Rhona W

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

GM's note - I will be creating my own crew and vehicle, they will probably act as the unit commander just for ease of guiding the story and events.

But I'll be doing it later, and the same with answering any questions, as I have to sleep now since I have work in the morning.

If you do fill in character sheets, please post them in the OOC first for approval, before they go into the 'Characters' Tab.

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

I managed to do better than I thought, and I've got the OOC up!

@Finetales, @Damo021, @Smike, @Erikh, @Letter Bee, @AvaP, @Foster, @Kensai, @Massasauga

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

Shattered Steel:

A R M O U R E D F I S T

Armoured Vehicle Combat in the Heavenfall World

"Though I charge through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for I am driving a house-sized mass of fuck you."

Armoured Fist is a roleplaying game set in the Heavenfall universe. The RP is focused around a (mixed) squad of armoured vehicles from the Shattered Steel mercenary company.

In the RP, players will play the roles of the crew of their chosen armoured vehicle, as they deal with and follow a story and plot beginning with what seems to be a simple contract, but over time; will come across elements and information that point to a larger, more sinister plot in the background that has world-shaking consequences and could affect the future of the human race and civilization as a whole.

This is an RP that has a 'larger than life' tone of heroism, adventure, bravery and daring-do. But also moments of pathos, drama, darkness, and deadly seriousness.

There will be minimal relation and link to my ongoing aviation-themed RP Shattered Steel, in that large events in either RP may affect, or at least be referenced in the other, but there is no need to play both, or be wholly familiar with them both. It's more of a fun easter egg, and something to help make the setting feel like a 'world' where events are constantly taking place.

The Plot

Your characters will be part of one of Shattered Steel's armoured ground companies. Initially deployed on a contract with relatively simple terms, that contract will end up becoming more complicated and have more variables than expected, leading to several threads to be followed up, linking to further, future adventures that will slowly pull the characters from being a simple armoured vehicle squadron for one of the worlds' well-known PMC's, to being a focus and hinge on which world events rest.

The Characters

Players will - most likely - play multiple characters to represent the crew of their vehicle. Characters should be the kind of people that would end up in military service and suitable for such - as in, not completely insane and mentally unstable, not utterly hateful or driven by psychotic goals and anti-social ideals, and actually mentally and emotionally stable enough to be trusted with the firepower of an armoured vehicle, and that other people would actually want to work with.
They do not have to be completely angelic or goody-goody, and their motivations need not be completely pure, but the fact of the matter is that this setting is unabashedly and unashamedly oriented towards stories and plots related to heroism and protecting others.

Of course - Good Is Not Nice, Good Is Not Soft and Good is Not Dumb are all things that can possible apply, but are not mandatory.

A full and thoroughly detailed history for each character of your tank crew is not necessary, simple bullet points are enough (especially since you'll all be creating multiple character), and the same for the full details of their personalities.
But having some things that define them from one another and a sort of mental sketch of them is valuable.

The hope as GM is, that over time and should the RP persist for a good length of time to make it practical, that characters' backgrounds and histories can be pulled into events as they continue, and give each character some time in the spotlight and some focus and attention to their background and histories.

Tank Crew Sheet

Crew Position: Commander, Loader, Gunner, Driver, etc; depending on your vehicle of choice.
Name: Names and any nicknames
Age: 21+, maximum of 50 y/o
Gender/Sex: Does not need to be same as birth sex
Appearance: Anime-style/drawn/etc art preferred
Nationality: See the Heavenfall Guide
Personal Outlook: a short, brief summary of a few lines about their general demeanour
History: a short, bullet-pointed list of key events in their history
Personal Weapons: A couple of personal weapons; sidearm and longarm and a survival/etc knife.

The Vehicles

The vehicles used in the RP and that are the focus of the action, are ground-based armoured or light armoured vehicles.
One of the concepts behind the Heavenfall setting is that after the near-apocalypse that gives the setting its' name, manufacturing and industrial capacity underwent something of a breakthrough, and the production of technology and especially vehicles and weapons was ramped up, and many prototypes or 'abandoned' ideas were put into production and even service, albeit in limited numbers in some cases.

The squad or unit your characters are a part of use these vehicles, and are a mixed unit; thrown together by circumstances during a contract and its' necessities, to carry out a mission and likely remaining together after as a consequence of what they have been through.

Your characters' vehicle may be any kind of armoured vehicle - a Main Battle Tank, an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, a combat Engineering or Support Vehicle, Self-Propelled Artillery or even Self-Propelled Anti-Air, or any other such kind of armoured combat vehicle from approximately the late 1950's/early 1960's period until approximately 2018-ish, as the 'present day' of the setting is 2014 (as of Shattered Steel), and the divergent timeline allows for some wiggle-room on how things advanced earlier or differently.
This rules out antique vehicles such as most World War 2 tanks and armoured vehicles, as they are long-since retired, other than a few exceptions - but given the setting and how it has advanced, even they would be likely long-gone by the time the RP takes place.
The general rule of thumb is 'As long as there is a reference page for it online, and it's not an original creation, it should be okay'. Meaning, if you can find a webpage or website with at least some technical details for the vehicle you wish to use and there was at least some kind of effort to construct it, then it's allowed.
This rules out also fictional tanks (i.e. something from an existing IP, like C&C Mammoth tanks) or anything that solely existed on paper and was never seriously investigated other than one or two sketches or images.
I also reserve the right to refuse anything based on the simple rule of it not fitting in with the setting or being too radical or bizarre to work.
Or just because I don't like it; it's my RP after all.

Your vehicles may be (but do not have to be) modifed and upgraded to be better suited to a 'modern' battlefield. By this, the idea is refitting with things such as more modern sensors, communications, power systems and engines, crew survivability features and so on and so forth.
This can be a difficult area to approach, as it can be hard to gauge how much is too much. An example of 'too much' would be adding a completely new weapon system to an existing design. For example, fitting an extra pair of autocannons that were not present at all on an existing tank design, or completely refitting an entire vehicles' structure with new materials - at which point, it is no longer the existing vehicle.
An acceptable refit or modification would be adding a new ammunition type - especially if that ammunition is used elsewhere - or fitting a new type of secondary machine-gun, or weapon system like a remote weapon station. Or a new and more efficient engine.
The best thought is usually 'less is more', as the point is to pick a vehicle you already like to begin with and have an interest in, and then upgrade it over time as the RP progresses to deal with the escalating level of threats and danger your characters will face (much like the way that Real Robot mecha anime have new features and capabilities added to the heroes' main mecha over the course of the series!).

I am not expecting an encyclopedic knowledge of tanks and armoured vehicles and how they work from anyone - a passing knowledge and the willing to learn and embrace the ideas is more than enough, and the rest can come with time.
My main inspiration and interest comes from the game Armoured Warfare (now abandoned on consoles, boo hiss) and several visits to Bovington Tank Museum, here in the UK. I am hardly an expert, nor someone who is precisely concerned with every aspect of realism, but wishes to preserve at least a veneer of it and some sense of authenticity, alongside the excitement, drama, and action.

Vehicle Sheet

Name: The name and any serial number of the vehicle in question i.e. 'M1A1 Abrams'. As it's not stated anywhere else - all vehicles must be real world ones; this does include prototypes and unproduced - but official - variants of existing vehicles, as long as there is some information accessible on it.
Type/Role: I.E. 'Main Battle Tank', 'Tank Destroyer' etc.
Reference Link: A link to a webpage, such as wikipedia or elsewhere, that gives statistical and summaried information on your vehicle of choice.
Modifications/Upgrades: Any upgrades or modifications to your vehicle. This is a tricky area, given the setting; but avoid out-and-out sci-fi modifications and upgrades, or anything too far-fetched and excessive. Replacing your entire crew would not be possible, nor would turning your tank into a hover vehicle, or fitting a railgun or laser. The idea is small, practical, and at least marginally realistic upgrades. Turning a WW2 tank into something competitive with 21st century armour would be an example of a bad idea. Fitting a 1960's - 90's tank with a remote weapon station, an autoloader or a new engine would be an example of something suitable.

• - Modification

Colour Scheme: Does your vehicle have a fancy paint scheme? If you can find a picture as an example, you can link it here too.

Rules

There aren't many, but they are important.

• Oth Rule: Don't be a dick.
  Embrace the spirit of the game: Realism is good, and knowledge of real-world terms, tech, and so on is welcome, but dramatic licence and a sense of fun and excitement always comes first. This is a Role-Playing game. Expect dramatic licence, fun, and keep that paramount. I don't really care how much you want to show off your factual, encyclopedic weaponry and military knowledge, unless you can actually write a good character, it doesn't mean squat.
  Just, generally; don't be an obnoxious prick. I want to roleplay with people I like.
  Also if you do something that gets you kicked from the Discord, then it's a kick from the RP as well.
• The GMs rule is final - although, suggestions are welcomed and will be listened to, I reserve the right to just say 'no' if I disagree with something or it doesn't suit what I have mind for the RP and its' story.
• And as an addendium to this: If I don't know about it, it doesn't exist. You may have some amazing knowledge of something, or have some amazing idea planned for your character... but if you haven't told me about it, and then spring it from nowhere, I'm not going to incorporate it, as I will have planned or expected something else. What's most interesting for the plot might not always be what's most realistic.
• Absences - I understand if you have things come up - it happens to us all, and we can't always predict it. If you come back later and are still interested in joining in, I'll find a way to write you back in. However, if you are intending on leaving, I would ask that you be respectful to myself and the other players and let me know so I can write you out. If you have to be away for holidays, or whatever else, likewise please let me know if at all you can.
• Respect One Another - this isn't hard, and should go without saying. But have respect for your fellow players and the GM. We're all here to have fun, and this is a hobby we're doing to relax. It shouldn't be stressful to join in with your fellow players, so don't bring any outside conflicts to the game. Don't use the IC to take out your OOC frustrations on people, and if you have problems or issues with others you can't resolve, bring them to me and I'll deal with it. Likewise, bear in mind that sometimes in-character actions can be hurtful out of character, and feel like personal attacks, especially if someone repeatedly singles out one character with no apparent - or good - reason.
• Roleplaying Etiquette - never take control of someone else's character unless given express and explicit public permission, never assume how someone else's character reacts, and (as mentioned above) don't single out someone's character and be a dickhead to them with no good reason, or without discussing it OOC first. These all come heavily under rule 0.
• Post Order - I'm not a big fan of post orders. My general rule is, I'll put up a post as GM with all the necessary setting of a scene and events, and then expect everyone else to reply to it, in whatever order they see fit and are able to. Occasionally I may post an additional post if I see something particularly worthy of a reply, but that's usually how I handle things, and will always and often post in the OOC to help clarify things.
• Post Frequency - I know I have other hobbies, interests and responsibilities, and I'm sure the same applies to the rest of you. I'll usually allow a two weeks-ish for a full round of replies, and then move on. If people drop behind or consistently don't reply, then I'll follow up once and try and remind - but it's not my job to chase people, and it doesn't make my hobby fun if I'm having to chase people to join in - if you're here, then I'm assuming you want to be, and I shouldn't have to remind you about it.
• Language/Content - While I didn't mark the game as 18+, I have no objection to the use of swearing or bad language - in moderation and when it's applied in the right places and circumstances. Your characters will be in stressful situations, it's only likely they'd use expletives in those circumstances. Similarly, romance isn't at all off the table, and I expect and encourage it to come up, along with references to sex and sexuality. However, this isn't an 'adult' RP, so no explicit details, just have things fade to black and let imaginations do the rest of the work.

I maintain a personal Discord server, which has sections on it for the RP's I run for OOC discussion. It is not mandatory, but if you're interested, please feel free to PM me to get an invite.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Inspirations for the setting

Heavenfall was inspired by many things I love, and like many of the RP's I have run in the past, it is something of a melting pot of inspirations and ideas that I have twisted, molded, chiselled, welded and outright bluntly hammered together into something.
In some cases the inspiration from a work I have quoted or listed is something small or only a particular tiny aspect or a general 'feel', and in other cases it is much more obvious and full.
None of these sources are 'required' reading, and some are far more obscure than others, or have very little online presence. Most of them are related to aviation and aircraft, as Shattered Steel was the genesis for the expanded setting as a whole, but I have included several other works as they too are related to inspiring me in various ways, and also represent mood, tone, and feel of the setting.
Where possible I have no provided links, but the names and information should be enough to go on if you are curious about finding out more.

Movies, TV Shows & Anime

• Top Gun 1 & 2 - The most obvious of inspirations, although ironically one of the ones I'm least inspired by. But it does show the 'excitement' and give plenty of ideas and inspiration for aerial combat and flying scenes. And F-14's are gorgeous aircraft.
• Area 88 - There is an older 3-part OVA, and a (and IMHO, superior) 2004 version with more episodes. Both have a lot of aerial action, and are about mercenary fighter pilots. The anime is adapted from a long-running manga as well.
• Firefox - An 1980's movie starring Clint Eastwood that revolves around a veteran fighter pilot stealing an ulta high-tech aircraft from the USSR and taking it to the West. The flying is only in the last third or so, but the espionage and Cold War thriller vibes before it are also quite good.
• Iron Eagle - A series of movies, the first one was a cinema release, the following entries went straight to cable, and with good reason. They also seemed to be keeping Louis Gossett Jr's bank balance full during the 1990's. Renowned for a ridiculous plot and many oversights and technical errors, the first movie is still a fun one.
• Yukikaze - An OVA series based on a light novel, the series is about an ultra-hi-tech fighter jet in a near-future setting. While it doesn't relate directly to the modern-ish/alternate history of Heavenfall, the idea it involves are fertile ground for inspiration.
• Blue Submarine #6 - An OVA series by Gonzo animation, Blue Submarine #6 follows the titular submarine and it's crew in a (pretty bleak) future Earth setting, where the global sea level has risen and a significant portion of Earth's population has been wiped out. Notable for its' use of sci-fi tech and story elements alongside real-world weapons.
• Third Girls Aerial Squad - could you tell it was an anime from the title? This one-episode OVA is actually a spinoff from another show that has nothing to do with aviation or the military, but the one episode itself - while being very heavy on Silly Anime Tropes, like experienced combat pilots being under the age where they could possibly have any experience, and not wearing any flight gear - does showcase some excellent aerial battles and some wonderfully retro fighter planes that are modernised, much like Shattered Steel itself.
• Patlabor 1&2 - While the Patlabor series revolves around mecha, rather than more conventional vehicles, the movies - which are more serious and dramatic sci-fi than the series, which is a 'slice of life' comedy - does deal with a technothriller, alternate present/near future setting, and embraces many of the tropes of such a setting in a 'matter of fact' way of providing background details and cues.
• Macross - Again, while the Macross franchise does deal with mecha and alien invasions, the focus on pilots and aerial (or at least, fighter-to-fighter) combat in some of the entries, and the overall tone, mood and approach of the franchise is very on-point for Shattered Steel and the Heavenfall universe as a whole.

Video Games

• Ace Combat - The most obvious and largest influence and inspiration for the Heavenfall setting and Shattered Steel as a whole, the Ace Combat series of games, especially from Ace Combat 4 onwards where there was a consistent narrative and expanded setting, are the major inspiration for the Heavenfall universe's scale, scope, and tone. While they take liberties with realism for the sake of the gameplay, they are generally a heavy influence, especially in the way that sci-fi or fantastical devices, weapons and craft along with prototype and 'never-were' aircraft appear alongside real-world ones.
• Project Wingman - Less crucial than Ace Combat - given it's only one game, after all - Project Wingman and its' style and the fact it involves hi-tech and sci-fi elements alongside real world aircraft.
• Deadly Skies aka Airforce Delta - While the only game I have played is Deadly Skies 3 and it was utter crap (especially the between missions scenes and the dialogue), the fact it includes sci-fi elements and an absolute abundance of prototype and even unproduced aircraft makes it another inspiration - albeit reluctantly so.
• Lethal Skies II - A 'light' simulator game for mostly console, Lethal Skies II features sci-fi elements such as super weapons and global devastation, which directly served as some inspiration for the Heavenfall universe.

Books and Comic Books
Probably the biggest section on this list, as there's an absolute wealth of these that deal with similar subject matter!

• Twilight X - A military-themed comic book set in a world where the Cold War went hot in the 1990s, and the world is rebuilding following, the comic series follows a small band of survivors in the Carribbean. Alas, never finished and seems to be dead, but was published by Antarctic Press. The art style varies hugely over the years, but is absolutely exquisite in later issues. Hard to find in print, but can be found online to read.
• Shockrockets - a short, limited edition comic book series about a team of pilots who use futuristic craft derived from alien technology to fight the worlds' enemies. Has a whiff of Thunderbirds about it in places (which is no bad thing), and leans more into the sci-fi category, but still a riveting read.
• Tigers of Terra - admittedly a series I have not read much of, as it is extremely hard to find, it features a lot of sci-fi elements and fantastical ideas (such as a 'mirror earth') and some of them a little... iffy (such as said mirror earth being run by entirely women who wear very little, and were inspired by Nazi Germany on one side... yeah). It features a lot of fictional and real variants of aircraft and other vehicles heavily
• Titanium Rain - Currently a single-issue graphic novel that is available both in print and online, Titanium Rain is set in a near-future setting, and has a lot of background information that is ripe for inspiration for the Heavenfall setting, especially regarding its' aircraft. It also features similar cyberpunky elements.
• Dale Brown books - A series of books starting with 'Flight of the Old Dog' that feature heavily modified and upgraded aircraft (mostly heavy bombers) and other hi-technology. Very US-centric, but still with a lot of interesting and worthy ideas.
• Team Yankee - A book following the exploits of a US Army Armoured unit in the 1980's in a 'Cold War gone hot' scenario. Some of the technology is outdated by now, but the descriptions of combat in armoured vehicles is still very good.
• Chieftans - another book with a similar premise to Team Yankee, but following the crew of a British Army Chieftan tank in a similar scenario.
• Amanda Garrett Book Series - Written by James H. Cobb and (mostly) following the exploits of the USS Cunningham, an advanced but fictional model of US Navy Destroyer, the books are a heavy inspiration due to the combination of (at the time) cutting edge technology and extrapolations of ideas at the time and integrating them into a narrative alongside real-world tech. They have a very 'adventure' feel - and are stuffed full of references to pop-culture as well.
• Axis of Time series - A series - originally a trilogy - of books revolving around a (at the time the books were originally written) near-future NATO and allied carrier battle group being sent back in time to World War 2. While the major strokes of the plot aren't relevant to the Heavenfall setting, the vision of technology employed by the multinational forces are a definite heavy influence on Heavenfall as a whole.

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

I am actually almost finished with writing up the setting guide, so Armoured Fist will be the next thing on my plate, as far as RP's go.
I do have some other priorities; there's a big event for a social group I run coming up, as it's our ten-year anniversary, so we're going all out, and I'm putting a video together for part of it, and there's (just) under two weeks to go for that, so I have to put some priority on it.
But this (and Shattered Steel) are going to be going on alongside that, as I can't spend all my time editing video, and I'm confident it won't take me too long, as I deliberately haven't made it too complicated for myself (it's basically going to be a slideshow of photos from the previous ten years, with a few funny captions and asides thrown in with musical accompaniment!)

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

What kind of RPs is the setting for?

By 'kind of RP's' I am mostly referring to genre in this regard. Obviously, the emphasis in the Guide and in RP's so far has been on military or para-military action with sci-fi elements, which is true to the inspirations of the setting, as explained below.

Military action and adventure with some sci-fi elements is entirely what the setting is intended for, but this can also expand to espionage and spy-fi, or police/crime-drama related RP's. Other ideas are entirely possible too - astronauts and space exploration, something about or revolving around survival in the immediate post-apocalypse of the Heavenfall, smuggling and piracy around the South Seas or Carribbean, and other such ideas would fit quite well.
Technothrillers about emerging technologies could also fit in quite well, especially given the deliberate inclusion of cyberpunky elements and things like emergent bionics, cybernetics, robotics, genetic engineering, artificial intelligence and other such aspects that are heavily hinted at and mentioned as 'unconfirmed but possible'.

Obviously, fantasy and urban fantasy elements are not really within the scope of the RP, or things like out-and-out superheroes or 'powered' characters with superhuman or supernatural abilities. The general rule I am running with in the Heavenfall setting is that magic and the supernatural are much like how it is treated in the Indiana Jones franchise - there are a lot of myths, legends and mysteries wrapped up in the history of the world and society, and there may be elements of truth to them. But if anyone goes looking for them too hard, it's likely at the risk of their wealth and reputation, and if you do find something it's probably something you shouldn't be messing around with, let alone trying to control, or else you end up with your face melting off like that one nazi guy at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. And even then, it probably won't get out into the wider world, and will remain secret and unknown - although, that kind of adventure could fit as an RP in and of itself, having no large scale repercussions, but serving as an adventure for a group of characters, especially with the world of Heavenfall being ripe for such adventuring in small parties or groups in globe-trotting style, with plenty of people willing to cross and double-cross, and go out on individual expeditions.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Canon and Non-Canon

Canon and Non-Canon (please observe the spellings; 'cannon' is something else altogether, and 'headcannon' even more so) are terms that have a difficult definition when it comes to running RP's in a shared setting.
Overall, 'Canon' starts with what is outlined in this guide, and in Shattered Steel and Armoured Fist, as they are the first two RP's run in the setting, and are run by the writer and creator of the setting itself, and the Guide defines the canon.

As a rule of thumb, if any other RP adds outlandish or unusual elements to the setting - for example, an RP that was concerned with Magic within the Heavenfall setting, or hunting supernatural creatures, or an alien invasion - then it would be non-canon, as it would be a vast change to the established tone and rules of the setting, and such an introduction of an element would be a sweeping change in everything that is understood in the world of the setting itself.
Likewise, any RP set in the future of the setting would be considered non-canon, as events have yet to be defined and shaped by the ongoing RP's within the setting, so by definition, any future-set Heavenfall RP's would be making up their own history from the 'present' 2014 of the setting.

To run a Canon RP within the setting, it would have to avoid affecting global events on a wide scale, or be very carefully run to incorporate ongoing events in other RP's, or at least pay passing mention to them, and vice versa with the ongoing RP's. There is openness to this, to a degree, as long as - as previously stated - it does not have any massive implications for ongoing RP's and their plots, characters, or other aspects.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

The Tone of the Heavenfall Universe

Given the subject matter of the setting and the depth of the setting, the Heavenfall universe is generally aimed toward more serious RP's. Plots have high stakes and implications in setting, and there is an emphasis on action and drama.
The setting is intended as one where the player characters are the stars of their narrative, fighting in support of and protection for those who need help, against those who would oppress, intimidate, threaten or otherwise cause harm to those who cannot protect themselves. Even if they are PMC's - or 'Mercenaries' - the aim and tone is generally one of 'good vs. evil' and of military-oriented adventure, with plenty of action, and an escalation of events from the small to the epic scale, with the player party as the fulcrum of things that happen around them.

With the setting pitched as it is, there is room for the mood to shift between moments of darkness, pathos, angst, seriousness and drama to moments of levity, humour and light-heartedness. Of course, not in the same scene and subject matter should be carefully considered along with the rules of the Guild regarding such subjects.

Of course, as the primary author and creator of the setting, it (unashamedly) incorporates aspects and elements of my own personal beliefs, morals, and ideals, because I want to make it fun for myself to write and play in, although I try and avoid out-and-out political or social commentary and diatribes against or for any particular group, nation, person or entity in any way, as this is intended to be a hobby and setting for escapism and enjoyment, and this should be robustly and firmly embraced in any RP run in the Heavenfall setting.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Part 3: Running RP's in the Setting

The Heavenfall setting is currently used for several RP's run by myself, but it is open to being used for others for their own RPs. However, given the work I have put into it, I would like to impose some guidelines on how the setting is used, and what kind of things are appropriate within it.
This is not to say that it is not open to being expanded and having new things added - but there should be some guidance as to what kind of content is appropriate for the setting and how it is expanded, along with any effect on the canon of the setting - or not, as the case may be.

The Heavenfall Universe - A Guide

Travel, vehicles, and Space Technology

The ways in which people travel have not drastically changed. No new forms of transportation have been invented, and the commonly known and understood modes and methods of travel over distance through the use of vehicles have not greatly changed. But the types of those vehicles and how they are powered, propelled and other such aspects have changed to some degree, as the Heavenfall gave room for the development and implementation of new vehicles and the networks that support them.

Wheeled and ground transport have not really changed a great deal. As mentioned above, electric and hybrid vehicles have become much more common and the ways in which such vehicles are powered has changed. Hydrogen fuel cells are used in many commercial, private, military and industrial vehicles, and biofuels in others.
Rail transportation for heavy loads over large distances is also used regularly, and has in fact seen something of a renaissance in some countries for mass public transportation, with light rail (such as trams, subways and monorails) and metro-style systems becoming remarkably commonplace in many cities, and utilising the new freedom to build and develop as an motivating factor for new development.
Passenger rail systems started to come back across the USA as well, and long abandoned or neglected railway lines were given a new lease of life as new services were implemented. Worldwide, electrification of railways increased, along with the use of hydrogen fuel cells, as with other types of transportation.

Water transport remains much the same; as with other methods, the fuel used has changed, but the actual transport itself remains the same, only in some cases with more implementation of more advanced and varied types. Hovercraft have been utilised more heavily over short ranges as ferries and for purposes of search-and-rescue or patrol. Hydrofoils have become more common in the shallow waters they are most at home in.

In the air, aeroplanes and helicopters still persist and have diversified into thousands of types, marks and models, civilian and military alike and for all manner of purposes. Tilt-rotor aircraft have become popular as short-range feeder airliners from city centers or for regional purposes. Civilian helicopter transport and transport heliports have become more common as well. Supersonic airliners have seen a resurgence, as has a move away from the 'traditional' shape of airliner as a slow uptake, with aircraft like the Sonic Cruiser seeing some uptake for point-to-point flights.

Space travel and transportation have slowly increased following the Heavenfall. As the destruction affected many of the launch sites, platforms and locations used, it has taken time to build them back up. In doing so, a number of projects have been revisited and put into practice. Rockets are still used for some payloads and purposes, but increasingly the use of Spaceplanes and other Single-Stage To Orbit - SSTO - platforms has been adopted.
In the most ambitious show of adopting space travel and technology, the NCAA has begun construction of a space elevator on the equator, but progress is slow and extremely resource intensive, even for a nation the size of the NCAA, though the world is watching with eager eyes.