more heavily into entertainment, like Star Wars. Obviously, The Expanse is extremely entertaining to Sci-Fi fans but it would be harder to get a grasp on it as a casual viewer. Star Wars is much easier, in general, to understand from the eyes of a casual viewer. Deciding on the mix early on is key to a good story in general.
Star Wars is actually more interesting in its dynamic. It is certainly layered. For the casual movie-goer, you watch the movie and get the general feel of it, understand the plot and leave feeling rather happy and wondering how bright it is outside. But Star Wars has the a realistic side as well, with a huge range of information and little bits of hard Sci-Finess here and there. But in the majority of Star Wars media, some suspension of disbelief is required.
Just to be clear, series such as The Expanse are amazing pieces of television and feature great characters as well as their accurate portrayal of Space Travel and such. But these series are made to be put under scrutiny and analysis. They have technical specification for everything and they are all consistent to each other, their universes have set rules and boundaries that everything follows. They are really awesome shows and deserve all the respect possible. But to be fair, if a person just flicked onto it, they’d have a bit of a hard time understanding some of the deeper elements.
Now, here’s my main point. Problems arise when you apply Hard Sci-Fi analysis onto more Casual Sci-Fi media. Some find Sci-Fi problems where there would be no problems otherwise. Case in point, when there is a ‘Ticking Bomb’ motif or a similar cliché, there are people who argue about all the ways they could have or should have done it, taking this as a problem. But such gaps are almost certain to arise if you apply too critical an eye to a more casual show or movie. This has allowed certain Theorists to become rather popular and has plagued a couple of movies, such as The Last Jedi. I find no problems in that, sure ‘different folks, different strokes’, but it’s interesting to see how different people interpret the exact same things.
My main point is this; always think “What would the movie/show be like if they solved this immediately?”. Think about what is realistic vs what is entertaining. That is the main idea I want to put forward. That is important for people looking in on these pieces of work, the watcher usually figures it out for themselves, the people who analysis it, as they sometimes forget that certain liberties need to be taken to make a show fit all or as much of an audience, and the author, who needs to think about how they make something entertaining but still realistic and vice-versa.
That’s me for this week. Interesting post, it might be a tad controversial, who cares! Big things are in the pipeline; you’ll have to watch out for when they come. So from me and the Livnuis Project, Slán Leat.
“To those who have fallen, find your peace. To those alive, make sure they did not perish in vain”
That was the only message that Fortune Company received. The Liberty was caught up in a blockade above the planet’s atmosphere and any ship that got through went straight to the push for the capital. But it was here that the battle for Concannon would be won. The vital fuel lines that would keep any further rebellion active ran straight through the Abersen. I was looking over the rolling hills that led into the forest from the AA station, already imagining a battalion of steel monster arriving over the hills.
“Ready Cúl?”
I was surprised to see my Captain. He was worse for wear, a fresh wound glistening on his head and his once pristine uniform was now soaked in oil, mud and blood. But he didn’t look shook or scared. He nearly looked natural covered in all manner of filth. I smiled and saluted.
“Yes Sir. But we’re sitting ducks. All the defences are facing the forest and our arsenal is depleted. Is the Chantilis alive?”
Torrinter walked back towards the embankments. I followed him and then I saw her. The ASC I called home for the campaign was looking better than usual. She had dents, sure, but there was new armour plates and the relay was back on my post.
“How did we gain more armour?”
“Lion lost her tracks to a mine, so we managed to convince her crew to let us salvage her parts to fix and improve the Chantilis. So, we have 4 transports for the defence and 3 destroyers as well. Mac is getting some solid barricades in place. The demounted crews are using our available rifles and the Maritimes are ready to fight to the end. The question is-” The Captain opened the port hatch “Are you?”
He didn’t need an answer. The moment I saw the squad again I knew I was set. Mac was in his turret. His jobs outside where done. Dorit and Geran were manning the hip guns, both eager to increase their tallies that reached along both the walls. Maebht had her full visor on, reloading the main 75mm maybe for the last time. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw me take my seat.
“Good to have you back Eagi! The spell as a rifleman didn’t suit you, eh?”
Maebht was always so energetic but was able to keep a steady hand when she needed to. I always praised her for that. We all missed Kilza. Heavy bleeding, unknown shrapnel. It was all unknown for now. But she would get out. Priority was given to getting the wounded out. Then there was the possibility of reinforcements. Now that would be a miracle. Torrinter swept his hair aside and put on his peaked cap. He nodded to NP and turned the crank. I used to be scared of the ignition but now it was like the cry of battle. With a roar, the Chantilis surged forward and steadied itself. Torrinter checked his crew. I looked at my restored console and unlatched the dorsal hatch. Helmet on my head and fire in my soul, I knew that battle was on the horizon. I was ready. Torrinter was moving about inside.
“Driver, forward. For Fortune!”
Our four ASCs were all positioned with overlapping firing arcs. We were looking straight down the path leading into the station. Ciano was watching from the hill nearby. Music Box and Ryan’s Raid kept themselves hidden in the wood, with the 3 destroyers beside them. They would have the range needed to pick off anything that came over the hill. I was as tense as the rest. My hands were glued to my binoculars as I looked at the small clumps of heather and broken stone walls that were spread out sparsely in the landscape. I looked over at the earthworks, the work of many shovels and the labour of the Maritime troops. Camo was back at his post and his Lance gun was cooling off with a large cylinder of coolant pouring into the barrel. I gave him a wave, which he returned. The day was warm, too warm, almost commanding. Being canned up inside the transports was not fun but we couldn’t leave our posts.
Maebht was moaning about not being able to move when I noticed my console light up. Radio comms from the enemy. I hit my alarm.
“Enemies on the march. Inbound along route parallel 22-t. That’s us, get message to the fleet now!”
I didn’t even wait for any of them to reply. I saw Ciano on the hill reposition themselves. I looked down into the nearby trench.
“Hostiles on the ridge. Battle stations!”
“Rightio Cúl. Keep up the fight. Lock and load lads!”
He knocked the coolant of his weapon and turned his weapon to the ridge. His comrades did the same, with liveries of dapple greens and blues mixed with the khaki of the Fortune Company. I pulled down my hatch and raised my seat into the coupola. Everything was silent. We all waited, the front gun whining as it traversed the horizon and the two hip guns slowly made their way forward. Then the first shell broke the silent air.
Ciano let off a pulse round right into the midst ridge and then a stream of smoke erupted. Mac moved over to the comms.
“ASC 23, good hit but how many can you see?”
Mac took a short gasp as he got back the report. He turned to the Captain.
“Sir, at least 40 armoured vehicles but no infantry”
I adjusted my scopes and then I saw the first few make their way over the ridge, still following the road. Another shot came from the hill before I heard one of ours slide into the chamber.
“Train guns on the centre 4. Mark 2” Torrinter was in his seat behind the driver and gunner. “Fire!”
A shot of blue plasma erupted from our barrel followed by the shell ejecting to the side. A clean hit to the tracks of a grey transport. It buckled like a limping animal before careening into another of its allies. The Tordillians returned fire, sending clumps of clay flying into the air. Another shell, a shout from the Captain and we fired another blast into the depths of their convoy. I scanned the battlefield, looking for any developments. A flat gun went off beside us as the infantry took their shots at the enemy. But a few of the transports where gaining on us. They stopped 400m away from us and then I saw their doors fly open. They were carriers. Their troops disembarked and formed battle lines. Sword, shield and rifle. They charged forward. Maebht sunk another shell into a transport, a plum of inky smoke erupting from the cavity.
“Gunners, open fire! Ordnance on their assumed position. Fire at will!”
At the call, I started making my calculations. Using two prong-and-wheel devices, I set my two coords then selected the mortar round. All stored in a rotating chamber, they were as long as an arm and came in four varieties; High Explosive, Armour Piercing, Incendiary and Smoke. I used a HE round, planting it into the path of the enemy troops. The round sparked and exploded, sending the first few ranks flying. I readjusted and fired again. Another clean hit, lumps of clay were sent into their ranks as well as red hot shrapnel. The continued calling and cheering of Dorit and Gerain were matched with their bursts of fire. They were using modified Lance guns, the same as Camo. They used 21 round magazines and fired at a steady rate of around 200 rpm. They were impressive pieces of tech and could mow down lightly armoured enemies. Sadly, the elite Tordillians weren’t going down. It was only a matter of time before they broke through the lines.
“Point 5. Fire! Driver, +3. The right flank is out of traversal range- Now the left is as well. Driver, Reverse!”
The drills we were thought were coming into affect. We had mobile medium fire but it was forward facing. Fire erupted all over the landscape. Still, the forest lay silent. The Captain was busy commanding over the comms but decided to come to me.
“How far are they to the right?”
I turned my periscope. They were trying to flank us, looping behind our earthworks. I told the Captain the situation.
“Time to alert the forests…”
An enemy shell ricocheted off of the armoured side plating. It shook up the crew but I maintained my balance. Checking the scopes again I saw that the hill was being overwhelmed by the enemy. They had successfully deployed a half of their force and were making ground. Time to ruin their day.
“Force 3. Open fire! Engage with full operational fire power.”
At that call, the forest erupted. The Sul-67 was an experienced tank destroyer that possessed a gun twice as heavy as our one. It fired solid shells that could penetrate up to 160mm of armour and made a humongous racket. They opened fire and the enemy that just passed them by were terrified. I could see their ranks fall into disarray. I couldn’t see the Sul’s but I saw their effect and the smoke clouds from the forest. The Maritime Troopers kept harassing the ground troops with their small arms but I could also see that Camo had picked up his Lance using a bandolier and was advancing towards the now trapped right flank.
“Captain, the Maritimes are pulling out of position to force back the right flank. Will we join them?”
The Captain took a moment.
“We need to keep the advantage. Driver, reinforce their advance. Gunners, open up.”
We all charged, heavy shells hitting the armoured vehicles that had once held their lines and lighter rounds flying through the air, hitting the now retreating attack force. But a few of them stayed put. They were armed AGLs, Assieted Grenade Launchers. They fired directly at us, sending fiery projectiles into any crevice. One looked at me and pulled the trigger. The grenade bounced off of the plate in front of me and exploded in front of my sights. What was with the Tordillians and messing with my sights. The scopes were down but I was still getting signals. Enemy fighters. Dive-Bombers.
I stumbled into the middle of the Chantilis, my eyes stinging with the smoke. We were conked, disabled. I looked at the front compartment. Maebht was sprawled across the floor with NP trying to get out of his seat to help her.
“NP, are you all right?”
“No, the Tordi got me good. Finally!”
NP exclaimed as he got out of his seat. I gasped in horror as I saw in the dim safety lights the blood trickling from his wounds. But it did not bother the Timore. He picked up Maebht, still in the abyss. I helped him get to the door. Dorit and Gerain had both exited the craft, legging it with the two Lance guns. Mac ran towards me.
“Where’s Torinter!”
It hadn’t occurred to me to look for him. I looked around the small compartment. His escape hatch was open. Grabbing my pistol, a Sterling and as many grenades as I could possible, I went out the hatch. I was met by a world of fire and flame. The Chantilis was well and truly battered. We had made ground to a small rocky crop, beside the forest. Ciano was still hammering away on the hill top but the forest force was being overwhelmed. The amber bursts were arcing every side of me and all I could do was keep my head down. I dived into one of the last trenches, narrowly missing the body of a dead Tordillian. I looked back over the parapet. Marching slowly across the hill was the now totally regrouped and organised Tordillians army, composing several hundred. Their deaths head flag waved above them and their chants were deafening. But then from further down the line I heard the first bars of a familiar Chorus.
“From far beyond our lands; the dead may have fallen. But here we must stand to save our land. For our weapons will not do, if our hearts are not true; So fight on, brave men of Liberty”
It was the Maritimes. They were answering back the horrific cries of the enemy. I stumbled further into the trench to try to find them. It was then I found my Captain, lying in a pool of his own blood on the muddy trench floor. I kneeled beside him. He said very few words.
“Just sing, dear Cúl…”
I wasn’t going to cry in front of my CO.
“Low lie the fields of our dear lands. Where we shall not let our own people die. Let us fight for those we love, but not refuse the dove. Oh fair Fortune don’t lie silent in the fields…”
The Maritimes kept singing as the enemy constantly approached. I looked as my Captain slowly withered away.
“I was thought that song by Sir Perio Livnuis himself. Always remember me when you hear that song-“
I looked at his wound. A direct hit had shredded his armour. There was no hope. I took my rifle off my shoulder and turned to the enemy. A horrific scream erupted from the sky as another dive-bomber made its strafing run across us. I wasn’t even shaken by the explosion of its payload. I mounted the parapet and started firing at the lines.
“Come on you cowards! Can’t you march faster!”
The Sterling had ten rounds and a solid bolt. It cycled like a dream. I wasn’t afraid of anything now. I had nothing to lose. That’s what I thought. Then, from out of nowhere, I was tackled into the ground. Less than a moment later, the space I used to occupy was a a ball of flames. I looked at my saviour.
“Who? What? Why-“
“We all know questions, you total gobeen.” It was Camo. “Never try to do anything like that again. Did you find Torrinter?”
I nodded, barely able to speak.
“Dead-“
“Poor blighter… But that doesn’t mean you have to die as well. Think of the lass, what would she do when she comes to to find you dead?”
I hadn’t thought of that. I guess I had more to do. Camo signalled for his squad to move up and got a radio relay from one of them. He activated the device off of his back and frantically opened a channel.
“Listen you lazy gits, we’re dying here. We need aerial assistance now!”
There was no answer but over the forest hills I saw small pockets of fire. It was the other half of the armour. Took them long enough. They broke through somewhere on the far side of the hill. The rear lines of the Tordillians broke off to meet them. Camo took his pistol off of his belt. slotting a brass tube over the barrel he pointed it to the skies. With a loud burst, a flare ignited in the sky. A bird made of fire. Three more flares answered him from over the hill and two more from behind him. His squad opened fire, as did I. We braced through the enemy volleys and gave them hell. Camo handed me the bulky radio unit.
“Take over! Get someone to take the dying back.”
Camo loaded his second-to-last magazine and looked down his needle sight. Squeezing the trigger, he hit target after target. I looked back, the Chantilis still in flames on top of the rocky mound. It was a beacon. I took the radio in both hands.
“Break zero. All available units to the forward lines, we need medical withdrawal immediately!”
In the distance, I could see the familiar outline of Mac, charging forward with three dozen troops. From the forest, Music Box and Ryan’s Raid screeched towards us at rapid pace. I quickly turned towards the enemy and fired a few more times at them. It would take a bit longer for them to come. We didn’t have time. Camo looked at me. He took out the magazine and loaded his last one off his belt. 21 rounds left.
“‘Till the end! Fix Bayonets“ Camo smiled at me, I didn’t like what he had planned.
I slided the blade from under my Sterling’s barrel and attached it facing towards the sun. I looked at the other Maritimes with their signature helmets. I adjusted my own helmet and tightened the strap. We were all ready. The first line broke into a sprint roughly 20 yards away. We went to meet them. From behind rocks and ferns we came and charged. They fired a few misguided shots towards us and kept running. We let out a roar and met them, our khaki and green meeting their black and tan. We sparred with our bayonets and then met our target.
One of theirs charged at me and I barely missed him. The second time I speared him. Another charged at me and I missed his body, instead hitting his wrist. He dropped his weapon and drew a curved blade on me. I smiled and fired my rifle. He dropped like a rock. the others got the same idea. A close range fire fight ensued. I fired shot after shot into their midst but I didn’t check my flank. A hulk of a Levie turned towards me, weapon raised. I looked at him, thinking that that was it, I was had. But then, two bursts erupted through him. Camo gave a wave from the distance. With his overwatch and our fury, we managed to hold them. We were embroiled in point-blank combat, every one fighting back-to-back. A Maritime Trooper was using his sabre and rifle at the same time, stabbing out at everything around him. Then the second wave came.
The rifles spilt the air, sending fire into friend and foe alike. But then, a round with my name on it came flying and sunk into my left shoulder. I fell to the ground, the weight of my the universe pulling me down. A fresh wave of their elite Janissaries came down the hill. I froze up as I saw one of them raise his mace and charge. Kilza! I reached for my pistol and fired two shots into him and then emptied the last two into a Janissary attempting to kill one of my comrades. I looked to my right and saw a Maritime brawling on the ground with another. I wasn’t an officer so I had no sword but I drew my combat knife and dove onto the enemy. With all my strength I drew down hard on him, embedding the blade into his back. The Maritime officer got up and thanked me. I picked up my rifle and joined him as we both ran back towards our lines.
Camo greeted me as I dove into cover. The Janissaries had forced us back, at the cost of three troopers. I let out a cry of agony as I slowly realised the pain in my arm. The small wooden palaces we were cowering behind gave us an ample view of the battlefield. The hill top was holding, grenades were still being rolled down the slope. But we had failed to keep them back. Camo then told me what he had heard over the radio.
“The rest of the armour was told to fall back! Someone up there hates us…”
I couldn’t agree or disagree. Finally, the last two ASCs pulled up. They parked diagonally to allow as much fire as possible. I helped get the wounded on board and welcomed Mac and the reserves forward. Then I showed Mac our Captain. He carried him back to the transports with all four arms. We all bowed our heads. Mac laid him in the rear of Music Box. I had been offered a place to go back because of my arm but I didn’t take it. I was fighting here. I tapped the side of the transport.
“Get them back as soon as possible. Go, go!”
We all stood in the last defences, looking like ghosts. Dorit, Geraint and Camo all shared their magazines as they lay waiting for the lines to meet them. On they marched, still chanting but this time we did not sing. We waited with faces like ghosts. For the fire, the bombs and the death. But then, over the radio came the most joyous noise.
“This is Geronimo 143. Coming in hot!”
The skies erupted as over the mountains came fighter after fighter. They were Ironsides. Heavy cannons erupted from under their fuselages, tearing apart the last of the enemy armour. The dive bombers circling above us like scavengers got taken out by the nimble fighter pilots. A sortie of Saracen bombers flew directly over us and dropped their terrifying payload atop of the enemy. Hot plasma filled the skies as DARTs came flying by. I had only seen these ships one or two times before. Direct Aerial Rapid Transports were extremely fast dropships that could land and take off on the spot thank to some interesting mechanisms. Over the radio I heard their callsign. We all did.
“This is Inis Livnuis, of the 1st Alphantan Guard. Where to?”
The most famed Battalion of the Guards was here. Our defenders let cheers and whoops but I was focused on another thing.
“This is Navigator Cúl Chulainn of the Fortune Armoured Divison. We need medical assistance at the enemy AA station. We also need as many troops as possible on our front line. Identifiable by… Registration; 7.3, Chantilis.”
I looked at our burning ASC and thanked every power in this world.
“Roger that, incoming!”
We all braced as the heavy jets of the DART blew away the lose clumps of dirt and sand around us. I looked up and saw a squad of troopers in crimson armour holding modified rifles and Lances pouring out of their dropship and assuming positions beside us. Three DARTs had landed on us, two on the hill and one was still in the air. We could see two land and then take off at the AA station as well. I saluted as they arrived but then I saw one person advance with three crowns and a star. An Admiral. Inis Livnuis.
“First of all, I would like to apologise for not arriving sooner. The fleet was ambushed by the Wolfpack again. We did not expect Tordillians. Secondly, I recommend that you don’t call the brass ‘gits’, Commander Audie. They don’t like it. Shall we.”
Her voice was full of certainty. She was certainly a Livnuis. We formed up and closed rank. We marched forward. The 1st Alphas had brought their own shields, painted in crimson and green. We were armoured and heavily armed, finally. The first lines of Janissaries were brave. They charged with gusto. But the Alphantan kept their line. Falling into their kneeling positions, they opened fire. Heavy rounds of the darkest red erupted from their rifles as they fired slowly but surely into their advance. 45 Alphas, 12 Maritimes and 16 Navis marching forward turned the tide of the battle. Their grenadiers got shot down before they could release their deadly packages, the Sterling’s accuracy was unchallenged. Inis drew her sword and marched beside us, her sparkling blue eyes all that could be seen behind her armoured mask. Camo, now in ample supply of ammunition, began to fire at the enemy whilst he advanced. Gerain and Dorit joined him and they kept the enemy’s heads down as we marched.
“Forward for the UGC! Álphantan Abú!“
We continued forward, meeting every adversary with a volley of fire. I sadly did collapse after my arm got to me. Camo ran back to me. He took some of my field dressing and wrapped my shoulder up again. I gritted my teeth as he poured on the anti-septic fluid. He helped me up and called up a medical team. When I saw the stretcher, I looked at him.
“I’m staying here!”
“Cúl, stay here. That’s an order! You’re wounded. I’ll let them know and we will keep marching to stop the maniacs who killed Torrinter. Do you hear me?”
“Yes… Sir!”
I’m glad I took his order. I lay down on the ground and waited for the meds to get me to home base. In my idle state I noticed that the AA station was totally different. Mulbers had dropped off prefab offices and centres. It looked much more UGC now. I asked a nearby Logistic Officer what the story was. Turns out the most heavily injured got brought Crimson Lady for operation whilst the rest were here. I can’t remember much after that.
I woke up in a beautifully white room with huge windows that let in mountains of light. I heard voices around me and turned my head to see who’s voices they belonged to. I saw my squad, +1. Maebht sat with her foot in a brace, NP had no obvious battle wounds but I knew that he definitely had some battle scars, Dorit had his buzz cut grown out a bit and Gerain had a new scar running above his beard. Mac was sitting at the end of my bed, every bit of him covered in bandage. Camo was dressed in the darkest navy and was wearing a spotless white helmet. I managed a laugh and propped myself up.
“Nice dress uniform!”
“Nice prosthetic arm…”
I looked at my arm in horror only to realise it was still my own. When I looked up the rest of them had burst into laughter. I cursed them all.
“No PT but you were close. You were it by a cluster of shrapnel. I’m kinda surprised you were able to even walk, no mind shoot.”
Camo had a point. I looked around the room. A standard Squadie room, one chair empty. It should have been empty but someone came in and filled it. Torrinter had perished but Kilza was back. I smiled. I would have a lot to tell her.
It was the largest ceremony I was ever at. Thousands of people filled the streets of Kilmacdeen, the capital of Concannon. We were on top of the central plaza, sitting on the same stage that Tordillian fanatics once preached from.
Inis Livnuis, the OC and the Sergeant were at the front of it all, talking to the civilians and then to us. Fortune had lost 2% of its fighting force, but Torrinter was definitely the largest blow. For our hardship, the crew of the Chantilis received a Mechanized Warfare Cross. I got the Victory medal, the Stand medal, the Order of the Bull medal and, a very sad one, the Memory Cross. Camo managed to get a special commendation from Admiral Livnuis herself.
“All she said to me was ‘gits’! Guess you do get rewarded”
But, it sickened all of us that the second half of the armoured division had received even more merit, having ‘won’ the battle by cutting off their escape. But we had seen death, we had lost those extremely close to us. I was grateful just to have my crew and Kilza. We looked at the others with bitterness. But we knew that this was the Captains last campaign and we needed to end it with dignity.
Epilogue
6 periods of rest came and went. On the very last day of our respite, we decided to head back to Concannon. We saw the lonely Solitarius Mountains that cradled the city of Kilmacdeen from the horrendous winds of the planet as we came through the atmosphere. We descended in a NGO Hercules Transport, its large hulls filled with the new supplies and technology that the new free nation required. The Kingdom of Aquila still maintained it sovereignty and monarchy but it was only allowed to rule over the territories that wanted them. Just less than half of Concannon agreed to be part of the old rule. The exiled royal family once again sat at their stately home of Castle Mount Rey. The UGC withdrew all troops 2 periods ago to let the people of Free Concannon rule themselves but a military presence was maintained in the small pockets of land that the UGC ran to preserve the peace. The Invaders were gone, the Insurgency was gone, the Tordillians were finished. Their fleet that had managed to evade us for some time got bogged down in the skies of Concannon and lost 60% of their fighting force. They were crippled.
When we landed we helped the charitable worker unload the supplies and bring them to the centres. They greatly appreciated the four, strong arms of Mac. We bid farewell to them and they reminded us of the leaving times. We thanked them and bid them farewell. We clambered into a horse-drawn carriage. I know. We were pioneers in mechanization and now we were trotting along at around the same speed towards the Abersen. Kilza and I sat opposite Maebht and NP. Dorit and Gerain sat on the back and Mac was right beside the driver. Kilza let a cheer as she looked out the window. I looked outside and observed a platoon of Free CC infantry marching by the roadside accompanied by a dozen captured Tordillians. We all let off a huge cheer as we passed, much to the distain of our driver. We took it slowly through the forest, as all the mines laid three years ago had not yet been discovered and dealt with. The driver was probably cursing us for making him go down the path. He dumped us in the middle of the forest and then rode off like the clappers. We laughed at our misfortune and carried on.
The forest was certainly changed by the war, craters and shrapnel wounds everywhere. But nature had healed, just like us. We all were amazed when we came across Archibald and BABY both pristinely destroyed in the middle of the road, with moss and ferns growing through the shattered hull and open hatches.
“Well, this is as far I remember!”
We all laughed at Kilza’s remark, especially when we passed the small clearing where we found her and the Maritimes showed up. We carried on, taking the direct route instead of the mountain one we took during the campaign.
“Phew, glad we missed this lot”
Gerain was the first to notice the pillboxes and trenches that where in every crevice. It would have been hell to go through here. But now they were silent, not ever seeing combat. Only being left to become part of the landscape.
We got to the mouth of the valley rather quickly. There, we saw the new shining fort that adorned the hilltop. It was made using the usually ReCom mix and armoured sheets of most UGC building but the newborn Free Army Flag flew beside our Cross. We walked top the gate, where we were stopped by the sentries. Dorit couldn’t help comment on the fact none of their helmets fitted but thankfully they didn’t hear him. We introduced ourselves as UGC and they checked our details. We got many excited faces. We walked down another path to the old battle line. We all knelt beside the wreck of the Chantilis Mk 3, its blue paint still visible. It had already been gutted, we got our kit back and the shells were gone but it still felt like home.
“To Glory, Victory…” I said.
“And Fortune!“
The motto of our company spoken by true heroes. With that moments reconcile, we made our way back to the HQ. Lovingly christened, Fort Torrinter.
Through action a Man becomes a Hero, through death a Hero becomes a Legend, through time a Legend becomes Myth, and by learning from the Myth a Man takes action…
A very happy Easter to all. Enjoy the eggs, joy and remembrance. Today we will be diving head first into some ships you may not know from the Star Wars Universe. Not too much Legends but a fair few bits and bobs from everything else. So, shall we begin?
The Dornean Gunship
#1 Dornean Gunship
This is probably the best known; least known vessel on the list. The Dornean Gunship (or Braha’tok-class gunship if you’re Klingon) looks distinctly different to most OG Star Wars vessels, having more of a Battle Star Galactica feel. This was exactly why it was shelved and can only be seen in small frames here and there in Return of the Jedi. But thanks to a dedicated fanbase, it has got great 3D models of it (like the one above by Alfredo_the_great on Reddit) and has seen a recent revival in recent media like Rebels and Rogue One, being seen in its full glory. Also, note the huge amount of weapons. Certainly a favourite in Empire at War.
#2 Carrick-Class Frigate
This is also a favourite from EaW. A hardy fella used by the Empire, it also packed a large amount of firepower. Different models take different aspects on the craft but most give it a huge front window, so great views -> bad life-span. It’s very blocky and a bit utilitarian, so it’s obvious why it also got no screen time but a few concept drawings by Ralph McQuarrie. It also has more engines than a hyped up CR-90 as well but that’s another matter.
To the Left, Ignore the GR-75
#3 First Order Light Cruiser
Again. Big window facing forward will really lower ones lifespan. This thing actually played a large part in a recent comic and it showed off just exactly what the hell it is. It is a First Order ship and its refreshing to see an original craft not just an Imperial ship with some scrap welded on. Also, this thing has the No.1 best hid and seek skills in Star Wars History. It was at the very front of the Finalizer and no one saw it for ages!
#4 Pelta-Class Light Frigate
Well, this thing is a hodge-podge if nothing else. A bit of the CR-90 at the front mixed with the Charger-C70 for the bridge. A medical frigate during the Clone Wars, we saw it in use during the Geonosis Brain Worms arc and other episodes. It does have a very nice design overall, I do like the foldy wings at the rear. We did see a fair bit of it in the Clone Wars but it had a huge place in Rebels, as Phoenix Command. So, not too obscure but interesting all the same.
#5 The Eclipse
The flagship of Emperor Palpatine and the Empire, this Dreadnought refit has a huge arcing bow with a mini super-laser in the front. If you know anything of Legends, you know this jet-black craft but it also has had its name dropped in the Aftermath Novels (Great Series by Chuck Wendig, check it out) so its officially canon, but maybe not in the form above. A very famous EU (Extended Universe) ship, it has a very dedicated and talented fanbase and is also an Empire at War favourite (Check it out, a wonderful vintage strategy game).
So, that’s it for this week. The Fortunate Ones will be out soon but I hope that this will bid you over for now. Also, I’m aware that every one of these have a 3,000 word Wookiepedia article each but overall, this is for the more casual watcher. Hope you enjoyed. Enjoy Easter!
Today, I shall be discussing the inspirations and influences behind the blog and book. I started it all as an escape, to help myself feel valued and to forget the eejits who made my life hell. This spread to the first drafts on a battered PC, amounting to 33,000 words. I gave it a break for a year and a bit as I was settling into a new school and needed to find myself (Which took a very long time). After Ups and Downs, I made it to a place of happiness and acceptance in myself. Then I took a huge leap. With new friends, ideas and insight, I started rewriting the book (Now at 6,500 words) and took a plunge into blogging. I started the Livnuis Project on January 31st, 2019 and discovered the joys of the Sci-Fi Medium and that’s how you’re reading this. So let’s discover what made the Livnuis Project.
The History of Ireland, As Gaeilge!!!
History
First things first, I adore History. I am considered the ‘fella of a thousand facts’ and I have been the bane of Quizzes for a very long time. Every nugget of historical knowledge I store and more than likely use in the Livnuis Project (or just constantly tell family members about). I believe that every country’s history should be told and I have a fair variety of international, historical influences in my book and blog. Irish History dominates the most of it (More on that later) but there is also English, French, German and, recently, Swedish. The Caroleans are based solely off of the their awesome history. I was recently entranced by the music of Sabaton, who led me into the wonderful history of the Swedish Empire and their leaders like Charles XII (Carolus Rex) and Gustav II Adolf (Gustavus Adolphus or The Lion from the North). Not only did I find out the Swedes had awesome nicknames, but their Empire and tactics were both very impressive and suited my new and improved Universe.
The lovely Swedish Caroleans, Sabaton, The Lion from the North and the Swedish Empire
New friends have also influenced my book as well. A Polish friend of mine has greatly helped my expansion into Slavic History and his tales of the Polish elite cavalry, The Winged Hussars, have also made their way into the book. The interesting blend of Sci-Fi and Fantasy present in the book is from a wide range of historical sources, near and far. A fair few memoirs and an actual discussion with a tank gunner helped me with the whole crew dynamic, one I am working on for the finale of the Fortunate Ones (I only had the excellent chat after Ep.III, so get ready for a very good and super realistic finale). Besides chatting about Panzers and the quality of American munitions, I also got a bit more insight into how different nations interact with each other and the conflict that arises. Thanks for the Tank Chat!
The Beautiful Chieftan MK 10
LandscapeThe island of Ireland is dominated by the beautiful things the world has to offer. Castles such as Portumna, The Rock of Dunamase and Kilkenny all give me wonderful ideas for Eagilita and further, whilst the picturesque yet simple rolling hills just look superb. I recently got blown away by the wonderful Portumna Castle, which has already sparked ideas for the Chalice in my book, the ancient home of the Livnuis’. These castles, tower-houses, fortresses and manor-houses adorn our lovely landscapes and always give me ideas of grandeur. I always imagine guards marching their noble grounds and maybe a ship lifting off in the distance. The many waterways, like the Shannon and Corrib, and mountains, like the Blackstairs and Macgillicuddy Reeks, present in Ireland has thought me about atmosphere and how scenes look. I don’t like flat, generic, one biome Sci-Fi Worlds (Looking at you Tatoonie and Hoth!). Seeing the landscape of the west, east, midlands and south over the years I have got used to the green, grassy pastures and rolling hills. I always expect a far away sea or hill in the distance, being very well acquainted with the Atlantic and Blackstairs. Ireland doesn’t do huge mountains and valleys but the beautiful coastline, rivers, hanging valleys and waterfalls all add to the charm of our fair land.
The Beautiful Ben Bulben
Ireland, to this day, has a vast amount of Estates dotted around the nation and their walls still dominate most countrysides. I was always mystified by these places and their effects on the local people. So, that’s why their in my writings. Ireland also had horrific workhouses, last resorts for people on the verge of death. This was during a huge historic event known as the Famine, a mass failure of the Irish Lumper potato that saw 1/4 of our population leaving the country or the world. Pathetic handling of the situation by British politicians lead to uncontrollable death, disease and poverty in the emerald isle. For a part of the British Empire (Since 1801), it was highly neglected and some would say that the British were all too happy to let the poor, undereducated Irish populous die. I’m not one to call it a genocide, but by god, it lends it hand to the word. So, I deemed it necessary to let this piece of dark history into the Red Prince and my other stories. A bright side to these dark times is that, as with most things, the Irish managed to channel their anger into another rebellion. After poor Fr Murphy’s 1798 rebellion, the people were wary of resistance. But after the horrific events of Black ’47, the Irish struck out again, with the Easter Rising of 1916 followed by the Anglo-Irish War of the 1920s that secured our sovereignty. Hence the Republic of Ireland! Names like Trevelyan and Collins in song, poem and history and my stories. Glad to be part of it lads!
Irish Myth & Legend
The stories of Irish heroes and heroines are imbued in our culture. The mightiest is that of Cuchulainn, from the young boy Setanta to the mighty hound of Chualainn. He’s the most famous warrior in Irish legend and his name and exploits have made their way into Eagilitan name and myth as well. But some of our most famous heroes were as real as you and me. Brian Ború is a perfect example of this. He was the High King of Ireland in the time of the Vikings and died after the last battle against them, killed by a Viking whilst he prayed. So, overall, pretty badass. The Irish nearly had the original action heroes, with a bunch of people killing armies, dragons and witches. The likes Queen Maebh were also really cool to add into my stories. She was the queen of Connacht and her grave on Ben Bulben has always allured me. Another Irish Badass. So, that was Irish mythology. Short, sweet but there is a lot of it in my book and I’ll make sure to mention it in more stories.
Queen Maebh, Cúchulainn and Brian Ború
The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Medium
I have always and will always love book, films and other media based on Sci-Fi and Fantasy, as well as a lot of genres. Everything I read makes me stop, think and try to add it in some manner to my book. I love Tolkien for one, his descriptive worlds and character types have all flooded their way into Eagilita, Galacticia and Hasson. I’ve always adored the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, so much so that the LotR was the main inspiration in the very beginning. But I did have one problem. It was a tad too magicky for my tastes. I loved the medieval armour and weapons. But I just didn’t know about all the spells. And I was a fan of Napoleonic warfare. But gunpowder and shot was a bit too jarring. So I thought…
“Why not Lasers!!!! And Knights!!!! Why not Lasers, Knights and Space!!!!!”
A Young Red Prince, note extraordinary use of exclamation mark
An artists impression of
Here’s another embarrassing bit. The first ever thoughts of this all where based off of Power Rangers. Yep, the multicoloured fellas. I was young, very young. This was my first venture into Sci-Fi. Baptism by fire. So, I had these early days of playing as Power Rangers and then the joy of observing the Lord of the Rings. But I needed to stitch the two together. Thank the maker that I was fortunate to come across an ancient galaxy, a long way away.
Crikey…
Star Wars burst into my life way too late. I loved it so much. The samurai like aspects mixed with beautiful landscapes and amazing characters that was all distinctly Sci-Fi yet still keeping some fantasy elements. My best moments in Sci-Fi all come from this beautiful saga and I am really pumped for Episode IX (The Trailer looks so good), having loved The Last Jedi and The Force Awakens. I have made friends and have had the best discussions over Star Wars, so props to George Lucas and John Williams. That score will forever stay in my soul.
Yep, Star Wars is Awesome!
Star Trek also happened, it was cool. I was a Next Gen fella, h’on Picard. But for the Livnuis Project, I had to do some grade A research into Battle Star Galactica and Babylon 5 (A quick Wiki-check on each). Both Universes seem very cool and I did like certain aspects but it was a bit too much ‘Hard Sci-Fi’ for my tastes. But, I was only brought onto these gems by two (well three) people.
The noble crew of the Enterprise-E
The two big names are Templin Institute and Spacedock. They both inspired me to great lengths. I looked at these amazing visuals, interesting ideas and great fun and thought “I could do that!”. I’m currently missing one of those attributes, you can estimate which one. But the amazing work that Marc, Larissa & Daniel do for the Sci-Fi media deserves every bit of recognition. Their Youtube channels are both extremely cool so I highly recommend you check out them out at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfjaAUlTZRHJapJmCT6eyIg and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpqCsO-fb2_OzVxm7J9MslA Also, MetaNerdz are very amazing in terms of techincalities so check them out as well!
The Templin Institute and Spacedock
New Rock Stars
Eckhart’s Ladder
Star Wars HQ
Battlefront Updates
Rowan J Coleman
So, that’s it. A huge post that has made me remember where I was and how happy I am to be here. Great thanks to all who have made the Livnuis Project a success. 4 months in, over 70 views. Thanks to every single person who helped me my looking at my hard work. I’m always looking for a team, so here’s to the future. Now, my most important influence/inspiration. My Mammy. Always there for me and constantly helping me. None of this would have happened if she hadn’t told me “Why don’t you write it down?” Thank you eternally for that. Enjoy Easter Week!
The mighty Trooper Corp was set up to uphold and protect the Universal Galactic Concord. Their armour, weapons and tactics are a mix of many nations and their diverse ranks have given them the advantage time and time again against less knowledgeable foes. They focus on the use of high quality equipment, vehicles and troops, leading to a small, highly skilled army, ready to defend the Concord at any moment.
22nd Vanguard on Hasson (Actually WW1 French Troops, but you get the idea…)
Equipment;
Every Trooper, no matter their role, has a basic undergarment that composes of a linen vest with a woollen tunic over it. Its standard colouring is one of five drab colours, usually khaki. It contains two large breast pockets for personal belongings and the Blechener Book, the standard issue regulation manual for all UGC troops. Two smaller pockets for other items and an internal sleeve for writing equipment are also provided with every tunic. Hardened leather patches cover the epaulettes to stop wear and tear on the user’s shoulders and also support the webbing and the weight of the Sterling rifle.
The epaulettes have straps that are attached with silver buttons to the tunic and hold regimental strips and the minor rank shield, pip or crown. A lanyard and belt, referred to as the Bowe, are then positioned over the tunic followed by threaded webbing. Holsters, ammunition charges, explosives, bayonets and the haversack are all attached to this. Armour plating is then fitted on top of this and the outer baggage is placed outside of this.
The standard kit has a polishing set, regimental cap, banner, entrenchment tool, water carrier and field dressing contained in the haversack attached to the back. A scabbard is assigned to all trooper for use with a standard arming sword and a dagger is also attached to the side of the right leg. The armoured Fianna helmet is of Eagilitian origin and composes of a rigid Cré-umha helmet with a 2.4cm brim with three large ridges. These ridges originally contained padding in the Model Ex.1. But later editions contained radio equipment and climate control mechanisms, first seen in the Bh.3. The rim goes all the way around the helmet and juts out at the back. A plume holder is also common on officers helmets.
Armoured greaves and half-knee lenght boots are also present. Each trooper carries a piece of camp equipment, such as a cooking pan, a tent or lantern, and specialised sleds are also used by certain groups to transport heavier items or even wounded comrades. Heavy gunners use these sleds to help transport their weapons, like the Balinna or Misan as they can be pulled by two or three people. Flag bearers have specialised boots to allow for carrying banners and signal flags as well.
Good conduct medals, clan’s medal and service strips are all held on the right shoulder. Rank is represented on the cuffs of uniforms with a variety of pips, stars and crowns. Each regiment and planet has their own colour e.g Guardsmen red, Vanguard Blue, Fusilier Yellow, which is represented on their gauntlets and dress uniform. Special units like the Special Operation Commandoes (COS) have their own helmet and crest that identify them whilst the Engineer Corps have their own uniform entirely.
Common Patches, Eagilitian Patches and the Alphatan Patch
Weapons
Sterling Rifle: The standard rifle of the UGC, this bolt-action rifle is known for its reliability, accuracy and rate of fire. 10 round clips are loaded in the top breach and underneath the barrel is the ‘v’ bayonet. The coolant core provides all heat disruption and allows for 20-30 aimed shots a minute. The .303 Pulse round provides relative good penetration and superb accuracy but does provide a fair bit of heat. Its elegant wood butt stock and overall design gave it a reputation for begin the best rifle in the Solus only a few months after its first appearance on the battlefield.
TI-FI: A 20-round semi-automatic rifle developed off of the Nabunkan ‘Selbsorcan’ design, it saw extensive use at the end of the Great War and the Tordillian Insurgency. It was first used by the Rangers as a rugged weapon that could lay down mid ranged fire quickly and then became a favourite of scouting parties. It also uses .303 but can also use high velocity rounds as well to add extra punch over distance. A rotating lug re-chambers the round using the force of the last round, hence the name ‘Tied-Fired’.
HI-FI: A much more modern weapon, the ‘High-Fire’ was designed by GloTech and became the first sub-repeating carbine used by the UGC. Suffering from heat based limitations, the carbine was perfect for use on vessels and close-quarter environments but suffered from sustained fire. The Mk.III was very barebones and was vital to the war effort as it could be made in practically any forge or factory and was very cheap, consisting of only the metal assembly and a foldable stock. The later models, like the Wellock are still used by the UGC and now features a wooden assembly once again. It was the first primary weapon that deviated from the .303 and switched to pistol ammunition, like the plasma .212.
Lance Gun: A very effective Light Repeating Weapon (LRW), it uses the same .303 but uses a large, semi-circlular magazine that fits onto the side of the receiver. Developed by the Doran company Chau-Chatn, it became a favourite of the Maritime Corp, leading to its continued usage and many upgrades. 21 rounds can be delivered reliably in 15 seconds and the air cooling system allows for continued fire. It allowed for mobile suppressive fire which totally revolutionised how combat was fought all across the Solus.
Other: A variety of mortars, artillery pieces, explosives, charges, grenades and rockets are all available to the UGC Trooper, although these are usually assigned to specilised units.
Overall, the UGC Trooper were the forerunner of modern techniques of conducting war. Their use of pre-existing armies and their technologies and weaponry has allowed them to survive under the new and old threats that face them every day.
Dia Duit, Red Prince here with another fabulous post. This time, I shall be discussing my thoughts on bridges or command towers on ScFi vessels. In a lot of Scfi, we have lovely ships that posses a metric ton of armour and weapons, but then have a big bridge or two sticking out in the middle of space. Here are some examples:
The Venator Star Destroyer (The Clone Wars, Ep. II & III)
#1 Star Wars
Star Wars has some absolutely stellar ship designs, like the beautiful Venator above, but quite often fall victim to very exposed bridges. This craft has two bridges, one for general runnings and one for fighter command. Both are on top of two very tall towers and have fallen victim to attack in many episodes of the Clone Wars. Mostly, these designs are meant to be a nod to classic real life destroyers and carriers but for something of this size, they just act as a huge security risk. But they do make them look very cool, so props to Lucasfilm.
A slight misconception is that the Providence Destroyer has the worst bridge in Star Wars, begin jutted out on a big column and made nearly totally of glass. The part of the ship most think of as the bridge is, in fact, an observation tower. Hence the exposer and glass bits. The actually bridge is still made of a lot of glass but is at the bow of the ship The more you know 😉
The Providence Class Destroyer, Clone Wars, Ep. III
#2 Battle Star Galactica
Battle Star Galactica Fleet, BSG
Now, these are sensible bridges. Armoured, not totally apparent and awesome. We have a fair set of ships here, I’ll just use the Galactica as an example. It’s just a small bump in the front of the ship, that gives ample viewing ability for the crew. A common thing said about exposed bridges is “It gives more of a tactical view”. That would make sense for the Bismarck but in the distant future, sure, wouldn’t a set of cameras do the job? I always think that you need an equal amount of realism and practicality, and entertainment and design. Finding which way you want to go down is the key between showing the differences between BSG and Star Wars and deciding what direction you want your stories to go down.
#3 Stak Trek(in across the Universe! #Sorry)
Enterprise E Class, The Next Generation, First Contac
Star Trek has some very nice bridges, which are usually pretty safe but some, like the classic Enterprise are quite easy to hit. This example here is the lovely TGN bridge that has its traditional viewscreen design and an awesome battle bridge, very common in WW1 Destroyers and extremely practical. The E-Class has my favourite pratical bridge design out of the lot of them. I do have other problems with Star Trek ships in general, such as the very feeble neck and how stupid it looks as the tactical frisbee but overall, a very good design in terms of bridges.
So, that’s it for now. Comment what you think, get involved with the discussion. I should hopefully have another post out soon. I’m over on the Templin Institutes Discord server, so I’ll be there doing my thing. Best of luck all, stay happy and healthy and I’ll be back.
Welcome all to a very special update post. If you didn’t know, the 17th of March is St Patrick’s Day, a day commemorating the life of Ireland’s patron saint and all things Gaelic and Irish. This is a little insight into the day that celebrates Irishness all over the world:
So…… where to begin? The whole event is based off of celebrating the life of St Patrick, a Welsh bishop sent by the Pope to bring Christianity to the then pagan Ireland. He became our patron saint and is buried in Downpatrick, Down. St Patrick is played by a quirky old lad in most parades and is sometimes drove around in a horse and cart, going at 2km or 80km. Most parades are built up of trailers towed by tractors that are built up with all manner of flags and boards. Parades also feature:
Historical Floats; All manner of historical characters ranging from Cuchulainn to Micheal Collins and Éamonn de Valera. The latter is extremely prominent as it has been 100 years since the first Irish Daíl (Parliament) was set up.
Satirical Floats; Yep, the Irish sure love taking the mick out of anyone they can. This year there was tons of Trump and wall-related stuff, including the big T driving a three wheeled tractor. Also, Brexit has its fair share of floats as well. Essentially, the Irish do satire extremely well!
Arty Floats; More prominent in the larger festivals, such as Dublin, artist create masterpieces that give a modern aspect to ancient Celtic themes.
“What the hell is that supposed to be?” Floats; Could be a collection of chairs precariously stacked, begin towed on a trailer by a horse or just a few bags of turf and wood in the back of a trailer, nearly every rural parade has one of these beauties.
St Paddy’s Day (not Patty!) is amazing for the fact that it has spread through out the world. Every place that the Irish have touched nearly have their own parade and just goes to show that for such a small island with only 6 million people, we have made one hell of an impact on this world. So, that’s it for this week. Stay happy and healthy, get ready for Star Wars Celebration and a great week of SciFiness, with the Templin Institute doing a bit of role-playing over at https://www.twitch.tv/hollowtale. So, best of luck to all, happy St Patrick’s Day and most of all…
The Livnuis Project 