Otto von Bismarck was born to an aristocratic German family in 1815. By 1862, he became right-hand man to the most powerful of the German kings, Wilhelm of Prussia. In this same year, he delivered the infamous "Blood and Iron Speech", which marked the start of his campaign to create a single German state with Wilhelm at its head. Following rapid military victories over Austria and France -- during which Bismarck himself was promoted to major-general -- the other German states were convinced it was better to side with Wilhelm than against him. In 1871, all the German kingdoms were at last united as a single "German Empire"...or "Reich"...with Wilhelm crowned as its "Kaiser", Wilhelm I.
Naturally, the Kaiser relied heavily on Bismarck, promoting him directly to the rank of Prince, and appointing him Imperial Chancellor: both positions were answerable only to the Kaiser. In effect, Bismarck was the "power behind the throne", controlling both domestic and foreign policy without any checks or balances. Fortunately for the German people, Bismarck was a genius, masterminding a complex and shifting network of alliances which kept Europe at peace for the next 40 years. This allowed the Reich's soldiers to found colonies on other continents (especially Africa); while conditions in these colonies were literally gruesome, resources from the colonies greatly benefited the Reich. This, combined with Bismarck's relentless focus on industrial development, made the German Empire one of the world's superpowers almost instantly.
In 1890, Bismarck was forced to retire by the new Kaiser, Wilhelm II. Wilhelm wanted an even more aggressive foreign policy, in order to glorify himself and his Reich: the eventual result was World War I. Bismarck himself did not live to see Wilhelm's punishment, dying in 1898 not long after composing his memoirs.
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German armies had been some of the most professional on Old Earth -- and some of the most ruthless -- long before the German Empire was established. Drochah gladly recruited hundreds of the Reich's officers into his "League of Ages", including General Erich von Falkenhayn, possibly Paul Fleck and Oskar von Hutier, and of course Otto von Bismarck. The German division was considerably more familiar with the tenets of modern warfare than most of the League (for instance, the division led by Xerxes), and when the final battle on Tyndahl began, they knew at once it would be a disaster. They retreated in good order, led by Bismarck: indeed, Bismarck's status as "the father of Germany" kept him in power, and his followers united, much longer than was the case for most League survivors.
By now, Bismarck had learned of the failure of succeeding German states to duplicate his accomplishments and revive the Reich. He also learned the galaxy was disunited, ripe for conquest by a powerful leader. Given his character and circumstances, his declaration of a "Final Reich" was not only logical, but probably inevitable. Bismarck had also learned something else: that in the Fourth Millennium, a man's mind and body could be replicated perfectly within a matter of days.
Posing as a mercenary Clan, Bismarck's followers approached the acknowledged master of cloning technology, Drake Novum. The terms of their deal remain unclear, but the result was that Bismarck's army grew to over 1,000,000. Further expansion was made possible through Bismarck's purchase of several thousand androids, and with plundered or second-hand Mecha acquired in mercenary campaigns. When battle was finally joined in the spring of 3300 (that is, March 2015), Otto von Bismarck was in command of the largest Mecha army since before the Galactic Wars.
Submitted by Damien Valentine#885659