Red Hessian Army

This is a player faction. For the affiliated NPC faction, see Red Hessians

Rote Hessen Armee
Origin	Rheinland
Alignment	Unlawful
Profile
Date of founding	~ 810 A.S.
Founder(s)	Admiral Heinrich Kessler
Current leader(s)	Brigadegeneral Kaspar Meisnerr
Base of operations	Vogtland Base, Dresden
Primary role
Deposing the Rheinland government by all means necessary
Secondary role
Protection of Rheinland from outside threats

The Red Hessians are a loosely grouped organization of Rheinland workers and miners who have fallen on hard times and taken to a life of rebellion and piracy. They constantly struggle to carve out their own realm against the gluttonous Rheinland corporations. As it stands, the current Rheinland government is weak to the point of being under the near-total control of three massive and shady corporations in the homeland: Daumann Heavy Construction, Kruger Mining, and Republican Shipping.

While the typical Red Hessian has the reputation of a pirate or brigand with nothing but personal gain in mind, the leaders of the Red Hessian Army have not lost sight of their goals: resisting the corporate oppression of Daumann and Kruger, implementing their views on society and government, establishing a recognisable presence in the Omega sector and finally freeing Rheinland from the choking grip of its deceitful government.

History

Overview

Although being the third largest unlawful group in Sirius, the Red Hessian movement is not much older than a hundred years. It originated around 700 A.S. from the ashes of the Popular Revolution after the Rheinland industrial machine finally crumbled from the eighty years of strain and war time economy. Rheinland companies on the edge of collapse pushed their workers more and more, even though the massive inflation made it unable for them to pay wages. Revolts fueled by the populist Bundschuh party started taking over, and Rheinland was forced to sign several pacts with Liberty in order to save the economy. The currency became worthless overnight, and the majority of the corporations declared bankruptcy.

The Revolution finally took place after mining stations in Dresden were seized by enraged miners, and the system slowly spiralled out of Rheinland control. With the Bundschuh delivering supplies to the striking workers and Rheinland's mineral resources being effectively held hostage, the government finally agreed to hold a meeting with the representatives of the working class. Three weeks from the beginning of the revolt on Von Rohe's Day, the Bundschuh political leaders legally walked into the Reichstag on New Berlin for the first time since the creation of the movement. Surrounded by prominent revolutionary figures and common miners, the people gathered there signed the document abolishing imperial rule and electing a democratic government. It was a breakthrough, many laws were declared to keep worker abuse to a minimum and wages to a respectable level. New economic plans and subsidies for foreign companies halted the inflation that wrecked the currency, and Rheinland slowly began to rebuild.

A few years later the democratic government was a mockery. Corruption raged unchecked as the formed political parties continued to sell themselves out to foreign companies and rich manipulators, with the only opposition being the Bundschuh. Eventually a rigged and setup vote was passed, and the Bundschuh were once again outlawed from the Rheinland government and forced to go underground. Outraged at this course of events, large groups of workers abandoned their posts in Dresden in an attempt to restart the Revolution by once again disrupting the mining industry. They attracted lots of followers: compatriots, victims of the arising gluttony and abuse of the new major players in the mining industry, defectors from the Rheinland Military and the government itself as well as simple people with nothing to go back to after losing everything to the economic crash.

This attempt however did not go so well. The people of Rheinland, being effectively disinformed by the new government, did not jump out in support this time around. The miners were left without a heavy handed hammer to force the needed change with, and were brought down to piracy and attacking transports to prevent the corporate cargo from reaching it's destination. As time moved on, they constructed large bases in various nebulae or asteroid fields close to major trade routes in order to attack transports quickly and efficiently. They also changed from a small group of revolutionaries to a major unlawful group in Sirius, dealing in stolen corporate goods to keep their movement running and expanding their influence into the uncharted Omega sector and further towards Bretonia. This inevitably put them at odds with the ever-oppressive and expansive Corsairs and eventually sparked one of the bloodiest persisting conflicts in Sirius, very much rivaling the Outcast-Corsair war.

Close to a century of strife and conflict later the Red Hessians were embroiled in a stalemate on all fronts. Support in Rheinland was wailing with the progress of the reactionary forces stalled, aside from stopping the Corsair advance into Stuttgart and severely hurting their operations in Omega-3 and Omega-7. The ideological element finally decided to act. A structure for an organisation within an organisation was formed, a militarised and disciplined group with good funding and a heavy handed approach, enough to mire even the brute force of the Rheinland Military. New ship designs were drafted specifically for use of the Army, and a specific modus operandi was created. The Army was dedicated to taking control of Rheinland territory and holding the line in the Omega sector. With funds acquired primarily from whatever spoils the rest of the Red Hessians would manage to bring in as well as anonymous donations from all across Sirius, the Red Hessian Army could completely focus on eradicating threats to house Rheinland - including the Rheinland government itself.

In the hard times of 817 A.S., Rheinland is led by a corporate fascist dictatorship in the hands of a madman. The opposing movements of the Fatherland rally, as the Unioners return to the fold, leaving the Red Hessian Army as always at the edge of any attack against the oppressive government. With a myriad of outside support and an extensive supply ring, the movement wages a guerilla offensive against the Rheinland Military, both the regulars as well as the Nomad infested force hiding in the deep Omega systems. All this amidst a never-ending absolute war against the terrible and murderous Corsair threat. Being at the forefront of the most battle hardened Hessian veterans, it is up to the Army to spearhead the assaults.

Hessian Tears

Due to unforeseen circumstances on the home front, the infamous Hessian Tears squadron was integrated as a wing into the Red Hessian Army in early 817 A.S. It has served as a special operations force for the next year, successfully providing cover for several RHA operations behind enemy lines and assisting the main force in their day to day operations. Constant leadership problems however thinned out its membership, and after just a few months of operation under the command of the RHA the wing was disbanded, and what remained of its pilots was assigned to the main forces.

Spezialoperationabteilung

The Department of Special Operations (Spezialoperationabteilung) or SOA is a relatively small group within the RHA led by Major Gunther Hoerst. It has been commissioned in 817 A.S. on the eve of the declaration of cooperation between the Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army and the Rheinland Revolutionary Alliance, in order to support the Coalition in their research and development. The department was since called to assume command over RHA anti-Nomad operations as well as unconventional warfare operations, including (but not limited to) espionage and funding foreign revolutionary groups.

Character Information

Characters are named as follows:

• For fighters and bombers: [RHA]Firstname.Lastname or [RHA]Callsign
• For gunboats: [RHA]RHGB-Callsign
• For cruisers: [RHA]RHC-Callsign
• For transports and freighters: [RHA]RHT-Callsign
• For mining ships: [RHA]RHMS-Callsign

Characters use a Red Hessian IFF and Red Hessian ID.

Operations

As the revolutionary hammer of the people of Rheinland, the Red Hessian Army prefers to use all the tools at its disposal to hurt the enemy forces in any way possible. This includes:

• Offensive and defensive actions against immediate threats to the Fatherland and its people, from the outside as well as within
• Indiscriminately attacking enemy targets of opportunity with the goal of inflicting maximum damage at a minimum cost
• Humiliating the enemy in the public eye by decisive victories
• Heavily taxing or stopping altogether the military and luxury material trade in Rheinland (especially the diamond trade)
• Disrupting and emptying various corporate transports

To achieve these goals, self-discipline and knowledge of tactics is as important as any other skill. Those are the two key factors which bring swift victory to the movement.

Zone of influence

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RHA zone of influence map.

Dresden

Dresden is the birthplace of the Hessian movement, and also the location of its most important base: Vogtland. Within the system are also a series of important jump holes that lead to the rest of southern Rheinland, and allow the Hessians easy access to their allies, the LWB and Bundschuh.

Omega-54

A inner Hessian system, it is a training place, shipyard and sanctuary for many battlegroups, including the Red Hessian Army. Omega-54 survives untouched by enemies mostly due to its hidden nature, with the only jump holes leading to it either from behind Hessian lines or from within dangerous environmental hazards.

Rheinland

Most of Rheinland is controlled by the iron grip of the Military, the Chancellor's own. The Red Hessians tread carefully in the central and northern systems of house Rheinland, but with the knowledge that all Rheinland systems also offer at least one place of refuge within their plentiful asteroid fields or other sensor disrupting phenomenae.

Allied bases:

• Kaiserslautern Depot, New Berlin (LWB)
• Kreuzberg Depot, New Berlin (Junkers)
• Darmstadt Depot, Stuttgart (LWB)
• Bruchsal Base, Frankfurt (Bundschuh)
• Wedel Mining Facility, Hamburg (Unioners)
• Cloppenburg Base, Bremen (Bundschuh)
• Eltmann Outpost, Munich (Bundschuh)
• Leipheim Base, Munich (Unioners)

Omega-11

Omega-11 is one of those systems where the Hessians can and do make a difference. Controlling much of the system, their only organised opposition within is the Daumann mining base Solarius, and the occassional Corsair raid from Omega-41.

The reason this system is so contested is because of the plethora of natural riches within, manifesting itself in the form of a ring of carbon asteroids around the system's dying sun. These rocks can be made into diamonds so pure, and in such quantities that they serve as a reasonable source of funding even for the Hessians, who frequently capture Daumann transports on their way to Stuttgart, and even sometimes employ captured Daumann mining ships to extract the diamonds on their own from the more dangerous parts of the system.

Owned bases:

• Freital Base

Omega-5

Omega-5 is a battlefield system, contested for its strategically valuable jumpholes that allow access to the majority of southern Sirius. The war between the Corsairs and the Red Hessians has lasted there for the better part of the last 80 years, and has managed to clear the centre of the system from rocks, creating a large empty space in the middle (also known as the Hammen Hole). Coalition revolutionaries are also frequently sighted within the system, helping the Hessians during their engagements.

Owned bases:

• Ronneburg Base

Omega-47

Omega-47 is a large system, controlled primarily by the Red Hessians, though also riddled with Bounty Hunters and Corsairs, both looking either for passage to a different system or for a fight. The Hessian line extends through the middle, leading from the Omega-5 jump hole through Viernheim to the formerly Corsair Casablanca Base.

Owned bases:

• Viernheim Base
• Casablanca Base

Other locations

Red Hessians are frequently spotted within other systems as well, though mostly on a passing by basis, for the purpose of cargo interdiction, or for very specific missions. These systems are:

• Omega-3
• Omega-7
• Omega-15
• Omega-41
• Omega-49

Equipment

Our supply rings give us access to some of the most deadly weaponry and most effective equipment in all of Sirius. Our pilots are free to use any weapons or equipment sold on Northeim base, Omega-54. We supply all of our recruits with the best armour plating and thrusters available in the core house systems, as potent equipment is just as crucial to success as high skills.

We take great pride of our manufactured guns, and as such each fighter pilot is encouraged to equip at least four standard issue Natterturn Zwei weapons. Every recruit is given out four of these when they start off.

Our allies, the Bundschuh, LWB and Unioners, allow us to use their guns in our battle against the oppressors. Destroyers, Lugers and Protectors can always be obtained at their respective bases. Recent dealings with the Mollys have also left us with a supply of Trefoils.

We also maintain several armoury vessels to keep a steady stock of guns acquired on other markets. Most notably we keep a large stock of Debilitators, Mini Razors, Supernova Cannons and Nuclear Mine launchers. We try to keep a supply of codename weapons, however due to the numbers of these always being short, it is preferred that standard issue guns be mounted on fighters.

Ships:

• Asgard line (Loki LF, Odin VHF, Thor Bomber)
• Borderworlds line (Dagger LF, Scimitar LF, Stiletto HF, Switchblade HF, Sabre VHF, Falcata Bomber)
• Heimdall Gunship, Vidar Cruiser

Weapons:

• Hessian, Bundschuh, LWB, Unioner, Civilian weapons

Roster

Note: View the Red Hessian Army rank structure here.

Brigadegeneral
Kaspar Meisnerr (Blodo)
Oberst
Johannes Farb (looqas)
Major
Gunther Hoerst (Blodo)	Ferdinand Gryneus (alpha3)	Adolph Hessler (Lucas)	Ernst Neurath (socioclast)	Markus Heissner (Varyag)
Hauptmann
Florian Waap (Stoat)
Oberleutnant
Bastian Mertesacker (Benjamin)	Eric Heimdall (... where did it run?)	Hans Becker (CaltuRe)	Eric Adler (Husher)	Otto von Barring (notequinoxe)
Leutnant
Johannes Claus (TheOrangeButterfly)	Jessamine Blume (Dancing Lady)	Varg Vikernes (Kelt)	Hamlin Loewenhardt (Sassafras)	Heinrich Furchtlos (Bobafett)	Hans Silber (Silver // Pihe)
Klaus Strausburg (Kaiwren)	Niklas Koehler (Marshal)	Lukas Eisenhauer (CorrupteD)	Liona Jones (razr)
Gefreiter
Flieger
Kristoff Baier (Mr. Jongleur)	Mike Stah (Kingalex535)	Petko Dimitrov (Pacific)	Manfred Richthofen (Aphil)	Raymond Amsel (Will.Clayton)
Rekrut
Faust Siebert (Reaven)	Markus Claus (Rheinland is my Home)	Karl Meyer (Ralph)	Nik Thompson (Sele)	Alexander Emmerich (Bloodsword)	Thorsten Weber (Boris.Weber)
Albert Kesselring (Sg2)	Joachim Liam (Xylon)	Udo Keisinger (Blue Ghost)	Emil Meier (Riebezagel)	Blovik Shavik (Death.Running Verminator)

Capital ships

Red Hessian Army capital ships generally do not have a fixed captain assigned to them. There are a number of ships that are available for command at any given time by anyone with the appropriate rank. These are marked with (shared) on the roster.

Capital ships currently in service:

• [RHA]RHC-Von.Rohe - Red Hessian cruiser (shared)
• [RHA]RHC-Jeschke - Red Hessian cruiser (shared)
• [RHA]RHC-Hessen - Red Hessian cruiser (shared)
• [RHA]RHC-Wasserfall - Red Hessian cruiser (shared)
• [RHA]Varyag - Red Hessian cruiser
• [RHA]RHC-Frau.Blucher - Red Hessian cruiser
• [RHA]RHGB-Leopard.II - Red Hessian gunboat (shared)
• [RHA]RHGB-Jagdtiger - Red Hessian gunboat (shared)
• [RHA]RHGB-Ostwind - Red Hessian gunboat (shared)
• [RHA]RHGB-Panther - Red Hessian gunboat
• [RHA]Wurdiz - Red Hessian gunboat

Diplomacy

Faction	Relationship
Red Hessians	Allied
Bundschuh	Allied
LWB	Allied
Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army	Allied
Unioners	Allied
Mollys	Allied
Liberty Rogues	Friendly
GMG	Neutral
IMG	Neutral
Everyone else	Neutral
The Order	Neutral
Bretonia government enforcers	Unfriendly
Kusari government enforcers	Unfriendly
Other corporations	Unfriendly
Outcasts	Hostile
Rheinland government enforcers	Hostile
Rheinland corporations	Hostile
Liberty government enforcers	Hostile
Bounty Hunters Guild	At War
Corsairs	At War
Aliens and infested forces	At War

Links

• Red Hessian Operational Manual
• Red Hessian Army Rank Structure
• The RHA Faction Status on Discovery forums
• Red Hessian Army Recruitment
• Red Hessian Army Message Dump
• Red Hessian Army Signature Bars