Die Weltbund is a loose confederation of worlds comprising the Mapepire, Die Weltbund,
Liberty Hall subsectors in the Beyond & the  Harem subsector in the Foreven Sector. The worlds  
though wholly owned  by the Sternreiters, the planetary governments are allowed
much selfrule.  There is a caveat to this political freedom as it determined by the steady
flow of wealth into the Sternreiters bank accounts.
The first explorers to this region were persons who  believed they were descendants of the 
German-speaking space pioneers of Terra.  This belief has become the national cult & the main 
unifying factor among the rival noble families of Die Weltbund.   The language &
much of the culture is an archaic, idealistic form of early space age German scientists.
Despite this belief in being descended from technocrats, DW remains largely non-industrial.  There 
are three main reasons for this  development.  The first & main reason
is the vast natural resources (the main reason these planets were settled) has made the Sternreiters 
very rich exporting raw goods & made them litte disposed to industry.
Secondary, was the various wars between rival DW nobles, & the increase of piracy between the 
2nd-8th centuries Imperial. These internal struggles tended to target the more developed centers, 
dropping the tech level of many planets.   The third reason was the fear by the noble families of 
creating a upperly mobile middle class that would threaten the hegemony.  Some of the results of the 
later fears is much of the operation of essential services (the Navy, Stern-Hansa, for example) are 
nationalized & run by bureacrats on Bundestag, the captial of Die Weltbund.
Though the family rivalries have faded, there still remain many sources of conflict.  The Bundestag 
on planet Bundestag, consists of members of the Sternreiter families, & planetary representives 
appointed by Sternreiters.  This much resented by many of the planets, several which rebelled & 
formed the League of Free Worlds.   For the last 3 centuries there has been an undeclared war 
between DW & LOFW.  There is ongoing conflict between DW and the pirate Duchy of St Foy.  
Both the LOFW & St. Foy conflicts
have disrupted trade routes & decimated the already overstretched resources of SternHansa, the 
national ( & only legal ) shipping firms.  This has led to Stern-Hansa to employ drastic measures, 
paying (under the table) bounties to the DW  Navy to encouraging the latter to capture starships & 
trained crews to replace Stern-Hansa's losses.  SternHansa has also a clandestine arrangements 
with the corporation Tuablin to supply trained slave crews & mind control drugs/devices.  These 
measures has created many enemies among merchant crews particularly among free traders, gaining 
much sympathy for LOWFIA (League of Free Worlds Insurgent Army) terrorists.
Another source of conflict is the rivalry between the Sternreiters and the rising power of the
confederation bureaucrats who control the capital Bundestag, the Navy, & SternHansa.
The nobles control most of the wealth & the national assembly & the lawmaking powers., The 
bureacrats control the executive, &  judicial, powers plus the Navy, transportation network.   As the 
bureaucrats increasing their political clout, the nobles have become to
fear for loss of power & prestige.  Most families have opted to fight, either by clandestine
manuvering against the bureacracy or by legislatiion.  The Von Manwaring & Hauser-Marck 
families have opted to ally themselves with the bureaucrats.
Then there is the bureaucrats against the bureaucrats.  Corruption is rampant throughout
the government, particularly among Stern-Hansa & the Navy(the latter having many captains & 
commands little better than pirates).  In the navy conflict centers around Grand Admiral Reiter 
Horst von Wessel, who was pushed through by reformist members of the
nobles & the navy after DW's humiliating defeat by the Duchy of St. Foy.   His infamous
order to shoot first when encountering strange vessels was a effort to stem illegal ship captures by 
which many DW naval officers practice.    On the practical side, his naval reforms have increased 
the morale & effectiveness of the naval forces.  In his years as Grand Admiral he has survived 11 
attempts on his life, 2 by LOFWIA, 5 by naval personnel, & 4 by parties unknown.
Then there is the smuggling problem.  With Stern-Hansa's problem many planets have resorted to 
sell outside DW space via smugglers, both free traders, & corsairs.  Also many
noble families have increased the size of their system & issued letters of marque to unaligned pirates 
operating out of Liberty Hall, Mapepire, Delta, & Metchi'Alagwa
sectors.  Many of the corsairs wear the uniforms & shipmarkings  of the system navies
of the planets that hired them.  This make for a many sided fight between St. Foy, LOFWIA, 
unaligned corsairs,  privateers, Stern-Hansa, DW Navy, & various system &
noble space forces.
        
        DIE WELTBUND & LEAGUE OF FREE WORLDS form much of the 
background for the High Tortuga campaign.  Some of the information on this 
page is copyright PARANOID PRESS'  excellent THE BEYOND book.   The 
noble families, LOFW(IA), the political
structures & conflicts are my own.
Enjoy, Darkhstarr
        
        
        THE NOBLE FAMILIES & THEIR HOLDINGS
        
        The following is a list of noble families of Die Weltbund & the systems they 
control.
VON BECK:   LIEBESLIED  DW 0406, NERVENHEILANSTALT  LH  0707
             LIEBESKINDER  DW 0105 (Family seat of power), ABWEHR  DW 
0109
             EWIG WEIBLICHE   DW 0401.
The von Beck family is the driving force behind opening up DW's starlanes to 
outsiders.
They also issue the most letters of marque, & maintain a first-rate merc 
training center.
They also main active clandestine contact with Imperial diplomats & agents. 
Allies: von Bayern &  Beyer.  Opponents: Hauser-Marck, von Manwaring.   
Heavily influenced by the contact with the Zhodani, the von Becks & their 
troops affect Zhodani dress & equipment, as well as interest in psionics.
Current leader, August Manfred IV, Graf von Beck.
HALBERSTADT:  PLATZ  LH 0701, MAXIMUMMER Mapepire 0209 
(Family seat of
           power), BEINBRUCH  DW 0202.
The Halberstadt family has the least interest in politics, & are most involved in 
maintaing their wealth & prestige.   Thusly they are actively involved with 
investments on Mapepire Balsayn & Beaumonde, they also supply raw 
materials to the latter planet.  As a result of
their business dealings, they moved their seat of power from Platz to 
Maximummer in 896.
Another family influence by Zhodani contact like the von Becks, but 
aggressive in the development of psionics for political reasons.
Current leader,  Werner Erich, Graf Halberstadt.
BEYER:  NUSS  HAREM(Foreven sector) 0810 , SCHLOSS ADLER  LH 
0702,
        MANSAGT DW 0305, REICHENAU HAREM(Foreven sector) 
0710(Family
        seat of power).
The Beyer family has a close alliance of the von Beck family.  The most 
militant family it has the largest private fleet in DW space.  Its privately owned 
naval bases on Nuss  &
Reichenau have been shared with the 6th & 11th DW fleets  since an 
Bundestag edict
passed in 893.  The Beyer family  openly opposes the bureaucrats in the 
Bundestag. The
reformist Grand Admiral von Wessel is a member of a distance branch of the 
Beyer
family.  Like their allies the von Becks they mimic Zhodani dress  but not the 
interest in psionics.
Current leader:  Karl Gustav von Thaler, Graf Beyer
VON SIEMENS: QUATSCH DW 0108 (Family seat of power),  BIERSTUBE 
DW 0208
      GASTHOF DW 0303, ABEITLUNG DREI LW 0602(currently in revolt).
One of harshest critics of Grand Navy & bureaucratic abuses, the von Siemens 
family
crippled by its ruthless exploitation of its planets.  Several of its systems have 
broken
away & the mining colonies of Schreck & Geist in the Abeitlung system are 
currently
in revolt.
Current leader, Friedrich Wilhelm VI, Graf von Siemens.
VON BAYERN:  STAATSBIBLIOTHEK LH 0708 (Family seat of power) IP  
MAPEPIRE
     0207, GUL MAPEPIRE 0207.
Crippled by revolt & overexploitation of its systems, the von Bayern is the 
weakest of
the Sternreiters families.  Despite this (or because of it) they the most 
aggressive reformers
in the Bundestag.  They have also founded in 812 an archive on their home 
planet famed
even outside Die Weltbund.   Though a close ally of the von Becks, they eschew 
clandestine
activity against the government.
Current leader, Magdalena II Maria, Grafin von Bayern
VON MANWARING:  DREI FARBEN  LH 0705 (family seat of power), 
ZEBEN DW 0501
Another family weakened by the same problems as the von Bayern, the von 
Manwarings are the main target (besides Stern-Hansa & government sites) of 
LOFWIA raids.  They
are close allies of the bureacrats & many family members serve in the DW 
Grand Navy.
They are deadly enemies of the von Beck  family.
Current leader,  August Maximillian III, Graf von Manwaring.
VON KEPPEL:  NIETSCHZE DW 0309, ILSE DW 0305, WOLFEN  HAREM 
(Foreven
    sector) 0709.
A family destroyed by intrigue & opposition to the Bundestag, its former seat of 
power on Nietschze is claimed by the Hauser-Marck family as part of a legal 
settlement.  However,
a popular uprising (& destruction of the B-Class starport by LOFWIA in 1001) 
has prevented occupation by Hauser-Marck agents.  Currently, the Bundestag 
& the Grand
Navy is staying out the dispute.  Many members of the Bundestag would like to 
see the
planet handed back to the von Keppel.
Current leader, Werner IV, Graf von Keppel(currently residing on 
Guildheim/LH).
HAUSER-MARCK:  OBERPRASIDENTEN DW 0308 (Family seat of power),
    FELDHERRHALE DW 0107.   RECKINGHAUSEN   LH 0704
Though having lost many of its systems to LOFW, Hauser-Marck is the 3rd 
richest family
& field the 2nd largest private navy in DW-controlled space.  Hauser-Marck 
plays a deft game politics as the Grand Navy & the bureaucrats closest 
Sternreiter ally.  It also has a profitable alliance with Tuablin, acting often a 
middleman.  They are enemies of the von Keppel, Van Bayern, & von Beck 
families.  They are behind the treason conviction of  Werner IV's precessor, 
Gerhard Maria II in 989.  
Curren leader, Maximillian Werther, Graf Hauser-Marck
        
        
          
            
              | HISTORY(all dates Imperial) 
 | 
          
         
        -778 to -764  First exploration in the area by far traders under Hans Herzog & Erich 
Maria                        Beck.
-742 Settlement of  Mansagt system by Beyer, Beinbruch by Halbetstadt, & Abwehr by Beck.
-711 Settlement of Quatsch system by Siemens, Zeben by Manwaring.
-680 Settlement  of Ilse by Keppel, Gasthof by Herzog.
-664 Settlement of Oberpasidenten by Hauser-Marck.
-645  Settlement of the rich mining world of Jeldemnar.
-508 to -383 Age of expansion.  Most of Die Weltbundt subsector & 1/2 of Harem (Foreven
       Sector) subsector colonized.
-380 to 318   Trade Wars.
-356   Hauser-Marck/Manwaring/von Siemens alliance formed by treaty of Quatsch.
-347   Beck/Keppel alliance formed.  Beyer/Bayern join in 343.
-322  Gasthof successfully invaded by forces of the von Siemens family.  Massacre of the
      Herzog family.
-320 Battle of Zeben.  Inclusive encounter between the Beck/Beyer/Bayern/Keppel fleets & 
the
     fleets of the Hauser-Marck/Manwaring/von Siemens alliance.
-318 to -311  Congress of Nassau.  Peace treaty signed between rival nobles.  Die Weltebund
    articles of confederation created, signed in 311.  Nassau renamed Bundestag & made
    capitol of Die Weltbund.  Wilhelm von Beck first prime minister.
-250 to -232.  Outlander Wars fought against interlopers from the Spinward Marches. 
Gradual
    fall off of trade.
-170 to -138   Von Bayern/Hauser-Marck War.  Eventually ended by action of the other 
noble
  houses by Treaty of Bundestag (-134).
-99 to -84.  Sparked by activities by Keppel, von Beck & von Siemens families, trade outside
    Die Weltbund revives.
-22.  Trade treaty with the Republic of Alekhine (later Alekhine Syndicate).
-1 to  123.  Expansion into Liberty Hall subsector.
212  First encounter with Mal'Gnar.
244 to 287  Pirates based on Thieves' World(later St. Foy), Alator, & Schiasz (later 
Guildheim)
    because an increasing menace to transport.
277  Von Beck squadron repulsed from Alator.
283       Fraldanhalla colonized.
290   Treaty of Herzog-Ritiiliszh opening trade routes between Die Weltbund & the 
Mapepire
 Cluster worlds.
298     Starport on Gasthof raided by Alator pirates.  Die Weltbund naval ensues.
310 to 313  Alatorian war.  
313    Battle of Maxotr(Alator/LH system).   Combined noble fleets crush the Alatorian fleet.
 Ground installations & population centers reduced by ERW missiles from orbit.
316   Alator renamed Schloss Adler & colonized.
322   Pirate assault on Lieblied wiped out.  Punitive raid on Thieves' World by 
von                     Beck/Keppe   & on Schiasz by von Manwaring/Halbetstadt  end the era
   of massive pirate raids.
414   First contact with trading vessels from the Republic of Alekhine(later 
Alekhine                        Syndicate)
417   Die Weltbund/Mal'Gnar War.  Mostly fought by Keppel/Halberstadt forces.
431   Colonization of Die Weltbund starts expansion into Mapepire subsector.
438 to 441  Colonization of IP , Gul, & Maximummer in the Mapepire subsector.
440 to 442  Kargharsg pirate fleet eliminated.  It's starport & city of Ghyujost on Thieves\
 World nuked.
501    Fraldanhalla, overexploited & gutted is abandoned by the von Manwarings.   88% of
inhabitants  die over the next 3 decades.
504    Congress of Karlsbad.   Creation of the Die Weltbund Grand Navy.  Nobles' 
fleet               units   are ceded into the new navy.   Headquartered on Bundestag.
511 to 543  Quasi-War with 3rd Imperium.  Ended by treaty of  Wesqhot(542).
540-607   The Golden Years.  Trade flourishes.
564    Descendants of Sciasz pirates found the Guildheim Trade Association & open
  negotiations with DW.
588 to 612  2nd colonization of Die Weltbund by deported prisoners & dissidents.
614 to 643   Re-organization of DW government.  Rise of professional bureacracy.
608 to 717  Piracy Increases in the Liberty Hall subsector.  Lack of naval bases hampers
 countermeasures.  Several noble shipping lines cease function.
678      The Cooulter Pirate Guild re-coloinizies Thieves' World.  Starport of Resef
    built the following year.
683 to 704.   Reorganization of Grand Navy.  Bases established on Schloss Adler(691)
  Oberprasidenten (691),  Staatsbibliothek  (696).
692      Treaty of Judex.   Exclusive transport charter granted the Alekhine Syndicate.
    The freed resources are applied to the Grand Navy's growth.
703 to 711.  Reduction of pirate bases in the Die Weltbund sector.
720    League of Free Worlds organized on Die Weltbund/Mapepire.
757  Resef, starport & capital of Thieves' World destroyed by the 6th & 3rd Fleets.  Last
  use of nuclear weapons on ground targets.
781 to 790.  Volkerbad, a retreat for government officials built on Schloss Adler.
801 to 878   Imperial Scout Service active in the Liberty Hall subsector.
803     Psi's from the Imperium colonize Thieves World, renaming St. Foy.
811     Die Weltbund rejects a treaty with St. Foy.
820     Treaty of Gunderlin.   Three way trade agreement with the Mapepire Cluster,
  Die Weltbund, &  Alekhine Syndicate.
833     Die Weltbund/Mapepire successfully revolts from DW.  Renamed Friedland, the
  rebels make several alliances within the Mapepire Cluster worlds.
836     Fraldanhylla with volunteers from Friedland & corsairs revolts from DW.
840     Fraldanhylla negotiates an Imperial scoutbase, trading Imperial recognition.
845      Grau/Yhuillah Accord.   Treaty between the Halberstadt family & the planet
   Kilogren signed by Baron Jarger von Grau (the von Grau are a cadet branch
   of the Halberstadt), agent for Graf Ernest II Halberstadt & Yhuillah, Matriarch
  of Kilogren.  The treaty arranges for the exhange of technical help by the
  Halberstadt in exchange for  psionic support from the Kilogrenese.  Nullified by
  the Mansfield/Druiishi affair (1020).
855    Graf Jurgen von Beck  first noble to employ Eshenilli.
860     DW naval forces begin to raid in the Mapepire & Harem subsectors
875 to 881    Mal G'nar War.   Ended by the inclusive battle of Jus'Hill (880) & the Treaty
  of Gutter
884     First embassy from the Zhodani Consulate.
889 t0 890.  Hauser-Marck abandons Jeldemnar, exhausted after overexploitation.  The left 
behind colonists & their families are unable to sustain the colony.  Many survivors join 
corsair band LOFWIA.
894     The von Siemens familt cede Zhawlty Nawsh to the Zhodani consulate in exchange
   for ships & technological aid to the DW navy.
899    Lady of Ormizhand Affair.   Parallel Lines Starliner taken by DW frigates in the 
guise pirates.   Though the naval personnel are unpunished, the DW government pays
an indemnity to Parallel Lines of 8 Million credits.  
901 to 908   Die Weltbund/Imperium War.   Started by seizure of Imperium merchant 
shipping misjumping into DW space.   DW 2nd, 7th, & 13th Fleets destroyed by Imperial
taskforce at Battle of Wolfen.  Entire Foreven systems of DW under Imperial control
by 906.   DW sues for peace.  Treaty of Reichenau.   DW pays 47 billion Cr. indemnity
& releases all seized merchantmen & crew.
903 to 912.  Die Weltbund/Alekhine vs Webrunners/Mal'Gnar War.   Webrunners bring
shipping to a virtual halt  in the trailing/coreward areas of DW.   Alekhine 2nd &
Die Weltbund 8th Fleets defeated at Battle of  Dernier Cri.   War ended by Treaty
of Mal'Imau.   Alekhine Syndicate collapses.  Dernier Cri ceded to Mal'Gnar
908   Successful  Revolt of Hel by LOFW.  Later asks for and gains the protection of
the Mal'Gnar.
910   Dreamers' World  (Harem/0107, Foreven sector) under members of the Keppel
family break away from DW & form an Alliance with the Ros Confederation.
911  Stern-Hansa formed as a national shipping confirm.   Alekhine Syndicate vessels
seized & incorporated into the firm.
912, 918, 919.  Major raids by Webrunners  repulsed with great loss.
917    First raids by solitary Dark Goddesses corsairs.
920 to 937   Webrunners/Dark Goddesses/St. Foy form an alliance, increasing pirate in this
period.
924    LOFWIA  founded on Friedland by Lars Neisch.  LOFWIA destroys the 
merchant               merchant academies on Schloss Adler & Drei Farben same year.   
927    Stern-Hansa makes an informal arrangement with Tuablin, Ltd to supply merchant
crews.  This pact is aided by variour members of the Navy.
932 to 941.  Famine of Platz.   Revolt arises & is crushed in 938.
934   Raid into St. Foy systems destroys  7 corsairs.
950  Famine on Quatsch.   Alekhine, informally run the Keppel family, joins LOFW.
952   Revolt on mining colony of Geist, Zeben system.  Crushed in 953.
944    Publication & suppression  of 'The Crash of Empires',  a scurious account of how
 the actions of DW's government & nobles will lead to its dismemberment in
 3 centuries.
956    Raid into St. Foy beaten off with loss of 3 warships.
961     Raumjaeger raid on St. Foy damages orbtial dock, captures 1 corsair & 4 
merchantmen
966    Raumjaeger strike team kills Armida II, Duchess of St. Foy on Guildheim.
972    DW agents  blow the yacht of Jacquetta, Duchess of St. Foy
972 to 974   DW/St. Foy War..   Marred by inept handling of DW naval forces.  Stern-Hansa
losses lead to end of hostilities.
979 to 980.  DW forces sweep the Eataoin Shirdlu system of corsairs.
980    Etaoin Shirdlu's starport destroyed by 13th & 6th Battlefleets.   Mobile base
moved into system to maintain quarantine.
998 to 1093.  The Age of Shroudships.  Die Weltbund is hit heavily by these pirate vessels.
999    SORAG base  on Zhawlty Nawsh.
1001 First Eshenilli center on Quatsch
1022   Beaumonde Industries becomes the major weapon system supplier for DW.
1031   LOFWIA destroys Stern-Hansa's training centers on Oberprasidenten & Bundestag.
1044-51    Halberstadt in conjunction with Beaumonde Industries build a B-class
  starport of Kilogren.   Kliogren Psis now operating on DW escorts & pirate hunters.
1054 to 1098   Smuggling increases as Stern-Hansa declines.
1060     Stern-Hansa opens a clearinghouse for Tuablin on its headquarters complex on
 Bundestag.
1063.  Treaty of Mapepire.  Treaty of cooperation between Guildheim, The Mapepire
 Cluster, Trelyn Domain, The Eslyat Magistry against the menace of shroudship.
  Within a decade the shroudship menace is all but eliminated.
1067.   Ghuaveyt Accord.  Secret accord between Dark Goddesses, Webrunners, St. Foy
    & several independent corsairs to forgo the use of shroudships.
1068     Stern-Hansa secretly offers a bounty to Grand Navy personnel for captured ships
crews to maintain its fleet.
1070 to 1084 Increased Inperial Scout Service activity in Liberty Hall.   Two scout/couriers,
Regaiunis  & Tylour disappear in 1082.
1082 to 1084 4th Frontier War.  DW naval units raid Imperial shipping.
1087       St. Foy corsairs successfully raid  Schloss Adler & lay minefield.  Battleship  Hans
     von  Bayern & 2 destroyers lost to mines, 11 other vessels damaged.
1090-1094  Die Weltbund/St. Foy War.   Battle of Lieblied (1091) when 4th Battlefleet
 intercepts St. Foy squadron attempting to lay mines in Liebslied system.    5 corsairs
 destroyed & 3 captured.   Corsairs prevent merchantman movement except  by Battle-
 fleet escort by 1092.   Battle of the Asteroids.   1st Battlefleet manuvered into minefield.
 Loss  & damage of capital ships causes panic among their escort resulting in route.
 Admiral Gerd Schussel commits sucide.    LOFWIA agents  successfully send  nuke-
 armed sucide merchantmen against the 4th & 11th Fleets at Schloss Adler.
 Treaty of Guildheim ends war in 1094.  Die Weltbund recognizes St. Foy as a sovereign
 nation.  St. Foy raids decrease after this.  DW cashiers all its senior admirals.
1096   Famine on Quatsch.
1096.  First LOFWIA bombships destroys Grand Navy destroyer in Schloss Adler system.
1097   Von Beck/Beyer naval reforms.
1101   Fiedler von Hauer-Marck made Grand Admiral.  Negotiates in secret with the 
Zhodani.
1106   Kasper August von Grau new resident on Kilogren.  This begins a covert campaign
  against the planet's matriarchs in order to control Kilogren's psi's.
1107 to 1110   5th Frontier War.  Active raiding into Harem subsector at Imperial shipping.
 Imperium retaliates by giving aid to local corsairs & issuing letters of marque.
1109   Under pressure from the Imperium, Beaumonde Industries ceases its arrangement
with DW.
1109   11 LOFWIA bombships attack 3rd Fleet off Nuss. battleship Dieter Rausch & cruiser
    Blauwald destroyed.
1111    Main fishery of Drakkenmarine  on Nervenheilanstadt destroyed by LOFWIA
   bombships despite presence of 3 Grand Navy destroyers.  Investigation reveals
   captains bribed to ignore attack.  2 captains tried & executed in 1112.  The 4rd
   captain, Max Mueller, flees with his destroyer Z-212.
1112   Admiral von Hauser-Marck convicted of treason.  Admiral von Wessel new Grand
Admiral.  Ends bounty agreement with Stern-Hansa.   Offers amnesty & commissions
to corsairs of DW origin.
1114 to 1119    Nervenheilanstalt revolts.    Eventually brutally suppressed by the navy.  
Von
Beck  family take action in the Bundestag, supported by many of the representatives.
Hermann Geist, commander of naval squadron courtmartialled & naval forces removed
from system.   Von Beck forces under Baron Manfred von Beck move to rebuild.
1115    Battle of Losader.  Corsairs lead by a strike cruiser capture grain convoy, destroying
its 4 escorts & 6 LOFWIA corsairs trying to destroy the convoy.
1117    The House of Lords  (corsair squadron) inflict major damage on Grand Navy
blockade destroyers, allowing resupply of rebels on Nervenheilanstalt.
1120 Mansfeld/Druiishi affair.   Kilogren, after defaulting on a loan to the Halberstadts,
place Kilogren under blockade by two destroyers & a flighter tender.  Luftgrenadiers
take control of orbital moon defense systems.   Blockade smashed by the House of Lords
exposing von Grau involvement.  DW embassy expelled from Kilogren.
1121    Major Zhodani forces leave Zhawlty Nawsh.  Only a few military personnel remain.
1121    Black Monday.  Collapse of Die Weltbund's stock exchange.   Recovers in 1123
1124    Calliope affair.   The Calliope, a mobile dock carrying a spinal mount meson
gun for  testing by the Grand Navy, disappears.  LOFWIA is rumored to be behind
the theft.
        
        
        The Grand Navy(Sternmarine der Grosse) of Die Weltbund consists 13th Fleets, 
rotated on a random basis during peacetime among the confederation's naval bases.  
Each fleet
in theory is based on a batron of 3 battleships + 1 fleet carrier & their auxiliaries; 5 
cruiser divisions of 6 light or heavy cruisers, 4 destroyers;  10 destroyer squadrons of 
4 destroyers each; &  16 escort squadrons of 1 light carrier, 1 destroyer & 8 close 
escorts.  Much of the equipment are obsolent Zhodani or designs by Beaumonde 
industries  either purchased ot built under license.
The navy is organized to fight corsairs, terrorists, & engage in punitive raids; not 
major external threats.    Standard uniform for ranks & noncoms  are navy-blue 
jumpsuits with high collars.  The left side of collar is decorated with the Die 
Weltbund flap.  The right side of the collar is navy for ranks, red for noncoms, & 
gold for officers.   Rank badges are also worn on the right collar.   Headgear 
consists of a navy skullcap devoid of rank.  Dress uniforms for ranks & noncoms are 
navy blue jumpsuits with a tight, waist-length jacket, & a short-billed cap with a 
frontal badge sporting the DW flap.  The officers' are navy jumpsuits
with a similar jacket with the exception that officers' jacket bear red, yellow, & 
black stripes at the cuffs.  All ranks wear navy blue, mid-calf boots.
The Luftgrenadiers (which started as lift infantry units) perform as marines, drop 
troops & quick response forces.  There are 28 brigades of 4 regiments each 
currently.  Each regiment has 4 luftgrenadier battalions (2 companies with 3 
platoons each), 2 grav- panzer platoons consisting of either artillery g-carriers of 
light grav tanks, a transport company of 24 g-carriers or 14 armoured launches.  
Most luftgrenadiers are armed with a mix of gauss & laser weapons.   
Luftgrenadiers normal wear are black jumpsuits with only the DW flag on the left 
side of the collar.  The right collar is plain except for rank insignia.   The dress 
uniform is a short-billed cap much like the navy except black, & the dress jacket is 
similar to the navy, except it is is leftgrenadier black.  Boots are short.
ankle-length affairs with tread for everyday boots, and flatter, smoother soles.
The Raumjaegers, originally started as DW's version of the scout service.  Today 
they perform recon, special ops, anti-piracy & surveilance work for the navy.  The 
workhorse of the Raumjaegers are 100 tonne scouts of the Serpent Class; 
secondhand or client state built Imperial S-class scouts.   Destroyer Escorts (600 
-1000 tonnes) or the newly acquired Kharis class patrol frigates ( 600 tonnes) serve 
as flagships.   Also, the Raumjaegers possess 24 of the Wespe class escorts (particle 
accelerator armed S-class scouts) built by Beaumonde Industries for DW.   
Raumjagers uniforms are similar to the navy except for being in a gray/green color.  
Raumjaegers wear the same style casual & dress boots as the Luftgrenadiers.
The navy also possesses 4 mobile fortress built from nickel-iron asteroids: 
Verteidiger, Zertstorer, Racher, Schild.
Grand Navy battleships are name after personages of great importance to either DW 
or old Terra's space program.   Carriers are named after  worlds, while  heavy 
cruisers are named for naval heroes & light cruisers for cities or towns.   Destroyers 
are designated with the letter Z & a number.  Frigates, close escorts and other 
fighting craft between 400-1000 tonnes are designated with the letter F & a 
number.   Fighting craft under 400 tonnes are have the letter E & a number.   Scout 
& courier crafts have the letter R & a number.
Transport craft are designated withe letter H & a number, while medical ships have 
the letter M & a number.  Fighters are marked by the  squadron ID & a number 
assigned by the squadron commander.
Besides the Grand Navy there the Reitersquadrons of the Nobles. Consisting of 
SDB's & a few jump capable warships in the 200-1000 tonne range, they form 
system navies funded by the various noble houses.    Reitersquadrons have no set  
size and many are understated or overstated in numbers of ships & personnel.  Many 
nobles also have agreements or issue letters of marque to corsairs.   Reitersquadron 
ships are usually named by members of the noble families or by the crews 
themselves, with no system.   Von Beck & von Bayern ships are known for their 
humor in naming vessels.
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                                  NAVAL BASES:
                              HAREM SUBSECTOR
NUSS 0810.   Grand Navy 6th Battlefleet, 1st & 2nd Beyer Reitersquadron.
REICHENAU 0710.  3rd  Beyer Reitersquadron on Reichenau's moon Relais.
      11th Grand Navy Battlefleet on the 6th planet,  Mandel.
                         DIE WELTBUND SUBSECTOR
BUNDESTAG  0206.  Grand Navy 1st Battlefleet on Bundestag.   2nd Grand Navy
   Battlefleet on 6th planet Wolfruhe.
OBERPASIDENTEN  0308   Grand Navy 4th & 10th Battlefleets.  Hauser-Marck 
4th & 5th
  Reitersquadron.
FELDHERRNHALE  0107   Hauser-Marck 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Reitersquadron.  Also 
Grand Navy              Scoutbase.
LIBESKINDER  0105.  Von Beck 2nd Reitersquadron.
QUATSCH  0108.  Von Siemens 1st & 2nd Reitersquadron.
BEINBRUCH 0202.  Halberstadt 2nd Reitersquadron.
ABWEHR  0109.  Von Beck 1st Reitersquadron
GASTHOF  0303   Von Siemens 4th Reitersquadron.
LIEBSLIED  0406  Von 4th Reitersquadron.
                                  LIBERTY HALL SUBSECTOR
EATAOIN SHRIDLU  0601  A mobile base with 6 fighter squadrons, 8 SDB's are 
rotated
on a yearly basis maintaing an active quarantine of this  system.
SCHLOSS ADLER  0702   Naval base on the frozen 5th planet, Zwei Adler.  8th & 
13th
Grand Navy Battlefleet.  Scoutbase on Schloss Adller's 2nd moon, Pech.
RECKINGHAUSEN  0704.   Hauser-Marck 5th Reitersquadron.
NERVENHEILANSTALT   0707  Von Beck  4th Reitersquadron  on frozen 8th 
planet,
 Beckhausen.  Grand Navy recently removed from this system after brutal
 suppression of revolt.  33rd Luftgrenadier Regt., which mutinied & went over
 to rebels rumored to be the core of  new planetary armed forces.
STAATSBILIOTHEK  0708.   Naval base of Staatsbibliothek's moon.  3rd, 9th, &
12th Battlefleets are stationed here, officially to protect the archives, covertly to
put pressure on the  von Bayern family.
PLATZ   0701  Halberstadt 1st Reitersquadron.
DREI FARBEN   0705    Naval/Scoutbase on 4th  planet,  Vier Farben,  5th Grand 
Navy
     Battlefleet.      1st & 2nd Von Manwaring Reitersquadrons based on Drei
     Farben's 3rd moon, Drei Hafen.
                            MAPEPIRE SUBSECTOR
IP   0207  Naval base.  Grand Navy 7th Battlefleet'
GUL  0207  Scoutbase.
MAXIMUMMER  0209    Halberstadt 3rd & 4th Reitersquadrons.
The navy is currently in a state flux due to Grand Admiral von Wessel's reforms.
Piracy, extortion, & corruption  have declined by naval personnel after
many officiers were cashiered in the aftermath of the Imperial 5th Frontier War.
Several of the personnel dismissed have started pirate bands of their own or enlisted
into LOFWIA.  
        
        










VON GRAU:  A cadet branch of Halberstadt, their members  lead the military & internal affairs of the 
Halberstadt  A few have alliances with Hauser-Marck.
MANSFIELD:  A family from the Manwaring systems.  Famed as military officers.
KRAFTWERK:  A family historically residing on Bundestag, politicians & traders.   Six Kraftwerks 
have been the CEO of Stern-Hansa.
VILZDERAAK:   A non-terran family of obscure vilani descent scattered throughout the Libety Hall 
subsector. Traders & Military.   Zerv Vilzderaak is the Commandant of the Raumjaegers.
KEMP-RORK:   A family of politicians & traders from the original Herzog worlds.  They are closely 
aligned with the Hauser-Marck/Manwaring alliance.
VON WESSEL:  Originally from the von Keppel systems, now spread throughout the DW.  Military 
leaders, there many von Wessels in the DW navy as several of the nobles' fleets.
MANNHEIM:   Primarily into mining & agriculture, their alliances are many & mercenary.  Their 
wealth gives them considerable clout with the central government.  Considering many of the family's 
ruthless business  practices this is a could thing.
WAGNER:  From the von Beck worlds, these mining & farming families are the rivals of the 
Mannheims.  Famed  for their expertise on planetary reclamation projects
HERZOG:   Formerly a noble family, the Herzogs  are scattered throughout the Die Weltbund & Liberty 
Hall subsectors.   Friedrich Reinhardt Herzog (678-740) was one the founders & first president of the 
League of  free worlds.
RAKETE:   A merchant family, originally free traders from Bundestag.  Their main areas are in the 
Liberty Hall subsector.   Until the last century, they dominated Stern-Hansa.
WIESE:  Family originally based on Platz, scattered after an unsuccessful revolt in 698.  Hans Maria 
Wiese (894-948)  helped found LOFWIA with Lars Niesch.   Magdalena Wiese (aka Alice Karacol, 
950-1002) was the 4th Secratary-General of LOFWIA.
        
        
                Nervenheilanstalt, a Die Weltbund 
system
        
                        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        The Bundesarmee is made up of three armies under the command of General Erich Hans 
Molder.  The 1st is stationed on Bundestag of 7 armoured regts. & 44 infantry regts.  The 
2nd on Oberprasidenten consists of 11 armoured & 38 infantry regts.  The 3rd, on Schloss 
Adler has 7 regts. of armour & 8 of infantry.  The main purpose of the army is to maintain 
security & protect the government & its installations.  Planetary security on other planets 
are maintain by planetary or noble military forces.  Unlike the Naval troops, the 
Bundesarmee eschews grav vehicles.  Instead they prefer tracked or wheeled AFV's & 
APC's usually armed with lasers or missiles.
        
                STERN-HANSA
        
        
Die Weltbund's national shipping line was founded in 467 as a joint corporation by all the Reiters.  
Nationalized & subsidizied by the goverment in 648, operating within & outside DW space.  Originally 
competing with other DW concerns, free traders, & foreign transport lines, Stern-Hansa became a 
monopoly in 910.  This has been a poor decision, since in its heyday Stern-Hansa never had enough 
tonnage & personnel to service internal & external shipping needs.  The destruction of Die Weltbund's 
merchant academies by LOFWIA terrorists & recent (1108) expulsion of DW students from Guildheim 
Merchant Academy has served to further weaken service.  The company has made do with captive 
servile crews supplied by Naval impressment or by the services of Tuablin, LTD.  This has stressed 
relations with neighboring systems already made bad by the lockout of foreign shippers.  The resulting 
smuggling & piracy has dropped profits by 57% over the last 2 centuries. Tonnage has been made by 
Stern-Hansa secretly offering bounties to Grand Navy units for capturing ships & turning them over to 
S-H depots.  This has resulting in DW light naval forces raiding outside their territory & acting no 
better than pirates.  Foreign pressure, including Imperial has resulted in the current Grand Admiral 
cracking down on illegal seizures.  Smuggling has become rampant through the coreward & spinward 
systems of Die Weltbund territory, often with the complicity of local officials & even some nobles.  Due 
to the attrition rate of ships, Stern-Hansa, except for some VIP yachts, abandoned passenger service in 
1057.  For the past 14 years Stern-Hansa has operated in the red, & only the government through 
subsidies & purchase of cargoships from foreign shipyards has kept the company going.
Klaus Erich Kraftwerk is the current CEO of Stern-Hansa, a position he has held for four years. 
Besides maintaining the Stern-Hansa/Tuablin, LTD. connection, he has increased bounties for 
captured tonnage & on the heads of prominent pirates three-fold since he took office.  Unlike most of 
his predecessors, he has no illusions of being able to maintain S-H's monopoly any longer.  To this end, 
he has spend much time lobby the government to ease the restrictions against foreign traders, in 
particular free traders & small companies which ease S-H's load while not threatening its profit margin
Stern-Hansa crews are very status bound, with classes aboard Stern-Hansa ships consist of 
offizer(officer), mostly from the middle & upper class.  These make up- the bridge crew, the 
cargomaster, & chief engineer. Stern-Hansa does get the best spacemen (partially due to the high 
attrition rate) since most of those go into the Grand or Reiter navies, in fact many ship captains are 
merely administrators.  The  next class is the scharr(crew), the rank & file of the ship's crew, 
cargohandlers, stewards, gunners, engineers, etc.  The third  class is the vertag scharr, the slave crew 
either bought by Stern-Hansa from slave depots or 'criminals' captured by the navy, all of whom are 
trained spacers.  Due the inadequate training facilities, these slaves make up the bulk of the technical 
crew aboard all but the highest rated ships carrying luxury goods.  These crew are under some degree of 
mind control drugs or devices  This arrangement is not perfect & it rumored at least two dozen ships a 
year are sabotaged by their vertag scharr.  Its rumored due to execution or side effects to mind control 
about 20% of vertag scharr die each year.
        
        


Stern-Hansa uniforms are utlitarian jumpsuits in variations of black & white except for  the Vertag 
Scharr which wear white. uniforms. The offizers wear a white jumpsuit with a black peaked beret, 
black gloves & hard boots, & black & white epaulets & a black belt with the Stern Hansa symbol.  
Rank is designated by silver on black pips:  three for captain, two for first officer & chief engineer, 
& one for 2nd, 3rd, & fourth officer, purser, & medical officer.  Cadet offizers wear no rank pips.  
Scharr  wear a white jumpsuit with black shoulders & three blak stripes, one down the front of the 
uniform & one each running from the shoulders to the cuff.  Header gear consists of a floppy white 
beret with a black denoting job or department, the Stern-Hansa logo is dsiplayed on the belt & on 
the upper right chest of the uniform. The right cuff contains a commo device & computer while the 
left contains crewman's personal items or minitools.   The Vertag Scarr uniform consists of a white 
jumpsuit similar to the scharr but with the company logo on the upper chest.  The suit  is sealed & 
can only removed by special key to prevent runaways.  The right cuff contains a commo device & 
computer while the left is usually loaded with nutrients fed directly in the wearer on a scheduled 
basis and/or drugs to keep the slave under control  The vertag scharr wears a soft cap with a small 
Stern-Hansa logo & a plaque denoting their assigned duty aboard ship.  Each vertag scharr has a 
small microchip plantaed in the back of their neck just below the skull.  This microship is a means 
of identification & a homing device.
        
        Vertag Scharr Uniform