Cosmonarmada Vostok

Cosmonautic Armada of Vostok
Space Navy of Taillenia
Emblem
Founded	2006
Current form	2008
Headquarters	Fort Mercury, Vostok
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Taillesskangaru (de jure) Protectors (de facto)

The Cosmonautic Armada of Vostok, commonly abbreviated Cosmonarmada Vostok or CAV, is a military organization and space fleet, based on the planet Vostok, which it governs as an independent state. It was formed from the remnants of the Taillenian Empire's military, and continued to be known as the Taillenian Starfleet between the state's dissolution after DRAW Your Own Story 6 to its formal reconstitution as the Cosmonarmada in Plans Within Plans. It is currently governed by a cabal of senior officers (the so-called Protectors of the Supreme Council) following a mutiny against Hannibal Barca circa the Battle over Earth.

Mandate

Vostok (Political)
Flag Seal
Status	Independent state
Capital	Fort Mercury
Largest city	Port Voskhod
Official languages	English (command level)
Religion	None official
Government	Self-governing military order
National hero(es)	The Proletariat
Establishment
• as Taillenian Space Navy	2006
• as Cosmonarmada Vostok	ca. 2008
Currency	Republic Dataries (de facto)
Appears in	DRAW Your Own Story 10.5

The Armada's primary role is to govern and protect the planet Vostok, its inhabitants and the regional trade network from Space Pirates. The Armada is primarily a military order, and its members are trained in the arts of war. Occasionally, the CAV will intervene in foreign politics or lend their services to third parties (typically the former leaders of Taillenia, Taillesskangaru and Rocket), but generally keeps to its own region.

Command structure

Nominally, the Premier of the Taillenian Socialist Republic is the commander-in-chief of the fleet. However, since Taillenia has long ceased to exist, power has moved a rung or two down the ladder. The de facto leader of the CAV is the Supreme Commander, also known by his/her other title, the Marshal of Vostok. Much of the administrative responsibilities, however, lie with the twenty Protectors, high-ranking generals who may oversee certain departments of government or command a military district. Along with the Marshal they form the Supreme Council, the highest governing body of both the CAV and the territories under its protection.

From the Cosmonarmada's formation until July 2011, the Supreme Commander was Hannibal Barca. Officers opposed to his leadership seized on his Anti-Gem-fuelled questing to stage a mutiny shortly before a major expedition to Earth, stripping him of authority and severing his Blue Fleet from the chain of command. Thus far the Protectors have not named a replacement Supreme Commander.

History

The Cosmonarmada Vostok originated as the Space Navy of the Taillenian Socialist Republic, tasked with the expansion of Taillenian power beyond Earth. It played a significant (albeit primarily destructive and universally ignored) role in the search for the Monkey Statue of Spamuzel and the Mod's Fridge and in the occupation of large areas of Earth and CivFanatica during DRAW Your Own Story 5 and 6.

Although Taillenia dissolved after DYOS 6, the starfleet persisted as an independent entity, eventually coming under control of Rocket, a psychopathic (and, fortunately, extremely stupid) former avatar of Taillesskangaru, who used the fleet in an attempt to take over Earth during the Avatar Wars. During the Battle of Moscow, Rocket was captured; in the aftermath, Hannibal Barca emerged as Marshal-Commander, relocating the fleet to planet Vostok where it was rechristened the Cosmonarmada Vostok.

The Troubles

Main article: Gem War

Further information: Gem arc

Under influence of the Anti-Gem, Hannibal broke the Cosmonarmada's isolationist policy to begin an expedition to recover the Gem. Concurrently, the Cosmonarmada launched a raid on Wetickra to rescue Taillesskangaru from the Clone Guild, who were also pursuing the Gem's power. Following a fact-finding mission on Arrakis and further research in the Vostok archives, Hannibal ordered all available assets to join the Blue Fleet in a mission to destroy the Gem. Claiming his actions were endangering the Cosmonarmada, the Supreme Council blocked the order, instead declaring Hannibal and the Blue Fleet were henceforth rogue elements. Only the Miocene Arrow joined the expedition, which was ambushed by the Clone Guild en route to Earth; both fleets flagships were destroyed and Hannibal's surviving crew were stranded planetside.

Arsenal

Main article: Arsenal of the Cosmonarmada Vostok

Parthian Attack Fighter

Parthian fighter (foreground) during the Wetickra raid.

The Parthian is an all-purpose strike fighter developed by Central Vostok Aerospace. Parthian aircraft are usually deployed from a carrier or destroyer in space, although a modified version can also take off from the ground. The Armada uses these fighters in almost all atmospheric and orbital engagements, as fighters, interceptors, bombers, support gunships and/or troop transports. Parthian fighters are unfit for interstellar travel, however, and must be carried on board a carrier.

Onboard weaponry includes laser turrets (both at the front and back of the aircraft, enabling it to shoot at pursuers while retreating) and a small selection of missiles. Modified Parthian planes may also have a small cargo bay to hold ground troops, paratroops, bombs, equipment or supplies. What the Parthian lacks in firepower it makes up for with speed and versatility. These fighters can be very effective when used en masse, and the Armada has installed additional onboard countermeasures on most aircraft to make up for the Parthian's rather poor armour.

Alps-class Assault Carrier

The Alps-class is a super-heavy assault ship, filling the role of both a battleship and a carrier, built at Orbital Factories in orbit around Vostok. Only a few of these were ever constructed; however, a single ship is capable of easily defeating entire fighter squadrons. They are often referred to by Hannibal as his "elephants". The only one to appear in a comic so far was the Miocene Arrow.

Pharos-class Assault Carrier

Described as one of the largest ships in the fleet, the Pharos-class is similar in role and armament to the Alps-class. Its most notable feature is the dorsal-mounted "Suleiman" siege cannon running roughly one-third the length of the ship. Hannibal's flagship, Crobuzon, was a Pharos-class.