School-Ships

School-Ships, School-Carriers, School-Cruisers, or School-Subs (also called *Gakuenkan,* which means *"School [for the] coming of age"*) are vessels used to host schools (as well as supporting infrastructures) in both the universe of Girls und Panzer and Panzer aber Alternativ.

These gigantic vessels are self-sufficient and gigantic enough to hold Recrelympic matches, which this became indispensable to Recrelympics.

School-Ships according from the Ministry for Internal Affairs and Communications are a special type of municipal, thus they're considered to be sub-municipals like wards, and they are designated as Fune (船), meaning Ships. (For example: *Oarai-Fune, Pravda-Fune, Anzio-Fune, and etc.)*

## Origin

School-Ships' existence came from the first century. Notably from Britain, citing from Julius Caesar in his *Commentarii de Bello Gallico* (Commentaries on the Gallic War), "The Britons educate their young abroad small rafts".

These small type of vessels provided sailors the needed knowledge in sailing, specifically in navigation and sometimes offer etiquette lessons to Nobles and Elites during long hours in sailing.

During the Golden age of Discovery in the early 15th century, School-Ships increased demand to many Empires and Kingdoms in Europe, training sailors by experience than mock-up battles are highly needed by explorers as the expedition to the "new world" was dangerous and not for the "faith of heart" and thus the increase demand of School-Ships became clear and clearer until the end of the 17th century.

Around the start of the 18th century till the end of the 19th century, School-Ships become obsolete as land-based education facilities became the norm in coastline areas and as the demand of exploration decreases as centuries passes, only Military Navies such as the Royal Navy still used School-Ships as a way to train their sailors in effective ways to increase their performance during combat. Old ships were refitted for the purpose of offering educational facilities to Sailors, example of these refitted ships is the *HMS Ganges,* the ship that became part of the **Royal Naval Training Establishment Shotley/R.N.T.R**, known for its mixed reputation for its reputed harsh methods of training boys in order to turn out professionally able, self-reliant ratings, professionalism, performance, and capabilities both in combat and navigating.

Due to the ever increase of demand of teaching sailors during the growth stages of the Royal Navy, with the tradition of School-Ships, had rendered pre-dreadnoughts obsolete in one stroke by the birth of the Dreadnought in 1906. The pre-dreadnoughts were modified into academy ships and training vessels.

During the stages of the 20th century, School-ships slowly become the norm again after the Great War and the Second World War, the call to conduct education aboard brand-new academy ships were made to foster talents with global view, to have them develop a sense of independence and for them to be self-governing, so that they can face the upcoming global society.

The reason why modern School-Ships are gigantic compared to their predecessors is that they were specialized in education, accommodating certain infrastructures, and to provide self-sufficient facilities to its population. Modern School-ships are often dubbed as "Floating Island", "Floating City", and "City on the Sea".

## Characteristics

Every School-ship has their own unique and distinct features to distinguish them from the other; one may have an underground theme park, and the other may have a zoo, nonetheless, all of them are required to accommodate its inhabitants and must be able to support them, independently.

### **Structures**

Each School-ship is first required to comply the standards of the International Regulation of Commissioning School-Ships by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Each vessel is an investment and must stayed competitive as the years goes by. Facilities, establishments, and infrastructure are also been prescribed by the IMO as these vessels must be able to be self-sufficient under a period of time.

Here's one of the features of a typical School-Ship:

#### **Well Dock**

Also called as the **Well deck**, or **Wet Well** by the US, is a hanger-like deck located at the waterline in the stern of a School-Ship. By taking on water/ballasting, the ship can lower its stern, flooding the well deck and allowing boats and landing craft vessels to dock within the ship.

This is often the use of many School-Ships that were dependent from supply-ships, and transporting passengers as well if commercial air services are not available.

For emergency purposes, on every well dock, there's at least one vessel that is ready at all times. Typically this ship is an all-purpose built, ready to adapt at every situation while being able to perform basic needs such as transporting people and goods.

#### **Top Deck**

Also called the **Surface Deck** or simply the **Surface**, is the surface from which most of the occupants lived. All Top Decks are required to have a basic network of roads, a plethora of establishment, and a 'large' educational facility. Depending on the design of the Surface, all of the necessary buildings must be positioned that it covered its service's range to the entirety of the deck.

Normally, the Surface is divided by two sectors, the Residential Area and the Commercial Area, though in some cases, pieces of Industrial Buildings can be seen scattered in between of these two sectors.

One feature that every School-Ships has the capability now is the "Recrelympics/Olympics Transition", i.e turning the Surface into a Recrelympics Village, and sometimes into an Olympics Village under a period of time. This feature in return will make a huge investment and benefit to that particular School-Ship once the event of both the Olympics and Recrelympics is over.

#### **Level Deck**

The Level Deck is a deck below the Top Deck, often these decks accommodated Occupants that worked/studied about the School-Ship rather than the general courses that the School from the Surface offered, it is divided by 3 Levels; A Level Deck, B Level Deck, and C Level Deck.

Here's a brief outline of each Level Decks:

* **A Level** **Deck** - The deck below the Surface, in which the Industrial Sector can normally be seen. Sometimes the A Level Deck from other School-Ships also offered Residential and Commercial Buildings that benefits the occupants from both the Surface and below decks, thus making them an 'undersurface Top Deck'.
* **B Level Deck** - This deck is where an Educational Institution is built specifically for Students in the Naval Department, since most of their time will be spent under the surface and typically be hassled if their School is on the Top deck rather than a below deck. Not only this Educational Institution is meant for the Naval Department, but also the Students who worked themselves to the Industrial Sector above the deck.
* **C Level Deck** - The living quarters of the Students of both the Naval Department and the Industrial Sector, as well as the students and Adults that worked the Upper and Lower Decks.

Another thing to note is that the **B Level Deck** has an accompanying necessary establishments for emergency services, like a Police Station, a Clinic, a Fire Station, and many more, though these necessary establishments are smaller to their Surface counterpart.

#### **Below Deck**

The Below Deck is divided by both the **Upper Deck** and the **Lower Deck**. These Decks can offer a wide range of uses depending on the School-ships' decision about them. Upper Decks are more oriented towards Agricultural and Aquaculture sectors, meanwhile Lower Decks are more drawn to the organs of the Vessel such as the facilities of the Nuclear Powered Engine Deck, the Boiler Deck, the Electrical Deck, and many more.

## Types of School-Ships

There are 3 classifications of School-Ships depending on its structure and these are: School-Carrier, School-Cruiser, and School-Subs.

#### School-Carriers (Gakuenkūbo)

The largest out of the three, dubbed as "Floating Islands" or "Floating City/Town", they are always based on former Aircraft Carriers' design. Seaplane tenders are often classified as School-Carriers as well. Gakuenkūbo derives from two words,

*Gakuen*, which means School, and *kūbo*, which means Aircraft Carrier.

#### School-Cruiser (Gakuenkurūzā)

Smaller than the School-Carrier but slightly larger than a School-Sub. Often depicted as School-Ships which are based on the designs of Battleships, Battlecruisers, Cruisers, Destroyers, Torpedo boats, and many more.

*Gakuenkurūzā* derives from two words, *Gakuen*, which means School, and *kurūzā*, which means Cruiser.

#### School-Subs (Gakuensabu)

A unique type of School-Ship in which its half-portion is completely submerged under water compared to School-Cruises and School-Carriers in which only their hulls are submerged. Often used by schools with specialty in cookery, Fisheries, Aquatic courses, and Oceanography. Always based on Submarine design.

*Gakuensabu* derives from two words, *Gakuen*, which means School, and *sabu*, which means Sub or Submarine.

## List of School-Ships (PaA and GuP)

### **Peter Strasser**

Is the School ship for J.I.G.A. The name was based on a proposed German aircraft carrier of the *Graf Zeppelin class* named "*Peter Strasser*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Victorious, HMS.**

Is the School ship for Royal Baron Academy. The name was based on British aircraft carrier "*HMS Victorious*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Ulyanovsk**

Is the School ship for Red Square High. The name was based on an unfinished proposal Soviet aircraft carrier in the late 80s to the mid 90s named "*Ulyanovsk*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Enterprise, USS.**

Is the School ship for Yankee High Academy. The name was based on the American aircraft carrier "*USS Enterprise*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Clemenceau**

Is the School ship for Lorraine-Labrys Academy. The name was based on the French aircraft carrier "*Clemenceau*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Sparviero**

Is the School ship for Lazio High School. The name was based on the Italian converted aircraft carrier "*Sparviero*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Tre Kronor**

Is the School ship for Fennoscandia Institution. The name was based on the Swedish cruiser "*Tre Kronor*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Cruiser.

### **Orzel**

Is the School ship for Wojtek Academy. The name was based on the Polish submarine "*Orzel"* of World War II.

Classification: School-Sub.

### **Lioning**/**Yamatai**

Is the School ship for Yin-Yang Academy. The name was based on the Chinese first aircraft carrier "*Lioning".*

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Shinano**

Is the School ship for Numazu Institution. The name was based on the Imperial Japanese Navy's carrier *"Shinano"*.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Regele Carol 1**

Is the School ship for Wallachia Academy. The name was based on the Romanian seaplane tender "*Regele Carol 1"* of World War II.

School-Carrier.

### **Viribus Unitis**

Is the School ship for Rubrik Academy. The name was based on the Austria-Hungarian dreadnought "*Viribus Unitis*".

Classification: School-Cruiser.

### **Dubrovnik**

Is the School ship for Illyrian Academy. The name was based on the Yugoslavian flotilla leader and destroyer "*Dubrovnik*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Cruiser.

### **Drazki**

Is the School ship for Rose Valley Academy. The name was based on the Bulgarian torpedo boat "*Drazki*".

Classification: School-Cruiser.

### **Victoria**

Is the School ship for K-K Academy. The name was based on the Australian aircraft carrier "*Sydney*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Yavuz Sultan Selim**/**Ertuğrul**

Is the School ship for Shawarma Academy. The name was based on the Ottoman's flag-ship, while the other ship puts a staple on Japanese-Turkish relation, respectively*.*

Classification: School-Cruiser.

### **Zuikaku**

Is the School ship for Oarai Academy. The name was based on the Imperial Japanese Navy's carrier "*Zuikaku*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Akagi**

Is the School ship for Chi-Ha-Tan Academy. The name was based on Imperial Japanese Navy's carrier "*Akagi*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Aquila**

Is the School ship for Anzio Girls High School. The name was based on Italian aircraft carrier "*Aquila*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Ark Royal, HMS.**

Is the School ship for St. Gloriana Girls College. The name based on British aircraft carrier "*HMS Ark Royal*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Bearn**

Is the School ship for BC Freedom High School. The name based on French first aircraft carrier "*Bearn*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **George Washington, USS.**

Is the School ship for Saunders University High School. The name based on United States' Nimitz class aircraft carrier, "*USS George Washington*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Graf Zeppelin**

Is the School ship for Kuromorimine Girls Academy. The name based on German aircraft carrier "*Graf Zeppelin*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Invincible**

Is the School ship for Koala Forest High School. The name based on British light aircraft carrier "*HMS Invincible*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Kiev**

Is the School ship for Pravda Girls High School. The name based on Soviet aircraft carrier "*Kiev*".

Classification: School-Carrier.

### **Surcouf**

Is the Sschool ship for Maginot Girls' Academy. The name based on French submarine "*Surcouf*" of World War II.

Classification: School-Sub.