Maritime Service - MillMint

Part of the state series of articles.

The Maritime Service (the traditional Navy or Navy of the Public) is the surface and submarine warfare component of the Armed Forces of Vekllei, administered through the Ministry of Defence. For a country of 83 island republics scattered across two oceans, the Maritime Service is the only thing holding the Commonwealth together militarily — without sea control, reinforcement and supply between republics becomes impossible, and the entire federal defence architecture collapses.

The service operates four fleet commands: the Commonwealth Fleet as the primary striking force, the Arctic and Antarctic Fleets for polar operations, and the Home Fleet — 83 republic frigates, one per republic, serving as both a symbol of Commonwealth unity and a distributed patrol force. This structure reflects Vekllei’s unusual strategic position: a dispersed maritime power that cannot concentrate forces the way continental nations do, so it distributes them instead. Every republic has its own warship, its own piece of federal defence.

The cost of this dispersal is real. Maintaining nuclear-powered frigates in 83 separate ports strains the service’s logistics and dockyard capacity. Many smaller republics lack the facilities for major maintenance, so frigates rotate through the five principal naval stations for scheduled refits. The professional fleet is modest by great-power standards — around 40 major surface combatants and 13 attack submarines — but nuclear propulsion gives every vessel unlimited range, and the Universal Hull System means any dockyard that can service a frigate can also handle a destroyer.

Capital Ships

1 Supercarrier CVN Veletia

4 Fleet Carriers Volcanic-Class

2 Helicopter Carriers

1 Battleship Federal-Class

4 Battlecruisers Nike-Class (armoured variant)

Cruisers (Universal Cruiser Hull)

2 Scout Cruisers Nike-Class

5 Shock Cruisers Nike-Class

2 Torpedo Cruisers Nike-Class

6 Icebreaker Cruisers Nike-Class

6 Aviation Cruisers Prosperity-Class

Destroyers (Universal Destroyer Hull)

28 Escort Destroyers Swordfish-Class

8 Shock Destroyers Swordfish-Class

3 Arsenal Destroyers Swordfish-Class

Frigates (Universal Frigate Hull)

83 Republic Frigates Aurora-Class

16 Escort Frigates Aurora-Class

Light Forces

24 Corvettes Suffrage-Class

6 Mine Warfare Vessels Hera-Class

Submarines

13 Attack Submarines Capricorn-Class

6 Ballistic Missile Submarines Mantle-Class

Auxiliary & Support

2 Arsenal Ships

4 Assault Ships

24 Landing Craft Vessels

40+ Support Vessels

Commonwealth Fleet

The Commonwealth Fleet (Sovereign/Federal Fleet) is the largest naval formation in Vekllei, tasked with defence of the central corridor between Oslola, Costa Verde and Summers. Home-ported at NS Kairi, it concentrates the Commonwealth’s striking power — carriers, shock cruisers and the bulk of the submarine force — in the Caribbean, where proximity to potential adversaries and expeditionary commitments demands rapid response.

Capital Ships

1 Supercarrier (flagship CVN Veletia)
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Fleet Carriers (Volcanic-class)
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Helicopter Carriers
NS Kairi Kairi

1 Battleship (Federal-class Commonwealth)
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Battlecruisers (Nike-class, armoured variant)
NS Kairi Kairi

Cruiser Force (Universal Cruiser Hull)

2 Scout Cruisers (Nike-class)
NS Oslola Oslola

2 Torpedo Cruisers (Nike-class)
NS Kairi Kairi

5 Shock Cruisers (Nike-class)
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Aviation Cruisers (Prosperity-class)
NS Java Java

Destroyer Force (Universal Destroyer Hull)

5 Mine Warfare Vessels (Hera-class)
NS Java Java

16 Escort Destroyers (Swordfish-class)
NS Kairi Kairi

Light Forces (Universal Frigate Hull & Corvette Hull)

10 Escort Frigates (Aurora-class variant)
NS Kairi Kairi

18 Corvettes (Suffrage-class)
NS Kairi Kairi

Submarine Force

8 Attack Submarines (Capricorn-class)
NS Kairi Kairi

Home Fleet (Auxiliary)

The Home Fleet distributes 83 Republic Frigates across every constituent republic — one per island, each named for its home community. The arrangement is as much political as military: every republic hosts a federal warship, crewed partly by locals, reinforcing the Commonwealth’s presence even in the smallest islands. In practice, republic frigates spend most of their time on patrol and customs duties, and can be federalised into the operational fleets when needed.

Republic Warships (Universal Frigate Hull)

83 Republic Frigates (Aurora-class)
Distributed across all republics

6 Escort Frigates (Aurora-class variant)
NS Oslola Oslola

Amphibious Warfare

4 Assault Ships
NS Antigua Antigua

24 Landing Craft Vessels
Various naval stations

Support Vessels

2 Submarine Rescue Ships
NS Kairi Kairi

1 Crane Ship
NS Oslola Oslola

1 Mine Warfare Vessel (Hera-class)
NS Oslola Oslola

4 Minehunters (Corvette Hull variant)
NS Oslola Oslola

2 Amenities Ships
NS Verde Costa Verde

2 Ammunition Ships
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Floating Docks
NS Oslola Oslola

1 Troopship (+ 3 Auxiliary)
NS Antigua Antigua

4 Naval Yachts
NS Verde Costa Verde

3 Accommodation Ships
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Dispatch Ships
NS Oslola Oslola

4 Nuclear Replenishment Ships
NS Kairi Kairi

2 Replenishment Oilers
NS Kairi Kairi

3 Gunboats
NS Mira Mira

Arctic Fleet

The Arctic Fleet defends Helvasia, Kala and the northern approaches. Its icebreaker cruisers can force passage through polar ice while providing fire support, and the fleet maintains year-round presence in waters that most navies avoid seasonally.

Capital Ships

1 Fleet Carrier
NS Oslola Oslola

1 Battlecruiser (Nike-class, armoured variant)
NS Oslola Oslola

Cruiser Force (Universal Cruiser Hull)

4 Icebreaker Cruisers (Nike-class variant)
NS Sedna Kala
NS Helvasia Helvasia

2 Aviation Cruisers (Prosperity-class)
NS Oslola Oslola

Destroyer Force (Universal Destroyer Hull)

4 Escort Destroyers (Swordfish-class)
NS Oslola Oslola

2 Shock Destroyers (Swordfish-class variant)
NS Oslola Oslola

Light Forces & Submarines

2 Corvettes (Suffrage-class)
NS Helvasia Helvasia

3 Attack Submarines
NS Oslola Oslola

Antarctic Fleet

The Antarctic Fleet defends the Falklands, Sude and the southern ocean approaches — some of the most isolated and contested waters in the Commonwealth. The Falklands dispute with Argentina means this fleet maintains higher readiness than its size might suggest.

Capital Ships

1 Fleet Carrier
NS Falklands Falklands

1 Battlecruiser (Nike-class, armoured variant)
NS Falklands Falklands

Cruiser Force (Universal Cruiser Hull)

2 Icebreaker Cruisers (Nike-class variant)
NS Sude Sude

2 Aviation Cruisers (Prosperity-class)
NS Santes Santes

Destroyer Force (Universal Destroyer Hull)

6 Escort Destroyers (Swordfish-class)
NS Falklands Falklands

2 Shock Destroyers (Swordfish-class variant)
NS Falklands Falklands

1 Arsenal Destroyer (Swordfish-class variant)
NS Sude Sude

Light Forces & Submarines

2 Corvettes (Suffrage-class)
NS Falklands Falklands

2 Attack Submarines
NS Santes Santes

Missile Fleet

The Missile Fleet comprises Vekllei’s strategic nuclear deterrent and long-range strike capability. These vessels operate from secure bases and maintain the Commonwealth’s nuclear deterrence posture.

Strategic Assets

2 Arsenal Ships
NS Oslola Oslola

6 Ballistic Missile Submarines (Mantle-class)
Classified locations

The Maritime Service operates from five principal naval stations — NS Kairi (the largest), NS Oslola, NS Falklands, NS Antigua and NS Verde — which provide construction, drydock and refit facilities. These stations anchor the navy’s logistics, since the 83 distributed republic frigates depend on them for any maintenance beyond what a local harbour can handle. All major combatants are nuclear-powered and domestically built, a deliberate choice that gives the fleet unlimited range but ties it to Vekllei’s own shipyards for reactor servicing — the Commonwealth cannot rely on foreign dockyards for its warships.