Tied for Second Place in the SJ Business Challenge!
As with anything I post remember that I primarily use 1st edition rules. I have added a few 2nd Edition optional rules for those who use them and these are noted where they occur.
The Angelstar Fleet is one of the premiere mercenary bands in space. Most mercenary bands consist of a group of marines or a single vessel and crew but the Angelstar Fleet consists of a fleet of ships with full compliment of sailors and marines. Single vessel mercenaries usually operate in a privateer manner sometimes even accepting letters of marque from more than one side (one of the most notable of such pirates, the Red Bombard, had seven letters of marque at one time and engaged in general piracy before he finally ran into a battle between opposing fleets that he carried letters of marque for each side of, upon discovering his treachery-by reading each other's signals--the two fleets formed a hasty truce and turned their mutual wrath on their common traitor, the Red Bombard's capture became the basis for the final peace that was eventually signed by both nations) and acting as pirates, flying whichever flag (or none) is most convenient. Such treacherous pirates are obviously hated by any side that issued them a letter of marque and most everyone else. The Angelstar Fleet does not operate as a privateer, however, instead acting as a true fleet-for-hire.
The Angelstar Fleet has been hired by numerous groups and governments who've needed aid. From simply requiring more ships for a war to needing a job done that they don't want to risk their regular naval forces on the Angelstar Fleet has seen most every type of assignment one can imagine. The Angelstar Fleet has only a few policies when dealing with employers. First, they will not operate against the IEN in any way (retribution would be too quick). Second they will not work for the neogi or beholders (even if the latter would consider hiring anyone else) due to their respective reputations of unreliability and suicidal tendencies. Third they will not act as pirates. They will hire out to rebels able to pay their fees but they will not act as simple marauders nor attack neutral parties. They always fly their own flag (an angelship in shadow seen from below flying in front of a star) with the flag (or other identification) of their employer below this. They always offer merchants flying the enemy flag the chance to surrender. Due to these three rules they have become highly respected and even the PoTs and Company of the Chalice have hired them on occasion.
The Angelstar Fleet has a total of 31 main vessels including supply ships, scouts, frigates, cruisers, and main battleships. The main battleships are 4 hammerships though they'd dearly love to acquire one or more elven men-o'-war. The cruisers consist of 3 turtleships and 2 squidships. The company's leaders have come to prefer the turtleships over the more traditional squidships due to their enclosed natures, providing additional crew protection. An angelship (the Starfire, this is the original ship the company started out with and where the company's name came from) and 2 shrikeships act as the line frigates with 6 waspships acting as escort frigates. 5 damselflies are the company's scout ships. 5 whaleships are the company's permanent supply vessels holding everything from extra ammunition to spare sails and repair materials. 3 swanships carry the supplies forward from these vessels to the ships on the front. The whaleships have also practiced forming the basis for a drydock. Four come together in a set configuration and the crews assemble scaffolding between them. Within 24 hours the company is able to conduct complete repairs on any of its ships.
The company has modified all of its vessels to from the standard configuration to make them more effective in battle. All of the company's ships have netting added to help with crew survival. For those ships with jettisons in standard configuration these have been replaced with catapults of the same size (as a catapult can also be used as a jettison, this also reduces the number of types of weaponry so that weapon loaders, repairers, and specialists are more useful). For those vessels with ballistae that do not 1/2 their tonnage in large weapons already the ballistae have been replaced with dual mount ballistae (since this doesn't violate the 1/2 tonnage in weapons rule this modification doesn't take up any cargo space). The damselflies, swanships, whaleships, and squidships all have topped out rigging to improve their maneuverability.
In addition to these vessels 15 flitters and 20 wreckboats belong to the company. Each has a nonmagical engine and the wreckboats are armed with catapults as normal. All have netting added. The flitters each have greek fire projectors mounted in a fixed position underneath. A control on the craft's top allows the pilot to activate the projector. After firing its one shot the greek fire projector needs to be reloaded so the flitter will flee the battle.
With 1322 tons of ships to operate the Angelstar Fleet requires a large number of highly skilled personnel of all types and generally has 1500-2000 personnel. Almost all the company's personnel have spacefaring proficiency and most are trained or even crack with the ships they serve on. Spelljamming is a common proficiency among the spellcasters, even those that don't usually man a helm. All captains and the pilots of the flitters and blades are required to have sail manipulation to attain their positions. The majority of 1st mates also have sail manipulation and a strict chain of command prevents the usual problems inherent with such a set-up. Most marines have balance and zero-G combat proficiencies and boarding pike, grappling hook, large weapon, and weapon loader are common proficiencies for both marines and sailors. Every vessel is required to have at least one person proficient in wildspace navigation, phlogiston navigation, signaling, and semaphore. Either the first mate or the captain must have space heraldry to prevent mishaps like attacking friendly forces. Spelljamming carpentry, spelljamming shipwright, and large weapon repairers are concentrated on the whaleships as repair crews but some others scattered throughout the fleet also possess these proficiencies.
Mages: The company has over 80 mages at most times, some of which are multi-classed. A few choose the war mage kit (from the Complete Spacefarer's Handbook) but many do not. Half-elves make up the single largest group of mages in the company but humans are almost as numerous. A few rastipedes that serve as helmsman are also present and a moderate number of gnome illusionists are included in this group. Illusionists, war mages, air elementalists, and invokers are the most recruited types of mages in the company but any specialty other than wild mages are accepted. Illusionists have proved exceptionally good at fooling enemy forces as to the numbers and positioning of the fleet's forces and will often be added to weak or vulnerable forces (such as convoys that can't be completely protected). Invokers and war mages are the primary battle mages of the company and every ship the size of a wasp or larger has at least one assigned to serve on it. If the whaleships are stationed in a well protected area in the rear then their mages may been sent out to bolster the rest of the company's vessels. Air elementalists are powerful forces in space due to the fact that all ships have their own air envelopes and some of their spells even reach through space. These mages have proven their ability to disrupt an enemy force many times and are well respected by all. Additionally their ability to refresh an air envelope (or foul an enemy's) makes them very popular.
Warriors: Warriors are, quite obviously, the basis of the company and most of the company is made up of single, multi-, or dual classed warriors of some type. Oriental warriors like ronin, kensai, and bushi are present, though in low numbers. Monks are generally considered part of this group in the company and also have a few representatives. Fighters are, of course, the most numerous type of warrior, including many following kits such as the myrmidon (CFHB) and the marine (CSFHB).
There are no paladins in the company due to their unyielding ideals but a surprisingly large number of rangers are present. As with hurwaet, the company ensures rangers are able to overcome their hatreds if needed when faced with a racial enemy that is not their [current] foe before hiring them. Multi-classed warriors are especially favored but the fact that most are also rogues rather than spellcasters (as the company desires) has placed somewhat of a damper on the company's desire to add them.
Rogues: The company hires bards willingly and usually has 40-60 serving in the company at any time (including from those races that have kits in the Complete Bard's Handbook but no true bards). Assassins and ninjas are also desirable (though carefully screened) members of the company and serve numerous purposes including spying, sabotage, and assassinating key enemy leaders. Thieves and yakuza are a different matter entirely. The company has found that no matter how many trustworthy members of these professions are in the company there will always be untrustworthy ones and this can cause serious problems aboard ship or in port. As such most thieves are actually multi-classed warriors or spellcasters and the others have all been with the company for a long while and so are trusted. A few years ago the company launched a purge of their yakuza members and now have none.
Many runaway yakuza had found employment with the company and others had joined to get at them. At the same time rival yakuza clans encountered each other in the ranks and began a subtle but problematic war. Finally some of the yakuza in the company began an attempt to take control of it. When the dust settled every yakuza in the company had been forced to prove their innocence to the satisfaction of the company leadership in order to go free and the others all died. Two yakuza clans were even tracked down to their home ports and their power there was broken (though no one doubts that some of the members of those yakuza clans are still around, plotting revenge) by the company (large amounts of magic prevented them from hiding effectively and the local authorities had the choice of cooperating or having their city raised by a hostile and powerful mercenary force-as such traditional yakuza bribes suddenly had no weight).
Priests: More priests serve in the company than mages, generally numbering over 100, and most of the company's primary helmsmen are priests. Some of these are multi-classed and a wide variety of powers are represented by their clergy. Tempus, Garagos, and Helm from Realmspace have clergy in the company but as the deities are limited to one sphere their worship is not prominent. The multi-spheric powers Odin, Thor, and similar powers are much better represented in terms of worshippers (though not necessarily clergy). Celestian and Ptah each have a few members of their clergies in the company and several oriental followers of the Path and the Way have joined since Shou Lung entered space in large numbers. Racial deities and the planar churches are the most common faiths in the company. The planar churches of Nirvana, Concordant Opposition, and Limbo are the most powerful planar churches in the company in terms of both clergy and actual worshippers.
Races: Humans make up the largest single race present in the company but half-elves, lizard men, and hadozee are also present in large numbers. As giff have their own military structure only a couple have chosen permanent service with the company but company vessels will often be bolstered by giff mercenaries when hired to aid some power. As such all members of the company are quite familiar with dealing with giff as allies (and equally versed in dealing with them as foes since they often face enemy giff also). A moderate number of halflings and illusionist gnomes are present in the company and quite a few dwarves join for several years or longer (dwarves using the axe for hire kit from the Complete Book of Dwarves are particularly appropriate). A surprising number of grommam are also present in the company but no dracon have ever become members. The company ensures all hurwaet that seek employment are willing to suppress their natural hatred of illithids and beholders when not actually employed against them. This restriction keeps the numbers of hurwaet low and less than a score (generally around a dozen) are ever part of the company at any time. The fact that the company will always destroy any neogi encountered does entice many hurwaet to attempt to join, however. Only a few elves are in the company though with their long lifespans and powerful magic most have risen to positions of some authority. Many of these elves find they are looked down on slightly by their brethren for joining a mercenary company but as it is one that will not serve against IEN interests this stigma is slight (-1 on reaction rolls).
The Angelstar Fleet employs several important tactics, some of which are usual across space and others they've developed themselves. One of the most significant things the Angelstar Fleet faces that few other spacefarer's do is operations as a large, combined fleet. With the exception of the IEN few navies ever operate with more than 2-3 vessels at one time except in local defense.
The company's first tactic is a very standard one in space battles. A ballista bolt with a continual light spell on it is shot into the hull of an enemy vessel, preferably in an area where the enemy crew will have a difficult time getting to it. The continual light clearly marks the enemy ship so it can be tracked as it moves through space. Many ships keep a spellcaster or item on hand that can create darkness to deal with just such a tactic. As such Angelstar ballistae will have several such bolts available to them.
The Swarm is the next Fleet tactic. This tactic is copied from elven assaults involving flitters (in my game not only do elven vessels gain a free SR 1 movement but the elves equip their flitters with greek fire projectors just as the Angelstar Fleet has-I feel this is the only way to make the elven flitter use reasonable). The fighters (in this case flitters and wreckboats) come at an enemy vessel from above and below as the main Angelstar vessels engage it on its own plane. Once in range the fighters attack and [in the case of the flitters] retreat before the enemy can react. The number of directions an enemy is assaulted from along with the number of ships prevents them from effectively dealing with the threat. They can concentrate their fire on a much sturdier vessel with only a few weapons or on numerous smaller, vulnerable vessels that each have only one weapon. By the time most captain's make a decision the point is moot as their ship is raking with devastating fire. Another reason to attack from unusual directions is a fire below the gravity plane will be hard for the crew to deal with and greek fire that hits the rigging first will quickly consume it, destroying maneuverability in addition to doing hull damage.
The Line is the next Angelstar Fleet tactic. This tactic is not generally practiced by other fleets and has been questioned as to its true effectiveness but the company has had success with it so far and so continues to use it. In the Line a line of ships flies past an enemy vessel, delivering broadsides as they go. If the enemy vessel is part of an enemy fleet the line will run past several ships before looping around to finish them off or perform boarding actions. Loading catapults with jettison shot is a common enough way to rid enemy vessels of annoying crew members quickly. If the enemy ships use nettign to protect their crew a blast with a greek fire projector (probably from a flitter) or a heavy catapult shot from the lead ship will quickly open them up to such a deadly rain. If only a single, isolated vessel is engaged the Line will encircle the ship so it receives a deadly fire from all sides until the colors are struck. Whenever encircling a vessel there is the risk that a shot will miss and hit a friendly vessel on the other side so this tactic is not often attempted (instead against a single vessel the company ships will more often have several deliver a withering barrage of jettison shot just before one or two move to grapple and board.
The Chaser is another common tactic though the Angelstar Fleet ships perform several variations on it. Typically the Chaser (as company captain's refer to it) is firing the rear jettison while being chased at spelljamming speed, thus potentially doing lethal damage to a pursuer's crew. The company's captains are more likely to fire a catapult stone, however, attempting to get a critical hit against the enemy ship. Another tactic they employ is dumping a ton of rocks behind them. Even if they aren't the faster ship they only have 25 hexes to go before they can escape while a pursuing vessel has to travel 51 hexes and keep track of their ship's trajectory in order to continue the pursuit. Most give up. To support this tactic many Angelstar Fleet vessels carry more than a full ton of extra rocks. In case of need these rocks simply become extra catapult ammunition.
The Pincer is a common enough tactic-when the necessary vessels are available. As few forces have multiple ships few can practice this tactic let alone use it in battle. The Pincer is simply grappling and boarding an enemy vessel from two or more sides. This allows the attacking vessels to support each other with marines, missile fire, and spells, while the defenders have to split their forces and their most effective spells. Are the giff to port worse than the hadozee to starboard? Who should be fireballed? More than anything such decisions lead enemy commanders to critical delays in making decisions, delays that the company marines are all too effective in exploiting.
The Ambush is another company tactic that is not unique but is rarely performed by other forces. The Ambush isn't just an ambush but setting one up. In order to perform an ambush the flight path of the intended target must be known ahead of time (company assassins, diviners, and spies come into key play here). Then the company places a mass of at least 1 ton along the intended route of travel and stations several ships around the area. While anyone can perform the Ambush by simply leaving a ship in a major space route, ready to ambush targets of opportunity, the stationary mass keeps the entire area at tactical only movement. Thus if the victim wishes to continue on the original course (and not risk getting lost) they have to clear the area, giving even poor maneuverability craft time to turn and catch back up (if they are faster). Finally the company has improved on this further with the addition of other vessels in a wide halo. If the enemy tries to flee in any direction besides straight back the way they came they will run into another company vessel that will engage them even as the rest close from all sides. Those that do try to flee back the way they came in find the halo vessels are slightly ahead of the central mass and the ship stationed with it. As such they only need to come inward slightly to extend the spelljamming speed damping effects their mass in such close proximity has. This is usually enough delay for the other ships in the ambushing group to get to the fleeing vessel and decisively engage it.
The company employs several other key tactics, most relating to the formation and movement of convoys, and these are detailed below under the "Convoys" section.
When the company moves as a fleet (or several fleets if employed and separated) it does so in a single long line, forming a huge convoy. The first two ships and last two ships are hammerships, each with 2 wreckboats (tied to the sides) and a flitter (landed on the deck). The next 3 ships in line are the turtleships, followed by the shrikeships and then the waspships. After this, near the center of the convoy, are the whaleships. The whaleships have all the flitters and wreckboats not carried by other vessels. Following the whaleships are the damselflies, then the swanships, and the Starfire herself. The Starfire carries 4 wreckboats, one atop and one below each wing. Last in line (other than the two trailing hammerships) are the 2 squidships.
Like the hammerships, each has 2 wreckboats and a flitter. Each day the Fleet chooses a single point to meet at and travels there, reassembling at the end of the day. Every ship will have someone skilled in the appropriate navigation proficiency on board to help prevent and mistakes. Also, each ship is equipped with an extremely accurate water clock. The water clock is used to tell exactly when 12 hours has passed, at which point the first ship will drop out of spelljamming speed. If the other ships don't drop out almost immediately they will know they've somehow gotten off course and stop so they can reorient themselves. Every ship also has accurate charts and knows the ultimate destination of the Fleet in case they can't find the rendezvous point if they get separated. This is rarely necessary, however, as great experience with this type of movement has allowed the company navigator's to gain a +2 bonus on all attempts to try to follow another vessel's course exactly. In this way the Fleet has never lost a ship to getting lost (though a lost ship or section of the line is much more vulnerable to marauders such as slavers and the neogi-in fact it is just such attacks that have caused the company to declare neogi permanent foes and they will battle them wherever encountered, even if not currently employed to do so).
The Decoy is a tactic that few navies in space (other than the elves) can afford to use (as they don't have spare vessels and helms). Those that try generally perform a variation in which they send a heavily armed warship along a route but leak information that a transport will be using it at that time. The company prefers to do things the old fashioned way (and the only way that works when dealing with random attacks by pirates and such that don't have good spies to give them exact times and routes), they send out a decoy ship. This ship is some sort of transport vessel (usually a tradesman) that appears to be run by a minor helm and a low to mid level helmsman (generating an SR of 1-3 or so). The ship has normal weaponry and no extra modifications. Instead what is actually being sent is a major helm equipped vessel with a thickened hull and lots of marines and sepllcasters. The crew are all expert at their jobs including a captain and first mate proficient in sail manipulation, a helmsman proficient in spelljamming, weapons crews both proficient in their weapons and weapon loading with them, and spellcasters possessing increase rating and increase maneuverability spells. In this way a decoy craft can become a death sentence for any force that tries to attack it.
One of the specialties the Angelstar Fleet is often hired for is their experience in forming, guarding, and operating convoys. Part of this is due to the way they move through space as a company, part is due to the tactics they've developed for convoy movement, and part is due to their experience forming and defending actual convoys.
The Line Convoy is the simplest and most common type of convoy in space. Line Convoys are generally only used by the company when moving a high ratio of transports (whether supply or personnel) to combat vessels or when few defensive vessels are available to defend a convoy (regardless of the size). This configuration is simply a long line of ships moving in the same direction just as the company uses when relocating from one area to another in search of employment. The company employs the same precautions they do when moving their own fleet, including the presence of skilled navigators aboard each ship in the convoy. The most powerful combat vessel in the convoy will always be the trailmost ship with the second most powerful vessel being the first ship in the convoy. Other warships are interspersed at regular intervals along the way and all ships know that in case of battle the noncombatant vessels move to the rear so the warships can close on the enemy. If possible the noncombatant ships will carry small combat vessels such as flitters, wreckboats, or blades, in addition to their own armaments. These small vessels will either move to aid the main combat ships or defend the transports while the primary combat vessels engage the enemy.
The Halo Convoy is a better defended convoy set-up but has more potential problems. Again the same general precautions including reassembling each night at the end of the convoy's movement and the presence of trained navigators on every vessel is employed. In this convoy the line formation is employed with the transports and a couple warships (usually one at each end though for especially large convoys others will be interspersed in the middle). Around this, 26 hexes out, is the rest of the defensive fleet. These ships form a halo, guarding up, down, left, and right at a minimum and even more points (such as left and up and right and up) if possible. These vessels all line up with the last vessel in the line and move out with it. If the convoy is intercepted at least a few of the guardian halo ships will also drop out of spelljamming speed and due to the configuration they will do so at the front of the convoy, near the fighting. The problem is that it is likely that the remaining halo ships will fly right by until completing their 12 hours at spelljamming speed and be of no use in a fight. The might also be separated from the convoy until it reaches its destination (or some navigation point like a planet that is enroute). Because of these problems the halo formation for convoys is generally only employed along routes with lots of navigation points or when there aren't enough ship to defend the convoy in a standard line configuration.
While the Angelstar Fleet will work for most anyone there are three major groups they always avoid. The first, as noted before, is the neogi. The neogi are too untrustworthy and have made themselves foes of the Fleet by attacking it even when not at war. Now the company destroys any neogi vessels they encounter and slay all neogi and their umber hulk slaves, not taking prisoners.
The beholder nations are the second group the company refuses to do business with and this is based on several practical reasons. First they don't want to become involved in the beholders' genocidal wars and be identified as being on one clan's side. The beholders don't seem to comprehend the idea of mercenaries and believe anything that has ever been used by another clan must be tainted and therefore destroyed. Second the beholders' ships' eye power weapons are simply too powerful and the company doesn't want to risk being affected them when they don't have to. And finally the beholder clans tend to be too erratic to make good employers. Despite their lawful natures the beholder clans tend to view other races as slaves or foes on a randomly changing basis. The company has no desire to work under either condition and so doesn't.
The illithids are a much more reasonable group to work for but the company has decided to avoid their employment also. The illithids aren't enemies of the elves (generally speaking the two groups exist in non-hostile but wary coexistence) and they can be relied upon to meet their obligations but their dealings with slaves and slavers makes the company wary. Also they are the only known race that deals peacefully with the neogi (though individuals of other races do also-generally when backed by a powerful ship and group of marines of their own). As such it would be possible that the company would have to avoid conflict with the neogi if they accepted employment with the illithids and they aren't willing to do that (or risk it, since the neogi might still decide try to betray any peace). Further the company doesn't want to be seen as associating with a race that most of the rest of spacefaring civilization sees as trying to prey on them. And finally there's always the possibility that any illithid that are dealt with will try to take control of the company (whether just its leaders or the entire company).
Neblish Goodpipe, male tallfellow halfling F6/T14: hp 50; AL N; S 12; I 16; W 14; D 9; Cn 11; Ch 16; Cm 15; proficiencies: spacemanship, balance, sail manipulation, signaling, semaphore, space heraldry, rope use, ballista loader, fire control, swimming, boarding pike use, grappling hook, dagger, club, shortbow, throwing dagger, ballista, shortsword, boarding pike, sling, spear, dart, staff; bracers of defense AC 5, ring of regeneration, shortbow, quiver of 20 arrows, shortsword+2 of quickness,
Neblish Goodpipe grew up as a spacer and has lived his entire life as one (over 80 years). He started out running dock scams but soon found he had to take a job on a merchant ship to avoid the law and [more importantly] the local thieves' guild. After two trips aboard a merchantman he knew the boring life wasn't for him so he found a position in a minor mercenary band that had their own ship. That band lost its next major battle, a battle against the Angelstar Fleet. Neblish and most of his companions were taken prisoner (the rest were dead) and chose to change join the Angelstar Fleet as their own ship was destroyed and their company no longer functional. Since that fateful day Neblish has risen fast in the company, quickly becoming captain of his own ship. Then, 40 years ago, he was selected as the head of the Angelstar Fleet, a position he's held ever since. Neblish is the 7th leader the Angelstar Fleet has had and he is considering retirement. He hasn't yet decided who should lead the company into the future but he's been looking carefully at the current captain's and senior leaders in the organization.
Thalson, half-(high)elf male F7/MU7: hp 37; AL LN; S 15; I 18; W 14; D 13; Cn 13; Ch 17; Cm 19 (18 to half-elves); proficiencies: spacemanship, spelljamming, blind-fighting, zero-G combat, boarding pike use, grappling hook, balance, fire control, wildspace navigation, phlogiston navigation, armorer s.s., longsword specialization, longbow, ballista, footman's mace, boarding pike, catapult, dagger, club; spells: 4L1, 3L2, 2L3, 1L4; spellbook: read magic, detect magic, sleep, magic missile, dancing lights, comprehend languages, mending, unseen servant, shield, armor, affect normal fires, detect invisibility, web, vocalize, stinking cloud, locate portal, invisibility, flaming sphere, lightning bolt, slow, tongues, enhance rating, dispel magic, monster summoning II, extension I, enchanted weapon; ring of protection+6 +2 on saves, cloak of protection+3, 2 potions of healing, longsword+1 +2 vs magic-using and enchanted creatures (NSA), longbow, quiver of 20 arrows, footman's mace+1
Thalson began his career as a mercenary marine (he has the marine kit from the Complete Spacefarer's Handbook) but his company was decimated in a battle with neogi when they hired out to protect a squidship traveling between certain outposts in the Grinder and Ginsel in Greyspace. After that he served freelance as a lone helmsman and magic-using marine until he encountered the Angelstar Fleet. He knew their reputation and immediately signed on. Thalson has proven an asset to the company in battle but his main ability has been to plan battles. He is an excellent strategist, especially when dealing with magic, and about 2 years ago replaced the old head of the company's mage corps (who took an untimely ballista bolt through the chest while battling a Xenos slaving band). As the head of the mage corps many expect Thalson to be the most powerful wizard in the company's employ and while this is far from true the respect it earns him has allowed him to avoid more than one dockside fight. Thalson excels at integrating magic most effectively into any attack or defense and his background as a marine has enabled him to do so in both ship-to-ship conflicts and assaults against ground fortifications. Though he personally only has access to a small range of wizard spells he knows the particulars (components, casting time, range, duration, effects, etc.) of almost every wizard spell employed by any mage in the company.
He also knows which mages have access to which spells and how many they can memorize at one time. All this information is memorized, which makes him a prime target for spies and assassins seeking to combat the company. Due to this he always has 4 bodyguards with him at any time. They even stand guard inside his quarters when he sleeps. This has put a serious crimp in his style as he's quite the ladies man so he's taken to hiring elven and half-elven harlots when in port (as they don't tend to get squeamish about who he insists has to watch).
Archprelate Herald, human male C17: hp 47; AL N; S 10; I 17; W 19; D 13; Cn 7; Ch 16; Cm 13; proficiencies: phlogiston navigation, planetology, spacemanship, spelljamming, healing, balance, fire control, wildspace navigation, footman's flail, club, hammer, staff, staff-sling, footman's mace; spells: 8L1, 8L2, 8L3, 6L4, 5L5, 3L6, 1L7; holy symbol of Concordant Opposition, 2 vials of holy water, 2 vials of unholy water, footman's flail+2, plate mail+1, large shield, staff of curing (20 charges), ring of protection+1
Archprelate Herald uses the astrologer kit from the Complete Spacefarer's Handbook. As such he is often busy contemplating the organization and mysteries of the universe rather than concentrating on more temporal matters. This, along with the fact that he is one of the (if not the) most powerful priests in the company and the fact that he is absolutely neutral as a cleric of the Planar Church of Concordant Opposition, makes him the ideal choice as the head of the company's chaplain's corps. Archprelate herald is famed for his use of the earthquake spell to break apart (literally) enemy strongholds but he is much more often seen personally carrying healing to the company's wounded. Archprelate herald is well respected by all though he is most respected by the other chaplains (of any faith) as he rarely gets in their business. Archprelate herald is getting old (he's 62) but he's still quite hale and hearty.
General "Dug-in", mountain dwarf male F12: hp 103; AL LN; S 17; I 17; W 15; D 16; Cn 19; Ch 15 (16 to dwarves); Cm 10 (11 to dwarves); proficiencies: endurance (+1 bonus), weaponsmith, local dwarf history (wildspace dwarves of Greyspace), local history (Greyspace), spacemanship, balance, blind-fighting, engineering, mining, alertness, battle axe specialization, heavy crossbow, throwing axe, hammer, footman's mace, morning star, spear, footman's flail; full plate, medium shield+2, heavy crossbow, quiver of 40 heavy crossbow bolts, dwarven thrower hammer+3, battle axe+1, 4 throwing axes, spear, footman's flail, morning star+2, holy symbol of Moradin Soulforger
General "Dug-in" is how this hardened dwarven mercenary is known to most members of the company but his real name is General Dorin Stoneaxe. Most people think his name refers to the fact that he is as stubborn as most people think of any dwarf as being and that he digs in his heels when arguing some point, refusing to budge. The truth is he chose the name himself when he became one of the Angelstar Fleet's leaders. He was already an experienced dwarven mercenary (he uses the axe for hire kit and proficiency tables from the Complete Book of Dwarves) when he joined the company and of all the leaders the company has ever had he rose to his position the fastest, taking only two years to go from recruit to his current position. General Dug-in is also currently one of the longest lasting holders of a leadership position in the company, having been there for over 25 years. His specialty is training all members of the company in and planning for ground assaults. Though he grew up on a dwarven citadel in the Grinder in Greyspace he has had more experience with ground actions (even if just on asteroids) than possibly any other member of the company, current or past. As such his authority in such matters is not questioned. An added benefit of his position and presence has been that the company has attracted more dwarven mercenary troops since he became one of the company's senior leaders. This is due to the fact that he has a reputation that has traveled far among dwarves and giff (and most other mercenaries in space) and that is well respected. Since the company doesn't deal with a large amount of ground actions, general Dug-in spends much of his time mentoring and training the dwarves of the company (and even some gnomes). He is a known worshipper of Clanggeddin Silverbeard but for some unknown reason caries a holy symbol of Moradin with him at all times. He refuses to speak about it if asked. In addition to this holy symbol, General Dug-in goes almost everywhere looking like a miniature (though there is little that is miniature about him) armory. His favorite weapon is a dwarven thrower hammer he acquired several years ago. He knows the command word for it and is extremely proficient in its use.
Colonel "Stoutjacks Blunderbuss", giff female F12: hp 69; AL LN; S 18/58; I 15; W 14; D 11; Cn 15; Ch 13; Cm 8 to giff; proficiencies: spacemanship, balance, bombard loading, boarding pike use, grappling hook, zero-G combat, wheellock maintenance, armorer s.s., arquebus specialization, bombard, morning star, wheellock pistol, boarding pike, footman's flail, battle axe; giff armor, battle axe, arquebus, 2 wheellock pistols, morning star+1, footman's flail, 30 charges of smokepowder, 40 rounds for each arquebus and wheellock pistol
Colonel Stoutjacks Blunderbuss is the company's head of marines (she uses the marine kit from the Complete Spacefarer's Handbook). Some still call her Commodore but she likes to point out that only applied during the short time she was in charge of one of the company's hammerships and is a naval term, as she's back being a marine (where she belongs, she'll add) her equivalent title is Colonel. And she likes to be called by it. Second time offenders tend to get head-butted. No one knows what happens to third time offenders as no one has made the mistake of calling her Commodore a third time. Nor doe anyone know where she got her nickname as she had it when she joined the company (though rumors fly about an archaic smokepowder weapon and too much hard liquor). Colonel Stoutjacks (or colonel Blunderbuss, she'll allow either to be used for short but never address her without her rank unless you outrank her) has performed superbly as the head of the company's marines and casualty rates have gone down while efficiency has gone up under her tenure. She prefers to lead boarding actions herself (if she's on the ship doing the boarding at the time) and constantly promotes her marines as the best way for the company to make money, as captured vessels are rich prizes if captured intact (which is, after all, a marine's job).
