An airship is a term applied to any number of flying vehicles that use diamagnetic cages to float on a planets natural magnetic field. They are used in both a civilian role, as both of a means of transport and trade, as well as a military one.

Military

Airfortress

The largest class of airship in military use anywhere in the world, an airfortress is a heavily armoured and heavily armed ship. Usually they require nearly a thousand men to operate them. While no official line exists to denote an airfortress, and what may be considered an airfortress in one country may not be the same in others, the largest ships in a navy usually earn this term.

The word airfortress, and from that, every other class of airship respectively, comes from a mistranslation. While fighting the Arcea-Rostefians’s in the Eshaw-Shirudo War, the Shirudo referred to the early military airships as “sky castles”. The Kingdom of Arcea-Rostef mistranslated this and adopted the term.

Most airfortress are reserved for “set piece” battles, and are kept from smaller engagements. This being said, increasingly, they are being use for smaller engagements as speeds and manoeuvrability increase.

Known Airfortress:

Arcea: ARAS Intrepid* (destroyed), ARAS Sudfell, ARAS Valiant

Karelia: HRS Resolute, HRS Indomitable

Shirudo: Husarski (class)

Enshaw: ENG Espléndido (destroyed)

Fast Airfortress

Similar to regular airfortress, fast airfortress have become increasingly popular due to lower costs. Even rich nations such as Karelia can only have a dozen airfortress at a time, while they currently operate almost thirty fast airfortress. Nations that can’t afford airfortress, such as North Ghurkka and South Arcea & West Hoffnungia, use fast airfortress as “set piece” battle airships.

Known Fast Airfortress

Arcea: ARAS Endeavour

Shirudo: Ubertripitz (modified UHR ship)

Airredoubt

The workhorse of a navy, airredoubts generally have a few hundred men. They combine decent battlefield survivability, range, fire-power and speed with an affordable price tag. Thanks to this combination, they fulfill many roles that airfortress are too slow to complete independently, but smaller classes aren’t survivable enough to do alone. Raiding, anti-piracy and trade protection are notable roles fulfilled by airredoubts. Smaller nations, such as Cambria and Ephesus may view comparable ships as airfortress in their own fleets.

Airreduit

Airreduits are generally charged with protecting larger classes, notably airfortress, from fighters, torpedoes and missiles. They also are commonly used during peacetime for patrolling. Notably, airreduits are significantly less survivable than airredoubts and will avoid taking part in “set piece” battles. This being said, some navies have begun strapping them with missiles and using there speed to attack airfortress’s with surprise ambushes.

Airturret

Airturrets are generally used as direct support for infantry and armour, deploying airmarines and other special forces, medical evacuation, and combating enemy fighters. While some classes tend to be slower than even airfortress, some newer, higher performing, designs are also being made into very effective scouts.

Known Airturrets

Arcea: ARAS Canmore

Civilian

Skybuses are small airships generally used for intercity travel. They are especially common in areas where train tracks have not expanded.

Skyfreighters are trade and supply airships. They are also popular in areas where trains are not available.

Skyliners are large airships generally reserved for off continent travel. Enshaw is the largest user and producer of such craft.

Racing

Arcea, South Arcea & West Hoffnungia and Karelia hosts an international airship rally annually. The TransArc runs from Corinta to Thensour, stopping at many Arcean towns along the route. The race has become a battleground not only between the gentlemen designers, but major companies as well. The Shirudo and Enshaw have also begun entering ships as well.

Companies often use the race as an opportunity to try new military technology, and succesful private teams can often get government contracts if successful. The Canmore, and several other experimental airturrets, are a previous race winners.

*ARAS Intrepid was a Third Empire Airship before throwing it’s colours and becoming the flagship and first ship of the Republic Air Navy.