The Trader Emergency Coalition, often abbreviated TEC, was a sort of military government formed from the Trade Order to combat the threat of the Vasari and, when they returned, the Advent.
History
The history of the TEC began more than 1,000 years ago during the foundation of the Trade Order by economically driven settlers. Established on strict principles of economics and codes of behavior, the Trader Worlds quickly began to expand – making the Trade Order an industrial and commercial juggernaut. However, outside of the Traders' core principles, each member world maintained its own interests, form of government, economic systems and culture.
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In the face of increasing internal tensions, two conflicting philosophies began to develop in the TEC. There were Loyalists who wished to retreat into isolation by fortifying their defenses in hopes the war would finish itself. In opposition to the isolationists were Rebels who wanted vengeance for the atrocities inflicted upon humanity by the invading Advent and Vasari through twenty-five years of brutal war, and were grimly willing to ensure that the TEC emerged victorious by being as ruthless to their alien and deviant enemies as the invaders were during the terrible early invasions.
Technology
Compared to their more advanced enemies, the TEC have primitive and makeshift technologies. This is made up for by their means of mass production and heavy firepower. The Coalition specializes in the use of mixed alloys and polymers to strengthen their armor, a strong economy, and mass production and efficiency.
Industry
The TEC are masters of industry and efficiency quickly being able to start trade routes in multiple systems, as well as having very cost effective methods of building their orbital structures. They can inhabit most worlds effectively aside from volcanic worlds. They also have their hands in almost every single economic power and their suppliers regardless of race.
When it comes to mass production the TEC are unmatched. In a time of dire need they will divert a large portion of their factories to military subcontracting. They may also build factories that can hyper-produce ships within their starbases.
Defense & Weaponry
Where the other races rely on their offensive capabilities the TEC are masters at fortifying their territories. Strong alloys and polymers ensure a thick defensive hull is within all TEC orbital structures and ships making them very resistant to enemy firepower.
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And where their Defense may fail, this is made up for by their weaponry. The TEC make use of very low grade version laser and beam technologies, but their true strength comes from the chemical/nuclear weaponry equipped on many of their standard frigates and bombers. They also make use of auto-cannon payloads to rip through the hull of enemy ships.
Military Doctrine
The Coalition was created from a prosperous trading society's need for a quickly-developed and powerful military force in the face of an emergency, so their military doctrine is different from the offensive-minded philosophies used by their technologically superior enemies.
Colonization & Colonial Development
Before the war, the Trade Order worlds that would become the TEC were already very industrious. When the Vasari first invaded, these worlds were already an economic machine that merely needed to marshal their vast resources for a massive military buildup. Rapid urban development was pushed among all planet types with strong preference for Terran Planets, but TEC development policies made sure that all habitable territories, like colonies on Desert and Ice Planets, contributed their fullest to the war effort.
With the need to continue their trade routes, the TEC eventually found ways to put trade ports even on remote, seemingly useless locations (such as Dead Asteroids), making them able to develop trade routes without the need for starbases.
Strategic
The TEC are an "awakening giant", an economic juggernaut mobilizing for war. They possess massive resource-gathering, trade and construction capabilities, and can cripple other empires' means of production through the use of propaganda. Thanks to the war being fought in former Trader space, the TEC are able to call upon local insurgents to incite uprisings on enemy planets.
Tactical
The TEC fleet is primarily an assemblage of refitted civilian vessels, with few purpose-built military ships and average strike craft capabilities. However, by the late stages of the war, they are now heavily armed and armored, with TEC fleets often winning the battle of attrition.
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