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**Notes:**

*Heading = Article Name*

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*Sub Heading 2 and etc. = SH 1 and etc...*

"*"The Britons showed themselves exceptionally well with the uses of these **Learning Rafts**, not only navigating through the rivers and streams but even to the coast of Dover with such negligence of its material and purpose. Though teaching the young with the ways of fishing and education alongside the knowledge of handling ships is something to commend for." - Caesar"*

## Timeline of School-Ships

Phoenician Steading Boat - 9th Century BCE

Hanno's 60 Fleets - 5th Century BCE

Archimedes' Syracusia - 2nd Century BCE

Ptolemy IV's Tessarakonteres - 3rd Century BC

Han's Louchuan - 2nd Century BC - AD

Briton's Learning Rafts - 54 BC

Roman's Minerva's Triremes - 53 BC

Caligula's Prima Nave - 1st Century AD

Mosaic Vase Dromon - 12-13th Century

Venetian Burciogrando - 13th Century

European School-Galleons - 16th Century

British Elizabeth Bonaventure - 1596

Ships of the Learning - 19th Century

Study-Hulls

British Royal Sovereign - 1920 (First Converted)

Germany's Deutschlandlied - 1921 of April

America's Constitution - 1921 of December

Japan's Ōmiwa - 1922 if September

French Jeanne d'Arc - 1930

French Orléans - 1931

Japan's Katori/Izumo or Ōmiwa - 1940 (planned)

Nuclear Powered School-Ships

US' Leyte - 1958

## School-Ship

A **School-Ship** is a specialized vessel intended for continuing education even through voyages, they served as floating towns and even cities equipped with necessities capable of self-sufficient for long periods of time. Originally they were smaller than Aircraft Carriers, but ever since the turn of the 21st century, School-Ships are now much larger compared to their predecessors; where their dimensions rivaled and sometimes even surpassing some states and even micronations that the UN recognized.

The United Nations School-Ship Authority (UNSSA) is the governing body responsible for managing School-Ships in an international level. Though in Japan, the Japan Recrelympics Committee (JRO) holds the responsibility as the domestic governing body for managing School-Ships alongside the Ministry for Internal Affairs and Communications and the Japan Sensha-Dō Federation, with the latter acting as the representative on behalf of the JRO.

According to the International Recrelympic Committee, School-Ships are dubbed "Recrelympic Villages" for they have the capability for transforming their *surface deck* to temporary accommodation area built for the Recrelympic Games. A unique feature that they frequently used during all recent Recrelympic Games.

### History

- **Original** -

Origins of the School-Ship is skeptical and often debated around with Historians, though it boiled down between two theories that widely accepted by most historians: the Archimedes' Syracusia, and the Ptolemy IV's Tessarakonteres. Though some historians also claimed that the Chinese's Louchuan used in the Han Dynasty also was given the assumption as the School-Ship's descendant.

- **New Version** -

The origins of School-Ship are often contested and debated by Scholars ever since they start being commissioned in the 20th Century. Theories were brought up by Historians over the decades, trying to pinpoint the exact origin of a 'School-Ship' in the history of sea navigation. Some claimed that it came from the Phoenicians in the 9th Century BCE, some said it came from one large transport ship designed by Archimedes in 2nd Century BCE, others even argued that the concept of 'School-Ship' was started as militaristic and it started by the Egyptians during the Hellenistic period, and some even theorized that the Chinese built them during the Han Dynasty.

Whatever the case of the origin might be, during this beginning period of School-Ship's predecessors, two popular works were published that emphasized their value and potential, and these were the Book 7 of ***Naturalis Historia*** by Pliny the Elder and the thesis of ***Suboles Educationis Explorationis Maritimae*** by the scholars from the Collegium pro Doctrina. These two works defined the usage, practicality, and detailed the previous education ships that existed before them, but the main and significant influence they produced was the implication of ships and education through voyages.

Though as the origin of these vessels is contested, history has noted that the School-Ship's ancestor can be traced back in the 1st Century BCE in Great Britain with a myriad of documents supporting its existence, an example of this is from Caesar's firsthand account, the *Commentarii de Bello Gallico* (Commentaries on the Gallic War):

*"The Britons educate their young abroad small rafts". - Caesar*

According to his account, the Briton's small rafts were wooden-made boats with a cabin on top of it acting as a shelter and a place for learning that can accommodate around 8-10 person in it. They were seen around the rivers of Darent and beyond the coast of Dover. Caesar further explained that it is either propelled by either oars or a mast on top of the cabin.

These rafts were called *"Discendi ratibus"* or Learning Rafts, which was coined by Caesar himself during one of his accounts on describing these maritime vessels on his aforementioned commentary. Caesar took this Learning Rafts on his way to Rome, and once he was done with his campaign in the British Isle, he started to experiment the usage of these Learning Rafts in few numbers that soon developed to the specialized galleys that begun to solidify the appearance and purpose of a School-Ship.

The arrival of Briton's styled Learning Raft to mainland Europe met little success to the vast empires, especially to Rome as the need for such vessel is unnecessary since the schools can be done and easy to be constructed in the vast territory of Imperial Rome. Though with the introduction of the Minerva's Triremes in the Calabria Region and thanks to the building techniques of making these ships worthy from the hands of the Veneti Gauls, their influence gets wide spread to neighboring countries until its implementation covers the old world, from the British Isles to isolated coasts of Africa and even reaching the land of the Turks and Indians.

## History of Panzerkraft

The origin of Panzerkraft has multiple long be debated by Historians throughout the progression of the 21st Century. The origin is heavily debated between the Chariot racing during Greek antiquity and the European jousts during medieval times. But in the modern application of the sport that uses tanks or tracked vehicles, it is generally accepted that the Track Rallying of 1924 started this trend.

### Debated Origins

The origin of Panzerkraft is debated between the Greek/Roman chariot racing and the European medieval jousts somewhere between the 10th to 12th century. From the paintings left by painters during Mycenaean Greece to the introduction of mixed Jousting in the 12th century by Philippa of Hainault, it's hard to determine on the exact origin of the sport in the time of ancient.

#### Greek and Roman Chariots

The first documentation of Chariot racing is seen on one of the accounts of Homer's work, the Illiad, specifically Book 23, the Funeral games of Patroclus. Where Diomedes, member of the Argons and one of the participants of the Trojan War, won the race. Though some said that the Chariot racing was invented after King Oenomaus challenged suitors for his daughter Hippodamia to a race, but was defeated by Pelops, who organized the races as thanksgiving to the gods and as funeral games in honor of Oenomaus, in order to be purified of his death.

But though its exact origin is still unknown at best, what historian confidently assured themselves in the books that the racings were venerated by the Greeks, particularly during the Olympic games where famous people made their achievements through racing, an example of this is Cimon Coalemos, the anonymous Charioteer of Delphi, Theron of Acragas, and Cynisca, with the latter marking a historical moment in the Olympics' history as the first woman to won the ancient games in 396. Cynisca's achievement boosted the females' interest in also joining these games albeit restricted, though as many female warriors competed and won the games such as Bilistiche and Euryleonis, the popularity of these sports to women would only grow as the decade passes.

Even after the fall of Greece and the succession rise of the Roman Empire, in which they probably received this sport after their assimilation with the Etruscan, who in turn borrowed them from the Greeks. Like the Greeks, the Romans gave great importance to the Roman chariot racing, so much as so that they even used it in Roman Legends and created festivals that emphasizes this dangerous equestrian sport, particularly the Equirria, two ancient festivals of chariot racing (or perhaps horseback racing) that they do to honor of the god Mars.

Alongside their use of the sport in mythical legends and plays, the sport was also used in entertainment for its audience, free to the poor and this invited spectators across the ancient world. With such great importance of this sport as their entertainment alongside the Gladiatorial fights, many hippodromes and stadiums were enacted to accommodate the growing interest of it, one famous stadium of this is the Circus Maximus in Rome, the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire.

Even after the decline of the Empire, the racing still continued albeit its value and importance slowly diminished in the Western Empire, though meanwhile in the Eastern Empire, chariot racing still has its legs standing up as many more charioteers gained recognition from this, including Porphyrius the Charioteer, a renowned Roman charioteer in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. Though with the rise of conflicts and problems, the maintenance of these racings proved to be an overwhelming task and so it slowly disappeared decades before the Byzantine Empire crumbled.

Though Charioteers were treated with great respect throughout their careers and beyond their lives. This honorable practice was able to transcend even to the modern times, going as far as to make the Hippodrome Museum, a monument that honors the winners of the chariot racing.

### Medieval Jousting

The assumption of Panzerkraft's origin came from Medieval Jousting compared to Chariot racing is more grounded thanks to the documents that historians have currently. The fact that jousting is a sport that involves a combatant in a suit of armor while riding a transportation (in this case, a horse) with its main goal to knock its opponent out of the game is similar to the description of modern Panzerkraft.

Sources indicated that the first jousting happened during the 10th century, specifically in the year of 1026 in the grounds of the Greenwich Palace. And within a century of that, it become so widespread that a series of regulations were established limiting the number of jousts that could be held, though still open enough that armies can be occupied while waiting for conflicts to arose.

## Japanese Panzerkraft

*Keninsha-jutsu* (art of tractor), Sensha-do (way of the tank), and Karuikura-gei (Arts of the Light Saddle) are examples of the many forms of Japanese Panzerkraft or Sōkōbajutsu (Art of the Armored Equestrianism).

## Sanctioned Shells

Sanctioned Shells, Recrelympic Shells, and Federation-Sanctioned Shells are special shells designed for Panzerkraft. These shells are made from a special alloy containing Silicon-Nichrome-Molybdenum properties while it is encased by an Aluminum cartridge. This special designed shell is brittle enough that it can disintegrate easily upon meeting contact with the primary layer of the CEN, though it's hard enough it can pierce through the initial layer of the aforementioned armor. And with accordance to its realistic approach, these shells, even though it's already standardized in the current century, has different sets of penetration data to every applicable data under the sun.

All shells are manufactured under a strict guidance of the Federation, and those who violated the guidance will face severe consequences to it.

## Notes to mind!

*Mitchell Vrede van Holland, a member of the Dutch's Golden Helder Association (From the Olympia Protocol/SAW)* - The Golden Helder Association is a conglomerate of Shipbuilders in Netherlands.

#### Soft Tanks

Soft Tanks and Tankettes are replica military vehicles used in Recrelympics. They are manufactured solely for Panzerkraft, recreational militaristic armored-oriented games meant for leisure and play. Soft Tanks are specially made and are highly durable compared to its counterparts, equipping with state-of-the-art CEN Armor, an upgraded variant of its engine, and electronic processors on both internal and external. The first soft tank was debuted during the "First Armored Joust" in front of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1948.

### Description

Soft Tanks and Tankettes are vehicles manufactured solely for Panzerkraft games only. They are the only sanctioned means-of-play equipment allowed by the International Panzerkraft Federation (IPF), and anything that circumnavigates the strict standards of the Federation are punished appropriately. All soft tanks are licensed and only a few select manufacturers are entitled to manufacture them, though with the rise of model kits allowed tankers to customize their tanks and tankettes. Fitted with the standardize CEN Armor and an in-built Helios Software, these two what allowed Soft Tanks to exist beyond the ordinary vehicles used in Armored Equestrian and the customizable, though peculiar personalization of racing tanks used in Tracked Racing. All Soft Tanks and Tankettes are considered to be Sportified Vehicles, but not all SVs are soft tanks.

### Types

#### **Kinderpanzers**

Also known as Children's Tanks. Kinderpanzers are miniatured Soft Tanks, according to the definition of Albrecht, the first producer of the said type, Kinderpanzers are scaled **1:3** to its counterpart. Kinderpanzers are easily known for its realistic resemblance to its counterpart, powered engine, moving tracks, and a working pneumatic cannon. Old models used to load their War-tatoes (their ammunition) through muzzle-loading, but newer models accommodate gun breaches to simulate authenticity.

Originally, engines of Kinderpanzers were made out of decommissioned car engines such as those from the Trebant series, but modern ones uses all-electric powered components, though to stay realistic as they can, some attempted to complicate the engine part that allowed the user, typically children, to 'fix the vehicle' through easy procedures. Another thing that old Kinderpanzers differ from newer ones are its operation to its gun, as mentioned earlier, the old method to load a War-tato is to load it from the muzzle of the gun, it was a tedious process that hinders effectivity during quick-timed matches that uses them, therefore, a new method was introduced in the following years where a breach was introduced and exchanged the type of ammunition from organic potatoes to replicated small shells.

Through the first Soviet-class child-tanks made by Stahl Piesteritz, predecessor of Albrecht, the Kinderpanzers became a favorite toy by kids across the Eastern Bloc before its introduction to the Western audience. And when it was licensed first by West Germany, it was a massive successful and soon, the Children's Tank became a universal well-beloved toy for kids around the world. This successful and popular 'toy' would both start controversies and further developments in the scene of making Panzerkraft a wide-spread activity.

Today, Kinderpanzers can be bought through licensed War Shops.

#### **Miniaturpanzers**

Another product from East Germany, Miniaturpanzers or Miniature Tanks are 1:2 replica of vehicles meant for teenagers to use. Patented by the Stahl Piesteritz, they were used extensively by young pioneers of the many youth organizations across the Eastern Block. And like its cousin, they too became popular from each side once it was licensed outside the Iron Curtain. But unlike its cousin where complication was exchanged for convenience, Miniaturpanzers stayed realistic for the pioneers to train themselves in the arts of maintenance and teamwork. Mini-Tanks were often used during the first few years of Panzer-related tournaments meant for teenagers during the Cold War, but eventually this was phased out when the Model Tanks were introduced in the following decade.

Mini-tanks are known for its for enclosed chassis, functional turret, and its overall two-man configuration. The design and appeal attracted the attention of West Germany so much that it was used as a basis of inspiration when they produced the first Wiesel AWC in 1975.

#### Model Tanks/Tankettes

The final evolution of the Kinderpanzers and the basis of the chassis used in the majority of mechanized sports under Panzerkraft. Model Tanks are 1:1 replicas of their counterpart, specially made and tailored to accommodate the non-lethality yet unforgiving nature of Panzerkraft. Though 1:1 replicated tanks and tankettes were already in use even before the introduction of this type, it was this type especially that became the standardized means-of-play for Panzerkraft when it went into debut during the 1980s.

Known for their realistic resemblance from their counterpart, making it difficult for others to distinguish them despite subtly changes such as the little changes of width, length, and height that effectively complicates the vehicle during conversion as a safeguard against the misuse of these play-oriented vehicles. Though considered as a "Military Vehicle", drivers of this type are required to have a license when used in public roads and places, though in matches, this requirement isn't needed.

Out of the three, Model Tanks are often used in professional games and tournaments of Panzerkraft. Alongside the Racing Wagons for races and Saddle Tanks for Armored Equestrian, these three are the only three types of Sportified Vehicles sanctioned by the IPF.

#### First "Model" Soft Tank

The first "Model" Soft Tank in history was the Dakota William's "Polar Express" M4A4 Sherman, Karin Eklund's "Aurora" T-34-85, and Manto Agnodice's "Athena" Centaur III.