Black Fleet

The Black Fleet, also known as the Osch Batakya in the Kanad language and frequently referred to simply as "the batakya" in general, is the military arm of the Kanad Collective and is frequently asserted to be the largest military force in the galaxy in terms of manpower and total ship tonnage. The force is divided into numerous interlinked offices which cover domestic and foreign defense measures, military intelligence, and research and development, among other roles.
== Origins ==
In the earliest days of the Collective's expansion into interstellar space, Kanad leadership vastly underestimated the threat posed by foreign nations. At first only encountering the peaceful lirya and phirin races, the Collective was able to preserve its earlier assumption that the domestic threat of civil war between the highblood clans or an uprising of the lowbloods was a far greater concern than invasion from abroad. 
This changed immediately after the first encounter between kanad convoys, which were under-equipped and inexperienced, and serek pirates, who were able to disrupt kanad commerce and prevent settlement activities for several years. Word quickly spread of the overextended and vulnerable kanad territories, which became prime targets for plundering. Worse yet, further exploration had revealed the presence of the huge and threatening Sanghvi Mantle to the north, causing a general panic. 
In 1872, the High Council of the Collective passed measures to begin assembling a fleet which could defend against foreign threats. It took 6 years of painful trial and error to produce the first fleet, which was forced to develop most of its doctrine from repeated defeats at the hands of the sereks. The name "black fleet" began to appear at this time to informally differentiate it from any domestic naval forces, which were referred to as "blue fleets." While the official name of the program was the "Colonial Defense Initiative" according to official documents, over time, media references to the fleet continued until it began to appear in Council works of legislation. 
== Notable Conflicts ==
The Black Fleet has seen extensive combat throughout its centuries of existence, mostly concentrated in the eastern quadrants. A sample of its most important conflicts is provided below.
* Colonial Defense Campaign (1872-1882): Described in the above section, the Batakya arose out of the need to counter serek piracy in their fledgling colonial empire. The kanads would eventually learn from and overpower their foes. 
* Serek Genocide (1882-1915): Unsatisfied with simply defeating the sereks, the now heavily-militarized Collective sought their total extermination. The serek civilization was attacked repeatedly until all that remained were several hundred refugee colonies scattered across the northern quadrants. 
* Collective Frontier Wars (1900s): In fear of the Sanghvi Mantle, the kanads worked to grow their dominion by seizing control of neighboring alien colonies and space stations, as well as crushing separatist movements within their own population and quelling domestic piracy. 
* Siege of Koda (2025): After a long period of preparation, the kanads launched a devastating and unprovoked attack on their peaceful neighbors, the phiri, and subjugated them. 
* Seige of Rigel (2031-2038): Launched in an act of executive overreach, this war of attrition marks the Black Fleet's first notable defeat, as the khergians of Rigel out-endured the Collective's attempts to establish another puppet state. 
* First Kanad-Sanghvi War (2355-2372): After another period of relative peace followed by escalating tensions, the Collective and its allies in the UGC launched a preemptive war against the Sanghvi Mantle. At first suffering numerous defeats, the Collective would eventually rally after a desperation attack which proved successful. 
* Second Kanad-Sanghvi War (2385): Overconfident in the wake of their apparent victory a decade prior, the Collective was shocked by an aggressive offensive by the Mantle which saw a reversal of the previous war's territorial changes. 
* Starvis Crisis (2385): Interrupting the war with the Sanghvi, the Starvis Crisis forced an alliance of most of the galaxy's great factions to address the threat of the Starvis AI. During the crisis, an attempt to destroy the AI went horribly awry as a nuclear fusion bomb sent by the Collective was instead diverted via warp to Kanadys, causing mass destruction to the capital city of Eiboh. 
* Collective Civil War (2406-2422): Long protesting mismanagement and exploitation, especially in the wake of the First Kanad-Sanghvi War, the planet Spirra eventually launched an uprising against the Collective and repeatedly humiliated policing efforts from the Batakya. The conflict was eventually resolved with the reformation of the Old Collective into Kosokom. 
== Gallery ==
=== Light Vessels ===
These small ships, typically manned by only one or two crew, are typically carried into battle aboard larger vessels and deployed en mass.
espra.jpg|Espra "Vapor" Scout, a high-speed, lightly-armed craft used to scan and report on large swaths of open space or land at the edge of battle zones, sometimes used in hit-and-run style attacks
haskat.jpg|Haskat "Howl" Interceptor, a heavily armed and armored craft introduced in the 2410s, notable for its speed and brutality in space, but subpar maneuverability in atmospheric flight
narakan.jpg|Narakan "Lightning" Multirole Starfighter, used mainly for precision strikes against fortified targets, the Narakan is faster than the Pikit and more maneuverable than the Haskat
pikit.jpg|Pikit "Hail" Close-Support Starfighter, a ubiquitous two-seater in use since the 2380s. Highly maneuverable and equipped with advanced ECM and smart missiles, the Pikit is a common sight on battlefields throughout the eastern quadrants
barsta.jpg|Barsta "Thunder" Bomber, this stout craft carries a battery of rockets which can utterly devastate the armor of enemy fleet vessels or ground vehicles, but it must be escorted at all times. Its large cargo space can accommodate heavy bombs or even, in rare cases, an OBKK 416 series mech.
=== Fleet Vessels ===
These ships represent common models found throughout the Kosok fleet, but this is by no means an exhaustive list of all variants fielded by Kosokom.
vokoba.jpg|KKV Vokoba "Vengeance" Class Corvette, a design common during the Second Kanad-Sanghvi War, built mainly to shoot down enemy starfighters
pakta.jpg|KKV Pakta "Pursuit" Class Corvette, a long-lived design of the Old Collective era commonly used to patrol border space and chase down rogue vessels
kurun.jpg|KKV Kurun "Malice" Class Corvette, often seen shadowing starfighter squadrons, the Kurun's many broadside guns provide protection against enemy corvette interventions
frigates.jpg|KKV Viokhmar "Authority" and Tyrta "Judgement" Class Frigates, left and right respectively. Introduced in the 2370s, these core designs and numerous variants and retrofits formed the backbone of the old Collective's frigate fleet
tovokra.jpg|KKV Tovokra "Justice" Class Frigate, the current standard of Kosokom's Black Fleet frigates, reusing the name of a previously-successful model. Often considered a supersized variant of the Tyrta design, the Tovokra is notable for its inclusion of a mech hangar bay, with capacity for up to six OBKK-419 series mechs.
perikal.jpg|KKV Perikal "Banshee" Class Strike Craft, a type of stealth vessel which plays a similar role to submarines in naval warfare, the original strike crafts played a pivotal role in the First Kanad-Sanghvi War
ryamir.jpg|KKV Ryamir "Hunter" Class Destroyer, the Ryamir entered service as a competent escort ship, providing heavy ECM protection and networked surveillance through the use of retrievable drones. Newer examples have been retrofitted to carry up to 12 OBKK-419 series mechs.
nishka.jpg|KKV Nishka "Hive" Class Light Carrier, equipped with 10 "Haskat" interceptors, 10 "Narakan" multi-role starfighters, or 12 close-support "Pikit" starfighters
motchkir.jpg|KKV Motchkir "Executor" Class Cruiser, a configuration commonly seen during the Second Kanad-Sanghvi War, the Motchkir class was notably stout and widely produced, but was limited in its armament in quickly replaced at the war's end by the Kaksyna class
kaksyna.jpg|KKV Kaksyna "Loyal" Class Cruiser- sleeker, cheaper, and more flexible than its predecessor, the Kaksyna Class arrived in the 2390s and has been under steady production and refinement ever since
orikodzek.jpg|Orikodzek "Tyranny of the Sky" Class Battleship, the anchor upon which most Kosok fleets are based, the Orikodzek Class's sides are packed with missile pods which are known to mince the smaller ships of enemy fleets
meitrakir.jpg|Meitrakir "Dominator" Class Dreadnought, the widely-produced planet-bomber of the Kosok fleet, the Meitrakir also doubles as a heavy anti-starfighter platform thanks to its numerous flak cannons on the topside
schtat.jpg|Schtat "Swarm" Class Carrier, packs an incredible 46 Haskat interceptors, Narakan multirole starfighters, or Pikit close-support starfighters, or any combination of which, along with up to 92 OBKK-419 mechs. However, due to the high cost of production, the Schtat is somewhat rare, and those which exist are rarely outfitted to capacity
=== Capital Vessels ===
Each of the following ships is a unique vessel, built to a scale far greater than their production siblings.
oschdrakha.jpg|KKV Oschdrakha "Black Terror," for decades, the most powerful battleship of the entire Kosok fleet, despite the existence of the Syardrotika project (due to the latter's extreme development costs and delays.) The Oschdrakha is said to have the equivalent firepower of four Orikodzek Class battleships contained in one, and is able to divert power to four Terrika-Systems Varkenkupta "Shipbreaker" rail guns, a single shot from which is known to sunder frigates.
mikakupta.jpg|KKV Mikakupta "Peacebreaker," built in the 2380s to assault the most heavily-fortified planets in the galaxy, the Mikakupta's sustained bombing capacity is so feared, military planners throughout the galaxy have been forced to write entire strategic manuals to address it, separate from existing plans to defend against the Batakya 
malachkir.jpg|KKV Malachkir "Infester," a carrier of extreme size, the Malachkir carries twice the capacity of the Schtat Class. However, budgetary constraints often render such a large mass of starfighters and mechs impractical. Instead, the Kosoks often deploy the Malachkir with hundreds of disposable drones, quickly clearing its massive hangar spaces for repair and hospital ship reception
=== Syardrotika ===
The KKV Syardrotika "Star Piercer" is a titan battleship and the largest vessel ever fielded by Kosokom. Originally conceived during the First Kanad-Sanghvi War as a ship which would eventually command a full and decisive invasion of the Sanghvi Mantle, work began on the massive vessel in the 2360s. Unfortunately, at the outbreak of the Second Kanad-Sanghvi War in the 2380s, arguably when the Old Collective was at the absolute height of its power, the Syardrotika was incomplete and unable to serve out its intended mission. It sat in reserve in orbit around Kanadys for the duration of the war while resources were diverted elsewhere.
The Syardrotika would eventually see its first combat during the Starvis Crisis. Deployed along with what was left of the Collective's fleets following a ceasefire which brought an end to a costly campaign, the titan arrived in the southwest quadrant as the command ship of all Kanad operations in the theater. It would eventually engage Starvis directly when the latter ceased to defend itself at the close of the crisis, although it is said that the KKV Mikakupta's contribution was greater.
As the new century arrived, the Batakya faced crippling budget shortfalls, especially after the outbreak of civil war on the planet Spirra, which diverted much of the Collective's attention. Following the reformation of the Old Collective into Kosokom, work tepidly resumed, although Kosok leadership no longer regarded seriously the idea of invading and occupying sanghvi space, despite desiring a permanent end to hostilities. On the other hand, due to the multilateral galactic arms race, other factions have provided a new raison d'être for the Syardrotika: titan warfare.
Facing the prospect of enemy vessels so large that even capital battleships can no longer guarantee protection, the Kosoks have been forced to accept the colossal expenses involved with finishing the titan. Not only that, but due to the long delays to the vessel's completion, multiple systems and subsystems have been redesigned to keep up with changing technological demands. Along with its other large ships, the Syardrotika has received many improvements from Kosokom's contract with Terrika Systems. Despite this, as of the 2420s, the Syardrotika is still unfinished, and it is not expected to be fully functional until the early 2430s.
When it reaches completion, the Syardrotika will hold enough combined firepower to single-handedly overwhelm any force which does not have at least a capital battleship protecting it.
=== Mechs and Power Armor ===
Kanadmech1.jpg|OBKK-80, the first kanad-built "land-mech" to be fielded in large numbers, during the Second Kanad-Sanghvi War
Kanadmech2.jpg|OBKK-91, a radical design leap which incorporated many lessons learned during the war as well as new, modular weapons technology, but proved to be prohibitively expensive to produce
Kanadmech6.jpg|OBKK-96/97, arriving just before the Collective Civil War, was the first multi-use kanad mech produced in large numbers, seeing great success in battle and proving the utility of bipedal design
Kanadmech4.jpg|OBKK-416A, one of two land-mechs designed for the new century, the 416A is lighter, faster, and, interestingly, more heavily armed than its counterpart to serve in a flanking cavalry role
Kanadmech3.jpg|OBKK-416B, the counterpart to the 416A, the 416B is more heavily armored and is better suited to prolonged battles against similarly-armed opponents.
Kanadmech7.jpg|OBKK-419A, one of two space-mechs produced in contrast to land developments, the 419A plays a similar role to the 416A
Kanadmech8.jpg|OBKK-419B, the counterpart to 419A, the 419B plays a similar role to the 416B.
KosokArmor2.jpg|OBPK-400, the current Black Fleet standard for power armor, and the first to be sold at retail to the private market as of 2420.
Category:Military Force