{"data":{"id":14875,"title":"Galactic Guide: Castra System","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/en\/comm-link\/spectrum-dispatch\/14875-Galactic-Guide-Castra-System","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/14875","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/14875","channel":"Spectrum Dispatch","category":"Undefined","series":"Galactic Guide","images":[{"id":42776,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/2lwy1mzcfk4rn\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":1485525,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2025-10-23T10:12:22+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/42776","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/42776\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"The history of the Castra System might be as close of a mirror to Humanity\u2019s relationship with the Xi\u2019An as you can find. Discovered in 2544, only 14 years after our first encounter with the Xi\u2019An, Castra was terraformed for military use. As tensions with the Xi\u2019An relaxed, so did the military\u2019s presence in the system. Today, Castra is primarily a trading hub, though certain areas have stayed under military control and ready for action at a moment\u2019s notice.\n\nCastra is a simple system containing two planets orbiting a stunning blue-white star. It was discovered by UPE military pathfinders probing systems near the Perry Line for undiscovered jump points. After the initial exploration, early reports noted the system as \u201cunremarkable\u201d from an astronomical perspective, yet the military brass immediately grasped its strategic importance as a staging post for the brewing Xi\u2019An conflict. The system was named Castra, after the ancient Roman term for land used by the military as a defensive position, and terraforming of its second planet began immediately.\n\nDecades later the system was thrust into the front lines of the conflict when a jump point from Castra to Oya with its burgeoning Xi\u2019An colony was discovered. As government funding flooded the system to improve its defensive fortifications and military infrastructure, it quickly changed from a mere staging post into a focal point of the Xi\u2019An cold war. A large orbital platform was even built to support capital ships and long-range bombers, which were ever ready to attack Xi\u2019An space should the order be given. The station has since been decommissioned and bought by Crusader to become a part of their commercial starliner network in the system.\n\nIn 2789, the UEE reduced their military footprint in Castra. After two centuries of strict control, the public was permitted to move into the system. The decision was, and still is for some, a controversial one. A hawkish minority of military bureaucrats and political elites believe the system best serves the Empire as a dedicated (and solitary) military outpost.\n\nUpon Castra\u2019s conversion, businesses arrived in droves to take advantage of the system\u2019s exceptional infrastructure and affordable real estate. At this point, that makes Castra a prime destination for haulers looking to offload raw materials and leave with goods. Recently, Castra\u2019s government has pushed to increase tourism to the system in an attempt to diversify their industries.\n\nCastra I\nCastra\u2019s first planet lacks an atmosphere or any raw materials worth mining. Still, Humans realized that Castra I was good for one thing \u2014 target practice. Designated \u201cBulls-eye\u201d by the UEE Navy, this dead world was used for bombing runs during the cold war. Today, the way the system\u2019s star reflects off Castra I\u2019s pockmarked surface is probably the most interesting thing about it.\n\nCastra II (Cascom)\nOnly Castra II is suitable for habitation. The UEE military designated the planet as Castra Command, which was shortened to Cascom \u2014 an unofficial name that has stuck, much to the dismay of some current politicians. The military terraformed the planet as fast as possible. Some scientist today even say possibly too fast, suggesting that the escalated speed at which Cascom was made ready is to blame for its pronounced cloud layer.\n\nThe military wanted to construct an ideal defensive position, so they dug into the top of Mount Ulysses to build the city of Sherman, making it both superbly secure and breathtakingly beautiful. This fortress city, situated above the clouds, has earned the nickname \u201cIsland in the Sky.\u201d Upon seeing Sherman for the first time, Admiral Kumasi Klein famously said, \u201cIt\u2019s the city of my dreams. Picturesque and protected by big guns.\u201d\n\nSince Sherman was under government control for centuries, it remains a sterling example of state-sponsored architecture. When Monumentalism was championed by Imperator Messer V, Sherman\u2019s skyline was updated to reflect the style. Today, Sherman\u2019s historic architecture remains as one of the primary reasons to visit the city.\n\nEver since the military opened the system to Citizens and civilians, Sherman has searched to define its own cultural identity. For centuries, living on Castra II was an assignment, not a choice. People from every corner of the Empire spent time there, but few put down roots. When the system opened up, industry became the planet\u2019s most obvious new resident. Although companies like Kruger Intergalactic injected new life into the planet, they did little to give it a new identity among the masses of other imperial worlds.\n\nThat changed in 2833 when the planet elected Andre Novoselov president. President Novoselov worked closely with the business community to attract more residents to Sherman. For years, businesses had struggled to find enough employees to fill available positions. Together, they launched pro-Sherman promotional campaigns on planets around the Empire. One of those campaigns resurrected the \u201cIsland in the Sky\u201d motif and featured the iconic image of the mountaintop city sitting above cloud cover sparkling from the light pollution of cities below. For the first time, the Empire saw Sherman as more than a military outpost or industrial park. It was President Novoselov\u2019s hope that he would see Castra II earn representation in his lifetime, but sadly his transition from President to planetary Governor never came to pass, and the planet has yet to earn its senatorial seat.\n\nPresident Novoselov\u2019s push to populate the planet worked. As more people arrived, so did a wide variety of service industries to meet the increasing demand. Sherman became a melting pot of high-end stores, restaurants and hotels, intermixed with businesses geared toward middle-class and blue-collar workers. In many parts of the city, people in designer suits and those in graphene-toed boots shop, dine and live in the same part of town.\n\nRecently, Cascom\u2019s cheap real estate and scenic views have become a popular home for retirees. In an effort to attract a younger crowd, Sherman has promoted its beautiful, mountaintop location as the \u2019verse\u2019s premiere extreme sports destination. For a while, paragliding above the clouds was extremely popular until numerous amateur paragliders landed on military installations and forced the city to impose a ban on the practice. Even if paragliding has been prohibited around Mount Ulysses, there is more than enough awe and adventure awaiting anyone who visits Castra II.\n\nHeard in the Wind\n\u201cThe Xi\u2019An conflict, when it does occur \u2014 and note I say when, not if \u2014 will ultimately be determined by our strength in one system alone, Castra. I implore all of you to appropriate funds swiftly and accordingly.\u201d\n\u2013 Admiral Connelly Reeves, excerpt from a speech given to High-Command, 2716\n\n\u201cThe strength of the lines and the unforgiving audacity of the edifice as it pierces the firmament leaves no doubt to what the intent of the structure was, nor any room to debate that the establishment of Sherman embodied the spirit of the era as much as it helped define it.\u201d\n\u2013 Reggie Chapolt, Brick by Brick, 2880","de_DE":"Die Geschichte des Castra-Systems k\u00f6nnte so nah wie ein Spiegel an der Beziehung der Menschheit zum Xi'An sein, wie Sie es finden k\u00f6nnen. Castra wurde 2544 entdeckt, nur 14 Jahre nach unserer ersten Begegnung mit dem Xi'An, und wurde f\u00fcr milit\u00e4rische Zwecke terrassiert. Da sich die Spannungen mit den Xi'An entspannen, entspannte sich auch die Pr\u00e4senz des Milit\u00e4rs im System. Heute ist Castra in erster Linie ein Handelszentrum, obwohl bestimmte Gebiete unter milit\u00e4rischer Kontrolle geblieben sind und kurzfristig einsatzbereit sind.\n\nCastra ist ein einfaches System mit zwei Planeten, die einen atemberaubenden blau-wei\u00dfen Stern umkreisen. Es wurde von UPE-Milit\u00e4rpfadfindern entdeckt, die Systeme in der N\u00e4he der Perry-Linie nach unentdeckten Sprungbrettpunkten durchsuchten. Nach der ersten Erkundung hielten fr\u00fche Berichte das System aus astronomischer Sicht f\u00fcr \"unauff\u00e4llig\", doch das milit\u00e4rische Messing begriff sofort seine strategische Bedeutung als Etappenort f\u00fcr den sich anbahnenden Xi'An-Konflikt. Das System erhielt den Namen Castra, nach dem alten r\u00f6mischen Begriff f\u00fcr Land, das vom Milit\u00e4r als Verteidigungsposition genutzt wurde, und das Terraforming seines zweiten Planeten begann sofort.\n\nJahrzehnte sp\u00e4ter wurde das System an die Frontlinie des Konflikts gedr\u00e4ngt, als ein Sprungpunkt von Castra nach Oya mit seiner aufkeimenden Xi'An-Kolonie entdeckt wurde. Als staatliche Mittel das System zur Verbesserung der Verteidigungsanlagen und der milit\u00e4rischen Infrastruktur \u00fcberfluteten, wandelte es sich schnell von einem blo\u00dfen Aufenthaltsort zu einem Schwerpunkt des Kalten Krieges von Xi'An. Eine gro\u00dfe Orbitalplattform wurde sogar gebaut, um Gro\u00dfraumschiffe und Langstreckenbomber zu unterst\u00fctzen, die jemals bereit waren, den Xi'An-Raum anzugreifen, sollte der Befehl erteilt werden. Die Station wurde inzwischen stillgelegt und von Crusader gekauft, um Teil ihres kommerziellen Starliner-Netzwerks im System zu werden.\n\nIm Jahr 2789 reduzierte die UEE ihren milit\u00e4rischen Fu\u00dfabdruck in Castra. Nach zwei Jahrhunderten strenger Kontrolle durfte die \u00d6ffentlichkeit in das System eindringen. Die Entscheidung war und ist f\u00fcr einige immer noch eine umstrittene. Eine falkenartige Minderheit von milit\u00e4rischen B\u00fcrokraten und politischen Eliten glaubt, dass das System dem Imperium als engagierter (und einsamer) milit\u00e4rischer Au\u00dfenposten am besten dient.\n\nNach der Umwandlung von Castra kamen Unternehmen in Scharen, um die Vorteile der au\u00dfergew\u00f6hnlichen Infrastruktur und der erschwinglichen Immobilien des Systems zu nutzen. An dieser Stelle ist Castra ein erstklassiges Ziel f\u00fcr Spediteure, die Rohstoffe abladen und mit Waren abfahren wollen. Vor kurzem hat die Regierung von Castra darauf gedr\u00e4ngt, den Tourismus in das System zu integrieren, um ihre Industrien zu diversifizieren.\n\nCastra I\nCastra's erster Planet hat keine Atmosph\u00e4re oder Rohstoffe, die es wert sind, abgebaut zu werden. Dennoch erkannten die Menschen, dass Castra I f\u00fcr eine Sache gut war - die Schie\u00df\u00fcbung. Von der UEE Navy als \"Bulls-eye\" bezeichnet, wurde diese tote Welt w\u00e4hrend des Kalten Krieges f\u00fcr Bombenangriffe genutzt. Heute ist die Art und Weise, wie der Stern des Systems die markierte Oberfl\u00e4che von Castra I reflektiert, wahrscheinlich das Interessanteste daran.\n\nCastra II (Cascom)\nNur Castra II ist f\u00fcr den Wohnbereich geeignet. Das UEE-Milit\u00e4r bezeichnete den Planeten als Castra Command, was auf Cascom verk\u00fcrzt wurde - ein inoffizieller Name, der sich zum Entsetzen einiger aktueller Politiker gehalten hat. Das Milit\u00e4r hat den Planeten so schnell wie m\u00f6glich geformt. Einige Wissenschaftler sagen heute sogar, m\u00f6glicherweise zu schnell, was darauf hindeutet, dass die eskalierte Geschwindigkeit, mit der Cascom vorbereitet wurde, f\u00fcr seine ausgepr\u00e4gte Wolkenschicht verantwortlich ist.\n\nDas Milit\u00e4r wollte eine ideale Verteidigungsposition aufbauen, also gruben sie sich in die Spitze des Mount Ulysses, um die Stadt Sherman zu bauen, was sie sowohl \u00fcberaus sicher als auch atemberaubend sch\u00f6n macht. Diese Festungsstadt, die \u00fcber den Wolken liegt, hat den Spitznamen \"Island in the Sky\" erhalten. Als Admiral Kumasi Klein Sherman zum ersten Mal sah, sagte er ber\u00fchmt: \"Es ist die Stadt meiner Tr\u00e4ume. Malerisch und gesch\u00fctzt durch gro\u00dfe Gesch\u00fctze.\"\n\nDa Sherman jahrhundertelang unter staatlicher Kontrolle stand, ist es ein hervorragendes Beispiel f\u00fcr staatlich gef\u00f6rderte Architektur. Als sich Imperator Messer V f\u00fcr den Monumentalismus einsetzte, wurde die Skyline von Sherman entsprechend dem Stil aktualisiert. Bis heute ist Shermans historische Architektur einer der Hauptgr\u00fcnde f\u00fcr einen Besuch der Stadt.\n\nSeit das Milit\u00e4r das System f\u00fcr B\u00fcrger und Zivilisten ge\u00f6ffnet hat, hat Sherman versucht, seine eigene kulturelle Identit\u00e4t zu definieren. Jahrhundertelang war das Leben auf Castra II eine Aufgabe, keine Wahl. Menschen aus allen Teilen des Reiches verbrachten dort ihre Zeit, aber nur wenige legten Wurzeln. Als sich das System \u00f6ffnete, wurde die Industrie zum offensichtlichsten neuen Bewohner des Planeten. Obwohl Unternehmen wie Kruger Intergalactic dem Planeten neues Leben einhauchten, taten sie wenig, um ihm eine neue Identit\u00e4t unter den Massen anderer imperialer Welten zu verleihen.\n\nDas \u00e4nderte sich 2833, als der Planet Andre Novoselov zum Pr\u00e4sidenten w\u00e4hlte. Pr\u00e4sident Novoselov arbeitete eng mit der Wirtschaft zusammen, um mehr Einwohner f\u00fcr Sherman zu gewinnen. Seit Jahren hatten die Unternehmen M\u00fche, gen\u00fcgend Mitarbeiter zu finden, um die freien Stellen zu besetzen. Gemeinsam starteten sie pro-deutsche Werbekampagnen auf Planeten im ganzen Reich. Eine dieser Kampagnen belebte das Motiv \"Insel im Himmel\" und zeigte das ikonische Bild der Bergstadt, die \u00fcber der Wolkendecke sitzt und durch die Lichtverschmutzung der darunter liegenden St\u00e4dte funkelt. Zum ersten Mal sah das Imperium Sherman mehr als einen milit\u00e4rischen Au\u00dfenposten oder Industriepark. Es war die Hoffnung von Pr\u00e4sident Novoselov, dass er Castra II. zu seinen Lebzeiten vertreten sehen w\u00fcrde, aber leider ist sein \u00dcbergang vom Pr\u00e4sidenten zum planetarischen Gouverneur nie zustande gekommen, und der Planet hat noch nicht seinen Senatssitz erhalten.\n\nDer Druck von Pr\u00e4sident Novoselov, den Planeten zu bev\u00f6lkern, hat funktioniert. Mit zunehmender Zahl der Menschen kamen auch eine Vielzahl von Dienstleistungsbranchen hinzu, um der steigenden Nachfrage gerecht zu werden. Sherman wurde zu einem Schmelztiegel von High-End-L\u00e4den, Restaurants und Hotels, vermischt mit Gesch\u00e4ften, die sich an mittelst\u00e4ndische und Arbeiter richten. In vielen Teilen der Stadt kaufen, essen und leben Menschen in Designeranz\u00fcgen und solche in Graphenstiefeln im gleichen Stadtteil.\n\nIn letzter Zeit sind Cascoms billige Immobilien und malerische Aussichten zu einem beliebten Zuhause f\u00fcr Rentner geworden. Um ein j\u00fcngeres Publikum anzuziehen, hat Sherman seine sch\u00f6ne Lage auf dem Berggipfel als das erste Extremsportziel der Strophe beworben. Eine Zeit lang war das Gleitschirmfliegen \u00fcber den Wolken sehr beliebt, bis zahlreiche Amateurschirme auf Milit\u00e4ranlagen landeten und die Stadt zwangen, ein Verbot der Praxis zu verh\u00e4ngen. Auch wenn das Gleitschirmfliegen rund um den Mount Ulysses verboten ist, erwartet jeden, der Castra II besucht, mehr als genug Ehrfurcht und Abenteuer.\n\nIm Wind geh\u00f6rt\n\"Der Xi'An-Konflikt, wenn er auftritt - und ich sage, wann, nicht wenn - wird letztendlich von unserer St\u00e4rke in einem System allein, Castra, bestimmt werden. Ich flehe euch alle an, schnell und angemessen Mittel zu beschaffen.\"\n- Admiral Connelly Reeves, Auszug aus einer Rede vor dem Oberbefehl, 2716\n\n\"Die St\u00e4rke der Linien und die unnachgiebige K\u00fchnheit des Geb\u00e4udes, das das Firmament durchdringt, lassen keinen Zweifel daran, was die Absicht der Struktur war, noch irgendeinen Raum zum Diskutieren, dass die Gr\u00fcndung von Sherman den Geist der \u00c4ra so sehr verk\u00f6rpert hat, wie sie dazu beigetragen hat, ihn zu definieren.\"\n- Reggie Chapolt, Ziegel f\u00fcr Ziegel, 2880","zh_CN":"The history of the Castra System might be as close of a mirror to Humanity\u2019s relationship with the Xi\u2019An as you can find. Discovered in 2544, only 14 years after our first encounter with the Xi\u2019An, Castra was terraformed for military use. As tensions with the Xi\u2019An relaxed, so did the military\u2019s presence in the system. Today, Castra is primarily a trading hub, though certain areas have stayed under military control and ready for action at a moment\u2019s notice.\n\nCastra is a simple system containing two planets orbiting a stunning blue-white star. It was discovered by UPE military pathfinders probing systems near the Perry Line for undiscovered jump points. After the initial exploration, early reports noted the system as \u201cunremarkable\u201d from an astronomical perspective, yet the military brass immediately grasped its strategic importance as a staging post for the brewing Xi\u2019An conflict. The system was named Castra, after the ancient Roman term for land used by the military as a defensive position, and terraforming of its second planet began immediately.\n\nDecades later the system was thrust into the front lines of the conflict when a jump point from Castra to Oya with its burgeoning Xi\u2019An colony was discovered. As government funding flooded the system to improve its defensive fortifications and military infrastructure, it quickly changed from a mere staging post into a focal point of the Xi\u2019An cold war. A large orbital platform was even built to support capital ships and long-range bombers, which were ever ready to attack Xi\u2019An space should the order be given. The station has since been decommissioned and bought by Crusader to become a part of their commercial starliner network in the system.\n\nIn 2789, the UEE reduced their military footprint in Castra. After two centuries of strict control, the public was permitted to move into the system. The decision was, and still is for some, a controversial one. A hawkish minority of military bureaucrats and political elites believe the system best serves the Empire as a dedicated (and solitary) military outpost.\n\nUpon Castra\u2019s conversion, businesses arrived in droves to take advantage of the system\u2019s exceptional infrastructure and affordable real estate. At this point, that makes Castra a prime destination for haulers looking to offload raw materials and leave with goods. Recently, Castra\u2019s government has pushed to increase tourism to the system in an attempt to diversify their industries.\n\nCastra I\nCastra\u2019s first planet lacks an atmosphere or any raw materials worth mining. Still, Humans realized that Castra I was good for one thing \u2014 target practice. Designated \u201cBulls-eye\u201d by the UEE Navy, this dead world was used for bombing runs during the cold war. Today, the way the system\u2019s star reflects off Castra I\u2019s pockmarked surface is probably the most interesting thing about it.\n\nCastra II (Cascom)\nOnly Castra II is suitable for habitation. The UEE military designated the planet as Castra Command, which was shortened to Cascom \u2014 an unofficial name that has stuck, much to the dismay of some current politicians. The military terraformed the planet as fast as possible. Some scientist today even say possibly too fast, suggesting that the escalated speed at which Cascom was made ready is to blame for its pronounced cloud layer.\n\nThe military wanted to construct an ideal defensive position, so they dug into the top of Mount Ulysses to build the city of Sherman, making it both superbly secure and breathtakingly beautiful. This fortress city, situated above the clouds, has earned the nickname \u201cIsland in the Sky.\u201d Upon seeing Sherman for the first time, Admiral Kumasi Klein famously said, \u201cIt\u2019s the city of my dreams. Picturesque and protected by big guns.\u201d\n\nSince Sherman was under government control for centuries, it remains a sterling example of state-sponsored architecture. When Monumentalism was championed by Imperator Messer V, Sherman\u2019s skyline was updated to reflect the style. Today, Sherman\u2019s historic architecture remains as one of the primary reasons to visit the city.\n\nEver since the military opened the system to Citizens and civilians, Sherman has searched to define its own cultural identity. For centuries, living on Castra II was an assignment, not a choice. People from every corner of the Empire spent time there, but few put down roots. When the system opened up, industry became the planet\u2019s most obvious new resident. Although companies like Kruger Intergalactic injected new life into the planet, they did little to give it a new identity among the masses of other imperial worlds.\n\nThat changed in 2833 when the planet elected Andre Novoselov president. President Novoselov worked closely with the business community to attract more residents to Sherman. For years, businesses had struggled to find enough employees to fill available positions. Together, they launched pro-Sherman promotional campaigns on planets around the Empire. One of those campaigns resurrected the \u201cIsland in the Sky\u201d motif and featured the iconic image of the mountaintop city sitting above cloud cover sparkling from the light pollution of cities below. For the first time, the Empire saw Sherman as more than a military outpost or industrial park. It was President Novoselov\u2019s hope that he would see Castra II earn representation in his lifetime, but sadly his transition from President to planetary Governor never came to pass, and the planet has yet to earn its senatorial seat.\n\nPresident Novoselov\u2019s push to populate the planet worked. As more people arrived, so did a wide variety of service industries to meet the increasing demand. Sherman became a melting pot of high-end stores, restaurants and hotels, intermixed with businesses geared toward middle-class and blue-collar workers. In many parts of the city, people in designer suits and those in graphene-toed boots shop, dine and live in the same part of town.\n\nRecently, Cascom\u2019s cheap real estate and scenic views have become a popular home for retirees. In an effort to attract a younger crowd, Sherman has promoted its beautiful, mountaintop location as the \u2019verse\u2019s premiere extreme sports destination. For a while, paragliding above the clouds was extremely popular until numerous amateur paragliders landed on military installations and forced the city to impose a ban on the practice. Even if paragliding has been prohibited around Mount Ulysses, there is more than enough awe and adventure awaiting anyone who visits Castra II.\n\nHeard in the Wind\n\u201cThe Xi\u2019An conflict, when it does occur \u2014 and note I say when, not if \u2014 will ultimately be determined by our strength in one system alone, Castra. I implore all of you to appropriate funds swiftly and accordingly.\u201d\n\u2013 Admiral Connelly Reeves, excerpt from a speech given to High-Command, 2716\n\n\u201cThe strength of the lines and the unforgiving audacity of the edifice as it pierces the firmament leaves no doubt to what the intent of the structure was, nor any room to debate that the establishment of Sherman embodied the spirit of the era as much as it helped define it.\u201d\n\u2013 Reggie Chapolt, Brick by Brick, 2880"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":49,"created_at":"2015-08-05T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"10 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-06-02 19:53:18","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":14874,"next_id":14876}}