[i]The year is 2035, and the world has fallen into war once more. Tensions in Europe over the last two decades reached a crescendo when the reformed Soviet Union pushed into EU territory and seized large portions of eastern Europe, prompting the west to respond accordingly. The successor to NATO, NorAm, has joined into the fight with the remaining EU forces and together have halted the expansion of the Soviets into the west, but at the cost of leaving their western front exposed. After years of posturing and playing passive-aggressive with its neighbor, China had finally taken off more than it could chew, as a coalition of Japan, Korea and Vietnam came together to put the aggressive nation in its place. Rising from this is the Shogunate, a collection of the various asian nations that have come together under the Imperial house of Japan and sworn to regain their rightful place in the world. From their chinese FOBs, the Shogunate has entrenched themselves against the potential Soviet invaders, all the while their fleets topple island after island nation in their push towards NorAm. Left to their own devices, Australia and New Zealand have allied together to form the Restored Commonwealth, dedicated themselves towards preserving what they can of the British legacy even as England burns to the ground under Soviet attacks.

At the forefront of these battles are the soldiers who risk their lives for their countries, brave men and women who take to the ground and defend every last bit of earth they can. Towering beside them are not the tanks of old, but instead the Battle-Engines, machines built as weapons platforms in an age of urban-warfare and all too necessary in the greatest war Earth has yet seen...[/i]

So, yeah, that's kind of the setting. I'll refine it as I go along, as well as depending on how interested people are, but that's essentially it. I'm more leaning towards Chromehounds as the basis of the setting in terms of mechs, but I'm hard-pressed to let go of my liking for Armored Core. What is definitely not part of the setting, however, are mechs from Gundam. In terms of what the story will actually be, as in what we the players will be doing, I have yet to actually decide, so here's a few options.

In terms of how we will be organized:
- Squad-based(I.E. We are all part of the same team)
- Free-form(I.E. Everyone is independent)

Story:
- The Homeland is under attack!
- Infiltration into enemy lands!
- Fighting on the front-lines!

Specification on setting basis:
- Armored Core: More sci-fi, with things like energy weapons and very short-range energy sabers and such. Lots of room for interesting ideas in terms of mech design using futuristic components.
- Chromehounds: Very near-future, no energy-weapons/hover-platforms/melee weapons(Pike doesn't count), and over all more realistic and gritty.

Of course, these ideas will evolve as interest develops, so by all means, shoot me your own suggestions and we'll see how this works out. =D