The mighty Tarbotian Empire has been quiet for some time since the last skirmishes a few years ago but DDS, Dino and Starbotian intelligence has continued to observe them and conclude that there are some interesting changes taking place in the empire to equipment, doctrine and tactics. Changes that have been sped up after the Tarbotians observed themselves how a similar monolithic empire, the Utrek, were defeated by a numerically much smaller but much more nimble and technically advanced and adventurous enemy.
Traditionally the Tarbotians have fielded a fleet consisting of 3 tiers of ship : (I) a small escort and patrol ship, (II) a medium-sized fleet cruiser and (III) a large heavy cruiser. In the war between the Tarbotians and the DDS/Dinos/Remedians/Starbotians in the late 2090s (which the Tarbotians lost of course) these 3 tiers consisted of (I) Samaras, (II) Vormix and late-model Hyper Ships and (III) Kenora Type F&G.
Now however the Tier II cruiser type is being withdrawn and the Tarbotians are concentrating on building large numbers of improved Samara destroyers (Samara V+ and a possible Samara VI) and a core fleet of heavy cruisers, the current type being the Kenora H+ with a Kenora J also now ready for production.
These changes are due to changes in Tarbot doctrine away from the traditional imperial model of large mixed-type fleets to a more fluid model called the Destroyer Net Model by Starbotian analysts. This more dynamic model consists of groups of 5-10 Samara destroyers operating in conjunction with groups of 3 Kenoras. The groups (or "nets") of Samaras harrying and disrupting an enemy force until it can be "hooked" by the Kenoras and destroyed using the heavy weapons on the formidable cruiser.
This new doctrine is said to have been influenced by DDS and Dino space warfare innovations of the mid-2100s which have seen a more more fluid and info-rich method of fighting and a definate move away from large set-piece battles. The success of these tactics against the monolithic Utrek further spurred the Tarbotians, it is known Tarbotian intelligence ships (along with others from powers like the HCS and Bolitic) were regularly encountered by DDS and Dino patrols and "encouraged to stop being so nosy".
The DDS and Dino tactics do depend on superior firepower however in the shape of TPM and the Tarbotians lack such a potent weapon though it is known they have greatly improved the firepower on the latest Kenora and Samara models and have developed a new range of particle weapons said to much superior to earlier types though still without the incredible one-shot-kill potential of transphasic technologies.
It will be interesting to see how the Tarbotians continue to develop their new doctrine and how it fares when finally put to the "test", though the DDS hope they are not the object of the test for some time at least!
