Space Warfare

Space warfare doctrines have evolved considerably in the centuries since human civilisation expanded into the void of space. While in earlier centuries it was largely dominated by drone-carriers and long-range mass accelerators, the development of more advanced electronic countermeasures, improved thrusters, and magnetic deflectors have dramatically changed space warfare doctrines over the past century. Additionally, the Tavastian War and the lead-up to it saw rapid development of space tactics.
Tavastia utilised new doctrines in the Tavastian War that its opponents were initially unprepared for, contributing to their success early in the conflict. They employed a core of heavily armoured and well-defended capital ships employing long-range lasers and neutralised particle beams, which, supported by screening ships, were capable of wearing down enemy vessels and stations in protracted engagements. Apart from asymmetric resistance from Ningxian naval assets, The State of Tavastia faced little successful resistance in space in the first three years of the war, largely as a result of this doctrine.
However, beginning in 2588, forces from both the Colonial Development Fund and the Federal Republic of Zeta Tucanae began deploying a new form of magnetic deflector, capable of flooding its projected magnetic field with plasma. These new deflectors were capable of counteracting the advanced Tavastian lasers and particle beams. This allowed Tucanite and CDF ships to close the distance to their Tavastian counterparts without being destroyed, and eliminate the Tavastian capital ships at close range.
The deployment of this new technology, combined with the defeat of the main Tavastian fleet over Orizont ultimately resulted in the defeat of Tavastia in space. Since the end of the war, plasma deflectors have played a pivotal role in the development of new space warfare doctrines, even outside the Outer Systems. However, as there have yet to be any major conflicts between human states since the Tavastian War, such doctrines have yet to be tested in the field.