“Let the Empire know that the Allied Terran Republic lives. It has not died and will never die as long as we breathe and fight, because we are Terrae. Heaven knows, the raptors may soon have to face another extinction down the line, and we'll be the meteorite that strikes them down.”
- - Admiral Sun Wu
The term Terran Insurgency encompasses the many fleets, armies, partisan cells, and other organisations which rose up in the Allied Terran Republic in response to its occupation by the Galactic Empire of Cyrannus. United nominally under the Terran Government-in-Exile headquartered in the Alled Republic's Andromedan colonies, the Insurgency is actually more of a motley collection of independent factions, headed by individual commanders with different and often contradictory political views and agendas. However, all believe in the cause of liberating their homeland in the Orion Spur, and the end of the puppet government that the Empire has instated - and despite their differences, that fervent belief brings them all together. Indeed, the Insurgency constitutes one of the largest anti-Imperial resistance movements in the Gigaquadrant, and has been a thorn in the Empire's side for quite a long time.
History[]
Early Beginnings[]
The Empire's initial onslaught on the Allied Terran Republic had left the young human state in tatters: not only was it cut out from its distant colonies in the Cyrandia Cluster, who then swiftly fell to the Empire, Terrae itself would come under Imperial military occupation in 2822. The humiliating defeat of the Allied Republic's military on their capital world, and the revelation that its government had been infiltrated by the Bisistar Domain all along, would crush the spirit of the Terrans, and soon enough all of the ATR would come under Cyrannian rule. The new occupational authorities would then proceed to dismantle not just the Allied Republic's government, but the very idea of unified humanity, seeking to ensure that it would never threaten Imperial interests in Milky Way ever again.
Yet the "de-Terranisation" campaign did not have the planned effect on the population. Even though the truth of Bisistar corruption within the Allied Republic was revealed to the public, which the Imperial regime sought to exploit to delegitimise the old government, many remained loyal to the idea of human unity in spite of this revelation. Particularily successful in time was the radical Terran Legion party, who long sought to unify humanity against a common foe. It was its leaders who first proposed the now ubiqituous, if somewhat speciesist, motto of the human resistance, one that was directed towards both the Bisistar and the Empire: Death to the dinosaur. There were even some who proposed that the entire Bisistar infiltration was in fact an Imperial scheme: either the infiltrators never existed at all, or they were actually in cahoots with the Empire.
The Spark Flickers[]
In such an atmosphere of resistance, it did not take much time for a rebellion to begin forming. Amongst the civilian population in the heartland of Imperial Terrae arose, underground resistance sprung spontaneously. Non-violent at first, these groups began with peaceful protests against Imperial authority, but as the Empire began its first crackdowns, many of them took up arms, turning from civil resistance to guerilla warfare. Eventually, most of these guerilla forces banded up under the leadership of Siberian general Artur Demyanenko into a single network, which became known as the Terran Accord.
Meanwhile, what fleets and armies that remained of the Terran military began a hasty retreat from the occupied capital to the outskirts of the former Allied Republic. They flocked to its colonies in the Orion Spur, where the memory of the past conflicts was still vivid and the populace resented invaders the most. However, during this Great Retreat, the military resistance split between "loyalists" and "reformists". The former desired to restore the Allied Terran Republic as it was before the war, a peaceful e-democracy; the latter, led by the Terran Legion, argued that the new human state would have to be different - preferrably, stronger, with a stronger military and power vested in a stronger leader. The conflict between the two factions would almost tear the military apart; and the civilian branch of the resistance ultimately trusted neither.
Neverthless, the looming threat of the Empire would come to make the disparate human rebels realise that they had far more things in common that they had disagreements. That being said, it actually took an external force to nudge the rebels towards unifying, and that force was the Divinarium. One of the older powers in the Orion Spur, its leaders had long since despised humanity but now realised that, should the barbarous apes fall, Sanctuarium - the heart of their Holy Empire - would soon follow. Thus, the Divine Throne dispatched its Eye in the Night, the Nel'phanar, and its ambassadors approached the rebels, acting as a third party to mediate their internal struggles and offering covert aid with weapons and supplies. More importantly, the Nel'phanar arranged for the rebels access to wormholes which led to Andromeda, where one of the last remaining bastions of the Allied Terran Republic, Ragnabad, remained intact.
The Fire Rises[]
With the industry of the Kaiser-Shah Conglomerate, smuggled Divinarian arms, and newfound unity, the Terran Insurgency could begin in earnest. Following the peacetalks on Linnormr in 2823, the human rebels signed the so-called Meteor Charter, which created a formal government-in-exile on Ragnabad under the provisional presidency of Dianna Curie, former leader of the European Star Republic and one of the few Terran politicians who were not either dead or revealed to be Bisistar by then. This was merely a formality: the many factions of the Insurgency still followed their own commanders and agendas, and Curie was, for the most part, a figurehead rather than a true leader.
Yet this symbolic gesture provided a great moral boost for the resistance, and it was, in fact, a great step forward. Now, the Allied Terran Republic was not dismantled, not crushed without a trace as the Empire intended. It survived, with a face, a flag, and a name; and the oppressed humanity answered the call. The following year was marked by large-scale riots across Legatat Terraen; the Celtic cross of the ATR was graffitied all over Imperial institutions, and asssassinations of public officials became increasingly frequent. Meanwhile, the Raid on Pugachev by the Terran Legion became the first major (if strategically pointless) victory over the Empire by the Insurgency: though the rebels did not hold the planet for long, news of Imperial garrisons bombed to oblivion by human ships and the golden statue of Tyrómairon turned into molten slag resounded across the former Allied Republic.
All in all, hope rekindled itself.
Leadership & Organisation[]
Nominally, the Terran Insurgency is led by a government-in-exile on Ragnabad headed by Provisionary President Dianna Curie. This government is considered to be a temporary institution which will last until Terrae is freed from occupation and the Second Great Cyrannus War, at least in the Milky Way, is over. After that, a referendum in former ATR territories will be held to determine the future of the Allied Republic and its government, which will hopefully be reorganised to prevent further Bisistar infiltration. What form this new ATR will take, if it will exist at all after the war, is up to debate: some want it to become a more centralised state, others would prefer a loose federation similar to the Orion League. As of now, however, these debates are deemed irrelevant in the face of a greater threat, and all Terrans must unite under President Curie agaisnt the Empire.
De facto, while the Ragnabad government's legitimacy is indeed accepted by the intergalactic community, how much control does it have over the Insurgency is a complex question. Formally, the Terran Insurgency is divided into two branches: civil and military. The civil branch, meant to create a secret Terran authority parallel to Imperial institutions, largely engages in humanitarian work, spreading Insurgency propaganda in occupied territories and offering civil services to Terrans under Imperial rule. In some worlds, entire underground schools and cultural centers have been set up. Over civil institutions Ragnabad does indeed have a large degree of control.
The military branch of the Insurgency, however, while nominally swearing fealty to Curie, is in fact much more loyal to its own leaders, who each lead their own fleets, armies and partisan cells against the Empire. Factionism is rife, and there is no clear military hierarchy, with many officers refusing to follow their superiors due to political disagreements. Overall, three factions are dominant within the Insurgency: these three, to a point, also influence its civil institutions with their ideologies.
Factions[]
Our orders still stand. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right. The Allied Republic is united and indivisible; we will not stand by and watch the greatest dream of humanity die so easily.
- Ideology: Democracy, status quo
- Prominent leaders: Admiral Sun Wu
- Colours: Blue, white
- Strengths: Positive reputation, wide civilian support
- Weaknesses: Small numbers
Formed from the remains of the Terran Armed Forces, the Republican Army is a faction of loyalists, dedicated if not to the original ATR, then to its ideals and what it strove to be. Its main supporters are old veterans who saw the foundation of the Allied Republic itself, those who came through the crucible of the War of Ages and the Dominatus Wars. These stubborn men and women still wear their old tattered army uniforms, and pride themselves on the medals won during these dark days: they fought to see the ideals of the young human democracy survive, and would not give these ideals up so easily. The leaders of the Republican Army argue that, even though the government of the ATR was infiltrated by the Bisistar near its end, the system itself was not corrupt, only subverted by its enemies. Some even go as far as to claim that the entire Bisistar plot was an Imperial charade, and that the reptilian infiltrators are either in cahoots with the Empire or do not exist at all.
Either way, the political dogma of the Republican Army can be summed up in one phrase: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Loyal only to the provisional government on Ragnabad, Republicans sneer at the authoritarian Legion and the chaotic Accord who, in their eyes, are hardly more than traitors. Yet, as old veterans, they understand the importance of sticking together, and diversity of views, no matter how despicable, is a core Terran ideal; and thus the Republican Army tolerates its allies, however begrudgingly. The feeling is mutual: despise each other as they do, everyone understand that Republicans possess the most legitimacy in the eyes of both the Gigaquadrant and many in the occupied ATR. Thus Deseret and Demyanenko are content with letting them act as the face of the Insurgency as a whole.
In terms of military capability, the Republican Army is the smallest Insurgency faction by far; it does not field a massive guerilla network like the Accord, nor would it lower itself to mass consciption on liberated worlds like the Legion does. Yet what it lacks in numbers, it makes up with experience. Under its command are the Allied Republic's best strategical minds, experienced through decades of conflict. Though the Legion also has many ex-military members in its ranks, these are mostly young officers, with much less experience: it is the Republicans who are true veterans. Thus, when different Insurgency factions cooperate, it is usually them who take charge.
On the day they were revealed to the galaxy, we finally saw how flawed the old order really was. We fight not for what the Allied Republic was, but for what it could be, and for what it will be.
- Ideology: Decentralisation, reformation
- Leaders: General Artur Demyanenko
- Colours: Purple
- Strengths: Numbers, partisan cells
- Weaknesses: Lack of organisation
For many, the revelation of Bisistar influence in the Allied Republic was so shocking that it made them doubt the principles of the Terran state itself. Perhaps the ideal of human unity was folly, perhaps the centralised e-democracy itself was flawed and had to be replaced with a different system. Either way, the citizen of Terrae desired some change. Many of these disgruntled people first trusted the Imperial occupants, who they had hoped would enact that change, and bring Terran life quality to the Cyrannian level. Needless to say, it did not take much time for them to realise they had only changed one tyrant for another. Thus grew the Terran Accord. First trying to operate within Imperial law, its leaders soon realised - when the first mass executions began - that making the Empire listen to them peacefully would not work. Soon enough, protesters became guerillas, saboteurs, and terrorists.
Unlike the other two Insurgency factions, organised like armies, the Accord has no clear leadership outside of their founder Artur Demyanenko: each cell on each planet operates independently, and fights Imperial rule in its own way. This lack of organisation makes it very hard to rout out, as these cells are often ignorant of their comrades' activities, and there is no hierarchy to topple. It also makes the Accord rather diverse ideology-wise: it includes just about everyone not content with the ATR as it was, from reformists who want a more federalised Allied Republic, to racial separatists, to radical anarchists and speciecists (often used by Imperial propaganda to characterise the entire Insurgency).
While the Legion and the Republican Army engage the Empire in a fair fight, the Accord strikes at it from within. Though lacking in military experience, its partisans have taken the lives of many important Imperial officials and have been continuously disrupting its war machine. That being said, though the Accord's efforts in combating Imperial occupation are recognised by all, the fact that Demyanenko is not leading a unified force means that many both in the Insurgency and outside it are skeptical about his partisans, preferring instead to back its military branches who are more likely to maintain Terrae after the end of the occupation. As such, the Accord does not receive much aid from the outside world, relying more on its popular support within Imperial Terrae.
The Republic was weak. In failing to establish a strong government, it fell to invaders from within, and then from without. But our greatest defeat may yet become our greatest victory; for it presents us a chance to start anew.
- Ideology: Authoritarianism, stratocracy
- Leaders: General Javidana Deseret
- Colours: Red, gold
- Strengths: Superior organisation, military-grade weaponry
- Weaknesses: Negative reputation
Led by the bloodthirsty General Javidana Deseret, the Terran Legion represents the more militant, radical, and, some would say, darker branch of the Insurgency. The original Legionaries were a small political party in the Allied Republic that advocated the reformation of Terrae's government into a meritocracy and the creation of a stronger, more centralised human state. Though backed by a few influential benefactors, they never enjoyed great popularity among the common people, and were dismissed by many as zealots and warmongers. However, following the invasion of the Empire, what used to be a fringe group managed to rise up to the top. With a radical pan-humanist doctrine, powerful backers in the military, and impeccable organisation, the Legion was one of the first to muster a proper fighting force to fight the Cyrannian invaders, and the Empire quickly learned to fear its raider ships bearing its red and gold emblem.
Unlike the other branches of the Insurgency, the Legion does not necessarily see the invasion of the Empire as a bad thing. Some of its commanders were, in fact, notorious pro-Imperials before the war, and even today Javidana and her supporters have nothing but admiration for its system of government. The fall of Terrae, for them, was nothing but yet another proof of their views: the Allied Republic was a weak democracy which deserved to die. Yet from its ashes, a new human state can arise: stronger and prouder than before, more akin to the great alien nations such as the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene, the Delpha Coalition of Planets, or the Cyrannian Empire itself. That is not to say that they have any sympathy for Imperials as a people, however: "dinosaurs" are invaders, and like any enemies of the human race, they deserve to be crushed.
Although its military strength makes the Legion a valuable member of the Insurgency, their radical anti-democratic ideology has raised more than a few eyebrows amongst other members of the rebellion. It is a rogue faction, and though now it may be accepted by the rest of the rebellion, the Legion gains momentum, and the stronger it gets, the more its allies fear it - and the more its leaders feel that they do not need their allies either. Should Legionaries prevail in their crusade, the Allied Terran Republic may return to life not as it once was, but as something different altogether - for better or for worse.
Territory[]
Having lost its colonies in the Cyrandia Cluster and its heartland in the Milky Way Galaxy, the Insurgency is forced to operate from its colonies in the Andromeda Galaxy, which belonged to its member state known as the Kaiser-Shah Conglomerate, particularily the industrial world of Ragnabad which serves as its provisional capital and its shipyard. However, over the course of the war, the Insurgency managed to form a semi-stable presence within the Allied Terran Republic's outer Milky Way worlds in the Orion Spur, where opposition to the Empire is strong and neighbouring human nations, as well as the Divinarium, sneak in aid to the rebels. There, the Insurgency is in a constant struggle to liberate Terran worlds, who often change their owner multiple times every month as rebel fleets retreat and regroup. Sanctuarium with its wormhole network serves as a secret gateway between Andromeda and the Orion Spur, allowing Insurgency fleets to escape to Andromeda and for the government on Ragnabad to provide them a constant flow of supplies.
[]
The Insurgency relies on the remaining ships of the Allied Terran Navy, most of them frigates and capital ships which are easier to maintain and supply. Due to these limitations, many Insurgency commanders would retrofit their ships heavily, thus allowing their small ships to pack more firepower that would be normally expected from their size. Most larger ships - dreadnaughts and heavy destroyers - have been dismantled for parts and energy sources, though a few still remain in operation, such as General Deseret's legendary Harsiesis-class Dreadnought, the Desertsun Inquisition. Some Insurgency commanders have also succesfully hijacked Imperial vessels or taken them as trophies; these brave men and women are respected greatly by their peers, both for daring to make such great a feat and the firepower of their ships.
Foreign Relations[]
Partners[]
“We mean no harm to you.”
- The Divinarium - Our agreements still stand.
- New Republic Remnant - We will yet survive this night.
Enemies[]
“Tremple, o enemies of Terrae!”
- Galactic Empire of Cyrannus: Death to the dinosaur!
Quotes[]
“Now, aren't the little monkeys useful...”
Gallery[]
Symbols[]
Trivia[]
- The Terran Insurgency is based on a variety of real-life resistance movements, most of them from World War 2, in particular the Polish Secret State and the Yugoslavian resistance. The dynamic between the Republican Army and the Terran Legion is particular is based on the conflicts between Serbian Chetniks and the Yugoslav communist partisans under Josip Broz Tito.
