Albion is the first system to be discovered in campaign mode. Its economy is based on Food Rations. Currently, it is controlled by Plutarch Mining Corporation, with Sovereign Syndicate as the renegade faction.

Connections to Other Systems

To: DeVries at: Auspicious Excavation, Lookout Alpha

To: Fields of Opportunity at: Exhaustless Mines, Far Out (DLC: TO) Remember that useless jump-gate before the 3.0 update?

To: Cold Star at: Cold Peaks, Inner World (DLC: HoL only: gate does not exist in vanilla).

Factions and Economy

Heart of Albion

Being the first in the list, the HoA is the most special faction in X: Rebirth. It only controls a Wheat Plantation, a Cell Recharge Fac, and also a Capital Shipyard, ranking first in terms of the least number of stations controlled - even the Xenon has 4 or more in Maelstrom. Yet, its political influence can affect the stability of Albion.

Ledda Industrial

Being the second-strongest faction in Albion, the LI produces industrial materials to be used in different aspects.

Beryll

Also known as the Beryll Astrotech, BER specializes in the production of high-tech goods. The faction is now searching the solution to stop the Xenon once and for all.

Wholesome Foods

The WF is responsible for the well-being of workers, residents, and CEOs alike in Albion by focusing on the production of every-day foodstuffs.

Albion Energy Subsidiary

Supposedly a sub-division of PMC, the AES runs its Energy Arrays and Cell Fab Matrices to supply power to the stations, industries and the like in Albion.

No Limits

The "drug dealers" in Albion, NL uses its license to grow Spices, Spaceweeds and makes Narcotics. It has a negatively-neutral relationship with the player.

History

Discovery

In X3: Albion Prelude, we see the first appearance of the system Albion. It was recently discovered by Quinlan Rorke. (Thanks!)

Initially, Albion was not a very resourceful place, and it could be considered barren. There was an extremely unstable planet at the center of the Albion system, as we can see the tectonic plates and the molten magma of the planet even from a great distance. It was on the very edge of the Universe at that time. The only way to enter it was through a pre-X:R sector, later revealed in X: Rebirth as Belt of Aguilar system. It was not even of any significance.

Development

Later on, several events occurred on this insignificant system, and things soon changed dramatically. Albion then became something that could affect the life of the millions.

First off, the unstable planet exploded. The heated core and the magma of the planet was exposed to the surrounding, solidifying and thus exposing the rich and rare minerals once trapped in the planet. The outer shell of the planet shattered and was blown apart.

One man (name please?) was lucky to have discovered the System of Albion right after the planet exploded. He successfully grasped this great opportunity and moved his family to Albion. Later, this man founded the notorious Plutarch Mining Corporation and PMC became the most powerful of all the mining companies in Albion.

The second thing to happen is the development of the Highways. (Haha that is something players from pre-X:R complained about.) The Jonferson Space Dynamics Division (JSDD), now known as the Jonferson Space Systems (JSS), developed the technology of the Highway tubes, and decided to give them a test in somewhere untouched. The company then selected Albion to construct the very first Highway tubes. We can see some construction sites in Albion.

Prior to the Gate Shutdown

Becoming rich after all of the success in Albion, PMC has built its very own military fleet and possibly began system patrols. It can be seen that PMC was planning a plot in X3:Albion Prelude.

After the Gate Shutdown

The Albion Civil War

The sudden collapse of the Gate network brought great opportunities to Albion once more, as Albion, internally, has reached a level of self-sustainability. PMC revealed its plot and initiated a rebellion against the Argon Federation. Being overwhelmed, the Argon forces could not hold off the PMC, and were forced into submission. Having a strong power vacuum, PMC assumed control and becaome the de-facto authority in Albion. It then established a provisional government.

The remaining Argon forces was said to have retreated and founded the Heart of Albion faction to continue their struggle against the renegade Corporation.

The Short Peace

The Civil War was followed by an approximately 40-year long peace, during which PMC founded the Albion Energy Subsidiary to deal with energy issues. The trapped Jonferco descendants gradually transformed into the Ledda Industrial (LI), leading the industrial development in Albion.

The Gate Re-opening

Main Article: X: Rebirth Plot

On one usual day, Captain Ren Otani, along with Yisha Tarren, flew to Auspicious Excavation Zone to meet up with Falk Borman, the leader of the Heart of Albion. Strangely, Borman was not there, and the group was met by a heavy PMC presence. The group also noticed that the Jump Gate re-opened - PMC ships were guarding it from random access. To ditch the PMC forces, Yisha pilot the ship through the Jump Gate, and also discovering the re-alignment of the Jump Gate network - the Jump Gate connected to DeVries, instead of Belt of Aguilar.

The Continuation of the Albion Civil War

Min Article: X: Rebirth Plot

It was discovered that a group of abandoned Terrans, identified as the Canterans, inhabited the ruins of the secret Terran mining colony. Falk Borman, leader of the Heart of Albion, grasped this opportunuty and spread word about the un-disclosed slavery and exploitation of PMC by hacking one of its stations in Albion. Later on, the Heart of Albion launched an attack on a prison ship.

After an incident of a joint mining operation with RoC, HoA decided to escort refugees through the Jump Gate and, soon afterwards, forged the alliance with Republicof Cantera.

Soon afterwards, the alliance declared war on PMC.

The Struggle

In the times to come, Albion saw the bloodiest ongoing warfare as Heart of Albion maneuvered in all possible directions in an attempt to evade the majority of the PMC fleet and engage the lesser PMC fleet. As a result, battle occurred almost everywhere.

The Drone-Uprising

In an attempt to crush the Xenon in Maelstrom, the Argon Government (AG) lured Xenon out of the Maelstrom hive. Soon enough, Xenon arrived at Albion.

Because PMC granted permission to improve the effectiveness of the drones by copying and using the Xenon codes, there was a chance that the Drones became self-aware and revolt. The actual Xenon detected this major flaw in the PMC drones and provoked them to fight against PMC.

Now, as the Albion Civil War continues to rage on, PMC faces military failure and on the fall, and trade ships being crushed by Xenon, Albion is facing the risk of economic depression and political instability.

Special Landmarks

The following landmarks can be found in Albion:

• Badlands Colony: The unofficial capital of Albion. Produces some rock mineral.
• Plutarch Exchange: A special station that is exactly a "mineral free-trade mechanism". We can easily "speculate" and buy/sell in the same station to gain profit.
• Lonely Giant: An asteroid that has a high hydrogen deposit in it. Produces Hydrogen.