T2013

[swaghauler]

I like the Rebuilding, Coolness, and Initiative rules from Twilight 2013. I mix all of the editions together.

I was thinking about this as a proposed timeline. In 2025, the US is struggling through a "Major Depression." We are on the verge of "bankruptcy" due to a number of factors. Rising fuel costs, several Very costly (up to a trillion dollars) cyber attacks on our markets and retail sectors. Several Severe Weather incidents (tornadoes and hurricanes) and a deadly Influenza outbreak in the US and Europe.

The Chinese are also suffering and have put "designs" on certain resources in the Pacific Rim. The "buildup" of the war in the Pacific Rim would start with a conflict in the Korean theater along with a clash between China and Japan over resources in the currently claimed "Chinese Exclusion Zone" (the island chains that China is already in dispute with Japan and the Philippines over). China manages to subvert Malaysia (which has a significant percentage of its population of Chinese decent) and they join (clandestinely at first) the fray for a share of the resources. The newly launched Chinese Carriers are used to good effect. This forces the US to intervene. This "Intervention" causes China to launch an "Economic" offensive against the US. The US finds itself fighting a "two front brush war" in the Pacific Rim with a "failing" dollar. It has a technological advantage, but is logistically "stretched to the breaking point." trying to keep these conflicts supplied with a reduced fleet strength.

Russia has stepped up "support" for rebels in the Ukraine and is now threatening Georgia and Estonia again. It has renewed its mutual defense pacts with Iran and China (the one they are working on right now). Western Europe's very troubling "let's not intervene in the Ukraine" attitude (as demonstrated by the recent EU vote taken on the Ukraine) along with the EU's weak "Depression Era" economy encourages Russian aggression (its own economy strengthened by skyrocketing fuel prices). The Russians use the "excuse" of protecting Russian lives to enter the Ukraine. Poland moves to secure its Eastern border and support the Ukraine. Full scale hostilities ensue. The EU gets "drawn into" the conflict when the Russians pull a foolish move. They attempt to "cut off" the Ukraine by launching an offensive through Belorussia along the Polish border and come into conflict with the Poles (on Polish soil). NATO is now involved in a conflict in Europe.

Iran (probably at Russian and Chinese prompting) stirs up unrest in the Middle East just as the EU and Pacific Rim begin to escalate. The US is forced to support its allies in the gulf against actions in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Once again, the US is technologically more than a match, but are out manned by so many commitments at once. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are surrounded by hostile forces and begin to press for full US intervention in the region.

When you step back and look at all of these "Regional Conflicts" (some of a limited scope), You realize that the WORLD is at war. We started World War 3 and didn't even know it....

[Cdnwolf]

Don't forget what happened in Paris... instead of launching a nuke at Belorussia what if France launched one at ISIS in the Middle East... image the repercussions.

[.45cultist]

I also still have the zombie stats..... Lot's of goodness potential!

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

Don't forget what happened in Paris... instead of launching a nuke at Belorussia what if France launched one at ISIS in the Middle East... image the repercussions.

It would be ugly. The other reality wouldn't be much better. ISIS is a Sunni based extremist group created in a backlash against Shiite oppression. What if we bombed ISIS out of existence, and the Shiite extremists (backed by a possibly nuclear Iran) took over in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon. The pressure on Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and The Emirates would be extreme. Israel would be virtually under siege. I believe that even Egypt would be in potential jeopardy during a Shiite "Arab Spring" where (western aligned?) moderate Muslims were being persecuted.

[Tnchi2a]

I was thinking for my game, I would lead off with

1.the Ukrainian war going hot with Russia (Russia stepping in to save Russian speaking Ukrainians) sorry had to wait till i stopped laughing

2.NATO involvement in Poland Push Russia over the edge (Putin's Fear of western aggression).

3.North Korean invasion of the south.

4. Indo-Pakistani wars #5 leads to Chinese involvement

5. Iran Israeli war (Ad nations as you see fit)

6. etc. = nuclear war

have not got the story written yet but this is the outline with a game start date of 2030.

advice welcome

[StainlessSteelCynic]

One thing about North Korea is worth bringing up. They are sitting on a gold mine of rare earth elements (REEs). North Korea has allowed very little surveying to be done but covert satellite surveying by the West had identified areas of likely REE deposits. Very recently, Chinese surveyors were allowed into the country and they confirmed that there are large REE deposits available for exploitation.
China has been the world supplier of many REEs for the last few decades but they have been very canny with managing supply & demand specifically to keep the price in their favour. They would love to "manage" the North Korean (NorK) deposits to ensure a continuing Chinese monopoly.

This has the potential to make North Korea a very rich country - but we already know where most of the money goes so the possibility is that they will become more heavily armed but with better weaponry.

In terms of a game storyline, perhaps China has been exploiting the NorK REE deposits for many years and paying the NorKs for the privilege with food, weapons and lower level Chinese technology. This would give them a far greater threat level when it comes to any invasion of South Korea.

[Tnchi2a]

Thanks did not know that.
with that info a arms for mineral treaty is not to far off, and makes for a more pressing invasion scenario.

thanks for the input

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Originally Posted by Tnchi2a

Thanks did not know that.
with that info a arms for mineral treaty is not to far off, and makes for a more pressing invasion scenario.

thanks for the input

You're welcome
I used to work in the mining industry so the info about minerals potential in NorK was part of the industry knowledge.

[Cdnwolf]

Originally Posted by Tnchi2a

I was thinking for my game, I would lead off with

1.the Ukrainian war going hot with Russia (Russia stepping in to save Russian speaking Ukrainians) sorry had to wait till i stopped laughing

How about if the Chechen rebels decide to step their fight and do more terrorist attacks against Russia's southern front. In my timeline I had them detonate a dirty bomb in Stalingrad during a parade celebrating the anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. Material supplied from a third country (cough cough Iran).

As for North Korea how about they try testing one of their nuclear missiles over the Sea of Japan... it goes astray and hits Vladovostok and some of the fallout goes into China....