🕹️ Front Lines

"Dec, 7th, 2044. The dawn of the 21st Century spurred the governments of the world to a new spirit of democratic change, and the media proclaimed the 21st Century to be the ""Century of the Global Economy."" After fifteen years, the EEC (European Economic Community) finally pulled together and began competing in the world market with a vengeance. Other governments began to panic. Fearing they would be left out of vital trade, many banded together, and the world found itself with seven major governments which divided it into seven major economic powers. After ten years, the conglomerate governments finally formed economic partnerships, while at the same time developing their own identities as large nations. In the ""Golden Dozen"" years, from 2028 to 2040, the people felt united in a quest for world peace through economic enrichment. People across the globe realized that bad weather in one part of the world may cause them to go hungry. Or that an unstable government in Asia, could cause a major price fluctuation of durable goods in the United States. Throughout history, global unity had never been so strong. For the first time, man felt that there was a long term chance for peace. Then a growing group emerged, composed of individuals who had amassed untold wealth and power in the world market. These men and women were convinced that they could run things more efficiently that the governments that had provided the environment for their wealth. After four years of drought and bickering over world grain prices, the huge government machines had lost track of the everyday needs of the many nations that they oversaw. And the powerful and wealthy renegades formed into Cartels, each with its own private mercenary army, and each with sights trained on world-scale revolution. Comparing themselves to Napolean, Alexander the Great, and other ""benevolent dictators"" of the past, the Cartels mobilized on the 100th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, unleashing their huge private armies on the sleeping forces of the world."