8Bit/Digi

By Stan Rezaee

Command & Conquer was a real-time strategy game that help establish the foundation of the genre. The series was broken down into the Tiberium series, Red Alert series and Generals series as each one brought something unique to the battlefield. But then Tiberian Twilight was released and it killed the entire series.

This is a series with many possibilities and a reboot would continue its legacy for a new era of gaming. This is one vision for how a possible Command & Conquer reboot should look. based on the idea that all the games will be connected with a single story about Kane having manipulated the world powers and leaders in his bid for global domination.

The Plot

Backstory – The game is set in an alternative universe created in the aftermath of Albert Einstein trying to prevent World War II. In 1947, Einstein goes back to 1902 and removes Hitler from history. In doing so it caused a butterfly effect in which Kane (an alien warlord imprisoned in a penal colony on an asteroid) is able to survive his arrival in 1908 when he crashes into the Yenisei river instead of the Tunguska forest.

During the Russian Revolution, Kane joins the Bolsheviks and becomes Stalin most trusted advisor in his plot to take power. Meanwhile the United Kingdom, France and Germany join to establish the European Alliance in 1935 to avoid another Great War and to overcome the Great Depression. The United States is also able to overcome the Great Depression while building up its army out of fear of the rise of the Soviet Union.

However unknown to all parties, Kane will use the current political climate to weaken all the world powers while secretly building Nod.

Red Alert – The first game will begin in the 1960’s with Joseph Stalin launching his invasion of Europe. Eastern Europe is taken by surprise while the European Alliance forces are able to put up a fight in Germany while forces at the Maginot Line prepare for a major offense. However the Soviet forces overrun the Allied forces and the UK is the only free nation in Europe. When the United States begins to economically support the Allies, the Soviets launches a surprise navel attack on Pearl Harbor and New York City. With the combined forces of the America and the Allied forces, Europe is liberated while the Soviet Union collapses following the fall of Moscow.

Red Alert Aftermath – Following the end of the war, the Soviet Union has fallen into Civil War as several Warlords (one being under the influence of Kane) trying to fill the vacuum left by Stalin. The European Alliance and the United States must work with Communist China to put down these rouge factions and established a unified Russia while bringing peace to the region.

Generals – Set in the early 2000’s, Kane has raised several terrorist groups in secret to cripple the world powers of the United States, European Alliance and the Peoples Republic of China. The Red Faction Army (RFA) begins a reign of terror in Europe while the Global Liberation Army (GLA) launches a campaign in the Middle East and Asia. At the same time, the Brotherhood of Nod begins to emerges as a political movement that serves as an alternative to the current World Powers.

Generals: Tiberian Dawn – Set in 2012, the war against the RFA and GLA is coming to an end when several Tiberian asteroids hit Earth. Having foreseen the arrival of this new resource, Kane weaponize Tiberian and supplies it to the RFA and GLA as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. The RFA and GLA launch several major attacks against the World Powers which also helps spread Tiberian. In response the US, EA, and China pull their resources together to establish the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) to counter this new threat. After a series of GDI victories, remnants of the  RFA and GLA unify under Kane to establish Nod as a new military power.

Tiberian War – Five years after the events in Tiberian Dawn, the world is divided between nations under the influence of GDI or under the control of Nod. Currently both sides have not engaged in any real combat while GDI is more focused on containing the spread of  Tiberian. Nod takes advantage of this by launching several surprise attacks against GDI outposts in Europe and North America while taking control of Tiberian depots. This triggers what will become the Great Tiberian War which will last 7 years and will only end with the arrival of the Universal Federation Union and the Scrin.

Kane’s Last Stand – Earth has become ground zero for an intergalactic conflict that pits Global Defense Initiative and the Universal Federation Union against the Scrin and the Brotherhood of Nod. Both GDI and UFU are working together to fight the Scrin and Nod. The Scrin want to capture Kane so that he could lead an uprising against the UFU on his home planet. This will be the final game in the series and the fate of the world is in the players hand.

The Factions

Soviet Union – One of the two major powers in Europe, the Soviet Union grew to become a major military force under the leadership of Joseph Stalin. Its military might is so powerful that the European powers formed an alliance as a counter measure.  After the war, remnants of the old order waged an insurgency against the US and EA forces.

European Alliance – One of the two major powers in Europe, the European Alliance was established as a military union between the United Kingdom, France and Germany to counter the threat of the Soviet Union. In the 21’s Century it would be involved in the European Theater of the War on Terror.

United States – America emerged as a global power thanks to its economic and military might. It first lead the charge against the Soviet Union during World War II then later helping both the EA and People’s China during the War on Terror.

The Peoples Republic Of China – Following the end of World War II, China emerged as a major world power when it helped the US and EA put down the Soviet Remnants. In the 21’s Century it was involved in the Asian and Middle Eastern theater of the War on Terror.

Red Faction Army – The RFA was established by Kane in secret following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It’s made up of former Soviet officers and European collaborators during World War II. There goal is to dismantle the European Alliance and replace it with a Communist government.

Global Liberation Army – The GLA was established by Kane in secret following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its leadership is made up of former Soviet officers from Central Asia and for Soviet supporters from the Middle East. There goal is to create a new empire in the region while ousting the influence of the US and People’s China.

Brotherhood of Nod –While the organization was established during the War on Terror, it grew to become a military power after absorbing the remnants of the RFA and GLA. It grew into a religious military order dedicated to taking over the world.

Global Defense Initiative – Following a series of deadly terrorist attacks and the spread of Tiberian, the world powers of America along with the European Alliance and China pulled their resources together to establish GDI.

Universal Federation Union – A military and political alliance of alien species that maintains order in their galaxy. They were responsible for ousting Kane from power on his home world and have been waging several wars with the Scrin. They arrive on Earth to help the GDI bring down Kane and clean up the Tiberian outbreak.

Scrin – They are a parasitical like race that seeds unsuspecting planets with Tiberian while having engaged in a long war with the UFU. They have come to Earth when they learn that Kane has survived his exile in the hopes of using him to lead an uprising against the UFU on his home planet.

Gameplay

The gameplay should be the same classic RTS style that players have enjoyed. However the campaign should progress in a manner in which players control the faction who is at the center of the storyline. For example if the Soviet Union is the focus of the story then players control that faction during that moment of the campaign.

Final Thoughts

Command & Conquer set the foundation for the RTS genre and its not fair to fans that the series is dead thanks to Tiberian Twilight. The series deserves a revival and this work of fan fiction is the perfect template to use in rebooting Command & Conquer.