ASTRAL EMPIRES: BOLD FRONTIER 02300s

It is a time of both exploration and consolidation.  Mankind has been voyaging amongst the stars for nearly two centuries.  With the withdrawal of the Pauk from the interstellar scene a time of relative peace exists but little do the peoples of Terra and their xeno allies realize that yet another great conflict is coming... 
The second half of the 02300s will will bring war once again to the known worlds as the Far Stars Imperium invasion, the return of the nefarious Pauk, and other conflicts large and small cast a shadow over the peaceful efforts to expand humanity's presence in the galaxy...

 

Terran Vanguard ships of the 02400s were among the most elegant and powerful spacegoing vessels of their time.

Vanguard exploration ships made tremendous contributions to astronomical knowledge during the first half of the 02300s before the rise of various conflicts altered their focus for the remainder of the century.

The Valiants were powerful warships that also took part in numerous exploratory missions for which they are better known.

The first of the Vanguard purpose-built craft optimized for military missions (as opposed to the previous dual-purpose exploratory/combat craft) were the Taurus class attack frigates.  Compact and powerful, they served into the 02400s.

The Royal class supercruisers became a common sight throughout the known worlds as the Vanguard expanded its fleet to deal with the unfolding conflicts that plagued the second half of the 02400s.

The return of the Pauk in the 02360s led to increased tension throughout Terran space.

Encounters with Cetan starships such as these warpods were fairly uncommon, but Terra reached out to this ostensibly friendly race in an effort to forge an alliance with the threat of war looming.

The war with the Far Side Imperium in the 02370s was the greatest conflict to occur during the 02300s, making the Kronan Cold War of the previous century seem like a trivial matter in comparative terms.

Ships of the Far Side Imperium were large and powerful and it was only through a unified approach to resisting these invaders that the known worlds were able to force back the attacks.

P'tharans were yet another offshoot of the Felinoid races, and posed a similar threat to the Vanguard that their T'Garan brethren had represented a century before.  In the end, peace was achieved through diplomacy and the immediate needs of resisting the Far Side invasions.

As was often the case during the early millennia of mankind's journeys amongst the depths of space the Vanguard often ran unto the silent but deadly Qajari Bryx.  This mysterious insectoid race was involved in three major incursions into the known worlds during roughly the same period as the Far Side invasions.