Rhona W

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The ISL

The ISL, or Islamic States League is a loose coalition of organizations, groups, and former governments that banded together in the middle east, particularly in the Persian Gulf region.
After the Heavenfall - and indeed, immediately before it - many of these nations were predominantly Islamic in faith, but maintained forms of government other than Theocratic or religious-lead. When the Heavenfall occurred and the disasters that came with it.
The ISL currently occupies Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and parts of Iran. They have attempted to expand into neighbouring nations, but with little success.
The main issues that have held the ISL back from further expansion are internal conflicts, factionalism, and disagreement. The leadership of the ISL have claimed a Caliphate, but this is not recognised universally, and this has been one source of continued disagreement.

Other issues that consistently dog the ISL in its' aims of establishing an Islamic state regarding these internal disagreements are its' levels of education, material and resource wealth and production - especially in high-tech industries - and its' lack of willing to deal with organizations, corporations, or nations that it sees as 'infidels' and 'heretics' - many of whom are the same that produce these competitive and sought-after devices, equipment and components, as well as those needed to continue to operate the equipment they use.
Friction between more moderate and extremist factions within the ISL prevent them from taking too much of a larger step and being a greater threat on the global stage, and even maintaining consistent and comprehensive control of their internal territory.
The only reason that they have not been attacked or moved against is this lack of global threat, as well as the regional threat to friendly powers from their possession of intermediate-range ballistic missiles and other weapons of mass destruction such as chemical, biological and radiological weapons. They have actively been pursuing nuclear weapon systems and capabilities, with particular interest in acquiring former Soviet nuclear weapons, but have - luckily - had no success to date.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Ideological movements and organizations

Standing apart and aside from the various criminal enterprises, but often linked with them or using the same methods and having similar effects or repercussions are the various ideological movements or organizations that have sprung up worldwide.
Most of them have in pre-Heavenfall origins, getting their roots in ideals and concepts founded before the disaster, and taking advantage of it to come into the light and exercise their ideas without as much control to restrain them or respond to their activities.

These groups tend to rally behind some form of ideology, usually radically opposed to society as it is and concerned with instituting some kind of 'new order' that fits with their personal ideologies, ideals, and beliefs and their particular ideas of 'morality'.
The roots and origins of these codes of belief stem from various sources. Some are religious groups, some are political ideologies, and some are based in ideas of ethnic, racial, or other forms of 'belief' and theory.

The organizations outlined below are the most well-known and far-reaching ones, with access to resources - such as capital wealth, materiel, weaponry and equipment, and even - in some cases - land and territory to base their operations out of.
Many other smaller organizations exist worldwide, with all manner of origins, ideas, and ideals, and likely with aspirations to being larger, even if they lack the ability or means to become such.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Carillo Cartel

The Carillo Cartel is the most prominent and well-known of the Cartels that have taken control in the territories that make up the CAA. Arising out of the Mexican cartels of the late 20th century, the organization is named after it's leading man, Domingo Carillo. He, his wife, and his extended family all occupy positions of importance within the organization.
Carillo's exact history is unknown, but it is known that he at some point received military training from the United States during their activities in Colombia in the 1970's and 80's, which he has used to great success in organising his operations.
His wife, Mariella, has a history as a public celebrity. She was a small time acrtress, but rose to prominence through her community work. She is something of a master manipulator and confidence woman. Charismatic, shrewd and an expert in manipulation of people and opinions, she also has excellent skills in management of numbers and accounts.

The cartel itself has come out on top through a combination of deals and negotiations, alliances, and hostile overthrows. This has left them in the controlling position for the CAA's resources and overall aims.
They have worldwide interests and a network of organisations and groups that deal with them, work for or with them, and carry out their interests internationally. They maintain contact and agreements with the ISL, NCAA and various other worldwide criminal organizations and entities.

The Carillo cartel has access to a wide range of military vehicles, equipment, weapons and technology. Much of it is not the most modern technology available, but is nonetheless formidable and capable, albeit used sparingly. They have little in the way of heavy naval firepower and no 'strategic' weapons, but a significant amount of weaponry and systems that can inflict significant damage and have resulted in them having a substantial regional influence. Their resources extend to armoured military ground vehicles, light and medium military water-borne vehicles, combat and support aircraft and radar and air-defence systems.

The Carillo cartel also equips, funds, and is the origin of the Anjos da Noite PMC. While they are an unlicenced PMC, they are well-known for their elaborately decorated and sleek aircraft, sporting dark black, blue, or purple paint-schemes with skeletal motifs across them.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Cartels, The Black Market, and Organised Crime

Even before the Heavenfall, organised crime was a feature of the world, and caused many problems, even at a national level in some regions of the world, with the biggest and most dangerous organizations having access to military-grade weapons, training and expertise.
The separation between East and West, and the restrictive policies and cultures of some countries meant that there were always shortages, embargoes and bans on things that other people wanted - and that meant there was a lucrative deal to be made in supplying people with those things.

In the case of supply of narcotics, manufacturing, growing and transporting them, as well as securing the routes of travel and those shipping the product. The scale of these operations grew to unprecedented levels, with the power and resources of these groups rivalling the legitimate government authorities. They employed hundreds of thousands of people, many willingly, other against their will or at least; by removing the choice as they enforced their own rule of law to large areas of the countries they were in control of.
These cartels straddled the line between terrorist and criminal organisations, especially with the resources at their disposal. Many of them crossed into other criminal enterprises besides narcotics; arms dealing, protection rackets, smuggling, fraud, bribery, and all manner of other criminal enterprises.

Of course, cartels were not the only kind of organised crime. Crime families and rings were just as prevalent, dealing in all manner of crimes and activities, and having national and international networks of their own. Though; they tended not to have the same kind of 'military' grade firepower and organization as drug cartels. Nonetheless, they often had far-reaching influence, usually based on bribery, blackmail, and other influences over officials and individuals. They often infiltrated police departments and justice departments, investigative agencies, customs, security firms and city departments so that a blind eye could be turned. Crimes such as racketeering, fraud, bribery, insurance fraud, money laundering, forgery, and any number of other crimes.
Such 'families' do not always have an actual familial connection, but might be organised like a family and have a sense of kinship and belonging as part of their appeal to loyalty. They also often have ethnic or cultural roots.

Crime families, Cartels and Syndicates are all very closely interwoven in their activities and how they work together, although these connections are often precarious. The saying 'there is no honour among thieves' has roots in reality, and the greed and hunger for power and influence often means that such groups have little compunctions with turning on one another, as well as cultivating long-standing feuds with one another.

In the post-Heavenfall world, organized crime has remained a steady part of the world. Narcotics are still a lucrative trade, along with any number of other criminal enterprises.
In some regions of the world, particularly central America and the northern part of South America, drug cartels have become the 'de facto' ruling and controlling power, armed as well as, if not better than, some military forces in the region, and being the largest employers and providers of resources, utilities, and commodities for the people that live in territories controlled by them.
Areas of what remains of Russia have likewise fallen under control of criminal syndicates or families that likewise control the resources in their territories, and the fates of the people within them. Many of them trade resources, smuggling commodities, resources, materials and even people from place to place.
Around the 'Golden Triangle' in South-East Asia, crime is rife and drug-running, arms dealing, and other forms of crime are particularly prominent, and the goverments in those regions are often on the payroll of criminal enterprises.

Even the ISL dabbles in criminal activity, using the cultivation and production of opiates to bankroll many of their activities, and trading with the CAA for wealth to finance their would-be state.

The CAA has grown out of a tenuous alliance of Cartels, becoming almost a national entity, with its' organised hierarchy and necessity to provide for and defend it's people, while supplying them with the necessities of life. Their need to trade for and manage the resources needed to run their operations also makes them a virtual national entity - and the willingness to trade with other partners internationally also contributes to this international perception.
However, the N/UN and many other countries refuse to recognise them as a legitimate country or government, due to their ongoing criminal activities - many of which undermine their own citizens and their national security, as the CAA has engaged in, or hired others to engage in, criminal activities against their security forces and citizens, as well as supplying and training insurgent, terrorist or criminal individuals and groups to act against them.

The CAA also recruit, train and finance various PMC's that are non-licenced, providing a destabilizing influence world-wide, as well as providing employment for others in providing security to their operations worldwide.

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

Ximena Huang

She figured it was best to bring the question to Heartbreak privately as opposed to weighing everyone down with heavy details. Instead she caught him on the way out of the locker room, her own helmet tucked under her arm.

"Lieutenant-Colonel, not to make mountains out of molehills, but-"

She shrugged apologetically, well-aware she was doing just that.

"I've never seen flown a combat mission with this outfit. I don't have the regulations down pat, and it occurred to me that once we start knocking out their SAMs and blowing up their planes, the OpFor might panic. If they do turn and start beating a hasty retreat to Libya or wherever they came from, how should we handle it-?

@Smike

Scott paused as he was on his way out of the locker room, his own helmet tucked under his arm. He listened intently as she spoke, before nodding in understanding as he replied.
"I understand, Jefe. And I don't blame you at all for having some concerns; things were definitely thrown off a lot with the action last night. I wanted to get us up to do more training flights, but time's against us."
He paused as he chose his words, regarding his fellow pilot with a... not 'critical', but measured glance, thinking over what he'd read of her record and her skills, before placing a friendly hand on her shoulder and giving a light, reassuring squeeze.
"We probably do things a little different in Shattered Steel; but if you're here and assigned to a squadron, then you already know all you need to about the regulations". He gave a grimace and shook his head. "We plan the brief, brief the plan, and fly the plan, but you know how the saying goes; 'no plan survives contact with the enemy'. So we have to do our best sometimes and rely on our training to keep up sharp and flexible enough to react to unexpected changes. But you don't need me to tell you how to suck eggs; you've got the experience to know that yourself. If they do turn tail and start running for the hills rather than putting up a fight, well, that makes our life a lot easier. We let them run, and consolidate our hold while planning our next move. Although, given what we've seen, I don't think they're likely to do that - if they were going to retreat, I don't think they'd have dug in like they have".
He tilted his head and gave a slight shrug as he gestured toward the door leading to the flight line. "I hope that helps clear things up. I'm looking forward to seeing what you and that fancy sled of yours can do up there; I think it's the most advanced jet we've got in the squadron. Probably one of the most advanced in Shattered Steel. Anything else I can help you with, now's the time to ask"

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

Kat's Loadout for this mission

Full load of 30mm for the GAU-8

Station 1: 2 x AIM-9X AIM-9X Sidewinder AAM
Station 2 & 10: 1/each x 7-round APKWS pod
Station 3 & 9: 1/each x AGM-65 Maverick
Station 4 & 8: 1 X GBU-16 1,000lb laser-guided bomb
Station 5: Not used*
Station 6: Droptank
Station 7: Not used*
Station 11: Litening Targeting Pod

* - Stations 5 & 6 cannot be used when a droptank is carried on the centreline pylon.

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

Scott's Loadout For This Mission

Full load of 25mm for cannon

Outer Wing hardpoints (Stations 1 & 7): 1/each x AIM-9X Sidewinder Missile

Mid-Wing hardpoints (Stations 2 & 6): 2/each x [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Precis… APKWS[/url]

Inner Wing hardpoints (Stations 3 & 5): 3/each x GBU-38 500lb JDAM

Centreline Hardpoint (Station 4): 1 x LITENING-III Targeting Pod

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

Scott Valentine

Scott was surprised that no questions had been raised by the rest of the group. The mission had a lot of moving parts, a lot of targets and many of them weren't exactly a walkover. And then there was his daring - some would say cocky, or even irresponsible - addon to the operation, of taking control of Lampedusa's airport.
Nonetheless, only Mykhailo and Ximena had questions at all.

"Sir, are we assuming that the foe's aircraft are grounded, or that we can catch them by surprise before they scramble or that they are not flying patrols? Either way, the enemy are going down, whatever they put up."

@Letter Bee

Scott spoke up after both Fuka and Freyja commented, giving acknowledging nods to both Fuka and Freyja for their contributions and comments on the conversation.
"Hopefully the captain's flight can catch them on the ground. We'll have the same AWACS cover to handle long-range observation and direction, so if we use our tactics smart, we should be able to approach with maximum stealth at low altitude using the AWACS coverage and directions to avoid having to turn on our own radar and give ourselves away".

Ximena Huang

"That said, what's the plan if ground forces can't dislodge whoever's left after we have our fun?"

@Smike

Scott nodded at Ximena's question and smiled to her as he answered.
"Good question, and a smart one. The C-130's have enough fuel and range. We make sure that anything left is as hammered as it can get before a single gnat's ball hair touches ground from our side. If there's anything that the ground team on the C-130's can't dislodge or send running, then we cover them from air while they re-plane and get back in the air, and head back here. The other two Herks won't land until the situation is secure with the ground team anyway - no use throwing all our eggs in one basket. It might be an audaciously bold plan, but no need to make it a stupid one"

He looked around, confident there were no further questions and drew himself up at the podium, clicking off the displays behind him.
"All right; since there's no other questions, I'm gonna assume you all know what's what. Anything else does come up, I'll be gearing up like the rest of you. Wheels up in thirty, see you on the flight line. Dismissed, people!"

Scott gestured to the door, gathering his briefing materials and dawdling in case there were any last-minute questions - of any kind. Kat nodded to him and flashed a smile and a thumbs up as she left; Wolf gave a firm, resolved nod and Lars and Lily both gave waves and nods as they headed out two. The helo crew looked a little subdued; they hadn't been given a part in the op, other than their normal: standing by in case of search-and-rescue and the difficult push-pull of both wanting to do something, but hoping they didn't have to, as it meant one of the pilots would have had to eject, or had otherwise gone down.

Once everyone had filed out, he made his own way out. There wasn't anything else to do; he headed straight for the locker room to gear up, changing into his flight suit and then to the 'survival shop' to fit his G-suit and survival vest, sign out his sidearm, and his helmet.
A short walk took him to the AV-8B, and he walked around the plane with a smile of familiar comfort on his face, reaching out to touch and test the airframe. He'd seen the plane since it had been assigned, come to look at it just because, but it was different now it was all bombed and fuelled up, and he was about to take off in it. A brief conversation with the maintenance tech and he climbed up into the cockpit as they pulled all the safety pins and tags, holding them up for him to see. He was strapped and buttoned in, and the pins removed from the ejector seat, and he hit the engine start, the shrill whine quickly turning to a deeper-throated roar as the big Pegasus engine came to life. Canopy closed, radio on, and he buckled up his mask.
"Cobalt Squadron, this is Cobalt One, ready to taxi and heading for the runway. Takeoff in sequence; Section One form on me. I'll be taking in the sunset from five thousand feet, over"
Scott spoke as he gave a thumbs up to the maintenance crewman who returned it with a salute and stood back as Scott toed off the brakes and the Harrier started to move, nosing out of its' parking spot and rolling along the taxiways toward the runway end. Fully loaded as it was, there was no way the Harrier was managing a vertical takeoff, let alone a STOVL one. It would have to be conventional takeoff this time instead - at least that was safer.
Little to his surprise, Kat's A-10 started moving next, the canopy coming down as she was rolling out of the line and swinging onto the taxiway to follow him to the runway end, the two ground-attack jets making an odd-looking pair.

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

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Shattered Steel PMC - An Overview

The PMC Shattered Steel is one of the largest and most well-equipped PMC's in the post-Heavenfall world, and especially of the small number of legitimate ones working for the N/UN.

Shattered Steel is organised along the lines of any military force, with a military-style command structure and ranks, and a number of divisions handling all the necessary infrastructure supporting the forces in the field.
Shattered Steel's rank structure (for their aviation branch, at least) follows the USAF rank structure.

Force Structure

Shattered Steel is not a national military force, and does not have the same 'depth' of logistics, funding, power, and organisation that such forces do. As a Sanctioned PMC under the N/UN PMC act, Shattered Steel does have a much greater strength of forces, personnel and equipment available, and is among the largest, if not the largest, non-national military force in the world, though some Corporate Security forces are as strong and likely more advanced technologically.

Shattered Steel technically has no strategic assets, in that it has no long-range, intercontinental weapon systems or craft, and no WMDs. However, it does have the ability to project power and assets internationally by design, as this is the purpose and nature of such PMCs in the first place; to be able to flexibly move and deploy military power and forces globally at short notice to enact small-scale military operations against hostile targets in the short term, until larger, more numerous, and better supported forces that can take and occupy large areas for long-term strategic goals, rather than short-term, more defined military ones.

Shattered Steel is thusly modelled and structured around the idea and concept of Combined Arms. Forces deployed to fulfil a contract are comprised of a package of combat and support assets that can be deployed to a region with their supplies, and to be able to keep a logistics chain going to keep them supplied over the course of their contract in their deployed area of operations.
The structure of these task forces is modular and flexible, with additional assets able to be drawn from a pool to supplement existing forces.

The headquarters element of Shattered Steel handles all of the overall command and organisation. They also are responsible for the manpower planning and organisation, training, recruitment, strategic planning, intelligence, supply and procurement and other headquarters functions.
Appended or adjacent to this are the organisational structures and chains of command, personnel and logistics that enable the deployment and usage of Shattered Steel's bases and facilities, and the naval element.

Beneath this, the company is organised into four groups, called 'Task Forces'. Each Task Force consists of four elements; a Headquarters Group, Air Wing, Ground Element and Support Element. There is a fifth Task Force that acts as a 'support' Force, and is a reserve pool of personnel, equipment and so on that exists to supply the other units on deployment and to secure and support Shattered Steel's own assets, or supply specialist units or equipment as and when needed.

The Headquarters Group comprises the personnel organisation, administration, surveillance, reconnaissance and command and control elements. This would include airborne warning and control (AWACS) units deployed on missions to support combat elements on missions, liason personnel between Shattered Steel and local forces, intelligence and surveillance, and communications.

The Air Wing comprises the combat and support aircraft across five squadrons. Of these, three will be tactical combat aircraft that form the bulk of Shattered Steel's firepower.
A squadron will number between 10-14 aircraft and their pilots and other crew, along with their associated maintenance personnel, equipment and vehicles; their ordnance loading and handling personnel and their necessary equipment and their 'organic' support and logistics, such as fuelling and handling vehicles and personnel, security (i.e. airfield security), crash respose and handling personnel and their equipment and motor transport.

The other two squadrons are one of rotary-wing aircraft, which is over-strength and split between light, medium and heavy helicopters, which are then assigned to the various combat units. The other two are a similarly over-strength transport unit, which comprises light and tactical fixed-wing transport aircraft, which are again split and distributed as needed between other squadrons and units within the wing as needed. These squadrons likewise have their own additional personnel and equipment as described above.

When needed, additional squadrons, flights, or groups of aircraft can be drawn from the Fifth Wing, which has squadrons of specialised craft such as attack helicopters, maritime patrol aircraft, heavy bombers, and electronic warfare aircraft. Fifth Wing also maintains and supplies the specialist, dedicated in-flight refuelling aircraft and heavy, long-range transport aircraft.

The Ground Element of a wing composes enough forces to be roughly equivalent to a battalion; three companies of mechanised infantry, a headquarters company, an armoured company and a logistics/support company. The HQ company also includes communications, reconnaissance and Special Forces. The Armoured Company includes armoured vehicles such as MBT's and armoured reconnaissance vehicles, as well as including artillery and air defence units. The logistics/support companies include combat engineering units and their specialised vehicles, as well as other appropriate vehicles and personnel. Support also include specialised mortar, and other heavy weapons sections as well as medical personnel, supply, and maintenance units.
Ground Elements are trained to carry out amphibious warfare, as well as to be air-deployed and rapid-deployed. These elements are not always deployed as a whole, and are deployed as when and where needed depending on the needs of a contract. However, they are rarely deployed in anything smaller than a company without sufficient support and logistics.

Overview of Air Assets

Shattered Steel's primary role and the core of its' power is it's aerial forces. Primarily in the shape of tactical combat aircraft; commonly called 'fighter' aircraft. These aircraft tend to be mixed within the front-line, tactical squadrons, rather than sticking to a single type or model of aircraft, though jet-powered aircraft are kept within the same squadron.

Highly specialised types of aircraft; such as AWACS, Reconnaissance, heavy bomber, transport or other such aircraft are placed into their own squadrons, and often are detached as individual 'elements' or 'flights' appended to other squadrons and deployments on missions as needed to support other aircraft types.

Helicopters and 'rotary wing' aircraft are also used; with utility helicopters (i.e. multi-role ones) being attached to various units as and where needed for their great versatility and flexible usage, and more specialised ones, such as heavy lift or attack gunships (for example, Apaches or Cobras) likewise being deployed as and where needed to various tasks and operations.

As stated elsewhere, Shattered Steel has no WMD's or strategic weapons of any kind, and is limited to 'tactical' scale conflicts and operations only as part of its' mandate and legitimacy under the N/UN agreement.

Overview of Naval Assets

Shattered Steel has a limited naval force, primarily existing to facilitate the movement of its' aerial and ground forces between operations, and to carry out its' missions as needed, and to do so safely and securely. They are relatively capable in this regard, but mainly exist to protect themselves from aggression, rather than to carry out operations on their own. However, even one warship can be a considerable influence and provide a lot of firepower in the right place at the right time.

The main 'assets' are the advanced aircraft carrier Steel Reign, (often affectionately known by various other names), along with two Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs) the Steel Tide, and the Steel Ocean. They are all are very capable and modern vessels, refitted from existing hulls in European shipyards, post-Heavenfall with a variety of modern systems and technologies. While they are under the control of Shattered Steel and are crewed by Shattered Steel personnel, they are leased in part from the N/UN and several N/UN personnel are onboard as part of their crew.
This also goes for the other vessels that form the small flotilla of naval vessels used and operated by the PMC. These consist of four Horizon-class Destroyers, a quartet of Visby-class corvettes, as well as a Wave-class replenishment ship. Additional logistics are provided by contract with private contractors or other military or paramilitary organisations as needed, and the same for other naval assets.

Overview of Ground Assets

Shattered Steel's ground elements comprise of well-equipped, organised and trained infantry forces with vehicle and air support to act as highly mobile and quick-reaction strike forces. They are not equipped or intended for long-term campaigns, but instead for swift, decisive and hard-hitting action against decisive targets. They are not designed or intended to hold or occupy territory for long periods of time, or operate for long periods without relief of resupply

Each Wing of the PMC has equivalent to a Battalion strength of persons under arms, and their supporting equipment, vehicles and logstical train, fully integrated in combined arms warfare and operations with the aerial forces of the wing.
In acknowledgement of their role and organization as mobile, quick reaction forces, all ground-based forces are extensively training n both air-mobile operations, as well as amphibious landings.
Infantry units tend to use standardised equipment for ease of logistics and supply. Standardised IFV's and APCs are used across units, as are supply and wheeled logistics vehicles - in this case, the MAN Sv series of military trucks. Light vehicles are a mix of Land Rovers, Mercedes-Benz Wolfs, and military-spec Jeep Wranglers. Medium armoured vehicles can vary between wings, as do artillery, armoured combat engineering and main battle tanks, and even mixed types can be found within units, much like the air wings. However, the crews and personnel are trained well to work together and to know the particular strengths and capabilities of different types of vehicle.

Overview of Bases and facilities

Shattered Steel has a handful of facilities across the world. The main and most well-known of these is their primarily and dedicated base in the Bahamas, known as The Forge. The island is relatively large, and houses a large, well-equipped airbase with maintenance facilities, training, housing, defences, and 'civilian' sector that houses the various workers and dependents of those who live and work on the island, along with the necessary commercial area to support them. There is also a harbour and port for Shattered Steel's naval element and areas for some of the land element, though due to the size required, these areas tend to be more transitory in nature.
The second base for Shattered Steel's forces and the primary base for Land forces is located in Australia on the Northern coast adjacent to a large, dedicated training area as well as a nearby port and an airfield on site as well. This base complex also houses the long-term maintenance and storage facilities for aircraft and vehicles, as well as technical training areas and facilities. This base is nicknamed 'The Anvil', keeping the theme started with The Forge.
As well as those two large bases, there are a small number of much smaller facilities such as small compounds on existing airfields around the world, as well as purely administrative and support offices and establishments.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Private Military Contractors

In the latter years of the 20th century and toward the beginning of the 21st, private military contractors - Mercenaries - started to become more prominent or at least, more recognised. Private security firms existed across the world, but were more like security guards or at the most, close protection and body guards for VIPs and important persons, or security for sensitive or important corporate facilities; minimally armed and equipped.
While Mercenaries had always been a part of the world throughout the ages these groups were more like the Armies for Hire of older years and days. Ex-military and military trained individuals, well-equipped with military grades firearms, vehicles and equipment.
Mostly they plied their trade in Africa, South-East Asia and South or Central America and the Middle East; but more and more often they were involved in larger conflicts and even hired by governmental forces.

Following the Heavenfall, these Private Military Contractors became more prominent and more important. With the global collapse of so many lines of communication, governance, supply and infrastructure as well as the widespread destruction of materiel, equipment and military infrastructure, conventional military forces were exhausted and over-stretched, and national attitudes were not eager to send more of their people off to far-off places to spend more money, capital and lives on poorly-understood goals and ideals, especially after so much destruction and on the tail-end of a ideological conflict they'd lived through for the last fifty years.
Still needing to do something to secure policy, future interests, resources, and to protect regional allies and provide security in their regions, nations looked outward for new solutions - and the immediate one became the hiring of contractors to fight for them.

These contractors would have to be as well armed and equipped as national armies were. They wouldn't be designed to replace them, or to take on every part of their role, such as providing long-term security and regional stability. Instead, they would be the tip of the spear, the first forces on hand, to carry out the immediate action.
This was the case for the N/UN's planning for this new era of PMC's. They approached a number of extant PMC's, the most successful ones that also had good records of battlefield conduct and reliable information regarding them and the people who founded them and worked with them, and entered into a partnership agreement to provide them with additional resources, training, support and other necessary logistics. They would receive the same rates of pay, benefits, and support as national military forces, but operate under their own command structure, under contract to the N/UN, and receive legal protections - at least, under the N/UN, and any agreements between the N/UN and it's global allies.
A number of PMC's signed up to the process, becoming 'Legitimate' or 'Authorised' PMCs, working worldwide for the N/UN and becoming a mobile, responsive and flexible array of forces at various scales and with various capabilities to carry out limited combat operations as a 'first strike' until larger forces from the N/UN could be bought to bear, or even working alongside such forces on occasion.

This increased presence and legitimacy of PMCs lead to more of them worldwide, as non-N/UN vetted PMC's also arose. Many of them were financed, supported and equipped by various MegaCorporations, acting as another source of revenue, as well as protecting their own interests and as advertising for their products in various combat zones. Others were formed and supported by the remains of shattered and broken state militaries, operating for their own self-interest or with some long-term goal, sending their payment back to their countries or territories of origin in an attempt to forge their own national identities.

PMC's can range in size from a single unit or company of infantry operators, all the way up to an armoured vehicle company, or even a large air force. As well as combat operations, most PMC's also offer services such as training support, maintenance support, instruction and advisory roles, and other such non-combat, but combat-related services and utilities.