Description: The HDC is an empire of humans that were isolated for decades. because of this, their technology lacks behind compared to others. But because they were alone for so long, their recourses seem infinite, just as their production power.
History: During the early stages of space colonization a colonization ship got lost because the Hyperdrive had a malfunction. After the jump, the crew had found themselves in a lifeless part of the universe. After they aimlessly went around they finally discovered an earthlike planet with an asteroid belt around it to colonize. Because it was the only real planet around its sun, there weren't many choices, so the lost colonists started their first settlements. The floor under their feet was fertile, but without many natural resources like iron. Without many of them, the colony had a rough start, but soon their fate changed, as the first spaceships that could mine asteroids were launched. The asteroid ring was a blessing for the colony and its industry went bigger than they could have ever dreamed. They quickly expanded into the solar systems around them and grew to a huge empire. The new empire, ruled by a parliament, was limited in their colonization effort by the spare amount of planets around them. But the amount of asteroids within its sector is high enough to compensate for this. Soon they had some clashes on their boarders with some smaller pirates, leading to a creation of the empires first army. Because of their pure industrial power, the government focused on developing huge caliber guns for their ships. No one even thought about the non industrial ways to use plasma cells. When the pirates were defeated, the parliament was about to dissolve the military. Many big generals disliked this idea, but they were powerless. Just before the law passed, unknown enemies began to attack the boarders of the empire. The government was powerless and the generals saw their chance: They collected their forces, but instead of jumping to the frontline to stop the invaders, they jumped right to the home planet where the parliament was. They arrested every single member, before announcing the foundation of the Human Defense Coalition or short HDC. Together the generals and new leaders mobilized every industry they had to stand against the alien invaders. The aliens had superior weapons and technologies, so the HDC stand no chance at the beginning. After weeks of fighting and desperate holding on, the fronts slowed down and came to a hold. Both parties try to push the front forwards in every way possible for years.
Culture: After many years of fighting the alien invaders the culture shifts more and more into a military one. warriors, that were hated before the military took over, are now seen as heroes and legends. Children learn everything relevant to the military relevant in school, from ship building to reloading a cannon. Generals get monuments build for them and the population is about to forget that it was the military who took over.
Government: Just as the culture, the government is purely military. For one part, because it came to power with a military coup, but also because the desperate situation needs it. They have to win this war, over everything will be lost. Industry and everything else is set to full production of military hardware and software. The fact that they are ruled by a military dictator with unlimited political power bothers only a few.
Technology/Engineering: The HDC could benefit from any cultural exchange with others and had limited interest in science, so they really lack behind in technology. They don't have any laser technology at all and rely on heavy armor and cannons to deal with their opponents. Incredible efficient orbital production lines spit out war ships by the minute, but often they fell as fast as they are build. New technologies that could turn the tide are small AIs that are capable of flying simple missiles into their targets and the discovery of Uranium 235 on a planet that allows the engineers to build a prototype of a nuclear torpedo.
Territory: The HDC territory was reduced massively because of the war. It includes a handful of colonizable planets and thousands of asteroids that have more metals and other resources than you could ever dream. Within their Territories there are multiple heavy armed space station that are still active from the young days of the empire when it had to deal with pirates. Many hyperspace routes are blocked by small vessels that are made to lay hundreds of mines per minute. On their planets, there is water and only animals and plants they plant/ set free and spread over the planets. In general, the territory is very isolated and was suggested uninteresting by nearly everyone, mostly because of how difficult and dangerous it is to get there.
Unique Technologies: To compensate for the causalities at the front and only a few planets with new recruits, the HDC reactivated an old cloning program that was set on ice because the old government said it was immoral. It was a huge success and is the reason the HDC can still send in huge amounts of ships to the front.
Another very unique technology in combination with cloning is a type machine that allows to transport memories into the clones so they are ready for battle as soon as they leave production.
Probably their most useful machine is the so called "Asteroid eater". Its a one of a kind machine that uses asteroids to produce ships out of them directly. This allows for a very fast production and forms the backbone of the navy. Its heavily armed and stays with its personal fleet completely out of combat. Its under the direct orders of the highest military command and only a handful of persons know about its existence.
Current state: At the moment the HDC is still in a big war with the unknown alien race. The frontline is barely holding and the war effort is at 100%. Nobody except the aliens know about the HDC.. Small expedition fleets without contact to the home sector were send out to search for allies in the galaxy that could help turn the tide of the war
