Spinward Marches Alliance Concern

Welcome to the Spinward Marches

The BD+22 4939 system is the new home of the Spinward Marches Alliance Concern, a peaceful corporation which originated in the Alliance system of Morrina, dedicated to improving lives out on the frontier through terraforming. The benevolent organisation is also leading a project to build distant exploration outposts spinward of civilised space.

BD+22 4939 is located 300 light years from the Sol system, and over 100 light years beyond the inhabited “bubble” of civilised space. It is part of a small cluster of systems in the region known for its agricultural and refinery industries. Badfort is a terrestrial, terraformed world and grain producer as well as an exporter of tea and coffee.

SMAC’s future projects include plans to improve conditions on Badfort and the neighbouring systems, and the production of “Spinward Reach”, the first of a series of deep space exploration support outposts projected for the spinward regions of the Orion Arm, further beyond civilised space.

Background

SMAC came about from the rise of an exploration and development co-operative on Morrina 3. This movement grew and decided, given the rise of the Mahon economic block, to become a non-profit company specialising in technological development, terraforming and building exploration outposts. The organisation became very popular after funding large solar collectors and “storm towers”, the latter located in the permanent storm band at the terminator around Morrina 3, which is tidally locked. This development helped power the night side industry and the light side “titan crops” which grow huge in the low gravity. This success led to the newly formed SMAC gaining control of Beaumont Dock starport.

The rise of SMAC however angered the controlling Oligarchs of the Morrina Pro-Alliance Party who saw a threat to their long standing dominance of the agricultural and mining industries of Morrina. They promptly outlawed SMAC. This led to outrage across the system and civil war. But the Oligarchs under-estimated support for SMAC from a population who saw a possibility of far more freedom under the new organisation. After SMAC won the key trade hub of Penn Orbital the Oligarchs tried a new tactic. In the second part of the conflict they hired pirates and mercenaries to attack SMAC assets and the police and defence ships that were now under SMAC control, thus regaining control of Beaumont Dock and the system. The war soon entered a third stage, as SMAC and its supporters fought back once more. After a bloody four day conflict the organisation won back both Beaumont and control of the Morrina system. But the threat from the Oligarchs of MPAP and their mercenaries continued.

With the system sitting on a knife edge between the new non-profit development organisation and the incumbent Oligarchs, members of the Pilots’ Federation pitched in to help quell the criminality lingering after the conflicts and then support SMAC in restoring the infrastructure of the ravaged system.

As Morrina moved forward into an exciting future, SMAC turned its attention back towards the Spinward Reach — the area of space beyond the inhabited “bubble” into the unpopulated regions of the Orion Arm out towards the North America Nebula. A flotilla of freighters and exploration ships slowly streamed away from Beaumont Dock as SMAC transferred its headquarters to Hansford’s Landing in the BD+22 4939 system, over 300 light years from Morrina.

Now SMAC turns its resources to improving the harsh environment of the terraformed world of Badfort, and bringing order and security to the cluster of colonised systems out in the Spinward Reach. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in SMAC’s story, out in the big black.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the Spinward Marches Alliance Concern?

The Spinward Marches Alliance Concern (also known as SMAC) are a minor faction in the space trading and combat game Elite: Dangerous. SMAC is based in the BD+22 4939 system, 100 light years spinward of populated space and 300 light years from Earth. It was originally based in the Morrina system in Alliance space. SMAC was created by a small, relaxed bunch of players looking to have a base in Elite, and originally situated at one of the systems we considered “home” in game. Our headquarters are at Hansford’s Landing, a Coriolis starport orbiting the terraformed, terrestrial world of Badfort.

Where did you get the name from?

It is a reference to the old Traveller tabletop space roleplaying game. The Spinward Marches was a prominent area of space in that game, and home for a lot of content. The players who started up the SMAC faction are all former players and fans of Traveller, and with Morrina being at the spinward end of the Alliance, and Badfort being spinward of populated space, it made a nice homage. If you are a fan of Traveller and looking for a minor faction to push, why not join us?

Why did SMAC move?

We originally set up in the Morrina system as it was one end of a lucrative trade run several of us had used early in the game, and subsequently became our “home” in game. We soon found this was a busier area of the galaxy than we’d thought, with several other player groups nearby. We are not empire builders, and preferred the idea of developing systems out on the frontier. The move was not taken lightly however, as we are aware of the support SMAC had in its community goal at Morrina from commanders from across the Pilots’ Federation. But with the Morrina system stabilised we decided to take the opportunity to move to a cluster of low population systems outside the inhabited “bubble” as a more suitable home, and to further develop SMAC’s lore as terraformers and explorers (not to mention tea and coffee producers!).

Why were you aligned with the Alliance?

The Alliance was formed circa 3230 AD in the Alioth system (about 60 light years from Morrina), and portrays itself as a beacon of human rights and democracy in an increasingly autocratic universe. It does not conform to the political ideals of the totalitarian Empire, or the authoritarian Federation and there is much cultural variation among its members. This more democratic and cooperative outlook fits better with our own views than the Federation or Empire, and working together as part of a larger whole was more productive than being a wholly independent system.

But why is SMAC now showing as an independent faction in Elite?

The move to BD+22 has meant we have now had to become independent in game due to the Elite development team’s sensible guidelines on player factions having to have the same alignment as the system/region they are to be placed in. This is to prevent unfair “system flipping” (changing the alignment of the system via creating a new faction). While we have retained our friendships with the Alliance (and have retained the reference in our name) being independent will also hopefully give SMAC wider appeal to more players in the game, and also reflects the frontier nature of our new location, and humanitarian outlook.

Are you involved in Powerplay?

Some of our pilots are allied with the Edmund Mahon powerplay faction, and we support Mahon where we can and vice versa, but we’re not all active powerplayers. Exploration, trading, combat — our pilots enjoy different and diverse occupations in Elite.

How can I get involved?

There is no formal membership, no forum, no online form to fill in. If you are looking for a minor faction to push and help, or are looking for a home in game that is a bit off the beaten track, just head over to BD+22 4939 and fly some missions for SMAC. Maybe you are a Traveller or MegaTraveller player looking for a minor faction you can identify with in Elite? Either way, we would love to have you and you’re very welcome!