Feirefitz Fleets

Vast are the fleets of the void-borne populace, unparalleled in their scale and number even by forces of the mighty Triumvirate Worlds. To the people of Feirefitz, these ships are their homestead and pride, the sole crucible of all their civilization. For this reason, the Hordes excel at the art of void-travel in ways unknowable to all peoples living planet-bound.

## Void Hordes

### Creation of vessels

The innumerable vessels of the Feirefitz Hordes know neither a final destination nor a port of call. Ships in service to the Horde are conceived among their brethren, built and christened along the way.

Unlike the tainted metal ripped from the crust of planetary bodies near burning suns, the raw materials of the hordes are mined from rogue worlds and asteroids in the abyss between systems the constellations. It is the matter of worlds who survived the death of their sun, or the faint traces of ancient supernovae when the heavy elements were dispelled in an unthinkable explosion directly from the center of the star.

### Rarest Metals

From these rarest and most ancient metals of the galactic region, the voidsmiths of Feirefitz know to craft alloys and armor plating with the most carefully cultivated qualities.

The Machines made from these formidable resources are likewise the product of many millennia long selection. As the void hordes never lay any ship of theirs to rest, the most ancient machines still exist at the hearts of their hordes and are endlessly renewed and repurposed and used directly as reference for any new component created.

Whilst no weapon nor shield in the Horde's arsenal could rival directly the might at the disposal of the older worlds of Triumvirate, the technologies preserved by the Engine Smiths of Feirefitz are still regarded as some of the most excellent preservations of the lost craftsmanship of humanity.

At last, the countless pieces of a ship, forged and molded aboard many different fabrication vessels, are brought together right at the heart of the horde, where the new ship takes shape under the watchful eyes of the Mechanicum Enclave. It is here that a new part of the horde is blessed and christened in ancient rituals, and introduced to the wider populace at large.

### Unsurpassed Versatility

To be built in such a way, to be assembled whilst traversing the void and to survive the endless journey ahead, the vessels of the Feirefitz Horde are of exceptionally compartmentalized design. Unified plans laid out by the Omnissiah allow these craft to rapidly switch out entire sections of the hull, to grow and be augmented for every purpose needed by the Horde.

Their machine spirits are known to be the most well domesticated in all of Sector Gondwana, accepting the rapid changing of their physical domains and becoming accustomed quickly to a new commander.

These things make the Fleets of Feirefitz extremely reliable and versatile, capable of staying in the void indefinitely and fulfill any mission necessary, to further the goals of the voidfaring people.

## Elements of a Feirefitz Horde

The vast majority of all Feirefitz vessels by far never strays from their Horde. Within these gargantuan fleets of a void-faring civilization, groups and elements emerged, distinct in their task to further the continued existence of their people.

### Hearts of the Horde

Agriculture and industry, manufacturing plants and population centers are all confined within titanic vessels, forming the beating heart of every Horde. Each such vessels is an entire Hive lifted into the void, a world of its own inside a hulk rock and metal. It is here that new generations are born, that the arts and crafts are practiced, knowledge is preserved and recreated. Measuring dozens and dozens of kilometers, these are by far the greatest vessels of Feirefitz, wielding mighty void shields and entire asteroids as their protection.

### Mining Fleets

Feirefitz's flourishing life and industry are fueled by even greater mining fleets. These swarms of explorators and heavy industrial carriers, tankers, and refineries facilitate the discovery, acquisition, and processing of raw resources and rare treasures. On an endless search for more materials exiled in the void between stars, these fleets send out their exploration to seek out the unknown, and once an oasis of matter is found in the boundless abyss, the entire horde will be redirected to scour the remains of long-dead planetary systems. The hunger of the mining fleets can never be sated.

In their endless endeavors, they are protected by the Custodian Fleets, ever watchful wardens of the Horde.

### Custodian Fleets

Tasked with the protection of their home fleet, are those souls of Feirefitz, who choose to master the art of war. Unlike the lumbering hulks of mining vessels or the surreal titans at the heart of the Horde, these are vessels purely made for war. Swift and decisively they strike, with weapons perfectly attuned with their warrior crews over centuries. The Custodians of Feirefitz are said to be relentless, both in the defense of their home fleets and the pursuit of any foe. Manned by the most formidable voidsmen of Sector Gondwana, they know routes and jumps through the warp hidden from anyone else. None can escape their wrath, none can hide their course from their auger arrays.

### Mercenary and Trading Fleets

At any time there are many thousands of mercenary vessels and traders traveling with every Feirefitz Horde. These are those who have returned from journeys far from the Heart of the Horde or are preparing to venture outward again. Their vessels are as numerous and different as their masters, but many were made in the forges of the Horde, from the matter and with the same versatility in mind.

The mercenary craft is often small, but highly potent in battle. Rarely do the soldiers of fortune field vessels larger than light cruiser classes, for few in the Segmentum could even afford the services of larger mercenary ships.

The readers prefer often massive barges, in rare instances small courier vessels for luxury wares. In both cases, they are armed well for their protection and maintain escorts for their convoy.

In times of war near their homelands and gathering grounds, the Feirefitz Hords may gather the mercenaries in their midst and assemble fleets of them under the command of Trade Masters and High Custodians. These are fierce forces of rapid strike groups, fielding extremely diverse weaponry and utility systems. Less trained in combined fleet combat than dedicated military fleets, they will not form a strong main front line – but as cavalry support crashing against the flanks of their foe, they are unrivaled by most in the wider Sector.

## Hordes of War

Only during the direst of times, or at direct orders from the Holy Throne World Terra, will entire Hordes of Feirefitz go to war. When such a time has come, among their highest and most respected will be chosen a Loke-Khan, one voice to call upon all souls in service to his people. All mercenaries, traders and scattered exploration vessels will heed the call of their high war master, and return at once to the Heart of their Horde. With them, they will bring allies and those in debt to them, until a fleet is assembled, orders of magnitude larger than the forces of Feirefitz itself.

The Horde, by then, will be dedicated wholly to the war. Every industry and soul will work to outfit every last ship with protection and armament, converting bulk traders and guardian craft, and even the titanic hive vessels into mighty battleships.

Whereas elsewhere, the conversion of civilian craft might make for pitiful forces in desperate times, the versatility and skill of Feirefitz's engine smiths are unsurpassed. Each and every last of their vessels was built from the very beginning with this possibility in mind. Under the lumbering hull of every last freighter there slumbers a terrible beast of a ship. Once tanks and loading bays a stripped away, once all fat is cut from the vessels form, sleek and mighty battle craft will remain, ready to plunge into battle.

When a horde goes to war, an entire civilization is mobilized. A relentless onslaught darkening the sun falls upon any world daring to threaten the horde and the forces of the foe will be drowned in waves of asteroids and comets thrown as harbingers of the Hordes of Feirefitz coming.

## Notable Vessels & Classes

### Kyrgyz Destroyer

It's origins lost to myth millennia ago, the Kyrgyz Destroyer pattern is a relic of the Imperial Age, lost to most forges of the Galaxy. Resilient and strong, its qualities in combat have made it one of the most favored weapons of war to the Feirefitz Horde, seeing deployment almost exclusively in strike packs rather than escorting larger vessels.

Unlike most "ships of the line" outfitted with broadside weaponry, these hallowed vessels rely heavily on plasma-thrust maneuvers of opportunistic and bold captains, allowing them to bring their guns to bear while penetrating enemy formations. Commanders of the Feirefitz Fleets are known for having perfected such skills, making their great swarms of small vessels most effective instruments of destruction.

### Messorem Sidonia

Sacred monuments to the Omnissiah are the manufactorum vessels Messorem Sidonia, the asteroid-piercing monoliths of the Feirefitz Horde. They are home to the Hordes' workers and industry and among their most fearsome weapons in times of war.

Piercing the very heart of rich asteroids, the Messurom Sidonia siphon any abundant resource from the impaled body of the void. The refined materials are then stored and layered around the core of this vessel, forming an ever-growing crust of nigh-impenetrable armor. From within, such materials are used to fuel the void-borne civilization of the Horde, manufacturing machinery, replenishing components, and arms.

Only when the very highest order of the Imperium calls or the very existence of the Horde is threatened at its core, do the Messorem Sidonia ever go to war. Although they are not dedicated warships as such, in the hands of a resourceful and capable commander, they may become the machine embodiment of the Emperor's Wrath.

Built to withstand the stresses and impacts of piercing and splitting Asteroids by brute force, equipped with detonation charges akin to the heaviest of torpedoes in the Imperium's Arsenal and home to entire armadas of Strike- and Auxiliary craft, these vessels by their very nature are an all but insurmountable military force on their own. Added to that is their extensive manufacturing capability, allowing them to rapidly deploy countless batteries of macro cannons, missile silos and entire flotillas of escort craft.

It is said, should the Horde ever decide to plunge such a vessel onto a planet, the impact would set the whole world asunder, cracking continents and shrouding the skies, bringing about a global Armageddon.

### Przewalskii Bulk Cruiser

Famed for many illustrious deeds along the Eastern Constellations in matters of trade and war, Bulk Cruisers are the most renowned vessels of the Feirefitz Horde. Thousands of such vessels are sent far and wide throughout Sector Gondwana and beyond to make a trade with imperial worlds of all sorts along the seldom traveled routes on the edge of the Galaxy. They are home to countless voidfarer nomads and each gather experience, augments and exotic artifacts on their many travels.

In times of war, the Hordes of Feirefitz call upon them, gathering the many lonesome travelers to join in a single fight against the foes of humanity. United in heeding the Imperium's Call, their unique skills and experience are joined toward a single goal and could rarely be rivaled by any enemy.