United Farmers' Front

  

United Farmers' Front (UFF)
Participant in the Sierran Civil War
Flag
Active	April 16, 1874 – present (on ceasefire since 1989)
Ideology	Sierran republicanism Anti-monarchism
Leaders	Homestead Keepers
Headquarters	Bernheim, San Joaquin, K.S.
Area of operations	Styxie
Strength	16,000 (1877; peak) 13,281 (2015)
Part of	Sierran Republicans
Originated as	Radical Democratic-Republican farmers
Allies	Bear Flaggers Sierran Republican Army Sierran Liberation Army
Opponents	Jacobites Monarchists Sierran Crown Armed Forces

The United Farmers' Front (shortened as the UFF) is a republican paramilitary and friendly society organization. The group was formed by radical Democratic-Republican farmers, rural workers, and other agriculturalists who opposed the Sierran monarchy during the Sierran Civil War. After the civil war, the UFF remained active as an underground organization and participated in the Continental Revolutionary War as foreign volunteers for the Continentalists. During The Disturbances, the group undertook an armed campaign against the Sierran federal government. It officially ended its campaign in 1989 following the signing of the Concord Accords. Its paramilitary wing is officially designated as a proscribed terrorist organization by Sierra.

When the war ended, rather than disband, the militia continued to exist as many others had done after the Mexican-American War. The UFF functioned similarly to the fraternal organization it is today with a structural hierarchy and local chapters, and relying on membership dues and donations from its members. The UFF remains a controversial organization, particularly due to concern over the illegal and violent activities of some of its members undertake.

Although the UFF officially ceased belligerent functions since the end of The Disturbances, some members of the UFF have been involved in organized crime, mainly through distributing illegal drugs, blackmailing, murders, and fraud. The main area of operations for the UFF is concentrated in the Sierran Heartland region: mainly San Joaquin, as well as Plumas, Reno, Santa Clara, and Tahoe. In 2015, the UFF had 8 branches, 77 chapters, and 13,281 reported members. The actual figures of total members in the UFF may be higher as the UFF only counts individuals who have been part of the organization for more than 5 years, are 21 years or older, and paid their monthly membership dues as members. An entire subculture has emerged within the UFF that has spread throughout the region and influenced similar, related organizations such as the Styxers and the Heartland Defense League.

An officially mixed organization, the UFF accepts all members regardless of sex, gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, or religion, but requires all inductees to forsake any allegiance to the Monarchy, or any other monarchies, and to defend the values of the Republic through the Farmhand's Pledge. Historically, members were also required to show proof that they were registered members of the Democratic-Republican, or were willing to change party affiliations to the said party. After the Democratic-Republican Party dropped republicanism from its platform in the early 1900s, the UFF aligned itself more closely to far-left political parties including the Continentalist Party of Sierra.

History

Formation and Civil War

The United Farmers' Front was formed on April 16, 1874 from rural communities outside of Santa Clara after the province had seceded and join the Second California Republic. Founded by Edmund York who was the leader of the Homestead Keepers, a group of radical republican farmers opposed to the monarchy and seeking its abolition. The UFF was quickly organized into a sufficient fighting force as a well trained and organized militia. They were to act as second-line units and would wage guerrilla warfare and help protect republican positions and territory. All of this had happened after being placed under the command of the Military Council of the Second California Republic and were organized as part of the self-proclaimed republic's armed forces. The role of the UFF varied upon region, province and unit with many units having integrated UFF troops as regular infantry formations and participated in many battles against the Sierran Royal Army during the war. Others had them serve as scouts and frontier troops while others served as cavalrymen, logistics troops, home guard units and reserve forces.

The UFF's first major engagements was during the opening stages of the civil war where they participated in the various revolts across the Styxie as the provinces broke away to join the Second California Republic. UFF marksmen became famous for ambushing Monarchist troops and convoys heading to reinforce Royal Army positions. The UFF had also sent frontier troops to aid in capturing the provinces of Plumas, Central Valley and San Francisco and many clashed with Provincial Guardsmen in skirmishes in both the Inland Empire and Kings before the latter province was captured by the Republican armies.

Little Civil War

Main article: Little Civil War

See also

• Sierran Civil War