Full faction name:Kaiserliche Rheinwehr Tag: [RM] ID/IFF: Kaiserliche Rheinwehr / Military Base of Operations: New Berlin System, Rheinland Headquarters:Oberkommando der Kaiserlichen Rheinwehr, Kolonnenplatz Neu Berlin Secure Facility: System Frankfurt, Sektor-7; Thüringen Operations:Enforcement of the Kaiser's will, and service to the Office of the Executor.
Protection of Rheinland and it's territories, last resort enforcement of Rheinland law
:: Military History of Rheinland::
Early History
House Rheinland maintains a proud military tradition going back for centuries. After the reorganisation of the government following the loss of the 80-Years War and the Von Rohe's Day rebellions, the Rheinland Imperial Navy was remade into the Military and remains as such in its modern incarnation. With that change came many alterations in training, recruitment, and attitude- no longer was the military merely a sword that Daumann and Kruger could point where they willed, but rather the main force of law and order in Rheinland, taking over when Rheinland's many foes became too well armed for the Federal Police. Mostly, the Military focused on dealing with the Red Hessians and Corsairs while the Police kept tabs on the Landwirtrechtbewegung and Bundschuh.
Nomad War (False War)
On the tip of the ninth century A.S., a Rheinland exploration team discovered ruins on a distant planet in the far reaches of space, dozens of lightyears from the rest of Sirius. Their investigations awoke the Nomads, who learned from them the state of their birthright and how to control humans. The team came back to Rheinland bearing most dangerous cargo- newly developed Nomad Incubi, an engineered organism designed to infest and control humans while remaining undetected, and to create more of itself to spread the Nomads' influence throughout the colonies. Before long, the Nomads controlled Chancellor Gustav Niemann and many of the Rheinwehr's high-ranking officers, in particular Admiral Schultsky. At the direction of the Nomads, Rheinland became more militaristic and eventually totalitarian than ever before- the remaining resources in Rheinland and the nearby independent worlds were fully devoted to the building of warships.
After the end of the Nomad war, while the government worked to recover its relations to those unaware of the Nomads' involvement, the Military turned inward. From their losses against Edison Trent and other small bands of very skilled fighters like the Blood Dragons, the Military focused on having a smaller number of well-trained, well-coordinated pilots. Such pilots could function well even on their own, and smaller numbers would ease the strain on Rheinland's crippled economy and exhausted resources.
Corsair Wars
The "Road to Rheinland" Corsair campaign as it was sometimes called was the first major campaign since the Nomad War, and Rheinland's strategies were put to the test. In short, they succeeded. While the Brotherhood had aces of its own to match Rheinland's, not all were as skilled as their leaders. Under the direction of Admirals Krieg and Hiltraud, and with the tactical and stategic advice of the (then) lowly officer Dieter Schprockets, the Corsairs were kept from going any farther than Mannheim Station. Slowly but surely, the Rheinwehr pushed back the Brotherhood, finally defeating them in the Sigma-13 system in a battle that cost the Brotherhood both their flagship and their pride.
While Kanzler Reinhardt was effective, he could only do so much- the Military needed a new leader to replace the likes of Admirals Krieg, Hiltraud, and Freelamen. It found it in Malexa Malte, an enterprising new recruit who quickly rose through the ranks. Before long she was the leading Admiral in the Military, and went on a veritable crusade to bring the Rheinwehr back to its former glory. Under Malte's leadership, recruits began pouring in like never before. Retired pilots returned to serve their homeland, and to once again fight off the Red Hessians and Das Wilde. Rheinland had pilots to defend it again, although they were not the crack team that had defeated the Brotherhood's invasion.
War with Liberty
However, there was little time to bring them up to the legendary skill of their predecessors. Rheinland had uncovered evidence that Liberty was experimenting on Nomad material procured in the deep Omicrons, and was using it to develop superior technology with which to prepare for war. Although both houses fell to the Nomads during the war, Rheinland had been adamant about destroying them wherever they were found and vigilantly obliterating anything coming in from the Omicrons that could potentially allow them a second foothold. Rheinland's battles with Das Wilde did not make them any more lenient in this position, but Liberty had no experience with such horrors and ignored their pleas. Rheinland then argued that if Nomads were to be studied, it should be to find ways to fight them; but fighting the Nomads was a much less pressing concern for Liberty, cushioned as they were by the Order and the Bounty Hunters Guild Core. The story leaked to Rheinland's press, and quickly escalated from there.
Once war broke out, Rheinland quickly learned the strengths and weaknesses of its Military forces. Liberty maintained the largest known armada of capital warships, as well as possessing a squadron of expert fighter pilots- the kind which Rheinland had used to defeat the Brotherhood years before. However, while Rheinland was vastly outnumbered by warships and severely outclassed in fighter engagements, the fractured and nebulous wings of the Liberty Navy were, by and large, inferior to their opposite number in Rheinland. Liberty warships were designed to deal with other vessels of their class, and while Rheinland's capital fleet suffered gravely in all confrontations with their outnumbering Liberty counterparts, Rheinland's bomber squadrons found Liberty warships to be easy pickings. While Liberty's forces nearly always triumphed over their Rheinland counterparts in the larger sense, smaller-scale fleet engagements often went far better for the Rheinlanders, who had retained the tactics and cohesion learned in the war with the Brotherhood.
With the strategic outlook grim and tactical victories not enough to stem the tide, a difficult decision was finally made to abandon the border worlds in favor of consolidating forces for the defense of Hamburg. With both jump gates sabotaged, valuable time was bought to restructure the strategic landscape, in exchange for giving up any pretence at contesting Bering and Hudson. With additional conquests by the Red Hessians in Dresden, the outlook was grim for the Rheinwehr and the future of Rheinland. However, far from being an unstoppable juggernaut, Liberty itself also suffered from the ongoing war and its increasingly lengthy supply lines. With the near-future strategic objective achieved, pressure on the government resulted in a tentative state of peace being formed between Liberty and Rheinland. With many of the Rheinwehr’s vessels coming too late to the fight, the vessels instead served as the core of the peacekeeping and blocking forces against local criminals, the Red Hessian threat, and hot-headed Libertonian prods into Hamburg.
Kusari Skirmish and the Civil War
Such vessels being on hand preserved Rheinland from yet another engagement, this time with Kusari. With the reparations for the Nomad War completed, the Kusari Naval Forces finally had their excuse to test the Rheinwehrs mettle, and they did not find it wanting. With bitter experience from recent clashes with Liberty, the core of strategic and tactical veterans swiftly put an end to the Empire’s dreams of conquest, resulting in a peace treaty signed as swiftly as the declaration of war.
While hidden in the murky years between the Kusari war and the civil war, many believe that the ultimate impetus for the Rheinwehr’s Imperial coup always stemmed for the swift peace treaty with Kusari. With hot-blooded officers overruled regarding an opportunity for a successful counter-offensive into the Sigmas, resentment festered, and found fertile ground to spread across the Republic. With an attempted assassination of the mostly figurehead emperor’s heir, a casus belli was established for general unrest and the sparking of hostilities between Imperial and Federal sympathizers.
With Hamburg and New Berlin falling groundside to wide-spread riots, the Rheinland Civil War had officially begun. Due to assistance from Republican (then Imperial) shipping, the critical Alster shipyard was secured along with Oder, which was already in an untenable position due to being attached to the Ring. With the industrial base firmly in Imperial hands, many believed that victory was only a matter of time. However, in a similar manner to Liberty’s invasion of Bering and Hudson, Federalist forces retreated in good order from Stuttgart and Frankfurt to Cologne and Thuringia, with Imperial losses mounting due to superior tactical acumen of the older Republican officers. With a whole battlegroup lost in Cologne to the Hessians, grievous losses at the Thuringia offensive in Frankfurt, and Dresden falling completely under Hessian and Bundschuh control, the situation was quickly becoming untenable for the Imperials. Deciding to quit while being “ahead”, the core of the officers instigating the coup crowned Fredrick von Albrecht as the Emperor of the Empire of Rheinland. This was soon followed by multiple compromises which resulted in the restoration of the Reichstag, the details of power sharing arrangements agreed upon in the Holstein Accords.
Federated Empire
With the civil war only a recent memory, things have settled into a new routine for the House and the Rheinwehr. While the Emperor no longer controls the dispositions of the Military, he is still able to veto the civilian defense ministry propositions, and determine a course of action by retaining only a single proposal out of the many provided to him. This is ensured by a close coterie of retired Admirals, who keep the weak-minded sybaritic Emperor under their thumb, while allowing the civilians and the corporations to operate the rest of the House as they see fit. With a new era of peace reigning all over Sirius and the Hessian threat neutralized in both Cologne and Dresden at grievous cost, it is yet another time for rebuilding and restructuring for the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr. With many new recruits not knowing the true personality of the Emperor, old traditions and new tactics co-exist side by side, with the tentative cooperation between the military, police, and MND achieved only through the most grueling diplomatic concessions from all sides.
Rule #1: RM Authority is LAW
If a member of the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr asks you to stop, you stop.
If they say "Hold for cargo scan and ID verification," hold position and wait for them to say you can go.
If they ask "What is your business in Rheinland?", replying "None 'o yo' bees-wax!" is not appropriate and will probably get you shot. Silence will be taken as hostile.
Just do what the nice man/woman in the Rheinland Ship O' Hurt says, and they won't be forced to open up that can-o'-whup@$$ on you.
Rule #2:If the NPC's think it's illegal, so do we.
That means artifacts, cardamine, Slaves, Counterfeit Software, Blood Diamonds and any lawful pilots. Rule #3:Piracy will not be tolerated.
If you are a pirate, or even claim to be a pirate, we will shoot you down with no exceptions. Don't joke about that kind of stuff, because we won't know the difference.
Rule #4:Ship Class Restrictions in Rheinland
- All Battleship and Cruiser class vessels not belonging to the whole Rheinwehr forces are BANNED from Rheinland unless given the permission of an Admiral. Lethal force is authorized to deal with ships refusing to leave through whatever exit the acting commander decides.
- Even with the permission of an Admiral, heavy capital ships are to maintain a distance of no less than 10k from any inhabited planet.
- Gunboats, Bombers, and Fighters have permission to stay within orbit of inhabited planets, but are to move if asked.
IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY AT ANY STAGE, YOU WILL BE SHOT.
:: Military Equipment ::
FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS:
90-ARKM-N9 "Valkyrie" Rheinland Very Heavy Fighter The 90-ARKM-N9 “Valkyrie” Very Heavy Fighter is the Rheinwehrs answer to the various upgrades on the technology and arms market all around Sirius. It is the successor to the older “Wraith” model and enhances its performance exceedingly, while still keeping its old design. The strength of the Valkyrie lies in its advanced powercore, agility and armour at the expense of a sixth weapon in comparison to other current fighter models on the market.
90-ARKM-N60E "Disir" Rheinland Very Heavy Fighter The 90-ARKM-N60E “Disir” Very Heavy Fighter is the bread and bier of the Rheinwehr. It is the vessel that all enlisted pilots must master before moving on to other ships, and is therefore the most commonly produced model of Fighter ship in Rheinland. The strength of the Disir lies in its advanced powercore, armour, and weapons setup, at the expense of agility when compared to most fighter models of Sirius.
19-ARKM-N82 "Poltergeist" Rheinland Fighter-Bomber The 19-ARKM-N82 "Poltergeist" Rheinland Fighter-Bomber, is a prime-example of the devastating efficiency that the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr presents and a technological masterpiece. It is extremely versatile, possesses the height of the Rheinland's renowned reactor technologies and has a sleek efficient design. As a multiclass combatant, the N82 is adept at evading hostile fire while unleashing hell upon its enemies.
13-ARKM-N37 "Revenant" Bomber The 13-ARKM-N37 “Revenant” Bomber shows what it truly means to literally rip enemy capital ships apart. Possessing the most efficient bomber powerplant on the whole sirian market, the Revenant can keep prolonged fire active. It is required to support the Revenant's superior weaponry, allowing for the deadly efficiency the Rheinwehr is known for. While the Revenant is not too agile, its armour makes up for that. With the phasing out of lighter bomber models across the fleets, this vessel is a valuable asset to have and strikes fear into any enemy capital ship that dares to stand in its way.
72-ARKM-G27 “Phantom” Rheinland Heavy Fighter (used on special occasions only)
X4TS “Tiger Shark” Rheinland Civilian Light Fighter (used on special occasions only)
Fighter Weapons:
R7-s "Firekiss" Rheinland Plasma Cannons
R7-n "Hornviper" Rheinland Tachyon Cannons
R3-nt "Stealthblade" Photon Cannons
All "Debilitator" type Pulse Cannons
All "codenamed" weapons
All missiles, mines, and torpedoes
(this image will be updated over my dead body)
CAPITAL SHIPS
150-ARKM-KV11 "Oder" Class Gunboat Mainly used as a recon or tactical support unit, the 140-ARKM-KV11 “Oder” Gunboat is everything you need for operations in foreign territory. It is quick and agile.The gunboat is mostly used to assist fighter and bomber wings with coordination, serving as a mobile command centre on the battlefield. It is equipped with several gunboat turrets that also allow it to be a serious threat when facing small ships as well as large ships.
289-ARKM-CR27 "Donau" Class Cruiser The 289-ARKM-CR27 “Danube” Cruiser comes with heavy armour and heavy firepower while still being somewhat agile. It is produced in large amounts and one of the strongest enemies to fight in the hands of a skillful crew. The cruiser is best used for long range support, bombardments, but may also fight the enemy upfront with the four heavy turrets and all of its turrets facing forward. This ship truly is the backbone of the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr and provides a valuable advantage over its enemies whenever it is in use.
362-ARKM-CR87 "Tirpitz" Class Battlecruiser Shortly before the war with Liberty drew to a close, Rheinland began to develop a new, mid-ranged warship. The Tirpitz-class Battlecruiser is designed not just as an addition to the fleets, but an improvement as well, being heavier and more versatile than its predecessor, the Donau-class Cruiser. While the initial prototypes weren't finished in time to be used for that war, Tirpitz warships are the main capital vessels being contructed in rebuilding the fleets of the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr . Its military leadership believes this ship to be crucial in changing the outcome of future conflicts to favor the Federal Republic.
401-ARKM-CS08 "Bismarck" Class Battleship The 401-ARKM-CS08 “Bismarck” Battleship, fittingly also referred to as “Schildkröte” or “Turtle”, truly lives up to its name. It is one of the heaviest battleships in the colony and is capable of unleashing an armageddon onto any enemy that decides to travel in its wake. Whatever the Bismarck-class fires upon withers and dies. The ship itself is massive to make its giant powercore and heavy armour possible at the expense of agility. Whenever the turtle comes into play, it is the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr's way to say “Checkmate.”
564-ARKM-CV01 "Elbe" Class Carrier The 564-ARKM-CV01 “Elbe” Carrier is the newest ship in the collection of the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr and was developed over the course of years and is now produced in the shipyards. It provides a relatively small design that enables the carrier to evade incoming fire from enemy capital ships, while still posessing heavy firepower with fifteen turrets. It is, like most carriers, used to possess a mobile base of operations for fighter-based combat which can provide heavy fire support in engagements. It is equipped with a bay that can host up to twenty-four fighters. The pair of tubes to launch from are located at the rear, safe from hostile fire.
The Flieger is the lowest rank within the Rheinwehr. A Flieger primary role is to enforce the security of Rheinland at it's borders. However, upon orders his duties may also include secondary roles, such as escort of merchants or important personalities. A Flieger serves in a fighter or bomber.
Gefreiter (Gfr-):
The Gefreiter has proven to be a worthy member of the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr and not to be called "cannon fodder" anymore. A Gefreiter still serves in a fighter or bomber, and may fly patrols at the border on his own.
Korporal (Kpl-):
The Korporal is an experienced pilot within the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr who has proven their tactical ability and can be entrusted hold his own during independent patrols. Therefore, he can be found past the borders of Rheinland, ensuring that no enemy approaches unseen.
Bootsmann (Bmn-):
Only the best Korporale get access to this rank. A Bootsmann is the backbone of the Rheinwehr, possessing both the skills and experience that demand the respect of all its members, from a lowly flieger to commisioned officers. They usually leads patrols of lower-ranked soldiers in the whole territory of the Kaiserreich, and is approved to install special equipment on board his snubcraft to do so effectively.
OFFIZIERE:
Fähnrich (Fr-):
The Fähnrich is the lowest rank within the officer track of the Rheinwehr, and is often an academy graduate. A Fähnrich's primary role is to ensure the smooth running of their section, and to make recommendations to their superiors about crewmembers who show promise. A Fähnrich serves in a gunboat or a cruiser, but may request a transfer aboard heavier classes after gaining the required amount of time in service.
Leutnant (Lt-):
Those ensigns and bootsmanne who show exceptional promise and dedication to the Rheinwehr are eventually promoted and given more responsibility. Their new duties will now include organizing a whole watch section aboard a vessel, and coordinating with their superiors about disciplinary and training duties. A Leutnant serves aboard any class of vessel, but slots on classes heavier than a cruiser are not always available.
Oberleutnant (Obl-):
Every captain of a vessel filled with hundreds of people needs a good right hand man or woman to support them in their difficult task of command. The Oberleuntant is one who is ideally suited to this position, and is familiar with the workings of a military vessel at every level. Oberleutnants serve on every class of vessel within the Rheinwehr, and may even be put in command of Oder-class gunboats if they show exceptional promise. The Oberleutnant is indispensable to any fleet or battlegroup as a reliable supporting officer for any tactical action.
Kapitänleutnant (KaLeu-):
The Kapitänleutnant is the field-level first officer rank within the Rheinwehr. The Kapitänleutnant serves on the battlefield at the behest of senior Oberkommando officers, in any manner they deem necessary. He carries out his duties on board a Donau class Cruiser. This officer may also take charge of all snubcraft present in a fleet engagement, and may be relied upon to distribute them where they will inflict the maximum possible damage.
Kapitän zur See (KazS-):
The Kapitän zur See primarily functions as a Battlecruiser or Carrier Kapitän, though he may command Cruisers based on preference. His duties may draw him directly into the front lines, therefore a high understanding of tactics is required to understand the situation in a warzone. He holds responsibility for a fair amount of comrades, which means he must always take care for each of them. He has been with the Rheinwehr for multiple years, putting his extensive experience and abilities to good use in any way the Oberkommando deems necessary.
Flottenkapitän (FlKa-):
The Flottenkapitän can take direct control over the fleet in a combat situation, if no higher ranked officer is present. His abilities to lead the fleet is crucial for the success of Rheinland. As a direct representative of the Oberkommando, great trust is placed in his conduct on the battlefield. However if an Admiral is present, he takes the role as his able assistant, in any way deemed necessary. The Flottenkapitän is entrusted to command all ship classes. Besides this fact, he will most likely command a Battleship. While his substantial experience may still be employed on the battlefield, the Flottenkapitän's value lies mainly in the support he provides to the Oberkommando regarding fleet deployment, training, and tactics.
OBERKOMMANDO:
Konteradmiral (KAdm-):
The Konteradmiral holds a considerable position. His objectives are to serve an Admiral as a supporter, and is the primary command unit in warfare. He is permitted to launch assaults and to command the fleet, and can act on the Admirals behalf if the Admiral commands it. The Konteradmiral is entrusted to command any ship.
Vizeadmiral (VAdm-):
The Vizeadmiral is the right hand of an Admiral. He is the Admirals primary enforcer. It takes full trust of the Admiral, to become his Vizeadmiral. The Vizeadmiral is permitted to command everyone including the Konteradmirals. The Vizeadmiral is entrusted to command any ship.
Admiral (Adm-):
An Admiral is a de-facto leader of the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr. An Admirals hold ultimate authority over their sector, just as the Großadmiral holds ultimate authority over the Rheinwehr. He has the control over an entire section of the combined fleet, and only has to listen to the Großadmiral if they cannot agree on policy or strategy. The Admiral can command any ship.
Großadmiral (GAdm-):
The Großadmiral is the highest instance in the Kaiserliche Rheinwehr and his men will fight and if required, die for him. His will is usually enforced by one of his admirals, but in any discussion of the Oberkommando or with an Admiral, he has the last word to speak. The Großadmiral is rarely seen on the battlefield, but he can always take command if he pleases.
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