The Birdcage

When exactly the great wars began is hotly debated, perhaps even as far back as the turn of the 20th century, but all agree that they ended with the dropping of the first atomic bombs, and the beginning of the nuclear age in 1950, as fears of global annihilation mounted atop crippled economies, shattered infrastructure, and devastated populations.

Treaties and surrenders saw the wars finally come to an end. The International Peace Coalition was formed of victors and the defeated alike to oversee recovery, reconstruction, and building the foundation for a lasting peace. Over the years, the Coalition found itself overstretched and overburdened, and many nations were excluded from the global recovery. The gap between developed and developing nations widened by the day as the former saw unprecedented prosperity, and the latter wallowed in poverty and apathy among the ashes of war. As revolution and violence sparked around the world, the Coalition could only muster a limited response, prompting the formation of the Global Security Alliance in 1962.

By the dawn of the 21st century, the International Peace Coalition had been reduced to what was “affectionately” known as an “armed charity”, widely regarded as corrupt and ineffectual. The postwar status quo was firmly in the hands of the Alliance, who in turn, were regarded as having their own selfish interests in mind. However, during the 1980s, as new technology and energy sectors came to prominence outside of the Alliance’s sphere of influence, new global powers began to pursue their own interests. A number of historic rivals to the nations of the Alliance, as well as those who could never develop or rebuild in the postwar era, formed their own economic and military alliance, which would form into a singular world power: The Union. After the turn of the millennium, the Alliance nations’ preparations for conflict would, in turn, unify them into a new super-nation in its own right: The Federation.

Over the decades, tensions continued to mount as the Federation and Union expanded their spheres of influence, and continued to build their arsenals. During that time, the participants would be given unusual nicknames. Before the Federation, Alliance military exercises would refer to blufor as “Eagles”, owing to their use of eagle iconography, and to opfor as “Ravens” as a means of contrast. Today, the monikers have become commonplace, with the Federation’s Eagle flag standing for pride and power as it preys on the weak, while the crafty Union Ravens pluck from the carrion of the developing world. The theme has carried on to all players on the world stage; the “Doves” of the Coalition struggle in vain to keep peace, while mercenary “Vultures” circle the dead and dying; the small but defiant “Kestrels” of the Accord use what little they can to guard themselves, while the “Magpies” of the Front loot and steal to continue their “revolution”. “Hawks” and “Falcons”, other birds of prey, find themselves drawn into the frenzy. The world stands on the precipice of total war. When it comes, conflict will once again consume the world. All will be trapped with the Eagles, Ravens, and the rest, inside the birdcage.


Factions

Eagle - The Federation
The Federation, known colloquially as "Eagles", first emerged in the twilight years of the Great Wars, as a coalition of those nations who wanted to bring an end to hostilities once and for all, either through peaceful compromise, or utter destruction. After being retooled to enforce the treaties that ended the wars, many of the founding nations would coalesce into a massive federation, practically a super-state in its own right, though some still exist as separate entities. However, with every member nation's interests being represented in government, decisions can be slow to make, especially with regards to money, as politicians and private interests compete for funding. While their unified military forces are large and well-funded, they find it more budget-conscious to use what they know to work, with as many modernizations as the government is willing to pay for.

Raven - The Union
The aftermath of the Great Wars saw a widening gap between developed nations and developing ones. Many peoples once subservient to the empires and powers of the old world were now free, but impoverished and poorly led. Those nations which existed in Eagle's shadow, those who would not submit to their terms, or those who left the coalition before being absorbed into the Federation, would unite - or be forcibly united through subterfuge, revolution, or invasion - into a single entity, the Union, also known as "Ravens". While their economy stands toe-to-toe with the Eagles, technology and private enterprise lies at its core. Thus, their military forces are equipped with only the most cutting-edge hardware that the private sector can provide, in order to maximize individual unit effectiveness, ensure the safety of their combat personnel, and cement the power and profitability of the corporations making up the Union's defense industry.

All-Terrain Vehicle

Eagle - Boreal Raider
Beloved by outdoorsmen the world over, the Raider in its stock configuration found itself at home in the ranks of special forces and reconnaissance units.

Raven - KVX Scorpion
The Scorpion has won its fair share of races in the past, yet is easy to keep running. As such, it is not uncommon to see use as an offroad runabout.

General Purpose Vehicle

Eagle - LM Skirmisher GP.3
]The rugged Skirmisher has served a wide array of roles under many different flags for generations, dating back to the end of the great wars. The third and latest iteration has shown no signs of obsolescence as it carries all manner of personnel and equipment over even the most unforgiving terrain.

Raven - KVX Mongoose
Scooped right off of KVX Offroad’s showfloor and dropped right into the battlefield, this advanced, yet hardy 4x4 didn’t need long to prove itself as a capable tactical mobility vehicle, while its sleek, sporty lines make it the apple of every automotive-inclined eye across the battlefield, with a number of captured or "requisitioned" examples ending up in officers' private garages.

Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Eagle - FV.4A2 Lancer
After spending almost fifteen years of service in another vehicle’s shadow, the recent retirement of the previous mainstay IFV has allowed the modernized A2 Lancer to take the limelight, and has quickly been hailed as a welcome change.

Raven - Kraylon Caracal
A rocky introduction involving political misconduct, bribes to military officials from Kraylon Dynamics, and a veritable truckload of issues ranging from transmission trouble, to drivers passing out from heatstroke, to software bugs, the Caracal's wartime debut came just in time for problems to be resolved and controversy to settle.

Main Battle Tank

Eagle - BT.2A4 Warrior
During its debut more than three decades ago, the Warrior had a long list of issues owing to its many sophisticated design features for the time. Its modularity and emphasis on “future-proofing” has allowed it to not only survive in service, but become a ubiquitous presence on the modern battlefield.

Raven - Hatamoto Kodiak
Although the Kodiak had been on the drawing board for several years, it was not deemed suitable to replace any vehicles then in service until fairly recently. Although it has yet to completely phase out its predecessor, adjustments made to its cutting-edge design to reduce cost have made it more than fit for active service.

Gunship Helicopter

Eagle - A.72 Mangonel
Representing a multinational development effort, the Mangonel was intended as a universal attack helicopter for use by an alliance of nations. Though made with versatility in mind for adoption into any nation's service, all but three had withdrawn their orders due to budgetary issues. Those orders were reinstated shortly after the Mangonel proved itself at the outbreak of hostilities.

Raven - Veikar Hornet
Although the contract for a high-speed stealth helicopter ended up being dropped, Veikar Systems' prototype for an entry was still a serviceable airframe. Seeing completion as the Hornet, it first flew with private security forces as a light attack helicopter. With its capabilities demonstrated, it would quickly be adopted into proper military service with upgrades and improved armament.

Transport Helicopter

Eagle - C.68 Dragoon
Dethroning a previous long-standing rotary-wing workhorse was no small feat for the Dragoon, let alone in the face of far more cutting-edge alternatives. Nevertheless, this humble helicopter once intended for search and rescue has been serving with distinction in multiple branches of numerous nations.

Raven - Veikar Petrel
When requirements were issued for a new transport helicopter for ground forces several years ago, Veikar Systems was quick to submit their own entry, and then use whatever means were at their disposal to see it was chosen. Those means were unnecessary, as it proved to be the most technically capable of the contestants, and has since been inducted into all branches of service.

Light Attack Plane

Eagle - SA.17 Ballista
Spawned by a short-lived government contract to a small, but ambitious aerospace design firm, the military blew the dust off the prototype shortly after the outbreak of hostilities. Now, the Ballista fills a niche as a remarkably affordable light attack and reconnaissance aircraft, ideal for situations that don't call for the full force of a modern aerial arsenal.

Raven - Albri Typhoon
As economy of force became more vital with an expanding reach and increased threats by insurgents, the Albri Zephyr trainer went to war as the Typhoon, providing a low-cost, relatively expendable means of ensuring aerial dominance. To this end, it has proven equally relevant in the face of an equal foe, especially in circumstances that preclude more high-profile assets.

Light Bomber

Eagle - EA.6X Super Catapult
The EA-6 Catapult was once the ultimate platform for anti-submarine and electronic warfare, launched from carrier decks and short, improvised runways operated by marines. While considered by many today to be utterly geriatric, the EA-6X "Super Catapult" upgrade package has turned this cheap, reliable airframe into a capable medium strike aircraft for low-intensity environments, or even modern foes caught unprepared.

Raven - Veikar Cyclone
While the Albri Typhoon made for a capable light attack aircraft, it nevertheless had its limits in terms of munitions. Veikar Systems developed the Cyclone as an answer to this shortcoming. Although the Cyclone could bring heavier and more varied ordnance to bear, it lacked the Typhoon’s compact airframe and agility, and thus served to compliment it rather than compete, to the chagrin of both manufacturers.

Heavy Machine Gun

Eagle - 12M.4 Arbalest
An earlier variant of the Arbalest saw the end of the great wars as a mainstay light anti-aircraft weapon aboard ships and boats. With a number of revisions brought on by advancing technology, including reduced weight and simpler maintenance, it now sees frequent use as a heavy support weapon by ground troops.

Raven - Type 67 Venom
Over the years, countless competitions have been held to replace the Venom with a more cutting-edge weapon system. Yet, uncharacteristically of the Ravens, it remains not only one of the oldest heavy machine-guns in active service today, but is a staple in their arsenal, and shows no signs of being replaced any time soon.

Anti-Tank Guided Missile

Eagle - MS.72A6 Warhammer
Although the Warhammer wire-guided missile dates back to a time when guided anti-tank missiles were emerging from their infancy, frequent modernizations to launch systems, and the missiles themselves, have kept them in active service through to the present day.

Raven - Krul Talon
What was intended to be a next-generation optically-tracked missile system never quite lived up to its promise, but the Talon nevertheless became a capable enough anti-tank missile system to replace the aging weapons in service at the time. The fact that said older weapons were produced by the same company, and production issues were ultimately what led to the adoption of the more expensive Talon, is ostensibly unrelated.

Anti-Aircraft Gun

Eagle - 45M.3 Rapier
The Elbrecht 45mm cannon has been in service since the Great Wars, having fought with almost every nation involved, even on opposing sides. While the Rapier Air Defense Platform sports a host of advanced features and technology, this ubiquitous weapon, barely modified since the Disarmament, forms its core.

Raven - Krul Stinger
Superficially modified, unlicensed copies of the Elbrecht 45mm cannon have made it into this sleek-looking air-defense system, representing the only component of the Stinger which was not some company’s latest and greatest product. Owing to insufferably long boot-up times and contrived controls, its much-touted, advanced targeting and networking systems tend to be overlooked by personnel.