Rogue Traders - Reasons for War: Wars have been fought throughout the aeons for any number of reasons, and in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium this is especially true. Whether for conquest, faith, or simply business, there are any number of reasons for a Rogue Trader to pursue war.War of Conquest - Wars of conquest are military endeavours wherein the attacker seeks to subjugate an enemy through sheer force of arms. They are waged mainly to acquire some sort of prize, typically land and natural resources, but often times also slaves, or some other form of wealth held by the defenders. Since the goal is the occupation of enemy lands, the subjugation of its people, and the exploitation of their resources, wars of conquest are infinitely complex. They require better planning, larger and longer-term commitments, and perhaps more finesse than wholesale slaughter. They also have a permanency about them, for once an invading force enters a land for conquest, they are typically there to stay. Rogue Traders rarely take part in wars of conquest, at least not as the conqueror. Wars of this type tend to tie a Rogue Trader to a single place and make them responsible for a whole lot of sedentary, ground-based activities like reconstruction, defence, and subjugation. As this is anathema to many free-wheeling Rogue Traders, who typically prefer the bridge of a voidship to the halls of government, they tend to take ancillary roles in other peoples' wars of conquest. Supplying weapons and materiel, providing monetary or temporary military backing in the form of voidships and house troops, establishing logistics chains, and smuggling have made many a fortune during a larger conflict.War of Faith - By far the single most common reason to wage war throughout the Imperium of Man, the religious war is perhaps also the easiest to justify. The opening salvo of many a bloody campaign has come on the tail of the phrase, "the God-Emperor wills it." Indeed, it could be said that the justification for all wars the Imperium embarks on are, at their heart, fuelled by zealous piety -- or at the least draped in its trappings. These are "just wars," wars based on Ecclesiarchical doctrine whose atrocities and crimes are justified, even called for, by the God-Emperor Himself. The reasons behind them rarely matter, even to the generals and admirals commanding the vast Imperial military forces. For them it is enough that the God-Emperor wills it, and so it shall be done. Due to the nature of the Imperial Creed, wars of faith may be waged against any who oppose the rightful rule of the Imperium, be they alien, Heretic, or Traitor. However, the Imperium reserves a special hatred for one foe -- the forces of the Ruinous Powers. These wars can be faster and more intense than other wars (although this is by no means a guarantee), since their goal is simply destruction more than conquest. They usually end when the aggressor has either wiped out the heathens and Heretics, converted them, or taught them a sufficiently hard lesson. Afterwards, the aggressor will leave behind some religious officials and missionaries to see that their work stuck and that their new converts remain on the narrow path. Garrisons of troops may be left behind as well to keep peace and enforce new doctrines, but the majority of the invading forces will be withdrawn to their bases, leaving the rest of the work to the priests and adepts. Due to their relative quickness, high potential for gain, and the ease with which a person can get an enemy labelled a Heretic in the Imperium, religious wars are quite popular among Rogue Traders. Whether based on true religious fervour or simply used as a convenient excuse, many a Rogue Trader has waged war with conspicuous displays of prayer and breast-beating. Unlike wars of conquest, in which they tend to take secondary roles, Rogue Traders often take a very active and enthusiastic role in religious wars. What better way is there to prove your piety than by killing the enemies of the God-Emperor? Indeed, many Warrants of Trade specifically call for the wielder to make war amongst the Heretics and bring His holy light to the godless heathens at the furthest reaches of space.Xenocide - Xenocide, similar in theory to its cousin genocide, is the act of waging war for the sole purpose of completely eradicating an intelligent alien species. To the Imperium, xenocide is accepted and even advocated as a religious imperative of Humanity, and is yet another common mandate dictated to Rogue Traders by their Warrants of Trade. While not all Rogue Traders are compelled to pursue campaigns of xenocide in their Warrants, nearly all are expected to assist Imperial military forces in their campaigns against xenos. While all Rogue Traders tacitly agree to this upon receipt of their Warrants, in practice it is a different matter altogether. Away from the watchful eyes of the Imperium, many a pragmatic Rogue Trader has turned his back on Human settlements besieged by xenos when the cost of assisting outweighed the benefits of leaving their fellow Humans to their fates.Defensive War - A true defensive war is waged in answer to an aggressor's attack. Of course, many warmongers would have it believed that their wars are defensive wars. They justify their aggression by real or imagined threats, but their wars are predicated on a desire for wealth, land, and power. A true defensive war is fought to deny the enemy territory, or resources, and often there is little reward save the preservation of what one already possesses. The ongoing defence of the Cadian Gate in the Cadian Sector against the Black Crusades of Chaos before the Fall of Cadia was one example of a defensive war, as is the recent war fought on the world of Damaris against the Ork invaders. While those fighting a defensive war are typically caught flat-footed in the early stages of the conflict, they will have certain advantages over their attackers due to fighting on familiar ground, being closer to supply lines, and even the knowledge that they must win or perish. Due to the smaller potential profits of a defensive war, it is not something Rogue Traders get involved with often. However, the potential rewards (in both finances and reputation) for coming to the aid of an embattled people should never be overlooked. The reputation of Esme Chorda changed from pirate and blackguard to hero of the Imperium almost overnight after that Rogue Trader participated in the destruction of the space hulk Cauldron of Savagery in 673.M40.War as Distraction - What better way to cover illicit activities and shady dealings than with a bloody armed conflict? As heinous as it may sound to some, inciting war for purposes of misdirection and obfuscation can be a perfectly legitimate, if perhaps slightly underhanded, business practice. A war pursued by way of distraction is often fought by proxies. Thanks to their usual business dealings, Rogue Traders often have a ready supply of mercenaries and hired thugs that they can call upon for just such an occasion. While the hirelings sow discord and foment armed conflict, the Rogue Trader can go about their business. This is war by proxy. Sometimes, a Rogue Trader must wage a war, but cannot be seen to have done so. When a Rogue Trader needs some dirty work done and it is either inconvenient or impolitic to get dirt on their own hands, there are plenty of private military organisations in Imperial space more than willing to do it for them -- including other Rogue Traders. War by proxy is a war fought on behalf of one party, typically unknown to the actual combatants and hired through numerous cutouts and front organisations, by professional mercenaries or other military agents. While it can be a clean and expedient way to wage war, the risks of doing so should not be underestimated. Without direct control of events, such wars have a way of spiralling out of control, possibly hampering the very goals they were supposed to obtain.War Profiteering - Sometimes it is more profitable to supply a war than it is to fight it. War profiteering is as old as the act of war itself, and, much like war, is both lauded and detested. War profiteers are individuals or groups who make their profits by selling important materiel to belligerents in an armed conflict, and can range from a guardsman selling the Lasgun of a dead comrade to the manufactoria of the Calixis Sector such as the Merovech Combine, Loi Metalworks, and Lindwyrm Armoury. Although war profiteering is typically thought of as the selling of weapons, fighting vehicles and other wartime impedimenta, the need for any valuable commodity can be exploited for profit in times of war. Medicae supplies, foodstuffs, and raw materials all tend to be in high demand in a war zone. It is not unheard of for a canny war profiteer to sell their wares to both sides of a conflict. There have even been cases of war profiteers instigating armed conflicts for the sole purpose of supplying arms and resources to the belligerents involved -- at wartime prices, of course. Rogue Traders are adept at war profiteering. They are well-placed to buy commodities low, ship them to willing war zones, and sell them for a tidy profit to all comers. In fact, the business of making war a business is many a Rogue Trader dynasty's core dealings.