Juggernaught

The juggernaught was one of the most feared weapons in the Surune Empire's navy during the middle of the Age of War. A floating fortress bristling with weapons, once developed, it even gave the legendary fleet of the Silver Armada stiff competition. The only saving grace for anyone going up against these naval hulks was that retreat was very succesful, if one was not blown to bits first, as the juggernaughts were incredibly slow.
As symbols of the Surune Empire's might, their enemies made sure to destroy everything they could about them once the tides of war turned. Attempts at replicating these feared weapons have been made and many reasnable succesful versions have been deployed, though none have ever been able to truly match these feared weapons of war.

Utility

The juggernaught was an advanced weapon of war. It was used to shell and level entire cities, or blow holes in naval blockades. Its powerful engines and heavy armour allowed it to sustain heavy fire without problems, making it also a great defender of naval targets. It even served well as escort, the sigh of one often being enough to deter attackers.

Manufacturing

Massive forges and factories were required to craft all the equipment needed to create even a single juggernaught. Once the war turned on the Surune, these naval bases became priority targets for their enemies.

Social Impact

For the Surune Empire, the juggernaught became a symbol of power and the wisdom of allying with other factions. To their enemies, it was a harbinger of death. More than one coastal city was claimed without a fight, its defenders running for the hills at the sight of one of these hulks on the horizon. It was that very same fear that drove the intense effort to dismantle them once the Surune were on the backfoot.

Inventor(s)

Shared credits goes to the Surune Empire, the Blackburn Troop and the Mandepier Tribe.

Access & Availability

Due to the intense amounts of ressources needed, even the Surune Empire only fielded a relative few of these ships. After a series of major defeats around 280 AW, attacks on Surune holdings resulted in valuable knowledge being lost, not helped by the alliances the Surune had forged being severed due to sheer attrition. As such, no functioning juggernaught is known to exist.

Complexity

The juggernaught was a highly complex piece of machinery. It combined orc practicality, ogre forging and goblin technology. Heavy cannons, shielding technology, massive armour, a practical layout. Several technologies combined together to create these terrifying engines of war. Despite its size, a combination of goblin engines and ogre hull design allowed it to move with surprising speed.

Discovery

The prominent naval battles of the Age of War necesitated new developments in ship warfare. When the Surune Empire clashed with the Silver Armada, they often found themself coming up short. It was the empire's decision to ally both with the goblins of the Blackburn Troop and the Mandepier ogres that ended up giving them a true fighting chance.
In 135 AW at the siege of Fortetsine, Surune wedded the ingenuity of the goblins and the strength of the ogres, allowing them to create juggernaughts. Nothing short of floating fortresses, armed with dozens upon dozens of ogre sized cannons powered by goblin technology. While slow, they were near unsikable, as the ogres supplied heavy plating and the goblins their bizarre shielding technology. It was perfect for punching through naval blockades and lay sieges, and aided the Surune Empire in taking the city of Fortetsine.