The Golden Armada (also known as Amon's Armada while under his control)[1] was a protoss fleet based on Shakuras. It was the greatest fleet of protoss vessels ever constructed.[2] Its members were predominantly Khalai,[3] and motherships serve as the fleet's flagships.[4]
History[]
(src)
The Armada was created by order of Hierarch Artanis with the explicit intention of using it to retake Aiur, as it was the only shared interest between the Khalai and Nerazim.[2] At some point the armada's existence was discovered by Radio Liberty.[5]
Taurus IV[]
The Golden Armada approaches Taures IV
During or prior to the Second Great War, the Golden Armada took part in an operation on Taurus IV, where the zerg had established a foothold. The armada bombarded the hive cluster from orbit, destroying the zerg's fortifications on the world and warping away the protoss forces on the surface.[6]
Heart of the Swarm[]
A group of protoss went on an expedition to the ice moon, Kaldir. There they met and engaged a zerg brood led by Broodmother Nafash. At some point, Nafash was killed and her brood became dormant. Later, Sarah Kerrigan went to Kaldir to reclaim the lost brood and engaged the protoss expedition. Their Expedition Leader attempted to contact the Golden Armada, but failed.[7]
Tensions[]
The construction of the Golden Armada began to create tensions among the Khalai and Nerazim on Shakuras. The resources required in its creation stretched Shakuras to its limit and threatened holy sites of the Nerazim, while the Khalai, including Hierarch Artanis, had the single minded goal of reclaiming Aiur. After a training exercise by the Armada resulted in a collision between a Nerazim transport and a flight of phoenixes which killed twenty-seven Nerazim, hundreds of Nerazim abandoned the Golden Armada, with risk of conflict between the two factions rising.
In response, a Nerazim extremist named Taelus and his followers seized the Citadel of the Daelaam, hoping to spark a war that would throw the Khalai off Shakuras. Vorazun and Dark Prelate Mohandar arrived to defuse tensions, but conflict broke out, killing Mohandar and Taelus. In the aftermath, Vorazun and Artanis met, Artanis promising to be more respectful of Nerazim traditions, and Vorazun promising to commit some of her forces to the Golden Armada's reclamation of Aiur.[3]
Legacy of the Void[]
- Artanis(src)
The Armada arrives at Aiur
After Kerrigan took the Swarm away from the Koprulu sector in order to confront Amon, the Daelaam was presented with its opportunity to retake Aiur.[8] That the terrans could no longer pose an issue due to the carnage of the Second Great War was another boon.[9] Artanis took the fleet under his command in an effort to retake the lost protoss homeworld.[10] After a period of preparation,[11] the Armada launched an invasion of Aiur, in order to deal with the zerg that remained on it.[2] At least one beachhead was established on the planet's surface, where ground forces held off the zerg long enough for a pylon to be deployed, allowing zealots to warp in en masse, engaging the zerg on more equitable terms.[11]
Corruption[]
One of the Armada's carriers after exposure to Void energy
As the invasion progressed, the Armada deployed a massive army outside Kherrisan and fought its way in, reactivating its warp conduits despite resistance from zerg and hybrid forces. The warp network was successfully reclaimed.[12] However, the invasion went awry as Amon revealed his presence, corrupting the Khala[13] and forcing Artanis to lead his remaining forces in retreat on the Spear of Adun.[14][15] The Golden Armada was corrupted to his will, forced to do Amon's bidding, including to attack the Terran Dominion. The Dominion desperately defended themselves, but gradually began to lose planet after planet.[16] The corruption also had physical effects on capital ships, as exposure to Void energies changed the physical appearance of protoss carriers and their crew, with crystal structures jutting from the hull as well as the skin of the protoss themselves.[1] While Artanis' forces were focused on Ulnar, Amon unleashed the Golden Armada's full might to eradicate all life from planets across the Koprulu sector.[17] Dominion forces attempted to fight back against it, but despite their efforts, multiple systems fell. Matriarch Vorazun sent out her scouts to track the movements of the fleet, and by the time the Daelaam were ready to return to Aiur, the Golden Armada had already devastated the sector.[16]
Recall to Aiur[]
The Armada was later called back to Aiur in response to Artanis attempting to use the xel'naga Keystone to purge Amon from the Khala. However, Artanis and his allies were able to destroy the psionic matrix that would've enabled them to instantly warp back to the planet, forcing the Armada to come the long way.[18] When they arrived, the Golden Armada aided Amon's zerg in besieging Artanis' base, but the Hierarch's forces, consisting of freed Khalai, Nerazim forces, Purifiers, and the Tal'darim Death Fleet, were able to hold them long enough for the Keystone to charge and contain Amon's influence,[19] enabling the corrupted Khalai to sever their nerve cords and thus permanently free themselves of his control.[20]
Known Members[]
The Armada orbiting Aiur
References[]
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