History, Politics And Current Affairs

Has there been any established lore about China in modern times? I seem to recall they took a beating from the Soviets during WWIII....

Have some examples:

A nationalist coup/election victory in the Russian Republic with its new leader starting border incidents with Ukraine and the Far Eastern Republic with the intend of recreating the might of the Russian Empire/Soviet Union.

Mexico starting using drones to take out the rebels in the country, with successes.

Manchuria the most powerful of the warlord states in China seeking a confrontation with the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Another possibility is the protectorates (is that the right word?) of the northern tier of former Mexican states decide that they want to be admitted as states and the remainder of Mexico gets salty about it? Maybe some blindness in Congress about admitting them, and then Mexico tries to take them back?

Warlord China has some possibilities. Maybe someone has gotten the brainpower and physical plant back together enough to have quasi-operational nukes and uses one or two of them on one of the other warlords?

Some kind of fundamentalist craziness in Africa? Start taking over large chunks of the continent, with lots of missiles being fired at the "infidels" (western) shipping and such, shutting down oil exports, lots of massacres?

A Pakistani/India war?

A war between a WWIII ally and a neighbor, with unprovoked aggression?


To be honest, in the Red Dawn universe, the US is not only the world's policeman, its a policeman from the 1890's, who's not afraid to use the nightstick and call for backup or the meat wagon. In a reasonably sane world, there wouldn't be all that much going on, since the US has managed to slap down all the stupid we've seen for the last 35 years. To make it believable, there would really have to be a long gap to allow the WWIII vets and their children to pass out of politics and pass on, akin to the gap for the UK between the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean war, or the Crimean war and WWI. We're going to have to get creative with this one. The only countries that have a real arms industry now are the western nations, and I don't really see a split in NATO leading to a hot war.

Wait... How about this.... In one of the former French colonies, there's an uprising, with lots of death and destruction and so forth. France goes in to to try to settle the problem, and has trouble due to *reasons* and then requests NATO assistance?


Belushi TD

Japan is ascendant in WESTPAC and has a fairly solid position in China...and the various parts of China are slowly recovering.

Orange may be the new black, but maybe also Orange is becoming the new Orange...or at least may be trying to put the band back together.

Right, the FER is basically a Japanese puppet state (which Japan, to my knowledge, wasn’t looking for).

Wouldn't Korea after the nuclear strikes against NK moved north? If so, they probably have an "understanding" with their neighbors. I also think Japan and Korea are trying very hard not to tick the other off.

jemhouston wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:05 pm Wouldn't Korea after the nuclear strikes against NK moved north? If so, they probably have an "understanding" with their neighbors. I also think Japan and Korea are trying very hard not to tick the other off.

You mean upset the United states.

Still think a Manchuria, allied with North Korea until it went boom and now a praria state with its own nukes and intend to reunite China is a goo way to go.

Otherwise i will only see discussions of members becoming grandparents and retirement parties.

I think we can still use the raid on an Iranian nuclear facility as a WTF is going on thing.

Wolfman wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:57 pm I think we can still use the raid on an Iranian nuclear facility as a WTF is going on thing.

Yup. Iran always has some amusement value.

You can start us off by having your character react to CNN (in the story they had an embed with the raiding force) breaking the news about the raid…

Wolfman wrote: ↑Tue Jan 30, 2024 4:57 pm You can start us off by having your character react to CNN (in the story they had an embed with the raiding force) breaking the news about the raid…

IIRC, there was some stuff that would rate Roberta Mantell giving expert commentary...

Let’s run with it!

In the longer run, the Far East is going to be an issue because there are too many strategic imperatives pushing too few players in too many ways. And there are symptoms here and there.

For example, Josh Mantell knows that some of his former business associates in Japan have been quietly told by MITI to avoid substantive discussions of current cybersecurity issues with gaijin. This troubles him on multiple levels, and Roberta has noticed.

Who are the major black hats?

Okay, an update on China (or what passes for it is in order:

Manchuria is still run by the PLA; though as a military junta with nominal control from what's left of the CCP. The generals run things, not the Party bosses. Relations with the U.S, Japan, and most Western nations are correct, but are ice-cold with both the Far East Republic and the Republic of Korea due to outstanding (and in the ROK, invented) border disputes. They also claim to be the "real" government of China, but no one outside Manchuria-least of all Taipei-listens. Attempts to regain the UN seat have been rebuffed. Border skirmishes (usually on the platoon or company level) with the FER are common.

The ROC controls Taiwan and parts of two provinces directly across the Strait, along with offshore islands (the most famous being Quemoy and Matsu). Taipei is recognized by just about everyone as the legitimate government of China, and holds the UN seat. They also have a home-grown nuclear deterrent with IRBMs and air-delivered gravity bombs.

His Majesty's Government still controls Hong Kong, Canton (which asked to be taken over) and Macao (given to the UK by Portugal), and the territories in between. The standing offer from SAC to Arc Light any warlords who get too close is still out there.

Tibet is independent, along with several other territories along the old Mongolian and Soviet borders. Most of the rest is still chaotic, though large-scale combat has settled down. However, skirmishes between warlords from company to division level are commonplace. Most piracy issues have been dealt with (severely) by various navies, and those who remain prey on fishermen and coastal freighters.

Most of China's nuclear targets have seen radiation levels drop considerably, but targets hit by ground bursts are still hot.

Thanks for the update, Matt.

I can see the FER and Japan and Korea getting into some trouble with the remnants in Manchuria, or they decide to get try to get the warlords in line with predictable (read: filthy and violent) results. Taipei may go the same route, or the warlords in southern China decide to go after the Brits in the Hong Kong/Macao/Canton area. Any of those would likely get an American response. the FER isn't gonna get Yankee help, but Japan and the ROC would likely get it, Britain would definitely get it.

The last time a warlord got froggy with the British around the Hong Kong/Macao/Canton area he got a visit from THEM and his death was conveniently declared a suicide…

Wolfman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 1:27 am The last time a warlord got froggy with the British around the Hong Kong/Macao/Canton area he got a visit from THEM and his death was conveniently declared a suicide…

It was a suicide, self inflicted stupidity.

Wolfman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 1:27 am The last time a warlord got froggy with the British around the Hong Kong/Macao/Canton area he got a visit from THEM and his death was conveniently declared a suicide…

He was a most determined chap. Tied a noise around his neck, jumped off of the roof, took cyanide, and mag-dumped himself in the back of his head twice.

Poohbah wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 1:53 am

Wolfman wrote: ↑Thu Feb 01, 2024 1:27 am The last time a warlord got froggy with the British around the Hong Kong/Macao/Canton area he got a visit from THEM and his death was conveniently declared a suicide…

He was a most determined chap. Tied a noise around his neck, jumped off of the roof, took cyanide, and mag-dumped himself in the back of his head twice.

You left out drawn and quarter.