Warring Factions Era

*(Synonymous with Second Pan-Galactic War)*

The Warring Factions Era or Second Pan-Galactic War began when the Pan-Galactic Republic fell from power. Each faction was on their own, nobody knew who they can trust. Everybody tried to claim everything they can get for their own. It was not one large war, but many small wars between big and small factions.

Many factions rose and fell during these years. It was a testing ground for many individuals.

## Galactic Economy

### Legal Economy

One of the winners of this war were the arms and the shipbuilding industry, as long as the producer was not in danger of being destroyed. In almost every case that meant, that they would have to be completely independent and neutral to most factions. Ammunitions an ships were selling very well, sometimes at +40% of their original prices. This also led to sabotages of some producers by their competitors, which led to even higher prices.

The losers of the war were pretty much everyone else. Citizens of the factions, since they lost their homes, work, food source or lives. Food producers had problems with maintaining their supply chains, as raids, especially on food convoys, happened frequently. Other producers and suppliers had trouble selling their products, as most of it was neither important for fighting a war nor staying alive. Some had to close their business for good. The ice cream stick industry took one of the most severe hits. Due to the lack proper cooling machinery, most of the ice cream production was soft ice cream, that had no need for ice cream sticks. Many families of ice-cream-stick-workers had problems getting by. In an act of selfless patriotism, the "United cryonic industry coalition" released ice-cream-stick-warbonds, to relief the struggling industry of a devastating collapse.

### Illegal & Semi-legal economy

This period of time was like living in a pot of honey for criminals and mercenaries. As most of the military fleets were bound in fighting each other, it was easy for pirates to raid convoys and miners. Another way to make use of the general chaos was used by criminal syndicates. They Blackmailed, stole, and claimed as much as their fleets allowed them, so they could build even more combat ships to enforce their will even better. Some of them even owned Sectors. This was a chance for mercenaries to earn their paychecks, as they were often hired to protect ships and other important assets. Some mercenary groups were growing so strong, that they even had small war fleets on their own, only to fall apart years later.

## Important Events

### The Massacre of “Desperate Hope”

#### Prelude

In the year 2955C.E. the "Union of Grakhz" was gaining more and more influence on its surrounding sectors. The “Republic of Phosk” was one of the Unions sympathizers, much to the dislike of its citizens. The Unions influence on the Republic was getting bigger every day, as was growing the discontent of its people. Every day they had less rights, every day they had to give more and take less. They felt traded like slaves, only living to please the Union, and wanted back their freedom.  On the Day before the Founders-day festivities, the workers of the Sector “Desperate Hope” laid down their work. No transport ships left the sector, no goods were produced. This sector was one of the economical centres of the Republic, so it desperately needed it back and running again. They turned to the Union, looking for help to handle this situation. The Union responded accordingly.

#### Fighting the Riot

They entered the Sector with a big group of war ships and hailed the workers, demanding them to continue to work, which they declined. The Following minutes were a sign for what there was to come to many others. Union warships opened fire on every civilian Ship that was in the sector. Those who tried to flee got their engines destroyed, or were damaged so heavily, that it was only a matter of time until they would rest in a cold grave. All Stations were boarded with marine teams, killing all workers mercilessly. But it didn’t stop there. The Union seized all factories and important stations in the neighboring sectors by lethal force, rendering the republic only a puppet of the Union.

#### Aftermath

It was one of the biggest massacres on civilians in the history of the Union. When the Union joined the Pan-Galactic Imperium, it was used for propaganda, to show what happens to those who don’t cooperate. When the United Coalition defeated the Empire many years later, they found out what happened in these sectors. They Constructed a Memorial there, to honor those who gave their lives in a fight for freedom.

### Battle of Kolthow

#### Battle

In 3005C.E. there was a massive battle in the Sector ”Faded Omen”, mainly near the Planet Kolthow.  It started when the “Coalition of Thorkath” claimed the Sector from the “Chogg-Ro”, which subsequently stationed a big fleet in this Sector and informed their allies.

The Sector was very important for all sides of the war, as there were multiple factories for ship- and weapon components and a large Asteroid belt in the sector. Additionally Kolthow was one of the rare planets where Cube-snails could be bred, which provides an important income or medicine source to the owner.

When the coalition of Thorkath arrived with their allies, they encountered a fleet that was roughly of the same size as theirs. Shortly after the battle started, a third side appeared on the battlefield; “The Red Mist”, a criminal Syndicate that used the chaos in the galaxy to strengthen their influence by black mailing systems. They were in possession of a large number of warships, to enforce their will on isolated, valuable or badly defended sectors.

#### Chain Reaction

In the heat of the battle, multiple Stations were damaged or destroyed. In the Case of the “Uccor-Station”, a manufacturer for Missiles, there was a massive chain reaction. When the battle seemed almost over the Station was hit by half a salvo from a nearby battleship, which caused a massive hole its armor. Shortly after a disabled cruiser crashed into the station, where the shots hit it earlier. It hit the station with its Reactor first, which was followed by a massive explosion and missiles flying around. The debris damaged and destroyed many of the remaining ships and stations. When the battle was over, the coalition and its allies were victorious, with only three ships left of their fleet.

#### Aftermath

The Battle of Kolthow is considered one of the worst battles in the era of the warring factions. Many factions use it to teach Laws of war in their military academies, since the amount of dead civilians was about 3.6 million. They were unable to evacuate, because the Chogg-Ro canceled all shuttle transports, so the civilians continued to work.