Palex80

Following the devastating Sigma variant wave in late 2022, the world started recovering again in 2023. The skirmish along the Russian-Ukrainian border in early 2022 served as reminder that the pandemic was not the only concern. The European Union, exiting the pandemic more divided than ever before, was too weak to keep its cohesion, losing Finland and Sweden in 2023 and Romania in 2024. Norway, Sweden and Finland formed the Northern Block in late 2022, while Romania aligned itself with the Russian-friendly Ukrainian government. Following the Vaccine Shortage Unrest of Warsaw, a state of civil war erupted in Poland. The EU tried to intervene but was warned Russia than any intervention so close to its borders would be met with a Russian response. When evidence surfaced that it was the FSB that sabotaged the two truckloads of vaccines destined for the Warsaw population, it was already too late. The United States of America, their hands full trying to put down the civil unrest in Mexico and preventing it from spilling over the border, were too busy looking elsewhere. The newly formed Russian-Chinese Alliance grasped its chance.
 
Scenario 1 of the WWIII series
 
To be played only from the BLUE side

This is the sixth and final part of the series.
As with all previous scenarios: Only to be played by the BLUE side.


PRELUDE:
The sudden deployment of nuclear weapons by the Israeli Defence Force came as a surprise to all involved conflict parties. Faced with annihilation after the collapse of the front along the Gaza strip and the breakthrough achieved by US-backed Egyptian Army units, the Israelis resorted to the last possible measure available to them. The ensuing nuclear storm engulfed US forces in Egypt as well and led to a limited US nuclear strike on Israeli units by B2 bombers. The last shot in that side-conflict fell, when the “Tanin”, a Dolphin class Israeli submarine, unleashed a nuclear-tipped cruise missile strike on the Diego Garcia installation, where the B2 bomber strike originated from. Following that strike, both the Israelis and the US-Egyptian coalition decided to disengage.
ECON quickly distanced itself from the Israeli actions, just as Greater Russia did.
Turkey decided to stay neutral again, following the defeat of its air force over the Aegean by ECON forces and being effectively isolated after Egypt left the conflict.
The war was approaching a stalemate between the two pacts.
It was Vladimir Putin who surprised ECON leadership with an ambitious plan to carry the fight to the enemy and potentially accelerate the end of the war.

This is the second scenario in the series.

PRELUDE:
The conflict between the ECON-India-Arab coalition in the summer of 2019 was the first event in a cascade that was to follow. Although the coalition managed to oust US forces from Pakistan, that success was only short-lived. The American counterattack using submarine launched cruise missiles and long-range bomber strikes out of Diego Garcia severely gutted the recovering Arab forces and rendered most of the oil terminals useless. The following CIA-backed insurgency in the Middle East brought the newly elected Arab governments to the brink of collapse. ECON and the US referred from directly attacking each other across the Atlantic and in May 2020 the Reykjavik peace treaty was finally signed.
The worse seemed to have been over, but then disaster stroke once again. The UK general election of 2022 ended in chaos after right-wing militant groups attacked voting stations, where strong results for the labour party were expected. The attacks seem to have been triggered after the labour party had declared its plan to initiate talks of the UK joining ECON again (after leaving the EU in 2018 in the first place). Whistle blowers revealed documents linking the CIA to the attacks; however solid evidence was never retrieved to back up this claim. Diplomatic tensions rose swiftly after that between the UK and ECON, with the UK Tory government declaring a state of emergency and asking for US military assistance to safeguard the British islands. This was the drop that spilled the cup, forcing ECON to intervene.

This is the first scenario in the series.

PRELUDE:
Following the fall of the Saddam Hussein Regime in early 2002 the situation in the Middle East has become highly unstable. The Islamic State (IS) managed to overthrow the Iraqi government in 2016 and then spread the insurgency into the neighboring countries of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Forced to act, in order to protect their interests and oil supply, the United States (US) invaded Iraq again in 2017 and also installed strong military presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Although the threat of IS was practically destroyed by these actions, the continued presence of US forces in the Middle East let tensions grow even further. The joint Israeli-US air offensive against Iranian nuclear facilities in late 2018 was the spark that ignited the fire. Many young Arabs, up until then foreign to insurgency, picked up weapons and joined a newly established democratic movement to depose the ruling regimes of the Middle East and oust American troops from their home countries.
The second Arab spring had arrived, this time directed against the US.
After 6 months of guerrilla warfare between US troops and democratic insurgents, the US decided to withdraw its troops from the Middle East. The last convoys of troops were however not sent back to the United States but seemed to be relocating to Pakistan, where a CIA-backed junta ousted the radical Islamic leaders that had recently gained power. Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal was dissolved and the establishment of a strong US presence in Pakistan was a clear message to the new democratic Middle East governments that any interference in the oil supply would result in US intervention with airstrikes out of Pakistan.
Britain left the EU in early 2018 an action which led to another spark. In the Berlin European summit in late 2018 the now 33-member EU (plus Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Slavic Macedonia; minus Great Britain) declared its consolidation creating the European Confederation (ECON). Angela Merkel was elected first President of ECON with the leader of Greater Russia Vladimir Putin, still recovering from the mysterious assassination attempt in early 2018, attending the ceremony too.
In early 2019 representatives of the newly elected governments of the Persian Gulf states and India met via video-conferencing with representatives of ECON addressing their concerns over the threat of American forces in Pakistan. Further meetings followed leading to the events that follow.

This is the third scenario in the series.

PRELUDE:
Following the victory of ECON against the US backed coup in the UK, the Labour party formed a government and the UK officially joined ECON.
The most important result of the struggle over the UK happened elsewhere however. The Russian Kuznetsov carrier battle group came under attack by US aircraft in the North Sea. Whether the sinking of a Udaloy class destroyer by 3 Harpoon missiles fired by US F/A-18s was a mistake or deliberate action will never be known. The Putin-Merkel pact was signed the following day, forming a military alliance between ECON and Greater Russia, dragging Russia into the conflict. Other nations picked sides quickly too with South American nations joining the US led alliance, followed by Canada and Japan. China and Australia decided to stay neutral for the time being. The biggest surprise came from Israel. Happy with the progress towards democratization and the crackdown on Islam militants in the Arab nations, Israel decided to join the ECON alliance.
The official request for help by the ousted Icelandic government against a US “invasion force” led to the effects that follow.

This is the fifth scenario in the series.

PRELUDE:
Operation “Southern Shield” managed to oust US Coalition forces out of the Azores. With ECON forces leaking their wounds and stretched to the limit it was a rather less joyful Christmas. Once again however the US Coalition unfortunately took the initiative and with it the fight to ECONs front …or rather back door.
The citizens of Tel Aviv woke to air sirens, uncommon sounds since the signing of the peace accords with their Arab neighbours 2 years ago. They looked at the sky in anticipation of Katyusha rockets coming down raining on their ballistic trajectories and caught an unfamiliar glimpse of a new foe: dozens of cruise missiles heading for their targets across the city and beyond. Only moments later waves of aircraft came in from the southwest adding to the carnage. The surprise was complete and the Israel Defence Force suffered horrifying losses in the hands of what seemed to be a joint US-Egyptian attack, while the Egyptian ambassador e-mailed the official declaration of war to Israeli prime minister Dalia Rabin.
It was not over yet. In a surprising move, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan endorsed the attack on Israel and announced that Turkey will be joining the US Coalition. The back door of ECON instantly became a very unpleasant spot.

This is the fourth scenario in the series.

PRELUDE:
Operation “Northern Swipe” was a complete success for ECON. After ousting the Americans from Iceland, Greater Russia combat aircraft started landing in Keflavik. The Icelandic government filed its application to join ECON the next day and became the 35th member of ECON.
Champagne parties only lasted a few hours, as disaster stroke swiftly further south.
Communications with the Azores ceased abruptly; the last reports from fishing vessels describing what appears to be numerous enemy flotillas in the archipelago.
With ECON forces still recovering from the bloody battle around Iceland, all available assets have been hastily relocated to Spain and Portugal to fight against this new attack of the US Coalition.

WWIII, First Part
 
The battle for Norway has been going on for roughly a week now. European and Russian forces have managed to capture more than half of Norway so far. The remaining Norwegian forces fled to the southern part of the country, surrounded and fighting on all fronts. US reinforcements have started flying in to Norway 72 hours ago. The first US-European air battle occured 12 hours ago. The invasion and occupation of Poland is nearing its end, as Russian and German forces have met at the outskirts of Warsaw. Upon completion of this operation more European and Russian forces will be available for redeployment. With US strength in Norway increasing as fresh personell and material arrive, a major conflict between the newly founded Euro-Russian-Federation and US-Norwegian forces is bound to take place.
 
P.S. Fixed with Total Victory Conditions for both sides.