While the New Japanese Empire lagged behind it's terrestrial counterparts in regards to technology and had a severe population bottleneck, it did have one major advantage in developing in space development: it was easier to launch a spacecraft into orbit on mars than it was to do the same on earth. While it did take a considerable allocation of resources, they had the nessessary equipment to build a fleet of surface to orbit transports for delivering equipment and personnel to Low Mars Orbit and set up stations on Phobos in the 200s, leading to the creation of a shipyard and eventually the construction of the first ships of the New Imperial Japanese Navy warships, the Chiyodagata class gunships.





Named for Japan's first locally made steam powered warship, the Chiyodagata class had a crew of thirty spacers each and was designed to serve as defensive platforms to protect the Red Planet from incursions. They were armed with eight missile launchers outfitted with basic guidance systems, two twin mounted 20mm autocannon turrets for anti-missile work and a 23cm cannon on a foward spinal mount designed to destroy oncoming cannon fire. If the need arose they had chemical engines which could allow them to travel to earth and use their rockets and cannons to deliver atomic weapons, but said missions were to be as a retaliatory suicide mission if the Empire was destroyed. When the Ares entered Martian orbit, four of these craft met it.







It's biggest weakness lay in it's computer systems, which where at a 1970s level of development, which made it cumbersome compared to earth based spacecraft. The craft also had various mechanical issues and needed constant repairs. For all of that they proved invaluable for training capable military spacers and paved the way for larger, more powerful craft.

