Independent Faction

The planets and moons that formed the Independent Faction was a loose collection of worlds bound only by their common enemy—namely, the Alliance—rather than by any common similarities. To call them a confederacy would be a stretch—more like a loose cooperation. It was often quipped that they "never really worked together except to do one thing—deliver the mail."
Each planet or moon typically was governed by their own separate government, and sometimes not even by just one government per world. On the Frontier, folk liked to keep to themselves, dealing with their own trouble in their own way. On the Border planets, it could be dangerous to stick a gun barrel in someone's face because often as not 3 more could be pointing back at you.

Public Agenda

Before the War, there wasn't any coordinated agenda. Each world kept its political affairs to itself, allowed open trade and open migration. During the War, the goal was nearly as simple—to resist being put under the sole control and authority of the Union of Allied Planets. And after, there isn't any agenda on account of "War's over. We're all just 'folk' now."

Disbandment

The Treaty of Surrender and Armistice was signed in 2511.

Territories

The three major worlds of any real concern in the Independent Faction were Hera, Shadow, and Persephone. A majority of planets considered to be in the Boarder and so-called "Rim" also considered themselves part of the Independent Faction during the war, but the lack of technology, unity, coordination, and firepower made them largely insignificant to the Alliance forces.
Of course, since armistice, this is largely a moot point politically.

Military

Independent Navy

When the Unification War began the Independent Planets only had a few ships. Some of these craft were models also used by the Alliance military such as the Alliance Short Range Enforcement Vessel and the Alliance Patrol Boat. But the backbone of the fleet were converted Firefly, Komodo and Arrowhead-class ships, which were easily repurposed into combat and combat support vehicles.
The Navy was incredibly hodge-podge, and thus acted more like guerilla or pirate fleets than a uniform navy. It was this chaotic tactic used by these versatile, agile, and fast vessels that wreaked havoc on the large, bulky and awkward beasts used by the Alliance Navy. But the tides turned when the Alliance developed the Alliance Fast Attack Ship (AFAS), used to rout the Independents in the Battle of Sturges.

Independent Army

Like the Independent Navy, the Army—nicknamed the Browncoats for their simple, brown leather trench-coats and red scarf bandanas worn as uniforms—was a motley collection of various local planetary defense groups. Each of these tended to maintain their own unique designation, such as some of the more distinctive units of the war—the 12^th Cavalry, the 57^th Overlanders, and the 82^nd Squadron. And, like the Navy, the Army's use of guerilla tactics, knowledge of local terrain and planetary quirks, and their notoriously ferocious fighting spirit (so much so that legends of their viciousness grew to ludicrous proportions even to this day) was key to overwhelming the Alliance Armies early in the war.
But lack of a coordinated defensive tactic and infighting among various Independent generals are credited to their eventual defeat by the Alliance Armies as the war dragged on until the final major confrontation at the Battle of Serenity Valley.

Agriculture & Industry

The Independent Planets were typically more inclined towards agriculture, resource extraction, and colonization than industry and technology. However, the vast number of participating worlds led to a vigorous economic trade network, leading some historians (and conspiracy theorists) to suggest that the real reason for the Alliance's intrusion and attempted take-over of the Border and Rim planets was covetousness rather than the oft-given benevolence of imparting a more enlightened society.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

The Central Planets, thems formed the Alliance, waged war to bring everyone under their rule; a few idiots tried to fight it, among them myself....

Type

Political, independent

Alternative Names

Independent Planets, Independents, Browncoats

Demonym

Independent

Government System

Tribalism

Power Structure

Confederation

Economic System

Market economy

Currency

Platinum coins or sometimes Silver; mostly local currencies; Alliance credits (as a last resort)

Controlled Territories

• Barycenter Shipyards