Overview: Orion 6

[MittenNinja]

Orion 6 is (as the name implies) the 6th planet in the Orion system and is home to one of the younger and more turbulent colonies to have been established by the Solar Union. Due to the large amount of valuable ores and minerals deposited on the planet, the Orion Colony is considered much more important for the Union to maintain as a supplier to the Sol system. The colonists, on the other hand, have taken inspiration from the events that have unfolded on Quall and have mounted a resistance to Union control. These resistance cells started out as small guerrilla forces making hit and run attacks on Union and UMFL bases stationed on the planet. By pushing Union forces out of some of the smaller cities and towns, the miners began to band together creating the Orion Militia. This first organized military force was the stepping stone to regaining control of Opis, the major port city on the surface, which is now capital to the Orion Colonist Freedom Movement (OCFM).

After losing their primary foothold on Orion 6, the UMFL and Solar Union decided to deploy the Serpent Legion to the arid planet. The Legion is a privately funded arm of the UMFL which generally operates in small groups across Union space. They primarily deal with highly specialized situations or high value targets, but the resources on Orion 6 are considered to be of the utmost importance to control. After all, all those materials could easily build an entire fleet of ships to further colonize the galaxy...

Table of Contents:
The Serpent Legion and UMFL
The OCFM
The Ijad
Tools of the Trade (Frames and Builds)

Links:
The Orion 6 Blog (mfzorion6.blogspot.com)
My Flickr Stream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mittenninja/)

[MittenNinja]

The Serpent Legion and UMFL

While the UMFL recruits from the colonists that they wish to enforce, the Serpent Legion is a highly trained, veteran group of soldiers and specialists who travel to the problem to solve it. This platform is very expensive to maintain, and is not nearly as cost effective as the UMFL's ways, but no one can argue the results. The Serpent Legion is usually called into a situation where the standard rank and file UMFL or other Union forces fall short. Rarely (if ever) will you see a battalion of Serpent Legion frames and armor marching over the horizon to eliminate a target. Only the absolute necessary amount of assets are deployed to achieve an objective since the cost of maintaining such an elite force is so high. It is much more common to see a company of Serpents in command of a larger UMFL composed force in large scale engagements, while preferring to work in small elite teams. If the UMFL is the hammer, the Serpents are the scalpel.

The Solar Serpent
While the Serpent Legion has a presence in many parts of the galaxy, it's home is among the satellites of Jupiter. Under the icy crust of Europa lies the underwater research facilities of the Legion's Skunkworks program, where experimental and prototype frames, weapons, and other technologies are developed and tested before being sent out into the field. The Legion's Headquarters is a station in orbit around the volcanic moon, Io. The King Cobra (the mysterious leader of and source of funds for the Legion) also has a large sum invested in the Olympus Shipyards which orbit Jupiter, and has an office on premises as well.

Legion Divisions:

Pit Vipers: The most prominent Legion division assigned to Orion 6. Most Free Colony members have only dealt with this company of hard nosed, determined soldiers. As a whole, they prefer mobile and hard hitting, close quarters frames like Sgt. Calwel's Modified Heavy Chub
Black Adders: A special forces company led by Cpt. Uri Reed. They are the only unit in the galaxy to be currently fielding the XF-13b Grand Naga in their urban operations.
Sidewinders: A majority of this unit has been assigned to badland patrol and recon on Orion 6. It has been rumored that they are in possession of a handful of the Skunkwork's new Stealth Chubs.

[MittenNinja]

The OCFM

The Orion Colonist Freedom Movement is not a single entity, but is comprised of many smaller cells and groups who all desire independence from the Union.

Opis
This bustling port city is the home to the leadership behind the OCFM. A council made up of leaders of all the separate resistance cells makes up the governing body of the organization, with city leaders acting as speakers, taking the leadership role of the council. Since the resistance forced the Union out of the city, factories and businesses have popped up within the limits to produce weapons and wares to help fight the Union and gain true independence. The first of these companies to emerge was Orion Heavy Industries. O.H.I. built the first production run combat purpose frames for the colonists, the mkII Meerkat. The Meerkat was originally a custom design used by a resistance cell called the Trident. It was so successful during their initial campaign against the UMFL, that it quickly became a symbol of the resistance. It was only fitting that it also became the first mass produced combat frame to be used by the OCFM.

Other than arms and armor, you can find almost anything you need in Opis. The rarest and most expensive items are fresh fruits and vegetables, due to the arid and harsh weather on the planet, but that doesn't mean you can't find a peach to sink your teeth into if you really want it.

The Orion Militia

As the first unified resistance military force on Orion 6, the Militia is a very young group of troops. Many of it's members have very little combat experience and are using second rate, or salvaged equipment. Luckily they're fighting on their home turf, they know the lay of the land and they have the support of the colony's citizens. Other than the small number of frames being pumped out by O.H.I., the Orion Militia uses primarily salvaged chubs, modified labor frames (like the Atlas), or frames stolen right from underneath the UMFL's nose (there is a small resistance cell that has become notorious for being able to do so).

• 31st Orion Militia Unit: Led by Cpt. Angelo and Sgt. Decker, a small ragtag group of resistance fighters doing the dirty work.

[MittenNinja]

The Ijad

Early on in the colonization process, the Ijad had absolutely no interest in the Orion system. The colonists dug into the crust of the sixth planet to extract the valuable ores from within, but they discovered something even more fantastic. An obelisk made of white stone with ancient carvings covering the surface. It didn't take long for the miners to start uncovering more of these relics spread out across the planet. Respected religious Ijad believe these relics are the remains of an ancient Ijad civilization, one that predates the known origins of their race.

This caused quite a stir among certain sets of the Ijad, bringing them to the now "holy" system in pilgrimage. Union and Free Colony officials both guarded these relics as possible sources of new technology.

[MittenNinja]

Tools of the Trade
A listing of frames and builds

The Serpent Legion

• ST-07SLC Fat Snake
• ST-09 Iguana
• ST-09b Spitting Dragon (Iguana Variant)
• XF-13b Grand Naga (Barebones Reference)

The OCFM

• FCR-01 mkII Meerkat
• Atlas Labor Frame

The Ijad

• Ijad Assault Drone

[MittenNinja]

reserved

[MittenNinja]

and one more for good measure. Post away people!

[Talusmouse]

Looks excellent!
We should really create a standard document that any one can copy so that all information a planet is standardized. I love the link idea might do that with my Planet after I get photos.However I also desire to know how you got such a great planet picture. I need four such pictures, how did you get it?

[MittenNinja]

Looks excellent!
We should really create a standard document that any one can copy so that all information a planet is standardized. I love the link idea might do that with my Planet after I get photos.However I also desire to know how you got such a great planet picture. I need four such pictures, how did you get it?

that one is actually from a Photoshop tutorial on how to create planets with that glow effect.

[Ced23Ric]

Heh. Last year, I was about to start a 40k campaign (which sadly fell apart. ) and made a starmap for that. I just googled for planet pictures and ran some filters/color&hue corrections over those, then...

[MittenNinja]

Heh. Last year, I was about to start a 40k campaign (which sadly fell apart. ) and made a starmap for that. I just googled for planet pictures and ran some filters/color&hue corrections over those, then...

That's pretty darn slick! once I get more of the settih fleshed ot I'm going to be trying my hand at some artwork for it as well.

[Ced23Ric]

Mittens, I have to undying urge to colaborate with you on a inter-system war between SU and Ijad. You and I. Me and you. The sky is nothing but an arbitrary term coined by non-space travel people. I wanna march lightyears to spend nanoseconds in the eta range amount with you, cooking up something so all encompassing, our children and our childrens highschool friends will want to talk about during detention.

Do you want to campaign with me?

[Talusmouse]

Mittens, I have to undying urge to colaborate with you on a inter-system war between SU and Ijad. You and I. Me and you. The sky is nothing but an arbitrary term coined by non-space travel people. I wanna march lightyears to spend nanoseconds in the eta range amount with you, cooking up something so all encompassing, our children and our childrens highschool friends will want to talk about during detention.

Do you want to campaign with me?

The way you wrote that last part about detentions gave me goose bumps and got me excited at the same time.

Mind if I ask to join?

[MittenNinja]

Do you want to campaign with me?

I'd be down to help out. With everything I have going on (including my setting) I can't promise full on collaboration, but I would be more than happy to bounce some ideas around and help flesh some stuff out. Let me know what you have in mind and ill do some brainstorming.

[schoon]

Really first-rate stuff in this thread.

As a fluffologist, I must give kudos here!

[MittenNinja]

Really first-rate stuff in this thread.

As a fluffologist, I must give kudos here!

Thank you! Keep checking back, it'll be growing and evolving constantly! And I'm totally stealing "fluffologist" for something.

[MittenNinja]

minor update on the orion militia.

[Ced23Ric]

I love those militia guys. They look so rag-tag awesome.

Also: Plugged you, down by Vesopia Mechworks work on the Urban Naga.

[The Trilobite]

Likin' those militia dudes, and totally agree with the 'ragtag awesome' look.

Would you mind terribly if I placed Odvisteurla near Orion 6? I like the idea of tying some of these creations together, and it would lend some much-needed substance to my own nearly formless creation.

[MittenNinja]

Likin' those militia dudes, and totally agree with the 'ragtag awesome' look.

Would you mind terribly if I placed Odvisteurla near Orion 6? I like the idea of tying some of these creations together, and it would lend some much-needed substance to my own nearly formless creation.

not at all man. just keep in mind that a lot of the frames and such don't have much of a reason to be seen off world. A lot of the serpent legion prototypes (nagas, and copperhead) only exist in handfuls, and are usually only deployed within a single company. The Black Adders for example are the only pilots in the galaxy that have Grand Nagas, since only about six exist outside of the research facilities on Europa.

Orion Heavy Industries on the otherhand, is so backed up with orders for the militia that to get something built for offworld the potential buyer would have to give them something more valuable than keeping up with the demand for reliable combat ready frames on the lines. And since the company is only comprised of about two dozen people, they don't have a lot of time to spare.

The iguanas, and atlas' though are much more common. iguanas are a standard issue frame among the Legion and atlas labor frames are a dime a dozen.