[size=150]The Chuuru[/size]

The energetic Chuuru were genetically engineered by another race as slave labor.  Their creators were destroyed by a centuries-long rebellion by a number of slave races that the Chuuru themselves took part in, after which the Chuuru went on to establish their own dominion over a pair of worlds orbiting Ghenarri-21C.  The survivors of the rebellion brought with them a fair amount of technology, including advanced gravitic engine designs and a command of genetic and nanite engineering that is the envy of other civilizations.

Methane breathers, the Chuuru resemble long, stout worms with strong tentacle fringes at either end.  Their ships are spindly, tapering from a bulbous bow to a narrow aft end, and are grown using silicone-spinning microorganisms.  Another advantage of Chuuru construction is the regenerative capabilities of ships composed almost entirely of microorganisms or their silicone excretions;  Chuuru ships can repair themselves on a continual basis, even in the heat of battle.

Their weapons are also organic and tend towards a combination of larger guns that do decent damage at good ranges and expendable weapons pods that are consumed by the ship after being fired.  The spinal mount, utilizing the power of a ship's advanced engines, is also a common fixture on Chuuru ships.  The Chuuru have little use for marines and boarding pods, since most ships have oxygen or liquid atmospheres, but do take advantage of fighters and drones as much as possible.

The greatest weakness of the Chuuru is their complete lack of understanding of deflector shield technology.  This leaves their ships more vulnerable than most, although Chuuru researchers are making great efforts to understand and incorporate shields in their newer ships.  Until then, the point-defense system is their greatest defense.  They are also making strides in maneuverability, adding extra-vectored thrusters to many of their smaller ships.

The Chuuru are an uncharacteristically optimistic and vibrant race, considering their origins, and enthusiastically pursue trade and research relationships with other civilizations.  While their methane-breathing physiology prevents them from living amongst oxygen breathers, they do everything else they can to be productive members of the galactic panoply. 

While not a warlike or expansionist race, the Chuuru have found that their fledgling society will need to be protected if it is to grow and thrive.  Many of their civilian hive-wombs have been turned towards military production in response to threats from pirates, slavers, and some of their more aggressive neighbors.

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Sjjjri-class Frigate
The Sjjjri is a well-rounded escort and system defense ship, capable of engaging enemies at mid-range with a pair of nose-mounted spore cannons.  It also mounts a host of expendable plasma weapons called flayer pods, which give this ship a one-time punch that is easily heavy enough to knock out ships several times the Sjjjri's size.

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Mqqquru-class Destroyer
The Mqqquru is a workhorse of the Chuuru fleet, capable of independent action against pirates and smugglers while being equally capable as an escort for capital ships in fleet actions.  Its spinal mount and paired heavy spore cannons are supplemented by a heavy load of flayer pods and a bank of semi-intelligent drones.

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Shrnnn-class Fire-Support Destroyer
The Shrnnn was designed with the very intentional mission of hanging back and pounding the enemy from afar, while ships with a more conventional payload close with the enemy for close-quarters operations.  The biolance weapon stabilizes and focuses over distance, becoming more accurate at extreme ranges than at close ranges. 

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Ryyyvr-class Mine/Countermine Destroyer
The Chuuru learned about mine warfare during their revolt against their creators.  As the fleet matures, more and more ships filling specialized roles are being deployed.  A prime example of the collision of these two facts is the Ryyyvr, which resembles a fat worm covered with blisters.  Those blisters are mine pods, five dozen of them, which allow the fairly small and fast Ryyyvr to fill surrounding space with nasty surprises.  The class is also outfitted with anti-mine plasma weapons and bands of hull reinforcement, allowing it to go in and clear out enemy mines.

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Tyyylo-class Cruiser
The Tyyylo forms the bulk of the Chuuru navy, deploying in pairs with escorts for most missions.  While it still suffers from the problem of shielding faced by all Chuuru vessels, the Tyyylo mounts very heavy weaponry for a ship its size, including five batteries of heavy spore cannons, a devastating volley of flayer pods, and twenty plasma drones.

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Idddri-class Battlecruiser
The mission of a battlecruiser is to chase down the enemy's smaller, faster ships, shatter his recon screen, fix the location of capital ships, and escape to report back to the main force.  The Idddri fills this role with a vengeance.  As fast as most frigates and equipped with a stutterdrive to boot, the Idddri can quickly put itself at broadsides with most foes, unleash a hellish volley of cannon and pod fire, then make an escape before an effective defense can be organized.

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Vcccni-class Battleship
While it isn't a revolution in terms of design, the Vcccni is well-armed and capable of putting dreadnoughts out of action.  A vicious spinal mount, nine batteries of heavy spore cannons, decent complements of flayer pods and drones, and an anti-fighter carronade make the Vcccni a fearsome opponent, but its lack of shields puts it at a disadvantage against ships with better survivability.

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Ytttve-class Dreadnought
There are very few Ytttve-class dreadnoughts in the Chuuru inventory, owing to their size and how long it takes to grow them.  However, the Admiralty is working hard to bring more hive-wombs on line and produce more of the large ships.  While sporting less weaponry than dreadnoughts of other nations, the Ytttve is able to pack a very respectable punch.  A successful hit from its spinal mount will tear most ships in half.

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Okkkos-class Fleet Carrier
Chuuru fighters are living creatures that grow as part of the carrier itself, emerging as blisters or corpuscles on the exterior hull.  The Okkkos has limited defenses for itself, depending instead on its fighters to protect it.  Chuuru doctrine calls for intermixing fighters with the lighter escorts, while the carriers stay to the rear.

©2006 Andreas Udby</r>