Freistadt Base

Freistadt Base

Owner

Independent Miners Guild

Location

D-5/4, Omega-7

CLASS: Cochrane

GRAVITY: Partial

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 960

Freistadt Base is run by the Independent Mining Guild (IMG) to provide support for the mining of Copper, Cobalt, and Silver from nearby asteroid fields. Originally a Deep Space Engineering (DSE) waystation left over from the construction of the Omega-7 Trade Lane, it was reoccupied by unemployed miners in the wake of the economic collapse of Rheinland after the 80-Year War. These miners joined with the IMG not long after the discovery of abundant mineral deposits in the surrounding asteroid fields.

The IMG have attempted to navigate the escalating tensions in the system after both Daumann and Kruger established their own local operations in the late 790s. Both groups are believed to have bankrolled mercenaries to harass one another and the Guild’s operations, although the Rheinland corporations typically jointly blame the IMG for these attacks. As a result, the Rheinland Military’s Battleship Schwerin was posted near Freistadt for many years -- despite Bretonia and the IMG’s protests -- before eventually being replaced by the permanent Elbe Border Fortress.

In 834 AS, Omega-7 became more turbulent than ever for the Guild, following the arrival of BMM wildcat miners from neighboring Omega-3. The Bretonians have attempted to steal Silver deposits, sparking conflict with the system’s locals. Kruger has also laid off hundreds of its Elbich mining crews after implementing crude Robotics to automate many functions. As a result, Freistadt has been inundated with furious, unemployed miners who are eager to get even with their former employers.

Bribes & Missions Offered

Bribes

Border World Exports Gateway Shipping Independent Miners Guild Bounty Hunters Guild Daumann Heavy Construction

Missions

Independent Miners Guild Bounty Hunters Guild

Commodities

Imports

Commodity Price Rheinbier 21$ Oxygen 15$ Water 9$ Food Rations 31$ H-Fuel 131$ MOX 20$ Mining Machinery 25$ Pharmaceuticals 28$ Consumer Goods 34$ Synth Paste 10$ Xenobiotic Filters 41$ HazMat Canisters 14$ Passengers (Bretonia) 434$ Passengers (Rheinland) 347$ Silver Ore 41$ Xeno Relics 227$

Exports

Commodity Price Deployable Mining Container 50,000$ Cobalt 11$ Toxic Waste 55$ Crew 336$

Ships sold

Ship	Class	Price
Annapurna	Freighter	62,726$
Asteroid Miner	Heavy Miner	213,905$
IMG Heavy Transport	Heavy Transport	956,006$

News

[832 AS] Corsairs on the Rise

FREISTADT -- 832 AS -- While the northern Tau territories of Hispania are grappling with the relentless advance of the Outcasts, the situation unfolds quite differently in the Omegas. Here, the Corsairs, another faction bearing the legacy of Hispania, are steadily gaining momentum and expanding their influence. This shift has been particularly evident in recent events, as the Corsairs grow increasingly assertive across the Omegas. A stark example of this newfound vigor occurred when the famed space bazaar, the Battleship Hood in Dublin, met a merciless end at the hands of a Corsair battlecruiser. Furthermore, the once-unassailable Red Hessians now find themselves locked in a fierce struggle to safeguard their positions in the Dresden system against the relentless advance of the Rheinland Military. The Corsairs appear poised to intensify their pressure on all independent and free-spirited individuals in the Omega Region, spurred on by the defeatist sentiments expressed by certain Zoners and independent miners who might consider Corsair protection if it promises safety. Despite the imposing presence of our pivotal IMG station, Freistadt Base in Omega 7, which remains under the watchful guardianship of the formidable Elbe Border Fortress, the situation in the deeper reaches of the Omegas portends increasing complexity in the years ahead. Combined with the diminishing influence of Bretonia in the region and the resurgent Rheinland's efforts to reclaim its lost Dresden system, the Corsairs' audacious pursuits are set to escalate.

[831 AS/747 AGS] Gate Corps Clash Over 'Blackout'!

ABBEVILLE -- 831 AS/747 AGS -- EFL's 'Resilience Taskforce' today reported its findings on The Blackout, claiming to have gathered forensic evidence that proved the cause as Ageira negligence. A spokesperson claimed that the destruction of the Dublin jump gate by Molly separatists had created a hyperspace feedback loop that was propagated and amplified through the Ageira gate network. Ageira disputed this finding in their own press release, calling EFL 'fantasists' and countering that their own scientists had narrowed the cause to a rare 'hypernova' stellar event that originated outside the Sirius sector. Both corporations claim that network-wide hardware safeguards have been implemented that would prevent a similar occurrence in the future. Independent researchers have sharply criticized the corporate announcements, accusing both of self-interested misdirection. Professor Sophia Nagel from Heisenberg Research Station called EFL's accusation 'incoherent' and the hypernova explanation 'nonsense' that did not explain the characteristics of the 'Blackout Pulse'. Despite multiple different Pulse recordings being widely disseminated across the neural net, public efforts have so far failed to triangulate its source.

[831 AS] Jump Hole Upheaval Causes Chaos

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.

[831 AS] Slave Uprising on Malta

YUMA -- 831 AS -- A slave rebellion on Planet Malta has sent shockwaves through the region. The Crayter Republic swiftly responded to calls for assistance from the Independent Miners Guild, who urgently requested weapons, supplies, and ships to support a daring plan to smuggle arms to the embattled slaves. Within a week of the IMG's call, the Crayter Republic had assembled an expeditionary force to render aid. Executing cargo drops in Omicron Alpha poses a grave risk, the opportunity to strike a significant blow against the Outcasts is too important to forgo. Our mission is to support the IMG at Falkland Base in driving the Outcasts out of Tau-37, then breach Outcast defenses surrounding Planet Malta and assist the revolutionaries in toppling their foul society.

[831 AS/747 AGS] 'Blackout' Causes Jump Network Fail

MANHATTAN -- 831 AS/747 AGS -- Two days ago Jump Gates failed simultaneously across Sirius, freezing commerce and neural net access across the sector. When the network resumed 31 hours later, restored communications broke the news of Bretonia's loss of the Dublin system. This twin shock has plunged the market into chaos, prompting fears of sector-wide economic recessions. Interspace estimates indicate that the stoppage alone caused billions of credits in losses. Gallia immediately accused Liberty of culpability for the outage, claiming the destruction of Dublin's jump gate instigated a cascading failure in faulty Ageira infrastructure. Ageira has sharply refuted the allegation, claiming such a systemic effect would be physically impossible. Independent researchers in Cologne and the Edge Worlds have also announced that a hyperspace pulse of unprecedented strength was detected moments before The Blackout, with data about 'The Pulse' being widely shared across the neural net in recent days. House authorities have remained tight lipped, refusing to comment on their own observatories' data.

[828 AS] Rheinland dispatches a fleet to Cologne

STUTTGART -- 828 AS -- A combined fleet consisting of Battlegroup Altenburg, reinforcements from the former Karlsruhe brigade, and reserve regiments from both Stuttgart and Thuringia mobilised this morning following a directive issued by the new government to retake Cologne. Fleet Coordinator Otto von Clausewitz addressed the press: "In the glorious spirit of reunification, we - the people of Rheinland - are reclaiming what we neglected the most in the midst of our civil war - Cologne. With the help of our brothers and sisters who are united under one banner once again, together, we will re-establish and stabilise our trade flow with Gallia by decisively expelling the Red Hessian occupation." The initiative to re-secure Cologne is the first decisive action of the new constitutional monarchy, and the Rheinland government's debut to the interstellar community. The Gallic Union lauded Rheinland's reclamation of Cologne to re-establish a secure trade artery between the two recently war-torn nations. In response to the news, Rheinland and Gallic exchanges saw a growing increase in the demand for ore and other raw materials, indicating consumer optimism in the re-establishment of trade. Furthermore, the Gallic Navy have deployed a battlegroup to Zurich as a blockade and possibly pincer against the Red Hessians. Rumours are abound concerning the degree of entrenchment the Hessians have accomplished in Cologne during their year-long period of occupation. Reports have confirmed the presence of Hessian Battleship Kassel in orbit of Planet Saarbrucken and fortifying Tholey Station, in addition to heavy outgoing traffic in what is theorized to be a Hessian evacuation, most likely incited by the Altenburg's movements.

[828 AS] - Rheinland Civil War Ends in Reunification

HOLSTEIN -- 828 AS -- After weeks of intense deliberations between Imperial and Federal delegations on Holstein, the two governments have issued a joint decree dissolving both the Imperial and Federal governments in favor of reforming into a re-unified administration. The Holstein Accords, currently in the process of ratification by all parties of the Rheinland Federal and Imperial delegations, reorganizes the newly unified Rheinland under a representative democracy under constitutional monarchy - as well as calling for reforms in multiple branches of the military, and industry. In an immediate show of change, the Federal and Imperial fleets have completely withdrawn from what used to be the battle lines separating the two Rheinland fractions - many have returned to stand-down docks for maintenance and repairs, and off-duty military and civilian personnel have already begun to travel back to their homes. While details of how the reunification will proceed, or whether it will be successful are yet to be seen, but the Holstein Accords has brought the Rheinland Civil War effectively to a close.

[822 AS] Daumann announces Omega-11 withdrawal

SOLARIS STATION -- 822 -- Daumann has announced its withdrawal from Solaris Station following unprecedented solar storms. Rheinland scientists have advised that the dying star has entered a new and incredibly violent stage that could last for many years, rendering Omega-11 nearly impassable. Daumann has long struggled to find underwriters interested in insuring operations in the system, with the latest forecasts scaring away even the most risk-tolerant Rheinland brokers. Daumann's stock price fell on the news of the withdrawal, however the company stressed it had adequate stockpiles of Diamonds to supply the market until alternate sources were located.

[820 AS] Independent researchers report anomaly

HEISENBERG -- 820 -- Independent researchers in Cologne have reported alarming sensor readings. “I've only seen something like this once before,” says Doctor Sophia Nagel, referring to a recently detected ‘hyperspace pulse’. “That was last year when Rheinland blew a pair of Jump Gates.” Nagel’s team operates sensitive astrological arrays that are used to study the phase alignment of Jump Holes, and the underlying spatial phenomena connecting them. “When the Gates exploded, the hyperspace network rang like a gong. Now it’s happened again -- our best guess from signal triangulation is Thuringia as an origin.” Archives declassified in 789 AS revealed the existence of Thuringia, an 80-Year War era Military fortress system. Rheinland officials have refused to comment.

[818 AS] Red Hessians launch conquest of Dresden

PIRNA BORDER STATION -- 818 -- Treacherous Red Hessians have launched a full scale attack in Dresden, exploiting the ongoing war with Liberty. In a shocking blow, Pirna Border Station was destroyed, with many brave RFP pilots killed. Chaotic reports from Leipzig Station also confirm that Daumann has abandoned the base following a second major attack. The Battleship Altenburg has deployed to Dresden in response and is currently counter-attacking to stem the Hessian advance, with Military officials confirming that the pirates had been routed in a battle near Bautzen Station. Government officials have blamed the invasion on Interspace Commerce, claiming the Liberty corporation had provided funding and supplies to Rheinland’s enemies.

[816 AS] Terrorist attacks rising in Omega-3

FREEPORT 1 -- 816 AS -- Omega-3 has a long and turbulent history of being a lawless space. In recent days there have been a particularly brutal spate of killings, with several BMM and Bowex convoys massacred. The Bretonia Armed Forces has been on the case for weeks, and yesterday successfully intercepted the mysterious attackers mid-ambush. Major Helen Hardy identified the assailants as Rheinland Military vessels, commenting that, “it was like 800 all over again” -- referring to Rheinland’s assault on Omega-3 during the Colony Wars. Following a complaint to the Rheinland government, defense officials were quick to deny responsibility for the attacks, pointing instead to the Military deserters-turned-terrorist group commonly known as The Wild.

[812 AS] Rheinland warns about “Wild” attacks

FREISTADT -- 812 -- For many years rumors have spread about attacks on Omega shipping by a group known as The Wild. Now their ships have been sighted marauding across Stuttgart and New Berlin. Rheinland has announced that MND intelligence has identified these menaces as traitorous Colony War deserters and war criminals, who stole Military hardware and vanished into the border worlds to enrich themselves. It is unclear what prompted the renegades to extend their attacks into Rheinland core space, however it is speculated that they may have been driven out of their old hunting grounds by other pirate organizations such as the Red Hessians or Corsairs.

[807 AS] Colony War Demilitarization Complete

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".

[804 AS] Treaty of Honshu eases Colony War wounds

HONSHU -- 804 -- Dignitaries from Rheinland and Kusari today ratified the Second Treaty of Honshu, officially normalizing relations between the two Houses and ending Kusari’s embargo. Rheinland has formally accepted sole culpability for the Colony Wars and agreed to a 20 year reparations package. This includes preferential rates for Kusari corporations on military goods and resources needed to rebuild the Kusari Naval Forces, and financial compensation for the damages inflicted in Honshu itself. Chancellor Steller offered his sincere condolences to Kusari over the war, and promised a brighter future of mutual prosperity.

[803 AS] Rheinland recession bites deep

BONN STATION -- 803 -- Interspace has officially confirmed that Rheinland's economy has entered a sharp recession. This is largely a consequence of the devastating Colony Wars, Kusari's trade boycott, and the gradual tapering of the 'lifeline' loans Liberty had used to sustain the Provisional Rheinland Government. Anonymous government sources also commented that audits of Niemann-era records were revealing bizarre patterns of extreme short-term borrowing and expenditure that amounted to ‘financial sabotage'. Chancellor Steller has announced a raft of measures intended to address the economic crisis, including renewed negotiations with Kusari and targeted state investments.

[802 AS] New task force hunts war criminals

NEW BERLIN -- 802 -- NEW BERLIN -- 802 -- Chancellor Steller has announced the formation of the Marinenachrichtendienst, an autonomous Federal taskforce with a mandate to investigate all echelons of the Rheinland Military. Steller has decried his predecessor, Niemann, as a traitor whose insane wars of aggression were enabled by an insidious, revanchist rot at the highest levels of civil and military leadership. In a fiery speech, Steller ordered the MND's newly appointed Director Von Claussen to 'root out' these 'war criminals' and bring them to justice. Rheinland officials are now believed to have ended the Liberty Security Force’s involvement with the investigation, describing it as an 'internal security matter'.

[802 AS] Chancellor Steller elected to office

NEW BERLIN -- 802 -- Following emergency elections, the Provisional Rheinland Government has been dissolved and Chancellor Alfred Steller voted into office by the newly seated Reichstag. Steller has vowed to return Rheinland to a state of normalcy, and undo the damage inflicted by the traitor Niemann and his enablers. Steller has promised to uphold the Provisional Government's policy of demilitarization, and has committed to make amends with Kusari and the other Houses for the unprovoked aggression of the Colony Wars. President Jacobi offered her congratulations and Liberty's support to Chancellor Stellar's new administration.

[801 AS] Rheinland High Command missing?

NEW BERLIN -- 801 -- As the smoke clears following the cessation of recent hostilities, citizens across the Colonies have two simple questions: what happened, and why? As the Rheinland Provisional Government looks to answer those questions, it has become apparent that the House’s senior military leadership has vanished. According to anonymous sources, the whereabouts of the Military High Command is unknown, with numerous Admirals disappearing along with their flagships. The Rheinland Federal Police and Liberty Security Force have posted bounties for the missing officers after formal desertion charges were pressed.

[801 AS] Provisional Rheinland Government demilitarizes

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

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

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

Bounty Hunters Guild

If you are looking to go into Omega-5, use the Jump Hole on the far west side of the system. It's just south of a large gas pocket below the Trade Lanes. Be very careful; Omega-5 is a meat grinder no matter how good you are. I can kill Corsairs or Hessians and get paid by whoever I want. They attack everyone who has a base here or passes through, except the IMG. Corsairs generally keep to the western side, but when they come up against Hessians you are going to see a fight There are two Jump Holes in this system. One leads to Omega-11, which is pretty much dominated by the Hessians. That Hole is located in the Furstenfelde. Look southwest of the Daumann base in there and you should stumble across it.

ALG Waste Disposal

The Hessians attack our transports like they do with all Rheinland companies, however, statistically ALG transports seem to get hit less often. I suspect these independent miners to have something to do with that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. To be attacked by Hessians usually means you'll be spaced. The IMG mining station here supplies Dortmund with most of the raw materials we need to produce a variety of materials. Daumann and Kruger mostly supply the Ring. Our partnership with IMG allows us to get raw materials at a competetive price. The bases in this system require us to dispose of their hazardous waste. Unlike most other systems, there is no sun here, so waste can't be shot into the stellar gravity well. Mining and refining operations require massive amounts of power, too. We supply the bases with MOX and return the spent fuel to Dortmund for reprocessing.

Independent Miners Guild

Many IMG miners are sympathetic to the Hessian cause. This has more to do with who these miners are then the IMG: Many of our members are ex-Daumann or ex-Kruger workers who were badly treated by these companies. The Hessians hate the Rheinland mining consortiums for the same reason. The local word is that one of the early Corsair raiding parties into Omega-7 headed straight into the Gubenfelde gas pocket just south of the Omega-3 Gate. It is believed that the remains of at least three ships are still in there. This base was left behind by the companies that built the Trade Lanes and Jump Gates in this system. What we mine is the amount that will buy us the Food and supplies we need from Freiburg. We don't need to amass a fortune or anything like that. Just trying to get by. A Red Hessian attack on the Kruger freighter Monschau failed when the ship attempted to flee. Unfortunately, it flew straight into the Ebersfeld gas pocket that separates the IMG mining area and the Elbich Mining Facility. No one has yet dared to retrieve the cargo of Silver, as the risk of explosion is too high. It's easy to get lost in here if you leave the Trade Lanes. It's a dangerous system to live in, but being friends with the Hessians helps. Well, not friends, but not enemies either. Imagine getting lost and then beset by pirates. It's over pretty quick. We were the first ones in this system that decided to try and scratch out a living, mining metals. Recently, the large corporations from Rheinland have moved in; both Daumann and Kruger. It is disturbing to see them coming into our space. Many of us became IMGers to get away from those damned companies. This system used to be free from pirates, but after the revolt, the Hessians gathered together and started attacking shipments moving between Rheinland and Bretonia. A lot more of us miners came here after the revolt as well. Daumann and Kruger are both evil companies that worked us for nothing but promises and heartache. I hope the Hessians kill them all. I'm glad I don't work for Kruger anymore. No sir, I wouldn't step foot on that base of theirs for anything. You can bet the men there are working obscene hours, eking out profits for the executives in New Berlin -- and getting shot up by Hessians. Watch out for the gas pockets in this system. If you fly through one of those, you are going to become a permanent fixture of your ship. You will melt right into your seat. I've seen it happen; some fool was not being careful and -- kapow! -- vapor. The Republican freight train Bremerhaven was attempting to evade a Corsair attack along the Trade Lane when it blundered into the Furstenfelde gas pocket and was disabled. Attempts to rescue the crew and its cargo of Engine Components were unsuccessful. The drifting ship serves as a reminder of the dangers of venturing off the safe path in the Walker Nebula. The Hessians don't really attack us, so that is good. We don't have to fear for our physical safety, but Gateway does all the shipping to this base and their convoys often get attacked on the way in. So the pirates do make our lives a bit harder sometimes, but I'm not going to try and explain that to the Hessians who come here. I hear word that Dresden is running out of raw materials to mine. That's why it doesn't surprise me to see Daumann sniffing around here. If I had to wager, I'd say they are just testing the waters for a larger operation in Omega-7. They weren't here ten years ago when Dresden was still doing fine. You wait and see. I'm right. Omega-5 is the site of a full scale war between the Corsairs and Hessians. The two factions are vying for control of this critical Jump Hole crossroads in the Omega Sector. Within the area of the no-man's-land and the Hammen Hole are numerous dead ships from both sides. Most are picked clean, but there are some that may still yield some weapons. The Hessian movement opposes the current expansionist, militaristic government of Rheinland. They're fighting a war on two fronts: One with the Rheinland military forces, the other with the Corsairs. If they could concentrate all their forces on Rheinland, I bet they could beat the military back easily. Usually IMG has to compete with BMM for resources within systems. Here in Omega-7, BMM knows that it would be too costly to start operating where we have already laid stakes. No, this system was left to us. Now I just hope that the Rheinland companies will do the same. Kruger and Daumann both continue to expand into the system, which forces us to move out further and further from Freistadt in search of new claims. Those blasted companies keep mining out the fields we find, and there's little we can do about it. At least the Hessians give them more grief then they do us.

Gateway Shipping

This base receives all its basic supplies from Freiburg. More than just the basic necessities; we also bring Mining Machinery and Engine Components. I fear that much of what we ship here, the IMG turns around and sells to the Red Hessians, making our jobs much more perilous. Copper and Cobalt is shipped to Dortmund. ALG will use its smelters to turn the raw ore into workable materials. If the miners here were more ambitious, they could do the same. One of Gateway's more lucrative runs to this base originates in Bonn. We ship Trade Lane Parts here and head back to Bonn with Silver and Copper. It can be quite dangerous since you can be attacked by two of the most vicious groups in all of Sirius. Much of the Silver that is mined here is shipped into Bretonia. Kensington has need of Silver, so we deliver. I enjoy going back into Bretonia, but surviving the trip is always a bit tricky.

NOTE: Page generated on the 07/06/2024 at 15:55:46 UTC