So in keeping with the spirit that some "modders" feel their ideas were taken to create content for Sins: Rebellion, I'd just like to take this opportunity and come clean that the whole concept was my idea first and due to pending litigation (Stant123 Vs. Ironclad Games Corporation and Stardock Entertainment) the Beta is being held off until all parties involved can come to amicable terms and settle this dispute.

From : Stant123
Sent: 2/4/2011 7:27:41 PM

I was going to use this, but since you're back, you can use it.

Bison bombs UE headquarters killing more VIP's.

Board stands up and claims it's former Paragon Carbon getting some personal revenge for being removed from his post.

Carbon and Xenon return to (Xenon's Starbase) Egon Waste Field to hack the data network and state he had no involvement in the bombing and he got removed from his post while trying to locate and punish those who were responsible for the first bombing.  The new board was just too impatient.

Iron shows up at (Xenon's Starbase) even though it's location was supposed to be a secret.

(Xenon's Starbase) is destroyed in the ensuing battle, however, loyalists are able to help Carbon and Xenon escape.

Iron recalls all UE fleets to UE space to search for and arrest the now branded as traitors Carbon and Xenon.

UE fleets still loyal to Carbon wipe their brandings off their ships and adopt hybrid rebel/freedom fighter/loyalist logos (modified old UE logos when they used to actually explore?) and begin strategic raids on key facilities and withdraw before Iron can respond effectively.  Risky tactics are used to allow Carbon to know who is doing the raids.

Carbon recognizes the pattern of raids and successfully predicts where the next few raids are going to take place.

Iron recognizes the pattern of raids and successfully predicts where the next raids are going to take place.

Carbon and Xenon are smuggled to a future raid location, Iron begins building up fleets and prevents contact.

Board praises Iron for stopping the raids and ensures population that they have the upper hand.

Carbon locates a long time known smuggler hiding out (Member of old RFT?) and arranges for transport out of UE systems.  Breaks into high security building during board meeting and interrupts just to say hello and put the fear of god into them that he can reach them any time he pleases.  Smuggler picks up Carbon and Xenon on roof and begins slow process of planet/system hopping out of UE space.

Board fails to recognize Carbon's bluff and starts ordering fleets around undermining Iron's control weakening his defense network.

Loyalist fleet takes advantage of the control issues and hits hard defense targets simultaneously, softening up front line defenses to the point of breaking.

Carbon/Xenon are removed from UE space and rejoin the loyalist fleets.

Carbon uses new contacts unknown to UE board for supplies to re-equip and rearm. Free Traders (access to Oranos, mdman, and any new factions introduced by RFT posts while this is worked on), pirates from Black 5.

Fully staffed, repaired, armed, upgraded loyalists fleets return to UE space to find out more bombings have occurred (More Bison, Advent terrorists), easily take a few outlying planets to use as strongholds.  Begin actively engaging Iron in battles.  Adopt minuteman strategies to allow large fleets to engage in fighting while small task oriented groups (2 to 6 ships) pick off targets of opportunity (trade ships, comm stations) preventing resupply/delaying reinforcements.

Iron is intrigued by Carbon's ability to hold off his fleets even after evading capture all this time, Iron temporarily withdraws to regroup and resupply.  Missing a perfect opportunity, Xenon organizes a small assault task force to be always ready to capture Iron at a moment's notice.

Board members openly state their displeasure with Iron's inability to capture the traitors.  Iron retaliates by assuming total control of the fleets and reorganizes their defenses.

Board brands Iron as a traitor as well privately so as not to send the populace into mass hysteria.

More bombings occur due to having no fleet for defense forcing the board to publicly retract their statements about Iron.

Not willing to be so easily swayed, Iron publicly states that in a new agreement to mount an effective defense and assault to end the fighting, the board has agreed to turn over complete military control to him.  The board reluctantly agrees on the stipulation that once the fighting has stopped, they regain their control over the fleets.  Iron agrees even though he has no intent on releasing control.

Having had time to prepare while the board and Iron settle their differences, Carbon orders up a shot from a Kostra Cannon (Oranos) which opens up a gate behind Iron's defenses.  Loyalist fleet gathers and draws attention to themselves while Xenon takes advantage of a borrowed Antorak Marauder (Oranos) to use the gate and take his blitz squads planet side.

Xenon captures several board members and returns to the loyalist fleet.

Iron laughs at the attempt to gain the upper hand informing the loyalists that he alone controls the military and has no intention of giving up that control.  Loyalist fleet jumps from UE space and splits apart to evade capture.

Iron pursues, splitting his fleet up as well.  Iron's fleets become embattled in multiple systems that have no love for the UE.  Loyalist fleets escape with minor damages as they bear no markings to any known faction.

Captured board members slowly become sympathetic to Carbon's side of things after seeing the vast amount of external contact he actually has that were previously unknown to them. (All DS factions not currently pissed off at the UE)

Xenon, using another borrowed Antorak (Oranos) has Carbon order up another Kostura shot (Oranos) so he can reinsert the soon to be released board members at an old facility on one of their former planets, and leak their location so they can be found after a few days.

Mission only succeeds because of pirates from Black 5 being ordered by Ryat to plunder the poorly defended outer colonies.  Blood Ash (RFT) volunteer to police the outer colonies to end piracy issues.  Members of Xenon's intel group are attached to Blood Ash and smuggled into UE space.

Xenon's spies actively participate on intel gathering and sabotage operations preparing for Loyalist Fleet to return.

Loyalists return and Iron attempts to finish the fighting once and for all.  Dozens of key structures (Ship yards, trade ports, comm stations, research labs) are all destroyed within minutes crippling Iron's ability to respond to the Loyalist fleet.

Loyalist fleet retakes outer planets once again and through constant harassment and sabotage, lock Iron into a stalemate.

Loyal board members actively divide the UE in most matters reducing their capacity to rebuild.  Skirmishes will no doubt continue for some time, neither side retains any significant advantages, UE corporation, Fleet, Planets, all become split.

DS region effectively maps UE territory as war torn no fly zones (RFT) all factions receive updated maps.  Random intruders are met with swift deaths solidifying the no fly status.  Pirates leave seeing no more profit in hanging around, followed by the Blood Ash who no longer have pirates to combat.  All non UE elements pull out of UE space leaving them to settle their issues on their own.

As you can see, this PM to -Ue_Carbon was made well before the Rebellion announcement (made on March 1st) and the ideas had come to me much earlier then this, it's just that Carbon had returned to participating on these forums so I felt inclined to tell him what I was going to do with his lore faction so he could return to the story and continue it.  I've taken the liberty to bold the sections where I specifically use the terms Loyalist, Rebel, and the like, proving I have used these exact words to describe the happenings of what is going on in a semi-post diplomacy setting in the Distant Stars (Lore) region of the Sins Universe.  Stardock, having access to our PM accounts can easily verify the authenticity of this message that was recently sent back to me on my request.  Since they read my PM's frequently and have thus taken my ideas as a basis to create this stand alone expansion, I expect to at least receive a credit line thanking me for the wonderful idea of where to take their game next when it is finally released to the general public.  If they want to pay me too, and/or give me moderator powers on the Sins board, I won't turn it down.

As they have yet to meet my minimum requirements, the Beta must be postponed until the Superior Court of Michigan resolves this issue.  As part of the pending litigation, Ironclad and Stardock are not allowed to release any new artwork or information about Sins Rebellion.  I apologize to the community at large, but in this day and age where intellectual property is protected at the expense of good hard working people on a daily basis, I feel this is a necessary step.

Thank you all for your understanding.