Rhona W

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

East Asia
The most prosperous region of the Far East before the Heavenfall, the East Asia region was home to several of the world's leading economic and manufacturing powers. The Heavenfall caused considerable destruction to the region, as many of its' major cities and settlements were in coastal regions or in areas heavily affected by natural disasters and other events, as well as being heavily populated and built up, causing further damage and loss of life, though with their economic and material wealth, the majority of these countries were able to rebuild quickly.

China
With the Sino-Soviet split, the USSR and China continued on their own separate paths during the remainder of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Throughout the 1990s China has pursued economic reforms and liberalisation, albeit at a slow pace, and still ranks low overall on worldwide rankings for democracy, religious freedoms and human rights, although is one of the major economic and military world powers, especially in the post heavenfall era.
China survived the Heavenfall relatively intact; though of course not without damage as such a thing would be impossible. However, due to the efficiency and organisation of the government, military and emergency services, order was restored swiftly, along with reconstruction and disaster relief managed in a comparatively short time.
The Chinese government after this offered and rendered assistance to other nations in their immediate region that had suffered.
These actions lead to an overall increase in trust toward the Chinese nation and government, and a strengthening of alliances already in place.
This regional softening of attitudes, as well as the destruction wrought on other nations did give an advantage to Chinese regional aspirations, and they were able to take over Taiwan with little notable resistance or interference from other national powers, despite previous treaty obligations or assurances. This did lead to a worsening of relations with the UN powers, and China withdrew from any intentions to join the N/UN as a result, though maintains cordial, if not friendly, diplomatic relations with them, and has repeatedly restated their lack of interest in territorial expansion or domination, though have assumed control of Macau and Hong Kong, and bought them into the greater nation of China, after rendering assistance there during the aftermath of the Heavenfall. These regions became governed by China, and are now part of the country, but existing passports and other held property, wealth, or assets remained in the hands of those who had them, and were still valid.
What's left of the Spratly Islands following the geological upheavals in the region is still disputed territory. After the strengthening of relations between China and Vietnam, and Taiwan becoming part of the People's Republic of China, the majority of the Islands are held by nations friendly to China, with the remainder claimed by the Phillipines, a situation that has resulted in several skirmishes and even outright, if small scale, warfare that has threatened to drag the N/UN as a whole into the situation. This is not helped by accusations that pirate activity based in the Indonesian and Malaysian archipelagoes against Fillipino and western nations shipping has been sponsored by PRC and Vietnamese forces, in order to further destabilise the region and add credence to the claims by China that their full control of the Spratlys would allow for greater security.

China has made friendly diplomatic relations with the NCAA, and have signed several mutually beneficial trade and other agreements. They have not made any formal military alliances yet, though have mutual training and trade agreements in place.

The Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula has been a contentious hotspot of global politics since the Korean War in the 1950s. North Korea - or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, to give the formal name - had attempted to improve the state of its' military technology and industrial capacity during the latter years of the 20th century, especially in the pursuit of nuclear weapons, and long range missiles especially. While the country maintained modestly good diplomatic relations with the USSR and People's Republic of China, neither country offered them much in the way of assistance when it came to their nuclear weapons programs, instead offering more in the way of economic, financial, and other aid packages, as well as training and advice for their military forces, and export of military equipment, albeit in a limited fashion.
Even with this aid, the DPRK has remained behind the global curve for advancement and standards for health, living, freedoms, human rights and education and this seems entirely by design, due to the dictatorship in place, posing as a Communist or Socialist country, with even the few allies the country has restricting their aid and assistance.

By comparison, South Korea has become a very liberal and modern country, with a lot of advanced manufacturing and industrial companies based there, as well as many other notable achievements, such as successful entertainment, tourism and other industries, and ranks well on most global comparisons for quality of life as a whole.

When the Heavenfall struck, the extent of devastation in North Korea was unknown, due to the self-imposed blackout and isolation that the government persisted in. While South Korea was affected by earthquakes and tidal waves, as well as the subsequent and resulting flooding and other disasters, there was little indication of the state of their northern neighbour. Weeks passed, and it was only when satellite reconnaissance and overflights by reconnaissance aircraft at high altitudes were possible that the state of the country was confirmed.
Numerous settlements and population centers had been devastated, and it seemed as though the population had been relocated en masse to around Pyongyang, the capital, and other such large and important cities. When reports finally started trickling in in the following months, it seemed as though the situation had grown even worse, with reports of extreme martial law, forced separation of families including parents and children, mass executions by the state, and even cannibalism.
The situation being too extreme to be allowed to continue, and with the DPRK's military forces at an all-time low-level of capability and readiness, an invasion was launched by South Korea, along with forces from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and other allied countries, including Japan. There were a few surprises, the North Koreans had kept back a number of their most trained and well-supplied forces who put up a fight with their best equipment, and there were numerous concealed tunnels, bunkers, and other facilities that hindered advances. But overall, the war was over within months. China did not hinder the action, and in fact, provided support and intelligence to the allied forces, as well as aid to personnel shot down or off course, along with medical aid and relief.
Since then, DPRK's ruling elite have been imprisoned and tried under crimes to humanity, and a relief effort has begun, with the DMZ being dismantled as the ROK's government slowly took control of reunification of the peninsula.

Japan
Japan has been a steadfast ally of the Western nations, and a global economic power for the latter half of the 20th century, and into the 21st.
The Heavenfall caused a large amount of destruction in the city, as it has long been vulnerable to seismic events, being on the Ring of Fire around the Pacific Ocean. However, the Japanese have long been building to resist and adapt to such disasters, and the efficiency and precision with which civil disasters are dealt with was to their credit, and many hundreds of thousands of lives were saved due to such quick action and resourceful engineering.
In the aftermath of the Heavenfall and the dissolution of the Soviet government, remnant Soviet forces staged attacks and raids on Northern Japan, harassing shippping and attempting to seize resources using their firepower. This lead to several short, but intensive defensive actions by the JSDF.
As a result, there was a popular public sentiment that the Japanese armed forces should strike at the bases used to stage these assaults, in order to protect national interests and public safety.
This especially came to a head after bombing raids and missile attacks from former Soviet warships lead to the deaths of several hundred people, including children. Public protests were staged, and further to this, the Japanese government condemned their allies for not reacting in their agreed capacity to defend the country.
As a direct result, Article 9 of the Japanese constituion was amended to allow for proactive operations to defend the country and it's national interests. This also lead to a period of rearmament and expansion of the Japanese Defence Forces.
With the dissolution of the USSR and the effective collapse of the Russian State, the Japanese government launched an assault against the bases used to attack. Allied forces from South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, The Philippines, the USA, as well as other regional and international allies were also involved. Following this, the Japanese government established a permanent presence on Sakhalin island, delivering aid and relief to the people already living there, and beginning the process of transitioning Sakhalin into the sixth Japanese mainland island.

The Philippine Archipelago
The Philippines Themselves will be the main focus of this section, and any other smaller nations of powers can be considered to be following their lead, or that of one of the other regional powers.

The Philippines struggled with corruption within the government during the later years of the 20th, and early 21st centuries, despite undergoing a great deal of change and transition from a mostly agricultural industry to one based more around service and manufacturing. The country as a whole began to modernise, and was considered a developing economy, until the Heavenfall hit.
Already being in a region vulnerable to earthquakes and seismic activity, as well as having a large concentration of the population in coastal regions, along with significant developed and built-up areas.
The disaster caused great loss of life and infrastructure, and rebuilding was costly, and took a long time.
During this time, the government struggled to reorganise and public faith and opinion in the government was at an all-time low, with the threat of revolution very real.
In order to avoid this, the remaining members of parliament arranged and negotiated a coalition with an array of Non-Government Organisations (NGO's). The NGO's in question were a number of philanthropic, charitable, aid, assistance and human rights organisations, as well as a number of industrial and corporate concerns.
Concern about this was raised by representative groups for the people, that it lacked any safeguarding or insurance for the common citizen to avoid or prevent the corruption that had previously been rife within the government. The church stepped in, acting as the representative for the 'common man' and as a mediating presence for human rights and well-being, and a 'conscience' of sorts.
This has lead to a government that can be sometimes be slow to reach decisions due to the need for consensus and the debate that ensues, but the system has so far has remained much less beset by corruption and difficulty than in its' pre-Heavenfall incarnation. The involvement of NGO's and corporate interests has lead to a resurgent economy, along with the rebuilding and reconstruction allowing for the construction and implementation of more modern and technologically advanced industries, housing, transport, telecommunications and other such infrastructure along with investment into their military forces that have allowed them to assume a stronger position in regional politics and influence.
Strong ties have been maintained with Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand, as well as internationally with the N/UN, which the Philippines are a member of.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Southeast Asia

Myanmar
Myanmar as a country has been long plagued with unrest. A civil war was been ongoing in the country since the late 1980s and into the pre-Heavenfall period, in part due to the military council ruling the country refusing to cede power after a successful revolution.
The Heavenfall put something of an end to the conflict, or at least reduced the intensity of it, due to the devastation that wracked the country. However, the overall standards of living dropped, as the military government's ability to project power and enforce order were severely hampered and rendered essentially ineffectual, their control remaining limited to the most built-up areas of the country, while the more rural and remote areas remained nominally independent, governed by localised councils and agreements between them, often in collaboration with other movements or groups.

Thailand
Thailand weathered the Cold War well, managing to escape without being courted too heavily by either side, and maintaining mostly cordial relations with the west, and was an important ally in the region against the spread of communism. The country has always been in political conflict between various forms of rule, and this continued into the 21st century.
When the Heavenfall struck, it upended the country, the peninsular region of the country was devastated by tidal waves and flooding, and there was great loss of life. While seismic activity and other disasters did affect the mainland, it was spared as much of the devastation, but in the period following there was a military coup, followed by mass protests calling for democratic elections and political
reforms. These were successful, but the resulting constitutional monarchy was much more cool on the idea of relations with the N/UN and the former Western powers, and instead opened relations with the NCAA and China.

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
These three countries that neighbour one another so closely have always been linked in fates, and the latter 20th and early 21st century were no exception. Cambodia has had ongoing issues with internal conflicts and insurgencies, and a history of coups to change power and leadership. Another such incident occurred in 1997, and the new government had barely settled in before the Heavenfall occurred.
Following the Heavenfall, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam all forged closer relationships with one another, and with China. While they did not become satellite states in the Soviet style, they received considerable economic, materiel and military aid, as well as significant investment and upgrades to their national infrastructure, such as power generation and distribution, roads, industrial plants, telecommunications, medical facilities and more. These close ties have made the region particularly 'resistant' to N/UN influence, though neither are they 'hostile' to the N/UN as such.

Nusantara
Author's note: for the sake of convenience and relevance, mainland peninsular Malaysia is included in this section.

Nusantara is the term that has been adopted to refer to the Indonesian Archipelago, the chain of islands that includes Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and other island nations in the region. Often the Phillipines are included in the geographical definition, though for the sake of this guide they are incuded in the East Asia section.

Historically, the region has been a cultural melting pot. There are a diverse number of peoples in the region, with a wide variety of religious, ethnic and cultural origins as well as a hugely diverse biosphere and range of climates. Much of the region is densely populated, and there are stark contrasts between urbanised, developed areas with considerable modernised industrialisation, and rural areas where subsistence farming and cultivation are still the primary way of life for many people.
Many of the nations in the region have struggled with internal conflicts, driven by ethnic, religious and ideological reasons, and many of these have persisted for long periods of time. After the Heavenfall, the area was ravaged by earthquakes, tidal waves and flooding, as well as volcanic activity. Many millions died, and there was a massive deal of destruction that coursed through the cities and settlements, especially in coastal regions. In the chaos that followed, there was a clash of ideologies and ideals throughout the area.
Muslims had been a large population in the region for a long time, with many insurgency or political groups intent on establishing Islamic rule. Communist and socialist groups had also been a recurring influence, and there were movements by many ideological groups to attempt to establish their own government and influence. Some of these were more successful than others, with Borneo forming an Islamic majority government, which is allied with the ISL and has diplomatic and trade ties with the NCAA.

Organised and armed piracy is especially an issue in this area. With the thousands of islands that spread across the area, there are hundreds of coves, bays, inlets and other features that can hide fleets and flotillas of boats and ships, armed with military-grade weapons and makeshift armour that can be a threat even to dedicated naval vessels. Piracy on cargo vessels has become an ever-present issue, despite the best efforts of governments to try and stamp it out. Some regional officials are complicit or turn a blind eye in return for bribes, or have familial connections to those involved. As such, protection rackets and other organised criminal activities also feed into the piracy, or are fed by it, such as black market sales of seized goods or items and other such activities. A variety of PMCs are employed heavily in maritime security against such activities, or in searching out pirate strongholds.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Central Asia
The central Asia region in this instance refers to grouping these countries for ease and convenience, rather than any official terminology

Former Soviet Satellite States
The countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan had all been heavily influenced by the former USSR, some of them even being part of the soviet state itself. This situation continued throughout the rest of the Cold War, with Soviet forces and interests being deeply embedded within these nations. Their governments were virtual puppets of the Soviet state, and their natural resources and industry were subverted to supply Soviet demand. Due to their fortunes being inextricably tied to the USSR's own, their economies and quality of life were mirrors of Russia's own, and they suffered many of the same pitfalls and obstacles. However, dissent was more openly discussed in these satellite states, and the corruption even more obvious. Frequent human rights abuses were noted, and especially in the last decade of the 20th century and the beginning years of the 21st, there was considerable movement against Soviet occupation and soviet-communist governance and ideologies, with resistance movements active in both the cultural, political and military sense.
As they were already struggling on multiple fronts and engaged in numerous armed insurgencies and low-level conflicts, the USSR started to draw down their forces and their influence in these regions, consolidating to solely keep their interests in the resources and production vital to keep their industrial machine running.
However, when the Heavenfall struck and the resulting vacuum of power that came with it, the 'stans' were released to their own devices.
There was some internal conflict as the remnants of soviet forces and their government liasons attempted to seize power in some cases, but such efforts were short-lived, with the responsible parties being either swiftly defeated, or forcibly ejected from the countries in question.
The economic results have been more long-reaching, and have greatly delayed efforts at recovery from the devastation, despite the best and genuine efforts of the now democratically elected governments in place. Shifts in economic and cultural goals and policies have been swift, but real progress has been slow and fitful, due to the lack of capital and resources to enable trade. This need for capital and investment has been met by MegaCorporations that saw an opportunity in the region, and many established sprawling facilities, such as manufacturing plants, industrial complexes, office complexes, mines and logistics hubs in various places across the region. This was not universal, however; and Kyrgyzstan notably did not follow suit and has established close ties with the N/UN.

Afghanistan
A nation caught forever in the tug-of-war between national powers, Afghanistan was wracked by its' conflict with the USSR for the latter years of the 20th century. While there was something of a lul in the conflict for several years in the late 80s, the spring of 1992 resulted in a renewed offensive and in greater force. Soviet forces poured into the country and waged a more brutal and violent war of occupation, installing their own government and enacting harsh and uncompromising laws with the ideal of stamping out religious and ideological conflict. Knowing that the insurgency was sponsored and supplied by the west and their intelligence agencies, any agents captured were interrogated brutally and treated as criminals, while any materiel recovered was released publicly, with frequent and loud appeals to the United Nations about the interference in their business, and threats of reprisals.
This situation continued throughout the 1990s, with the USSR declaring 'victory' in 1998 after wiping out the heads of the insurgent groups in a massive operation. Nonetheless, insurgent actions were still common, despite the heavy Soviet presence in the area.
When the Heavenfall hit in the early 2000's, the soviet forces still in the region withdrew, without orders from command and without contact from home, they headed back to Russia for the most part, though in some cases command structures broke down and the remaining units and their personnel asserted themselves as authorities in the region, carving out their own kingdoms.
The country now is a divided and anarchic region. The largest authority is the Coalition Government, a tribal council of imams that are aligned with the ISL. Other groups share closer ties with the NCAA or N/UN, and CAA, who are interested in the cultivation of poppies and other narcotics crops, something the region is equally famous for, and the main export for which it gains any kind of money.
The region was also affected by the literal and metaphoric fallout from the war between India and Pakistan, with displaced people moving into Afghanistan to escape the destroyed and devastated areas, and the nuclear fallout.

Pakistan and India
Pakistan and India were always at the edge of conflict with one another, locked in a game of brinkmanship and one-upmanship throughout the years. This had erupted into open conflict several times, and there were many border clashes and minor skirmishes through the 1990s and into the early 2000s. The Heavenfall served as a spark to light the powder keg, however. Tremendous earthquakes and tidal waves scoured both countries, though India in particular was ravaged, especially with so many cities of such a high population density. While they were engrossed in their relief efforts, the Pakistan armed forces launched numerous attacks on Indian military bases and other important strategic targets. This first strike caught India unaware, and it took them time to organise an effective counterattack. By the time they could get organised, Pakistani forces had devastated a lot of the critical bases and infrastructure, and penetrated deep into Indian territory. With a sense of mounting panic, and their appeals for aid and intervention falling on deaf ears in favour of negotiation and talks, the Indian government responded with nuclear strikes at Pakistani targets, including the seat of government. This resulted in massive deaths of civilians, as well as military personnel, and Pakistan responded in kind, targeting Indian industrial and key government faciltiies, resulting in further tremendous casualties.
With both sides chain of command essentially decapitated, the remaining units and personnel descended into a chaotic, undirected conflict that slowly wore itself down into a slogging match through attrittion of their equipment, and the rapid using up of wartime stocks of materiel. Civilian populations, largely forgotten or ignored by those who had assumed power, fled the areas most affected and in the path of the fighting, resulting in mass migrations to neighbouring countries, which were not always welcome.
As time wound on, the region has become a hotspot for mercenary units, especially unlicenced ones, to get involved. The N/UN has deployed peacekeeping forces to the reason, which are in an unsteady balance with the Chinese forces also deployed in the area. Both sides are attempting to regulate and counter the mercenary companies deployed in the region, but it is a complex political situation, with many lives in the balance, due to the civilian populations caught up in the ongoing conflict.

Nepal
Nepal has been caught up in the conflict to the south by proxy, if nothing else. While the nation has taken no active part in the fighting, and has had no real aggression from its' neighbours on any side, the influx of refugees and the drifting radioactive fallout has caused many problems for the nation, and it has sought aid from other regional and international powers, with China particularly coming to their aid and helping to manage the refugee crisis, and aiding with disaster relief.
As a result of the unstable situation, the Nepalese government has sought to upgrade and modernise their armed forces, and as part of this has employed the PMC Platinum Shield to provide reinforcements to their own small armed forces, while also training candidates from their armed forces as combat pilots and in the use of more complex vehicles and equipment.

Bangladesh and Bhutan
Both countries were affected by the fallout from the war between Indian and Pakistan, as well as the destruction from the Heavenfall causing widespread devastation. For Bangladesh especially, being such a densely populated country, it suffered tremendous loss of life during the Heavenfall. The resulting period was characterised by harsh and brutal rule, which only ended after an overthrow of the government by revolution from the people, though this has not alleviated the crises still in place, and the current democratically elected government has looked to China and the NCAA for help in maintaining stability and improving standards of living for its' people, as well as dealing with the ongoing refugee crises.

In the case of Bhutan, the landlocked country suffered from the geological and seismic activity, but even more so from the resulting rise in global temperatures, as the glaciers in the mountainous regions of the country began to melt at a much faster rate, resulting in massive flooding that caused widespread destruction and losses of life. Extensive reconstruction and disaster relief efforts followed, and the country managed to hold together, and has been a member of the N/UN since it's inception, though mostly as an observer rather than an actively contributing nation to the N/UN's power or forces.

Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean Islands
Sri Lanka's coastline was ravaged by the tidal upsets caused by the Heavenfall and the resultant rising sea levels. With somewhat more land area than other island nations in the Indian Ocean, it survived, despite suffering tremendous losses of life, property, and infrastructure and has only recently managed to find itself on stable footing once more, partly due to aid and relief agreements made with the NCAA.
Other islands nations in the Indian Ocean have not been so lucky. the Maldives and Mauritius, as well as the British Indian Ocean Territories were all-but destroyed by the tsunamis and rising sea levels. The land area of most of them was greatly reduced, and the populations drastically cut down. Many of the islands were abandoned due to being effectively uninhabitable long term, while others reverted to a more basic level of existence, supporting much smaller settlements and populations.
With an abundance of abandoned population centers and facilities, while still being a major shipping and transit route, many pirate groups have made the area their home, and piracy is common in the area, along with incidents of kidnapping, extortion, and other such crimes, with the N/UN attempting to mount patrols to secure the region, and licensed PMC's often rotating through the area as security forces.

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP) (COMPLETED)

Vulpine Space Command Centre, Île de la Tempête, Reunion

Fireteam Shadow

High Speed, Low Drag

0645 Hours

Purna looked to Eloise, shaking her head.
"Boss wants all the credit. Then again, those hostages are critical if we want to even attempt a launch.....what the hell did I sign up to." Purna said the quiet part out loud, still not quite certain he believed in any of this, but well, so be it. They moved again across the concrete, cloaking up and like shadows in the morning light, dodging rays and enemies to get into position to start sneaking in.

Pointing out a ventilation grate, Purna latched it with his grapple, and pulled himself in, before leaving the line down for Eloise. It was an uncomfortable crawl, but crawl they did, as the sound of the bunker's internal systems could be heard, the crawl almost like a stress position, but one he was sure that with her smaller size, Eloise was finding easier than his muscular frame.
"Sorry that I pushed ahead. Normally I'm more of a gentleman." Purna noted, crawling in this space not exactly a nice prospect, but, it go them where they needed.

Moving inside to the end of the shaft, Purna dropped down, the two in phase with the other teams as they entered into a ventilation room, the tiny gaps barely able to fit them both, but making this entry good. More men could be heard on the other side of the door. Artemis troops, given they weren't speaking Chinese, but English and Spanish.
"No choice but to move forward, Archer. I'd normally want to avoid a fight, kill the power, sink them with gas, be clever about this. But if we want to save the hostages, we might need to be a bit more direct here." Purna adjusted his pistols, checking each mag, nodding to her. He took out a small device from his tool stash, slipping a wire under the door, adjusting his NVG set to look.

"I put five targets immediately outside. Down the corridor, I think there's about another six by our hostages, can't be sure. They're keeping them by the control centre's desks, give or take half a dozen staff. We're outnumbered....but they won't see it coming. Move smooth and clean, let's drag them out and get them looking from the hostages, then we can have an easier time of it." Purna asked, pulling the tool back in, getting a smoke grenade ready from his tactical rig, adjusting his infrared NVGs, and keeping a USP ready to go.

@FourtyTwo

Eloise had followed Purna's lead, moving swiftly and quietly through the base and its' urban jungle. Despite still being well-armed with her machine-pistol and handgun, as well as her knives; without her throwing knives, bow, and arrows, she felt naked. Even more so with the visor for her suit cracked and broken, and her cloak tattered. Nonetheless, she could still cloak well enough, and her natural skills and talents for moving quiet and fast kept her going.
As they paused and took stock for a few moments, brass-checking her mini-cougar and MAX11. She nodded as he spoke.
"Well; sometimes getting up in someone's face is the only way it can be taken care of. Like you said, smooth and clean".
She nodded as she pulled the SMG up to her shoulder and gestured to the grenade in his hand and stacking up on the door, ready to go.

---

A short while, and a lot of bullets later

Eloise listened in attentively, leaning against one of the desks and sipping some much needed water and swiftly chomping down a power bar in the few moments of quiet. Internally, her nerves were running riot; she. was. going. into. space; the idea was both exhilarting and terrifying in equal measure. For all manner of reasons, not least the consequences for the world if they failed.
As Skye detailed the plan, Eloise spoke out a curt 'right' as she directed her to get the suits and gear ready, and glad to be able to get a chance to resupply, given her burning through her normal loadout earlier.
The word given, she spared a more lingering glance at Athena, but there wasn't time to do more or say anything as there was too much to be done, and barely any time to do it. They were on a literal countdown, after all.

---

The suit was different and strange; heavy and bulky. It felt alien, compared to the fluid, flexible lightness of her normal gear. Not to mention... she felt exposed, not having her cloak around her and being in white and grey. It was too... open. But she'd cope - she usually managed to.
She'd been fortunate enough to happen across a compound crossbow as she and Purna had moved through the compound. One of the guards, she'd later found out, had kept it around for hunting rats, mice and birds. A bit of fiddling and adjusting by her had managed to make it a little more... formidable, and there were plenty of bolts for it, which were now in a covered quiver strapped to her thigh, and her sidearm rode on a horizontal holster on her chest, with magazines below.
She looked to the rest of the group as they were likewise suited up and equipped; glancing around at them all. Eloise was amazed that she was going with them; she'd barely been with the team for any time. But she wasn't about to back down, or to let Skye or any of them down after putting this much faith in her, and after coming so far. Not to mention...
She looked across at Athena, still unsure of the giantess' feelings toward her, and even of her own. She'd barely talked to her yet, but still; there was an attraction - not at all surprising, given her looks and the personality she exhibited. She was likely one of many, many others, given Athena's online fame. But still; the slight little slip of a woman was infatuated by her, and to see how much more there was to it, that was something she wanted to explore - and she'd hoped they'd get the chance.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Scott Valentine

Several Hours Later
7:00pm
Luqa Airport
Malta

Scott was in the briefing room promptly. Kat was already there and waiting, along with the Hercules and helicopter crew. Wolf was there and waiting too, all of them alert, rested, ready and eager. After being bloodied, they were ready to punch back, and more decisively.
He waited patiently for the rest of the squadron to arrive, and once they were all seated, he spoke up.
"Thank you for arriving promptly, everyone. Without any further delays, I'm gonna get right into it. Listen up".
He tapped his tablet, and the screen on the wall behind him sprang to life, with the now-familiar outlines of Linosa and Lampedusa, side ny side with mapped out details, and information boxes highlighting the positions of defences and the enemy they had pinpointed as stationed on the islands.
"Captain Bouchard and I have concocted a plan for our next operation. The goal is to eliminate the ability of the enemy forces on both Linosa and Lampedusa to provide any kind of co-ordinated or focused resistance, and remove any threat to Malta from using the islands as staging points to invade or attack us here. I hope you all got plenty of rest, and this is going to be stage one in a two-stage operation."
He tapped his tablet again, and Linosa remained on screen, while Lampedusa disappeared. Camera stills from Fuka and Aurelie's flight the day before appeared showing the Hind gunships and other helicopters stationed there, along with the air defences. Another window came up, showing naval vessels at sea, with an area of the ocean highlighted to the East of Linosa.
"The squadron will be split into two Elements or Sections for this sortie. First Section will be lead by me, and will be targeting Linosa and the forces there, including the naval vessels currently anchored just off the island. Our main goal will be to destroy the helicopters, air defences, and naval assets. Secondary objective will be to destroy any materiel stockpiled on the island for a potential aerial assault of Malta. First section will be me, Stingray, Kitten, Brightspark and Valkyrie"
He tapped the screen of his device again, and bought up more details, this time emphasising what they'd be up against.
"Our targets consist of four dispersed landing areas and encampments across Linosa; throughout the fields, mostly on the northern half of the island. Each seems to be composed of a number of helicopters of mixed types. We're looking at Libyan aircraft once again, which means a lot of ex-Soviet and a handful of western gear. Mi-24 Hind attack helos; Aerospatiale Pumas, and Mi-17 utility transports. The Hinds are capable of carrying air-to-air missiles, so be aware of them.
"The ground-based anti-air consist of medium-range MIM-23 HAWK missiles on the upper slopes of Monte Rosso, at the center of the island, as well as ZPU and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns mounted on technicals patrolling the island and acting as both mobile anti-aircraft, and also... 'intimidation' for the civilian population. There are six of those, each travelling in a convoy with two other pickups carrying troops.
"The naval assets consist of four osa-class missile boats, escorting two Nanuchka-class corvettes. The missile boats have close-in anti-air guns, which means they can be a problem. The Corvettes have SAMs, as well as AK-630 anti-aircraft and anti-missile guns, and their turret-mounted main 57mm gun can also be used in an anti-aircraft role. They're likely to be our biggest and meanest problem".
He searched out the faces of his section for the upcoming mission in the audience, locking eyes with each of them as he carried on talking.
"Brightspark and Kitten; you'll be going after the helos and the AA Guns.
Valkyrie, you and I will be targeting the ships from the get-go."
He tapped the controls and this time Lampedusa, the larger of the two islands, came up on the screen. In a similar way, the enemy assets were highlighted as they had been for Linosa.
"Section two will be lead by Chevy, with Peacenik, Calico and Sparrow. Your targets will be the hostile aircraft deployed at Lampedusa airport, as well as the remaining Libyan Navy ships in Lampedusa harbour, and any air defences stationed in the Western half of the island. Hostile aircraft stationed there include two flights of two Mirage F1 multi-role fighters, two flights of two MiG-23 Flogger fighters, and two An-32 transport planes. Ships in the harbour are a single Polnocny- Class landing ship, after Peacenik and Chevy's last op managed to sink the converted ferry they were using previously. Air defences seem to be light on this island; a single Hawk battery on the western side of the island away from the populated area, and three ZSU-23-4 Shilkas, spread to the west of the island, but closer to the populated region. They seem to have also set up a mobile radar installation as spotted by Peacenik on her overflight. I'll leave it to Captain Bouchard to decide on the specific distribution of her section". He looked up, his mis-matched eyes searching the audience and looking to Stingray and Jefe in particular, nodding to each of them with that wolfish smile of his.
"Stingray, Jefe; you'll note that I didn't include you just now - that's because I have particular missions for you both. Since you both pilot our stealth aircraft, you're going to be giving our opening left-right punch. I'm tapping you both for taking out the SAMs and the Radar installation. Jefe, you'll be with Chevy's section, so hit the P-19 and the Hawks on Lampedusa. Stingray; you're with me, so hit the Nanuchka's radar first, then the Hawk. We want to blind them, then cripple their ability to hit back at range. Once you've hit those targets, move onto any other targets of opportunity in order of the danger they present. I'll let Captain Bouchard direct you other than that, Jefe; and Stingray, I'll do the same for you as needed once we're in the air".

He hesitated, letting the information sink in for them all, and giving himself a moment to pause and collect his thoughts, before he continued.
"The second stage of the operation, depends on the success of this first part. It is key on us hitting the defences and hostile forces, and eliminating their resistance".
He checked the time on his tablet and nodded.
"Right about now, a second and third C-130 from HQ will be landing. They and Cobalt Heavy will load up with spare armaments, a security force picked from the Maltese Defence force and our own security detachment, and a handpicked crew from the Wolf's maintenance team. Once we've secured the air, and wiped out the defences, we cover the C-130's as they land the troops, maintainers, and supplies. They secure the airport and then we land, re-arm, and refuel. I'll conduct a field briefing on the ground while we turn around on the second stage of the operation"
He looked around, his expression firm and eyes hawk-like in intensity as they flicked from face to face.
"This is our chance to punch back for last night. We're all smarting to get our own back and get back on the leading foot, so let's show our enemies they can't keep us down. Any questions? We're wheels up in thirty minutes".

@Kensai, @AvaP, @Letter Bee, @Smike, @Damo021, @Finetales

Shattered Steel - Armoured Fist. An RP about modern armoured vehicles in an alternate world

Though, it's still very much a work in progress!

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Middle East
When the Heavenfall struck, it had resounding effects across the Middle Eastern region. Many saw it as a sign that divine providence had been wrought the Westerners and their decadent, heathen ways. Others saw it as more of a practical opportunity, as their nations were relieved or liberated from the interference of either East or West nations and their politics and armed forces.
In many places, tribal, religious and ethnic conflicts broke out, and coups or revolutions occurred, overthrowing the legitimate governments.
In many places, this warfare became tremendously destructive, and even resulted in the deployment of weapons of mass destruction, resulting in large swathes of land that are, still to this day, uninhabitable and with nothing but irradiated ruins slowly being reclaimed by the deserts around them.

Cyprus
Cyprus remained a stable ally and member of the Western Bloc during the Cold War, but was beset by numerous short, intense skirmishes as Turkish and Greek forces clashed over historical claims over the island. These never escalated into full war, but there were numerous incidents of clashes between their military forces, including aerial engagements as no-fly zones were breached, and even clashes between armoured vehicles.
The Heavenfall put an end to much of this, as both Greece and Turkey suffered extensively from Earthquake damage, and Cyprus itself was also affected, along with tremendous amounts of flooding as a result of the same activity, and the later rising sea levels.
As such, following the disaster, both nations put aside their differences and contributed to the reconstruction efforts, and engaged in mutual aid for Cyprus. Since then, the island nation has been relatively stable, and is slowly being repopulated as development increased.

Turkey
Turkey was a key ally to the West during the Cold War as an active member of NATO. Turkey was often a base for launching intelligence operations, overflights and other such operations against the USSR, and strategic and tactical forces were often based within Turkey, especially as relations soured over the latter years of the ongoing conflict.
However, when the Heavenfall happened, the country was wracked by extensive earthquakes that destroyed large areas of historical significance and lead to extensive loss of life, infrastructure, and resources.
Turkey was, luckily, well-organised and equipped to respond, but the chaos gave an opportunity for the large Kurdish population in the South East of the country to seize the initiative to act against the government and take control of territory that had long been believed to be their birthright, along with regions of Iraq, Iran and Syria to form an independent Kurdistan.
Turkey was unable to wrestle full control of this region, instead negotiating for peaceful transfer of the region, and the freedom of people in the region to move between Kurdistan and Turkey.

Following the reconstruction after the Heavenfall, Turkey has maintained a strong economic presence, and has a developed industrial and commercial sector. Turkish defence companies export products worldwide, and some of these companies are among the globally recognised brands and names.

Kurdistan
The nation of Kurdistan is young in terms of borders and recognition, but old as a concept. The ethnic Kurdish people have long inhabited the area, comprising parts of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, and have long fought in insurgent actions against the people in those areas, often to defend themselves and their traditions, customs, beliefs and way of life.
Following the Heavenfall and the chaos that followed, as well as regional violence that resulted in the dissolution of several formerly prominent powers in the region, the ethnic Kurdish people seized the initiative to establish their own nation. It has been a long and bloody process, with a lot of mis-steps and difficulties, but the nation has become formally recognised by the NCAA, CAA and Chinese governments, receiving economic and material aid from them, as well as investment from Megacorporations in the region. The N/UN and Scandinavian Alliance have not formally recognised the nation as yet, and due to its' relative infancy, it has little in the way of military power, with the transition of freedom fighters and former insurgent forces into an organised, standing armed force being a difficult one, along with the establishing of a democratic government, and all that goes with it.

Egypt
As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and certainly in the region, Egypt managed to weather both the Cold War, and the Heavenfall relatively intact. The stresses and disasters of the impact didn't manage to topple the ancient wonders that had endured the ages, like the pyramids, sphinx, and other iconic and world-renowned monuments that the country called home.
Egypt remained on the side of the West during the Cold War, despite several flirtations and wobbles toward Eastern influences and courting, but this only served to allow Egypt to be a mediator between both sides, and similarly a middle-ground between the Arab nations of the middle east and the Western nations.
Egypt managed to endure the depridations of the post-Heavenfall world, but this was only through many harsh enforcements of law and policies internally, several of which lead to violent clashes that were seen as violations of human rights by the international community, and lead to harsh criticism from the United Nations.
As a result of this, they were not invited to join the N/UN, but remain an allied, independent country.

The Levant
Historically the most contested and controversial area in the Middle-East region, the Levant - consisting generally of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon - the Levant area was tumultuous during the Cold War, as Soviet powers supported numerous insurgent groups and powers in the area, in defiance of sanctions placed by western powers and NATO. The continued economic and military support of the USSR in the region to counter western influence and especially American influence and stoking or exploting regional conflicts only served to intensify the violence and unrest in the area. This resulted in open warfare on several occasions, with Israel engaging in unilateral action without support from UN powers, and regardless of condemnation for their actions.
The conflict escalated, with all-out war on the horizon, with numerous small-scale conflicts already in progress. When the Heavenfall happened, it put a halt to this, only for, once the dust had settled, the conflict to reemerge, with Syrian, Palestinian, Jordanian and Iraqi armed forces engaging in a full-on war against Israel, including bombardment with chemical and biological weapons. Israeli forces retaliated with their own Nuclear weapons, as well as full-scale strikes. The other nations retaliated with full strikes of their own using NBCR weapons (nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological or 'dirty' bombs) and other such 'scorched earth' tactics, such as dumping industrial waste-products; and the end result was a terrible holocaust of destruction that swept the region, leaving vast areas of land uninhabitable, dotted with shattered ruins and burned-out remnants of lives and communities. The capitals and major settlements of the main countries in the area have all been reduced to cinders and ashes, and the populations dispersed, leaving what is left a hollow shell of what it used to be, with no dominant power to the area and no organised forces of any kind.

The Arabian Peninsula
Author's note: for the sake of grouping by geographical region and by areas that influence and interact with one another, Iran is included in this section, despite not being on the peninsula.

With the conflict over Israel and the Levant region, and with Soviet and Western influences clashing in the region as part of their proxy conflicts, the Arabian Peninsula was affected by the fallout from the ongoing conflicts in the area. While Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE had long been Western allies and had mostly stable governments; while Yemen had been more unsetlled. However, with the ongoing conflicts over the Levant reason and the fomenting of discord against the West by the USSR, and their support for the regimes of Iraq, Iran, and other anti-western movements, insurgencies and conflicts started to crop up more in the area, further fuelled by internal dissent as various ethnic and religiously aligned ideological groups vocally supported or opposed action in support of the ongoing conflicts in Israel, Lebanon, Palestine and that region, or in relation to the conflicts that rose as result of that.
As the Heavenfall struck, the seismic activity ravaged the area, along with upheavals of flooding and other natural disasters, as well as the general destruction. In the void of influence from the USSR and Western powers, tribal, religious and ethnic conflicts ignited, resulting in the established governments struggling to maintain control and authority over the region and peaceful and secure situations for their citizens.

Iraq and Iran engaged in a protracted conflict, picking up on earlier unresolved issues and conflicts. While this did not lead to the extensive use of WMD's, the conventional conflict was drawn-out and exhaustive, and has resulted in Iraq's government being essentially defunct and lacking in any realistic ability to enforce or control policy, and Iran being essentially victorious, and the head of a movement Islamic Supremacist League in the middle east. This movement is renowned for sponsoring and openly declaring its' support of insurgencies worldwide - particularly in South-East Asia and northern Africa. The ISL is mostly independent, having ideological conflicts with most other world powers in one way or another, but does maintain trade out of necessity with the NCAA and other unaligned powers. Frequently they manufacture unlicenced copies (or frankly, knockoffs), of other manufacturers weapons, vehicles, equipment, appliances, and devices, sometimes utilising inventive and creative workarounds for restricted components, though often producing somewhat inferior copies, albeit more affordable ones, en masse. Through their efforts, this has also lead to a proliferation of what would otherwise be obsolete designs being given extended lease of life due to the ready availability of spares or even upgrades bringing them at least to serviceable and respectable standard, if not modern ones, and having the willing to sell their product to even the smallest and most outspoken of groups, and giving them access to military-grade weaponry.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Eastern Europe and the Former USSR
The majority of what is now known as 'Eastern Europe' is comprised of nations or states that were part of the USSR. After the Heavenfall and the collapse of the USSR and of Russia's power and influence over the region, it has changed dramatically, leaving a very patchwork, different landscape of nations with an assortment of political and ideological positions.

Author's Note: There may be some smaller nations or regions missed out, due to the necessity of writing about over 100 countries as part of this guide, and information may not be as in-depth. Also note that the information and views expressed here are in no way intended to cause offence or be representative of entire cultures or peoples, and are by necessity simplified and presented as an 'overview' rather than a detailed look at every aspect of those places, as such in-depth writing would require much more time and space than is possible here.

The Former USSR
Once the biggest country in the world by area, straddling eleven timezones; the USSR is a shell of itself. The Heavenfall asteroid impacting directly within Russian territory contributed to this directly, but the seeds were sown well before, as internal conflict, corruption, and increasingly poor economic conditions and standards of living lead to ever-increasing unrest and dissatisfaction by the population. The ability of internal agencies and armed forces to keep control was dwindling as they too were left with shockingly few resources and supplies, often having to trade what they did have for much-needed supplies.
As a result, many areas were almost lawless, especially deep into the interior of Russia and in the far east, far away from government oversight. Such regions were essentially the kingdoms of whatever officers or party members could wield their influence and power effectively, often forming trusted circles around themselves, and wielding the ever-present threat of anti-communist thinking and dissent to do away with their opposition.
This corruption and model of 'kingdom building' extended right into the upper echelons of power and influence, and numerous cabals and factions worked against one another constantly to exert their own influence over policy and the countries' direction.
The extent of this 'decay' only became apparent over the course of the 1990s and early 2000s, when the Western powers got closer looks at the capability and readiness of Soviet forces when they were seen in action during operations in the Baltics, and the renewed fighting in Afghanistan, and the state of the vehicles, weapons, equipment and even personnel, along with the difficulties they had in combat showed the level of professionalism and training along with the level of available resources had drastically dwindled.

When the Heavenfall came, Moscow itself was virtually obliterated by the impact, effectively removing the Soviet leadership by default. Many other critical locations and infrastructure sites, as well as military installations and other important locations and resources were destroyed or rendered unusuable by the impact and the devastation that followed.
With no supporting or enforcing governmental structure or power structure, and the loss of so much in the way of resources, the USSR collapsed. Russia itself dissolved into a patchwork of ever-shifting territories controlled by whomever had the most power and influence, with only the larger, surviving cities retaining some kind of control by virtue of forging connections and relations with external powers. Many of these city-states, 'bandit kingdoms' and would-be states have formed alliances with various nations around the world in attempts to strengthen their security through a variety of means. Alliances between these patchwork nations are common with the NCAA, China, and the Central American Alliance, often trading in armaments, aircraft, vehicles and other materiel produced in the various factories and plants in exchange for regular imports of foodstuffs, raw materials, or other essentials to rebuild and maintain their infrastructure.

The former Soviet states outside of Russia had varied luck. Ukraine fared well; always a nation with its' own independence and identity, Ukraine struggled briefly with remnant nationalist Soviet forces as it rebuilt, and there was a problem with insurgent activities for years, but as the 2010's rolled around, international relations had greatly improved, and the country has since reached a far more stable situation, with a growing economy and an overall aim to modernise with a lot of new construction across the nation, and a slow rebuilding and modernising of its' armed forces, thanks to the production and manufacturing industries throughout the country. There has been a slow and cautious expansion westward, with the aim of reclaiming key industrial facilities and sites that would aid in the maintaining or production of essential items and technologies.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have found themselves allying strongly with The Scandinavian Alliance; aided by them in rebuilding and reconstruction efforts. Investment into their economies in the rebuilding has been from a variety of sources, with many commercial and industrial opportunities opening up as they modernise from the former Soviet influence over them. As such small nations, they have been slow in rebuilding their military forces, but have opted to sign agreements with the N/UN and Scandinavian Alliance for PMC's to be provided as security forces for the region, especially to protect their Western borders against hostile incursions from the various rogue powers in the area.

Belarus is the closest thing to a surviving Soviet republic. Although it suffered heavy damage during the Heavenfall, it managed to survive and weather the destruction, reorganising rapidly. It's one-party, Soviet Communist model continued, and the country is still ranked low on individual freedoms. Many of the emerging and new nations to the West in the former territories of Russia have strong ties to Belarus, along with continuing trade of weapons, equipment and resources. Belarus is allied to the NCAA and CAA, and heavily opposed to the N/UN, Scandinavian Alliance and has formal diplomatic relations with China and trades with them, but has no mutual defence agreements or other such treaties and arrangements.

Moldova struggled to maintain its' independence in the wake of the Heavenfall and the collapse of the USSR. Internal struggles centered around the efforts of the Transnistria region to establish itself as a separate nation and entity, and this lead to armed conflict. Eventually, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic was established, occupying roughly the southern half of the area of Moldova and bordering Ukraine and Romania. The northern half of the region is recognised as Moldova by the N/UN and the majority of its' neighbours, while the PMR maintains a strong alliance with the NCAA, CAA and Belarus, with mutual defence treaties in place.

Georgia was hit heavily by the collapse of the USSR. While maintaining an independent status, it has been embroiled in conflict with the region of Abkhazia, a conflict that has been mostly driven by ethnic tensions. The country is very poor as a result with a low quality of life for its' citizens. Mercenaries from former Russia have been hired by both sides, and both sides have been supplied with arms and equipment from the NCAA and megacorporations worldwide. The N/UN has been approached by the Georgian government, but they have refused access to observers or investigators to look into reported war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been committed.

Bulgaria
Bulgaria remained a Soviet satellite state until the early 21st century, at which time Soviet forces started to withdraw due to economic difficulties and pressures from other conflicts and internal issues. Emboldened by this, democratic elections were organised for 2003, and a Socialist government was elected. Reform of the countries' economic policies as well as many other aspects of society began, including tentatively opening up relations with the West. However, before much could be completed, the Heavenfall occurred.

Bulgaria was damaged significantly by the Heavenfall, with earthquakes rocking the area, as it was relatively close to the impact zone. The loss of life was immense, as was the disruption to transport, utilities and communications, all of which added further difficulties to the ability of the government to provide aid and assistance to where it was needed.
Recovery was slow, but steady, and by 2009, the country was starting to resume normal functions in most areas, though there was still a lot of rebuilding to be done.
The Bulgarian government became a member of the N/UN in 2010, and entered into agreements and treaties with the EU in 2011. The quality of life in the area has continued to improve since.

Romania
Romania's story is much like Bulgaria's; it too suffered heavy damage after the Heavenfall, and struggled to rebuild quickly. However, the road to democratic elections was much more difficult, as organised crime and corruption had taken hold during the chaotic aftermath of the Heavenfall, and this proved difficult to stamp out and eliminate completely. As such, Romania has been subject to ongoing internal clashes and failures of government due to corruption and back-room dealings. The current government is aligned with the NCAA and CAA, and has entered into mutual trade, defence and economic agreements with both.

Shattered Steel - Armoured Fist. An RP about modern armoured vehicles in an alternate world

Just chilling and awaiting the roleplay

@Foster

Is that a Sheridan? I love that thing. I mean, it's pretty objectively not a good tank and it had a horde of issues. But I mean... doesn't stop me from having a particular soft spot for it. It looks good, and I like the idea of it, even if it wasn't great in practice. It's got that plucky underdog appeal.

Shattered Steel - Armoured Fist. An RP about modern armoured vehicles in an alternate world

FYI all; this is still going to go ahead; I've just been delayed by a) wanting to get all of the setting background put together, as it relates to multiple RP's, and b) I have some other non-RP related responsibilities and tasks I need to get on top of first before I can dedicate my time and energy to it, and I'd rather deliver the best experience I can, rather than rushing it and half-arsing it.
Thank you for your patience and interest in the meantime, and we'll get there eventually, I promise!