Navy of the Dominion

While widely acknowledged for their individual prowess, and more grudgingly for their strategic and tactical acumen, the maritime achievements of the minotaurs and the Thunderhead Dominion are after overlooked. They possess a considerable tradition in the fields of shipbuilding and chandlery, and the coastal mobs include many skilled sailors, navigators and marines. In addition to supporting a thriving mercantile fleet, the fighting vessels of the Dominion include both pirates and pirate hunters, as well as a standing naval force of some two-hundred ships of consequence, close to five hundred thousand full-time sailors, marines and officers, and many times that number of shore crew.   The Navy of the Dominion is the envy of Caino, and of many places further afield. Should it mobilise in force - and in breach of several treaties - it could overwhelm any other power in the continent, but not all of them. Despite the distance from the Dominion to the Empire, or even the Federation, the threat of its ships of the line and troop carriers serves to dissuade the other powers from open conflict, either internal or external.   Dominion ships are of two basic designs: deep-keeled vessels are swift and rigged to tack against the wind, designed for ocean travel; broad-keeled vessels have square-rigging and oar banks, with a shallow draught allowing them to navigate a significant distance upriver. Deep-keeled vessels range from small, swift cargo packets to heavy ships of the line. Broad-keeled vessels are mostly cargo haulers, but also include troop carriers.   The naval forces of the Dominion, like its ground forces, are built around a foundational structure called the 'storm's axe'. This structure consists of a large central body, combining fighting troops and logistical bodies, a light forward component and a heavier rear. The centre is called the cloud, the forward and rear elements the lightning and the thunder respectively. In land forces, modelled after a travelling mob, the cloud is composed of the baggage, camp kitchens, armorers and laundry, surrounded by approximately half of the unit's fighting strength. The lightning includes the scouts, and a third of the remaining archers, light infantry and other skirmishing elements, while the thunder comprises the remaining troops, including half of the heavy infantry and most of the cavalry and artillery.   In naval forces, the equivalent arrangement is based on small, self-contained units consisting of a cloud (a single broad-keeled vessel carrying marines and light artillery,) proceeded by the lightning (two quick patrol vessels) and followed by the thunder (a heavier, deep-keeled fighting ship and two light escorts.) Each of these storm's axe formations is independent, but capable of merging seamlessly with other units to form a larger deployment.