The Star Fraction Celebrates 5 Years As An Alliance
Kamela, The Bleak Lands - Last month, The Star Fraction alliance celebrated its 5th birthday by launching operation 'Black Lustrum' in Providence against Sev3rance alliance.
The Star Fraction [SF] is a non-spaceholding alliance founded in mid-YC 107 to fight against "tyranny and nationalist imperialism" and to promote the concept of "Free Space." The alliance currently has more than 200 members across 8 corporations, including the original founding body, Jericho Fraction, Lyrus Associates, relative newcomers Daedalus X and former Namtz'aar K'in members Scrap Iron Flotilla.
Jade Constantine, The Star Fraction's Executor, founded the alliance shortly after the Great Northern War in an attempt to give shape to the putative concept of "Free Space" ideals. The early days of the alliance saw corporations such as Omerta Syndicate (who at the time were in rebellion against the Caldari State) and the Glamour Bunnies (who created the infamous "Porn for Pax" campaign) join and later leave.
According to Jade, "Free Space" means open commerce, fair trade and development without oppression. Under the Free Space ideology, capsuleers would be free to travel and act as they please, setting and acting on standings in accordance with their own ideological beliefs and actions taken against them and allowing the same freedoms to others. The alleged lack of such freedoms brought Star Fraction into conflict with many nullsec alliance and pirate corporations several times into its five years existence.
Star Fractions's first war against CVA, fought in 107, ended in a retreat for rebuilding, but their next wars saw a bitter conflict against Kimotoro Directive in Mito constellation followed by a series of clashes against Amarr loyalists, PIE Inc. and their allies, with whom Star Fraction remain hostile to this day. Perhaps the most well-known of these campaigns, Operation Judas Goat, saw then-SF member Scorpio Dantes launch a line of adult films (illegal in Amarr space) for sale from a mobile vendor in Amarr as a means to insult and provoke the loyalists, including some featuring look-alikes (some claim they are in fact the pilots they resemble) of prominent members of PIE.
Regular competitors in alliance tournaments, Star Fraction has frequently made it into the late stages of the competitions but are perhaps best known for their victory in an Alliance Tournament IV match against the three-time champion Band of Brothers with a simple fleet of 10 Thorax-class cruisers.
YC 109 saw a second major shift in membership for the Star Fraction with the departure of several of well-known members to form Stimulus. While rumours of bad feeling abounded following the split, the two organizations continued to frequently face the same enemies and the corporation even returned to The Star Fraction briefly in 110. Relationships between the two have since degenerated dramatically, however, with Star Fraction recently levelling allegations of corporate espionage and theft against Stimulus and its alliance, Rote Kapelle.
With the creation of CONCORD's legislation for capsuleer militias, Star Fraction chose to remain as an alliance but nonetheless began campaigns against prominent Federal Defence Union and Caldari State Protectorate corporations in the Black Rise region, then embarked on a one-year campaign in the Bleak Lands where it supported the Minmatar Tribal Liberation Front against the Amarrian 24th Imperial Crusade. This campaign brought them most prominently into conflict with Garst Tyrell, once of PIE Inc but later leaving to lead No.Mercy, a corporation dogged by accusations of piracy throughout its time in the 24th Imperial Crusade.
In honour of their 5th anniversary, Star Fraction announced Operation 'Black Lustrum'. Their first target in this operation is Sev3rance in the Providence region and primary focus is on damaging local economy and industry. To evaluate their success, the alliance will rely on regional development index. Miss Constantine explained: “If Sev3rance development indices fall we are winning, if they rise we are losing.“
Despite Star Fraction's claims, Curatores Veritatis Alliance's CEO, Aralis, dismissed their opponents as minor threat to Providence: "Mostly it's just talk. And what isn't is mostly cloaking and attacking haulers and ratters".
Aralis also described Star Fraction's operations in Providence as an opportunistic move. "[They wait] to join a bandwagon when one is going. They are attacking now because they think we are too busy to kill them," he concluded.
With 'Black Lustrum' now in full swing it remains to be seen if this strategy will succeed. Jade Constantine says that, according to their alliance motto, all Freecaptains of The Star Fraction "dare to dream." What remains hotly debated by the many national loyalist forces that oppose them, sparking a number of recent satires on the Intergalactic Summit, is whether their choices of action bring those dreams any closer to fruition.
GalNet References
'Operation Black Lustrum' Targets North Providence
The Providence War: Part IV - the Return of Unity
War-Torn Region's Not Red Don't Shoot Policy Spur to Development?
Second Freespace Summit Successfully Concluded
The Star Fraction Launches Erebus-Class Titan
Alliances Involved in Militia Politics
Inaugral Freespace Summit a Success
Amarrian Holder Criticized for Tournament Wager
War Reaches Amarr Throne Regions
Recent Developments Regarding Medusa Virus
Order of Medusa Tests New Virus, Shocking the Sisters
Capsuleer Conflict Rages in Mito Constellation
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