Vanguard Mothership Tutankhamun

General Characteristics
At a length of 3680 meters, the Tutankhamun is the second largest of all Frontier Vanguard vessels and consequently, the second-largest starship of the Terran Mandate as a whole. Its immense size effectively accommodates an entire Terran colony, including engineering and manufacturing industries, research and development facilities, and a military apparatus capable of conducting planet-wide operations both on the ground and in space.

While not designed as a pure warship, the Tutankhamun's main-line weaponry alone represents one of the largest mobile concentrations of Terran firepower, with the addition of its carrier-capabilities and sustained escort fleet.

Vanguard Grey
The hull of the Tutankhamun bears no colors of any of the Terran Mandate's powers, instead opting for the uniform grey of the Frontier Vanguard. In this vessel, the efforts of all humanity, regardless of heritage, ideology, and nation, are to be united as one. With all the colors, flags and banners stripped away, the Tutankhamun appears solely as an engineering monument to human achievement.

Naming Convention
The Tutankhamun is named after the ancient pharao of the 18th dynasty, whose tomb preserved the God-King's legend more than three millennia beyond his death. As such, he is regarded as a symbol of humanity's triumph over mortality and the will to defy the very entropy of the universe.

The Pharao's final adopted name, and technically that of the vessel, is Tutanchamunheqaiunuschema (Living Image of Amun, Ruler of Southern Iunu). By its crew, the vessel is more commonly called simply "The Mothership".

Hull Segments
Seven primary segments form the bulk of the Tutankhamun's hull. These rely all on independent energy- and communication grids, as well as life support functions for increased redundancy. Each segment is divided into interior sections comprised of smaller compartments, forming a hierarchical structure throughout the vessel. For practical purposes, this architecture is paralleled by the ship's administration. The primary hull segments are as follows:

The Castle
Located at the center of the vessel, the Castle houses central command-, communications- and sensor systems. Its lower sections are devoted to science- and research facilities, including some of the most valuable specialist equipment and laboratories. For much of the crew, the castle is their home, encompassing the majority of all crew-quarters, services, and recreational areas.

The Furnace
Directly behind the Castle lies the Furnace, housing the ship's primary powerplant and energy grid control. Many automata hives are also located here, protected by the same reinforced armor shielding.

The Ravelin
Much of the Tutankhamun's forward firepower is concentrated in the Ravelin. The forward section of the central hull is dedicated to military purposes, encompassing a multitude of weapons systems, the assault UAV hangars, and the ship's largest military docking bay, capable of accommodating even small frigates and destroyers.

Port & Starboard Ramparts
The Ramparts to port and starboard contain the bulk of the ship's aerospace wing- and UAV hangars. Weapon systems are clustered all over these hull sections, including the ship's superheavy launchers. Toward the stern, the interior space is taken up by industry, ranging from military-grade production facilities and refineries to bulk cargo storage and sewage treatment.

The Port & Starboard Funnels
The Funnels house the drive sections of the Tutankhamun, and all associated industrial facilities. They are also the center of all on-board maintenance activity and house the utility hangars.

Command and Structure
The totality of the Mothership's systems, departments, and functions is overseen by Tutankhamun High Command. This highest instance of authority aboard is headed by the Augment known as Balthazar, who also acts as Fleet Group Commander of the Frontier Vanguard. The remaining ranks of the High Command are filled by a group of select officers, many of which are veterans of the Terran Resistance.

Ensuring the execution, coordination, and reporting of the High Command's orders is the Executive Department Command. Split into twelve command branches, it oversees the thirty-two major departments aboard the vessel.

The departments themselves are split into divisions, which themselves are comprised of task-specific groups and ancillary units. Within this basic command structure, every position and job on the Tutankhamun are found.

Crew
Nearly half a million Terrans serve aboard the Vanguard Vessel Tutankhamun, supported by millions of synthetic and biological automata, multiple artificial intelligences, and AI networks. Its complement is more akin to that of an entire colony rather than a conventional crew. The administration and command of the vessel are further complicated by the unique composition of Frontier Vanguard personnel.

Troops of the Frontier Vanguard
The ranks of the Frontier Vanguard are made up of three groups.


 * 1) Veterans of the Terran Resistance founded the Vanguard and still form the hard core of its upper echelons. These service members hailed from all kinds of different backgrounds when they picked up arms during the Occupation Wars and fought for the liberation of Earth. Over the decades, they consolidated a common rank structure, doctrine, and training that still governs the Frontier Vanguard.
 * 2) Chosen members of the Vanguard are hand-picked from elite forces of all the Terran Mandate powers for both their skill and loyalty towards Earth above all. They bring the latest expertise, technologies, and intelligence to the organization, but are often more accustomed to the traditions and procedures of their original service. Their full integration into the Vanguard is a constant challenge and priority.
 * 3) Pure members of the Vanguard are educated, trained, and equipped by the organization itself. For this purpose, the Frontier Vanguard operates a network of youth organizations, paramilitaries, academies, and training facilities, raising the most loyal and best-adjusted members of a new generation.

Between the old guard, newly trained generations, and outside personnel, internal frictions and inconsistencies are unavoidable. To minimize this detriment, strict regiments of further training exercises, wargames, and indoctrination are utilized by the Vanguard leadership.

Ancillary and temporary crew
Within the Terran Mandate Frontier Vanguard, Military service is almost universal. Civilians serving in ancillary roles aboard the Tutankhamun are recruited from the ranks of specialists outside the Vanguard, which are essential to the mission assignment at hand.


 * Civilians called for service aboard a Vanguard vessel are treated as conscripts and integrated into the ship's command structure.
 * Temporary members of the vessel's crew hail typically from local vessels, colonies, and installations. They provide local contacts, knowledge, and insight.
 * Colonial recruit cadres wishing to join the Frontier Vanguard also have only a temporary status as members of the crew.

Artificial Intelligence
Vanguard vessels such as the Tutankhamun are a notable exception to the Terran Mandate's limited use of artificial intelligence.

Independent AGIs surpass human intelligence and excel at systems coordination, speculative analysis, and adaptive command guidance. However, I-AGIs are highly resource-intensive and prone to instabilities such as a disassociative breakdown.

Unlike conventional military vessels, where these limitations render the widespread use of I-AGIs impractical, the Tutankhamun possesses the necessary specialist capacities to deal with them.

AI networks and expert systems excel at Data Analysis and Situational Assessment. They are also utilized as command and control assist systems for UAV wings and Automata Hives. AI Networks are much more common in the Terran Mandate, but those of the Tutankhamun are notable for their scale and sophistication, again due to the vessel's considerable additional resources.

Automata
Automated systems are vital to the operation of the Tutankhamun. Automata Hives are command units operating large numbers of individual automata, coordinating and supervising their activities. Hives are typically attached to individual divisions of the Crew Departments, fulfilling a specific purpose. Generalist automata are more freely available and assigned according to necessity. Two types of Automata are distinguished.


 * Synth-Automata are predominantly robotic drones aiding in maintenance, upkeep, and damage control. They operate both inside and on the exterior of the vessel, often performing simple and repetitive tasks without the need for human interaction.
 * Bio-Automata are based on biological life-forms, either modified natural animals or synthesized organisms. They are more often used in close cooperation with human personnel. Common types of Bio-Automata include modified cockroaches, cats, macro amoebae, songbirds, and fish.

Together with the ship's systems, the Automata of the Tutankhamun form a kind of artificial wildlife aboard the vessel, capable of correcting and repairing itself.

Animals
Unlike Bio-Automata which are nearly entirely integrated into the vessel's systems, animals aboard live far more independently.

Around 50 000 animals are registered pets aboard, serving simply as companions and helpers to the ship and crew. They continue a long and proud tradition of Terran militaries and are at times awarded rank and reward for extraordinary actions.

Around 130 000 registered working animals live aboard the Tutankhamun. Similar to Bio-Automata, they serve in supporting roles for the crew, ranging from rodent control to physical aid and environmental indicators. Working animals are utilized where Bio-Automata lack the kind of complex behaviors or strong bond between worker and animal to fulfill their task most effectively.

At around 1.4 million, laboratory animals are the biggest group of the three. From simple environmental studies to complex reverse-bio-engineering experiments, organisms of various kinds and complexity are utilized in the scientific divisions of the Tutankhamun. This number also includes a great number of biological sample creatures taken aboard alongside their biomes.

Extraterrestrials
Few non-humans are typically tolerated aboard vessels of the Terran Mandate, but the Tutankhamun accommodates a considerable number out of necessity.

A community of 2500 dervishes, the closest thing to extraterrestrial allies, permanently lives aboard the Tutankhamun to help in the maintenance and operation of some of the most advanced hybrid systems aboard. Their territory aboard is a self-contained compartment with adapted life-support, energy- and security systems. Outside the engineering divisions responsible for the cooperative work, contact between them and the rest of the crew is minimal.

672 non-human members of diplomatic delegations and their staff are housed in the embassy ward of the vessel. The majority of these belongs to the Dervish as well, but temporary groups of other free- and client-species have been known to come aboard. Very little information on these interactions is widely available.

In the deepest compartments of the Tutankhamun, the Frontier Vanguard holds 171 prisoners of war. These members of confluence client species are subject to utmost secrecy and more of a rumor even aboard.

Crew Department List
Thirty-two departments form the highest level of the Tutankhamun's crew structure. Each department is divided into multiple divisions, which themselves are comprised of task-specific units and ancillary attachments.

The following are the departments of the Tutankhamun and their most general duties aboard:

Command

This department holds supreme command over the vessel and is tasked with completing its general mission assignment. Command assigns and coordinates the activities of the other departments, relying on the data and reports provided by them.

Administrative Department

The administrative department is in charge of processing and cataloging the shipboard bureaucracy. It oversees personnel records, reports, and public affairs.

Astrography

Navigation, stellar cartography, and -surveys are under the purview of the Astrography department. As part of military tradition, it is also tasked with the execution of military customs and honors, which reflect both those of the Frontier Vanguard and, if applicable, the respective national traditions of service members.

Mission Control

The mission-control department coordinates all non-military launches and landings, as well as operations underway. It is also tasked with scheduling assignments outside the vessel for maintenance, repair, and testing.

Deck Crew

This department is in charge of the ship's everyday maintenance and upkeep on a non-industrial scale. It keeps the interior compartments in order, monitors stock, and manages internal communications.

Shipboard Operations

The shipboard operations department executes the Command Department's orders by distributing data on ongoing operations and department assignments. It also continuously collects, catalogs, and assembles reports to go back to command.

Planetary Operations

The creation, collection, and distribution of planet surveys is the first task of the planetary operations department, alongside the maintenance of planetary equipment and coordination of away teams. This includes all non-military activities on and around celestial bodies, ranging from asteroid mining operations to geological surveys on a global scale.

Medical

The medical department administers preventative care and provides counseling for the crew. It is responsible for the medical readiness of all personnel. In the event of combat or an emergency, the medical department provides emergency services and plays a crucial role in search and rescue operations aboard the ship.

Engineering

The operation of the primary powerplant is the foremost task of the Engineering department. It is also in charge of maintaining life support and other primary systems vital to the ship's continued function.

Maintenance Management

All industrial-scale maintenance of the hull, exterior and secondary systems are scheduled and coordinated by the maintenance management department. These also include major equipment tests and drills in close coordination with the Safety and Training department.

Hangar Crews

The hangar crews launch and land the Tutankhamun's aerospace fleet during operations and are tasked with fueling, moving, and controlling the vessels in hangars and maintenance bays. They also operate the primary supply hangar, utility launchers, and the Ravelin frigate bay.

UAV Command

The UAV command department is responsible for the UAV fleet's operational readiness at all times. During operations, it coordinates and supervises all drones and unmanned vehicles in close cooperation with the Aerospace Wing.

Aerospace Wing

The Aerospace Wing is responsible for the maintenance and readiness of all aerospace craft. Missions are coordinated and supervised by their own command division. External search and rescue operations are one of the highest and most challenging tasks of this department.

Research and Development

The research and development department of the Tutankhamun acquires new technologies and assesses them for reverse-engineering. It is capable of producing new weapon systems and components from newly discovered extraterrestrial artifacts and can provide insight into new finds in all major disciplines.

Manufacture

The manufacturing department operates a series of industrial complexes aboard the Tutankhamun, capable of producing a wide range of components, munitions, vehicles, and gear. It is also capable of adopting new materials and technologies at a rapid pace, modifying ship systems and auxiliary craft.

Diplomatic Corps

Any official political contact between the Tutankhamun and other entities, be it members of the Terran Mandate, allies, or hostile extraterrestrials, is headed by the Diplomatic Corps. It is crucial in securing supply lines, trade deals, and acquiring information for the mission.

Intelligence Department

The intelligence department collects and distributes intelligence data between all departments. It conducts surveillance missions, target analysis, and counter-intelligence operations regarding the vessel.

Safety and Training

Ongoing training exercises and further education are coordinated and conducted by the safety and training department. It is also tasked with accident prevention and the monitoring of procedural hazards, as well as newly introduced equipment.

Supply Department

Everyday supplies ranging from food and laundry to stocks of stores and services aboard are administered and monitored by the supply department. The acquisition of personal gear and possessions is also conducted via the supply department.

Procurement and Logistics

Resource and supply acquisition on an industrial scale is directed and managed by the procurement and logistics department. Not only is it tasked with overseeing the stocks aboard but also securing supply lines to the vessel and the nearest allied colonies.

Weapons Department

The weapons and defenses of the Tutankhamun are maintained and operated by this department. Weapons tests, exercises, and preparations are conducted alongside frequent assessments of capability and possible modifications.

Astro Troops

The Astro Troops form the on-board army of the Tutankhamun. Their divisions include military policing, sentry duties, defense against boarding actions, boarding assault troops, orbital insertion, and planetary assault troops.

Armored Corps

The Armored Corps encompasses the massive fleet of landships utilized in large-scale planetary operations. These range from battle-carriers and cruisers to specialized exploration vehicles, rovers, and research vessels. Alongside their material and crews, the Armored Corps oversees a massive maintenance division.

Interstellar Transition

The plotting and execution of slingshot maneuvers via system-links along the Serpent Chain is the responsibility of this department. This includes also the operation and maintenance of the massive computer cores utilized for this task.

Communication

The communications department is tasked with the sending and receiving of messages, tapping into the Terran Mandate comm-relay network, and the analysis of incoming data-streams. The department also operates some specialist electronic equipment, including systems to intercept extraterrestrial transmissions.

Sensors and Observation

This department collects, catalogs, and analyses data collected by the Mothership's extensive sensor systems. It also operates the Infrared Grid and is tasked with deciphering signatures and general target recognition.

Damage Control Management

The Damage Control Management department controls and coordinates the first emergency response aboard the vessel. It is tasked with assembling emergency repair crews and maintaining a secondary intercom network for coordination. The department also crews emergency shelters.

Fleet Group Command

The FGC collects and manages all data regarding the Fleet- and Escort Group of the Tutankhamun. It is also responsible for managing capital ship assignments and relaying assignment orders.

Civilian Administration

The Civilian Administration is in charge of all civilian services and accommodations as well as their supply while the ship is underway. It also manages the de-facto authorities of the civilian sector.

Security and Internment

Most criminal affairs are followed up and managed by the Security and Internment department. It also handles non-military investigations and the execution of sentences and disciplinary measures.

Drive Core Engineering

The drive core engineering department is wholly dedicated to the operation and maintenance of the drive core, its containment, and emergency shut-down measures. It also oversees and coordinates power regulation and conduit safety at the connection points to other ship systems.

Information- and Cyberwarfare

This department encompasses divisions overseeing information security, network maintenance, digital and electronic warfare, ESM equipment, and AI operations. It also coordinates and maintains many of the synthetic automata hives.

Disciplinary Commissariat

The disciplinary commissariat of the Frontier Vanguard ensures the ideological and personal morale of all onboard personnel. It is also responsible for crew cohesion and cooperation between onboard factions. Conflicts of a political nature are settled via the commissariat rather than the security and internment department. The Disciplinary Commissariat answers directly to Tutankhamun High Command.

Contributions by the Terran Mandate
All Terran powers are compelled to contribute to the efforts of the Frontier Vanguard, both by their duty to the Terran Mandate and the chance to benefit from the spoils. For all the misgivings they may have towards the cause, none would risk the chance to abandon it and see others succeed without them.

The powers of the Terran Mandate each provide the best expertise, resources, and material they have to offer, at every stage from conception and construction to the operation of the Mothership. Depending on its focus and assignment, the distribution of support may vary, but nominally at least, all contributors are equal.

While the construction and operation of the Mothership demand much direct cooperation, there always remain some compartments and crew divisions firmly in the hands of individual factions and nations. Because of this, officers of the Frontier Vanguard require as much political and diplomatic cunning as military discipline to navigate the complex web of feuds and loyalties between the Mandate powers.

Terran Mandate Frontier Vanguard

95000

The voyage of a Mothership is the highest cause of the Frontier Vanguard and the ultimate reward for years, even decades of work spend in planning, development, and construction. The launch of just a single vessel of such magnitude demands the work and dedication of millions. Only a fraction of those involved with the project will have a chance to serve aboard.

During the development and construction of the Tutankhamun, the Frontier Vanguard played a vital administrative role, coordinating and planning the work of all contributing Mandate powers and ensuring compatibility between systems and components. The Vanguard also provided a great number of specialized systems, including secondary communications and sensors, laboratory equipment, water circulation systems, and computer cores.

For those who are chosen, service aboard the Tutankhamun is a high honor and will likely continue until the end of their professional career. While assignment to the mothership is temporary for the personnel of the Mandate powers, the Vanguard crew is usually permanently stationed aboard.

Between the many nations represented on the ship, and their shifting feuds and loyalties, the core crew of the Frontier Vanguard is expected to always act as mediators, regardless of personal conviction. To this end, officers of the Vanguard adhere to a strict code of fielty to Earth alone, that is rooted in the sentiments of the old Terran Resistance.

The accommodations, services of the Frontier Vanguard form the basis of all common spaces aboard and are surrounded by the more specialized compartments of the Mandate Powers. Like the ship as a whole, these interior spaces are furnished in a neutral, utilitarian style, which is often personalized by civilian contractors and vendors.

More than just a military station, the Mothership is a permanent home to much of the Vanguard personnel, which is most obvious in the design of the Vanguard quarters. Comparatively spacious and highly customizable, these rooms are designed to offer a measure of privacy and reprieve from duty. High-ranking officials, officers, and experts are also afforded additional spaces for extraordinary work.

While by no means luxurious, these quarters clearly show the Mothership is more than an ordinary, military vessel.

Nusantara Regency

57000

The Regency has a vested interest in the Mothership Tutankhamun, as its pioneering mission to settled worlds offers a great chance of interaction with new civilizations.

As the sole Confluence Tyranny taken over by humanity rather than destroyed, this power harbors a unique interest in extraterrestrial species and technology. In this position, the Regency has always stood alone and continues to be regarded with suspicion, even open hostility by the other powers.

Despite providing substantial contributions to most areas of the Mothership and the largest non-vanguard portion of the crew, the Regency remains largely isolated. The heart of its operation aboard is the engineering section of the furnace, resembling a fortress of armored bulkheads and closed-off compartments.

From there stretches a network of maintenance conduits and companionways behind the walls and between decks of the entire ship, allowing Nusantara crews to move and work unseen. Even their crew quarters and accommodations are distinct, resembling more the alien architecture of the Regency.

The specialized research and development divisions of the Nusantara Regency are among the most closely guarded areas of the ship, with an entire special forces attachment dedicated to their protection. Their contents and projects are the subjects of much speculation.

> Hull Frame & Keel

> Structural reinforcement fields

> Inertia cancellation fields

> Artificial Gravity Systems

> Engineering

> Maintenance Management

> Research and Development

> KOPASKA Special Forces

> Regent Illuminate Drop Troops

> Nusantara Phalanx Recon Company

> RSAF Black Knights Special Ops & Ceremonial Sqn

> 111th Early Warning & Surveillance Sqn

Allied Powers of Pan-Europa

51000

The second most prominent supporter of Tutankhamun's Mission after the Nusantara Regency are the Allied Powers of Pan-Europa. As one of the only Mandate powers maintaining diplomatic ties to some extraterrestrials, Pan-Europa seeks to seize the opportunity to expand its contacts and influence among them.

While most official activity of the Pan-Europeans is concentrated around the ship's specialized systems and arrays in the upper castle section, they mingle often with the Vanguard crew and are seen in all common areas. Their relationship to the remainder of the crew is somewhat cool, as the Allied Powers tend to view others with some condescension, likening the general distrust of extraterrestrials to petty superstition.

The Allied Powers notably maintain and protect the embassy sector, housing the only free community of extraterrestrials aboard. In this highly restricted and secured area, a unique mix of Terran and extraterrestrial design and culture co-exist. Almost exclusively Pan-Europeans enter those well-guarded compartments.

> Intercom and Communications

> Computing Systems

> Onboard Data Web

> Sensor Systems

> Communications Department

> Info- and Cyber Operations

> Diplomatic Corps

> Astrocorps Marines

> Nordic Unionist Pioneers

> 53rd Spartans Astrofighter Sqn

> TA-51c Immelman Tactical Recon Sqn

> Jagdgeschwader 73 Steinhoff

> 8e Escadre de Chasse Astrofighters

> F7 Skaraborg Aerospace Fighter Wing

Celestial Empire

45000

The Celestial Empire is at its most cooperative when engaging in missions with the Frontier Vanguard. While the dragon's nation is usually highly reserved and scarce in its interactions with other Mandate Powers, the interest in new systems and Lifeseeder artifacts changes that disposition considerably.

Cooperation between the Celestial Empire and the other powers is still limited largely to official capacities between officers on the Department level and the noble caste of Celestials. The majority of celestial commoners live and work entirely sequestered from the rest of the crew, in quarters forbidden to outsiders and the naturally isolated machine rooms of the drive cores and primary engines.

However, the gates of the imperial sections are opened on a semi-regular basis for a plethora of official functions, festivals, and ceremonial interactions, allowing a mingling between celestials and the rest of the crew in a strictly regulated circumstance. Some of these festivities and functions extend to the civilian sections of the Tutankhamun and attract a great deal of attention as cultural events.

The only section of celestials permanently forbidden to the rest of the ship is the Machinist Lodge in charge of interstellar transitions. Elusive even among celestials, the machine masters therein guard the secrets of their Lifeseeder technology with their lives.

> Construction and maintenance of the drive cores

> Xenoarcheological research department and archive

> Machinist Lodge of the Caste

> Drive Core Engineering

> Interstellar Transition

> Blue Banner Soldiers

> Imperial Hunters

> Red Banner Taikonauts

> 44th Golden Banner Void Hunters Sqn

> 7th Dawn Strategic Bomber Wing

British Dominions

43500

In their continued effort to advance their influence beyond Sol, the British Dominions have increased their contributions to the Tutankhamun considerably over the course of its development process. Beyond offering considerable material and expertise during the construction, the Dominions provide personnel and connections to the logistical and supply divisions of the Mothership.

The Dominion's interests have less to do with the Tutankhamun's mission specifically and more so with its general role of importance in the Frontier Vanguard and therefore the Terran Mandate. It is their full intention to use the voyage as an opportunity to prove the Dominion's growing reach and strength.

After having a considerably smaller part in previous efforts of the Frontier Vanguard, the Dominion pioneers are still regarded as newcomers by most other powers and have yet a position to earn. This sentiment is very much present in many interactions between the pioneers and the rest of the crew.

Aboard the Tutankhamun, signs of the British dominions are ever-present, ranging from stamps on widely used equipment to posters, souvenirs, and music in the civilian sectors. The British Dominions are very keen on making their presence known and it is felt throughout the vessel.

> Hull and Armor

> Citadels and Shelter

> Secure Compartment Gates

> Transport Systems

> Procurement and Logistics

> Supply Department

> Orbital Special Operative Troops

> 43rd Royal Expeditionary Force

> 909th RAF Expeditionary Aerospace Wing

> No. 18 RAF Pegasus Heavy Support Sqn

Union of Terran Free People's Republics

43000

To the Union of Terran Republics, participation in voyages of the Frontier Vanguard is as much a contribution to the Terran Mandate as a means to further national interests of their own. On all Motherships, the contributions of the Union have been always part of larger strategic and political plans, the goals of which were at times pursued particularly aggressively, including the use of a Mothership as an inadvertent quasi-military asset for the union's offensive movements.

The Union's presence aboard is divided between the secretive military divisions operating experimental equipment and weaponry, and the common crew fulfilling its ordinary duties alongside maintaining a strong visible presence on the ship. Similar to the Last Commonwealth, members of the Union commonly wear insignia and parts of uniforms of their respective nation in combination with the vanguard-issue designs. Union culture has a strong presence in certain common areas and their quarters.

There is a distinct adversarial relationship between the crew of the Union and the divisions of the Celestial Empire, which is felt by the rest of the ship. Groups of the two are seldom seen close together and cooperation is kept to a minimum.

> Primary Power Grid

> Heat Sinks and Distributors

> Experimental Energy Lance Suites

> Specialized Weapons Divisions

> Damage Control Management

> People's Liberation Army Expeditionary Force

> PLA Corps of Engineers

> 994th Mechanized Company

> 124th Transport Division (12 Sqns)

> 107th Flying Fighters Division (3 Wings)

Last Commonwealth of Terra

36000

The Last Commonwealth of Terra has little interest in Tutankhamun's mission beyond pushing the frontier of the Terran Mandate closer to the borderlands of the Confluence. With the current shifting of the Commonwealth's focus away from the Mandate, even a withdrawal from the mission was reportedly considered but ultimately rejected as too drastic a measure.

In its contributions to the Mothership, the Last Commonwealth considers the voyage of the Tutankhamun a military expedition, and the personnel was selected accordingly. While the people of the Commonwealth mingle with the rest of the crew occasionally, many ad-hoc common areas of theirs are found close to the ship's artillery batteries and fire directorates. Especially gun crews of the Last Commonwealth are closely knit units and at times adversarial to outsiders, particularly those of ideologically opposed powers of the Mandate.

The proud tradition of the Last Commonwealth is often displayed by its crew in insignia and uniforms of their homelands, worn in combination with vanguard-issue equipment.

Areas of the Mothership dominated by the Last Commonwealth are claimed as "extended territories" and easily distinguishable by flags, banners, and signage. Among their own, the Commonwealth crews even practice their own criminal persecution and disciplinary measures.

> Ship's Artillery Weaponry

> Emergency Power System

> Secondary Compartment Armor

> Specialized Weapons Divisions

> Manufacture

> Spetsnaz

> 32nd Cosmonaut Infantry

> Siberian Mobile Artillery

> Anatolia Janissaries

>1102nd Composite Aviation Regiment (5 Sqns)

> 003rd Muscovite Winter Interceptor Sqn

> 486th Khazak Urashal Gunship Sqn

> 203rd SAR "Aegean" Command Sqn

Terra de Santa Cruz

20000

The followers of the cross aboard the Mothership Tutankhamun form a complete diocese led by a bishop of the Holy Church. Divided into warriors and clergy, this small society strictly follows its tradition within the confines of the Mothership's operation and command structure.

Quarters and accommodations are not specific to the followers of the cross, who have taken up lodgings in the ship's standard sections. The sole common space of the diocese is taken up by several small chapels and a single cathedral, around which most life outside their duties revolves.

The crew hailing from Terra de Santa Cruz specializes in maintaining life support and the onboard agri- and horticultures, mixing these duties with a monastic tradition. This is true for all duties fulfilled by the followers of the cross. The most notable divisions outside these basic systems are the clergy's Xenobiological Research Division and genetic laboratories, which conduct most of the scientific work in these fields aboard.

When followers of the cross venture out into other common areas, they often maintain a distant but peaceful relationship with members of other Mandate powers, though they lean heavily towards the puritans. The biggest tensions exist between them and the people of Nusantara.

> Life Support

> Habitation Modules

> Onboard Agri- and Horticulture

> Water circulation and filtration systems

> Bio-Automata Hives and Drones

> Xenobiological Research Division

> Genetic Laboratories Division

> Bio-Fabrication Manufacture Division

> Seven Cities Conquistadores

> Saint Patroclus Biohazard Unit

American State Fleets

35000

The State Fleets of America always take pride in their contribution of high-tech components and highly trained personnel to efforts of the Terran Mandate, including those of the Frontier Vanguard. However, growing sentiments against the mission assignments of the Tutankhamun caused a significant decrease in support for this particular voyage. While the crews provided to the ship are still substantial, there is a definite jaded sentiment among them, as official support for their contribution will be minimal unless a monumental success is achieved.

The American quarter aboard the Tutankhamun resembles a planned maritime city, following similar blueprints to a residential-type carrier of the Atlantic fleets. Comparatively small and focusing heavily on common areas, it offers little luxuries and attractions in the eyes of much of the rest of the crew. While the core of the American crew is fiercely entrenched in there, the rest is considered far more out-going. Particularly the hangar crews maintain a good relationship with all forces of the Mandate, overwriting every difference with a common warrior-spirit.

> Synthetic Automata Hives and Drones

> Industrial Robotics

> Hangar Crews

> UAV Command

> Lousiana State Marines

> Rhode Island Fleet Commandos

> 34th Flying Fiends Fighter Sqn

> 80th Juvats Fighter Sqn

> 494th Rocketeers Astro Navy Sqn

African Mandate League

22 000

The Mandate League of Africa is as volatile a power as the continent it represents. The most influential and stable nations represented by this supranational institution are in constant flux, which can at times create considerable unrest among its people. However, those who signed up for the Tutankhamun's voyage take fierce pride in their own skill and history.

Coming from some of the harshest environments and warzones on planet Earth, everyone working and fighting with the Landfleets of the Armored Corps is a hardened veteran and skilled like no other.

The different groups and formations, some of which predate the collective assignment to the Vanguard, have some feuds and rivalries among each other, as well as with the rest of the crew. Their loyalty to the Terran Mandate is undisputed, however, and they are seen with much less suspicion than the people of Nusantara or even the Allied Powers.

Several landship- and deck crews of the planetary fleet permanently live aboard their vessels, keeping little contact with the rest of the ship during transit. Trips to the common areas of the rest of the crew are treated more like shore-leaves than the norm.

> Planetary Operations

> Armored Corps

> Savannah Shipbreakers

> Abyssinian Grenadiers

> Ashanti Imperial Marines

Condominium Antarctica

2 500

The presence of the Condominium Antarctica is acknowledged by the Frontier Vanguard in no further detail beyond its mere existence. Separated from the rest of the ship and crew by multiple non-habitable sections, Antarctica maintains a completely autonomous facility of unspecified scale and purpose.

While official information on the facility is redacted, it clearly encompasses advanced research programs, as well as a military wing operating special forces units and at least one Omega Flight squadron.

> Paratechnological Research

> #004 Omega Flight Sqn

Weaponry
The Mothership Tutankhamun fields an extensive arsenal, ranging from unique experimental weapon systems to arms perfected in centuries of human warfare. Turrets and arrays of varying sizes dot the entire hull, invisibly connected by a ship-wide network of compartmentalized conveyors and magazines. The ship’s gunnery is ruled by its own command structure, reaching from individual gun crews, through battery detachments, up to the Tutankhamun’s Supreme Gunnery Command.

The weapons and their crews of the Mothership hail from all powers of the Terran Mandate. Some of their numbers are jealously guarded secrets, others outright banned from use by any independent nation. These kinds of devastating instruments are only to be brought to bear against the vicious legions of the Confluence, and even then, they are to be carried with utmost care. To ensure the seamless function and cooperation of all gunnery units aboard, they operate under strict supervision by the Disciplinary Commissariat.

Munitions
As military technology progresses, the distinction between guided projectiles, missiles, and drones has become ever more blurred. In a constant race between attack and countermeasures, all kinds of munitions have become increasingly sophisticated, requiring more autonomy, range, and maneuverability to pierce enemy defenses.

High-end munitions for all weapons of the Tutankhamun can resemble miniature warships, equipped with autonomous guidance systems, navigation computers, ECM suites, decoys, and even hard-kill protection systems. Capable of forming their own ad-hoc combat information networks, they can engage in coordinated fleets and perform complex attack patterns on their own.

While weapons of such sophistication are available to all Terran Mandate powers, the Frontier Vanguard can afford to be much more liberal with its budget when outfitting a single Mothership compared to the efficiency requirements of supplying an entire cosmo navy. Additionally, due to its sheer size and specialized facilities, the Mothership can accommodate a greater variety of extraordinary weapons which may be impractical on a conventional warship.

Aside from the cost, the biggest limitation to highly sophisticated munitions remains the ratio between fuel and payload. The design of every weapon must strike a balance between Delta-V for maneuvers, countermeasures, and the actual warhead/kinetic penetrator. Finally, there is the consideration of availability. Munitions of all kinds must be easily enough to manufacture, transport, and store to be reliably accessible through supply chains. For the Mothership Tutankhamun, this introduces the additional question of onboard manufacturing capabilities.

While the mothership is capable of re-supplying its basic munitions from raw resources, the more sophisticated munitions are valuable commodities and cannot be easily replaced.

Cannons and Launch Systems
The Tutankhamun's main conventional weaponry can be divided into barreled weapons and missile launch systems. The former relies on mass drivers, typically coil barrels, to initiate the first trajectory of their munitions, while the missiles deploy directly from launch cells. Both are fielded in a variety of offensive and defensive roles and will switch munitions depending on the situation.

The drone bays are used to deploy, among other things, assault drone fleets. While they are not missiles intended for a direct hit, most assault drones are similarly single-use weapons, fitted with a single weapons system to engage the enemy at closer range. However, there are hybrid drones deploying conventional weapons before making a final kill-run against the enemy, even detonating warheads. In these cases, the distinction between missile- and drone-launchers becomes blurred.

Energy Lances
The Plasma Scythes of Tutankhamun are unique energy beam weapons provided and operated by the People's Liberation Army Cosmo Forces of China. The system was developed in close cooperation between the Frontier Vanguard and the People's Republic, lending a significant boost to the Chinese weapons development program overall. In return, the Tutankhamun could be outfitted with the most sophisticated ship-based energy-lance system yet.

Like all energy lance weaponry, the Scythe's primary fire produces cutting beams of focused plasma, transferring heat and electric energy directly to the target. The effects on unprotected hulls can be devastating, melting and even evaporating material within the stream.

Revolutionary is the secondary firing mode, allowing the Scythe to switch to stroboscopic fire. Rapid successions of beams in a conic field of fire create highly effective fields of plasma fronts, capable of confusing sensors and destroying incoming projectiles in an instant. This type of fire was previously only realized in smaller prototypes aboard People's Republic vessels, with limited success.

Modifications by the Nusantara Regency have added two other firing modes: A projectile-like discharge of directed Stux Plasma, and the highly experimental deployment of exotic Vermillion Particles.

Their strength is currently still the greatest limitation of the Plasma Scythes, as they overheat relatively quickly and require thorough maintenance even in a best-case scenario after each engagement.

Gun Crews / Launcher Crews
While targeting and firing systems have long been fully automized, gun crews still play an essential role in weapons operations. Depending on the gun, certain loading mechanisms, ammunition switches, and cooling systems require human oversight and intervention. This is the case under controlled conditions and even more so in actual combat.

During battle, the Mothership's weapon systems are subjected to some of the highest stresses and forces experienced by any component aboard. Constant maintenance, repairs, and replacements are necessary to keep the system functioning at all times. Despite these efforts, jamming, overheating and equipment failure are inevitable during prolonged engagements. In such instances, gun crews act as the first emergency response, tasked with both preventing fatal cascade failures and returning weapon systems to the fight as quickly as possible.

Batteries and Battery Detachments
Multiple weapons systems are organized in batteries, which typically make up the smallest command unit during active engagements. Command and control as well as communications are facilitated on the battery level, in order to maximize combat effectiveness.

Multiple Batteries form battery detachments, each of which is organized under its own fire-control center and plotting system. Most battery detachments of the Tutankhamun control firepower equivalent to that of a conventional capital ship. In battle, they can act with some independence, adapting to rapidly evolving situations. Several tactical AI systems link the Battery Detachments of the Mothership to facilitate efficient data distribution and communication.

Fire Directorates
The Battery Detachments of the Tutankhamun comprise several Fire Directorates for every hull section. These command instances are tasked with relaying orders, analyzing reports and combat data, and ensuring the combat effectiveness of all weapons under them.

Magazines / Conveyors
The guns and launchers of the Tutankhamun are fed via a complex system of conveyors and magazines, buried deep in armored vaults within the hull. Shielded by innumerable security measures, carts and sleds of new shells, missiles, and warheads travel between compartments and stores to keep up the ship's relentless rate of fire. Like the guns themselves, they rely on the constant maintenance and oversight of dedicated crews to ensure the flow of ammunition.

Inside the magazines of the Mothership lie vast stores of munitions, some brought all the way from Terra, others manufactured aboard. Inert in their storage state, warheads are kept under strictly controlled conditions and an inventory of all ammunition is kept by a dedicated data network. As the Mothership continues its voyage and analyses encountered threats, the arsenal aboard will be adapted accordingly. In this way, the munition stores of the Tutankhamun grow continuously, ready for the day of battle.