The Schattenkorps was formed as a tight-knit intelligence division of the Rote Hessen Front. Established in total secrecy in 836 AS by Colonel Jorg Frei and his lieutenants, the division operates largely independent of the Front and the broader Hessian faction, acting as the covert eyes and ears of the High Command.

The division is comprised of a select number of highly skilled Hessians, many of them former legionaries of the now-defunct Tartarus, a remnant of the Hellfire Legion. These individuals are highly trained and possess the expertise required to conduct reconnaissance and unconventional warfare operations. Schattenkorps operatives carry out their tasks individually or in small wings, while all command and reporting is centralized under the Schattenmeister, who serves as the sole communication link to the Colonel, and the main faction itself, through a direct and highly secured communication channel.

Operating from their headquarters on Fort Brass, a seemingly inconspicuous annex to Diamant, the Schattenkorps operatives appear to the average Hessian as nothing more than Freelancers picking up work around the station. This facade is maintained to ensure that no information regarding the division’s existence leaks beyond the organization itself.

The need for the creation of an intelligence division arose within the inner circle of the High Command, as a result of the continued lackluster performance and unreliability of third-party actors such as Junkers, mercenaries, and black-market sources in providing actionable intelligence.

Under the suggestion of Lt. Colonel Markus Brass, the Schattenkorps was established as a direct and reliable means of gathering intelligence, not only within the Rheinland criminal underworld, but across any region of Sirius within the operatives’ reach. Realizing the potential, the division was quickly expanded into the shadow arm of the Front, tasked with furthering its objectives by any means necessary.

The organization's primary goals include, but are not limited to:

• Reconnaissance and intelligence gathering;
  
  
• False-flag operations and covert actions;
  
  
• Manipulation of black market networks and information flows;
  
  
• Research into Nomad technology and warfare techniques against the Wilde.
  

In terms of technology and equipment, the Schattenkorps are allowed to use only civilian ships and weaponry. The shipline will be limited only to gunboats, frigates, freighters, bombers and fighters.