Jorken is the only independent island nation on Terra, and one of only three major islands surrounding the Continent. It is significantly larger than the colonial territory of Novus but slightly smaller than the Feral-infested Hortlands. Fortunately for Jorken, they are located near to the Federal Republic of Casia, who are friendly to them. Unfortunately, they are also located near the territories of the Straser Imperium, who are decidedly not friendly to them.
In fact, their proximity to Strasic airbases lead the Jorken government to decide that they needed a strong airfleet to protect their territory. However, as wealthy as the people of Jorken are, their island does not have a large amount of natural resources, even though they were largely untouched by the Blighting. After the Great Scouring, there was less than a decade of relative peace before the Imperium decided to aggressively expand. Seeing this, the Jorken Air Service realised it needed new ships quickly.
Recognizing their limited industrial capabilities, the Air Service Acquisitions Bureau decided on a policy of quality over quantity. Historically, compromises in ship designs usually lead to designs that are not as good as if they were designed with a specific role in mind. However, the Defender-class design proposed by Jorken Airworks Company is the exception to this rule. Featuring an unusual top-bottom turret design, this class is a masterpiece of economical engineering.
These ships are too big to be mass-produced, but their small size relative to other battleships still allows a large number to be built. Their turret placement design, while being complicated to build and notoriously cramped, offers them unparalleled fields of fire. Oddly enough, a lot of space on the Defender-class that could otherwise be occupied by guns and other weapons is instead armored. This may seem a poor choice, but it drastically reduces the vulnerability of these ships. In fact, they are known for being extremely tough. They are also known for being very maneuverable. Their bow thrusters not only allow them to turn very rapidly, they also stabilize them in flight and give them the ability to fly through severe weather, even the Galestorm, allowing them great tactical flexibility.
During the Continental War, the Defenders were on the frontline for the defence of the Home Island, although a small number were sent to battle over the mainland. Their performance was mixed, although this is believed to be primarily due to the poor training of commanding officers.
Indeed, it was noticed that when under the command of competent, agressive Captains or put under overall command of other, competent commanders, these airships performed outstandingly. Good commanders would use them in hit-and-run attack patterns, using their superior speed and agility to escape heavier opponents, soaking up damage with their heavy armour. Less competent Captains, of which there were unfortunately too many in the Jorken Air Service due to years of peace, would timidly approach opponents, giving them time to range and dial in their volleys. Or they would arrogantly blaze in, putting too much trust in their armour, only to be overwhelmed by large numbers of smaller craft.
Overall, the Defender-class is extremely successful, so much so that only a few, outdated models were ever sold to smaller nations for self-defence. They continue to gallantly serve the interests of the Jorken nation.
