| Bruchsal Base | |
| Owner | |
| Bundschuh | |
| Location | |
| E-3, Frankfurt |
CLASS: Weisheit
GRAVITY: Complete
DOCKING: Yes
AMENITIES: Yes
CREW: 650
Believed to be founded by a group of New Berlin University students in 679 AS, the movement had much support among the liberal elite of New Berlin, tired of the corrupt practices of the government that had led them to financial ruin near the end of the 80-Years War. During the Dresden rebellion of 700 AS, the Bundschuh found their first official cause -- shipping supplies "liberated" from Frankfurt to the Kruger and Daumann rebels. Three months after that, sympathetic maintenance workers started sabotaging Daumann manufacturing operations in New Berlin. The industrial heart of Rheinland stopped beating, and the Popular Revolution had begun.
Five years later the Emperor was overthrown, and a new coalition government was established in its place. While the Bundschuh initially pushed for a full investigation into the activities of companies such as Kruger Mining 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. 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 Red Hessian ranks swelled, and the Bundschuh dwindled.
The Bundschuh historically looked to the Unioners, LWB, Red Hessians, and disgruntled workers for possible recruits. In recent years, relations with the Unioners collapsed as the two groups took opposite sides in the Rheinland Civil War. Similarly, the merger between LWB survivors and the Farmer's Alliance soured relations with the Bundschuh over links to the Corsairs. Despite an amnesty offered after the Civil War, attacks on Bundschuh members and failures to implement promised state reforms quickly resulted in the organisation taking up arms once more. The Bundschuh prefer to focus on Daumann, Republican, and military bases, although they do occasionally raid ships for supplies, preferentially targetting Kusari transports.
Bruchsal itself is an old Popular Revolution-era supply depot formed from a hollowed asteroid; it has slowly expanded over the decades to house many hundreds of people and a wider range of facilities. The proximity to the Westerwald, Sigmas, and various Rheinland population centers means that Bruchsal stands as the political, military and administrative heart of the Bundschuh Underground. The local patrols based from the station are known to be particularly ferocious and capable, a fact that has been of endless frustration to Corsair forces transiting towards the Dresden system.
Bribes & Missions Offered
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Commodities
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Ships sold
| Ship | Class | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dagger | Light Fighter | 15,052$ |
| Stiletto | Heavy Fighter | 18,108$ |
| Sabre | Very Heavy Fighter | 23,679$ |
| Cutlass | Bomber | 72,726$ |
| Dromedary | Freighter | 24,266$ |
| Border Worlds Gunship | Gunboat | 855,006$ |
News
| [834 AS] New Brigades take the fight to the Corsairs |
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VOGTLAND -- 834 -- The Corsair attack in Dresden has been blunted and now the tide appears to be turning. They scurry and hide in the Schwefelnebel, only launching sorties to attack soft targets. They’re on the back foot, and the Zuschen’s raid on Corsair rear lines has successfully drawn off their reinforcements. It’s time we put these invaders to the sword: two Brigade groups are enveloping the Penitence’s suspected location. The newly reconstituted Fichtel Brigade will advance from the Bautzen direction using up-armored miners as a battering ram, while the Steiner Brigade enters the Schwefelnebel from the north. The Corsairs will be forced to flee before the Frankfurt Jump Hole is cut off, or commit to a decisive battle on our terms. |
| [834 AS] A bad breakup? |
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DARMSTADT -- 834 -- It appears the LWB and Farmers Alliance have gone their separate ways, on very bad terms. Witnesses report seeing fighting between LWB and FA squadrons, and the FA resultingly retreating from Rheinland space. The FA’s expansion into Rheinland alienated many of the LWB’s traditional allies, most notably the Red Hessians. The Hessians for their part appear to have moved quickly to fill the vacuum the Alliance left behind, approaching LWB commanders with offers of weapons and technical support in exchange for the LWB supplementing their supply lines in west Rheinland. LWB pilot Arthur Saebel noted, “we've done what's best for our people.“ |
| [834 AS] Seeds of discontent sprouting in Stuttgart? |
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STUTTGART -- 834 -- The LWB collapsed a decade ago, only knitting itself back together with support from Kusari's Farmer’s Alliance. While the LWB were initially grateful for these foreign patrons, discontent appears to be growing. The FA imposed its own officers on the LWB, and has been calling the shots since. One anonymous LWB pilot bitterly complained that the FA “only care about stopping Synth exports to Kusari”, with Rheinland farmers a distant afterthought. This tension has come to the forefront after Kusari commanders prohibited the LWB from targeting Gallic food imports. While the competition has damaged Synth Foods, it has also driven Stuttgart’s remaining independent farmers to breaking point. |
| [834 AS] Imperial Shipping culpable for Hamburg Blast |
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TENNSTEDT BASE -- 834 -- Bundschuh agents have obtained caches of academic correspondence, research notes and cargo invoices dating back to at least 824 AS. Imperial Shipping funded Scientists to carry out illegal research into Artifacts and Xeno Relics, in a foolish attempt to reverse-engineer technologies that could upend the balance of power in Sirius. This blind pursuit of profit has backfired with fatal consequences for the people of Hamburg. What remains unclear is how the Blast is linked to the simultaneous explosion of the Battleship Kolleda, and the weapon the MND had been meddling with. We will continue to investigate alongside our partners in The Order. |
| [832 AS] Bundschuh avenge Bautzen murders |
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NEW BERLIN -- 832 -- After the brutality of the Civil War, we embraced peace and -- despite severe misgivings -- the chance to steer the new state through political discourse. Despite this, promised democratic reforms failed to arrive, while officials turned a blind eye to violence inflicted on our candidates. The final straw came with the invasion of Dresden and the cold blooded murder of Bautzen Station’s crew by the Strausberg fleet. We have now ended the life of the treacherous Admiral Schmid, however it is clear that this state cannot be reasoned or cooperated with in good faith. The Federal Empire combines the worst impulses of the Republic with the incestuous corruption of the Old Empire. One solution remains: wipe it away and start anew. |
| [831 AS] Jump Hole Upheaval Causes Chaos |
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HEISENBERG -- 831 AS -- Jump holes across Sirius have become increasingly volatile and chaotic over the last year, with Professor Sophia Nagel from the Heisenberg Research Station linking the unusual phenomena to the Pulse. The Pulse was an unprecedented blast of hyperspace energy that was detected immediately prior to last year's jump gate Blackout. Professor Nagel and her team are certain the Pulse originated from outside Sirius, but are otherwise no closer to identifying its source or mitigating a future Blackout event. "Following the Blackout, we began to see immediate signs of jump hole destabilization in multiple different regions, with many ultimately falling out of phase alignment altogether", she commented. The dramatic upending of Sirius' jump hole network has already prompted many groups to abandon stations and withdraw from systems that appear to risk being cut off. While months-long trips between the stars are possible thanks to the Liberty Engine and many centuries of innovation, few ships are designed or provisioned to make such arduous journeys. Those who were displaced by Sirius' redrawn map hope that system connections will return, while adventurers and explorers rush to discover new routes. |
| [830 AS] Bessemer Struck by Corsair Raiders! |
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MAINZ -- 830 AS -- An Ageira Technologies research vessel, the ATS Bessemer, has come under a Corsair attack during its final venture through the Munich Jump Gate. The Bessemer, dispatched on a joint expedition by Ageira and the University of Berlin, was en route from the Raubling junction to the Frankfurt gate when it was waylaid by Corsair raiders on the edge of the Schwarzwald cloud. The RPU Dohna, a police gunboat tasked with overseeing the gate during the expedition, was quick to respond, but not before the raiders dealt significant damage to the unprepared civilian vessel. Anonymous sources report that as many as five Ageira employees lost their lives in the attack. The incident came as a shock to the public and the law enforcement alike, as pirate activity was believed to have completely died out in the desolate Munich system. The frequency of strikes, from both Corsairs and domestic pirates, have steadily declined ever since the antimatter storm first ravaged the system. While the chaotic evacuation efforts from Nuremberg had initially caused a spike, as the system's population decayed to just skeleton crews and Junker scavengers, the criminal element became nearly absent. Some theorize that the Corsairs were there for the Bessemer specifically, intending for one last taunt at Rheinland's people. Thankfully, the Dohna and her crew were there to thwart their efforts. The ATS Bessemer was dispatched into the Munich system in order to deploy a network of specially reinforced satellites, meant to monitor the advent of the antimatter storm's core. According to the University of Berlin, the core will wash over Munich around the end of this month, stripping away planetary atmospheres and most likely collapsing all remaining jumphole anomalies. The probes deployed by the Bessemer will provide the scientific community with first-hand data of the storm and its effects, transmitting it back to Berlin through a central relay nested within the safety of Raubling's hulk. With the task complete, the Bessemer was meant to be the final ship to make the jump from Munich, with the Jump Gate being shut down later the same day. However, due to the damage sustained in the attack, the RPU Dohna did the honours instead, covering the Bessemer's departure to ensure its safe return. |
| [828 AS] Cologne Aftermath |
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COLOGNE – 828 AS – The siege of Planet Saarbrucken proved that the reunited might of Rheinland is a force to be reckoned with; the Hessians have largely vacated the system. In preparation for the assault, the miners turned pirate had weaponized the nearby Tholey Station to slow down the advance of the military. In order to bring a swift end to the fighting with minimal casualties the commanding officer ordered the station be neutralized rather than boarded, resulting in its destruction. Despite the success of the Military, it seems the Hessians flagship; Battleship Kassel, has managed to escape virtually unscathed. Rumors on Heisenberg Research Station speak of Hessian prisoners taken by Corsairs and Unioners alike. It's no secret there is a lot of bad blood between these groups and the Hessians and this reporter shudders to think of what fate awaits those poor deluded criminals. |
| [828 AS] Hessians Flee Under Rheinlands Might! |
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COLOGNE – 828 AS – Under pressure from both the emperor and elected officials for a quick and decisive resolution to the ongoing Cologne crisis, the Rheinland Ministerium of Defence ordered the Altenburg battlegroup to advance onto the Red Hessian position at Planet Saarbrucken. The Red Hessians recently received additional reinforcements as it became clear the former miners planned to dig-in and would need to be uprooted from their position. The Siege of Saarbrucken is currently underway and it has been reported that the Red Hessians have begun evacuating from the area. It is speculated however that the Red Hessians intend to make the Rheinland military suffer for every meter they take. The Rheinland Military has offered a reward for any Red Hessians that are caught fleeing from the siege. The military has also advised caution as they have reported several other pirate groups in the area, with some claiming these groups are striking out at the Hessians. This reporter cannot help but think this situation goes to show, that there is no honour among thieves. |
| [825 AS] Hammersee faces uncertain future |
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HAMERSEE -- 825 -- Administrators of Sigma-15's Hammersee colony have announced that the project faces insolvency within a matter of months unless the government urgently intervenes to provide a bailout. Daumann blames repeated attacks by the Gas Miner's Guild and Kusari Office of Intelligence for the troubles, which include mounting debts, cargo losses, and a plummeting workforce retention rate. Thousands moved to Hammersee after being evacuated from Planet Nuremberg in Munich, however many of these emigrants have since departed after facing unexpectedly harsh conditions. The safe harbor of Freeport 8 has attracted many of these people, due its neutrality in the ongoing war with Kusari. |
| [825 AS] Evacuation order issued for Munich |
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MUNICH -- 825 -- A formal evacuation notice has been issued for the entirety of Munich, after researchers confirmed the Dark Matter storm was on a trajectory to consume the entire system. The population of Planet Nuremberg has crashed since the storm's initial arrival in 821 AS, with the planet rapidly becoming the most dangerous and lawless destination in Rheinland. Gangs of looters and slavers have exploited the chaos, despite the best efforts of the Battleship Regensburg to maintain order. The Rheinland government is now offering seats on evacuation transports to Hammersee and Holstein for the remaining residents trapped in the system. |
| [824 AS] Rheinland security forces eliminate Corsair lair |
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BATTLESHIP SCHWERIN -- 824 -- Following an anonymous tip-off, Rheinland authorities located and destroyed a Corsair base in Frankfurt's Hausenfeld. Squadrons from the Battleship Schwerin and the MND cooperated to put an end to the pirate menace, securing trade throughout the system. Admiral Baader noted that this was the largest Corsair incursion into Rheinland space since 815 AS, when the Koblenz fleet repelled a similar attack. MND sources believe the Corsair attacks are primarily motivated by a feud with the Red Hessians, rather than any particular interest in Frankfurt itself. |
| [824 AS] Dresden liberated from corporate oppression |
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BAUTZEN -- 824 -- Bundschuh agents have landed on Bautzen Station after Kruger and Rheinland Military vessels withdrew. Owing to continued pressure applied by revolutionary forces, Kruger fled, stripping most of the station's facilities. While our occupation was not directly contested, the station was partially damaged by demolition charges. Thankfully, several of these charges were delayed due to defects, allowing engineers to make them safe. The Bundschuh have begun the process of jointly fortifying the base with the Red Hessians, in preparation for its planned use as a distribution warehouse for Dresden-produced goods. This will to some extent reduce Rheinland revolutionaries' dependence on groups like the Junkers for certain supplies. |
| [824 AS] Saalburg falls to Corsair barbarians |
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SAALBURG -- 824 -- Saalburg Depot in Frankfurt has fallen after being attacked by an overwhelming force of Corsair raiders. Our pilots recognized they stood no chance against the attack and retreated to avoid unnecessary loss of life. The Corsairs have occupied the base and dug in, aiming to use it as a forward base for renewed attacks on Rheinland. This is the largest Corsair force to enter Rheinland since the invasion of 815 AS -- Bundschuh and Red Hessian fighters have launched an immediate counter-attack to prevent the barbarians from gaining a permanent foothold. |
| [821 AS] Zwickau opens new front in Dresden |
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ZWICKAU DEPOT -- 821 -- In partnership with Red Hessian allies, the Bundschuh movement has established Zwickau Depot in Dresden’s Schwefelnebel. It is strategically located to strike Military reinforcements traveling between the New Berlin minefield and Bautzen Station, allowing us to maintain pressure on the Rheinland occupiers. Zwickau is also ideally placed to distribute locally harvested resources to revolutionary causes throughout Rheinland. We also hope to convince the Hessians to allow us to facilitate mineral sales to our contacts in the Sigmas for fundraising purposes. Through the Bundschuh’s efforts, Dresden shall soon be the first truly free system in Rheinland, and the seed from which a new Popular Revolution can bloom. |
| [818 AS] Dresden capture proceeding smoothly |
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VOGTLAND -- 818 -- Years of careful planning and preparation have borne fruit with the conquest of Dresden. A lightning strike on Pirna found the RFP unprepared and quickly eliminated. This cleared the main body of our attack force to isolate and board Leipzig. Daumann appears to have known which way the wind was blowing, as the station had already been stripped of any reasonably portable plant machinery. The corporate lapdogs of the Rheinland Military have dug in around Bautzen Station and laid a defensive minefield around the New Berlin Jump Gate. It is only a matter of time until Kruger’s will breaks and they too abandon Bautzen. Then Rheinland will have nothing to fight for, and will withdraw the Altenburg -- the system and its remaining wealth will be ours. |
| [815 AS] Corsair Menace Threatens Frankfurt |
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BATTLESHIP KOBLENZ -- 815 -- Over recent weeks, Corsair attacks on Trade Lane shipping in Frankfurt have increased by over 600%, seemingly to test Military readiness levels across the system. This pillaging was later revealed to be a prelude to a larger threat with the arrival of a Corsair assault fleet. The Battleship Koblenz and its squadrons were immediately dispatched to intercept what was later estimated to be a force of over one hundred Corsair raiding ships - the largest known grouping of Corsairs reported to date. An improvised force of RM, RFP, MND and even Bundschuh and Red Hessians repelled the attack, scattering the marauders back into the Tannusfeld. It is currently unclear what the Corsair motive for the attack was, beyond an instinctive need to cause bloodshed and mayhem. |
| [815 AS] Blast on Ingolstadt Kills Executives |
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INGOLSTADT -- 815 -- A bomb has been detonated aboard Ingolstadt Station in Munich, targeting a Republican Shipping executive board meeting. Over 70 people have been declared dead so far, while emergency responders work tirelessly to repressurize damaged decks and access trapped crew members. The Unioners have claimed responsibility for the attack, with a broadcast claiming they had targeted Republican CEO Andrea Kirsch. Kirsch has confirmed that she was not in attendance at the meeting. Republican has previously submitted a formal complaint to New Berlin over Munich’s lax security environment, which relies on patrols from the distant Battleship Koblenz. Government officials confirmed that they were examining all options. |
| [808 AS] Hamburg University restricts research access |
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ROTHERBAUM CITY -- 808 -- Hamburg University has announced a change to its publication process. Academics from other institutions will now need to subscribe to a ‘commercial affiliates’ programme managed by Republican Shipping to gain access to the university’s papers for peer review or research. Objections have been raised by New Berlin and Cambridge Universities, who argue that the move threatens academic freedom and scientific rigor. Hamburg University was bailed out by Republican Shipping three years ago when the institution faced imminent bankruptcy. Republican's Academic Investments Office say the fees schedule will subsidize "innovative research" and "push forward novel paradigms". |
| [807 AS] Colony War Demilitarization Complete |
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ODER SHIPYARD -- 807 -- With the deconstruction of the Battleship Goethe, the Rheinland Government has announced that the post-Colony War process of demilitarization has been completed. The Federal Audit Office has also provided a damning report to the Schweizer Commission, indicating that the bulk of the hulls examined were built to cheap, 80-Years War grade, rather than the modernized standards billed for by Daumann and Republican. Opposition politicians have called for the corporations to be charged with fraud. Addressing the Reichstag, Councillor Stellar announced that the day "closed a door on a dark period of Rheinland’s history". |
| [806 AS] MND director dismissed |
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NEW BERLIN -- 806 -- Anonymous government sources allege Director Von Claussen of the MND has been dismissed over an unspecified "fatal conflict of interest". The decorated war hero was appointed as the fledgling agency's first leader and given a mandate to purge Rheinland of the traitors who facilitated the Colony Wars. It is believed that this work led to a severe breakdown in relations with the Rheinland Military, who bore the brunt of the resulting purges. The Rheinland government have refused to comment on the situation; Director Von Claussen himself was unavailable for comment. |
| [808 AS] Successful strike eliminates Nomad parasite |
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BRUSCHAL -- 808 -- Our friends in The Order again provided intelligence about a Nomad Infiltrator -- this time Republican Shipping CEO Klaus Schulze. The MND had uncharacteristically taken Schulze alive after raiding his Planet Nuremberg bunker -- something the Nomads would not allow unless it furthered their plans. Our own sources provided the dates and times for the convoy that would ship Schulze to a government facility in Thuringia. Following a surgical strike by Bundschuh squadrons, the Armored Transport and its escorts were destroyed. We have protected the MND from their own worst impulses - the Nomads are an influence they do not understand and cannot be trusted to contain. Leaving Schulze in their custody could only have ended in disaster. |
| [805 AS] Republican bails out Hamburg University |
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ROTHERBAUM CITY -- 805 -- Hamburg University has narrowly avoided bankruptcy after negotiating a financing deal with Republican Shipping. The University's public funding was recently removed as a part of the "difficult decisions” made by the government to stave off financial collapse. Republican is believed to have appointed itself as a “corporate guardian” for the institution, providing funding in exchange for exclusive rights to commercially exploit any resulting intellectual property. Republican representatives have confirmed that the investment forms part of the company’s broader plan to revitalize the Hamburg economy. |
| [804 AS] Leaked documents reveal war profiteering |
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NEW BERLIN -- 804 -- Daumann and Republican Shipping have both come under fire after a cache of leaked documents revealed their profits from Colony War shipbuilding contracts. Chancellor Niemann’s unprecedented military buildup cost hundreds of billions of credits to surge production in both the Oder and Alster Shipyards. The documents released by Bundschuh activists revealed that both corporations reaped record-breaking profits for this work. Several Reichstag delegates have called for the corporations' executives to be investigated as war criminals and the public funds clawed back. Chancellor Steller’s office has reluctantly promised an inquest into the matter, appointing Otto Schweizer to investigate. |
| [803 AS] Driven to desperation |
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NEW BERLIN -- 803 -- As Rheinland falls further into economic crisis, many face financial ruin. Desperation has driven political radicalism and crime. Where tens of thousands of Military personnel were laid off in the aftermath of the Colony Wars, huge numbers of trained pilots have found themselves unemployed. As local corporations stop recruiting, some have turned to the Bounty Hunter’s Guild, however many have resorted to the Bundschuh, Red Hessians and Unioners. The RFP has already noted a sharp increase in criminal activity across Rheinland and the surrounding border worlds. |
| [803 AS] Bundschuh strike the Nomad menace |
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BADEN BADEN -- 803 -- Our forces today struck another blow against the Nomad threat in Rheinland. We had long suspected that their puppets were not limited to senior government and military officials, but extended to corporate facilitators too. Exhaustive investigations traced CEO Wolfgang Daumann to an isolated compound on Baden Baden. Our strike team successfully infiltrated the facility, confirming Daumann's infection. Shortly before the team was wiped out, Commander Dietrich detonated a bomb, destroying all present. These heroes of Rheinland will be forever remembered for their sacrifice. |
| [802 AS] Friends or threats in high places? |
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BRUCHSAL -- 802 -- We have learned that Herr Von Claussen has been appointed as the first director of the newly formed MND. The appointment to this senior Federal office has been met with trepidation by some, given Von Claussen’s close knowledge of Bundschuh operations and bases. Despite this, we would urge calm. Von Claussen is a hero of the Nomad War, and a close friend to the Bundschuh. While our contribution to Rheinland’s survival is unlikely to ever be publicly recognized, Von Claussen witnessed our sacrifice first hand. A Federal director who covertly supports our cause of a just and free Rheinland is an asset indeed. |
| [801 AS] Provisional Rheinland Government demilitarizes |
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POTSDAM -- 801 -- The Provisional Rheinland Government has begun urgent and immediate demilitarization. PRG representatives advised this was an absolute necessity to prevent Rheinland’s imminent financial collapse, and had been a requirement for both Bretonia and Liberty to drop heavy reparation demands. It is expected that these cuts will reduce the Rheinland Military’s headcount by over 80%%, leaving tens of thousands unemployed. This will reduce the force to levels last seen in 794 AS, prior to Chancellor Niemann’s build-up programme. Already huge formations of capital ships have been mothballed in orbit of Potsdam, awaiting shipyard space for deconstruction. |
| [801 AS] Kusari imposes embargo on Rheinland |
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NEW TOKYO -- 801 -- Shogun Edo has announced that a full economic embargo of Rheinland will be imposed by Kusari due to the outrages of the Colony Wars. Liberty’s President Jacobi has taken a leading role in mediation between Rheinland and the other Houses, with the Provisional Rheinland Government offering a message of condolence to the Kusari people for the actions of the toppled previous regime. Despite this, Kusari has remained resolute that no normalization of relations will be considered until full reparations are made for the devastation in Honshu and New Tokyo, and the many crimes Kusari alleges were perpetrated there. |
| [801 AS] Rheinland ends all hostilities |
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FULDA -- 801 -- With the disappearance of Chancellor Niemann and the installation of the Liberty-backed Provisional Rheinland Government, an immediate cessation of all hostilities has been ordered. Rheinland forces have begun withdrawals on all fronts. Reports from Kusari have confirmed that the Northern Fleet has retreated from New Tokyo and Honshu, however it has not returned to Rheinland or recognized the authority of the PRG. Government sources believe the fleet may have deserted, with Rheinland's remaining loyalist security forces being ordered to high-alert as a precaution against pro-Niemann coup attempts. |
Rumors
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NOTE: Page generated on the 15/12/2024 at 15:51:01 UTC