Martian Republic The Martian Republic is an isolationist oligarchy formed from a conglomeration of national colonies following the Third World War. Many of those original colonies were research outposts and their populations had little interest in politics. In fact, most Martian settlers had more common with each other than their parent nations on Earth and saw the war that devastated Earth as a failure of their collective governments. They were openly hostile to attempts by the remnants of those governments to evacuate survivors to Mars and had access to the latest weapons technology with which to enforce that embargo. The colony leaders formally declared the creation of the Republic six months after the war. The scientific culture of the Republic has endured since its foundation and it is by far the most advanced of all the Solarian states.
The Martian government began as a council of leaders that evolved into what is now the Senate. Despite some limited initial attempts at democracy, the Senate is effectively a hereditary oligarchy, with each Senator passing on his position to a family member or favoured successor on his own death or abdication. Given the need for a strong and coherent approach in the years following the war, this system has served the Republic relatively well. In an effort to join the population together in those early years, the Senate decided to remove any remaining national loyalties by adopting Latin as the official language of the Republic. While this took some time to fully implement for the initial colonists, Martian children grew up with Latin as their first language. After five or six generations, the language is a fully integrated part of Martian society.
Mars was the first body in the solar system to be fully terraformed and this process was underway when the war started. The three Monoceros class terraforming stations that carried out the work still remain in orbit. As a result, while the early Republic had a small population, it had lots of room to grow so large families were encouraged. This was in contrast to other powers who faced overcrowded and often dangerous conditions in the years after the war. This emphasis on family has continued to the present day, although Mars still has the smallest population and industrial base of any of the Solarian powers. Martians have always enjoyed comfortable conditions and a relatively high standard of living, so they tend to look down on the citizens of the other powers as less civilised, particularly those of the Colonial Coalition.
The Republic has followed an isolationist foreign policy for decades, virtually ignoring the other states and concentrating on its own defence and scientific growth. This had led to naval forces that are more advanced than any of their rivals, particularly in regard to defensive technologies, and comprise very capable warships, yet lack any experience of power projection or long deployments away from Mars. However, given that Mars and other Solarian powers will be facing significant resource shortages within a couple of decades, a situation which is likely to lead to conflict, Martian leaders have been reconsidering the isolationist policy in recent years. With that potential change in mind, the current classes of Martian warships have been designed and developed with the potential for operations against distant targets.
Martian scientists recently completed research into a jump point theory. After intense and fractious debate, the Senate voted to share the existence of jump point theory, although not the research itself, with the other Solarian powers. While Mars could have explored beyond the Solar system alone, the concern was that other powers would eventually attack Mars as resources ran out. Giving them a different focus would divert their efforts outwards and away from Mars. Leaving the announcement until Mars has constructed its own gravitational survey ships was also considered. The consensus was that the other powers would perceive Mars as having too great an advantage in that circumstance, which might be sufficient to push those powers into an alliance against Mars. Research into the new technologies revealed by jump point theory is underway.
Classis MartiaThe primary mission of the Martian Navy, or Classis Martia in Latin, is to defend Mars. With that in mind, the largest and most expensive Martian ‘warship’ is the Maximus class orbital weapons platform. Equipped with thirty AMM launchers, backed by a magazine capacity of almost sixteen hundred missiles, plus ten twin gauss cannon turrets, each Maximus provides a formidable anti-missile shield in orbit of Mars.
Maximus class Orbital Weapon Platform 20,000 tons 496 Crew 3,189 BP TCS 400 TH 0 EM 0
1 km/s Armour 8-65 Shields 0-0 HTK 125 Sensors 3/0/0/0 DCR 6 PPV 193.20
Maint Life 1.20 Years MSP 598 AFR 533% IFR 7.4% 1YR 428 5YR 6,424 Max Repair 144 MSP
Magazine 1,590
Trierarch Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months Morale Check Required
Twin R3 Gauss Cannon Turret (10x6) Range 30,000km TS: 20000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Titus-Felix TF-20 Point Defence Fire Control (5) Max Range: 64,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s
AMM Launcher (30) Missile Size: 1 Rate of Fire 10
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-20F Missile Fire Control (6) Range 19.1m km Resolution 1
Pugio AMM (1590) Speed: 58,400 km/s End: 0m Range: 2.7m km WH: 1 Size: 1.00 TH: 233/140/70
Victricius VSS-20A Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 144 Range 19.1m km MCR 2.1m km Resolution 1
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-90 Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 15120 Range 90.3m km Resolution 105
S3 Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 3 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 13.7m km
The Trajan class battlecruiser is the main offensive weapon of the Classis Martia, although none of the Trajans have ever left Mars orbit. The battlecruiser has a main battery of twelve launchers for the Gladius anti-ship missile. With a strength-9 warhead, a speed of 32,600 km/s and a range of ninety million kilometres, the Gladius is the most capable anti-ship missile in the Sol system. If Mars does abandon its isolation, the Trajan will be leading the way. All Trajans are named after Roman Emperors.
Trajan class Battlecruiser 18,000 tons 462 Crew 2,865.5 BP TCS 360 TH 1,920 EM 0
5334 km/s Armour 8-61 Shields 0-0 HTK 110 Sensors 24/8/0/0 DCR 11 PPV 72
Maint Life 2.00 Years MSP 1,094 AFR 236% IFR 3.3% 1YR 365 5YR 5,470 Max Repair 320 MSP
Magazine 1,008
Trierarch Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Marcellus-Gaius MG-640 Magneto-plasma Drive (3) Power 1920 Fuel Use 35% Signature 640 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 665,000 Litres Range 19 billion km (41 days at full power)
Gladius Missile Launcher (12) Missile Size: 6.00 Rate of Fire 20
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-90F Missile Fire Control (2) Range 90.3m km Resolution 105
Gladius Anti-Ship Missile (168) Speed: 32,633 km/s End: 46m Range: 90.6m km WH: 9 Size: 6.00 TH: 108/65/32
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-90 Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 15120 Range 90.3m km Resolution 105
S8 Passive EM Sensor (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
S24 Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 38.7m km
The Lancea class destroyer is an energy-armed combatant, capable of operating independently, as part of a small squadron in combination with the Sagittarius (see below) or with the Trajans in a battle fleet. The particle beam armament has excellent long-range damage for an energy weapon, which works well in combination with the Lancea’s superior speed compared to most other Solarian energy-armed warships. With the same primary sensor as the Trajan class battlecruiser supported by passive EM and thermal, the Lancea can perform reconnaissance and patrol duties. All Lanceas are named after weapons of the Roman Empire.
Lancea class Destroyer 9,000 tons 281 Crew 1,757 BP TCS 180 TH 960 EM 0
5335 km/s Armour 6-38 Shields 0-0 HTK 65 Sensors 8/8/0/0 DCR 4 PPV 48
Maint Life 2.34 Years MSP 549 AFR 144% IFR 2.0% 1YR 137 5YR 2,053 Max Repair 160 MSP
Trierarch Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 15 months Morale Check Required
Marcellus-Gaius MG-320 Magneto-plasma Drive (3) Power 960 Fuel Use 49.50% Signature 320 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 510,000 Litres Range 20.6 billion km (44 days at full power)
Tiberius Weapon Systems TW6-240 Particle Beam (6) Range 240,000km TS: 5,335 km/s Power 15-4 ROF 20
Titus-Felix TF-256 Beam Fire Control (2) Max Range: 256,000 km TS: 5,000 km/s
P12 Stellarator Fusion Reactor (2) Total Power Output 24.2 Exp 5%
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-90 Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 15120 Range 90.3m km Resolution 105
S8 Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
S8 Passive EM Sensor (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
The Sagittarius class Destroyer Escort provides fleet defence against hostile missile attack and has similar capabilities to the Maximus, albeit on a much smaller scale. Ten AMM launchers are supported by a pair of twin gauss cannon turrets. While the Classis Martia remains in Martian orbit, the orbital weapon platforms provide sufficient missile defence, but if the fleet ventures out into the rest of the Sol system, victory or defeat could depend as much on the capabilities of the Sagittarius as the more glamorous battlecruisers. Each Sagittarius is named after a different type of Roman Gladiator.
Sagittarius class Destroyer Escort 9,000 tons 211 Crew 1,489.7 BP TCS 180 TH 960 EM 0
5334 km/s Armour 4-38 Shields 0-0 HTK 57 Sensors 8/0/0/0 DCR 4 PPV 42.64
Maint Life 2.10 Years MSP 465 AFR 144% IFR 2.0% 1YR 141 5YR 2,109 Max Repair 160 MSP
Magazine 322
Trierarch Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Marcellus-Gaius MG-320 Magneto-plasma Drive (3) Power 960 Fuel Use 49.50% Signature 320 Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 510,000 Litres Range 20.6 billion km (44 days at full power)
Twin R3 Gauss Cannon Turret (2x6) Range 30,000km TS: 20000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Titus-Felix TF-20 Point Defence Fire Control (1) Max Range: 64,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s Stellarator Fusion Reactor (1) Total Power Output 17 Exp 5%
AMM Launcher (10) Missile Size: 1 Rate of Fire 10
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-20F Missile Fire Control (2) Range 19.1m km Resolution 1
Pugio AMM (322) Speed: 58,400 km/s End: 0m Range: 2.7m km WH: 1 Size: 1.00 TH: 233/140/70
Victricius VSS-20A Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 144 Range 19.1m km MCR 2.1m km Resolution 1
S8 Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
The Angelus class Geological Survey Vessel is based on the same hull as the Sagittarius. As part of design changes, the magazine, missile launchers and associated sensors were removed and the armour reduced by twenty-five percent. They were replaced by four geological survey sensors and significant increases in fuel capacity, crew quarters and engineering capability. The sensor suite was changed to maintain missile detection, albeit at a shorter range, while adding a longer-range detection capability vs other ships. In times when no geological survey missions are required, the Angelus can provide additional anti-missile capability for home defence. With a top speed of 4000 km/s, the Angelus is slow for a Martian vessel, yet equal in speed to warships of other powers. Each Angelus is named after a famous Martian scientist of the early Republic, with the lead ship named Marcus Acilius Angelus.
Angelus class Geological Survey Vessel 9,000 tons 207 Crew 1,451.5 BP TCS 180 TH 720 EM 0
4002 km/s Armour 3-38 Shields 0-0 HTK 57 Sensors 8/0/0/4 DCR 10 PPV 32.64
Maint Life 6.02 Years MSP 1,058 AFR 62% IFR 0.9% 1YR 50 5YR 750 Max Repair 135.00 MSP
Trierarch Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months Morale Check Required
Marcellus-Gaius MG-360E Magneto-plasma Drive (2) Power 720 Fuel Use 19.69% Signature 360 Exp 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,025,000 Litres Range 104.2 billion km (301 days at full power)
Twin R3 Gauss Cannon Turret (2x6) Range 30,000km TS: 20000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
Titus-Felix TF-20 Point Defence Fire Control (1) Max Range: 64,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s
Stellarator Fusion Reactor (1) Total Power Output 17 Explosion 5%
Victricius VSS-5A Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 10 Range 4.9m km MCR 538.4k km Resolution 1
Victricius Sensor Systems VSS-50 Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 4800 Range 51.3m km Resolution 100
S8 Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Geological Survey Sensors (4) 4 Survey Points Per Hour
Classis Martia Order of Battle4x Maximus class Orbital Weapon Platform
3x Trajan class battlecruiser:
Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Trajan3x Lancea:
Lancea, Spiculum, Verutum3x Sagittarius:
Dimachaerus, Retiarius, Sagittarius2x Angelus class Geological Survey Vessel:
Marcus Acilius Angelus, Flavius Helvetius Novellius3x Cetus class freighter
2x Delphinus class Colony Ship
Marcianus ExercitusThe Martian ground forces are known as the Marcianus Exercitus and are sub-divided into the Legio formations and the Custodes Planetae formations. The latter comprise surface-to-orbit gauss cannon and particle beam, protected by Velites, or light infantry, and support the orbital defences. A Legio is a combined arms formation that comprises six infantry-based Cohortes, each with five hundred Legionarii (heavy infantry) and forty Ballistarii (crew-served AP), two Alae, each with one hundred and fifty Alares (singular Alaris), a light anti-personnel vehicle, and a single Equites Cataphractarii, with forty-eight Cataphract medium tanks. On January 1st 2150, the Marcianus Exercitus comprised four Legiones and three Custodes Planetae formations, each with six STO particle beams and six twin gauss cannon turrets.
