| ||||||||
The Turanic Raiders are a race of nomadic pirates that attack ships throughout the Galaxy.
Overview[]
The Turanic Raiders were mercenaries, named for their first attacks on the Turan Sector in 9035 GSY. Most of their efforts were focused on trade lines and unprotected convoys. The apogee of Raiders' power was during the Homeworld Era, when, under the protection of the Taiidan Empire, they gained strength. During the Cataclysm Era, the Raiders were still allied with the Taiidan Imperialist Faction.
History[]
Very little is known about the Turanic Raiders' origins, with theories ranging from former refugees to rampaging slaves. They generally live a cycle of power where they grow in strength before being hunted down by other races. Despite constant attempts throughout history to eliminate them, they are never completely destroyed, instead going into hiding for some time before re-emerging to build their power once again.
They were at their strongest with the support of the Mad Emperor Riestiu IV, who provided them with funds and materiel in exchange for targeting his enemies or gathering intelligence.
They served as an advance force for the Taiidan empire at the onset of the Homeworld War, attacking the Khar-Selim, a lone Kushan research vessel that had spent 10 years traveling on sublight engines outwards in the Kharak system. They then laid in wait for further Kushan vessels to destroy or steal. However, they quickly discovered the Kushan Mothership and its defense force were far more than they could chew, and retreated before they could lose their precious carrier.
Once the Kushan fled the now-desolate Kharak system, trading with the Bentusi for improved technology, the Turanic Raiders tracked down the Mothership again, this time with Ion Array Frigates. Even with this firepower, the Kushan destroyed their entire carrier group.
Despite the Empire's support, the Raiders did not show up in the final battle for the Homeworld. Fleeing before the confrontation, they took advantage of the chaos that followed the Emperor's death by wresting control of outlying provinces, forming new "Bandit Kingdoms." Ironically, the Imperial Remnants then asked for their support, and cooperation between the two factions is common.
During the Cataclysm Era, they continued their buildup phase by targeting Hiigaran and Taiidan Republic ships and going on constant salvage operations. One of these fateful salvage operations led to the awakening of the Beast virus and the start of the Beast War.
Beast War[]
Throughout the Beast War, the Turanic Raiders made up a large part of the Beast Fleet, with raider ships becoming part of the bulk of the initial infected. Despite repeated warnings from Kiith Somtaaw, the Raiders worked with the Imperial Remnants to try and control the Beast for their own selfish ends, often leading to disaster for everyone involved.
The Raiders later competed with the Kuun-Lan for possession of a derelict Siege Cannon. The Kuun-Lan won the initial skirmish to salvage the Siege Cannon, only for the Raiders to get reinforcements from Imperial Remnants. However, the new reinforcements were interrupted by the arrival of the Caal-Shto. The combined second wave of Taiidan-Raider ships broke off to engage the Caal-Shto, only to find that it was a trap for the ships to be infected by the Beast Command Ship. More Raider and Taiidani ships were assimilated into the Beast fleet, leading to the Kuun-Lan's haphazard mounting and firing of the salvaged Siege Cannon. It did not work, and the Somtaaw were forced to flee.
The Raiders' last major contribution to the war effort was when the Kuun-Lan went to their Outpost and asked for their starcharts in order to locate the Naggarok. The Raiders ignored their requests and launched an attack, and Somtaaw responded in kind. Despite reinforcements from the Remnants, the Raider forces were devastated and their Outpost was nearly destroyed. In a last-ditch effort, they faked a surrender, giving the Somtaaw their star charts while sneaking a saboteur on board the Kuun-Lan, leading to an ambush by the Imperial Remnants. It was only thwarted with reinforcements from Hiigara and the Faal-Corum, although the saboteur's true objective was already accomplished: Transmitting navigational data so the Remnants could find the Naggarok for themselves. The saboteur was terminated, but his mission was done.
The Raiders did not show up for the rest of the war, presumably needing to build up their forces once more after the debilitating losses from their conflicts with the Beast and the Somtaaw.
Tactics[]
As with most types of space pirates, the Raiders rely mostly upon ambush and surprise. The Raiders often attack in large numbers, and will often try to steal enemy ships using clever and underhanded tactics such as flanking an escort ship from behind or distracting a frigate with fighters as "Thief" corvettes slip in from behind. Or they may even disguise themselves as motionless asteroids or debris, which make it unsafe to collect resources or salvage ships and materials without an escort. In order to successfully capture a ship, the Turanic Raider attack wings will rely highly on their enemies' weak points or unprotected flanks as does any other race, though to the Raiders it serves as a bonus for successfully capturing a ship. Very rarely will their engagements come in full force from the front, unless they have a large force behind them. Using tactics such as these are a common way of life for Raider pilots, and they do this in order to preserve their ships and protect their race because, as pirates, they must steal to survive.
If pushed back against the wall without escape, Raiders would self-destruct rather than be captured.