Jack of Harts

Most State Navies in Jack’s youth had at least token frigate or destroyer squadrons, often in the form of obsolete designs retired from the US Navy. Richer States sent at least a cruiser squadron or three into the black and they could toss some light carriers around when they felt like it as well. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is famous for having enough destroyer and cruiser squadrons that they could hand out flag ranks to any well-connected officer capable of buying one. Battlefield qualifications need not apply there. And the entire New England Federation owned multiple battleship and fleet carrier squadrons. They were not alone. Other State alliances, like the Republics of California and Texas, or the Confederation of Dixie, had battleship or fleet carrier squadrons of their own that could stand toe to toe with anything the Federal Navy could deploy. The Federal government asked the States to send as many ships as they could spare to serve in the Federal Navy after the Shang attacked. The States agreed with remarkably few complaints. The Shang had killed millions of their fellows, after all. They needed to learn the error of their ways.