| Mars | |
 Mars prior to the First Martian Revolution. | |
| Solar System | The Sol System |
| Star | Sol |
| Orbit/Alignment | Fourth Planet |
| Colonization | 2050 |
| Factions/Powers | Ultor Corporation (circa 2050-2075) Red Faction (2075, 2125-ongoing) |
| Regions | Tharsis |
| Moons | Phobos and Deimos |
Mars is the fourth planet in the solar system and the second closest planet to Earth, named after the Roman god of war. It was first colonized around 2050 by private industry as the Earth's resources became increasingly scarce and mining the red planet was seen as the only chance at maintaining the Earth standard of living and culture. It has two small natural moons: Phobos and Deimos.
History
Since colonization, Mars has had a twisted and often bloody history characterized by oppression, wars, tyrants, conflicting interests and lies. But in every conflict there have been heroes, and the enterprising spirit and the strength of the first colonists still lives on in many of its children.
Exploritory missions
Prior to actual colonization by the Ultor Corporation, there were a number of Mars missions - some of which ended in tragedy.[1]
Early settlement and the First Martian Uprising
Mars under the Ultor Corporation
As with all new frontiers to be colonized, there were those seeking adventure and opportunity presented by work in a new world. Unfortunately in 2050, the dream like so many before it was hollow. By 2070, discontent was growing with the ruthless Ultor Corporation which was treating its workforce like slaves seeking highest profit and minimum expenditure. News of the working conditions didn't get back to Earth, of course, as the corporation had had a complete monopoly since it launched the venture and technicians censored Earth-bound messages.[2]
Another powerful motivator was the disease which was ripping through the ranks of the miners. It was a creation of Ultor head scientist Axel Capek and, alongside his forrays with his mutants and nanotechnology, a direct result of an excursion back in 2067 alongside his Martian Advanced Science Team.[2][3]
In 2075, the Red Faction formed amongst the down-troden miners - a rebellion - and the First Martian Revolution began. Lead by their enigmatic founder who went by the name 'Eos', they successfully destabilized the Ultor regime and eventually opened up the way for the Earth Defence Force to intervene. What exactly the EDFs motives were back then is much debated - but it is possible they saw it as an opportunity to gain control of Mars, wished to restore the supply of ore and saw it as a means of ensuring Earths ongoing supply of ore permanently or genuinely sought to protect its far-flung colony - either way, they were heralded as heroes by the miners and colonists.[2]
EDF and Red Faction shaking hands after victory against Ultor
The EDF puppet-state
After the miner revolt in 2075 had severely disrupted supply to the home planet and the central governing body of Earth poured a lot of money and resources into the Martian colony in hopes of increasing output. They installed terraformers that made the air breathable and the surface liveable. They colonized the surface in the Tharsis region, settling the sectors of Parker, Dust, Oasis and Eos. Meanwhile the Marauders, bitter ex-Ultor scientists masquerading as brutal savages, emerged from the underground and settled out among the furtherest fringes of the Badlands.[1][4]
The number of humans inhabiting the planet multiplied greatly but still could not keep up with Earth's industry. Poorly maintained infrastructure, due to lack of materials, started failing including planes and nuclear reactors. Cities such as London faced major environmental problems in flooding. There was also wide spread rioting.[1]
Although the Mars colonists technically had their own government, the Martian Council based at Hendrix Hall, between the two Martian revolutions - this was merely a puppet-government for the EDF by the Second Martian Revolution and real power lay in their hands. It was possible that it was the external threat of the Marauders contributed to this also. The EDF became more and more oppressive, in an attempt to increase production, and eventually the Red Faction was resurrected to fight the once-saviors who were fast turning into what Ultor had once been.[1]
EDF-Marauder war
The conflict between the Earth Defense Force and the Marauders, the EDF-Marauder War, began long before the Second Martian Revolution, although they would eventually overlap and then converge. They may be considered the same war, but this is a matter of perspective.[1][5]
The turning point of the war was, perhaps, the Battle of Mariner Valley in 2117. The Marauders pushed the EDF from their valley and continued the offensive, such that by the more recognised start of the Second Martian Revolution 7 years later they were a major threat to Martian society and were even launching some raids into Dust and even Oasis.[1][5]
Oasis, a centre of Martian terraforming efforts under the EDF.
The other net result of the conflict was that the EDF, when the second Red Faction uprising began were slow to respond being heavily engaged and deployed with the Marauder threat. They were also caught between two fronts, with bloody-thirsty Marauders pushing in on one side, and a brewing insurgency on the other side of Dust. As such they were ruthless, giving no quarter and disregarding basic human rights, and in turn strengthening it.[1]
Second Martian Revolution
The revolution began in Parker, amongst the hotbed of revolutionaries. The Battle of Parker was long and bloody, as the Red Faction gained strength. Under the leadership of Hugo Davies, a veteran of the Venezuelan Oil Wars, the Red Faction pushed the EDF out of Parker, and then Dust, followed by Oasis and the Badlands, gaining strength.[1][4]
They then pushed through the Free Fire Zone and into the crown jewel of the EDF State, the sector of Eos. On the brink of victory in the sector though as they were priming for their final push, a shocking assault on the Red Faction's principle safehouse in the Badlands. Key members of the Red Faction including their commander died and the organization was crippled.[1]
The survivors lead by Alec Mason and Samanya set aside their differences with the Marauders and formed an alliance against the EDF. They raided the EDF Central Command and secured the Accelerator on Mount Vogel, killing General Bertram Roth and launching a nanite-infused missile at the Hydra.[1]
White Faction crisis
A Map of Red Faction and Marauder territories at the time of the White Faction bid for power.
After the fall of the EDF from power, two states existed belonging to the Marauders and the Red Faction. Both of whom were allies until the death of Samanya Mason and as far as the miner state was concerned, the act was committed by the Marauders. It was in fact caused by a dangerous EDF remnant who would errode the relationship until the colonists in Eos and the Marauders were at each others throats.
It was 2150, a quarter-century after the conclusion of the Second Martian Revolution, that the EDF remnant force known as the White Faction launched their bid for power against the Marauders and Red Faction. Hiding in places like the Madler Crater, they had successfully masked their existence from the rest of Mars for a long time and laboured away constructing a new Severus-Class Dreadnaught of the same design as the Hydra.[6]
The culimation was the Battle of Bakhuysen Trench.[6]
Cultist War and the destruction of the Terraformer
Mars after the destruction of the Terraformer
Trying and failing to destroy the Terraformer at the end of the Battle of Bakhuysen Trench in the White Faction War, Adam Hale would try once more many years later. He would seize the Terraformer, aided by the Cultists, a radical extremist offshoot of the Marauders, and blow it up in the faces of the Red Faction who mobilized to stop him.[3]
The result was disastrous. While the air above ground remained breathable, unpredicatable weather and conditions ravaged the surface forcing the Martian populous, Marauder and Red Faction states alike, to move back beneath the ground.[3]
Plague Armageddon
The Plague Armageddon was a conflict, or perhaps disaster, that very nearly bought human civilization on Mars to an abrupt close. It was let loose by Darius Mason, tricked and used as a pawn by Adam Hale who sought to settle his debts with the Mason family by killing and discrediting their last.[3]
The Colonist State was hit hardest of all, but everyone on Mars suffered the horrors of the Plague.[3]
Economy and industry
Like any society, the Mars has its key industries.
Mining
Workers in the Ultor Mines
Mining has always been an integral part of life on Mars, the planet being colonized in 2050 by the Ultor Corporation to take advantage of its untapped mining potential, most notably ore and a material known as Noachite. The corporation then pushed its workforce to the limit, driving them like slaves until they revolted.[2] The excavation of ore continued under the EDF state, and when that was overthrown so to did it continue under the miners, though it is unknown whether ore shipments continued to return to Earth.[1]
After the Terraformer was knocked out by the Cultists, the states of Mars relocated back beneath the surface.[3]
Another key resource found abundantly on Mars is Deuterium.[1]
Water Reclaimation
Rarely appearing in natural form on Mars, water must be constantly sourced and a steady supply maintained for Martian society to go on. A key part of this is the reclaimation of water from deposits of ice.[7]
Biological Research
Ever since the Ultor Corporation first colonised the red planet, research into altering lifeforms and adapting plants to suit the environment. The best known example comes from Axel Capek, experimenting with the makeup of the alien race he discovered beneath the Martian surface during the MASTers Expedition, creating mutants.
After the downfall of Ultor, the Earth Defence Force and Martian Council both invested heavily in bio-research centering on the sector of Oasis.
The Red Faction once in power also seem to have continued efforts and after the destruction of the Terraformer, the colonist subeterranean town of Greenbelt had a large research center.
Geography
The main colonized region of Mars is called Tharsis, and within it are seven sectors.
Eos
Perhaps the most important sector on Mars, it served as the capital of Mars and the seat of the Martian Council for the entire duration of the EDF regime on the red planet. It was also the most wealthy and most technologically advanced sector. It was named after the legendary founder of the Red Faction, and instigator of the First Martian Revolution, Eos.[1]
After the fall of Earth Defense Force, the sector also became the cente of power of the Red Faction state.[1]
Parker
Named after the hero of the First Martian Revolution, Parker, it was heavily focused on mining and the architecture around the Town showed a industrialized but well settled people.[1]
Free Fire Zone
The Free Fire Zone was an extensive, barren shooting range for the Earth Defense Force's artillery and acted as a barrier and defensive line for Eos. This was not arguably a sector in its own right, part of the adjoined Parker sector.[1]
Dust
Dust was the centre of the Mars mining economy.[1]
The Badlands
The Badlands are the eastern most sector in Tharsis region. This was one of the first sectors attempted terraformed but the process was messed up and turned into a wasteland. It is largely uninhabited by colonists, the Marauders made the sector home.[1]
It is also believed that Mariner Valley is hidden somewhere within its concealing wastes.[1]
Oasis
Oasis was the smallest sector of Tharsis and the greenest, home to the bulk of terraforming efforts on the red planet.[1]
Mount Vogel
Mount Vogel was the northern-most sector of Mars. There are many abandoned vehicles and buildings there though, suggesting people used to live there.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Red Faction: Guerrilla
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Red Faction
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Red Faction: Armageddon
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Red Faction: A Fire on Mars (comic)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Red Faction: Guerrilla - Demons of the Badlands
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Red Faction: Origins
- ↑ Red Faction: Battlegrounds