Shannedam County is a County within Alaric Grand Dukedom of the Commonwealth; it is also a Province within Alaric Prefecture. It is approximately 600LY across and it is part of the front line theater on the TOG-Commonwealth War.
The Commonwealth County capital is Defiance, fourth planet of the Shannedam System. As of 6841, the County is led by Count Vannis Ferril, a former JAG Corps Aero Marshal in the Royal Aerospace Corps appointed to the position after the assassination of the previous Count in 6839.
The TOG Provincial capital is Thapsus. Michael Caarenti of Ancona was elected the first Spectabilis Senator of the newly minted Province, though Overlord Aldon Mannius is still the maximum TOG authority in the Province.
The county is described in detail in Shannedam County (sourcebook).
Space Gull medium fighters raiding the Lum / Sparta system. (Original miniature photos by LegionsIVhire.ca.)
TOG Lanceae and Gladii over the planet Caralis. (Original miniature pictures by LegionsIVhire.ca.)
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History[]
Shannedam County is the seat of the Alaric March Grand Dukedom. First established in the early 67th century, the Grand Dukedom in general, and Shannedam County in particular, are well known for their rich resources and well-developed industrial centers. It is little wonder that the region is so fanatically defended by the Commonwealth Armed Forces and the Renegade Legions.
There are 40 worlds in the County. In the current game year of 6831, TOG has captured 16 Shannedam worlds during the 20 years of fighting within the County. Eight worlds are currently being actively fought over. This includes Defiance, the capital of the Grand Dukedom. Two other worlds have been granted neutral status, and are currently controlled by the Merchant Aliens for their personal use. This leaves a total of just 14 worlds under the control of the Commonwealth.
Resources and Economy[]
The County has been one of the Commonwealth's major suppliers of Gennium-Arsenic ore, the raw material from which G-A crystals are grown. The G-A crystals are the core of all laser weapons used on the battlefield today. A constant supply of the vital ore and crystals is crucial to the Commonwealth's continued survival against the Terran Overlord Government.
The planets of Ope'Diar, Rolunitru, Messana, Mysia, and Pisae are the five major sources of the crystal in the Shannedam County. Before the fighting, most of the mines on these worlds were co-owned by the Commonwealth government and the Massus Mining Company, a corporation partly owned by Grand Duke Duclassius Massus. As the mining of the precious ore is an extremely dangerous procedure, the people who worked at these mines tended to be very hardy and very well paid. The alien Baufrin, with their tough semi-exoskeletons, are especially suited to the mines, though they do not like the hellish conditions any better than anyone else.
Precious metals are another vital resource with which the Shannedam County is blessed. It mattered little what metal was needed, be it TroCobalt for the construction of advanced electronics, or rare Molybdenum-Titanium alloys: Ancona, Henders, Moshelle, New Janos, Tarraco, Thapsus, or any of another handful of County worlds could probably provide it.
The Tiven-Rilus-Ope'Diar Industrial Megaplex[]
Industrial worlds to process the abundant natural resources are numerous in the region, but none are more important than the Tiven-Rilus-Ope'Diar Industrial Megaplex. This consortium of major industries on the three worlds banded together about a century ago to drop all barriers that restricted free trade between them. As a result, goods and resources travel between these three worlds without any of the normal governmental hassles.
Though this unrestrained free enterprise system has resulted in many complaints about the callousness of the Megaplex toward the common person, the Grand Duke did little, saying that the benefits flowing from the consortium far outweighed the bad. This attitude was not surprising, considering that Massus Interstellar, owned by Grand Duke Massus, was a charter member of the Megaplex.
People of Shannedam County[]
With many natural resources and industries in the region, it is little wonder that Shannedam County had a very high population before TOG started making its presence felt. The average population of each planet in the county was about one billion, with the highest on Shannedam IV (now known as Defiance) at about four billion, and 300,000 on Novuta, the least populated planet in the realm.
Humans[]
Of the 40 billion inhabitants, about 42 percent are Human of mixed ancestry and beliefs. By far the largest percentage of the Humans are long-time citizens of the Commonwealth, whose ancient ancestors settled the region and then participated in the effort to overthrow the KessRith Empire in the last century. Though their religious beliefs are many, most tend to follow Tavaly B.C. (Buddhism-Christianity).
Refugees started flowing into the region almost immediately after the TOG was formed in 6681. Most were either political refugees who could afford to flee the TOG, or disgruntled soldiers who had the opportunity to slip to across the border. They formed a steadily increasing flow into the region. They brought with them Neo-Roman-Catholicism, a much stricter belief and set of moral values than Tavaly B.C.
Friction between the refugees and the original inhabitants resulted in several major riots, but for the most part, the richness of the area offered too many possibilities for any one group to feel displaced by the refugees.
Naram[]
The next largest group in the County are the Naram, who form 25 percent of the population. As with the Humans, the Naram are of two groups, those who originally settled the area, and those fleeing the tyranny of the TOG. The flow of Naram refugees has taken a dramatic upturn since the sabotage and subsequent annexation of over half the Naram Republic by the TOG in 6726.
The Naram brought with them K'ekasa, or Naram Pantheism. This religion is easily one of the oldest in the galaxy, with copies of the K'ekasalavo, the Naram Book of Tales, being found in archaeological ruins over 8,000 years old on Naram Prime and on Earth among the Mayan ruins.
As the Naram and the Human race are so close genetically, it is not surprising that the distinction between the two races has blurred considerably in the County. Only the Narams' desire to wear their hair as long as possible (like the heroes of the K'ekasalavo) gives a hint of a person's ancestry.
Baufrin[]
The Baufrin form the next largest group in the Shannedam County, with about 22 percent of the population. The Baufrin are perhaps the oldest settlers of the region, with colonies on Messana and Mysia dating back some 3,000 years. As a race, the Baufrin have always been tolerant of the actions of "the soft two-leggers," but they are sometimes bewildered that beings with so many varieties of thought can manage to reproduce, let alone do anything requiring the cooperation of more than two.
In their official dealings, the Baufrin have always maintained a respectful distance from Humanity and the Naram, keeping official contact at a minimum. Socially, the Baufrin are much more open, and friendships between the Baufrin and other races are many. Their religion is aimed at the reattainment of the single-consciousness--much like the Hivers' One Mind--from which the Baufrin evolved to advance to their high technology level.
Other Races[]
The remaining 11 percent of the County's population is made up of a variety of alien peoples, including many KessRith native to the area, Ssoran refugees, Raynsarr, and members of the Merchant Races. There are even some members of the enigmatic Huldice in the county, as well as Vauvusar representatives from the Magellanic Clouds.
County Under Siege[]
The TOG conquered JaJasos, the last planet in Keserdal County, in 6809. This gave TOG an opportunity to pause and regroup its forces before moving on into the Shannedam County. This also gave the Commonwealth the opportunity to prepare its defenses.
Twelve Commonwealth Legions, bolstered by an additional nine Renegade Legions, would form the first line of defense on those worlds under immediate threat from TOG. A reserve force of five Commonwealth and seven Renegade Legions would form the second line by protecting the remaining planets in the County. Five carrier groups and ten battleship squadrons would form the core of the Commonwealth's naval forces in the region.
Shiva-class battleships in the skies above Caralis. (Original miniature photos supplied by user Spicmart.)
The Commonwealth was not expecting Caesar Julianus to place so much importance on seizing the capital of the Grand Dukedom. In 6811, a massive TOG armada, made up of three carrier groups and four Legions, bypassed such obvious targets as Thapsus or Ve'Fros, and struck instead at Ancona. The defenders there, though warned, could not hold back the TOG Legions.
With Ancona theirs, the TOG took advantage of the confusion by striking out in several directions at once. In the next ten years, attacks were launched by the TOG from Ancona at Grosianus, Mysia, Yols, and Olisipio, while other TOG Legions from the Keserdal County launched their own attacks.
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The Battle for Saguntum III[]
In 6815, the 121st Commonwealth Legion (The Stone Throwers), stationed on Saguntum III, were attacked by the elite 3241st TOG Strike Legion (The New Rome Spearmen). While the planet is not resource-rich, nor does it have important industry, it is a nexus that would give the TOG access to the Yoventrov County, which sits adjacent to Shannedam.
Many observers of the ground action between the two forces were surprised when it became obvious that the Commonwealth Legion was outmaneuvering the TOG Legion. This was due in large part to the brilliance of the 121st´s commanding officer. Brigadier Sesutra Kenderson, a Naram, was able to take advantage of Saguntum III's perpetually foul weather to split her Legion and sneak them past the TOG formations time after time to wreak havoc on the rear lines.
In the end, Saguntum III fell in 6818, due to the overwhelming presence of the Strike Legion's Fighter Wing. The Commonwealth defenders were able to hold on for two years, instead of the nine months the TOG officers were expecting. This threw into chaos the Caesar's plans to conquer Shannedam County in ten years.
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Caesar Loses Interest[]
One result of the Commonwealth's stubborn defense of Saguntum III was that Caesar Julianus lost interest in the region, and the TOG military in the region suddenly found its supplies cut in half and a quarter of its troops being transferred to the Keserdal County offensive.
Despite this, the TOG made further advances in the next seven years. Major victories at Pisae and Carthage X put the TOG in firm control of over half of Shannedam County.
The attempts to take Messana and Caralis were proving difficult. Both worlds are major resource centers, and were therefore major targets of the TOG military offensive from the very beginning. Resistance on both worlds was proving extremely stiff. Messana was laced with large fortifications built by a long-dead alien race, for which the defending Renegade Legions were most grateful. On Caralis, the major problem for the TOG forces was one of supply. The planet was protected by a very energetic Commonwealth naval force that took every chance it had to destroy the freighters and cargo ships carrying the attacking TOG Legion's supplies.
Current Events[]
There is reason to believe that Caesar Julianus is ready to give more attention to the region once again. In 6825, he replaced the commander of the regional TOG forces with Lieutenant-General Marcus Spartivalcus, a veteran of ferocious reputation. Caesar Julianus also declared the worlds the TOG had acquired in the region to be a Military Annexation, with Thapsus as the capital.
General Spartivalcus launched the TOG forces into an immediate offensive aimed at crushing the Caralis-Messana pocket. Poor coordination resulted in a poor TOG showing. The enemy's efforts did convince the Commonwealth commanders, however, that it would be impossible to hold the two planets. With very daring convoys, they began evacuating resources and people to safer Commonwealth worlds.
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Caesar's Folly[]
In 6829, with the promise of more Legions from Caesar Julianus, General Spartivalcus turned his attention to Syriph XX, a world he wanted as a staging area for attacks on the capital of the Grand Dukedom (Shannedam IV, just recently renamed Defiance). What he did not realize was that Syriph was a major reinforcement point for the Renegade Legions, something they had managed to keep secret from the TOG. When two TOG Legions landed on the planet, confident that they would overwhelm anything, they found themselves face to face with three Renegade Legions fresh for the fight.
Surprised, the TOG forces were almost pushed off the planet, which they promptly nicknamed Caesar's Folly for the mess they were in. Superior support from the Imperial Navy kept the TOG forces well supplied, however, and Imperial warships harassed the Renegade Legions. The battle has raged on that planet ever since, highlighted by the complete destruction of the TOG 816th Strike Legion by the 871st Renegade Strike Legion (The KessRith Tamers) in 6830.
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Defiance[]
General Spartivalcus, realizing that Caesar's Folly was not going to fall anytime soon, used the new Legions coming from other portions of the empire to launch an attack on the capital itself. In 6829, a full carrier flotilla moved into the Defiance system. The plan was for the flotilla to bully its way past the system's defenses and drop the two Legions the ships carried. The naval forces of the Commonwealth, though outnumbered, put up such a struggle that the possibility of landing the Legions suddenly looked very remote.
When the TOG battleship IWS Death Wind was rammed and destroyed by the Commonwealth heavy cruiser CPS Windwona, the battle was completely lost for the TOG. The sight of one of the TOG Navy's best battleships floating dead caused one of the two TOG carriers to turn tail and run. In doing so, it stranded one of its own fighter wings. Seeing this, the rest of the TOG naval forces no longer fought to win, but merely to survive. Although the battle was to last another two days, the TOG forces never came close to landing their ground units.
Further Offensives[]
With the First Battle for Defiance a total mess, General Spartivalcus has been feeling a great deal of pressure recently. He has been successful in conquering five worlds during his term of command, but his inability to take Messana and Caralis, as well as his losses on Caesar's Folly and Defiance, have caused his superiors to question his abilities.
With Caesar's attention apparently back on this portion of the front, General Spartivalcus is definitely feeling the need to come up with a major victory anywhere in the County. The three new Legions that have just entered his command have given him the resources with which to launch his most ambitious offensive ever.
On the Commonwealth side, General Timons McKettrick has retired after commanding the forces of Shannedam County for the past 20 years. In his place, General Anthony Biders, a member of the Renegade Legions, stepped in to assume command. A veteran of the Shannedam IV fighting, and the former aide to General McKettrick, General Biders is expected to perform well in the coming battles. The only question that worries the Commonwealth is the apparent ill will that exists between the General and Grand Duke Massus.
List of worlds[]
This list shows all inhabited systems in the Province / County along with their populations.
- Ancona (2.81 billion)
- Business Mission (111 million)(Free Traders)
- Caesar's Folly (199 million)
- Caralis (1.58 billion)
- Carthage X (1.3 billion)
- Ciria (300 million)
- Da'Valk (890 million)
- Defiance (3.98 billion)(Commonwealth County capital)
- Delop (1.39 billion)
- Grosianus (809 million)
- Gustaviv's Regret (4.99 million)
- Henders (760 million)
- Iol (1.8 billion)
- Ku Crassus (2.01 billion)
- Kukulak (809 million)
- Mala (806 million)
- Mashoona (1 billion)
- Mavinav (800 million)
- Messana (1.1 billion)
- Moshelle (2.39 billion)
- Mysia (20.3 million)
- New Janos (1.5 billion)
- Novuta (302,000)
- Olisipio (25.3 million)
- Ope'Diar (1.6 billion)
- Pisae (1.01 billion)
- Rilus V (890 billion)
- Rolunitru (79.1 million)
- Saguntum III (800 million)
- Sparta XIII (1.1 billion)
- Tarraco (809 million)
- Thapsus (697 million)(TOG Province capital)
- Tiven (2.77 billion)
- Tontrinas (801 million)
- Trader's Paradise (1.21 billion)(Free Traders)
- Tubanos (217 million)
- Ve'Fros (1.01 billion)
- Wuj (920 million)
- Yols (321 million)
- Zama (801 million)
Average population is 1.035 billion, ranging from 3,980,000,000 on Defiance/Shannedam (the capital) down to 302,000 on Novuta. Total population is approximately 41,429,992,000 spread across 40 worlds.
List of Minor Systems[]
NOTE: As a whole, the sector (i.e. 'County') contains the forty systems listed above, plus forty-six 'secondary' systems that are largely uninhabited by permanent residents, but which may be the source of resources (and military bases).
Minor Commonwealth Systems[]
- Burrito
- Casino
- Crow Call
- Dolittle
- Festeva
- Fly
- Glimpaka
- Impulse
- Inkit Lamp
- Jacob's Star
- Kroft
- Lava
- Lode
- Mobile
- Newport
- Outer Nebraska
- Pyra
- Sailor's Hope
- Svenson
- Tayz
- Vice
- Volk's Star
- Volkurt
Minor TOG Systems[]
- Alcove V
- Anders
- Betz
- Budge
- Cyclic
- Fager
- Flux
- Grave
- Hamper
- Hostage
- Hubble
- Kalapana
- Kasson
- Kellog
- Lithu
- Muthra
- Ranol
- Shotra
- Sutherland
- Therelzo
- Tyra
- Violin III
- Yin
Shannedam County Timeline[]
This timeline summarizes the major historical events either in Shannedam County or having a major effect on those worlds.
2998
Humans discover Baufrin colony on Zama; frightened by the Baufrin's appearance, they attack and kill the colonists. The Baufrin relief force finds no clues to the destruction of the colony.
3000
Humans and Baufrin meet in first officially recorded encounter on Shannedam IV.
3010
A treaty is signed between Humans, Naram and Baufrin, which develops into the formation of the Commonwealth.
3214
Humans encounter the KessRith over the Naram planet of Tloca. The KessRith attack, but are defeated. Five months later they return to do battle again, and are again defeated.
4992
First recorded occurrence of the viral strain that would become known as the Snow Plague, a disease that struck only at Humans and Naram. By 5000, it was a galaxy-wide epidemic.
5020
Almost 80 percent of the Human and Naram population has died from the Plague.
The KessRith use the Snow Plague to their advantage, overrunning many of the Human-held worlds and enslaving their populations. The Humans resist, but eventually retreat to a core of 10 worlds surrounding Earth. For a thousand years, most of humanity serves as slaves to the KessRith.
6331
The Humans from the ten free worlds become strong enough to try to retake their former realms, but the KessRith consider their free status a crime against nature, and beat them into submission. The entire Human race spends 200 more years in slavery.
6509
Alexander Trajan begins to organize paramilitary pageants, mock battles which serve to hone the fighting skills of the slave population.
6560+
VLCA (Very Large Communication Array) developed, giving Trajan's rebellious troops the advantage of instantaneous communication across worlds. This allows them to successfully fight the KessRith.
6565
Trajan's Legions capture 10 Ssora starships, using them to ambush and smash a KessRith taskforce. During this strike, they capture and refit 2 KessRith cruisers, which they use to raid Ssora targets, effectively setting the alien races at each other's throats.
6573
Commonwealth rises once again as an independently governed group as a result of Trajan's Terran insurrection. It successfully breaks away from KessRith rule.
6584
The KessRith withdraw from the Commonwealth. Unable to support a war on two fronts (Terra and the Commonwealth), they negotiate a separate peace with the Commonwealth. This move leaves Trajan to fight the KessRith alone. Outraged, Trajan cuts off the supply of arms to the Commonwealth.
Alexander Trajan forms the New Roman Republic (often referred to as the Terran Republic).
6600
The Naram Republic is formed with Trajan's help. The Naram consider, but do not sign, a treaty with the New Roman Republic.
6607
Trajan begins work on documents that would separate the military structure from the political, with the military acting as a watchdog over political excesses.
6608
Trajan dies, possibly of assassination.
6669
John Kershaw, the second ruler after Trajan's death, creates a set of Code Revisions abolishing restrictions on the rise to citizenship for slave and plebian classes, an unpopular move with those in power.
6679
General Ivanolo Buntari annihilates the KessRith world of Durmella after conquering it, setting in motion the series of events leading to the formation of the Renegade Legions. Grand General Douglas Constantin forces Buntari to resign his commission, and sends Buntari to Earth for court martial. Buntari's father, Carlos, uses his considerable political power to agitate for a different view of his son's actions. He causes the Illustrus Senate to be convened at New Rome; while the senate is in session, the Capital building blows up, killing a majority of the senate. Buntari's cronies are, however, spared.
Ivanolo Buntari is elected Caesar. He creates the Overlord class and the Terran Overlord Government (TOG).
15 Sept 6681
Grand General Douglas Constantin's son and his son's unit is wiped out; Constantin denounces the Buntaris, and leads his Legions, families and all, to the Commonwealth through the KessRith Empire. Buntari names them the Renegades.
15 Aug 6682
Douglas Constantin's Legions reach Frawtaw's Star, and are immediately attacked by the KessRith. The KessRith unexpectedly withdraw from the fight on the brink of victory, and the Renegades turn to face TOG forces. The KessRith join the Renegades in the battle against TOG, and TOG is forced to withdraw.
6691
Buntari issues the Patria Potestas, stripping all rights from women, even though his personal bodyguard unit made up entirely of women.
Nov 6691
Buntari begins a journey to Epsilon Eridani, accompanied by his bodyguards.
7 Dec 6691
Buntari's frozen body is found in space by a passing freighter; his former ship flees to join the Renegades.
6727
TOG expands its influence into the Naram Republic, making a vassal state of the part it does not actually annex. This triggers a massive migration of Naram to the Commonwealth.
An underground resistance to TOG is organized on Terra in response to censorship. To show their support of the Renegades, they create the red graffiti R.
6792
Nicholas Julianus Caesar elected.
6809
TOG conquers the last world in Keserdal County.
6811
TOG attacks Ancona and several surrounding planets. The element of surprise involved throws the Commonwealth forces into chaos and keeps them from winning a battle for ten years.
6815
The TOG intends to take Saguntum III in nine months. The 121st Commonwealth Legion takes advantage of the planet's perpetually bad weather to delay TOG conquest by two years. This delay causes Caesar Julianus to lose interest in the Shannedam County campaign; he transfers 25 percent of TOG troops and half the supplies out of Shannedam County. Despite this setback, TOG continues to makes advances, though the delay on Saguntum III allows some Commonwealth planets to maintain their freedom longer than expected.
6825
The new commander of TOG forces in the County, Lieutenant-General Marcus Spartivalcus, throws troops against Caralis and Messana in a badly organized assault, resulting in no gain of territory and a loss of face in the eyes of his superiors.
6829
In another badly planned attack, Spartivalcus strikes at Syriph XX, unaware that the world he plans to use as a staging base is a Renegade Legion supply and reinforcement base (Defiance). The fight continues to this day. One of the highlights of the conflict is the destruction of the TOG 816th Strike Legion by the 871st Renegade Strike Legion. TOG forces nickname Syriph Caesar's Folly in response to the mess they find themselves in. The planet's parliament adopts the name officially after the defeat of the 816th.
6830
Nicholas Julianus Caesar demands the Renegades be eliminated, and creates 2 additional Overlord positions, giving the responsibility for success or failure in this mission.
General Timons McKettrick retires after having led the Commonwealth defense for more than 20 years. He is replaced by General Anthony Biders of the Renegade Legions, an unusual move, since the Renegade Legions rarely put one of their own in Commonwealth command.
6831
The war in Shannedam County continues. It is a stalemate; both sides are exhausted, but reorganizing and reinforcing their troops for another offensive strike. Eight worlds are still contested territory. Caralis remains an important strategic point for both forces, and the major battle for possession is being fought on Alsatia. Neither side has gained a permanent advantage.
Gallery[]
