| Lisburn Rock | |
| Owner | |
| Mollys | |
| Location | |
| G-2/3, Cambridge |
CLASS: Lough
GRAVITY: Complete
DOCKING: Yes
AMENITIES: Yes
CREW: 140
The Rock was first discovered by Molly scouts in 794 AS, with excavation eventually completed in 804 AS. Lisburn Rock represented the Mollys' first forays into the traditional Corsair territory of Cambridge, and an expansion of Molly influence into Omega-3. Once a relatively quiet base that was used to launch raids on local shipping, Lisburn Rock became a valuable supply hub due to its proximity to Freeport 1. It also instigated the growing alliance with the Red Hessians, as both groups' mutual interests and enemies aligned in the Omegas.
Operations on Lisburn Rock escalated rapidly with the colonization of Planet Sprague in 818 AS. The project resulted in a boom of unprotected BMM and Bowex convoys, and an Armed Forces spread too thin by the Gallic War to adequately respond. Sprague's appalling living conditions and mismanagement by BMM were also responsible for large-scale discontent among the Leeds refugee population. This provided the Mollys with an enormous windfall of resources, support and recruits from dissatisfied Bretonian workers.
With the Rock coordinating infiltration onto and extractions from Sprague, the base quickly came to host the largest Molly squadrons. In 830 AS, these inexperienced squadrons made up the majority of the force used to take Dublin, and a disproportionate bulk of the casualties incurred during engagements with the Battleship Essex. The Molly's success with Free Dublin has come at a price, with Arranmore demanding Lisburn provide ever increasing numbers of pilots and smugglers to sustain their new state.
Bribes & Missions Offered
| Bribes |
| Missions |
Commodities
| Exports | ||||||||||||||
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Ships sold
| Ship | Class | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jackal | Light Fighter | 18,282$ |
| Greyhound | Heavy Fighter | 21,728$ |
| Harrier | Very Heavy Fighter | 25,789$ |
| Wolfhound | Bomber | 51,362$ |
| Buzzard | Bomber | 68,332$ |
| Barghest | Bomber | 75,012$ |
| Bloodhound | Very Heavy Fighter | 25,309$ |
| Border Worlds Gunship | Gunboat | 855,006$ |
News
| [835 AS] Coalition reinforcements slow to arrive |
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ZHEJIANG ORBITAL -- 835 -- Molly emissaries have been dispatched to Omega-52 in an attempt to petition Coalition leaders. After Coalition auxiliaries attached to the Powrie Brigade suffered heavy casualties, replacement reinforcements have been slow to arrive. Despite promises of “bottomless materiel resupply”, Coalition leaders have dragged their feet and evaded questions on when exactly additional ships will arrive. Mid-level functionaries on Zhejiang Orbital have prevented our emissaries from travelling further into their space, while advising that a significantly increased “donation” of Molly Gold may rebalance the Supreme Council’s priority assessments. |
| [835 AS] Mollys increase signing bonus |
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ITHACA -- 835 -- The Mollys have significantly increased offered pay for pirates and mercenaries willing to go fight in Dublin. Many gangs have been reluctant to take up the Gold-plated offer, seeing a House invasion fleet as a much bigger deal than tangling with local police. Despite that, there’s always someone bloodythirsty or mad enough to follow the money, and a steady trickle of pilots have headed to Trafalgar Base in New London to reinforce the Molly Brigades. If you think you’ve got what it takes, track down a Molly officer on Ithaca and accept the Golden shilling. |
| [835 AS] Bretonians bloodied by Hellburner bombs |
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ARRANMORE -- 835 -- As insurance against Bretonia breaking through the Achill minefield, the Hegemons Hope and Fortune were converted into enormous armored bombs. As our Brigades engaged the enemy near the Achill and Founders Fields, waves of Hegemons were launched to obscure our fire ships. The Fortune arrived first, with the detonation destroying the Battlecruiser Adlington. The Hope was heavily damaged on approach, nearly allowing the Battlecruiser Bracknell’s escape. Captain Saoirse Keane heroically chose to prematurely detonate the Hope rather than evacuate, crippling the Bretonian invader. Both directions of advance have now stalled, allowing us to reconstitute depleted Brigades. |
| [835 AS] Invaders breach Dublin |
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ARRANMORE -- 835 -- In a grim day for the Republic, Bretonia has avoided the Achill minefields and deployed forces directly into Dublin. Seeming to use an artificially created Jump Hole, scouts report the Battleship Somerset is acting as some sort of anchor. Bretonian cruiser formations have immediately begun to push towards the Achill and Founders Fields to cut our supplies and force a fight in open space. A coordinated defense will be complicated by the continued Corsair occupation of the Hood Field, which limits our ability to launch ambushes from that direction. Arranmore’s Brigades are being deployed to block Bretonian advances, while Hellburner assets are moved into position. |
| [835 AS] Recapture of Dublin commences! |
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BATTLESHIP ESSEX -- 835 -- Admiralty representatives have confirmed that the Bretonian operation to recapture Dublin has been initiated. Defense commentators have long assumed the Bretonia Armed Forces would breach the system via a Jump Hole believed to be concealed within the Cumbria Asteroid Field. Forecasts predicted a bloody advance, given the Mollys renown expertise as ambush fighters, and prolific use of concealed mines. Despite this, Bretonian officials confirm that the Battleship Somerset has established a bridgehead in the system without casualties. “This will be a quick operation,” Admiral Rowley noted. “The Mollys cannot stand in open space.” |
| [835 AS] Outcast assassins prowl Bretonia |
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NEWCASTLE -- 835 AS -- Newcastle’s criminal underworld waits with bated breath, following the disappearance of Outcast Arnold De Angelis, son of Don Liviano De Angelis. The enraged cartels have dispatched a squad of their elite assassins, who have resolved to uncover the fate of the missing son and mete out retribution -- whatever the cost. While a hundred thousand credit bounty for information has been offered, Dardi Squadron also promises to leave a trail of corpses in their wake. The presence of some of Sirius’s deadliest killers has already led to unease among Newcastle’s Gaians, Mollys and Bounty Hunters. |
| [835 AS] New gang sets up shop on Ithaca |
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ITHACA -- 835 -- There’s a new Bretonian gang on Ithaca, calling themselves the Privateers. Those of you who had Tau business back in the day might recognize the name -- they were the cutthroats who went after Kusari and Gallic transports at the Queen’s behest. After the war, Bretonia got cold feet about their feral mutts, and tried to muzzle them. Many ended up on Newgate, while others went to ground and turned full pirate. Henry King has paid tribute to the Captains Council on the Privateers’ behalf, and promised to keep the peace. “We ain’t here to step on toes, just got some business in Rheinland,” he says. |
| [834 AS] Reinforcements head for the Front |
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LISBURN ROCK -- 834 -- The Mollys may be suffering for supplies and manpower, but there’s one thing we’re not short of: Gold. As stocks run out across the sector, it’s more valuable than ever. Agents from Lisburn bring good news, fresh from a parlay with Omega-7's Ithaca Council. They may be ruthless pirates, but they do love Molly Gold. A number of Ithaca’s gangs have signed on for mercenary work. In other good news, reps on Arranmore confirm that after some hard bargaining, the Coalition Supreme Council’s has agreed to a military deployment in exchange for a hefty fee -- we should have reinforcements to help tip the balance soon enough. |
| [834 AS] Worth his weight in Gold |
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ARRANMORE -- 834 -- Dublin was isolated by the collapse of the Jump Hole network. Since then we have fought tooth and claw to break Corsair and Bretonian blockades that want to throttle our Republic in its infancy. The arrival of Zachary Phelps’ Dromedary freighter at Arranmore promises to change everything. The Zoner was prospecting Omega-49's Alegranza Cloud for minerals when he came across something far more valuable: an uncharted Jump Hole. Braving the unstable connection, he found himself in Dublin and hailed a Molly patrol. For his discovery, Arranmore awarded Phelps with his ship’s weight in Gold. We have already made contact with the Coalition and Militant cells on Gran Canaria about the resupply possibilities this presents. |
| [834 AS] Bretonian assault on Dublin imminent |
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LISBURN ROCK -- 834 AS -- Scouts in Cambridge have confirmed the arrival of both the Battleships Essex and Sommerset at Portsmouth Shipyard. More concerning, they were accompanied by Kishiro transports escorted by Kusari government agents. We don't know what Kusari is up to here, but it's nothing good for the Mollys or a Free Dublin. Withdrawing both Battleships at once is also unheard of -- the BAF must be making final preparations for their attack. There is a narrow window of opportunity to hit them in their drydock. Plans are being urgently drawn up; be ready to strike on short notice. |
| [834 AS] Oldest Molly passes away |
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ARRANMORE -- 834 AS -- Ian Carew has died peacefully in his sleep, aged 101. As a teenager, Ian famously hijacked a Bowex freighter during the Founder's Day Revolt. Helping to establish Arranmore, Ian preferred simple custodial tasks at base, keeping morale high with his musical talent and jokes. His stories of the movement's earliest days were an inspiration to many, and will be remembered fondly. Over the decades, Ian saw all his original comrades killed, captured or pass to age, but insisted he'd outlive BMM in Dublin. Though blind and bound to his wheelchair for his final years, he did indeed survive to see our great victory. With his passing, we will cherish the Founders' memories and honor their legacy as a new chapter of Molly history begins. |
| [834 AS] Dangerous anomaly appears in Dublin |
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ARRANMORE -- 834 -- Sensors across Dublin have gone haywire after a strange anomaly appeared in the wreckage of the New London Jump Gate. Molly leaders have ordered their pilots to keep clear after significantly elevated radiation and gravimetric fluctuations were detected. Some have speculated that the object may be the early formation of an abnormal type of Jump Hole, possibly caused by the damage inflicted during the Jump Gate's destruction. |
| [833 AS] Unexpected allies in Liberty? |
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ARRANMORE -- 833 -- Holding Dublin has taken a grueling toll on the movement, but we remain unbowed and unbroken. Bretonia’s blockade is not working, and they are coming under increasing pressure from the other Houses for throttling the sector’s Gold supply. Bretonia is going to make their move soon; our job is to make that push through the Achill Field as bloody as possible. Our sappers have deployed mines to give any Bretonian capital ships that make the crossing a nasty surprise. Liberty doesn't think Bretonia can win a straight fight here, and if we can bloody the BAF’s nose, they’ll be forced to negotiate on our terms. Dublin belongs to the miners. If the Crown wants our Gold, they can recognize the Dublin Republic and buy it... for a premium. |
| [833 AS] Carlisle cartels move on Slog |
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CARLISLE -- 833 -- Slog has got its hooks into Bretonia’s workers, and there’s cash to be made filling that demand. It seems the Gaians and Mollys certainly think so, as both groups have sent their own people to put the screws to the producers on Carlisle. What once was an independent operation is now being torn in half by the Bretonian underworld, as both factions see the trade as a quick, if dirty, means of funding their causes. It remains to be seen how the Gaians and Mollys will settle their differences. If you’re in the market for Slog, your options have never been better. |
| [833 AS] Cambridge on the Line |
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NORFOLK -- 833 AS -- The number of recorded Corsair incursions across Cambridge has increased by 193%% in the last 3 years. According to Captain Edwards of the Battleship Norfolk, this is simply a result of the successes in detecting and reacting to attacks. "You can't respond to a Corsair you don't know is there," he noted. "The Cambridge Line ensures we know when and where to deploy our resources for maximum effect." Retired Major Jane Gilliam disagrees. "The Line was never fit for purpose," she says. "The Regents lobbied London to keep it, and so the pantomine continues." It is speculated that the spike in Corsair raids may have been prompted by increased resistance elsewhere, or a shift in their internal politics. Regardless of their true motivations, Interspace Commerce has recognised the elevated peril and adjusted its premiums accordingly. |
| [832 AS] The price of freedom |
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ARRANMORE -- 832 AS -- We now control Dublin, with the wealth of its gold belonging to the miners who extract it. We are responsible for protecting what is ours, and repelling invaders and thieves. The Corsairs have long been an thorn in our side, but expelling the Bretonians has emboldened the pirates to invade in force. We mourn for the loss of our brothers and sisters aboard the Hood, who the Corsairs murdered in cold blood. Many of the system's jump holes lost phase alignment when the New London Jump Gate was destroyed, meaning we are no longer able to access Omega-49 or Leeds for supplies. Both the barbaric Corsairs and cowardly Bretonians want to starve us out by blockading the New London jump hole, which is the last stable exit we are aware of. For a Free Dublin to survive, we require each Molly station to immediately dispatch a wing of their best smugglers for service. |
| [832 AS] Bitter medicine |
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ARRANMORE -- 832 -- Since the capture of Dublin, our war against Bretonia and the Corsairs has been brutal, pushing our fighters to their limits in the name of freedom. Many have turned to the drug Slog for much-needed relief, numbing mental and physical pain. Despite that, there has been a cost, to both the soul and treasury. Gold that should be funding the cause is instead diverted to dealers on Carlisle for drugs. The addiction also numbs our senses, dulling fighting instincts and working spirit. You're free men and women who fought for the right to make your own decisions, but think carefully before you inhale. |
| [832 AS] Bloodless victory turns sour |
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KILREA -- 832 AS -- Liberation Day in Dublin hit the tyrannical Bretonian Crown where it hurts the most: the treasury. Starved of blood-soaked Gold, Bretonia is withdrawing from Poole. All the system's liberation required was patience - to wait for DSE to finish disassembling the Jump Gate. Sadly, this victory has turned sour with the destabilization of the Dublin and Omega-49 jump holes, and signs that Cambridge may soon follow suit. If these fail, our people will be stranded. Colraine has issued evacuation orders to Kilrea and Garvagh. Mull Base has offered to provide transports to assist with extraction to Lisburn Rock in Cambridge. We will monitor this space -- as soon as the jump holes return, so shall we. |
| [831 AS] 'Slog' banned throughout Bretonia |
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NEW LONDON -- 831 -- The drug 'Slog,' otherwise known as Carix, has officially been banned across Bretonia. It is now a criminal offense to possess or distribute this drug in any quantity. The strict prohibition comes in response to the rising popularity of this dangerous substance, which has ravaged the Bretonian working class. Authorities claim the Slog trade creates extreme public health hazards, and has strong links to the funding of terrorism. Despite this, journalists have suggested that the government’s real fear lies in decreased productivity, which Bretonia's struggling post-war economy cannot afford following the loss of Dublin. |
| [831 AS] 'Slog' banned throughout Bretonia |
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NEW LONDON -- 831 -- The drug 'Slog,' otherwise known as Carix, has officially been banned across Bretonia. It is now a criminal offense to possess or distribute this drug in any quantity. The strict prohibition comes in response to the rising popularity of this dangerous substance, which has ravaged the Bretonian working class. Authorities claim the Slog trade creates extreme public health hazards, and has strong links to the funding of terrorism. Despite this, journalists have suggested that the government’s real fear lies in decreased productivity, which Bretonia's struggling post-war economy cannot afford following the loss of Dublin. |
| [831 AS] Jump Hole Upheaval Causes Chaos |
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HEISENBERG -- 831 AS -- Jump holes across Sirius have become increasingly volatile and chaotic over the last year, with Professor Sophia Nagel from the Heisenberg Research Station linking the unusual phenomena to the Pulse. The Pulse was an unprecedented blast of hyperspace energy that was detected immediately prior to last year's Jump Gate Blackout. Professor Nagel and her team are certain the Pulse originated from outside Sirius, but are otherwise no closer to identifying its source or mitigating a future Blackout event. "Following the Blackout, we began to see immediate signs of jump hole destabilization in multiple different regions, with many ultimately falling out of phase alignment altogether", she commented. The dramatic upending of Sirius' jump hole network has already prompted many groups to abandon stations and withdraw from systems that appear to risk being cut off. While months-long trips between the stars are possible thanks to the Liberty Engine and many centuries of innovation, few ships are designed or provisioned to make such arduous journeys. Those who were displaced by Sirius' redrawn map hope that system connections will return, while adventurers and explorers rush to discover new routes. |
| [831 AS] Bretonian focus turns on Mollys |
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SHEFFIELD -- 831 AS -- The Bretonia Police Authority has announced the eradication of the Molly movement is their top priority. Following the loss of the Dublin system, the dangerous terrorist movement has leaped to the top of Bretonia's most wanted board. Bounties on Molly terrorists have doubled, with Guild Hunters flocking to the beleaguered House. Sheffield Guildmaster Tina Hale commented that, "these are Edge World rates for domestic threats." Despite that, prospective Hunters should be cautious, as the Mollys are notoriously cunning fighters. The crackdown appears to be having some effect, as reports of Molly attacks on shipping in Cambridge and Newcastle have already fallen. |
| [831 AS] A new dawn for Dublin |
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ARRANMORE -- 831 AS -- Bretonia has finally been expelled from Dublin! Molly forces across Bretonia were gathered to Dublin in preparation for the greatest battle in our history. Agents aboard Graves Station laid the groundwork for the Second Revolt among a crew that was outraged by tyranny and mistreatment. A small nudge was all that was needed for the mutiny, and we salute the martyrs aboard the mining ship Glyndwr for their necessary contribution to the cause. Seizing control of Graves was a ruse to lure in the Battleship Essex, and the station's scuttling was a fitting end for the Bretonian Marines sent to take it back. Occupying the Essex's attention took the lives of many brave fighters, but allowed a strike force led by the Destroyer Shillelagh to penetrate the Jump Gate's remaining defenses and cripple it. With Graves destroyed, the Essex fled. This fight was the single bloodiest day in the Mollys' 80-year history, but it has won us liberation. |
| [831 AS] Cost of Rebuilding too High? |
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NEW LONDON -- 831 AS -- Bretonia continues to face a difficult and lengthy recovery process following the conclusion of the Gallic War. The Bretonian people initially accepted this, and quietly pledged to come together and struggle on. While Bretonia is now witnessing an extraordinary rate of growth, it has come at the cost of severe cuts and harsh industrial quotas. Professor Timothy Ball of the Economic Review Institute says, "the recovery we've witnessed so far has been uneven, mainly benefiting Bretonian corporations and Crown agencies. If dividends of recovery are not felt by the average citizen, this inequality could become a major point of domestic political contention." |
| [829 AS] Marauding in Manchester |
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MANCHESTER -– 829 AS -- Reports from the Manchester system have now been confirmed by BPA and Bretonian intelligence officials: Liverpool Border Station, guarding over the Magellan Jump Gate and serving as the command center for police operations in the system, has been destroyed in what is being deemed a terrorist attack. Yesterday at 2200 hours SMT, nearby Sheffield Station and Kingston Border Station received automated distress signals from Liverpool, indicating an emergency aboard the station. Guild patrols redirected from Sheffield arrived on the scene within minutes, finding the border station destroyed. Search and rescue operations headed by Guild and BPA units commenced immediately and successfully salvaged several escape pods bearing several dozen survivors, who were immediately delivered to hospitals on New London. BPA spokesperson Sandra Halling held a press conference earlier this morning. According to joint police and BIS investigations, Liverpool was destroyed by antimatter explosives planted aboard the station. Their detonation caused a catastrophic chain reaction, resulting in the station's own reactors melting down and exploding. Of the estimated one-hundred-twenty persons on board at the time of the attack, seventy-eight have been reported as dead or missing. \So far, no party has taken credit for this heinous attack. However, Bretonian police surmises that it was likely perpetrated by either the criminals known as the Mollys or the infamous pirate organization, the Lane Hackers. The attack occurred following a significant redeployment of local Armed Forces units to the Cortez system for the purpose of joint operations with Libertonian security forces. This, says Halling, may have allowed terrorist sympathizers to exploit undermanned BPA patrols and smuggle illegal explosives through Manchester's ice fields, onto Liverpool Station. While investigations continue, Bretonian Police Authority has reinforced patrols within Manchester and established traffic controls at Kingston Border Station and Birmingham Station. Traffic to and from Liberty has been advised to reroute through the Cortez system. |
Rumors
| Mollys |
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