Delop's climate is so uniformly mild that even its equatorial region is neither hot nor humid. Only its south pole is ice-capped and devoid of life. Its only continent covers the northern hemisphere, while a deep saltwater sea, filled with fish and other aquatic life, covers the southern hemisphere.
Aside from the Daytona Desert, nearly all of Delop's sold land mass is habitable. The metamorphic mountain ranges contain few marketable ores, but the forests on Delop are a sources of major exports. A wide variety of conifer trees makes up the majority of the forests. Many stand over 100 meters high and measure a dozen meters in diameter. Rapid growth is an effect of the rich soil of the forest floor, increasing the amount of lumber available for export.
Delop sustains a wide mix of cultures. Many cities, such as Covet, have stood for centuries, dating back to the first settlement of the world. All styles of life and architecture exist side by side; the old quarters of the cities stand next to buildings constructed during the KessRith occupation, which rise next to structures built by the Naram refugees in the past 50 years.
Early History[]
Delop was discovered by the first Baufrin explorers in Shannedam County. They found a world rich in natural resources, and immediately established several small colonies.
During the war with Humanity, the Baufrin used Delop as a major staging world. In 3005, however, a Human fleet caught the Baufrin unprepared. In a single week of attack, the Human ships destroyed most of the original capital and killed millions.
Humans returned to Delop as settlers after the war, and found they had created enemies through their actions. After the Humans settled in isolated communities such as Watchtown and Covet (built on the ruins of the destroyed capital), both races kept to themselves for centuries.
By the start of the 41st century, racial tensions had reached a boiling point. The world was on the brink of civil war when one small Baufrin faction, led by the pacifist Tark Bantini, successfully negotiated a peace acceptable to both races. A disgruntled Baufrin separatist group used the conclusion of the peace talks to assassinate Tark Bantini and his envoys. The peace held despite this outrage, and Tark was entombed at the site of the negotiations. Millions visited his tomb, now viewed by the Baufrin as a religious shrine, and a city, Tark, was built around it. By 4200 Tark was declared the planetary capital.
The Royal Navy shipyard at Daytona proved to be a mixed blessing. It supported a work force of several hundred thousand and brought a new level of prosperity to Delop's economy, but it also brought the Snow Plague in 5001 and attracted a KessRith attack in 5010.
KessRith intelligence indicated that the shipyards on Delop were vital to the Royal Navy. Delop was fighting the Snow Plague, and the KessRith took advantage of their weakness by jumping into the system in the late 5010 and bombarding the shipyard with nuclear and biological warheads. The yard, and hundreds of kilometers surrounding, became a deadly desert of radiation and biological horror. Fortunately, the shipyard had shut down two years before the attack. Even today, no one dares travel what is known as the Daytona Desert.
The KessRith easily conquered and dominated Delop. It soon served as a breeding facility for Human and Naram slaves to be shipping to other KessRith-dominated worlds throughout the Empire. KessRith doctors increased fertility and birth rates, forcing the women to bear multiple children every nine months for most of their lives. Delop alone repopulated many of the County's worlds.
As Trajan rose to power and weapons were smuggled into Shannedam County, the citizens of Delop began to realize their power. The revolutionary seeds planted in 6569 bore the fruit of a complete revolt by 6572, forcing the KessRith to abandon the planet later that same year.
The independent peace negotiated between the KessRith and the Commonwealth in 6584 was not popular on Delop. Most citizens felt the war should continue to be fought in alliance with the Terran Republic. A strong political faction moved to separate Delop from the Commonwealth, but was voted down by a narrow margin.
Recent Events[]
The Renegade Legions' defection and the alliance with the KessRith made the citizens of Delop even more dissatisfied with the Commonwealth. By 6782, talk of open revolution was being fueled by Lictor activity, and the Commonwealth began to fear that without careful planning to retain Delop's loyalty, the world might willingly join TOG.
As a first step, in 6790 the Commonwealth posted the 2501st Renegade Legion (Black Lightning Legion) to Delop. Formed around a recently defected TOG Penal Auxilia, this unit had proved itself a capable strike force. Initially, the civilians of Delop protested a "rebel" unit being assigned to their planet, but as they became familiar with the unit's history, they began to see the Renegades in a better light.
Secondly, the KessRith Empire was persuaded to rebuild Tark's Tomb. This project justified a greater KessRith presence on the planet, and helped secure good relations with many Baufrin.
The Commonwealth Intelligence Corps were involved in the final step. Through an intense effort to capture all Lictor provocateurs on Delop, the Corps were able to secure a loyal Commonwealth planet by eliminating all "revolutionary" factions.
As TOG pressed into Shannedam County, driving through Tarraco, Carthage X, and Mavinav, it became obvious that the front line would soon include Delop. When TOG interceptors penetrated the aerial defenses of Delop in spring 6827, bombing the suburbs of Covet, the bond between the Commonwealth and Delop was cemented.
Delop's VLCA was destroyed in late 6827, and it was evident that the naval force protecting Delop was not powerful enough. The Royal and Renegade Navies posted new forces to the system. The newly refitted 9876th Royal Navy Pursuit Wing (The Devil Hunters) took over defense of the orbiting Interceptor Command, while the battered naval units already in the system were disbanded and reassigned to other squadrons. Two new squadrons were also stationed on Delop, the 347th Renegade Pursuit Squadron (Ample Destruction) and the 14145th Aggressor Squadron.
The 14145th, led by the Iron Duke Class Battleship Dark Angel, was tested in battle the day it arrived over Delop. On 2 May 6828, the TOG Navy returned to again strafe and bomb Delop. Instead of meeting the level of resistance to which they were accustomed, this time they exited T-space within striking distance of the Dark Angel. The TOG light carrier squadron attempted to abort their raid, but the Royal Navy battleship overtook them before they could jump out again. Following the TOG squadron through a series of fast jumps to smaller star systems, the Dark Angel wiped out all but one fortunate destroyer.
In recent months, TOG has increased its attacks on Delop, using the Jeremiah system as part of steppingstone raids. In this type of raid, a TOG light carrier force hits Delop, Novuta, and Mala in quick succession before returning to TOG space. These raids cause little damage, but manage to disrupt the Royal Navy's attempt at a constant stream of reinforcements through Novuta into the Messana-Caralis corridor. It is the difficult duty of the 14145th Aggressor Squadron to stop the TOG raids at Delop.
2501st Renegade Legion was assigned to Mavinav prior to its fall in 6829. It was successfully evacuated, but lost much personnel and equipment during the battles there. It has spent the past two years on Delop retraining troops and refitting equipment.
Planetary Timeline[]
3005
Baufrin used planet as staging area against Humans, until attacked and driven off by Human fleet.
4200
Tark is declared the planetary capital.
5001
Snow Plague hits.
5010
KessRith attack system.
6569
Beginning of civil war against KessRith.
6572
Full rebellion drives KessRith off world.
6782
World is increasingly upset with CW separate peace with KessRith.
6790
CW takes steps to persuade Delop back into the fold (2501st Renegade Legion).
6827.04
TOG bombards world.
6827.12
TOG destroys VLCA.
6828.05.02
TOG strafes unexpectedly reinforced system; they are roundly defeated.
6829
2501st Renegade Legion assigned to Mavinav prior to its fall, then returned to Delop for two years of refit.