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Red Hessian Operational Manual

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This document has been compiled by the Red Hessian Army Spezialoperationabteilung to help all pilots flying under the flag of das Volksrevolution accustom themselves to guerilla warfare within Rheinland, as well as our other operations, contacts and agreements within and beyond the boundaries of our great Vaterland. It is advisable that all Red Hessian pilots accustom themselves with the information within, and always keep a copy on hand in case of unforeseen emergencies.

Take note however that this guide is in no way a completely exhaustive source of information, and while helpful as an introduction, it is without a doubt that most situations you will encounter will require your own personal wit, common sense and a good grasp on guerilla tactics in order for you and your comrades to survive and prevail against the overwhelming and well trained forces that our great movement does and will face.

Updates and addendums will be carried out on a semi-regular basis, depending on new developments on the front or new information becoming available.

Operational Overview

State of the movement

The Red Hessian movement has come a long way from when it was originally founded to the present day, from the depressing times of rampant corruption in the aftermath of the Popular Revolution through the beginnings of Omega-5's Trench War and the Great Wilde Occupation, right into today's Rheinland and its reality: a reality of a government collapsing under its own weight. A reality of greedy neighbours who seek to dismantle our Vaterland like vultures, knowing full well its present weaknesses. A reality of internal corruption and fixed elections in favour of the National Party, of forcing officials into joining this party and submitting to the will of the Kanzler.

In the midst of all this is our beacon of hope. The shining flag of the Volksrevolution, which brings together all the oppressed people of Rheinland for the purpose of a common goal: to fulfill the Bundesrepublik's namesake and become a true People's Republic. To establish a government free from the corporate greed of Daumann and Republican, free from the hateful influence of the National Party. A government that will return Rheinland to its status of an economic giant, without the machinations of Imperial rule or the fascism of Maurer's RNP.

Today the Red Hessians are a movement of hope. Fighting a war against a foreign invader that will not give up until his forces are totally obliterated, we are the ones who are holding the Corsair advance away from Rheinland. Our allies are free to strike the invading Libertonians in the mean time, just as all of us are able to stand our ground against the enforcers of fascism in Rheinland itself, as they try in futility to break our will. Regardless of the circumstances, the movement is still growing, finding new allies within and outside of Rheinland. We are no longer bound with the Outcasts, as the truth about their motivation is revealed. Instead we find people in other Houses who think like us, have the same goals as us, and who are set to help us achieve all our goals. As the times change, so do our methods and alliances, but there is one thing that will never change: our motivation. The will to lead the Vaterland to a better path. A path of virtue and strength, of order and justice. The path to final victory.
- Brigadegeneral Kaspar Meisnerr
Public address following the declaration of combined arms treaty with the Coalition forces in Sirius in 817 A.S.

Diplomacy and agreements

Rheinland

Faction Relationship
Bundschuh
Allied
LWB
Allied
Unioners
Allied
Junkers
Neutral
ALG Waste Disposal
Unfriendly
Kruger Minerals
Hostile
Republican Shipping
Hostile
Daumann Heavy Construction
Hostile
Rheinland Federal Police
Hostile
Rheinland Military
Hostile

Revolutionaries within Rheinland have long since agreed that their goals are common, and close cooperation will serve well to achieve them in a timely fashion. The Bundschuh, LWB and Unioner forces fighting any foreign invaders, corporate cronies or militaristic fascists are to be assisted and helped. Make no mistake, it is a top priority for us all to stand as one, and destroy the morale of the enemy with our unity.

Junkers in Rheinland can be useful, but are politically insignificant. In general, they should be disregarded unless clearly needed for any purpose. They will help us in all sorts of menial activities if asked, such as the quiet movement of supplies or resupply of our forces in the field, but do not rely on them for combat support.

The Rheinland Military on the other hand, will shoot on sight. These zealots of the Kanzler's government, brainwashed by the machinations of the Nationalpartei, truly do believe that we are Rheinland's greatest enemy. While their fanaticism knows no bounds, so doesn't their treachery, and they will engage in banter and even lead you to believe that they are sympathetic to your plight, up until you face them. Always be prepared for ambush when dealing with these crack death squads of the Kanzler. They will shoot to kill.

The Rheinland Federal Police however are a different case. Distraught and underfunded, these enforcers of fascism are more conscious than their fat and spoiled Military leaders. They will listen and take to heart what you say, regardless of what they shout at you over the comms. You will try to sway them to our cause, and attack only if you are attacked.

Rheinland corporations are the most complicated of all these. We, the Red Hessians, fight for the people of Rheinland. The corporates control fascist Rheinland, and hence must be destroyed to restore order. To do that we must hit their bank accounts, which means putting their workers in peril by asking them to rid themselves of their cargo or a sum of credits. This is unfortunately unavoidable, and while painful, must be carried out regardless. Be polite, but be demanding. Many of these corporate bees sympathise with our cause, so we must further prove that we take their cargo to hurt the corporate swine that paid for it. Do not shoot unless absolutely necessary, but be as subversive as possible. If you can make just one of these people defect with their cargo and ships, then you hit the corporations on a scale unimaginable, though they will be quick to brush it off.

For further information on how to deal with corporate ships, see the section on gaining popular support.

Foreign organisations

Faction Relationship
SCRA
Friendly
IMG
Friendly
Mollys
Friendly
Zoners
Neutral
Bowex)
Neutral
[IND]
Neutral
Foreign corporations
Unfriendly
Foreign militaries
Hostile
Outcasts
Hostile
Bounty Hunters
Hostile
Corsairs
Hostile

Although our revolutionary operations do not reach beyond Rheinland and the Omega systems, our support extends far beyond those borders. Rheinland itself is the revolutionary centre of Sirius, and thus gives us a certain responsibility to provide support to any foreign movements that are compatible with our goals and require our aid. Given the size of our operations, this ranges from funding and supplies to outright military aid against common enemies.

SCRA - Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army
Our biggest inter-house supporters by far are the Coalition revolutionaries in Sirius, also known as the SCRA. Their history brought them from standing side in side with the Corsairs against Rheinland domination, all the way to being exiled for their political views and systematically hunted down. Our common views and relative proximity to each other quickly brought a sense of comradery, further cemented by their exposure of the Outcast plans in regards to helping the Wilde take over the larger Omega systems. Nowadays the Red Hessian and SCRA forces stand side by side against both the Corsair barbarians and the Wilde usurpers.

The Independent Miners Guild
The miners of the IMG can seem distant to our movement, preferring a non-radical option for a situation that doesn't have one. Regardless of the "feeling", they are closer than most might think. We do not attack them, for they support us from their own will. They are our civilian brothers, and their organisation grew out of the Popular Revolution, out of those who were unable to fight for our cause against the Rheinland corporate giants. They are both Bretonian and Rheinlander, and are frequent targets for Daumann and BMM privateers, especially in the Omega-7 system. Thus, they are the people that we defend openly, and those that thank us for our actions. We land on their stations for supplies, and they land on ours albeit infrequently. They are not to be touched, and are to be helped against common enemies and small time pirates.

The Mollys
The miners of Dublin, many of which are known to us through our brethren in the IMG, have also rebelled against the oppression of their own government's flagship corporations, long before we ourselves did in fact. While we grew quickly they carried on as stable as always, keeping the BMM corporation on edge for their crimes against their own people. These days the Mollys are on the edge of a massed Corsair offensive into Dublin, and are well glad to secure help wherever they can get it. We, the Red Hessians, share a common ancestry with the Mollys and as such are obliged to help them in any way possible, especially against the Corsair menace.

Sympathetic corporations and traders
Certain foreign corporations, organisations and independent traders maintain a neutral stance toward our movement, doing business with us in territories where the Rheinland government has no reach. Most of this business revolves around the Blood Diamond trade. Such cooperative people should be rewarded by courtesy. There is no need to take over their cargo or credits, as they are already helping the movement by supplying us with vital resources and a steady cashflow.

The list of confirmed lawful or semi-lawful friendlies so far:

  • Bowex) tagged ships
  • [IND] tagged ships


Territorial control and points of interest

The Red Hessian movement is extensive, as expected, due to its large size. We are the third largest non-house military force in Sirius, occupying a majority of the Omega border worlds and southern Rheinland. Owing to our many allies, we are able to spread across and strike at any targets within our fatherland without too many problems, while the Omega border worlds are thoroughly dotted with our bases and forces.

Our main systems are the ones with our most prominent bases: Dresden (Vogtland Base), Omega-11 (Freital Base), Omega-5 (Ronneburg Base) and Omega-47 (Viernheim Base). Systems such as Omega-3 and Omega-7 are declared as under the protection of the Volksrevolution, and are to be considered as our space, and under no circumstances as house or pirate space. Of special interest is both Omega-11 and Omega-47, both being important sources of our income. Omega-5 is under constant siege from the Corsairs, and as such all forces within should expect ambush at all times.

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A revolutionary's guide to victory

As part of their chosen tenure for the Volksrevolution all Red Hessians are required to carry out a range of activities, all to further the cause within the Omega systems as well as Rheinland proper. The front line fighters and raider wings carry by far the most dangerous and taxing, but also rewarding burden. Dangerous, because of the range of both savage and calculated enemies that the movement faces. Taxing, due to the various environmental hazards and gauntlets that each individual member sees and is affected by each day. Rewarding, by allowing them to be on the very front line and take part in the most glorious victories of the Red Hessians, both moral and tactical.

It is absolutely paramount that all members are informed and drilled in the measures that are needed of them to survive, prevail and carry out their mission. This guide has been written exactly for that purpose.

Operational flexibility

The scope of operations of the Red Hessian paramilitary and raiding forces differs heavily based on the location they are assigned to, or one they find themselves in by circumstance or other means. While some situations may be simply resolved by a show of brutal firepower, others will inevitably need finesse and good negotiation.

Rheinland - Guerilla resistance

Rheinland operations
  • The Military commands superior forces
  • Attack them using hit and run tactics
  • Hit important targets (admirals, capital ships, officers) with extreme prejudice
  • Withdraw if faced with superior opposition

Rheinland as our homeland is in need of the creative approach. The Military is strong, well equipped and well brainwashed by the cronies of the Nationalpartei. The people of Rheinland are left without choice, most unhappy and silently opposing the government's policies. This is where we come in: everything we do in Rheinland we do for publicity. Our forces hit the Military in their gaping holes in defence, hunting down easy targets for the purpose of showing the public how helpless the Military is against us. We take down known fascist supporters within the Military in acts of vigilantism. If the Military musters superior forces against us, we withdraw from the field of battle. Hopeless battle and death does not benefit our movement, and uninterrupted strings of victories diminish enemy morale.

Hit and run is our tactic in Rheinland, and all successful hits should be accompanied with a statement of reason, to explain to the people why their soldiers had - or needed - to lay their lives against the Volksrevolution.

Remember that our goal is not the total annihilation of the Military, no, it is to force them to abandon their posts and let the Volksrevolution depose Rheinland's unlawful government. Be sure to inform all about this, even the Military. They are all Rheinlanders after all.

Omega systems - Total war

Omega operations
  • The Corsair forces in the area are far smaller than ours
  • We have enough resources to wage a full scale war against them
  • Throw everything we have at them, without mercy
  • The goal is to take Cadiz and subsequently assert dominance over the rest of the Omega systems

The Omega systems are a wholly different animal. Here we are faced with edge world barbarians of which the very mention of their name strikes fear into the hearts of ordinary people. The Corsairs spread their vile piracy and terror across a dozen systems, rampaging mostly unchecked, preying on innocent civilians and trade. The Military is told to ignore them unless they invade Rheinland proper, but it is obvious that any brief respite in their attacks is only to let them gather another force for the next invasion. Their greed is what drives them to conquer our rich fatherland, and it is something that cannot be allowed. The Omega systems belong to us, the people of Rheinland. Thus it is up to the Red Hessian movement to put a stop to Corsair expansion.

Our machine of war is fully unveiled here, spread equally among the systems of Omega-11, Omega-5, Omega-47, Omega-7 and Omega-3. Each of those systems belongs to us, no matter what anyone else says. The only allied bases in the area are those of the IMG, the only neutral ones those of the Zoners. The conflict in those systems is one of total destruction, for until the Corsairs are forcefully expelled out of them they will keep coming, trying to prey on all who are not with them.

No Corsair is to receive mercy, for they are like rabid dogs that need to be put down. We have many allies to support us in our operations against them: the Mollys, the SCRA, the other revolutionaries of Rheinland, even the IMG at times. Do not be afraid to call on them in the event of a large scale attack. Attack any and all assailable Corsair targets. These animals know nothing but terror, so terror is the only way to drive them out. Out here, only a decisive victory is acceptable. A decisive victory for the Red Hessians and for Rheinland.

Das Rheinvolk - Gaining popular support

Popular support
  • The Rheinland people are largely misinformed or undecided about our cause
  • Most Rheinland corporate ships are piloted by people who are exploited and sympathetic to us
  • It is your goal to convince them to support the Volksrevolution, politely and without force if possible
  • The myth about the Military being the protectors of the people must be broken
  • Convince Rheinlanders that only the Red Hessians can protect them by attacking hostile foreigners regardless of Military involvement

One can find Rheinland civilians easily within the stretch of space that the Red Hessian movement operates in. Aside from the deepest Omega systems chances are wherever you are, whatever you are doing, a pair of civilian eyes is watching and making up their mind about the Volksrevolution. This is something that we can adopt to our advantage in line of Brigadegeneral Meisnerr's visionary "war of information".

This subject may be slightly hard to master as the Red Hessian cause openly opposes corporate Rheinland, however we do not wish harm on the people that are exploited by their corporate overlords. This means that we may need to ask trade ships to drop their cargo or wire raw credits to our ships. If the trader is cooperative, take your time to explain why it is necessary for him to comply with our demands, and what our goal is. Always start politely. Resort to threats only in the event of a complete lack of compliance. For more information on resource interdiction refer to the resource acquisition section.

Courtesy for foreigners in Rheinland is optional. For Libertonian lawfuls however there is no courtesy. Transports should be extorted with force, navy ships eliminated with extreme prejudice. Side with the Military during such conflicts. The defence of Rheinland is paramount compared to all other considerations. The same rule applies during Corsair invasions of our fatherland. These barbarians need to see that we will put all our differences aside in order to fight them, should they make the mistake of entering our space.

In case of a civilian (Rheinland or otherwise) observing a fight in which we clearly have the upper hand, one of the people within the group should take their time to explain to the civilian what is happening and why he should support us in our struggle. The more people in Rheinland (and in all of Sirius in fact) support the Volksrevolution, the closer we are to final victory.

Other circumstances

Other circumstances
  • Question everything spoken to you by anyone, save your fellow Hessians
  • If an enemy is clearly avoiding attacking you, but is unwilling to run, he is waiting for reinforcements -- attack first!
  • Your sense of improvisation and tactics is everything, hone it and use it

During your flights as a Red Hessian you might experience situations not covered in this manual. You may encounter enemies the likes of which you have never seen before: mercenaries with exotic equipment, self-proclaimed terrorist empires, operatives of various intelligence agencies and even remnants of the alien infested Military forces from Nomad War of two decades past. The Spezialoperationabteilung continues its study of these groups and organisations, but it is impossible at this stage to fully describe the range of situations that you may be expected to resolve.

Improvisation and a clear vision of your principles is an absolute must. In case of doubt, refer to a higher officer. Under no circumstances should you let yourself be manipulated by such a force however. Many of these "formerly unseen" units will be enemies in disguise, seeking to sow discord in our ranks by means of manipulation, lies, subterfuge and sometimes even mind control. Vigilance and clarity of goals is paramount to resisting such attacks. Sometimes the enemy will simply try to confuse you while biding for time so that his reinforcements can come through. Your sense of danger is everything here, as the border worlds are unforgiving and deadly. One must attack first or risk being stabbed in the back.

Remember: In case of doubt, always refer to a higher officer.

Resource acquisition

The Red Hessian movement doesn't run on oxygen and water alone. Vast amounts of resources and funds are required to keep the machine moving onward. Much of that is supplied by the many outside supporters of the movement as well as a large supply ring spanning most of Rheinland, all of the Omega systems and a part of Bretonia and even Liberty. We have access to certain resources in abundance, but the Volksrevolution requires the pockets of the Rheinland corporations to be hit also. This means that we interdict cargo and funds from corporate trade for our own purposes, thus fulfilling two goals -- gathering supplies and hitting the corporations where it hurts -- at once.

Capture and redistribution of resources

Hessian raider squadrons are likely to be one of the most common sights around trade lanes in Rheinland and the adjacent Omega systems, always working to ensure corporations like Daumann and Kruger feel our presence squeezing tightly on their coffers. Take note that the model of operations for raiding is not exactly the same as piracy. This is not action for individual profit, it is action for the future of the movement and as part of our goals to bring justice to the corrupt individuals de facto in charge of the country.

It is required that all Hessians ask politely for donations to the cause. Trade ship captains are for the most part simple workers tasked with moving corporate goods. The money or goods that they carry is not theirs, thus they should have no problem parting with it. Make sure to assure them of that. Their insurance will cover everything, and the only one who will lose out on this are the corporate bosses. With the liberated resources the Red Hessian movement will be able to continue to fuel its operations against Corsair pirates and the oppressive Rheinland government, the elimination of both of which will serve to improve the safety of ordinary citizens in not just Rheinland, but across all of southern Sirius.

Redistribution of resources can be an arduous task. It involves taking to a trade lane, and waiting for a passing trade ship. The trade ship will need to be stopped, which will require a cruise disruptor and a sizeable hold of ammo for it. You will need to try to reason with the captain of the trade ship, and some will stand by and listen to what you have to say. Those should be rewarded with politeness and the reason for the redistribution. Others of course will try to run in panic. Those need to be persuaded that cooperation is crucial, sometimes by force. Regardless, try to be polite. We're not pirates, we're revolutionaries, and if the traders respect us they will cooperate.

Cargo interdiction

The act of capturing cargo is something that brings far more perks to the movement than simple gathering of funds. Intact cargo is usually worth more than a short link up to a corporate bank account. This is why all Red Hessians should attempt cargo interdiction whenever a friendly transport is available for hauling. The Pirate Transport is especially successful in this type of activity.

Of the types of cargo that are worth a lot, ores figure high up on the list. Copper ore, uncut diamonds, gold ore and the like are types of cargo that you will require a fence for. This works by simply selling the ore you've captured back to another trader, preferably a friendly one. Ore prices are generally high, so do not be afraid to ask in excess of 20 million credits for the cargo.

Other cargo, such as Military Vehicles and Engine Components is valuable for the war effort, and you will be rewarded for delivering it to our bases, such as Casablanca or Ronneburg. Should a passing ship carry Slaves, Hessian pilots or allied pilots, they should be demanded to hand them over to our authority and delivered to Freital for debriefing.

Of course there are also certain types of cargo that should be simply destroyed rather than captured, it's shippers held in contempt. Artifacts and Cardamine belong to this type of cargo. All smugglers carrying those should be forced to stop, forced to drop their cargo, and have their cargo destroyed on the spot.

Dealing with neutrals and individuals

There are a few civilian factions in our zone of operation that we treat as individuals rather than groups. The Zoners and Junkers are classified as such groups. They are wildcards, sometimes unbelievably helpful, other times extremely damaging. Each of them needs to be assessed on an individual basis for they are not, nor have they ever been centralised.

If you encounter their traders hauling materials to our base, allow them to carry on. If however you see them carrying unlawful cargo belonging to our enemies, treat them like you would an enemy smuggler. No courtesies, pay no attention to their pleas and threats. The cargo must be destroyed on the spot. The question of additional reparations payment is optional. Use your judgement.

Resource trade and exchange with friendly organisations

Since the rapid growth of the movement began and elevated the Red Hessians to the position of one of the largest and most important unlawful groups in Sirius, trade with organisations friendly to our cause has flourished and grown. This trade usually involved machines of war or industrial materials, or even outright funding and supplies of our own stock weapons.

Today, in addition to material trade the Red Hessians also make a statement of economic warfare against Daumann by flooding the market with our own diamonds, known among Sirius as Blood Diamonds. The biggest buyers for these by far remain in Liberty, and our countless established contacts continue to import them in large amounts. Although a large portion of this trade is carried out by independent contractors, certain brigades within the Red Hessians frequently require additional funds and attain them by using their own transport fleets to trade Blood Diamonds and other materials to those who would buy them. They manage to slip through the Military blockades by using the extensive jump hole networks discovered over the years by smugglers and other Rheinland revolutionaries.

A number of routes most notably used by the Red Hessian Army to supply their allies is included below:

Munitions run
From What To Profit
Casablanca Base, Omega-47 Black Market Munitions Darmstadt Depot, Stuttgart Medium
Darmstadt Depot, Stuttgart H-Fuel Arranmore Base, Dublin Low
Arranmore Base, Dublin Light Arms Casablanca Base, Omega-47 High
Long range supply run
From What To Profit
Casablanca Base, Omega-47 Black Market Munitions Darmstadt Depot, Stuttgart Medium
Darmstadt Depot, Stuttgart H-Fuel Arranmore Base, Dublin Low
Arranmore Base, Dublin Gold Kassel Outpost, Omega-54 High
Kassel Outpost, Omega-54 Nothing Vogtland Base, Dresden None
Vogtland Base, Dresden Blood Diamonds Padua Base, Galileo High
Padua Base, Galileo Pharmaceuticals Leiden Base, Galileo Low
Leiden Base, Galileo Counterfeit Software Casablanca Base, Omega-47 High
Freedom run
From What To Profit
Freital Base, Omega-11 Blood Diamonds Niverton Base, Pennsylvania Medium
Niverton Base, Pennsylvania Slaves Freital Base, Omega-11 Medium


Take note that new potentially friendly organisations are formed across Sirius fairly constantly. It is a policy of the Red Hessian movement to supply fellow revolutionary groups both within and outside of Rheinland with weapons, materials, supplies and fuel in an effort to help bring about a Sirius wide revolutionary movement, especially in houses adjacent to Rheinland itself such as Liberty. Should a newly emerged movement like that seek assistance, immediately direct them to Red Hessian diplomatic channels for a negotiation process.

Training exercises

Dogfighting

Fleet engagements

Special operations

Armed and covert reconnaissance

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See also