Backstory

In the early 2020’s, an anomalous asteroid impacted the earth, destroying the vast majority of the United States of America. Although there was substantial destruction as a result of the asteroid, excavation of the crater revealed that it was almost entirely comprised of fossil fuels.

The world's scientists were astounded, as the asteroid confirmed the existence of extraterrestrial life, however this was dwarfed when the governments realised what the asteroid meant with regard to the wider population; more fuel to burn.

Fossil fuel consumption in the remnants of North America and Europe increased exponentially, with the two continents forming together to create the Western Federation. As a response, Russia and several other ex-soviet states merged into the National Socialist and Communist Union. All around the world, smaller nations were encouraged, if not forced, to join together, forming large unions and federations as the only way to survive.

By 2030, pollution was at dangerous levels. Within the next decade, the sea level would rise by 44 meters, drowning many coastal cities. Face masks were already mandatory in most, if not all of the world's major cities, as the risk of asphyxiation was tremendous without one. Despite the risk, The Western Federation continued to burn more and more fuel, as their technology developed with the abundance of resources.

Automatons were created - first to assist in construction, and then to fight in wars. It was not long before robots could be found policing the streets and assisting in high risk operations. True artificial intelligence was achieved in 2034, and the next year, 2035, domestic robots could be found around the globe.

Shunned by the global community, and seeking to claim the fossil fuels in North America and Europe for themselves, Greater India - A new nation consisting of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and half of occupied China - began to develop their nuclear program, not only stockpiling nuclear weaponry, but also perfecting nuclear fusion, developing robots, plasma weaponry and mechanized power armor. By 2038, they no longer needed the fossil fuels - their nuclear technology had surpassed it, and yet now it was about the principle. They were going to have it all.

Their advance through Europe was ineffective. While they had superior technology, they severely underestimated the tenacity of the National Socialist and Communist Union, who they needed to pass through in order to attack the Western Federation. In 2041, the government of Greater India approved the go-ahead for nuclear weaponry to be used 50 kilometers East of Kiev, where a particularly difficult resistance had led to a stalemate that had lasted 8 months. They did not expect other countries to retaliate.

What was supposed to be a limited and singular nuclear strike on one difficult target became the single deadliest conflict in Human history. In a little over 4 hours, 6.8 of the 12 billion people on the Earth were dead - the vast majority of the survivors in Northern Europe and Southern America - and more than half of the survivors mutated and twisted into unrecognizable shapes.

It is now 23 years after the bombs first fell, and slowly the wheel of progress is turning once again.