Red Hessians are the third largest unlawful group in Sirius, outnumbered only by the two warring Hispanian factions in the Omicron systems (Outcasts and Corsairs). They operate mostly in Rheinland and the Omega border and edge worlds, although raids sometimes take them as far as the Cambridge system in Bretonia. The group is known to attack corporate shipping all across Rheinland, looting and dealing in stolen goods as well as smuggling diamonds of all kinds to fund their extensive operations. Their large umbrella of influence almost completely encompasses the Dresden and other systems, with roaming packs of raiders a frequent sight to any passers by. Dresden is expected to fall under complete Hessian control as soon as the corporate mining stations there finally run out of concentrated mining areas.

The most likely reason for their notoriety in the criminal underworld however would be their endless conflict with the Corsairs, notably manifested in the visibly split system of Omega-5. Divided into two sides, the no man's land in the middle is frequently host to savage battles between both factions.

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Red Hessian Marauders are Revolutionary Socialists.

Revolutionary Socialists skirt the line between the far left and the extreme left. If not quite Communist, Revolutionary Socialists still believe that a violent overthrow of contemporary corporatist forces is mandatory to secure the plight of the blue collar worker.

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The Red Hessians are recorded to have officially formed around the year 700 A.S. They originated from a disillusioned group of miners, which heavily disagreed with the result of the Popular Revolution of 672 A.S. and the lax treatment of Daumann and Kruger worker abuse. Despite the push by the Bundschuh opposition in the government to investigate any and all actions of the two companies during the last few years, the majority had decided to settle on ratifying a Workers' Rights Convention instead, and succeeded in simply placing reparations on the two companies in order to gain the support of the wealthy Rheinland industrialists in charge. Enraged at this decision, many Dresden miners abandoned their stations in an attempt to restart the revolution. With far less general support this time around however, they were eventually forced to leave their posts and retreat into the asteroid fields from which they would later stage attacks on transports in the area in an attempt to halt the diamond mining industry once again.


With the political fiasco of 700 A.S. which forced the Bundschuh movement back underground, the Red Hessians began their guerilla campaign of widespread raids on corporate shipping, albeit with a more pragmatic approach, taking the goal of building up their own power base and facilities in Dresden to heart. With the number of disillusioned individuals in Rheinland rising every day, their ranks quickly swelled from a small group of vigilantes into an extensive rebellion controlling the majority of Dresden space.

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In an effort to secure more ground, expansion soon followed. Conducting their usual recon of Dresden, Red Hessian patrols stumbled upon a jump hole linking Dresden to Omega-11 around the year 709 A.S. It didn't take long for raiders to pour into the Daumann exploited system. The unprepared Daumann shippers were taken completely by surprise, with rumours following that the Hessians managed to shut down the diamond shipping from Omega-11 for a full month, before Daumann security gathered enough forces to push the rebels out of the trade route.

Construction of new bases soon followed. By 712 A.S. Freital base was in full operation, and attracting many people to it with the prospect of quick wealth and hard retribution. With the discovery of the Omega-5 system, first contact with the Corsairs was established. Neither of the factions cared much about the other, until Hessians started to converge on Corsair raiding grounds in Omega-7 and Omega-3.

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The first recorded conflict between Hessian and Corsair ships occurred in the year 731 A.S. The Hessian raiders participating in the event had reported the fight had been initiated over the contents of their cargo holds, which were liberated from a Bretonian diamond transport in Omega-3. Many other minor fights over stolen goods were reported during the next five years, although no outstanding military action was taken by either side. This state of passive hostility was a prelude to the beginning of the actual war which would begin in earnest in nine years.

At the start of the year 740 A.S. a large Corsair fleet moved into Omega-5 from their Leon base in Omega-41, quickly advancing to Ronneburg where the first battle took place with the Hessians surprised and pressed into a desperate defence. The initial Corsair assault was mostly unsuccessful however, though the attackers preserved their initiative for a prolonged period. A large Hessian force managed to gather and defeat the Corsair advance during the final siege of Ronneburg however, and pushed them back towards the centre of the system.

This successful Hessian defence marked the start of the long stalemate, where for the next seventy years large forces from both sides would engage in a string of battles that would ultimately obliterate the central area of the system inbetween the Hessian and Corsair bases. That area, eventually cleared of most asteroids and littered with wreckage, would become known as the Hammen Hole.

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In today's Sirius, the forces of the Red Hessians are respected as the third largest unlawful faction in the sector, pressing the Corsairs into a defensive stance, while still maintaining a large share of power in the Rheinland underground. Between their systematic spread into Bretonia and their almost total control of Dresden, the Hessians maintain their status as a force to be reckoned with, while still growing exponentially due to the amount of recruits they receive. The Unioners, wary of the danger the increasingly aggressive Hessian movement represents, and incensed at the continued meddling of the Hessians in the affairs of their own administration, have been steadfastly blocking any Hessian attempt to spread too far into Rheinland's cosmic north. Despite their many enemies, the Hessians remain a force to be reckoned with.

The Red Hessian Marauders have been silently watching, waiting, and schemeing in the background and are now about to rise from the underworld and partake in trying to gain more control over Rhienland territory and also to push hard against the Corsairs.

The Corsairs seem to be getting stronger within the last few months and making it hard for the Hessian movement to go about their business as usual. This means that the Marauders have decided to leave the underworld and bolster the Hessian movement and initiate understanding between the other Hessian groups and once again push back the Corsairs and also to push Rhienland forces back and liberate the Hessian movement in a way never seen before.
The Marauders will pillage and plunder and pirate transports once again and make it very difficult for the Government of Rhienland and also the Corsairs to move their precious cargo around within the influential zone.

The Marauders have a moto which states - -
With this moto stamped on the side of their ships, it gives them the belief that they will never be defeated and will push and push until the Corsair's and the Rhienland Government accept defeat. No matter how long it takes or how it is done, they will prevail and plunder and fight until the end.