The Bundschuh were founded, several decades before the actual revolution of 700AS that ended the 80-years war, by young visionaries in a basement of the first Mitte-Stadt University on Planet New Berlin. The well-read and well-educated citizens were well aware of the crimes of their government and could no longer tolerate the circumstances the people of Rheinland lived in. Their goal was nothing less than to change the society that made the rich richer and the poor even poorer - the society that dictated ones status as a rich and educated aristocrat or a poor and exploited worker from the moment of birth It is a common fact though, that the only thing intellectuals without influence do is discuss the atrocities rather than act to change them with valiant deeds. But over the decades, the Bundschuh turned out to become a disciplined and efficient socialist organization that gained more and more influence with propaganda that was passed under the hands of labourers. Financed by a large and sympathetic Berlin intelligentsia, the Bundschuh became a party operating in secrecy, preparing for the day when the people of Rheinland would finally rise. And their day came.
The Popular Revolution
On Von Rohes day in 700AS, they initiated their opening salvo when raging workers, carrying weapons and ideology brought to them by the Bundschuh movement, revolted in Dresden. They could no longer maintain the war-machine that was fuelled with the labourers blood - the blood of those who worked for more than 16 hours per day with no payment for months. A group of brave revolutionaries refused to keep the burned out economy going that backed up the useless efforts in Sigma 13. For 70 years the sons and daughters of Rheinland had fallen; on this day, the people said, No more! Throughout the revolution, the Bundschuh played a key part by coordinating all the actions needed to bring down the tyrannical imperial regime. Whether whipping people into a frenzy with nationalistic propaganda, or running guns and supplies to would-be revolutionaries, the Bundschuh performed many actions and grew greatly during this time. For five bloody years, the revolutionaries fought in what became known as The Popular Revolution. Eventually, the emperor was overthrown, and a democratic peoples coalition was established. What followed were 15 years of the peoples coalition ruling Rheinland that consisted of the aristocratic, the conservative, the liberal democratic and the Bundschuh Party. This short period of time wasn't used to consolidate the peoples coalition and to finally establish a strong and free republic, instead, those who fought for justice had to witness their young democracy becoming corrupted. While the Bundschuh initially pushed for a full investigation into the activities of companies such as Kruger Minerals and Daumann Heavy Construction, more pragmatic elements within the government decided that for the newly formed Rheinland Republic to succeed, it needed the support of the aristocrats who controlled those and other major companies. Both Kruger and Daumann were eventually required to pay substantial reparations intended to "improve the Rheinland Republic for the good of all people," and all Rheinland companies were forced to comply with a newly ratified Workers' Rights Convention.
By 715 AS business in Dresden had more or less resumed as usual. Once again outlawed, the Bundschuh were driven underground, an impractical brand of idealism ill-suited to building a consensus among the many different government factions and the aristocrats who controlled the purse strings. The Bundschuh took the ideological high route, attracting the purists dedicated to overthrowing the corrupt Rheinland regime represented by the government, Daumann, and Republican. The Red Hessians adapted the more pragmatic approach of stealing and plundering in the guise of fighting the powers that be. As a result, the ranks of the Red Hessians swelled, and the Bundschuh dwindled. Shortly after the Bundschuh got forced into the underground again, the Volksfront was founded. Tactics and organization from the revolution were revitalized, and Bruchsal Base, initially a supply depot from the gunrunning days of the Bundschuh, was hollowed out and became home. Previously, the Bundschuh had worked from within the system to reform it. As they failed every time, the party members realized that they had to fight for the people's rights by using force. Striking against political institutions and military installations with hit and run tactics, the party was supported by the old party members who had stayed loyal and supported the Bundschuh with vocal or financial support. But over time, they lost more and more influence with the common people of Rheinland, fed with opinions delivered by a censored and lying media. By the time of the Nomad War, the Bundschuh movement had been marginalized by a desensitization of the people. Planet-side operations had to be scaled-down as low sympathy levels made it difficult to coordinate operations. The Bundschuh operated in space more and more, and their idealistic membership included more former pirates than the students who had founded the party.
The Present
The Nomad War was a defining moment in the history of the Bundschuh. Playing a pivotal role in the defeat of the Nomads, the Bundschuh leveraged all of their remaining resources in a final public relations campaign. Showcasing both their role as the peoples protector and of the government and militarys rampant infection rate, a whole new generation was exposed to the Bundschuh. While many of the media that the Bundschuh used were quickly shut down, the people did not forget what they heard. Membership among the everyday people of Rheinland swelled, and credits raised revitalized a dwindling organization. The Bundschuh now face an era of national crisis, where an insane chancellor has imposed his own self-worship upon the people of Rheinland. Assaulted from all sides, the Bundschuh seek to rescue a floundering Rheinland.
The goals of the Bundschuh are simple, overthrow the government, institute a democracy, kick out the aristocrats, and bring equality to the average man. To bring these goals about, the Bundschuh are working on three fronts. First, they bombard the Rheinland people with much propaganda and information, hoping to win the popularity contest before the war has even begun. Secondly, surgical strikes against government offices weaken infrastructure and pave the way for larger actions. Thirdly, there is diplomacy. The Bundschuh attempt to keep strong ties with many unlawful and revolutionary groups in order to unite them to fight against a common cause. Were the Bundschuh to come to power, they would immediately impose basic democratic and economic freedoms that the average Rheinlander and nationalize large portions of the corporations that currently control Rheinland.
Allies:
The Red Hessians
Neutral:
All Others
[color=#CC0000]Enemies:
Bounty Hunters Guild
Daumann Heavy Construction
Kruger Minerals
Rheinland Federal Police
Rheinland Military
Rheinland Central Systems
New Berlin
Frankfurt
Stuttgart
Dresden
Munich
Hamburg
ID: Bundschuh IFF: Bundschuh Tag: [Bu]
Command
Leader
Deputy Leader (Full command in Leaders Absence)
Commander
Membership
Expert
Member
Recruit
Civilian ships:
Tiger Shark - X4TS Rheinland Civilian Light Fighter
Griffin - CTE-4000 Civilian Light Fighter
Falcon - CTE-3000 Civilian Heavy Fighter
Kingfisher - CTE-HF Civilian Heavy Fighter
Eagle - CTE-6000 Civilian Very Heavy Fighter
Roc - CTE-19000 Civilian Bomber
Border Worlds
Scimitar - Series CX Border Worlds Light Fighter
Switchblade - Series QX Border Worlds Heavy Fighter
Sabre - Series Z Border Worlds Very Heavy Fighter
Falcata - Series ZX Border Worlds Bomber
Red Hessian Ships - Only with Permission from Command.
Loki - RH-GM17 Red Hessian Light Fighter
Odin - RH-GM40 Red Hessian Very Heavy Fighter
Thor - RH-GM82 Red Hessian Bomber
+ All Border Worlds and Civilian Freighters, Transports and Trains. (That the Bundschuh ID Allows)
Anything else may be requested from the Command Staff.
--
// Yes, The History and Goals are taken from the Bundschuh Description. Credit for that goes to whoever wrote it, I am trying to make the Player version of the NPC faction. We do have permission to use Red Hessian Ships and Equipment from the Leader of the Red Hessians.
I think this sounds like a great idea. We need a new bundschuh faction in discovery. I like you ranks and I think this is very well thought about. Over all great job dragonego.
Remember that you can also use (and should at the very least include, as that's what Bundschuh NPCs fly) Border Worlds ships, including the Sabre, Switchblade, Scimitar and Falcata.
Other than that sounds good and I support this in full, Rheinland needs an active Bundschuh faction to keep Frankfurt active, especially with the Hessians now concentrating on Omega systems much more.
I'd consider thinking about Bundschuh-GMG relations as well, as Bundies are pretty much the only Rheinland unlawful faction that can be expected to visited Sigma-13 semi frequently.
Seems thoroughly reasonable, even though your faction logo (the Rheinland green eagle with a Maltese cross in the middle?) seems, symbolically speaking, to be as contrary to the Bundschuh's nature as it's possible to get (unless, of course, you're intentionally using such an insignia, thereby making an ironic statement).
Check with the Red Hessians before you take their stuff (shipline as well as equipment), though, alright? Your pilots should, otherwise, definitely be flying Border Worlds spacecraft, and shooting Lugers or "universal" weaponry.
You also have a strangely militaristic set of ranks - quite odd, given that the Bundschuh are essentially an armed civilian resistance movement (and, even if we -do- accept that you intend to roleplay a more militarized Bundschuh, the ranks top out at a rather illogically extravagant level - "Generals" within the Bundschuh?).
Looking forward to seeing you gents ingame, in Frankfurt and elsewhere. Long live the Revolution!
Actually the Rheinland eagle is a bit different to this one ( http://i50.tinypic.com/yyr93.png ), and the cross in the middle is an Iron Cross, which I guess is similar to the Maltese Cross, but yeah...:P
The Iron Cross can be a point of contention though I guess considering that it's a imperial symbol...
' Wrote:Seems thoroughly reasonable, even though your faction logo (the Rheinland green eagle with a Maltese cross in the middle?) seems, symbolically speaking, to be as contrary to the Bundschuh's nature as it's possible to get (unless, of course, you're intentionally using such an insignia, thereby making an ironic statement).
Check with the Red Hessians before you take their stuff (shipline, weapons), though, alright? Your pilots should, otherwise, definitely be flying Border Worlds spacecraft.
Looking forward to seeing you gents ingame, in Frankfurt and elsewhere. Long live the Revolution!
Can you read?
Read this:
"We do have permission to use Red Hessian Ships and Equipment from the Leader of the Red Hessians."
"We do have permission to use Red Hessian Ships and Equipment from the Leader of the Red Hessians."
quote from Dragonego.
Regards
Fusion.
You have it now. You did not have it earlier.
Well, if Blodo's alright with it, then so am I.
EDIT: Blodo's right, 'tis an Iron, not a Maltese Cross (the Maltese Cross has flared tips) - that makes the symbolism even worse, given that the Iron Cross is a Prussian military decoration; the Maltese Cross is the insignia of a knightly order.