Imperial Pilots of HM' Armed Forces

**Imperial pilots** remain one of the most recalled and prestigious individuals to partake in the Eternal Empire's history, especially after the turn of the 23rd. Century, (2299-2300) in the galactic field of combat. They are trained for void, atmospheric and even underwater warfare when the time is needed, being ready to support, protect and encourage the Imperial armies and fleets fighting against their declared foes throughout the many territories of the Universe.

Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial combat, dogfighting and space fleet warfare. This highly-demanded selection process chooses only the elite of all potential candidates, and is commonly attributed with the knight's honour code first before anything else. Pilots of HM' Imperial Fighter Wings are teached to protect their homeland with their lives, whilst the ones in HM' Support Wings usually end up giving their own to expand it. Elite flyers, veterans of the Corps, tend to be looked with enormous admiration, gaining enough status to be compared to saints themselves, and being expected to live up to those expectations with strict rules, etiquette and elegance, no matter how hard that may be during wartime.

## **Roles**

### **Fleet Combat**

Fighting in the void was initially a secondary role for pilots of the Empire, as there was little more than spaceports to house crafts capable of travel, in a time without any kind of space carriers. After the realisation of the importance of such fighting group, however, carrier groups began being implemented into the Armadas to maxime fighting efficiency; as capital ships and corvettes trade fire across the void, squads of fighters and bombers are unleashed from their home fields to take down torpedoes and hunt down both small ships and other fighters. Nowadays, much of the void pilots are regarded as part of the fleet, defending it from Dyss suicide strikes or even Commonwealth bomber swarms to the last.

Whilst significant in numbers, the void pilots falter in comparison to the common ground role, which is very well regarded and known, both for the pilots, and for the people alike. Nevertheless, they mark an important role for fleet engagements and battlefield support in the void.

### **Ground & Naval Combat**

The true fighting force of the Imperial pilots, being the main structure of support and combat during planetary invasions and battles. They fly above the air and under the sea, serving as vanguards to offensive operations and any other necessity that the army requires. A characteristic of the **Western Galactic Core** sectors, aces are mostly generated in atmospheric regions instead of space or air depriving ones; this is explained by different doctrines of flight and strategies themselves, as the Imperials value taking a planet much more than removing void resistance first, unlike the Commonwealth order of battle.

Bombers and fighters of the Imperial assembly-lines are much more apt to atmospheric pressure, and, in general, the crafts tend to be more diversified when it comes to models and variants. The pilots themselves are trained to fly in the most harsh weather conditions, whilst also receiving some ground training in case of a crash landing in enemy territory. Fighting tirelessly, they work together with the ground forces to achieve complete land and naval superiority in the designated planet; a deadly force to be reckoned with.

## **Wing Behaviour & Combat Limitations**

For all the compatibility with the Royal Army and Royal Navy, the **Fighter Corps** and **Support Corps** lack much cohesion between themselves from within their very own units. Unlike the Commonwealth, were teamwork is a key factor in their forces, Imperials tend to incentivize competition and individual deeds, proving much to the single hero policy adopted by the air wings in the Empire and its many planets. To them, personal prestige is what matters the most, which sometimes ends up with lone wolf missions that can be detrimental to the force as a whole. Death of rivals is little more than an opportunity to close on the leaderboards, instead of a time to mourn. Dueling became quite common, but was later outlawed after the Ancestral war by the order of Emperor Daniel Lavoie, to prevent further pilot losses for petty personal reasons.

Pilot training is rough and strict, which also proves to be somewhat of a problem for the two Air Groups as a whole. Nobles are the most common (But not exclusive) to be seen fighting in the air, with the skies being often regarded as knightley and chivalrous place, enough to draw attention of these youngsters for gaining recognition and their on share of adventure. The training, however, draws off most of the fresh recruits, giving the Corps an elite crew, but a smaller one in comparison to the nation's great industrial capabilities.

Pilot shortages became a very recurring problem after the defeat in Aasha System, when most of the elite pilot force was left stranded after the fleet was destroyed, and, consequently, met the same fate moments afterwards. Rebuilding the fleet and preparing it for the last stand in New-Earth was met with complications at the time, and it is nowadays assumed the battle could have been turned around if those veteran pilots had survived the engagement at Ortus to fight in the Imperial homeland in the future.

## **Notable Aces**

Any pilot who manages to score at least **ten "kills"** (Air Victories) earns the rank of **Imperial Ace**, a title which many new recruits eagerly dream of obtaining when they first apply for the Corps. Amongst the many aces the Eternal Empire has produced over the years, some of the most well-known are:

-**Sir Alfred Hitchcock:** Highest scoring ace in Imperial history, rivaling the recognition applied to old pilots of Earth. His total number of victories became registered as 1.422, in a combat lifespan of about 9 years. Hitchcock became a martyr for newer pilots, especially with his outstanding prowess against the Dyss forces. He died in 2299, due to natural causes.

-**Lady Erwina 'Putsch' von Mannerheim:** Second ranking ace in the Empire, veteran in combat against Dyss, Entente, Thadrakos and Commonwealth forces. Her bold and young personality strived hard to maintain the same prestige that her mother, Leena ***'**Queen*', which she upheld very much during her lifetime in the Fighter Corps. She fought in epic combat against many Commonwealth aces in the Battle of Aasha, making the last stand of her own career in the orbit of New Earth, in 2329, reaching the final score of 1.294 at the time of her death.

-**Sir Thomas 'Toha' Haigh:** The ultimate bomber and test subject for the Empire, achieving a total of 630 missions in his bomber without any complications. He became famous for his pompous attitude and for reviewing the newer crafts being implemented into the change of a cycle. His score of aerial victories officially reaches 63, not the highest, but certainly not the smallest either.

-**Sir Rickenbacker Lindie:** Bomber leader of the highest excellence, reaching the highest amount of kills in a bomber craft and the second largest number of accomplished missions in the Support Wings. He was instrumental in the Bloody Push, and made sure to utilize anything within his reach to achieve the most Dyss casualties as possible during planetary battles. Lindie was also the one that pushed for the creation of Fortress Wings, baptizing the unit when the campaign became slow and bloodier than before. He was killed in 2263, during the withdrawal of Imperial Forces from the campaign grounds of the Bloody push.

-**Baroness Leena 'Queen' von Mannerheim:** Initially in an attacker role, she became for completing her mission in impeccable timing and downing seven F'thgrans and four Thadrakos crafts in the same sortie. She adopted many aggressive tactics towards her own fighting, later spearheading the pushes for better fighter models with her own voice. She was killed in 2302, after a border skirmish against the Celestial Alliance, her total score reaching 785 confirmed victories (72 being in obsolete attack crafts).

-**Lord George Washington:** A strategist at heart, yet a hero when taken to the skies. Leading **Tactical Fighter Wing 2829 '*Liberty*'**, his unit became the most recognised for the formation of fighter aces in the Empire. Relying more on teamwork than most other units, he is credited to have shot down 27 Dyss suicidal strikers in a day, with his unit reaching a staggering 137 kills later in that campaign. Washington, along with the rest of his fighter group, were destroyed by Task Force Manticore in transport vessels, after the defeat of the Armada in Ortus, holding 699 kills after his sudden death in the void.

-**Francis Dowding:** 11.463 Complete missions in his career, arguably the most experienced pilot the Empire has seen. Present in many campaigns and battles, fighting even after reaching an old age. He engaged Dyss in the Bloody Push, Thadrakos and their allies, Entente expeditions and finally Commonwealth forces in New Earth. He survived the war to be a leading figure for the rebuilding of the Imperial Armed Forces, succumbing to old age in 2359.

-**Samuel 'Unsinkable' Edrington:** Naval fighter, character who oversaw the development of the Swordfish fighter and later designs, being famous for his Wolfpack tactics in the depths of quiet oceans. He tallied up 48 Aircraft and 72 Naval vessels as his score in total; being present as a defensive fighter leader in one of the largest Imperial Submerged Command Groups of New-Earth, and never being seen again after the destructive battle reached the planet's surface.