4e Worldbuilding - Expanding on the canon timeline

[Heffe]

Hi everyone,

Due to FL being decidedly vague about what's happening in the rest of the world beyond Poland and Sweden in their official publications, a few weeks ago I decided to embark on a quest to expand upon the 4e canon timeline.

As a result, I split apart the canon timeline into a google doc, and am planning on slowly filling in details about remaining countries over the coming months/years. I'm also hoping that if other members of the community would like to contribute timelines for various nations, that over time this might evolve into a sort of community "approved" default timeline for the 4th edition. I say approved in quotation marks, because I realize (and have already received this feedback) that with the many strong personalities on this board and in the community, it's unlikely that all of us will ever agree on something so complex as an alternate world history leading to the 3rd world war and beyond. With that said, I still feel as though it's a worthwhile undertaking, in the hopes that future players will have a more complete picture of the Twilight War beyond what FL has given us thus far. I do plan on updating the documents as new official material gets released.

Without further ado, here's a link to the spreadsheet for anyone that missed it in the other thread:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Some info/disclaimers -

• If anyone is interested in lending a hand, please respond here or shoot me a DM (or hit me up in the 4e discord). I did have to lock down permissions on the doc to prevent trolling.
• If this doesn't interest you, no worries. I get that this kind of thing isn't for everyone. My genuine hope is that eventually, some content creators will decide to make use of the information herein to help flesh out their own created modules, and it would be neat to have the community contribute that kind of a resource.
• This is purely a side/passion project for me. I don't expect to ever make money off of this endeavor, nor do I ever intend to try to append a price tag to the doc. In other words, if it ever goes up on DriveThru it'll be done as a free download, or at most, a "Pay what you want" with a free option. I'm not in the business of trying to make money off of other people's hard work (as proof of my motivations, I spent many hours creating the 4e Referee Aids and put them up for free download).
• I'll be posting timelines for various countries on this thread - please feel free to leave your feedback/thoughts. If stuff is garbage, please don't be afraid to say so, but I'd ask that criticisms try to be constructive.
• These timelines, in keeping with FL's precedent, will continue to be fairly high level/strategic background information. If someone wants to expand into various intra-country regions, or even locales in the various nations, that can absolutely be supported, but I'm of the opinion that a lot of more detailed information such as unit names/dispositions/locations can probably be safely avoided, or at least left to better minds than mine.

Lastly, I see this as a pet project, and nothing more. I have real world experience as a project and program manager, and think my skills could come in handy in organizing things, but my intent is for this to be a community-led endeavor. In short, if the majority of the community hates the content that comes out of this project, then it'll just become yet another niche resource that folks can choose to use or ignore. If no one here feels like contributing to the project in the first place, that's okay too, and it will remain my own little side thing.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

[Heffe]

Estonia

[First up we have the nation of Estonia, care of user 'Andres' from the 4e discord. In the canon timeline, not much at all is mentioned about the Baltic nations, beyond them briefly claiming independence before being swallowed back up by the resurgent USSR. ]

1991
On 21 August 1991 soviet paratroopers try to take charge of Tallinn's TV tower, the television broadcast is cut, but a handful of Estonian Defense League members barricade the entry into signal rooms, the radio signal remains strong. The standoff continues for three days, but the soviet forces are finally told to stand down.
Talks on withdrawing the remaining 35,000 soviet troops stationed across Estonia begin. The first agreement set a deadline of 31. August 1994, but a few conditions that were drafted in a hurry and under pressure cause enough ambiguity for the Soviets to step back on several promises later on.

1992
Most Soviet troops as well as heavy equipment are withdrawn from Estonia throughout the year. Several military installations maintain a token force to prevent local military forces from using the bases. Corruption during the withdrawal is rampant and many weapons and pieces of equipment are sold to the black market as well as to the Estonian armed forces.
Estonia buys Romanian produced AK pattern rifles to arm it’s newly refounded Defense Forces. Orders are also placed to receive weapons and ammo from China.

1993
Israel is one of the few countries that has no issues with selling firearms to Estonia above board. Estonia decides to move forward with the deal regardless of the high 60 million dollar price tag, Israel agrees on a longer term payment plan which suits the young nation. The payments are expected to last 8 years while the weapons will be shipped in three. 12,000 Galil assault rifles as well as AA cannons, mortars, AT weapons and radio equipment help set a foundation for the growing armed forces.

1994
While most of the Soviet forces have left the country as per the agreement, there are still several installations that are occupied by foreign forces. The Estonian government as well as the population grow tired of the prolonged withdrawal. Many protests are held and diplomatic notes are sent to the Kremlin regarding the delays, but being dependent on Soviet whims both militarily and economically, there is no real leverage.
Through the cover of private businesses trying to jump on the real estate train, the Estonian government starts several construction projects to create defensive lines and strongpoints on the eastern border. The Kremlin takes note and demands an explanation, accusing the “warmongering fascists” of trying to start another war. The Estonian government explains that they hold no control over what private contractors choose to do. Tensions on both sides are high.
From 1994 onwards there are regular protests by the Russian minority that were brought into the country during the Soviet occupation, as well as attacks on the still remaining Soviet military installations. Estonian intelligence traces all of these events back to KGB, clearly trying to raise internal tensions between the ethnic Estonians and Russians as well as trying to spark larger conflicts to capitalize on.

1995
The Soviet Navy nuclear submarine training center in Paldiski is supposed to be handed over by 30. September 1995. The Soviet Union steps back on this promise citing troubles with dismantling the nuclear training reactors as a reason. Around 8,000 Soviet personnel remain in Paldiski and a few other military locations across Estonia.
Everyone feels the tensions rise as the withdrawal of the Soviet forces is postponed time and time again. Estonia invests more and more into it’s Defense Forces.
Estonian armed forces take part in UNPROFOR in Croatia, hoping to soon join NATO.

1996
Having worked hard over a few years to fabricate countless false-flag incidents, the Soviet Union finally invades the Baltics. The Baltics were one of the most economically viable regions of the Soviet Union, provided access to the Baltic sea and gave them a connection to the Kaliningrad oblast. The separation of the Baltic states was also a hit against the Soviet pride, time had come to reclaim this area that Russia has seen as part of their empire for some time now. On 9. May 1996 the invasion begins.
Having vowed not to hand their country over to an aggressor like in 1940, the Defense Forces, that had been on high alert for some time, put up a fierce resistance. Only willpower alone does not win wars unfortunately, the Estonian Defense Forces are soon overwhelmed by the numerically superior enemy force and are forced into retreat. In a week Soviet forces reach Tallinn and announce Estonia to be reintegrated into the Soviet Union by the will of the people. Much of North-Eastern Estonia along with Võru in the south are bombed into oblivion during this first phase of the invasion. In another few weeks Western Estonia and the islands are back under Soviet occupation. Fake referendums are held where some 99% of the population support the Soviet Rule.
The few weeks the Defense Forces held out were not in vain. Just as nearly 60 years before many flee across the Baltic Sea to Sweden and Finland, mostly civilians but also politicians in the hopes of forming a government in exile and military personnel that hope to help fight the Soviets in the uniform of a friendly country. Others stay behind and withdraw into the vast forests and swamps of the country, waging guerilla warfare against Soviet supply lines.
Just as NKVD before them, the KGB cracks down on all prominent politicians, officials, patriots and nationalists. Those that are not outright executed are deported to Siberia. Many, expecting history to repeat itself, had already either fled abroad, into the woods or put up fierce resistance with the help of the guerilla fighters. In total several thousand are killed and around 20,000 deported.

1997
At some point during 97, US special forces units are sent into Estonia as well as the other Baltic states to help the local forces fight the Soviet occupation. As the spearhead of Soviet forces are tied up at the front elsewhere, mostly reserve units are left behind to force the Soviet rule. While lacking in morale and training, they still field armored units that prove difficult to counter as most of Estonian anti-tank capability was lost during the first weeks of the invasion.
Weapons shipments from NATO smuggled into the area allow the remnants of Estonian Defense Force to rearm themselves and orchestrate attacks on Soviet armored units. Soviet units stationed in the area, under the leadership of KGB, form death squads that carry out massacres among the civilian population in response to the increased guerilla activity. This only adds fuel to the fire, resulting in full scale armed uprising in several smaller settlements in Western and Southern Estonia, whole soviet garrisons are massacred, the partisans do not manage to hold this ground however. The fighting continues, but the intensity of it dies down on both sides as autumn approaches. The KGB led massacres largely end after the reports of Estonian response reach the Kremlin.
Local Russian diaspora feel betrayed by the Soviet union. The soviets largely see them as traitors that chose to stay behind because they were too good to return to their homeland, Estonians still remember being treated as second class citizens by the local Russians. Some try to evacuate to their relatives in Russia as the fighting continues.

1998
As more and more Soviet units are diverted to the front, the occupying forces adopt a general strategy of staying in major population centers and refraining from any punitive actions against the civilian population. The guerilla forces keep attacking supply lines, but lack the man- and firepower to attack major cities.
Tallinn suffers from major bombing raids aimed against the occupying forces, but causing widespread destruction in the city. Civil order starts to break down as the authorities are unable to keep fires under control. Many evacuate to more rural areas.
There are talks about a planned commando raid against the Paldiski facilities, but those become irrelevant after the site is nuked. The last survivors of the surrounding areas and Tallinn flee Northern Estonia, leaving behind ruins and only a handful of stubborn stragglers that refuse to leave their homes.
Estonian forces are finally starting to seize control of some smaller settlements as it becomes apparent the Soviets have no more reinforcements to send. Tartu that managed to survive the nuclear exchange and much of the bombing becomes the major Soviet stronghold in Southern Estonia. In the north Soviet forces regroup and secure Rakvere and Tapa. According to intercepted communications, these forces have been ordered to dig in in order to prevent a NATO amphibious assault into Russia through Estonia. There are remnants of Soviet forces still maintaining control of the western coast of Estonia, but the actual situation is unclear.

1999
There are reports of US Marine units having landed on the largest Estonian islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. The Soviet forces holding the line in Eastern Estonia have dug in even further, exploiting the surrounding civilian population for supplies. The situation elsewhere is confusing at best, one village might be harboring guerilla fighters while the next is under the control of Soviet troops. The Estonian forces have largely re-integrated back into smaller settlements as the Soviets no longer hunt them and are mostly just interested in holding their ground. Otepää becomes the center for the resistance movement, most everything is coordinated from there by the remaining high command with the help of the US special forces.

2000
In preparation of the Operation Reset the US special forces in Estonia manage to organize several weapons and ammunition shipments with the intent of letting the Estonians clear out the Soviet forces on the mainland, so the regrouped Marine units from Sweden could finally strike at Russia.

[Heffe]

China

[Next up, of great concern, is a general picture of eastern Asia in the 4e timeline. Thinking about the world powers, there's no way we can even start to talk about Asia and the far east without talking about China. FL, IMO, has done everyone a great disservice by not including even a blip in the official canon timeline about what's happening in that region, so I decided to dig in and start studying Chinese politics in the 80s and 90s, hoping to figure out a way to get China to make sense in this alternate history. Based upon feedback from users here and on the discord, and the impossibility of the USSR taking on the entire world in the 4e timeline, for better or worse I've decided to have China join the USSR on the RedFor side of the war. In this timeline, the Party backslides into communism after the successful Gang of Eight coup.]

1989
The world recoils in horror at the Tiananmen Square Protests and Massacre. Diplomatic relations suddenly become strained around the world nearly overnight as word spreads, and sanctions soon follow. Not long afterward, China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping steps down, but still holds vast influence of the ruling leaders of the CCP, and continues to push the countries leaders toward a policy of reformation. He is succeeded by former Shanghai Mayor Jiang Zemin. In the political background, leftist conservative and "economic guru" Chen Yun works to bring the Party back toward a more centrally planned economy and what he sees as communist ideals. He secretly views Deng's rightist views on the economy as a pathway toward the west and away from communism, and works to build a coalition of support in the Party's Central Committee.

April 1990
Li Peng, the Premier of the Chinese State, visits Moscow, where he's denounced by dozens of protestors as a butcher. He lays a wreath on Lenin's tomb, as a symbol of China's continued faith in the core tenets of communism.

1991
China watches the Gulf War and comes to a stark realisation - the PLA was an oversized, almost-obsolete force. When the Gang of Eight coup succeeds in August, Chinese Communist Party officials quietly celebrate, and see the coup as renewing faith in communism in Asia. Chen's supporters gain more support, and gain control of the Poliburo; they follow this by challenging Jiang's leadership. They immediately send diplomats to meet with new Russian president Yanayev's administration officials, which leads to closer ties between the Party factions in both nations. Further, the Chinese leadership maintained that the Russian coup attempt had almost fallen apart due to an inability to keep the Soviet army in line with Marxist-Leninist ideas. As a result, political education and Marxist–Leninist propaganda in the PLA is stepped up heavily.
Relations with the US throughout the year continue to sour, as the US Congress in particular is eager to impose additional economic sanctions and cancellation of trade. President George HW Bush also manages to antagonize Beijing by agreeing to meet with the exiled Dalai Lama in April. China views Washington with suspicion, and alleges the US is waging a systemic campaign to undermine confidence in the Chinese State Party. The US pushes back, accusing China of supplying arms to it's enemies in the Middle East.

1992
Following sanctions from much of the world, trade with Russia resumes in earnest, with Russia agreeing to sell oil, arms, and other goods in an economic cooperation agreement. CCP officials following Yun's lead begin a renewed campaign of spreading literature and lauding the success of Russian communists over what was seen as encroaching capitalist forces. In spring, Deng Xiaoping suddenly re-emerges in public and embarks on a tour of southern China to restore faith in his reforms and stop the country's slide back into Maoism. This leads to an official sanction by Party hardliners at the 14th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. In December, Deng is reported to suffer a massive heart attack by media in the west, though there is speculation about the true cause of his death. Party hardliners leverage the opportunity to push back hard against reformation, and begin cracking down more heavily on pro-reformation officials in the National, Provincial, and Local Congress. Political leadership "rains red" in China, and soon Jiang is forced to step down, with Chen Yun officially being nominated as the new General Secretary of the Party.

1993
Continued crackdowns take place throughout the Party on reformist groups. Yun does so mostly without bloodshed, and leftward progress is slow. China (Chairman Yun) establishes the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) as part of an official national military strategy to modernize the Chinese armed forces. Facing down increasing inflation and civil unrest, along with the problems caused by urbanization and stagnating rural income, the CCP starts pumping more men and equipment into the military. Relations further improve with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea based upon mutual needs. Trade continues to grow with Russia, and now with North Korea as well.

1994
In April, Yun dies suddenly as the result of an unspecified illness. A renewed sense of nationalism and pride in Chinese communism spreads throughout China as drastically increased trade with Russia sparks rapid growth in the economy. Party hardliner and relative newcomer to the Central Committee, Han Ju, is elected to General Secretary of the Party. As a sign of the strength of trade, China enters into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, along with the states of the USSR, further cementing their commitment to communist ideals. The Party continues a strict policy of information control, and where Chen was hesitant to use bloodshed to purge reformists, Han is not. State forces are encouraged to use lethal means to put down anti-communist sentiment, and the People's Armed Police Force (PAP) is used to strike down remaining reformists groups in numerous cities along the coast, often with growing body counts.
Meanwhile, relations with the US degrade further. With communism once again in the ascendant in China, the US adds additional sanctions, with Clinton publicly stating that he "has questions" about the reported deaths of first Deng, and now Chen, while denouncing the government's increasing use of force to put down dissidents.
In response, Party hardliners develop a plan to unseat Hong Kong and Macau democratic leadership, and hope to bring about an end to western involvement in the region.

1995
China executes their plan and launches a covert campaign to subvert the governments of Hong Kong and Macau, and replaces them with loyal partymembers. This leads to a series of escalating violence in both cities, with citizens taking to the streets to denounce China's heavy-handed approach. As the violence grows and the local police add to the resistance, the Central Military Commission again sends in the PLA, who quickly bring an end to the violence through what comes to be known as the Night of the Sickle, or Hong Kong Massacre. Hundreds of rioters are openly murdered by Chinese soldiers. Chinese government officials claim the incident was an accident and that things simply got out of hand, but western suspicion has reached a boiling point, and leaders start openly denouncing Han's government. The UK, under growing pressure in Europe and effectively powerless to intercede, decides to let Hong Kong go. Most western trade in the region grinds to a halt.

1996
Chinese Party leadership laud Russia's decision to strike swiftly and bring the rebellious Baltic nations back into its fold. That act emboldens the now majority hardliners that think the same needs to be done with Taiwan, the islands in Fujian, and a portion of northern India that China claims to be part of it's Xizang province (Tibet). Shortly after, China sends a large naval detachment to Taiwan, making demands that they submit to PRC rule. Republic of China officials, not wanting an all out war that they cannot win, do their best to stall for time. Border skirmishes and limited military clashes begin with forces in Vietnam.

August 1997
Empowered by recent actions made by the USSR and the US's meek response to the situation in the Baltic, North Korea prepares to, and then attacks South Korea, fully expecting the US to ignore the action due to the engagement in Europe. This has far reaching consequences. First, the DPRK pushes hard with rocket artillery strikes dense enough to darken the sky, aimed at Seoul and South Korean forces across the border. This is followed by an intense ground campaign that pushes the South Korean defenses to the breaking point, along with around 35,000 US military servicepeople. US forces waste no time in their response. Pacific Carrier Groups Five and Seven, representing the USS Independence and the USS Nimitz, quickly assist South Korea in fighting back. Citing the Sino-North Korean Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty, China sends air power launched from Northern China, followed by ground troops, quickly overwhelming South Korean defenders. The world stands in horror as the second Korean War begins directly along side the clashing of ground troops in Poland.

Early 1998
The war for the Korean Peninsula initially goes well for China and the DPRK. The sheer volume of soldiers filtering in-country from the north puts extreme pressure on the remaining defenders, backing them into the Busan pocket. Soon, Russian-made Chinese Sukhoi Su-27s are battling it out in air duels with Falcons and Hornets over the sea of Japan. The Chinese modernization efforts combined with better training and imports from Russia are paying dividends. It's not long before another US carrier group joins the fray, with reinforcements being shuttled in from US bases in Japan. Japan until this point has done it's best to keep a low profile, pretending that the war won't come to their shores, but when Chinese bombers attempt a direct strike on Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan has no choice but to act. Japan's air force joins battle, and BluFor gains air superiority in the area. Fearing a complete collapse in the east, the USSR sends the Red Banner Fleet taskforce carriers Minsk and Novorossiysk to engage the US Navy.
Facing a renewed push against it's eastern borders from US and Japanese Naval and air elements, and a new southern front opening with the nations of ASEAN, China watches in earnest as the first tactical nukes get used by Russia on the western front. China soons follows suit, striking its own targets at the remaining defenders in South Korea, and hostile air and naval bases in Japan. They pre-emptively hit the seat of Taiwan's government, as well as other US strategic bases in the region, such as Clark AFB and Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines. As the Russian nuclear missiles begin landing in the US, US strategic missiles too begin hitting deep in both the USSR and China. The Chinese economy breaks almost immediately, with massive unrest unleashing all over the country as China's people come face to face with the prospect of nuclear annihilation. The USSR's nuclear missiles contribute further damage to US allies and enemies foes all across east and southeast Asia.

1999
With the war against the US, Japan, and North Korea now at a standstill due to nuclear shock and a sudden lack of naval and air assets, China focuses it's remaining aggression on targets within reach - the ASEAN nations to its south. Columns of Chinese infantry and tanks pour into Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The fighting quickly fades as logistical support ceases to exist on both sides, and entire divisions get swallowed into the jungles. At home in mainland China, what's left of the Chinese government devolves into what more closely resembles the Warlord era of the early 20th century. With a third of the population dead or dying, and another third on the brink, local and provincial congresses, or what's left of them, break from their neighbors. Remaining Party members sometimes maintain a power base large enough to maintain control of various towns and villages, and sometimes they're hunted down by the local populace as being heralds of nuclear armageddon. The larger cities near the coast empty as the people starve and move toward more rural areas. Inland cities such as Chongquing fair little better. The central planning system envisioned by Mao, and later by Chen and Han disintigrates in spectacular fashion. China, as a cohesive state, effectively ceases to exist.

2000
In the spring of 2000, more than half of China's population is gone. The once proud nation lies in utter ruin. There's no longer any cohesive form of government, and local populaces must rely on themselves entirely for food and energy production. Warlords in the south dream of expanding their empires into neighboring ASEAN nations, who also lie in ruin. Areas in the north are dominated by the remains of military divisions, now in cantonment around whatever civilization remains. To the west, once subjugated minorities, largely spared the worst of the fighting, cry out for freedom even as they starve and look to secure their own new borders against external encroachment.

[Heffe]

Here's a WIP map for the start of WWIII according to the 4e Expanded Timeline project I've been working on. Given a resurgence of the USSR and China refocusing on their communist endeavors, the impact to the Balkans and SE Asia is particularly pronounced. More to come as things continue to be expanded.

Please let me know if you see anything you think is a glaring error.

[Raellus]

Nice work, Heffe!

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