Hummingbird Squadron

The Hummingbird Squadron is a specialized reconnaissance unit within Keoland Navy under the direct supervision of Baron Ademal.

History

After a devastating defeat at the hand of the Sea Princes, King Scotti complained that "A crow has a better idea of what's going on than our own Navy!" Uninterested in receiving more of King Scotti's wrath, Admiral Mikhael Gilday pushed for the development of navy airships. There were several failed designs before the creation of the hummingbird squadron. Unfortunately, the design is still too cost prohibitive to manufacture in bulk. One of the main issues is the limited range the soul gems provide the ship. King Scotti is hoping that Simmerstone will be a cost effective workaround for this issue.

Early Designs

The vehicle is envisioned to be an intelligence-gathering vehicle focused on speed, and flexible maneuverability. Early designs centered around a balloon tethered to a boat. The balloon was able to reach average heights of 12,000 feet, giving it a large ariel radius for information gathering, but also making it a rather conspicuous target for attacking vehicles. Early crew members joked that they could track down the enemy movements right up to the blasts attacking their ship.

Current Designs

Engineers quickly worked on creating independent airship. Current designs are fueled by Blue Crystals and have a round-trip flight time of 90 minutes. They are ideal for aerial reconnaissance and artillery spotting, a decided advantage, especially in areas with little topography. Baron Ademal is convinced of the Hummingbird's potential is hopeful that King Scotti's investment into Simmerstone will provide the promised results.

Squadron Organization

The units are under the purview of the Keoland Navy. Members of the first hummingbird crew were hand selected by Baron Ademal. There are 18 members of the hummingbird squadron split between six crews of three. There are two crews to a ship, and three ships within the squadron. Each crew consists of a driver, who is typically a noble, a weapons mechanic and a scribe, who are usually commoners.

Baron Ademal

Baron Ademal was hand picked by Admiral Mikhael Gilday to establish the Hummingbird Squadron. This is his first independent command in his Navy Career.

Composition

Manpower

There are three ships in the brigade. Each ship is assigned 2 crews, which work on alternative days. Each ship need a 3-person crew at minimum to run effectively. There are three individuals are needed to properly man one of these crafts: a driver, a weapons handler, and a recorder. The driver is responsible for navigation, and monitoring the energy left

Type

Airborne

Overall training Level

Professional

Assumed Veterancy

Experienced