Der Außenhandel der Reichsverband

The Außenhandel der Reichsverband are the trading blocs of Shadows which are attached to the Reich lands of Magica Superior by a system of very specialised Imperial Ways. These twist through Shadow to circumvent the Commonwealth worlds which, were Shadow geometry Euclidian, would be the closest to Magica Superior itself. Physically, the Außenhandel Shadows exist in the Outer Ring, between the Commonwealth and open Shadow, thus putting them in Veils Four, Five and Six.

The Shadows are divided into groups of five, with one military Shadow acting as guardian and protector for a group of four other more regular trading Shadows, including one or two agricultural or semi-agricultural worlds in each group. Thus each unit of five Shadows is effectively self-supporting, should it be required, which is not impossible, given the vulnerability stemming from their only connection to the Fatherland being down the Imperial Ways. All are set up for trade - agricultural or industrial - and commerce exists with each other, other groups, or the Fatherland itself. The primary forms of bulk transport are shipping, zeppelins or, more recently, the Aurellis Transport System. Of these, the ATS is the only one which allows direct transit from one group to another: the other methods of transport all have to route via the Fatherland, due to restrictions in the setup of the Imperial Ways.

The Außenhandel Shadows have preferential trade and military agreements with the Fatherland, and the Reich reserves the right to have military bases within those nations. Each of the Außenhandel Shadows has either a military (Reichsprotektor) or civilian (Gauleiter) governor from the Reich, and while not technically the heads of state on these worlds - with the exception of the military Shadows, where they do rule - these governors have the right to interfere in Shadow politics and bring in external forces if to do so is beneficial to the Reich.

As in the Commonwealth, the Außenhandel groups are named after the military Shadows at their hearts, and the Reichsprotektors are the senior Reich officers in each group of Shadows, and all hold the rank of Obergruppenführer. These military Shadows are always located in the Fifth Veil, although the location of the others within their groups varies. The Außenhandel bloc was extended from twenty to twenty-five Shadows (early SY152), with the addition of the Neubrandenberg Group, which has now been fully integrated.

All the Shadows are at least at 1900 technology and relatively industrialised, and more than half of them are as high as 1940 or more. In addition, magic is normally functional in the Außenhandel Shadows, should it be needed. Industrial technology traded onto Magica Superior does have to be sufficiently modified to account for the lack of petrochemicals on the Primal Shadow, thus mech-tech mages work with the Außenhandel industrial concerns for that purpose.

The Bayern Group

The Holstein Group

The Niedersachsen Group

The Saarland Group

The Neubrandenburg Group

The Westphalia Group

The Westphalia Group was brought under the Reich umbrella in March SY155, and has been given equal status with the other Außenhandel groups. However, it has a more military and security aspect, and none of the Shadows have native governments: they are considered Gaus or Provinces of the Reich itself. The bloc is self-supporting in terms of food and resources, with enough additional production that it can trade with the Reich. The appointment of Conrad Berthelmes as its Reichsprotektor has caused some surprise within the upper echelons of the Reich government, although at this time he also maintains his position as Party Chairman.

The world of Midgard is Non-Reich allied world with links to the Fürstentum von Valhalla , but is accorded equality with the other Shadows within the Westphalia Group.

This site © Trish Hart 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008.
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Trumps based on photographic originals use photographs obtained in the public domain.
Website administrator: Trish Hart (sable at fugue.org)