MOD:WCU:Landreich

The Free Republic of the Landreich is a fictional nation-state in the Wing Commander computer game and novel universe. As of this writing, nearly all references to it have been in the spinoff novels, most specifically Fleet Action, Action Stations, and False Colors. The last, in particular, gives us a detailed description of the lifestyles, government, and military of the Landreich.

Introduction & Summation

The Free Republic is a human-dominated state in the border territories between the Terran Confederation and the Kilrathi Empire. As such, it has seen a fair amount of the fighting prior to, during, and after the Kilrathi War, and has little liking for either of the superpowers - the Confederation for alternately neglecting them and treating them like recalcitrant children at best and near-traitors at worst, and the Kilrathi for routinely attacking their worlds. A democracy like its estranged parent the Confederation, the Free Republic is thoroughly infused with the independence and rambunctiousness that characterize the stereotypical ideal of "frontier spirit."

History and Appearances

The Free Republic apparently has existed since before the Kilrathi War; the exact date of its foundation is unclear, but it appears to have been in place long enough to have both become thoroughly independent of the Confederation and contemptuous of it, by the time of Action Stations in 2634. The Landreich started as a single colony world on the frontier--at the extreme limit of human space--and out of the way of the Human/Kilrathi border. Early in the War, the Kilrathi attacked the Landreich sector, but the Confederation knew it was a diversion and ignored the attack. The Landreich saw to their own defence. Kruger stole a Confed cruiser to fight the Kilrathi; the Confederation wished to arrest him as a result and the Landreich then expelled Confederation representatives and declared its independence. Other frontier worlds followed--8 major colornies and numberous smaller settlements. Later, it expanded to 14 colonies. (FC, 65).

At the time of the War's start, the Free Republic had the Hell Hole, alternately known as Buford's World, as its base of operations, and was presided over by Johann Blucher, an ex-Confed military officer. The beginning of the War saw the Landreich totter on the edge of obliteration for the first of several times, and obliteration was beat back only by a desperate counterattack. Hans Maximillian Kruger, who was later the Free Republic's president, commanded one of the warships in this attack.

Our next look at the Free Republic is in 2268, during Fleet Action. At this time the Landreich is fully militarized and resistant to the apparent peace treaty between the Confederation and the Kilrathi. Also, the capital is apparently now located on Landreich itself, while the Hell Hole remains the main military base. By now, Kruger - most often now known as Max Kruger - is the Free Republic's president, and military commander-in-chief. Throughout the novel, we see him as a hands-on commander, with a decided taste for bold moves and unorthodox strategies. He is also fiercely anti-Confederation, being convinced to lead his fleet to assist Geoffrey Tolwyn at the Battle of Earth only by eloquent and repeated entreaties by Jason "Bear" Bondarevsky.

The most recent, and most detailed, look at the Landreich is in False Colors, which takes place in 2670, right after the end of the Kilrathi War. While the novel's main focus is on Tolwyn, Bondarevsky, and Vance Richards searching out a lost Kilrathi heavy carrier and repairing it for the Landreich, a fair amount of the story is devoted to filling in the blanks about the Free Republic.

We learn that after the end of the war with the Kilrathi, the Landreich was still considered by many to be a haven for outlaws and criminals. (False Colors, 31). News broadcasts carried stories of the colonies' refusal to accept Terran authority and accusations that the Landreich was deliberately provoking the Kilrathi. Nonetheless, the Landreich had been raided by ships from the Hralgkrak province under the command of Ukar dai Ragark.

Here, we learn that the Free Republic consists of eight major worlds and fourteen or more less populous or industrialized colonies. The government has a legislative body similar to the Confederation's Senate, based on Landreich, but Kruger as the president commands a great deal of both influence and popular acclaim - in fact, there seems to be something of a cult of personality surrounding him. He has continued the buildup of the Landreich military, in fact purchasing decommissioned warships from the Confederation, and later proves himself as apt to lead his nation's military in person as he was in Fleet Action. Also, there is a "Guild", apparently of pirates and mercenaries, operating from the Hell Hole, which has been largely abandoned since being subject to a massive nuclear strike during Fleet Action.

The last glimpse we get of the Landreich is a passing remark in Wing Commander IV's novelization. The implications therein are that the Free Republic is an ally of the Union of Border Worlds, but not a member.

Text taken from Wikipedia

The Landreich Military

The Landreich lacks the money, time, or inclination to rigidly organize their military. Their equipment and uniforms consist of what they could steal, scavenge, salvage, or buy on the cheap. (False Colors, 32)

Their navy contains several decommissioned Confederation ships. Kruger began the practice of naming cruisers after famous military leaders that ended up in exile, such as Themistocles.

The Landreich, under Kruger's leadership, is attempting to buy up every demobilized Confed ship that it can. (FC 54).

After the war, the Landreich is still using Raptors and Hornets.

The Landreich's Economy and Politics

A great deal of the money going into buying ships probably comes from the Galbraith family. (FC, 120). The Galbraiths are the most prominent of the robber baron families; Daniel Webster Galbraith is Kruger's main rival in the government.

Worlds of the Landreich

Ilios

Ilios is the most recent colony to join the Landreich in False Colors. It is a leading industrial world and has been raided by the Kilrathi from Hralgkrak. They demand greater military support from the Landreich and their support for Kruger has wavered as a result of perceived neglect.

Tar

Tara was one of the first colinies to join the Landreich.

Hellhole

Hellhole, also known as Buford's World, was a Landreich military base and later a Guild base.

New Plains

New Plains is a world on the boundary of the Landreich and the Confederation. (FC, 109)