On Krapp Armaments and the History of Luxendoom, A LaserStorm Army

     Having repurposed my Prussian tanks from the now defunct Dystopian Wars for 6mm LaserStorm, I felt that they needed  to be an industrial army. An army from a major corporate tyranny, like Krupp. But not Krupp. Maybe.... Krapp? Yes! Thats a good name for a villainous arms manufacturer of interstellar might! And the best part is my opponents when they lose a battle will have to admit they were beaten by total and complete Krapp.

A Short History of the Krapp Armaments and Industries Firm:

       Far out on the edge of the eastern sector of the Milky Way lies a small system that is the heart of a massive corporate empire that produces billions of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft, spacecraft, planetary defense systems, battledroids, mechs and even simple firearms. That system is the Grand Duchy of Luxendoom, and that corporate empire is the Galaxy famous arms manufacturer known as Krapp Armaments. Three hundred years ago, a humble arms dealer by the name of Matthias Krapp arrived on Luxendoom with a few credits in his pocket, a very special arc rifle, and a vision for the future of his house. His rifle was an inventive redesign of the then very new and dangerously unstable arc gun technology of other competitors. The Krapp rifle was both safe to use and could actually hit the user’s intended target. After a demonstration at the palace of the Grand Duke, wherein the Duke was able to shoot a dozen prisoners of the state hiding and fleeing through his private gardens, Krapp was granted a ten year contract to supply the ducal army with enough arc rifles to take over the other major planets of the Luxendoom System.

      

Luxen Soldat and Kapitan during the Hessiana-Luxendoom War. Armed with the latest Krapp Arc Rifle Mark II

       The Hessiana-Luxendoom War was a costly, but undisputed victory for the Duchy as the Krapp rifle proved more accurate and deadlier than the standard las rifles of the Hessian troops. By this point Matthias was given a baronetcy, and his surname changed to “Von Krapp”. The Krapp factory began producing high quality artillery and new “kampfwaggen” tanks that were both larger and thicker hulled than the standard Earth pattern tanks produced off the templates of the previous century. These new tanks and “kannonen” pattern artillery reduced losses considerably and overwhelmed the planetary defenses of Thyssendorf in the ensuing Thysso-Luxen War. Krapp artillery had proven so destructive that the world of Kurinia surrendered without a shot fired, after observers had witnessed the leveling of Thyssendorf’s capital city. The final planet of Saxenburg fell in a lightning campaign where Krapp tanks skirted the static defenses of the Saxens and literally bulldozed their way into the throne room of the very surprised King Arnulf III, crushing him under their steel treads.

       

The Krapp War Banner/Company logo.

     But fighting three wars in succession is a costly endeavor, and the Duchy bankrupted itself, burdening the serfs with war loans, and the amount of money both paid to and owed to Krapp Armaments put Matthias in a very unique position for an industrialist. He called in the debt owed to him. In quick succession the army that could not be paid revolted against the ducal house, the enterprising arms merchant bought off the Luxen general staff, and the Grand Duke found himself a prisoner in his own palace by the end of the day. Matthias’ terms were simple, that he should marry the Duke’s daughter, and that he step down from the throne and Matthias and his new bride be acclaimed co rulers of Luxendoom. Thereby the state’s debt would be considered forgiven, the army’s pay would be reinstated, and the general staff were now employees of Krapp Armaments.

The Luxen I Battalion, the “Ducal Guard” currently stationed on Thyssendorf, but frequently sent on campaigns of “resource acquisition” by the Grand Duke as this is considered the best drilled of the Luxen units. The large Kampfwaggen “Taanstafl” Mk II carries the latest Krapp superweapon, the Sturmlaser, capable of tearing through thick walls and armor plating in a matter of seconds.

     Today, Krapp Armaments is a thriving Fortune Five Million company with hundreds of world factories producing innovative new ways for galactic empires to murder each other. Krapp tanks are reliable and durable and Krapp artillery is second to none in terms of destructive capacity. Alfred Von Krapp, the current Grand Duke, has an eye to the future, seeking new resources to acquire and innovative designs to sell. He also has an eye to the past keeping the tradition of Krapp quality and high standards of excellence in every piece of Krapp product that exits the factory. Remember, if it’s not Krapp, it’s probably junk!

Alfred Von Krapp in his later years. Portrait taken for the cover of Fortune Five Million inside one of the local plants that produces rail stock and commuter vehicles for the employed masses of Luxendoom.