Queen Carina's Privateers (QCP)

[The QCP]

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Queen Carina's Most Diligent Interdiction Wing, more commonly known as Queen Carina's Privateers, are the controversial brainchild of Sir Andrew Stuart, a roguish Bretonian Armed Forces Admiral gone renegade with his band of extremely patriotic scoundrels.

They came to be thanks to Stuart's treatise on interdicting hostile trade as a means of crippling their wartime production and generating much needed income. Thanks to this idea, inspired by historical pirates and privateers, he and his men were granted Letters of Marque, to enable them to, effectively, get away with robbing people, so long as they were assisting the forces of the Crown.

Letter of Marque

This rapidly brought much in the way of accusations of war-crimes, vehemently denied by the Privateers, who state that it is better to defeat a foe's economy than to slaughter millions of conscripts. The Kusari government, of course, cared little for this claim (be it true or false), made by these Bretonian pirates.

They would attempt to use political leverage with Liberty and Rheinland to hurt Bretonia thanks to these terribly effective thieves, who are potentially the most hated men and women in Kusari, in spite of being much loved by Bretonians of all stripes, be they the poor workers seeing them stealing from rich Kusari corporations and use the proceeds to mock them by spending some of their ill-gotten gains on assisting the defence of Leeds and Harris, or be they the privileged elite, who often see them as romantic dashing heroes, much like in the period dramas about pirates that flood the NeuralNet.

Due to the condemnation of their illegal actions, the Bretonian Government had to distance themselves from the Privateers, at least in the public eye. They were cast out, operating from remote bases, such as the BMM Gate Construction Site in Tau 23, and often turning up at Trafalgar Station, the Junker base in New London, to fence goods stolen from their mutual enemy, the Kusari.

Thankfully, the Bretonian Police Authority and the Bretonian Armed Forces could not arrest them. After all, they had not committed any offence against the Crown. They just couldn't associate with them.

This allowed the formerly official Bretonian Armed Forces Interdiction Wing to use its own initiative more, to do controversial things which they believed would aid Bretonia. They are now believed to associate with Junkers quite regularly, as well as Golden Chrysanthemums.

Interestingly, despite being seen to be a criminal element, Sir Andrew seems to hand-pick his team extremely well, such as the reliable Fortunatus Wright, who led the Privateers whilst Andy spent a period in prison as a part of a government public relations stunt.

Even though Sir Andrew Stuart and his loyal ship have been missing in action, the Privateers haven’t given up. They have redoubled their efforts growing in strength and in tenacity under new leadership.

When Gallia invaded the Taus, the nature of the war changed, but the privateers did not. Abandoning the fight (if not the animosity) against Kusari, the privateers continued to haunt the Taus and extended their strikes into the unknown space of Gallia. Like before, the privateers fought with any means they deemed necessary. New pilots continued to join, from any background so long as they were loyal enough for the Wing to take on.

An incident between the privateers and the IMG sparked an open declaration of the privateers as criminals within Bretonia. However, thanks to the privateers’ actions against the Gallic Royalists and newfound friends, the privateers have returned to Bretonia as a legal, if not a wholly accepted entity.

At present, Privateers can be found across the Taus and Omegas, doing immense damage to the economy of Her Majesty's foes, be it via piracy and extortion or be it via fraud. They may also be found flying sorties into Gallic space, or you might just see one following a trader naive enough to believe it was safe to supply the enemies of the Crown. When not alone, the privateers have been gathering friends, working with others to begin plans for combined operations against the Gallic foe.

Love them or hate them, be their pilots scoundrels or heroes, the Privateers are known to make things interesting wherever they fly.

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Current Diplomacy

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Allied

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Bretonian Armed Forces
Bretonia Intelligence Service

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Friendly

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Borderworlds Exports
Bretonian Police Authority
Gateway Shipping
Golden Chrysanthemums
Junkers
Outcasts
Planetform Incorporated
The Council
Any vessel, regardless of colours flown who will assist against the most pressing enemy (Gallics and Corsairs)

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Neutral

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Colonial Remnant
Gallic Brigands
Independent Miner’s Guild
Liberty Navy
Zoners
Imperial Kusari Forces
Liberty Corporations

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Unfriendly

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Blood Dragons
Bounty Hunters
Gas Miners Guild
Mollys
Rheinland Corporations

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Hostile

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Farmers' Alliance
Gaians
Hogosha
Kishiro
Kusari Naval Forces
Kusari State Police
Samura

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At War:

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Corsairs
Gallic Corporations
Gallic Royal Navy
Gallic Police
All other vessels, regardless of colours flown who assist Gallic Royalist or their lackeys

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Largely Unknown or Situational:

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Gallic Junkers
Maquis
Union Corse
Others Not Named

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Colours Flown

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Ships are tagged 'QCP|*Crew Abbreviation*-*Pilot's.Name*. Gunboats are tagged ‘QCP|*Crew Abbreviation*-*Ship Name*’. Armed Merchant Cruisers are tagged ‘QCP|AMC-*Ship Name*’
Examples:
QCP|CC-James.Johnson
QCP|CC-Cardiff_Revenge
QCP|AMC-Dover
They all use Bretonian Privateer IFFs and Bretonian Privateer IDs.

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Equipment Used

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The QCP use a mixture of Bretonian and civilian equipment. They have a lot of Bretonian vessels left over from their time as an official arm of the Bretonian Armed Forces, but most new vessels tend to be bought from sympathetic civilians with their own, stolen, money. They appear to use Bretonian weapons exclusively, it being easier to slip a few guns off-world than it is to sneak a ship to them.

In some rare cases privateers will also be fitted with technology from their friends. This would most commonly be a Junker ship, or some Junker fitted mods given to the privateers in hopes of assisting the struggle against Gallia.

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Recruitment

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If you would like to join the Privateers, please take a look at this Communication Channel

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Leadership At Present Day:

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Queen Carina’s Privateers are overseen by a representative of the Queen known as the Lord Brigadier. This individual is there to relay information of our activities to Her Majesty and to help us in anyway they can. They handle all the paperwork for the Privateers while we do all the dirty work.


The Lord Brigadiers ‘man-on-the-ground’ is the Lord Privateer. This person is voted in by the Captains Summit (more on this later) and works as Queen Carina’s Privateers foremost representative and leader. He is there to pass information to the Lord Brigadier and to make sure that the Captains and by extension their Crews hold to the decisions made by the Captains Summit. He also works as the diplomat for the Privateers, seeking out possible alliances and bringing these to the Captains Summit to be decided upon.


The Captains Summit is a meeting of the Captains of Queen Carina’s Privateers. In this summit the Captains discuss future actions and diplomacy. The Lord Privateer heads this summit and be glad he is, some of the Captains are well known to have rivalries. Any Captain may put forward a proposition that is then voted upon by the Captains and the Lord Privateer. Each member has one vote per proposition. If you want something to be pushed through then you had best make some friends here. The current Lord Privateer is a man named Finnan Campbell. He is also the man responsible for uniting the Privateers.


Following the traditional Privateer and Pirate way of life, the Privateers have absorbed the Pirate ranking system. It is known that the crews used to fly as independent groups, this is still the case. However with the placement of the Captains Summit and the Lord Privateer the crews are now more united and strong. There is still infighting and rivalries, but the Lord Privateer will not stand for any Privateer on Privateer piracy or outright fighting. Leading the Crews are the Captain. These oversee the Crew. The Captain can be overthrown if they are incapable of leading the crew to its fullest and is found to be sloth (Best get the Lord Privateer on your side first though). The Captain then chooses his First mate. The First Mate acts as the 2nd In command of the crew. He or She only answers to the captain and when the Captain is not present, he takes command of his crew. The Captain will also chooses his own Quartermaster. This person oversees the outfitting of each new member of the crew and he is also in charge of day to day working of the crew and maintenance of the ships and weaponry. See him if you have a request to make regarding technology or a new ship.

With the newly united Queen Carina’s Privateers comes a new separate Division. This is the Armed Merchant Cruisers (or AMC) They work as the trading/smuggling arm of the Privateers and keep us supplied and help build alliances via this trade. They are also available for when you have information of a large convoy and need someone to collect that loot! The Armed Merchants are headed by the Sailsmaster. This individual is of the same rank as a Captain, they will sit at the Captains Summit and is rewarded a vote. Their men carry the rank of Boatswain. They are the Armed Merchant equivalent of Crewmembers.

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Detailed Diplomacy Notes for any Privateer:

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Bretonian Armed Forces: These ladies and gentlemen have always been a strong ally of the Privateers. With the original Privateers having been a division of the Armed Forces. In recent times the bonds are still strong and Privateers will help the Bretonian Armed Forces in anyway they can. Treat them with respect.

BIS: Our closest working partners in Bretonia. These guys gave us redemption and brought us back into the fold with the Admiralty. It was done quietly so we can continue our independent mission, but now we are no longer outright criminals at home. Yeah, they are a bunch of spooks who seem to know more than they should, but as long as they watch our behinds this is all the better for us. Help their agents, work together, burn Gallics and Corsairs. Oh, and be sure to out-fly those "elite" Black Guard any chance you get.

BPA: Some will give you a praising salute, the next might try to throw you in the brig. Loophole your way out of any tricky situation. Privateers are heroes in Bretonia, not common criminals. The law might not always be fond of us, but we've always been the Queen's loyal pilots. If the BPA give you trouble, keep in mind that your business in Bretonia is perfectly lawful (as it should be). Oh, and if things get too rough file a complaint.

Bretonian Corporations: Don't pirate them, help them out instead! If the captain is nice, you might get a tip!

Crayter Republic: These folks used to be our primary foe. But the times have changed, and the Gallics have become the true foe of the land. Our relationship is complicated. On one hand they hate Outcasts, on the other hand they hate Gallia. However, the privateers hate neither the Outcasts, nor the Republic. Feel welcome to treat the Republic as allies until outcasts show up. You are ordered not to get into a catfight between the Republic and Outcasts. Just leave calmly. (CR is considered neutral-friendly)

The Council: The main Gallic opposition to the Royalist Government of Gallia. These guys don't like pirating, but they do like shooting the Gallic Navy. They also enjoy turning a blind eye to the loot we steal from unsuspecting Gallic transports. On top of that, they've opened their bases for our use and even introduced us to their new home base in Rousillon. The Council are our new and finest friends in this hour. They take care of our pilots and offer us refuge while we can do the wetwork they aren't inclined to personally. A complete win-win.

Gallic Brigands: The largest outrightly criminal element fighting the Gallic Royalist. Like the Golden Chrysanthemums in Kusari, we share a keen interest in procuring goods and blowing up the same people. Unlike the Chrysanthemums, the brigands are not a bunch of warm, helpful, inviting and ultimately deadly ladies. The Brigands have opened some select spots for us to land in Gallia, and helped us with some maps of the core systems. it's always been clear they expected results in return. Treat them well, and get along. But keep sharp, friend is a term still too remote here.

Golden Chrysanthemums: These Kusari ladies run the cardimine trade there and though we chaps perfer not to touch that stuff the Chrysanthemums have been very helpful to our cause. They've helped us capture loot from unsuspecting Samura and Kishiro transports and opened their station to us for our own rest and safety. Treat these ladies as any trusted ally deserves, and remember to wipe your feet on the welcome rug before you step inside.

Junkers: We've always got on well with these chaps, many of whom are Bretonian themselves. They've given us places to offload the good we...ah...liberated. They hate the Hogosha, Kusari and the Gallics just about as much as we do. And they make good stuff and are always willing to clean up a scrap heap that wasn't there before we arrived. Don't underestimate the value of these friends. And if you do see a Junker vessel assisting the Royalist, I'm sure the Congress would be very interested...

Outcasts: We are generally friendly to the Maltese because it works bloody well. We don't like Kusari, and we can't stand Gallia. They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and that's what the Outcasts are. Or at least that where it started. Since then, privateers and Outcasts have shed blood together in many a fracas, strengthening the friendship. Although the Outcasts do run the cardimine trade, it is most serious in liberty and not very profitable in Bretonia. Cardimine isn't our problem, let the Police deal with anything that might require attention. The Outcasts are key friends, especially in Orkney where they may give us the opportunity to take refuge. Don't piss these folks off, because most of our work wouldn't be possible without them

Zoners: Just because they are Zoners, doesn't mean they can go supporting Gallia just like that. If you see them blatantly shipping for Gallia, make it very clear the Privateers believe that all Gallic Royalist goods are actually the property of the Privateers. Don't bother with Zoners minding their own business and not assisting the Crown's enemies. We need not make more targets for ourselves. (This goes for Freelancers and such too).

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//Last Update: 28/11/2017

-Layout Changed
-"Leadership At Present Day" Added
- Grammatical Changes Made
-Changing of Diplomacy Notes
Added Up-To-Date Information to “Leadership At Present Day”

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